🎤 Dion Dublin Interview with OLBG

Interview April 2025

Speaking exclusively to OLBG.com, Dublin says, Ollie Watkins is “one of the best in the business” and that Aston Villa can’t afford to let him go and they need to “keep him for as long as possible”.

The former Man Utd centre forward says he’s backing Man Utd to win the Europa League and predicts they’ll draw 1-1 in the first leg against Athletic Bilbao.

Dublin also added that Man Utd need to strengthen in the summer and find “a midfielder who’s ugly and does all the ugly jobs”. 

In response to Matheus Cunha being linked to Man Utd, Dublin says, “he could be a good signing for United, he’d make them better most definitely and be more of a goal threat”.

He says, Coventry City will get promoted to the Premier League and he’s “not surprised” at how well Frank Lampard has done at Coventry so far.

He’s also tipped Coventry City to beat Luton 2-1, possibly 3-1 on Saturday (26th April), Man Utd and Bournemouth to draw 2-2 on Sunday (27th April), Aston Villa to beat Crystal Palace in FA cup semi-finals on Saturday (26th April), Celtic to beat Dundee United 3-0 on Saturday (26th April), Man Utd to draw 1-1 with Athletic Bilbao next week (1st May), and Coventry City to beat Middlesbrough 2-0 (3rd May).

Q: Is Ruben Amorim the man for the job at Manchester United?

I believe he is. I believe he's got all the attributes, he’s got the vision and he's got the right way to play the game.

I like the way he interviews and I think he's a very positive man.

I haven't met him yet, but he's straight, he's honest and I think when he's got the tools that he needs and the tools that he wants, he'll be okay at Manchester United.

Q: Marcus Rashford has looked back to his old self at Aston Villa. Do you think it was a mistake to let him leave in January, and do you think he has a future at Old Trafford?

Mistake, I don't know.

The thing about this is with Marcus Rashford, nobody knows what's been going on behind the scenes because we’re not in the bubble of football.

Therefore, you have to respect why the manager chose to do that and you have to respect Marcus Rashford for taking the opportunity to go and play somewhere else as well.

Marcus Rashford is good enough to play for anybody in the world. He has all the attributes to play for any team in the world and start when he's on it - he's just incredibly talented.

I'm glad to see him smiling and scoring goals.

When you've got a player like Marcus Rashford and all his talent, when he's smiling and enjoying himself and playing his natural game, it's dangerous. Like I say, he can play for anybody.

It doesn't look like a mistake for Marcus because he's playing some good stuff.

Could he have done it for United? We don't know.

If he'd have stayed there, would he have done it? We don't know because we don't know the ins and outs of the relationship between Marcus Rashford, the club and the manager, so we don't know if it's a mistake. It's all hindsight.

Going to Villa has been an absolute genius move by Unai Emery. That's what I would say.

Q: Should Manchester United keep Rasmus Hojlund in the summer?

I like him.

I'd rather he be like that and be the player he is than be a talented player that doesn't really want to work hard and doesn't really want to create any chances and play his part for the team, but you're judged on goals.

You’re judged on goals, I'm a centre forward, I was a centre forward, you're judged on goals, you're judged on holding the ball up.

It might take time, yes, sometimes people hit the ground running, I was lucky to score on my debut for United.

Obviously, I broke my leg two games later, so I never really had the chance to show what I was all about.

He might be a slow burner, it might take him longer, again, we don't know.

Is he going to get the time? I don't know.

I like Rasmus Hojlund as a centre forward, but he needs to score more goals. Fact.

Q: Should Manchester United keep Joshua Zirkzee in the summer?

I to this day don't know what his position is, I don't know what his best position is, I don't know if he's a forward or a 10 or he's an 8.

I've seen signs of some touches from Joshua Zirkzee and I'm thinking ‘where's that come from’?

Some nice flicks and some lovely interplay.

There was a nice little move with Bruno Fernandes the other day, where around the corner, bam bam, got it back, but he just couldn't quite finish it.

There's something there, whether Man United are going to extract it out of him and get the best from him right now, I'm not too sure.

I believe that there is something there with Joshua Zirkzee, he's got something.

He's got a little bit of quality, he's got some nice touches, really quick feet.

Unfortunately, my kind of centre forward is no longer. There are no Alan Shearers, Les Ferdinands, Big Duncs and myself, they're all gone.

You know, the kind of ‘big lumps’ as we like to call ourselves.

So you have to try a new way of scoring goals.

Maybe I'm still learning this new way to be centre forward and maybe I'm seeing players that are going to score goals in different ways.

Maybe I've got to change with the times and maybe Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund are the new way to play the game.

