Deathrace

Keith Burkinshaw (Spurs manager 1976-84) spotted watching their match today versus Newcastle. Looks pretty good for 88. Can't be all that many people who managed in the top flight of English football in the 1970s still alive. I can think of Lawrie McMenemy, Gordon Milne, Ron Atkinson, Alan Durban, Tony Book, Wilf McGuinness and Burkinshaw. There must be a few more but not many.

He had a brush with cancer about ten years ago but appears to have recovered quite well.

Maybe he's trying to hang on until there's a Labour Government.

Meanwhile Sir Wes Hall is doing a book signing

Starmer-Smith

Is Jon Snow ill? He has lost a lot of weight

Also Beckenbauer arguably trumps Law in the football hierarchy. Beckenbauer both played in and managed a World Cup winning team.

As I mentioned in the Snooker thread, this news today suggests there's some life in him yet https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/snooker/ray-reardon-century-break-oldest-31629429.amp

When I woke up this morning and saw Ray Reardon was trending on X my immediate reaction was he'd sadly died. It turns out he was trending as he scored a century break aged 91 the other day which is seriously impressive https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/snooker/ray-reardon-century-break-oldest-31629429.amp

Former trainer Neville Callaghan dead at 77 https://www.racingpost.com/news/britain/he-was-a-rascal-but-everyone-loved-him-former-trainer-neville-callaghan-dies-aged-77-aamsS1F7wEUI/

Another recent photo in today's Sunday Times magazine. He looks in good nick. Better candidates for 2024.

Astin also played The Riddler in the 1966 series of the iconic Adam West Batman. Not many survivors from that series - Catwomen (Julie Newmar and Lee Meriwether) and Robin (Burt Ward) and that's about it. Now 90, 88 and 78 respectively. Newmar feels especially worthy of consideration given her health history.

Three misses if you count Bob Holness.

As the latest reports of his condition have sounded increasingly negative, perhaps it's time to include Michael Schumacher?

Frankly, who knows? You'd have got long odds on Alistair Darling going before Dennis Skinner and Norman Tebbit six months ago.

Carter for obvious reasons. Although at this rate the entire list will go before him.

How about Sharon and Ozzy replacing the Carters (assuming Jimmy isn't here to start the year)?

It must have been a very aggressive form of cancer that did for Darling as Alastair Campbell said he saw him recently and he didn't appear unwell and George Osborne is quoted as saying he didn't even know Darling was ill.

OK, the artist formerly known as Michael Ancram might wish to be on his guard.

I'm beginning to think Malcolm Rifkind and Michael Ancram might wish to get their affairs in order if the Reaper's cull of ageing former Edinburgh MPs continues.

You'd struggle to see many more youthful looking 88 year olds than Gary Player

Looks more like another 2-3 years than next year based on those photos.

How about former Chancellor and perennial unsuccessful Conservative leadership candidate Lord Kenneth Clarke? Has been overweight for decades, famously smokes cigars like a chimney and enjoys a drink. Never been a picture of health but now increasingly dishevelled. Wife died about ten years ago. He's 84 next year and has done well to make it this far given his lifestyle as has looked like a heart attack waiting to happen for a long time.

Agreed

Starmer-Smith now Ackland has gone.