JOHN Wark today talked of the honour of being named one of the first four players to be inducted on to the Ipswich Town Hall of Fame.Along with Ray Crawford, Ted Phillips and Mick Mills, Wark, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, will be paraded around Portman Road before tomorrow's opening Championship match of the season against Sheffield Wednesday.

By Elvin King

JOHN Wark today talked of the honour of being named one of the first four players to be inducted on to the Ipswich Town Hall of Fame.

Along with Ray Crawford, Ted Phillips and Mick Mills, Wark, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, will be paraded around Portman Road before tomorrow's opening Championship match of the season against Sheffield Wednesday.

Their names will be the first to go on the scroll that will be housed at Portman Road after being voted for by former players at last season's players' reunion dinner.

“It was a huge surprise when the names were read out at the dinner,” said Wark. “There have been so many great players who have worn the blue and white of Ipswich Town.

“In fact, every member of the 1980/81 side must have been in line.”

Wark, who joined Ipswich in 1973 straight from school, has been working at the Galleria restaurant at Portman Road on match days for the last six years.

Along with Crawford, Phillips and Mills he will have a meal before kick-off with the other three then watching the game from the directors' box while Wark continues his hospitality work.

Roger Osborne, Allan Hunter and Alan Brazil were among former Town players at Wark's 50th party along with his ex-Liverpool team mate Bruce Grobbelar.

The idea for the Hall of Fame came from Bryan Hamilton, and more names are expected to be added each year.

Long-time club official Pat Godbold has arranged the reunion dinners for many years and now has help from Hamilton and Simon Milton.