I like the old way though, cross it and head it in.

Q: Harry Redknapp recently suggested that Manchester United should use Harry Maguire as a full-time centre forward for the rest of the season - would you agree?

No! I love Harry Redknapp, he's a good mate, but no.

Harry Maguire, at centre half, leave him alone and I believe that he can do the job.

I like Harry Maguire, I think he's a very honest footballer.

Yes, he's made mistakes, he'll hold his hand up for that.

He's a man, he's a brave bloke, he'll hold his hand up to all his mistakes, and I'm pretty sure that he's got better and become a better player because of them.

I mean, some of the stuff that he's gone through with Manchester United and the fans.

I believe he's a very strong character, I really do.

So, I think Harry should stay at centre half and Harry Redknapp should put centre forwards at centre forward.

Harry! I'll have to have a word with you about that one.

Q: Man Utd have been linked with Matheus Cunha - is he good enough?

Yeah, he’s a good player.

Again, he’s very effective, picks that unbelievable pass, takes his free kicks, all in tight areas.

Yeah, definitely a good signing for anybody if you could get him.

For United, have they got similar players like him? Bruno Fernandes is quite similar, creative and can score goals as well.

Maybe he could be a good signing for United, he’d make them better most definitely and be more of a goal threat.

Q: Where do you think United needs to strengthen in the summer, and are there any names that you think they really should be targeting?

No, I've got no names, but you can ask this question to anybody and they will all say in all three departments, to be honest with you.

United need a goal machine.

Man United need a midfielder who's ugly and does all the ugly jobs.

They've probably got enough centre halves, to be honest with you.

I think people are talking about the full back areas, aren't they, at the moment?

I think Diogo Dalot does okay on the right hand side, I don't mind him at all. The left hand side, Luke Shaw, when he's fit, he's as good as anybody.

So my initial thought is, you need a bit of a, and you're never gonna find one of these, because they don't exist anymore, but a bit of a Roy Keane and a centre forward that can score goals.

You need a centre forward that's going to get you 25 goals a season at least, and you need a midfielder that's going to assist between five and 15 times a season.

So if you've got four midfield players, you need at least three of them to be on double figures and then you've got your centre forward on 25 plus goals.

That's the kind of thing I'm getting to, but someone like a Roy Keane in the middle of the park to do all the ugly stuff is what I’d be looking for.

Q: Man United play Bournemouth on Sunday - what are your thoughts for the game, and if you had to give a correct score prediction tip on OLBG.com, what would it be?

I think it's a tough game.

Bournemouth have been outstanding this season. I know they've had a blip, but wow.

A club like Bournemouth, only a small club, with a small stadium.

The job that Andoni Iraola has done is just... wow.

The energy they have, they’ve taken their foot off the gas a little bit with their performances and their results; however, the standard of work is just a great thing to see.

He's gone there (Andoni Iraola) and changed everything as a football club and he's changed the belief of the fans as well.

So what a job he's done there.

I think Man United will go there with confidence, but I think this will be quite a high-scoring game.

I think Man United will go and get a point. I think it will be 2-2.

Q: Man United play Athletic Bilbao soon in the Europa League - what are your thoughts for the game and if you had to give a correct score prediction tip on OLBG.com, what would it be?

I think this is going to be a tough game for United, as Athletic Bilbao play the game at quite a frantic pace.

So it's about concentration for United.

I believe if they can go there and not lose the game, stay in the game for as long as possible and not lose it, then you've got a massive chance.

Lose it by one, you've still got a chance.

I think they'll go and try and win it, I don't think Ruben Amorim is a ‘sitting in’ kind of manager, so I think he'll go and try and win it.

They will go, they will score, but I think Athletic Bilbao will score as well.

So again, I'm not going to give Athletic Bilbao the win, I'm going to give United a draw.

So, I'm going to go 1-1, both teams to score, level pegging, bring it back to Old Trafford.

Q: Man United are 5/2 to win the Europa League - would you back that?

Yeah, I do think United can win the Europa League.

They’re 14th in the league, which is poor for United; their standards are a lot higher than that.

If you spoke to any Man United staff, they'll go, ‘yeah, we've been poor this season’ and I think the players will go, ‘yeah, we'll hold our hand as well, we should do better’.

I think they're all honest at United.

I think they can win the Europa League and that will be their focus.

Ruben Amorim will get them ready for every single game.

He will set them up to win every single Europa game.

It won't be about ‘stay in it’, it will be about ‘let's just get it won’.

I think he's a very positive manager and I think that will be his focus now.

Q: You were Alex Ferguson’s first big signing of the Premier League era - how surreal was that?

