Di Canio joins Euro line up for city tournament

The flamboyant and often controversial Italian Paulo Di Canio will appear in the city next week alongside football legends from yesteryear as part of the EFPA (European Former Players Association) Champions Cup.

The former Lazio, Celtic and West Ham hero is the latest player to add his name to the glittering list of former stars that will play at the Echo Arena on April 16^th.

Di Canio is best remembered on Merseyside for his stunning act of sportsmanship at Goodison Park in 2001 when he caught the ball as then Everton goalkeeper Paul Gerrard lay stricken on the turf.

He will line up alongside Danish legend Michael Laudrup and Romanian playmaker Gheorghe Hagi as part of an all star European Team which will be managed by Italian World Cup winner Antonio Cabrini.

It has also been announced that former Everton skipper Kevin Ratcliffe will join forces with Liverpool star Ian Rush to lead the Wales and Ireland side at the four-team event, which also features England and Scotland.

Terry Venables and Ally McCoist will also lead out some of the UK's finest former players, including ex-Liverpool winger Steve McManaman and former Everton favourites Peter Reid and Dave Watson.

The inaugural EFPA Champions Cup is part of a two-day congress coming to the city on 15 and 16 April, the first time it has been held outside of Barcelona.

Laurence Lee, chairman of the Everton Former Players Foundation and the EFPA organising committee, said: "To have a player like Paulo appearing at the Arena alongside the other legends is sure to whet the appetite of every football fan in the city.

"I am really pleased to see Kevin Ratcliffe on a football pitch again alongside his good friend Ian Rush. It will be great to see some of the world's best former players all in one place for one night only and it is going to be a night to remember."

Tickets for the tournament are on sale priced at £20 for adults and £10 for children and are available via www.echoarena.com or call 0844 8000 400.

A gala dinner, which Laudrup, Hagi, Venables and many other players will attend, takes place on the floor of the Echo Arena on April 15.

World Cup legend Sir Geoff Hurst will deliver a keynote speech and talk about England's prospects in South Africa in this year's World Cup Finals.

The few remaining tables are currently available, priced at £1,250 plus VAT for a table of ten.

To book, please call 0151 239 5000 or e-mail efpa@paversmith.co.uk.

More information about the congress is available at www.efpa2010.com.