Last updated at 13:19, Wednesday, 16 March 2011

A FORMER Premier League football manager known as one of the game’s most colourful characters is to speak at a Furness function.

Duddon Cricket Club has lined up Dave Bassett as the guest speaker for its annual sportsman’s dinner on Friday.

The evening will also feature a comedian, a three-course dinner, a sporting auction and raffles.

Mr Bassett, affectionately known in the game as “Harry”, started his managerial career at Wimbledon, where he was renowned for forming the original “Crazy Gang” of players such as Dave Beasant, John Fashanu, Vinnie Jones, Lawrie Sanchez and Dennis Wise.

He guided Wimbledon to the old First Division in the 1980s after taking over in 1981.

Doing so was widely regarded as an outstanding achievement, given the club had only been elected to the Football League in 1977.

Although he left Wimbledon in 1987, many of the players he signed took the club to an unexpected FA Cup victory over Liverpool in the famous 1988 final.

The 66-year-old, who is a consultant at Championship club Sheffield United, later managed Watford, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley, and had spells as caretaker boss at Leicester City and Southampton.

He also had a short spell as assistant manager at Leeds United.

Mr Bassett is still a well-respected member of the League Managers’ Association.

l Tickets for the dinner, which starts at from 7.30pm, cost £30. Several places still remain.

For details, contact Chris Todd on 07860 272928.

First published at 13:08, Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Published by http://www.askamlocal.co.uk