I first met Lord Attenborough, at the Blue Boar Service Station on the M1 Motorway. Having driven from Nottingham after a game at Forest, the Mini (which was sluggish on the way down) refused to start. I was standing there with my best mate Angus looking at the engine, when a voice from behind said, in an immaculate English accent "Good Grief what do you have there?" "a 1300cc with a Root's Supercharger" I replied, turning to see who was so interested in the engine. You could have knocked me down with a feather, for standing there was (the then) Sir Richard Attenborough.

 

After a short chat about it breaking down he pointed out the Supercharger belt was worn and loose, and was probably the cause. I told him the station mechanics couldn't fix it till Monday so we're gonna thumb a ride back to London. "Oh no need for that, I'll give you a lift." "Cheers" said Angus, where's your Jam Jar?" Sir Richard chuckled and said over there, pointing to a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. 

 

My bottom jaw dropped, "You having a laugh; You're Sir Richard Attenborough ain't yeah?" A broad grim crossed his face, as he said "Yes, but we're all Chelsea supporters here, so let's be getting you home". So climbing into the back seat, I noticed his wife Shelia Sim sitting on the front seat. The Roller pulls out of the Black Boar, and onto the main drag of the M1, and we start chatting "Good result tonight" said Sir Richard, "Yeah!" I replied. "Two victories in one night is always nice." said Sir Richard. "Oh what was the other victory?" asks Angus. "You two winning that fight!" came the shocked reply. "You saw that!" said Angus in amazement; then why are you giving us a lift?" he replies. "Because we're all Chelsea!" came the reply.

 

I met Lord Attenborough a few times again, and he always remembered that night, and at the 100 year bash, he called me over, and related the story of that night to the half dozen people he was talking to.

 

Lord Richard Attenborough, a wonderful, wonderful man, and a True Blue!

R.I.P.

Wonderful story about a wonderful man. RIP.

Great story! Thanks for sharing.

Sobering thought. We'll all meet him eventually!

Amazing story. By all accounts "Dickie" was a real gent and a Blue through and through. Thanks for sharing Garrison. 

As said. What a great story and thanks for sharing Garrison.

'We are all Chelsea supporters.'

I saw The Great Escape this weekend of the television, and could not help but go to this thread and comment. 

Did anyone else see Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly in the stands at the recent Arsenal match?  They should those two for a few seconds in the telecast that I saw, and I recall somewhere that Ferrell is a big Chelsea fan.   I also recall that he did a soccer movie a few years ago, which did not do well.

I was lucky enough to see "In Which We Serve" recently, one of Dickie's first films he was only around 19 or so and had a very small part but he stood out none the less.