When Muhammad Ali came to Nuneaton Borough

One of boxing's greatest ever figures once swapped world title fights for non league football in Warwickshire.

In 1984, the former US heavyweight champion Muhammed Ali attended his first football match at Nuneaton Borough's Manor Park ground, where he watched a 0-0 draw against Bedworth United in the Midland Floodlit Cup final. Ali was not impressed.

The visit had been organised by then Nuneaton chairman Noel Kelly, who reportedly paid for Ali's appearance himself.

Former journalist Mike Malyon met Ali at Manor Park and said it had been so last minute no-one knew the boxer would be there. "Suddenly through the gates comes this convertible sports car, and sitting on the back of it are Noel Kelly and Muhammad Ali throwing tennis balls," he said.

"Mohammed Ali was on a promotional tour, and he was staying in Birmingham and Noel Kelly had this brainwave perhaps he could come to watch our game," Malyon said.

"No one could actually believe it. No one, I mean, it was incredible.

"Ali then sat to watch the game, it was his first ever football game that he'd ever watched and it was the most dreadful game.

"Ali's comment afterwards, I said 'what do you think about that?', and he said, 'so that's soccer, all that time, and no one wins.'

"He just couldn't get his head round the fact that he'd sat and watched two hours of football, not scored a goal, no one won and they shared the trophy."

Ali threw signed tennis balls into the crowd, posed for photographs and later presented medals and the trophy, the former journalist said.

The boxer also spent time meeting supporters, signing autographs and performing magic tricks for children and families inside the ground.

"One of the players said to me afterwards, 'we couldn't concentrate on the game, we just kept looking up and seeing Muhammad Ali watching us in the stand.'

"They all went up and shook his hand and had the medals off him, and it was, amazing, he was in no rush to get away.

"He was fantastic with everyone," Malyon said

Although the match itself finished goalless, Ali's appearance ensured the occasion became one of the most memorable moments in the club's history.

Ali was one of the most famous sportspeople in history, winning many awards for boxing including three world heavyweight titles. He also won the BBC's Sports Personality of the Century Award in 1999.

He died in 2016 at the age of 74, suffering from a respiratory illness, a condition that was complicated by Parkinson's disease.

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