Sam Allardyce

Sam Allardyce is a humorous and hard-hitting after-dinner speaker, always talking frankly just as he has done as a prominent manager with Blackpool, Notts County, Bolton, Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers. He was a tough-as-nails defender with a string of clubs including Bolton, Sunderland, Millwall, Coventry, Huddersfield and Preston.

During his have-boots-will-travel career he picked up dozens of hilarious stories that he shares with his audiences. His sacking by Blackburn in December 2010 – when Rovers were sitting in 13th place in the Premier League – was described by Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson as “absolutely ridiculous.”

It can only be a question of time before Sam is back in the saddle as a manager, and meantime he is well worth catching as a raconteur who is always entertaining and enlightening.