Town legend John Wark has revealed that he and his Blues team-mates made a fortune selling tickets for the 1978 FA Cup final to a London-based tout. The former midfielder has made the revelation in his autobiography Wark On which is out next month.

Wark and the rest of the Wembley squad were given 100 tickets each which were all sold to the tout: "We were complete rookies in terms of playing in a cup final, but we had been around long enough to know the biggest earner of all would be selling tickets to the touts.

"Other teams had done it so why shouldn't we? Nowadays it is illegal, but in those days it was regarded as a perk."

The unnamed member of the squad who struck the deal was so concerned about meeting the tout that he went armed: "He knew someone, and borrowed the gun for the day. Yes, it was loaded and no, he had no need for it.

"The transaction complete we arranged to get together at a hotel. I had never seen so much money in my life."

Wark says he used the money for his wedding, while Paul Cooper financed the building of an extension to his house.

The former Scotland international also reveals the levels of post-match drinking during his career: "When I reflect on my lifestyle I can hardly believe what I achieved. I was never counting but it would easily have been into double figures and sometimes as many as 20."

Wark On is out in April when signed copies will be available via TWTD.

Photo: Action Images

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