This is a nice article about Alf Ramsey, who still has a reputation for having been a terse and even difficult man. When I first moved to Ipswich in the 1980s, I was surprised to regularly see the now-retired Sir Alf and his wife Lady Vicky out shopping in the town centre, quite unremarked and unmolested (in fact, this told me more about Ipswich than it did about the Ramseys). I remember being surprised how small they both were. Two stories about Sir Alf stick in my mind. On the night after Ipswich Town won the championship in 1962 in their first ever season in the top division, there was a celebration party at Portman Road. Someone noticed that Ramsey was missing, so trainer Jimmy Forsyth was sent out to look for him. He found him out on the training pitches, watching a meaningless end of season youth team game. When Forsyth suggested that Ramsey might come in for a drink, he replied 'not now Jimmy, I'm working'. The other story is in, I think, Julian Germain's lovely book 'In Soccer Wonderland', so I hope I haven't misremembered it. Everyone in Ipswich knew where the Ramseys lived on Valley Road, and the young Germain, more in hope than expectation, put a sheet of paper and stamped addressed envelope through the door, asking if Ramsey might kindly get the autographs of all the England players for him. A few days later the autographs were duly put back through the door of the Germain house, also delivered by hand.