Growing up back in Fermanagh, the Irish League player that I looked up to most was Jim Cle

He was the local boy made good, strutting his stuff with Glentoran under the bright lights in the big city of Belfast.

Jim was a wonderful footballer. He had magical control and the ability to pick out a slide rule pass or ping a ball 50 yards to switch the play.

He also knew how to score goals, generally spectacular goals at that. He was a high-class operator in the Irish League.

So good, in fact, that he was in Northern Ireland’s famous and much celebrated 1982 World Cup squad.

You know the one. Billy Bingham, Gerry Armstrong, Billy Hamilton, Norman Whiteside, Martin O’Neill, Big Pat and the rest.

Jimmy Cleary from Enniskillen was part of all that.

With the Glens he always seemed to have time on the ball.

TeleBest: Best transfer deals ever

TeleBest: Worst transfer deals ever

TeleBest: Alex Ferguson's greatest rants

I never thought I would see a better Irish League player.

Sorry Jim, but in recent years you have been bumped to number two.

By a grandad approaching his 40th birthday!

Stand up and take a well earned bow Glenn Ferguson.

I’ve watched Spike in the last 15 years and have to say for me he has got better with age.

That’s why I was so stunned when Linfield let him go in the summer. Shocking decision.

He could easily have played one more year with the Blues.

Linfield’s loss will be Lisburn Distillery’s gain.

On Saturday, Spike is back at Windsor Park to say a fond farewell to the Bluemen who have worshipped him for the last decade.

I know testimonials here have not been that well supported in recent years, but my hope is that a good crowd turn out on Saturday for Linfield’s game with Stockport County.

Spike certainly deserves it.

He has scored over 500 goals in a remarkable career with Ards, Glenavon and Linfield.

Not only has he been a credit to those clubs, he has been a credit to local football as a whole.

He had some glorious days at Glenavon, but it was at Linfield where he truly became a local footballing leg

end. He was instrumental in inspiring the Blues to dominate the domestic scene here winning trophy after trophy, scoring goal after goal.

I could go on and on about memories of Spike, but the game that stands out for me is the 2005 Setanta Cup final.

Against the odds Linfield beat Shelbourne 2-0 in Dublin to win the cross-border tournament.

That night at Tolka Park, Ferguson was immense.

Not just as a striker, but as a midfielder breaking up play and as a defender clearing ball after ball when a gifted Shelbourne outfit piled the pressure on.

That’s what Spike Ferguson gave Linfield – everything.

He could have given a lot more to Northern Ireland, had he been given the opportunity.

Ridiculously, he only won five caps. It should have been many more.

For my money he could easily have made it in full-time football across the water, but thankfully for Irish League lovers he stayed at home.

And in doing so, he became a Linfield great.

Enjoy your testimonial grandad.

You’ve earned it.

--

In honour of Spike’s big day here’s my top 20 Irish League players in terms of ability and influence.

It was tough call with some quality players missing out such as Roy McCreadie, Dessie Gorman, Stephen Beatty, John Devine, Gary Smyth, Mark Glendinning, Michael Collins, William Murphy, Marty Tabb, Alan Dornan, John Easton and Sid Burrows.

1 Glenn Ferguson

2 Jim Cleary

3 Glen Dunlop

4 Lee Doherty

5 Glen Little

6 Noel Bailie

7 Stevie Cowan

8 Billy Caskey

9 George Dunlop

10 Raymond Morrison

11 Stephen McBride

12 Raymond McCoy

13 Gary Hamilton

14 Garry Haylock

15 Vinny Arkins

16 Tony Gorman

17 Stephen Baxter

18 Paul Leeman

19 Colin Nixon

20 Peter Thompson

Biggest waste of money ever

I’ve always admired Barcelona. Maybe it is the aura of the Nou Camp or more so all the fantastic players they have had over the years, from Cruyff to Maradona to Laudrup to Messi.

Over the past week though they have left me bewildered.

Reason? The most over-rated, over-hyped and overplayed footballer of his generation – Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

He may be 27 but I’m certain he hasn’t grown up because every time a major game comes along he plays hide and seek.

Maybe he’s just a fantastic magician, as he can make himself disappear time after time. I guess if we looked hard enough we would find him in Stephen Craigan’s pocket.

When Northern Ireland played Sweden twice in the last European Championship qualifying campaign, Ibrahimvoic didn’t get a kick against the Motherwell defender.

No harm to Stephen, who I have the greatest respect for, but if he were to be sold tomorrow, the Fir Park outfit would maybe get £400,000.

Ibrahimovic moved from Inter Milan to Barcelona for £40 million earlier this week!

And the Italians got Samuel Eto’o as well!

Whoever was employed to negotiate for Inter should be signed up by Gordon Brown straight away. The credit crunch would be over tomorrow!

Let’s look at the deal, Inter signed a world class forward, who as Arsenal and Manchester United fans know, delivers on the big stage (Champions League finals 2006 and 2009 ) and a crazy amount of cash. And Barca got a lazy sod with a hard name to spell.

With all the money being thrown about by Real Madrid, Barcelona felt pressure to buy a big name, but why this clown?

Maybe the surroundings, the history and players like Xavi and Iniesta will inspire the Swede but I doubt it. This really could be the biggest waste of money of all time.

Alright then, since Manchester United spent almost £30 million on Juan Sebastian Veron!