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Sport
Ryan Dabbs

'Big Ron would refer to himself as "Ginola" - he trained with us and he’d be the star of our training sessions': Ex-Coventry star recalls Atkinson playing like Frenchman in training

Coventry Ron Atkinson David Ginola the Premier League Coventry City Bobby Gould Neil Warnock Sheffield United
9 MAY 1994: COVENTRY MANAGER RON ATKINSON SMILES AS HE WATCHES HIS TEAM WIN OVER TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR IN THEIR FA PREMIERSHIP MATCH AT WHITE HART LANE, LONDON. Mandatory Credit: Anton Want/ALLSPORT.

'Big' Ron Atkinson enjoyed a modest playing career with Oxford United between 1959 and 1971, helping the club rise three divisions from the Southern League to the Second Division in just six years as captain.

But while he never reached the top flight, that didn't stop him as a manager in the Premier League claiming to play in training like 1999 PFA Player of the Year winner David Ginola - a full 25 years after he had retired from professional football.

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