Welsh football legend John Hartson will be speaking at the Pembrokeshire College, Merlins Theatre, Haverfordwest, on Friday, October 24, that starts at 7.30pm.

It’s a night not to be missed by any football enthusiast, to book a seat for just £15 - telephone Haverfordwest Football Club clubhouse on 01437 769048 or David Hughes on 07967 303806.

Why not go along and listen to John Hartson’s fascinating stories as a former pro. He also works with the media and has regularly featured on many sporting TV programmes as a pundit. This surely is a night not to be missed.

Western Telegraph Sports Editor Gordon Thomas was privileged to interview the former Wales and Premier League football legend.

Charismatic Hartson candidly spoke of his dad Cyril, playing in the old Welsh League set-up, and picking up a brown envelope every week that helped to feed his family of four. He told Telegraph Sport, who were the best players he played with in his day, and who was the hardest opponent he faced during his successful career. Gave his personal thoughts on how Joe Allen has coped with his £15 million price tag move from Swansea City to Liverpool. He also speaks frankly on how he courageously fought with his battle with cancer and beat it!

Hartson, an iconic former Welsh footballer and coach, says he is really looking forward to coming to Haverfordwest, and will be revealing a lot more tales to an audience at The Merlin Theatre in Pembrokeshire College.

Big John was a formidable striker from 1992 until 2008 notably in the Scottish Premier League for Celtic and the Premier League for Arsenal and West Ham United.

In January 1995 he was bought by George Graham for Arsenal for a then British record fee of £2.5 million for a teenage player.

He also played in England’s top flight for Wimbledon, Coventry City and West Bromwich Albion and in the Football League for Luton Town and Norwich City.

He won 51 caps for his country Wales and scored 14 goals - and is ninth top scorer of all time. He also holds a record for the Wales Under-21 team by being one of only four players to have scored a hat-trick at that level alongside Craig Davies, Lee Jones and Ched Evans.

Interview:

GORDON: “Your dad Cyril played for Haverfordwest County and Pembroke Borough, did you ever as a boy come to Pembrokeshire to watch him play?”

JOHN: “Yes I did. Dad was a decent striker and he played in the old Welsh League set-up. I recollect him playing for Afan Lido, Llanelli, Pembroke Borough, Haverfordwest County and Builth Wells. He played where he could get the best offer. That brown envelope with a £20 note inside helped to feed our family of four every week. That’s how it was back in those days.”

GORDON: “You played for many top clubs during your illustrious playing career, but do you have any regrets that you didn’t play for your hometown club Swansea City?”

JOHN: “It was never really feasible when I was playing. I was playing in the Premier League for Arsenal and West Ham and Swansea City were in Division Four. I’d be playing in front of crowds of 38,000 plus and the Swans were only attracting 1,850. I remember watching them when I had a weekend off from Arsenal and they were playing against Scunthorpe United at the old Vetch Ground, back then there was no comparison. Of course, the Swans are flying high now and I would have loved to have played for my hometown club in the Premier League. But it was never really an option in my playing days.”

GORDON: “Who was the best player that you played with?”

JOHN: “There are three stand-out players for me and they were Dennis Bergkamp at Arsenal, Henrik Larsson at Celtic, and Ryan Giggs playing for Wales. Bergkamp was a Dutch legend, he was a phenomenal player. Sweden international Henrik Larsson was a terrific goal scorer at Celtic; incredibly he scored 242 goals in 313 appearances for the Scottish outfit over five seasons. Giggs was just mind-blowing and he formed the Giggs, Hartson and Bellamy trio, who played up top for Wales for a decade.”

GORDON: “Who was the toughest opponent you faced during your career?”

JOHN: “That’s an easy one. An Argentina centre half by the name of Roberto Ayala, he was as tough as old boots. He wasn’t the biggest, but he was solid, and someone I definitely didn’t want to mess with.”

GORDON: “How do you think Joe Allen has settled in at Liverpool and also Wales?”

JOHN: “Joe is a level-headed young lad who has coped fantastically with his £15 million price tag from the Swans. It’s not easy going to a big club like Liverpool, something I had to deal with at Arsenal, and playing consistently at a high-level, but he’s coped with the demands and made it look easy. He’s a tremendous individual who is comfortable in possession and always looks to make a pass. The likes of Stevie Gerrard, Jordan Henderson and Lucas Leiva, have helped with his transition into the big time, and obviously, Brendan Rodgers and Colin Pascoe have regularly worked with him at Swansea. For Wales he is a vital cog in midfield as Chris Coleman is working hard to ensure his team gain Euro 2016 qualification in France.”

GORDON: “You recovered from testicular cancer that moved to your brain. What went through you mind when you were first told you had the dreaded disease?”

JOHN: “It was devastating news and my world was turned upside down. The cancer had spread to my lungs and brain and I was in desperate state. But I can’t thank the doctors and nurses of Singleton and Morriston Hospitals enough, they were superb and really looked after me. It was a worry as I have a young family, but to get through this living nightmare and come out the other side, I feel blessed.”