A host of Workington Town legends are expected at Derwent Park a week on Sunday, to take part in the official launch of Arnold ‘Boxer’ Walker’s new authorised biography.

Workington, St Helens, Cumbria and Great Britain forward Peter Gorley and Widnes legend Reggie Bowden, who made 16 major cup final appearances for the Chemics, including four Wembley cup finals, will be at the event.

Boxer and author Mike Gardner will be signing books from 1pm at the club.

Scrum half Boxer, who was voted the best number seven in the world in 1980, played at Town for nine years, between 1971 and 1979, making 191 appearances, scoring 53 tries and kicking 35 drop goals.

He was man-of-the-match in Workington’s Lancashire Cup victory in 1977.

“Boxer is one of the best scrum halves in the history of the game,” said Reg.

“He was an unbelievable player and if I was picking a team he would be the first name down.

“He was so fearless and such a good tackler.

“The best thing about Boxer is what a great person he is. After every game we played against each other, when I went to the bar, he was always there waiting to buy me a pint.”

The book, which is called Boxer: The Life of a Cumbria Great , has 355 pages and more than 100 pictures.

It costs £15 and Boxer and Mike are available before and after the match.

The following weekend the book is also being launched at Kells ARLFC’s home game against Egremont on Saturday, May 20, and at Whitehaven’s home game against Hemel the following day.

The book will not be available in any bookshops outside West Cumbria but you can pre-order a copy, which will be signed by Boxer and the author, for £15 including postage and packing through Paypal on mikegardner@hotmail.co.uk.

Copies of the books will be dispatched on the weekend of the Town book launch.