Mick Channon

Club career Southampton Channon was born in Orcheston, Wiltshire and made his debut for Southampton as a 17-year-old in 1966, scoring in a match against Bristol City. Within three years he had established himself as the club's main goalscorer and was consistent in front of goal at a time when Southampton were one of the less fashionable teams in English football's First Division. However, despite a record season tally of 21 goals for Southampton in 1974, the club was relegated to the Second Division at the end of the season.

Channon stayed loyal to Southampton despite obvious concerns for his international chances and was rewarded in 1976 which was a special year for Channon. Southampton were still in the Second Division but nevertheless enjoyed a dream run to the FA Cup final where they played Manchester United. Although Southampton were a lower division side, they were considerably more experienced than Manchester United's youthful team. Southampton won 1–0, with Channon playing a part in the winning goal scored late in the game by Bobby Stokes. His new club were making progress, having just finished second in the First Division behind champions Liverpool, but this was where they peaked and Channon struggled to settle. His impressive career seemingly on the decline, he failed to score in nine games for Bristol Rovers before a sudden departure again, this time to Norwich City where, at the age of 34, he found some of his old touch. He played 88 games over three seasons, scoring 16 goals, and suffered a mixed end to his Norwich career in 1985 when the club won the League Cup — Channon's second and final domestic honour — with a 1–0 win over Sunderland at Wembley, but were then relegated (with Sunderland) at the end of the same season. Channon joined Portsmouth and Finn Harps (where he played in one League of Ireland Cup game), before retiring from the game in 1986.

International career Called up to make his debut for the England national team by Alf Ramsey in October 1972, Channon played well enough in a 1–1 draw with Yugoslavia at Wembley to be selected for the squads for two subsequent qualifying matches for the 1974 FIFA World Cup, although he was not eventually in the team for either.

As the year progressed, Channon scored again in a match against Wales and then added a brace in a 7–0 thumping of Austria before he was picked by Ramsey for his first competitive match – a crucial and ultimately infamous World Cup qualifier against Poland at Wembley. If England did not win, they would not qualify for the tournament. Channon, in his tenth England outing, was in an attacking line-up which spent pretty much the whole match in the Poland half, trying to break the deadlock. Channon's next goal for England was a while coming — in September 1975 — as England beat Switzerland in a friendly. England had two qualifying games left at the end of the year for the 1976 European Championships and Channon scored in both, but England lost 2–1 to Czechoslovakia in Bratislava and then only drew 1–1 with Portugal in Lisbon. England failed to qualify and Czechoslovakia went on to win the tournament.

After winning an FA Cup medal in the 1976 Final, Channon was back at Wembley days later to score twice in England's 4–0 win over Northern Ireland; he then scored again four days later against Scotland but England lost 2–1 at Hampden Park.

In March 1977, Channon scored twice as England beat Luxembourg at Wembley to get their World Cup campaign back on track; Luxembourg were the 'whipping boys' of the group and England would later need to demolish Luxembourg by a similar or better scoreline in Luxembourg to give themselves a chance of overhauling Italy and qualifying for the World Cup.

Channon hit his 20th England goal in a 2–1 win over Northern Ireland in May 1977. A week later came another Channon goal against Scotland – this time from the penalty spot – but this proved an infamous England defeat as the Scots won 2–1 and their fans invaded the Wembley pitch in celebration, ripping up clods of souvenir turf and pulling down one of the crossbars.

After an ill-fated move to Manchester City affected his form, Ron Greenwood chose to omit him from the starting line-up when England played the crucial World Cup qualifier in Luxembourg in October 1977. England won 2–0 and, despite victory over Italy in the last game of the campaign, the goals record was insufficient to take them to the World Cup. Channon was not selected for his country again; his international career ended with 46 appearances and a healthy 21 goals. England's failure to qualify for three major international tournaments during Channon's career leaves him as the most-capped player never to have been named to a World Cup or European Championships squad. As of 17 July 2018, he remains joint 18th in the all-time England scorers list, level with Kevin Keegan and Steven Gerrard.

Horse racing Channon always had an interest in horse racing during his football career. After retiring from full-time professional football in 1986, he began working as an assistant trainer, before becoming a licensed trainer in his own right in 1990. He initially had ten horses.

He then moved to the West Ilsley stables near Newbury, formerly owned by Queen Elizabeth II, and began to increase his number of horses, eventually ending up with almost 200.

Among owners who had their horses with Channon are old football colleagues, including Kevin Keegan, Alan Ball, Chris Cattlin and Sir Alex Ferguson. He was travelling from the Doncaster Sales to his West Ilsley stables in Berkshire when the accident happened.

He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 2001 when he was surprised by Michael Aspel while being interviewed at his West Ilsley racing stables near Newbury.

Career statistics International

Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Channon goal.

Football honours Southampton FA Cup: 1975–76

Norwich City Football League Cup: 1984–85

Individual Rothmans Golden Boots Awards: 1973, 1974

Horse racing honours

Group 1 / Grade I wins Great Britain Cheveley Park Stakes: Seazun (1999), Queen's Logic (2001) Dewhurst Stakes: Tobougg (2000) Falmouth Stakes: Music Show (2010) King's Stand Stakes: Piccolo (1995) Nunthorpe Stakes: Piccolo (1994) St. James's Palace Stakes: Zafeen (2003) Sun Chariot Stakes: Majestic Roi (2007)

Canada E. P. Taylor Stakes: Lahaleeb (2009)

France Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud: Youmzain (2008) Prix Morny: Silca's Sister (2005) Prix Rothschild: Ascension (2001) Prix de la Salamandre: Tobougg (2000)

Germany Preis von Europa: Youmzain (2006)

Ireland Irish 1,000 Guineas: Samitar (2012) Moyglare Stud Stakes: Mail The Desert (2002)

Italy Gran Criterium: Nayarra (2011) Premio Lydia Tesio: Eva's Request (2009) Premio Roma : Imperial Dancer (2003)