That was pretty special.

It was one of those surreal moments where you get a phone call from your manager, which back then was John Beck at Cambridge United, and he rings me and says, ‘sit down’, and I say ‘what is it Gaffer, just tell me?’, then he says ‘sit down I've got some important news for you’.

I sat down (not that he could see me when I sat down anyway), and he said, ‘Man United want to buy you’.

I used a word which I can't repeat now and he said, ‘no, seriously’, so I said ‘okay’.

I don't know how to explain this, but when you get a phone call from your manager saying that Sir Alex Ferguson wants to buy you, it's very, very hard to accept until the person's in front of you saying ‘yes, I'd like you to sign here’.

It was for a million pounds, back in 1992.

I mean, obviously, I wanted to go, Cambridge United wanted me to go, it was a million pounds in 1992, it was incredible.

Cambridge said, we don't want you to go, obviously, but that's going to look after us for a few years.

So yeah, it was a simple decision for them and for me.

Walking through the dressing room was pretty special. Mark Hughes on one side, Paul Ince on the other side, Peter Schmeichel opposite me, Bryan Robson over there, Brian McClair over there.

It's like, ‘whoa’, these are people I've only seen on the television on Match of the Day and now I'm sitting in the same dressing room as them, putting the same training kit on, playing for the same club.

This is no joke, but it must have taken me at least two months, three months to realise where I was and to start to relax and take it in and stop pinching myself because yeah, that was special.

Q: Who was the biggest character in that early ‘90s United dressing room?

Listen, every one of those people I've mentioned was a character, every single one, they had their own input into the dressing room, their own input into a match, their own input into day-to-day life.

If things weren't right, all of them would say something.

We had about 12 or 13 captains.

It's crazy, everybody took responsibility.

I was part of it in the squad for a few years, but obviously I didn't play as much as I wanted to on the pitch, but when you look at Mark Hughes, Peter Schmeichel, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Paul Ince, Bryan Robson, Brian McClair, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, just to name a few, they’re all captains in their own right, winners and players that wouldn't accept anything below certain standards.

If you didn't give everything, they wouldn't accept it.

If you weren't doing the right things at the right time, they wouldn't accept it, and they’d call you out in the correct way in order to get the best out of that individual.

Some players you can shout at, some players you need to speak with them and every one of those players knew how to deal with it.

So Sir Alex Ferguson didn't have to do a whole lot because he chose those players and characters for a reason.

That's why he's so good. That's why Sir Alex is the best in the business at choosing the right footballers and the right characters to make the machine run itself.

It ran itself for a long time, the man's a genius and that dressing room was ruthless, there were high standards and belief and honesty.

There's no way you could go into that dressing room and be a shrinking violet. You wouldn't last.

Q: What’s one Sir Alex Ferguson story that still blows your mind?

Well, there are so many with the gaffer, but I remember playing for the boss in a cup game for Man United against Stoke.

We were playing away at Stoke. It was a League Cup game and there was myself, I know Lee Sharpe played on the left because he crossed the ball about 10 times for me in the first half and I missed the target every single time.

I had about six or seven chances in the first half, good chances I should have scored, but I kept missing the target, getting it all wrong.

I walked in at half time and the gaffer was the last person in and he came straight over to me, gave me the hair dryer treatment about three yards away from my face, told me exactly how bad I was and said ‘why did he bother signing me?’

Then we went out in the second half, and we won the game, and I scored the only goal.

That's Sir Alex Ferguson knowing full well how strong a character I was.

Can he handle this barrage of abuse in order to make him put the ball in the back of the net? He knew I could handle it, after the game he said, ‘big man, well played’.

You know, when you get those little things, Sir Alex Ferguson and Brian Clough were very similar in the way that they were very straight bat, and if you got a ‘hello’ or a ‘well done’ or a ‘keep up’ or whatever from those two managers then you're doing okay.

So Alex Ferguson gave me the hairdryer. I scored the winning goal and he did it because he knew he could and he'd get the right response and he did.

Q: Aston Villa are now 5/2 for a top 5 finish and Champions League football next season - How do you rate their chances of doing that?

I think Aston Villa have got a great chance.

I think Villa will bounce back from defeat against Manchester City. I really do.

I think they've created loads of chances and have got good players.

Unai Emery won't win it, but he’s got a great chance of being up there for manager of the year, turning Villa around into this unbelievable force and creating a bit of a fortress at Villa Park.

So yeah, think they've got a great chance.

I mean, they’ll turn it around and put like two or three wins together now.

I think they are that good, and they've got a great squad.

I mean, look at their bench the other day. It's just crazy, their bench, you've got first teamers on there that you could play in the first team for any other Premier League side.

