AGE

43

WHERE DO YOU LIVE

On a beautiful island far away from the M25

MARRIED

Yes, to Jacky

CAR

Mercedes E Class

FOOTBALL TEAM

Charlton Athletic - blissfully addicted since my first visit in 1980. My house is called 'Mendonca' after Clive the legend. Hobbsy often sends me mail addressed 'Osgood'. I've convinced the postman he's nuts. "Charlton till I die."

PETS

Two boa constrictors and one cheetah if anyone nasty wants to find me!

FAVOURITE FOOD

Steak and chips at the Guinea Grill, Bruton Place, London; all-you-can-eat barbecue buffet at the Almond Beach Hotel, Barbados; hamburger and fries at Cheeburger Cheeburger, Sanibel Island, Florida.

FAVOURITE DRINK

Strawberry daiquiri while relaxing on holiday; Lucozade Sport after running/tennis in England.

TOP 4 FAVOURITE TV PROGRAMMES

Midsomer Murders; The Inbetweeners; Hawaii Five-O; Friends

TOP 3 FAVOURITE FILMS

Notting Hill; Grease; The Lion King

FAVOURITE ACTOR

Paolo Di Canio when he dived in the box versus Arsenal and scored the resulting penalty! I loved Eddie Murphy in Beverley Hills Cop and The Nutty Professor.

FAVOURITE ACTRESS

Had a massive crush on Cheryl Ladd when a teenager. Still have! Elisabeth Shue in Cocktail was smoking-hot, too. Whatever happened to her? Also enjoyed a trip to Los Angeles to watch an episode of Friends being filmed - Jennifer Aniston was superb as Rachel, and great to look at as well.

BEST BOOK READ

Five Fall Into Adventure by Enid Blyton

FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION

Orlando for amusement parks; Barbados for totally chilling out.

CURRENT MUSICAL TASTES

Ne-Yo is the new Jacko - an extraordinary talent. There's nothing like going back through my 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl collection from time to time, though, particularly when confronted by a particularly difficult-to-solve A6 at Wimbledon - plenty of Madness, Alexander O'Neal, SOS Band, Shalamar, Luther Vandross, Teddy P and George Benson in there.

FIRST RECORD EVER BOUGHT

Ride A White Swan by T-Rex.

OTHER INTERESTS OUTSIDE GREYHOUND RACING

Family; betting; a fantastic friendship with fellow Charlton nut Phil Partridge; studying horse race videos for plots; running on the beach; spending money won from bookmakers.

MOST MEMORABLE SPORTING OCCASION EXPERIENCED

Huddersfield 2-2 Charlton. It was a freezing cold night in the middle of winter, and only about 200 from Sarf London had made the trip. Mark Robson equalised right in front of the Charlton fans, and somehow I found myself on the pitch rolling around with Gary Nelson and Lee Bowyer to celebrate. My brand new sheepskin coat which had cost around £400 got covered in mud and was ruined. Well worth it, though.

HOW LONG AS A GREYHOUND JOURNALIST

Over 15 years with the Racing Post. Loved every minute.

WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU DO OUTSIDE GREYHOUND RACING

Move full-time to horse racing. At some stage I will definitely live the dream of the professional gambler.

YOUR FAVOURITE GREYHOUND OF ALL TIME

Larkhill Bobby - from 5-1 down to 5-2 in a graded A3 at Wimbledon; made all, never in any danger. That was some touch! I always had a soft spot for Trixies Wish and Jolly Joker - litter-brothers trained by Phil Rees - and the three greyhounds I have owned, Hawkfield Wind, Bunmahon Mac, and Run Freddie were all extremely special in different ways.

BEST GREYHOUND YOU HAVE EVER SEEN

Westmead Hawk - made the impossible appear breathtakingly routine. I still miss him.

SPRINTER

Ravage Again - his phenomenal sequence of wins won't ever be repeated.

STANDARD

Westmead Hawk - it broke my heart when he suffered that career-ending injury. I went to see him at Nick Savva's kennels a few weeks afterwards, and he was hobbling around in plaster. A few weeks earlier he'd landed his second Derby, and I've no doubt whatsoever he would have made it a record-breaking three the following year. I remember thinking at that very moment, "greyhound racing has just lost it's best-ever opportunity to halt years of decline". I was genuinely gutted.

STAYER

I once watched Shelbourne Star come from 20 lengths off the pace at Wimbledon, rang my boss Jim Cremin on the way towards the station, and virtually screamed down the phone, "I've never seen anything like it; she's extraordinary." She was.

MARATHON

Roxholme Girl was all class - she excited me every time she stepped onto a greyhound track. I still feel guilty about stopping her winning the Golden Jacket, having lumped-on ante-post. I've never backed a winner at Crayford.

HURDLE

El Tenor was the guv'nor - no doubt about that whatsoever - and his owner Mario Lanfranchi the perfect gent.

