Terry BUTCHER

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Terry Butcher was now a firm fixture as the brash, commanding and entirely reliable central defender around whom Greenwood's successor, Bobby Robson, could build a new defence. The fact that Robson was Butcher's mentor at Ipswich made his place all the more secure, but at that point there could be no suggestion of nepotism as Terry fully deserved it. Robson unexpectedly used his fellow Ipswich graduate Osman in his opening game in charge - a 2-2 draw in a 1984 European Championship qualifier away to Denmark - and also tried Butcher out alongside Martin, Tottenham's Gary Mabbutt and briefly revived the World Cup portcullis with Thompson. Butcher played every game in 1983, starting it with his first international goal in a 2-1 Home International win over the Welsh, and ending it calamitously as England's qualification campaign for the European Championships stuttered and then finally collapsed with a home defeat to the Danes. Subsequent victories of 3-0 and 4-0 over Hungary (see photo above) and Luxembourg respectively made little difference to England's hopes, though Butcher did get his second international goal in the latter.

The first half of 1984 was little more than an experimental phase for Robson, with no major tournament involvement in the summer and the qualifiers for the 1986 World Cup not due to commence until the autumn. Terry picked up an injury during the spring and Robson took the chance to look at Graham Roberts, Mark Wright, the second Dave Watson and Terry Fenwick as potential centre backs for the qualification campaign ahead and, ultimately, the finals in Mexico. Butcher returned for his 25th cap as England beat East Germany 1-0 in a September friendly at Wembley and then took his place as England thumped Finland 5-0 and Turkey 8-0 as the qualifying stage for the World Cup got underway with some ease and style. Butcher settled into partnerships with Wright and Martin as England went four games unbeaten at the start of 1985 then Fenwick was tried alongside him as England surprisingly lost 1-0 to Scotland at Hampden in the inaugural Rous Cup. After an eventful and largely successful summer tournament in Mexico - a year before England hoped to go back there for the real business - Terry suffered an injury and missed the last three clinching qualifiers. The noises from Robson, however, made it clear that Wright, Fenwick, Watson and Martin were all fighting for the right to partner Butcher in Mexico, providing he was fit. Terry returned for the warm-up campaign of early 1986, scoring against the Scots in a 2-1 Rous Cup victory at Wembley and then, having quit relegated Ipswich for Glasgow Rangers, jetted out for the pre-tournament acclimatisation games in Los Angeles and Vancouver which England won 3-0 (against Mexico) and 1-0 (against Canada) respectively. (Matthew Rudd)

Terry Butcher's decade as England's premier centre back coincided with the re-emergence of England as an international force, capable of qualifying for competitions and making inroads within them. Butcher, the Ipswich Town defender with a big heart and outstanding courage, was lucky for a player with such commitment that he rarely got injured during his peak years - and when he did, the team missed him indisputably. The fresh-faced Ipswich Town team of the late 1970s included the Singapore-born stopper, and such was his growing influence on a youthful team that Ron Greenwood felt compelled to take a brief look at him immediately before the 1980 European Championship finals. There was little chance of 21 year old Butcher making the final squad but his performance in Sydney as England beat Australia did him the world of good and eased the worries of those concerned for England's future in defence. After England's exit in the group phase, Greenwood felt compelled to look at a number of young centre backs whose performances were prompting attention and praise. Butcher's clubmate Russell Osman joined him at the back for a 1981 friendly against Spain at Wembley; West Ham's Alvin Martin played in a defeat by Brazil and Brighton's Steve Foster would later be given his debut. Amidst all this was a World Cup qualifying campaign for the 1982 finals in Spain, and Butcher missed out on all of it as Greenwood stuck primarily with the experienced and trusted pairing of Dave Watson and Phil Thompson.

After qualification was in the bag, Terry finally won a third cap and played magnificently in a Home International win over Wales in Cardiff; he then won his fourth in the same event as England edged past Scotland at Hampden. Greenwood played around with the defence in his preparations and all of the candidates were justified in believing they could make the squad. To Butcher's delight, he made it - the 65-cap Watson, plus Martin and Osman didn't - and he was further thrilled that he was first choice to partner Thompson for the opener against France. He only had four caps and was about to make his competitive debut in England's first game at a World Cup finals for a dozen years. Already setting himself up for a baptism of fire, Butcher's very first touch of the ball at a World Cup contributed to a piece of tournament history; his flicked header from Steve Coppell's long throw set up the opener against France for Bryan Robson after just 27 seconds of the game, the fastest-ever in the competition. Terry settled in like a veteran as England won 3-1 and then dispensed with Czechoslovakia 2-0 to guarantee qualification for the second phase with a game to spare. This luxury allowed Greenwood to rest Butcher for the final game against Kuwait and give Foster a run-out, but when the next stage began, Greenwood restored the Butcher-Thompson understanding. Such was the collective excellence of England's defence that neither West Germany (the photo above is during the game) nor Spain caused them a lot of strife, but England's finishing at the other end was poor and they exited after two goalless draws.