So yeah, I believe they'll make the top five.

Q: Aston Villa play Crystal Palace on Saturday in the FA Cup semi-final - what are your thoughts for the game, and if you had to give a correct score prediction tip on OLBG.com, what would it be?

I think Palace have got some really good players.

I think Adam Wharton has been brilliant this season alongside Will Hughes, the two of them just dovetailing lovely, one goes, one stays, one goes 10, one goes 8 and they seem to work really well together.

They’ve both got a bit of grit, they've got a great passing range and composure, so the midfield is strong.

Obviously, we know about Eberechi Eze and how good he is and what he can create and Jean-Philippe Mateta, he’s a big old unit, isn't he, who just scores goals.

That said, I think if Villa's A game turns up and Palace's A game turns up, I think Villa's A game is better.

I'm at the game myself, I'm doing it for Five Live and I believe that Villa will get the win and go through.

Q: Aston Villa are 3/1 on OLBG.com to win the FA Cup - would you back it?

Yeah, it's a tough one isn't it?

Listen, I'd love to see Villa win it. I really would love to see Villa win it. For the fans.

I played in the last FA Cup at the Old Wembley against Chelsea for Villa. I mean it was a hopeless game. We were hopeless, they were hopeless, they nicked it off a dodgy goal and I think Roberto Di Matteo scored the only goal back in 2000 (he was my neighbour at the time in Leamington Spa).

He rubbed it in slightly, don't you worry about that.

It's something the fans deserve.

They've got so close so many times, so I'll back Villa on Saturday to win against Crystal Palace.

Q: Ollie Watkins has been linked with a move away from Villa - what are your thoughts on that?

Keep him, don't let him go. Keep him, he’s too good!

One of the best in the business. Keep him. I can't say any more than that.

Ollie's got better with age, he's got more mature, his runs are better, he's stronger.

His link up play is good. I find it hard to fault him.

He could’ve had a hat trick at the weekend with his hitting the crossbar and his header hitting the post.

I don't think you can afford to let Ollie go because in order to replace Ollie, you'll be looking for another player like Ollie.

It sounds stupid, but that's going to cost you a hundred million.

Keep Ollie Watkins for as long as possible.

Q: We've spoken about how strong Villa's squad is looking at the moment, do you think there are any areas they need to strengthen in the summer? And if so, are there any names they should be looking at?

I'm pretty sure that Unai Emery knows where he wants to strengthen.

From the outside looking in, I like their squad, and I can't find a huge weakness at the moment.

They have some big old units at centre-half that can play the game as well.

They look pretty solid at the back. The keeper's great. Matty Cash has done well this season, which has been great, he gets forward, causes a lot of havoc.

Ian Maatsen down the left hand side, he scored a good goal at the weekend.

The midfield is strong, they've got loads of midfield players, Jacob Ramsey, Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, John McGinn.

I imagine there's some kids coming through as well.

So, strengthen, I'm pretty sure that Unai Emery will strengthen. Where? From the outside looking in, I've no idea to be honest with you, because they look okay to me.

Q: Do you think Villa get the respect they deserve in English football history?

From people inside the bubble of football and people who have been inside the bubble of football like myself and the pundits, yes, they do.

Villa are well respected, if you speak to 10 ex-footballers who have played in the Premier League and played against Villa, they'll probably say their second favourite ground is Villa Park. Great place to play, the atmosphere is great.

People just like the football club, the way it looks, the stadium, the pitch, everything about it.

The atmosphere at Villa Park is great as well.

Q: What was your favourite memory in an Aston Villa shirt?

Wow, six years that was, six years at Villa.

Scored on my debut which was great, scored two on my debut.

This is a bit of an odd one actually, scored two on my debut and then I scored a third at Villa Park against Spurs and the linesman flagged it offside.

After the game, the linesman said to me, ‘Dion I might have got that wrong, I'm really sorry’. That's not helping now, is it?

Second game, I scored a hat trick against Southampton. Third game, I scored two against Liverpool and missed a penalty. So that could have been history.

Could have been three hat tricks in three games if I'd have been better at penalties and the linesman didn't make a mistake. Saying that, I think I'm the only person in Premier League history to sign for a football club and score seven goals in their first three games. I'm not sure if anybody's done that (yet).

So that sticks with me, I've got lots of memories of Villa, but that sticks with me.

Q: Coventry City are 11/2 on OLBG.com to get promoted to the Premier League - are you backing them to get promoted to the Premier League?

Come on Frankie, super Frankie Lampard!

Yes, I am. Why wouldn't I? It's my old club.

