This week 10, 20, 30 years ago

10 YEARS AGO

David Haye has finally got the Wlad news that he wanted – that his dream unification heavyweight fight is on for this summer, wrote Richard Cawley.

Bermondsey’s WBA champion has signed a contract to fight IBF and WBO ruler Wladimir Klitschko on either June 25 or July 2 in Germany.

Haye said: “I’ve been waiting for a long time. The terms are right and fair – that’s all I’ve ever wanted. This is a fight the world has been begging to see.”

Brainy students who pitted their wits on the BBC’s University Challenge were rapped by bosses for a protest stunt on the show.

The team from Goldsmiths University in Lewisham Way, New Cross, was ticked off by the producers during a recording of the new series on Sunday.

At the start of the TV recording in Manchester, the four students were asked to remove a team mascot they had brought along – a kettle.

The mascot was a statement of protest against police use of kettling, a containment tactic used during demonstrations.

Students from Goldmiths were kettled twice in Parliament Square, central London, in November during protests against university tuition fee increases.

Controversial plans to demolish and rebuild 1,000 people’s homes have been approved.

Labour-run Lambeth’s planning committee granted the Guinness Trust permission to knock down and rebuild Brixton’s Loughborough Park Estate on Tuesday evening.

Around 70 resident members of the estate’s residents’ association attended the meeting to oppose the £70million scheme.

The association was reformed last year to give residents what they say is a “true voice” in the consultation process.

Previous plans were rejected by Lambeth council following protests by the association in 2008.

20 YEARS AGO

A Sydenham man was in football heaven after landing two Swedish stunners, a widescreen TV and free booze to watch a game with.

Paul Harley, 38, of Mayow Road, lived the dream when he got the special treatment as he viewed Swedish boss Sven Goran Eriksson lead England out into a new era in a friendly against Spain.

The Charlton fan scooped the prize, which was also enjoyed by four close friends, after answering a hat-trick of Swedish-themed questions in a competition run by a Battersea- based music website.

Charlton were riding high in the Premier League and looking forward to taking on strugglers Coventry City in their next match.

They had already reached the crucial 40-point barrier and were sitting seventh in the league, just five points behind third-placed Liverpool.

Their next opponents in the league were second from bottom with just 22 points, above Bradford on 16 and below Manchester City on 23.

A disabled 80-year-old woman braved the cold when she took to the streets to let everyone know about her poor housing conditions.

Retired nurse Annie Ball spent three hours parading up and down in Rotherhithe on her crutches in a bid to get Southwark council to do something about her rat-infested flat in Pedworth Gardens.

Mrs Ball said: “I had no choice but to picket the Abbeyfield neighbourhood office.” The council said it had laid baits for the rodents and would work with Mrs Ball to solve her housing problems.

30 YEARS AGO

Injury-plagued Lions defender Mick McCarthy looked set for a dramatic comeback at Oxford as Millwall tried to rekindle their promotion hopes.

The Republic of Ireland World Cup star had been out of action since December with knee ligament trouble.

He came through two reserve team games unscathed as Millwall looked to bury the memory of a 3-1 defeat at the hands of West Ham United in their previous Second Division fixture.

Poll Tax bills would soar to £800 while services would be cut to the bone as a result of a town hall’s £44million budget crisis, it was feared.

Lambeth council was threatening to set a £327million budget in defiance of Government capping proposals, which would have limited the borough’s spending to £307million.

The result could have been a massive £279 increase in Lambeth’s £521 poll tax bill, plus a £24million attack on services.

At a tense policy and resources committee meeting, officers warned the council could face a lengthy legal wrangle with the Government if it refused to stick to the spending limit.

Two royal visitors went to the dogs – to celebrate a new multimillion-pound kennel complex.

The Queen visited Battersea Dogs’ Home in Battersea Park Road for the first time to open Tealby Kennels, a £2million three-storey block containing 200 kennels and named after the home’s founder Mary Tealby.

She was greeted by her cousin and president of the home, Prince Michael of Kent.

During her 90-minute visit the Queen, patron of the home, unveiled a plaque and planted a cherry tree.