Hence the book’s off-beat title: Thank You Hermann Goering (Amberley Publishing). He was seriously injured in the last bombing raid on one of the radar stations on the Isle of Wight, and he spent two years having dozens of operations before he was finally released from hospital with a permanent limp. It was one of Goering’s Luftwaffe bombers that almost ended Brian’s life when he was hardly out of his pram. His exclusives included one from left field: the story of how Hermann Goering and Lord Jellicoe met in secret on the Isle of Wight in a bid to stop the looming Second World War. We learn from the fast-paced book that Brian has dug out scores of scoops during his 50 years on the Fleet Street beat, both in the worlds of football and cricket. This by a man who was once so insignificant that his by-line in the Daily Sketch read: “By Brian Scovell, rhymes with shovel”. Now comes the distressing news that Brian Scovell has gone against all the club rules of maintaining low-profile insignificance by penning a riveting autobiography that puts him very much in the significant bracket. He went off with the 18 shillings and six pence that was sitting in our funds, which with accrued interest, now stands at £670 18s 6d. Peter, of course, developed into a great independent observer of sport, and was long ago kicked out of the club for becoming too significant. We had a special tie manufactured by the firm bank-rolled by Spurs legend Dave Mackay, and our annual subscription of seven shillings and sixpence was collected by treasurer Corrigan. Brian James sportingly accepted the invitation to become the club President on the strict understanding that he would never risk being contaminated by our mediocrity. The seven founder members were Harry Miller ( Daily Mirror), Bryon Butler ( Daily Telegraph), Steve Richards (the original broadsheet Sun), Peter Corrigan ( Daily Mail), Peter Blackman (London Evening Standard), me ( Daily Express) and Brian Scovell ( Daily Sketch, soon to move to the Mail). We No2s reacted with a creativity that Brian would have considered beyond us by forming the Insignificant Seven. In the mid-1960s, the hugely talented Daily Mail chief football writer Brian James was overheard saying: “The No2 football reporters on all the nationals are such an insignificant lot …” Brian Scovell: far from insignificant Scovell came out this week as being a very significant sportswriter, unveiling a fascinating autobiography in which he reveals how, over the past 50 years, he has made a considerable contribution to the world of sports journalism.īut first, let me tell you the history of the Insignificant Seven. It is with a sadness bordering on insanity that I have to announce the blackballing of founder member Brian Scovell from the exclusive Insignificant Seven club. Now, Brian Scovell’s role can be revealed In Fleet Street’s dim and blurry past, there was the national sports desks’ Insignificant Seven, where NORMAN GILLER thought he was the Steve McQueen figure.
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