I went to see Frank recently and interviewed him.

I went to have a chat with Frank about how he's loving it and all that kind of stuff.

He’s created a really nice vibe down at the training ground.

Training ground is very different to when I was there. It's nice, plush pitches and all that kind of stuff. It's great.

It's amazing and Frank's gone in and he's left the door ajar for them and I think they've responded to his coaching and his smile and his enthusiasm for football.

I think he just made them a better team and he's coached them better with his staff as well.

I think what Frank has done, the answer to the question is yes, I am backing them to get up. I really am, but what Frank's created is great, and an example I'm going to give you is just Frank Lampard in a nutshell.

I went to speak to Frank and while he was on the training ground, I had a press officer that was just looking after me and all that kind of stuff and then went to have a look at the gym, which I hadn't seen before. This brand new gym went into the gym and there were two players doing a bit of rehab with some physios. The two players stopped their rehab, walked over to me, shook my hand and said, ‘nice to meet you Dion’, ‘pleasure to meet you Dion,’ and then they walked back over and carried on doing their rehab.

That comes from a manager. That's respect for the old pros, it's respect for the old footballers.

It's, ‘I know he used to play’, ‘he played at the highest level’ and ‘I've got to say hello out of respect for this man and what he's achieved’.

That's all come from Frank and I think when you create an atmosphere like that, you create respect amongst your peers, you create a togetherness and a bit of a bond and you start to back each other even more because you respect each other.

Frank has created that and I think that's something to do with the performances as well as being good players and being a good team and a good manager, that helps as well.

Q: Coventry travel to Luton on Saturday - what are your thoughts for the game, and if you had to give a correct score prediction tip on OLBG.com, what would it be?

Yeah, I mean, I was good friends with Rob Edwards, down at Luton when he was there and I think they've had a bit of a drop off at Luton.

They are not having a good time at the moment, so I'm expecting Coventry to go down there and win the game.

Knowing how close they are, the Coventry players and the manager, I think they'll go down all guns blazing.

I think Coventry will win the game 2-1, possibly 3-1.

Q: Coventry host Middlesbrough on the last day of the season - what are your thoughts for the game, and if you had to give a correct score prediction tip on OLBG.com what would it be?

I think the score will be Coventry City 2, Middlesbrough 0, because that could be the game.

That could be the game at home with those Coventry City fans making an absolute racket.

Yeah, sky blue everywhere, sky blue balloons and I believe that they will win that game too.

Q: We've touched on Frank Lampard, but just how well do you think he has done on the pitch as well since he's come in? Has it exceeded your expectations?

It's not exceeding my expectations, I think he might have taken over the club when they were 17th or something like that.

He took over the club when they weren't in this position, that's for sure.

I think he's gone in just to calm things down. I'm not surprised at Frank.

I mean, the match is good. His hand in glove, I think, Frank and the size of the football club and Coventry City and him, it's a nice match.

It's gone well because I think he's walked, he's not running anywhere, he's not trying to get anywhere too fast.

He's coached and he's coached and he's let players become better.

He's given them the license to go and play as well. If they can play out from the back, they play out. If they want to beat the press, they'll beat the press.

So yeah, I think he's given them a really simple understanding of how to be successful. I'm not surprised at how well he's done. Absolutely not!

It's whether the players could keep up with the standards that Frank is going to set them and they have. They've answered the manager with great performances and a little bit of a sniff of getting back to the Premier League, which I think is great for the club, and I really hope they do it.

Q: What was your favourite memory back in your Coventry playing days?

Coventry playing days, I have some great memories of Coventry.

Again, I scored on my debut away at QPR, I think it was, so I scored on my debut for Coventry as well.

One of my favourite memories is beating Manchester United at Highfield Road; I scored one, Darren Huckerby may have scored two, but it's a goal where Darren Huckerby just weaves past about three Manchester United players and sticks it in the corner.

I think that was the only time I beat Man United in the whole of my career when I wasn't playing for Man United. It was crazy. So yeah, that sticks with me because Darren Huckerby’s goal was so good and I'm very close to Darren now as well.

So yeah, I'm going to give him the plaudits on that one.

Q: Jamie Vardy recently called Leicester City’s season a ‘sh*tshow’ - would you agree with him?

That is not for me to say. I would never say that about any of my former clubs. I'd never say it about any players. I've got far too much respect in order to do that.

Jamie Vardy has the right to say what he wants to say. He's in it. He's talking about himself and his teammates and the football club. That's what he's saying.

From the outside looking in, Leicester are better than where they are. Let's put it that way!

They've got better players and Jamie Vardy expects better, because he's got high standards and he's a top-class striker.

