PLAYERS taking part in York Squash Club's annual President's Day competition, had an unexpected visitor when Middlesbrough FC manager, Steve McClaren came into Normanby Golf Club to present prizes.

The day was organised for the seventh year in a row by club president, David Taylor, who secretly arranged with Brian McClaren, Steve's father for him to drop in from his home at nearby Yarm.

Steve, who was born and brought up in York, where he played football for Nunthorpe School and York City Boys before embarking on his professional career that included spells at Derby County and Hull City, was soon reminiscing with many of his old squash colleagues.

It was a particularly 'all our yesterdays' occasion when he talked to Steve Hodgson, the former York champion, whom he defeated in the 1977 York junior squash final at Clifton Park.

Hodgson said: "We used to play each other every week as Under-16s, but it must be 20 years since we met."

McClaren had the happy experience of presenting the best gross prize to his father, who was also in the team which finished third. Nick Robinson won the President's Prize with 43 stableford points, six points ahead of Ray Smith (Pike Hills), who won the Chairman's Prize.

Updated: 11:39 Saturday, May 17, 2003