I had the absolute pleasure of meeting former England legend and, for two seasons, West Ham defender Stuart Pearce today.

He cut the turf on the new building at St John's School in Marlborough, a building that has been as long in the planning and almost as controversial as the Millennium Dome.

Actually Psycho (as we called him at Upton Park) likened it to Wembley Stadium. "It took a long time to get going and not everyone was happy with it but now it is the envy of the world," he said.

St John's may not be the envy of the world but it is likely to be the pride of Marlborough and the surrounding area if the plans are anything to go by.

I was very impressed with the energy and togetherness shown by headteacher Patrick Hazlewood and his team of teachers and parents.

They need to raise another £2 million in the next 18 months to equip the new building, which will see the school homed on one site, and I will not be at all surprised if they pull it off.

I had the chance to meet Psycho after the ceremony and, as is usual when I meet anyone I admire, I could barely phrase an intelligible question.

He must have thought I was a visitor from some Care in the Community programme as I burbled away.

He was politeness itself in answering my pathetically fawning questions but I imagine he was just trying to work out whether I was ever going to let go of his hand before he had to nudge me away with the same ruthless efficiency he used to dispatch tricky wingers.

His visit was a real coup for the school and credit must go to development manager Kate Hunter who had the presence of mind to buttonhole the fearsome defender in Pizza Express, much to the consternation of her husband who was probably burying his face in his Sloppy Guiseppe in embarrassment.