His views are his views.

My views are I wish Leicester weren't down there because it's my hometown club.

Q: Does Ruud van Nistelrooy deserve to be sacked for the run the team has been on?

I think managers should get time.

I haven't watched every Leicester game this season. I know they haven't had great results because they are where they are, but I think all managers should get a little bit more time.

So yes, give Ruud a bit more time. Whether Leicester want to give him that time or whether Ruud wants to stay, I don't know. I'm on the outside, but I like managers to have a bit more time.

Q: There are reports that ‘every member of the Leicester City squad’ will be up for sale in the summer - are there any players you think will be bought by Premier League clubs in the summer?

I think what you find is there's possibly clauses in players' contracts about you know if they go down they can go for this much money or that kind of thing.

There might be stuff like that in them, I'm not quite sure.

What I will say is, if they keep the squad of players together, they've got a better chance of getting out of the Championship next season.

I'm pretty sure they are preparing at the moment because it's such a tough league, the Premier League, to be consistent and as many people have said, I'm pretty sure you've spoken to many people, it's even harder now for the teams that are yo-yoing, going up and down, up and down, to sustain a Premier League position.

So there's going to be players in that Leicester squad that other football clubs are looking at most definitely, because they're playing in the Premier League now, and I'm sure there's other Premier League teams that are looking, thinking, ‘right, he could do a job for me’.

So I'm pretty sure there'll be players that will be tempted away, and I'm pretty sure there'll be players who go, ‘hold it a minute, I want to stay here and put it right’.

So you'll get a bit of a balance of players going, a bit of a balance of players staying.

Q: Do you think Jamie Vardy will stay? And if he doesn’t - where do you think he could end up?

Jamie's 38 now, isn't he? I think he's 38 now.

I retired at 39, so he's got another season or two left in him, let me tell you.

He was a lot lighter than me, as in physically lighter, and he was just a little bit quicker than me as well.

Yeah, and he's changed his game. I still think Jamie's got goals in him. You know, if you can supply him, then I still think he's got goals in him and I still think he can do a job at the top level.

His love for Leicester is quite strong. So we'll have to wait and see how that goes as well, but yeah, in regards to Jamie's quality and standards, even at 38, he can still play Premier League football for me, yeah.

Q: What was your favourite memory in a Leicester City shirt?

Leicester City, did I score? I think I scored not my favourite goal, but I think I scored my best goal for Leicester City in my 22-year career.

It was a game against Rotherham where the ball went from, I think it went from the keeper.

I think it was flicked on by David Connolly, (which doesn't make sense because David Connolly is about five foot eight and I'm six foot two, so I should have been flicking on), on this occasion it was flicked around to me, I thighed the ball and volleyed it from about 30 yards out and it went in the back of the net.

The ball didn't touch the floor from one end to the other, and it just ended up in the floor on the back of their net.

So that was one of my favourite goals. So Leicester vs Rotherham. I think there'll be a Leicester fan out there that’ll say it wasn't Rotherham, but I think it was up north and they were in red. So I think it was Rotherham!

Q: Celtic can win the league with a point on Saturday at Dundee United - what are your thoughts for the game and if you had to give a correct score prediction tip on OLBG.com what would it be?

Yeah, I think Celtic are a bit of a machine at the moment. I think Brendan Rodgers has just gone there again and said, ‘right, unfinished business,’ ‘let's clean up, shall we?’

Brilliant, brilliant football club.

Loved my time there, albeit very short, but to be able to say ‘I have the number 9 shirt for Celtic with my name on the back’ is pretty, pretty special and it's all in the frame, all framed up, nice and safe.

They'll get the win, about 3-0 with all due respect, I think they're just too good.

Q: How intense was the Old Firm rivalry when you played there and can it compare to anything you experienced in England?

It's a different kind of intensity because they're so close to each other.

You just have to know where to go, where not to go, where to walk, where not to walk, which pub to go, which pub not to go in, you know, it's just common sense really and it was incredibly intense.

I played in an Old Firm game at Ibrox, and an Old Firm game at Parkhead, so I've done both and they were both very intense affairs.

I warmed up at Ibrox, that was an experience as well, warming up at Ibrox down the touchline with Rangers fans very close to you, so yeah it's up there.

Villa v Blues is tough as well, that's a tough one. Villa v Blues is a good rivalry as well. I don't think I played in the Man City v Man United derby, maybe I did.

United v Liverpool, I think I might have been on the bench.

Cambridge United v Peterborough, that's a big derby, let me tell you!

Norwich v Ipswich - I've played in that one as well!

So yeah, I've played in a few, to be honest with you.