FAVOURITE TRACK

Wimbledon. I didn't miss a meeting there - apart from when I was on holiday - between the period 1989 and 1996. I once drove from Newcastle racecourse on Fighting Fifth day to Plough Lane to lump-on a dog called Mums Black in the 9pm. I was totally addicted at one point. There's nothing I haven't tried to win regular money there. I liked Hove, too, but always came away losing. Walthamstow was enjoyable at times, but it never truly felt like 'home'.

BEST RACE EVER SEEN

Anyone who doesn't say Westmead Hawk catching Mineola Farloe right on the line in the Derby semi-final isn't telling the truth.

BEST DERBY EVER SEEN

I stood to win the crown jewels if Summerhill Joy had won the 1995 Derby. It was my first Derby reporting for the Racing Post, and Summerhill Joy's exploits - I'd put him up in Pricewise at 33-1 - made it extra-special. When he hit the front at the third bend you could have heard the roar in Sydney. I still don't know how he got beat, but for a pure adrenalin rush that will never be beaten.

4 PEOPLE (2 IN GREYHOUND RACING 2 OUTSIDE) THAT YOU WOULD INVITE TO DINNER AND WHY

Linda Jones (she has helped me in more ways than anyone outside of those closest to me will ever know). Tommy Foster (a great trainer and a great bloke; Wimbledon has never been the same since he retired). John McEnroe (idolised him during his career; once shook his hand at the Royal Albert Hall. "You're the greatest, Mac," I said. "Thanks," he replied). Steve Cauthen (best jockey I've ever seen; a true gentleman, who revolutionised riding in Britain).

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE CHANCES OF WALTHAMSTOW RETURNING

Have been cynical from day one. I really hope I'm proved wrong. I'd love it to return for Mark Wallis and his family. Full marks to everyone who has endeavoured to resurrect it.

IN YOUR OPINION WHAT MISTAKES HAVE BEEN MADE AS TO THE REASONS WHY GREYHOUND RACING HAS BEEN IN DECLINE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS

The profile of the racegoer and greyhound owner has changed over the last 25 years and I'm not sure that the industry was quick enough to spot that people didn't want muddy car parks, roofless toilets, and faceless clerks behind barred tote windows, but instead were looking for a more comfortable and user-friendly experience. In recent years, the sport has competed with a multitude of other leisure activities that adapted quicker to a more sophisticated consumer. Failing to get the maximum exposure for the sport and it's champions means it will take longer to shake off the cloth-cap image - although things are better now with Sky coverage and the internet. Britain's population has risen massively, which obviously means there's a demand for houses. Greyhound tracks sadly have proved highly vulnerable - and will continue to prove at maximum risk - when this economic recession bottoms out. I also fervently believe there are numerous people in key, high-profile positions throughout the sport who lack the passion and know-how to drive things forward. We appear to have given in to the antis, rather than fight back, and the growth of Betfair has destroyed the on-course market.

GIVE US 5 IDEAS THAT COULD STOP THIS DECLINE

If I could answer this question competently I'd be a rich man. I'm a journalist and punter, not a marketing person. Well, here goes.
. Owners are the lifeblood, so it's decent parking, track newsletters, online community groups, plenty of two-way communication, and anything that can make them feel special. . Encourage new owners by first using the syndicate method. People can get involved much cheaper as a group, and trainers can throw-in a few months reduced training fees to get the ball rolling.
. Stadium tours seem very popular now - not sure how well this would work in greyhound racing, but I reckon quite a few would like to see "behind the scenes", and I see that the 2012 Olympic Visitors Centre is already very busy with educational trips as well as the regular public.
. The natural extension of this idea is Trainer "Open Days" which have become very popular in horse racing.
. I have never understood why greyhound racing relies almost exclusively on bookmakers for sponsorship. Why not try Mercedes Benz and Tesco's, for instance?

HOW DO YOU SEE WIMBLEDON'S FUTURE

There are unique difficulties in getting planning permission on the site for housing development - part of the land is in the borough of Wandsworth; the other part in Merton. It is also a designated flood plain. Some very powerful people have tried over the last 25 years to get that permission and failed. Why should it be any different now? I understand November 2011 is the key date when Risk Capital have to pay back a large amount of the money they borrowed to buy the GRA. I've long felt - and hoped - Bob Morton would one day own Wimbledon.

DO YOU THINK THAT GOBATA'S IDEA OF INDUSTRY OWNED TRACKS WHERE THE PROFITS GOES BACK IN TO THE TRACK IS THE WAY FORWARD

As I've said, I'm not politically or commercially-minded. What I will say, though, is that Martin White is a successful businessman who is passionate about the survival and future resurgence of greyhound racing. I trust his judgement implicitly, and he deserves the utmost praise for setting up Gobata.

ANY OTHER OPINIONS ON OUR SPORT

Charlie Lister and Nick Savva would already have been knighted if it was any other sport. We have a tremendous product, which is admired by many, many people, but somehow the industry has got itself into an almighty mess.