Former Arsenal and Leeds United goalkeeper coming to Lancaster for sportsman’s dinner

Ex-Arsenal and Leeds United goalkeeper John Lukic is the speaker at a sportsman’s dinner this week in Lancaster.

In an evening organised by Slyne with Hest Football Club, Lukic will be at Squires Snooker and Sports Bar, Church Street on Thursday April 13.

Lukic made 732 appearances altogether for Arsenal and Leeds over a 23-year playing career between 1978 and 2001.

He began his career at Leeds and quickly became the club’s first choice goalkeeper, playing every First Division game in the 1980-81 and 1981-82 seasons.

In 1982, they were relegated, and Lukic played in the Second Division for a season until Arsenal signed him the following summer.

He was a crucial part of the team that won the League Cup in 1987 and the First Division in the 1988-89 season.

David Seaman’s arrival at Highbury in 1990 led to Lukic returning to Leeds at an exciting time for the club, they had just been promoted to the First Division again.

After Lukic’s return, they would go on to have more success. After finishing fourth in the 1990-91 First Division, Leeds were champions of the league in the 1991-92 campaign, with Lukic playing in every game of that season.

Lukic remained at Leeds beyond the restructuring of the league setup in 1992, which saw the First Division renamed as the Premier League, leaving in 1996 and again joining Arsenal, where he was second or third choice, and staying there until his retirement in 2001.

Leeds and Arsenal played each other in his testimonial in 1996, with him playing for Arsenal in the first half and Leeds in the second.

Comedian Mick Munroe will also be performing at the dinner. Tickets are £20, including a raffle, hotpot supper and an auction for sports memorabilia.

The evening starts at 7.30pm and is expected to run until around 11pm. To book tickets or to find out more, contact Dave Passant on 07775 777835.

Slyne with Hest are, at the time of writing, sixth in the West Lancashire Football League Premier Division with eight games to go. They made it to the semi final of the Richardson Cup but were knocked out by Rossendale.

Their under 16s side are top of the Lancaster and Morecambe Service to Youth League and the under 14 team are the league leaders of the Lancaster and Morecambe StYL First Division.

The under 16s have made it to the final of the Lancaster and Morecambe StYL Under 16 League Cup where they’ll play Heysham Blue Star on April 25 at the Giant Axe.

Speaking to Beyond Radio, club secretary Dave Passant said that there has been a natural progression with some of the club’s youth players.

“We’ve had a couple of juniors who are now 16, who are signed on for the first team and have been substitutes for the last couple of weeks, so it’s great to see and really good for us.”

The club are re-submitting plans to the council for the third time for an extension to their clubhouse and are hopeful that they will be successful this time.

Slyne with Hest are also hosting football camps for boys and girls aged four to 12 on Bottomdale Road. The camps, primarily run by club manager Gavin Clark, will last for four days between April 11 and 14, from 9am to 3pm every day. The cost is £55 per child and £50 per child if two or more siblings are doing the course.

To book your child’s place, call or text Jamie from the club on 07710 541988.