It's a great thing playing in the derby because it's a very different game to anything else in the season and Celtic v Rangers is right up there when it comes to the noise and the rivalry, intensity and importance.

Q: What was your favourite memory in a Celtic shirt?

Celtic shirt would have been scoring in the CIS Cup final against Dunfermline.

We won the game 3-1.

I came off the bench at 1-1, scored the goal to what I thought was going to be the winner at 2-1 and then I think Roy Keane may have scored as well to make it 3-1.

So yeah, my first ever CIS Cup goal for Celtic at Hamden to win.

Q: Who would you like to see as the next Norwich City manager?

I think Steve Cooper is out of a job, he was at Forest and Leicester recently, he might be out of a job, so that might be a nice little nudge for them.

You've got to go through the list of managers and figure out who's out of work at the moment and see if they'd be a good fit.

Norwich was a football club again, I had great times there, really good times, Delia Smith and Michael Wyn Jones were brilliant to me; even at the age of 39 when I retired at Norwich they asked me ‘would I stay on for another year,’ ‘give us another year till you're 40,’ and I said, ‘I can't do it my body's shutting down, my knees don't work, my legs don’t work, what's going on, leave me alone, let me retire’ and then she did ask me a few times and I said ‘listen boss I've got to go I'm sorry!’

That was a great club to retire to, the fans were outstanding, they looked after me when I went back there at 37.

They knew what I could do. So yeah, it's a very well-run club, very well supported.

Q: How much would a prime Dion Dublin cost in today’s game?

Oh, that's not a question for me, I'm afraid.

That's a question for my managers and my peers and people that have seen me play. I'm not sure a prime Dion Dublin with the way I used to play the game would last very long. I'd probably get yellow card in every game and all that.

I was very physical. I liked the physical battle. I liked getting across to defenders. I liked holding off defenders and, you know, I liked the contact with defenders and centre forwards and that's kind of gone now because it's a different game.

I can't answer that question, what I can say, if you ask another manager, think they'd say you can rely on Dion, ‘he'll give you blood, sweat and tears every single game, he might not score, he might not have a great game, but I'll leave everything out there for you’.

If that's the case and you've got supply, I'd score a couple of goals as well.

Q: Is there a club you ever regretted not joining or you wish you'd played for during your career?

I don’t think there are any clubs that I could have joined.

I could have went to Everton, could have went to Leeds, could have went to Chelsea, I think I could have gone to Sampdoria at some stage.

I think I could have gone to Sampdoria before I went to Coventry City, something like that, but I wanted to try and cement myself in the Premier League.

I wanted to play more in the Premier League and I did and I got my goals.

Yeah, Sampdoria would have been nice. It would have been nice to play abroad, looking back at it, but I wouldn't change anything.

I wouldn't choose Sampdoria over any of the clubs that I played for, but when you look back at it now, I think that would have been quite nice to play in Sampdoria, learn Italian and learn a new language and a new culture and learn how to make a good pizza!

Q: Do you think you would have played more than four times for England if you had played for a big six club your whole career?

No, I don't think that would have changed anything.

I think that you kind of get what you deserve really when it comes to England. I mean, you've got to remember that the time that I was playing for England, I was a centre forward and I don't think we've had as many centre forwards at the same time.

So you had Alan Shearer, Teddy Sheringham, Chris Sutton, Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler, Les Ferdinand and I've just named six.

They were all very good, Paul Scholes was playing centre forward at that time as well. He was outstanding.

Michael Owen was coming through as well. So, you've got seven first-class golden boot winning centre forwards there. So that was my issue, was the quality of playing in front of me.

So I totally understand and I totally accept my four caps, which are also in a glass frame.

Q: Would you have gone to Saudi Arabia for the money if it was available in your era?

I would have been tempted by the money. That's it.

You're not going to gloss over it if somebody offers you £300,000, £400,000, £500,000 a week. I'll be saying goodbye and I'll see you at the airport, but I don't think I'd have done it at a young age.

You never know because we're not in that situation right now and we don't know what the money does to you because even if you're earning £50,000, £100,000 here and somebody says it is £400,000 in Saudi Arabia and here's a four-year contract, you automatically start thinking right, that means I can pay my house off, I can buy my mum and dad a house, I can pay my brother and sister's houses off, and that's what you start thinking, so your priorities change.

I don't think I would have gone at a young age, but going at 36, 37, yeah, of course, absolutely, most definitely.

If there was nothing else on the table, and I was playing at a club that was unsuccessful and it wasn't working, yeah, of course I would have done it, because who wouldn't have wanted to get as much money as you possibly can? Absolutely and it would have been just for the money.

