The Old Spice Boys

Welcome back for another Old Spice Boys podcast. We’ve gone upmarket this week because we have someone who has just been awarded an MBE! It’s a delight to welcome former Sunderland defender Gary Bennett whose tireless work as an anti-racism campaigner was duly recognised in the New Year’s honours list.

It was a proud moment for Gary and his family and well deserved for someone who has been a model professional on and off the pitch and now having reached the age of 60 shows no signs of slowing down.

We’ve known Benno since 1984 when he joined Sunderland from Cardiff City. Always a dream to interview during his 11 years with the club and is still one of the main men to go to for his views on attempting to stamp out racism in the game – something that sadly has still not in 2022 been eradicated.

He was one of the first players to get involved in Show Racism The Red Card campaign. He has been and still is a mentor to many aspiring young coaches and is heavily involved with local charities in the North East.

Welcome to final Old Spice Boys podcast of 2021. We’ve had some remarkable guests since our launch in August and aim to bring more exceptional football folk to you as we grow in 2022.

Now is the time to pause and reflect. We are within reach of Christmas Day and into the usual frenetic period of the football calendar when form fluctuates and there seems to be no time to relax and take in the true meaning of the season. 

Except that more and more footballers are confident enough to proclaim their Christianity and celebrate the birth of a child in a manger who changes lives and alters perceptions.

We have two very special guests today. Gavin Peacock was a gifted forward who played over 100 times for Newcastle and Chelsea in the 1990s and similarly for QPR at the turn of the century. 

He became a Christian in his teens, has presented Songs of Praise on the BBC and is now a pastor at the Calvary Grace Church in Calgary, Canada.  His autobiography, A Greater Glory was published in May.

Jason McCarthy is in his third spell at Wycombe Wanderers as a wing-back or full-back, has two young children as is utterly devoted to the word of God. I have seen close up how much his Christianity means to him and it is truly life affirming.