Arsenal’s Paul Merson speaks at Jewish Care breakfast

There was a last-minute substitution at a Jewish Care breakfast this week when former England football manager Glenn Hoddle cancelled 24 hours before he was due to speak, after his mother’s health deteriorated.

In his place, organisers called forth Paul Merson from the reserves bench, and the former Arsenal and England defender stepped in to save the Redbridge breakfast event, facing questions from sports broadcaster Matt Lorenzo.

Despite the crowd being mainly Spurs supporters, a Jewish Care spokesperson said Merson was “welcomed with open arms” as the guests wished Hoddle and his family well and helped raise £40,000 for the organisation’s Redbridge services.