BROADWELL Amateurs Football Club welcomed former Arsenal and England star Paul Merson to a special fund-raising evening.

The highlight of the evening at the Bells Hotel in Coleford was the colourful stories of the player who was capped 21 times for his country from his playing days to his current role as a pundit on Sky Sport.

Max Morgan, who organised the evening along with Jason Wood, said: “Paul signed everything that was put in front of him and looked as if he was enjoying it.”

There was also a minute’s applause in memory of those associated with the club who had passed away.

They were supporter Joby Howells, Norman Ennis, a fixture in the shed at home games, former chairman and ‘Mr Broadwell’ Melvin Hale and ex-goalkeeper Ken Turner.

There was also a very successful auction of memorabilia, led by comedian Aaron James, including a signed Lionel Messi boot, a signed and framed Steven Gerrard shirt, a Wayne Rooney Shirt and a pair of boxer Anthony Joshua’s signed shorts.

The evening raised £2,000 for improvements to Broadwell’s Hawthorns ground.