“Oh my goodness me!” screamed ITV’s lead Formula 1 commentator James Allen, words struggling to comprehend the sheer craziness of what was being witnessed. “We’ve got a lunatic on the track!” When a group of protestors from Just Stop Oil invaded the circuit last year during the opening lap of the British Grand Prix, it wasn’t Silverstone’s first run-in with track invaders. Contrarily, 20 years ago, the 2003 British Grand Prix was 10 laps in before deranged Irish priest Neil Horan sprinted up the fiercely quick Hangar Straight. Many drivers had to swerve to avoid him as Horan, dressed in a brown kilt, madly ran into the racing line of F1 cars speeding at 200mph while waving banners which read: “Read the bible” and “The Bible is always right.” The result could have been catastrophic if it wasn’t for the quick awareness of the drivers and the marshal stationed at position ‘Hangar 1’. Volunteering at the British Grand Prix once again, Stephen Green ran into the void of the unknown. “I didn’t really think, adrenaline just kicks in,” Green, now 72, tells The Independent. “I made the decision anyway to wait until most of the pack had gone past. I actually watched it last week on YouTube – it seems like the guy is running up there forever and a day before I get to him. “I think I just barged into him! Then he fell over and I just grabbed his wrists and dragged him. There was a white transit van with security waiting behind the debris fence. I remember what I said to him but it’s not printable!” It was an astonishing scene. While pitch invasions and streakers have for many a long year popped up at various sporting events across the country, a live racetrack is an entirely different situation altogether. More so than any wider cause, lives in the immediacy are at risk. For Green, though, it brought a sense of notoriety not familiar to the men and women in orange suits. Soon after, once the police investigation had subsided and Horan was charged with “aggravated trespass”, the marshal was the second man awarded the BARC (British Automobile Racing Club) Browning medal for outstanding bravery. The first was David Purley, 21 years earlier, following his attempts to save Roger Williamson from a fire at Zandvoort. Meanwhile Horan, laicised by the Catholic Church, did not stop there; in fact, Silverstone was just the start of his bizarre interventions. A year later, at the 2004 Athens Olympics, he ran into the path of lead Brazilian runner Vanderlei de Lima in the men’s marathon and pushed him into the crowds, ruining his path to gold. Months earlier, he was caught by police at the Epsom Derby. He also appeared on Britain’s Got Talent in 2009, performing an Irish jig. Yet that day 20 years ago brought together two very different people from two very different walks of life. A point not lost on Green when, peculiarly, Horan got in touch. “Strangely enough, he emailed me five years ago to ask how I was,” Green says. “We exchanged a couple of emails and that’s about it. “Strange chap, shall we say!” The subject of protestors is top of the agenda at Silverstone this weekend. If not for last year’s near-catastrophe, then for Just Stop Oil’s recent interventions at Twickenham, the World Snooker Championship, the Ashes and just this week, Wimbledon. “At a national event, you always run the risk of idiots turning up and doing whatever they’ve got in mind to do,” Green says. “There was a huge tightening of security after the 2003 incident. “Last year I just got messages from my mates saying ‘why are you not at Silverstone?!’ There is a difference between Just Stop Oil and Horan though, I think everyone would say that Just Stop Oil are actually trying to achieve something. “Motorsport is lucky in many ways that we don’t get as much as we could’ve done. It is very tightly controlled – given F1 goes all over the world, I think it does pretty well.” Green, who still marshals at events across the UK after previous F1 stints in the Middle-East as well as Silverstone, had the rarest of race interactions on that day in ‘03. F1 and the police are on red-alert this Sunday to ensure a repeat does not occur, with the threat level at an all-time high. Read More Lewis Hamilton supports ‘peaceful’ protests at British Grand Prix this weekend Just Stop Oil ‘vital’ says Dale Vince as sports fans are backed to intervene Arrests at Wimbledon after Just Stop Oil protesters storm court twice Lewis Hamilton must be ‘cold-blooded’ in new Mercedes contract negotiations F1 release 2024 calendar with radical change to start of the season F1 descends into farce again after results shake-up – the FIA has to be better

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What the papers say Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is reportedly weighing up making a bid for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips and Al-Hilal’s Ruben Neves in January, according to the i newspaper. Phillips has fallen out of favour at Manchester City, while the Mirror reports a meeting between Premier League shareholders could block Newcastle’s move for Neves as both Newcastle and Al-Hilal are owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Crystal Palace forward Eberechi Eze is close to signing a new contract with the club after he reportedly agreed to the deal in principle, the Daily Mail reports. The Mirror says Bayern Munich will join the race to sign 24-year-old Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi. Zubimendi has played 12 games in LaLiga this season with a goal and an assist. Social media round-up Players to watch Jadon Sancho: Fabrizio Romano reports the Manchester United forward is expected to leave the Old Trafford in the January transfer window. Casemiro: Clubs from the Saudi Pro League are interested in the 31-year-old Manchester United midfielder, according to 90min. Read More On this day in 2007: Warren Gatland appointed Wales boss Sarina Wiegman ‘in good place’ with England and not looking at job in men’s game Australia skipper Meg Lanning calls time on glittering international career

England will go in search of a first Women’s World Cup crown when they take on Spain in the final in Sydney. Sarina Wiegman’s side progressed to a second major tournament decider in as many years with a 3-1 semi-final victory over tournament co-hosts Australia. Spain, meanwhile, set up a meeting with the Lionesses after edging out Sweden in Auckland. The final will be held at Stadium Australia and a first-time World Cup winner is guaranteed, with neither side having reached this stage of the tournament previously. While the fixture will obviously be held on a neutral ground, Spain are Team A for the final and thus have kit precedence. That means that Jorge Vilda’s team will play in their red home strip, with dark blue shorts and socks. While England might be expected to then wear their traditional white shirts, the Lionesses’ home kit now includes blue shorts after lobbying from players over concerns about wearing white during their periods. The matching shorts necessitates a change: England will wear their light blue away kit for the final, with white socks. While Wiegman’s side were dressed all in white for last summer’s Euros final at Wembley, having to wear a changed kit may be a good omen. England’s men, captained by Bobby Moore, were clad in their alternative red in 1966 as they beat West Germany (wearing white shirts) 4-2 in the final at Wembley. The Lionesses’ progress to the final means that manager Wiegman has now reached four consecutive major tournament finals. The Dutchwoman guided her native Netherlands to Euro 2017 triumph and the World Cup final two years later before taking charge of England in 2021. Read More FA to build Wembley statue of England’s Lionesses after World Cup and Euros heroics Have Spain moved past player mutiny on their run to Women’s World Cup final? USA face ‘critical’ decision amid Vlatko Andonovski’s impending exit after disastrous Women’s World Cup FA chief Mark Bullingham says Sarina Wiegman could be an England men’s candidate US will not poach ‘special’ World Cup manager Sarina Wiegman, FA insists FA to build Wembley statue of England’s Lionesses after World Cup

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