COWLEY detectives had a hugely successful football team, remaining unbeaten for nearly two years in their Sunday morning ‘friendlies’.

Their string of victories could be attributed to good coaching from a team called ‘Mansell’s Maniacs’.

Former Detective Constable Chris Payne, who now lives in Bicester, writes: “Mansell’s Maniacs were made up of former Oxford United and Oxford City players.

“We played them in the early days and they gave us a lesson in how to play football as a team.

“From that lesson, our team went on its long unbeaten run.

“Eventually, teams from some of the local leagues issued challenges, our team having perhaps beaten their reserve sides.

“The run was finally ended, I think, by a team of Littlemore Hospital staff or Newman Cardinals in Littlemore.”

One of their regular ‘scalps’ was a team which included reporters from the Oxford Mail and BBC Radio Oxford, local solicitors and magistrates’ court clerks.

Mr Payne recalls: “This became a community event and we always soundly thrashed them.

“Their team went on to become the Legal Eagles, with such stars as TV presenter Jim Rosenthal and solicitors Tony Henman, Paddy Roche and Brian Heath. My brother Ken later went over to them as their goalkeeper.

“He reduced the goals conceded by the Eagles until, I think, they eventually won a game against us.”

The line-ups pictured are: First picture: Back, from left: Dc Roy Bailey, Dc Chris Payne, Dc Gerry Coulter-Smith, Pc Vic Luckett, Pc Bruce Chalmers; front: Dc John Stowe, Dc Tim Fleming, Ken Payne (guest), Dc John Batey, Det Sgt Jim Buckle.

Second picture: Back, from left: Dc Bruce Pearce, Dc Clive Jones, Cadet Tim Brown, Dc Chris Payne, Pc Bill Thompson, Cadet Mark Lowen; front: Dc Ron Orman, Dc Tim Fleming, Ken Payne (guest), Dc John Batey, Det Sgt Jim Buckle.