Laura Woods named the surprise member of Arsenal’s famous Invincibles squad that left her most “overawed”.
As host of TNT Sport’s Champions League coverage, Woods has rubbed shoulders with the game’s biggest stars.
But the broadcaster, who has also worked for the likes of Sky Sports, ITV and TalkSPORT, revealed she is still “overawed” when working alongside some of her football heroes.
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Woods, an Arsenal fan, told ex-Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand on TNT Sports that it’s members of the Gunners’ great Arsene Wenger teams that have her still pinching herself, including Martin Keown, Emmanuel Petit and one Ray Parlour.
Wood explained; “I’m still really overawed by [meeting footballers]. So even though we work in football every day, there’s something I still see with the old-school Arsenal players.
“Even with Martin Keown. And it took me ages to meet Ray Parlour. He was probably one of the last players that I’d met - I’d met Thierry [Henry], I’d met [Emmanuel] Petit, I was so embarrassed around Petit.”
Ferdinand interjected, referencing Parlour’s nickname: “But the Romford Pele was the one?”
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Woods continued: “He was the one. And when I met him it was on a beach in Portugal. I was presenting the Sir Bobby Robson Celebrity Golf Classic.”
Ferdinand asked: “Did he have a drink in hand?”
Smiling, Woods replied: “Of course he did. The whole time. Alan Brazil was on this cart, and if you went to the golf buggies they were filled with empty cans of beer.
“And they were so hot and red and I was like, ‘Do you guys need any sun tan lotion?’, and they were like, ‘No, that’s cheating!’
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“But that was the first time I met him and it was amazing.”
Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: Football, Laura Woods, Arsenal, Premier League, Rio Ferdinand