John Motson's Sheepskin and George Best's Spitting Image Puppet donated to The National Football Museum 

Two legends of English football have kindly donated key objects to England's National Football Museum.

Museum spokesman Mark Bushell was delighted with John Motson's kind offer:

“I was amazed when the offers came in. I never thought Motty would get rid of his famous sheepskin. What genuine football fan doesn't realise how important that coat has been to him throughout his career. I'm sure he will be incredibly sad to see it go as it's travelled all over the country with him and it must evoke some incredible memories, not least when he nearly froze to death during a snowstorm at Wycombe Wanderers.”

So impressed was Motson with the Museum's outstanding collections, when he visited the exhibitions recently, that he gave in to the Museum's plea for the coat and invited the NFM to pick it up from his Hertfordshire home.

Motson, whose 30 year career has seen him commentate on over 1000 games joined the Match of the Day team in 1971 at the age of 26. Bushell was keen to point out that the Museum is not just about footballers but about the personalities involved in the game at all levels.

George Best also recently attended the Museum when he picked up his National Football Museum Hall of Fame award. In return he presented the Museum with his 1968 European Footballer of the Year trophy.

And Bushell explained:

“He was overjoyed that he had been recognised in our Hall of Fame as the selection panel included the likes of Brian Clough, Sir Tom Finney, Sir Bobby Robson, Jimmy Greaves, Johnny Haynes and Gordon Banks. He mentioned that he had given his agent, Phil Hughes, the last pair of boots that he ever wore for Manchester United along with his Spitting Image puppet. Thankfully Phil has agreed to give them to the Museum on long term loan.”