ASK football legend Rodney Marsh why he put pen to paper to write his autobiography and he gives you the answer in his familiar straight way . . . "For the money."

No burning desire to write down his life story? "No."

What about wanting to use the book as a vehicle for his forthright views?

Marsh hesitated: "Well, primarily I wrote the book for the money but once I had decided to do it I thought I would do it honestly.

"That's the only way I know how."

The soccer player who turned out for Fulham, QPR and Manchester City, and nine times for England, before finishing his career in the USA, was visiting Bolton to sign copies of his book, Priceless, at Bolton's Waterstones store this week.

Since retiring, Marsh has carved out a successful career as a television pundit -- loved and hated by fans in equal measure for his blunt opinions.

He has revealed that he thinks Bolton Wanderers will struggle this season, and two years ago said he would shave his head if Bradford City managed to stay in the Premiership. They did that year -- and he kept his word.

He laughs about the incident: "So many people still approach me about that. I was right in the end though -- just a year too early."

Marsh was born in 1944 and grew up in the East End of London. His father was "football mad" and the young Rodney Marsh grew up with the sport. As a teenager he was given the choice between signing for Fulham FC or joining Middlesex Colts as a cricketer.

But as he recalls: "It wasn't a tough decision because I loved football."

Marsh developed into a stereotypical footballer of the Seventies -- the long hair, fashionable clothes and champagne lifestyle.

His named is linked with others of that era -- Best, Bowles, George and Worthington.

But would he and his contemporaries from the Sixties and Seventies have made the grade in today's game?

Marsh said: "Given the same preparation, and the same approach from a physical standpoint, I think all players with skill would survive.

"But whether or not I would want to play in today's football is another matter.

"The character has gone out of football. It is a general thing but I do not know too many players out there today who enjoy themselves and actually smile when they are playing.

"It is great when you see footballers enjoy themselves on the pitch. But that has gone.

"Today the motivation is money. Money is the driving influence on why players play today.

"Money comes first -- I know it."

But does he feel that perhaps he enjoyed himself too much at the expense of his career?

"I do a lot of after-dinner speaking and the question I am always asked is whether I feel I fulfilled my potential. I played for England nine times but fell out with the manager, Sir Alf Ramsey. Who knows what might have happened if I hadn't.

"As my life goes on I have changed my mind about whether I have any regrets. When you are flying, say in the middle of my career, you look at your life one way.

"Then when you retire you begin to change your mind. A few years away from playing you develop yet another perspective. I always said I would never regret anything in my life.

"But now I do. That comes with maturity and experience. I regret more the lifestyle I led which affected the football I played.

"I think if my lifestyle had been different, things on the pitch may have changed."

Marsh lists Pele as the greatest player but adds: "Over my lifetime I think Pele was best because he played in four World Cup finals. But there was no one with more natural talent than George Best. For a short period of time I think Best was the best player in the world."

But what of today's brightest star -- David Beckham?

"The rise in David Beckham as a person and a player in the last year has been immense.

"I got it wrong when he was made captain of England. I thought it was too early. But it obviously wasn't. He has adjusted to it and become the consummate professional. He has not lost his competitive edge but has lost that petulant streak. He has grown and grown.

"I truly think he is as good as people say. When you have played at that highest level you can really put into perspective how good he is. He is a great footballer."

And the England team?

"I do not have the knee-jerk reaction that so many others have.

"We do sometimes go over the top. Against the Germans we were suddenly the best team in the world, and against the Greeks, the worst. I think we are somewhere in the middle.

"But having said that, the game against Germany was superb. I have never seen a better England performance."

Marsh admits he still has a soft spot for his old club, Manchester City. He said: "In all my time as a football player the Manchester City fans have been the best I have come across. They are the best in the world. I had a fantastic time at Maine Road. The fans were fantastic to me.

"It is good to see they are playing well under Kevin Keegan at the moment. It is good attacking football. Mind you in typical Keegan fashion, that can mean a 6-0 win one week and a 4-0 defeat the next."

Despite any niggling regrets that he could have been a more successful player, Marsh has become one of the most respected television pundits. He said: "It is great. When I was a player, being called a pundit was some sort of slur. Now, we have become the flavour of the month. Long may it continue . . ."

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