'He's ruining our country:' Former Doncaster Rovers ace in blistering attack on Boris Johnson

The popular goalkeeper, who has taken a keen interest in politics since hanging up his gloves, also called for the Prime Minister to be dumped on a ship with Donald Trump, Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson – with the boat left to drift at sea.

In an interview with The Guardian, the 62-year-old former Everton and Wales shot-stopper, who played for Rovers in the twilight of his career said: ”I Iwant Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage, Tommy Robinson, Donald Trump and the geezer from North Korea to be put on a boat that gets sent around the world for the next 25 years. That would do me.”

He said: “We need a government for all of the people, not just the wealthy, and I’d love to see a proper debate about racism, immigration, gender and sex workers. We’re far too immature in this country to put our fingers on anything without having a massive argument. A government should be able to discuss a wide range of subjects, like we’re talking now, and it shouldn’t be about point-scoring. It should be about what’s best for everybody.”

He regularly allows his Twitter account to be taken over some nights by experts in mental health, addiction, transgender issues, sex work, disability, knife crime and suicide bereavement, while encouraging debate to combat racism and homophobia.

He added: “I’m scared for this country. We’ve got two of the most dangerous leaders in the world causing havoc. Johnson and Trump are loose cannons. In the past we used to think the loose cannons belonged to North Korea or fellas like Saddam Hussein. You don’t expect loose cannons to take over your own country.”

“Boris Johnson is a chancer. He’s an Arthur Daley,” he added.

“He is (Carry On star) Sid James – except that’s disrespectful to Sid. At least Sid James was acting. This fella thinks he can say whatever he wants. What does it say about our society to have the leader of the country being a liar, a racist, a sexist and homophobic?

"Surely people will eventually say: ‘We can’t have this fella in charge because he’s ruining our country.’”

Pressed on the Government's repsonse to coronavirus, he said: “They haven’t handled it at all, have they? We’ve had mixed messages all the time. Dominic Cummings can go to Durham but the rest of us can’t. The scientists say one thing in the room and Johnson says the exact opposite. The leadership has been horrendously poor – while people are dying.

“Johnson will look for some excuse, and he’ll take it. Just like Trump, he doesn’t concentrate for any length of time.

"Look what he’s also doing with Europe at the moment.

"If you’re a certain type of politician, it’s acceptable to lie. You can say whatever you want, and people will say: ‘Oh, it’s only him. Hasn’t Boris done well otherwise?’ What has he done well? I can’t think of one thing.

“Instead he has tried to use asylum seekers as the enemy to take everybody’s mind off Covid. Every time he has a crisis, he seems to say it’s somebody else’s fault. He always seems to be a victim rather than doing anything helpful.”

He began his career at Winsford United before joining Bury before moving on to Everton for £150,000 in 1981 where he established himself as the club's first-choice goalkeeper.

He went on to make a club record 750 appearances in all competitions, winning a European Cup Winners' Cup medal in 1985, a First Division championship medal in 1984–85 and 1986–87, an FA Cup winners medal in 1984 and 1995, and an FA Charity Shield winners medal in 1984, 1985, and 1995.

Former teammate Ian Snodin invited him to join Doncaster Rovers on a short-term deal at the start of the 1998–99 season, but he only made nine appearances for Rovers during that season, their first season in non league after relegation from the Football League.