Q: Would you rather play in today’s game or the one you grew up in?

The only reason I would want to play in this era is because of the money. That is it.

There's no other difference at all. I think our game was as good as, I don't think today's game is any better. I don't think the quality of play is any better.

I do believe that the pitches are better, the balls are better, the kits are better, the stadiums are better, everything about it.

The players are slimmer and in better condition, the game's possibly a little bit faster because the ball moves quicker.

I played with Bryan Robson, David Ginola, Eric Cantona, Darren Huckerby, George Boateng and Ian Taylor and Paul Merson.

They were very good footballers. They could fit into this game, no pulse at all, but I'm glad I played when I played. It suited my game. We'd have a good physical scrap on the pitch and then we'd have a beer in the bar.

Q: Who in today’s game reminds you of your own playing style?

I don't think there are any, who have we got now? Who plays up front who's 6ft 2, 6ft 4? Jean-Philippe Mateta plays up, he's a big lad, he plays for Palace, but he's not that way, he's quite silky, he gets the ball down and he plays, he's got some lovely touches and he's got some really good goals so I wouldn't put him there.

Chris Wood maybe, at Forest, but again, he's a lot faster than me and he's got a left foot so that kind counts me out to be honest with you.

Chris was possibly the closest, but he's got a lot more than I had in regards to attributes.

So I start to struggle with Centre Forwards that are big lumps like me, to be honest because the game's changed.

It's very rare, now you see a cross coming in the box. My game was heading the ball in the back of the net and being physical and getting there first.

So big lumps like me don't exist anymore, but I'm sure that Chris Wood wouldn't mind me saying he's possibly the closest thing to the way that I used to play.

Chris Wood, you've got a little bit more than me, so I'll give you that. I'll tip my hat and well done this season, kid. That's what I'll say.

Q: Who’s the best Centre Forward in the world right now?

When you say centre forward you start to struggle because Mo Salah scored the most goals, he's not a centre forward. People are changing the way the centre forwards work.

On this day Harry Kane for me is still the best. On this day I don't care how old he is, he's the most intelligent centre forward around at the moment.

Who else is there? Robert Lewandowski, he's not bad to be fair, scored a couple of goals really.

Harry Kane for me still top of the tree, still scoring goals and could score goals in any league in any team.

Q: Most underrated player you played with?

Underrated players I've played with, players that consistently did a job like George Boateng and Ian Taylor in the middle of the park. They were outstanding.

Darren Huckerby, don't think got a lot of applause. He scored a lot of goals, let me tell you.

Noel Whelan at Coventry, left foot, right foot from Leeds. Very good footballer.

Could have done more, should have done more. He'll hold his hand up to that as well.

I've played with some great players at Villa, United and Coventry. So underrated is a hard statement, but I'll go with Darren Huckerby as most underrated.

Q: One player you wish you'd played with?

My footballing hero was Cyrille Regis - God rest his soul.

He was my favourite footballer. I wanted to play like Big C. He was my hero, played for West Brom. He played with what were called the Three Degrees, Laurie Cunningham and Brendon Batson. First three black players to play in the same side and he was the centre forward and I wanted to be like him.

I didn't get anywhere near his standard but I copied the way he played and he became a friend so thanks for that Big C and like I say rest in peace Sir.

But I got to play with Mark Hughes, Eric Cantona, Paul Merson, Stan Collymore, Darren Huckerby and Darius Vassell. I played with some great players and I loved it.

Q: Who was the hardest teammate you ever had?

When I signed for Man United I didn't realise how they trained. Everybody plays the same thing. Playing and training is the same to Man United.

If there's a 50-50 to be had, it was made. Bruce, Scholes, Pallister, Robson, they were going hell for leather and that's the way they trained and played.

Ugo Ehiogu at Villa - God rest his soul. He is no longer with us, but that guy was in unbelievable form, he was lightning quick, so powerful and his body was beautiful.

He was a good looking big 6 foot 4 black man that nobody wanted to play against. What a man, what a person, what a human. So I'm going to go Ugo Ehiogu. Man Mountain.

Q: Who's the hardest player you played against at centre back possibly?

Gary Pallister was one of the hardest when I was playing against him for Coventry and Villa, and I played against Lothar Matthäus at Bayern.

I played against some really good players. I also played against some who liked the psychological battle—like Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock, who'd talk you through the game.

But the hardest man I ever played against was Mick Harford. I was playing for Coventry, he was playing for Wimbledon. I tried to mark him—it didn’t go well.

He’s the most frightening man I ever played against. Just a juggernaut that loved contact. You could hear him coming. So yeah—Mick Harford is the scariest man I ever played against.