DAVID BENTLEY passionately vowed to run through brick walls for Steve McLaren and the England jersey.
Little did he know, it was Robbie Savage that Bentley was actually talking to – with the rest of his Blackburn team-mates listening in.
Bentley was expecting a phone call from then-England manager McLaren ahead of European championship qualifiers in 2007.
Welsh prankster Savage caught wind of the news and phoned Bentley up impersonating his soon-to-be Three Lions boss.
And what’s worse is Savage had the call and Bentley’s cringeworthy promises on loud speaker for all their Blackburn team-mates to hear.
Bentley, now 41, told SunSport: “Obviously Robbie Savage, good mate of mine, was at Blackburn.
“What a character he was walking into the dressing room. It was energy from minute one and I loved it. But yeah, he hoaxed me!
“Everyone knows when you’re getting called up for England, you receive a call on the Friday morning before the weekend games to say that you’d be part of the squad and joining up.
“So the calls are received from 8:30 till 9 o’clock and Robbie knew that.
“So he’s giving me a call at like 8:30, literally on the dot and pretended to be Steve McClaren and recorded me and my response, and I was going, ‘Oh, Steve, thanks so much. I’ll run through brick walls for you.’
“So he’s got me in the changing room in the physio room back at Blackburn and they’re all laughing at me!
“Then 20 minutes later the real Steve McLaren phoned me up and I went, ‘You’ve just called me.’
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“‘No, I didn’t David, anyway, you’re in the squad.’ So that was a big prank that and it was funny, but that’s Robbie Savage.”
Bentley joined Blackburn in 2006 after leaving Arsenal – where he came through their academy.
The midfielder was even part of the 2003-04 Invincibles squad – alongside legendary players like Thierry Henry, Patrick Viera and Dennis Bergkamp.
But Bentley – still a teenager at the time – did not quite appreciate the greatness until his career was over.
He said: “I think on reflection as you get older, you look back at the time, you don’t appreciate exactly what it is.
“But what an immense force that team was and to be part of the squad, in the invincible year, you didn’t realise what you were witnessing at the time because you’re just going through games.
“But to go through it, you see how hard it is to go through a season and not lose and and dominate the league the way they did, and it was a tough league at the time, it wasn’t easy.
“It was exceptional to think back and being in and around people like Thierry Henry, Vieira, Bergkamp, there’s some of the best players in the world so it was a pleasure.”
Despite coming through the Gunners setup, Bentley really made his name at Tottenham, where he joined in 2008 for five seasons.
Bentley retired at Tottenham in 2013 aged just 29 – following a period of loan moves elsewhere.
The ex-England international – who was capped seven times – has set up businesses in retirement including co-owning a Marbella restaurant.
But he reignites London bragging rights on Saturday night in Mayfair as part of a celebrity boxing event – taking on ex-Chelsea star Jody Morris.
He said: “The opportunity to step in the ring, it’s a pleasure. I don’t want to get knocked out! But really looking forward to the fight.
“And obviously fighting Jody Morris, what a legend of the game, Chelsea, battle of London, me versus him. It will be a good night.”
Goalkeeper Graham Stack – who played with Bentley at Arsenal – is putting on the event on behalf of four charities – looking to raise £500,000.
All funds will be donated to Playskill, Sport In Mind, Willow Foundation, and Helping Hands.
Elsewhere on the card is Curtis Davies vs Paddy Kenny, Leroy Lita vs David Noble, Lee Trundle vs Anthony Gardner and Greg Halford vs Marvin Elliott.
- Secure your tickets at www.proprojectpromotions.com and join us for a night of drama, glamour, and giving back
Bentley came through Arsenal’s academy[/caption]
He retired in 2013 at Tottenham[/caption]
Jody Morris facing off with Bentley with Graham Stack in between[/caption]
