LATHAM Park has hosted its fair share of footballing entertainers over the years, but few will have been as talented as David Ginola.

The French international and Premier League superstar strutted his stuff in Newtown less than two years after being crowned Footballer of the Year.

Ginola, who Gallic good looks also saw him star in L’Oreal shampoo adverts, as well as turning out for Newcastle and Spurs in the late 1990s, was a surprise visitor to Mid Wales one cold January midweek evening almost 20 years ago.

The then 33 year-old star had been despatched to Mid Wales with a youthful Aston Villa reserves side which also featured the likes of Julian Joachim and Welsh international Mark Delaney, as tensions were rising between the Frenchman and then manager John Gregory.

Gregory had substituted him in at half-time in a game against Liverpool earlier in the month and had questioned the winger’s workrate, less than six months after he signed the previous summer.

After the game Gregory quashed suggestions that sending Ginola to Powys to play Brian Coyne’s side in the middle of the season was a decision to try and humiliate the star.

Ultimately Ginola would briefly outlast Gregory at Villa Park, before moving on himself to Everton the following year before hanging up his boots.

But he has since returned to Wales to gain his coaching badges with the Football Association of Wales.

Ginola, now 53, who has also turned has hand to acting and punditry, also survived suffering a heart attack during a charity game in 2016.

His night in Newtown might not rank among the most memorable of his career, but for those who played against him or were in the crowd that night.

Unfortunately, details of that night in January 2001 such as the score, the reason behind the fixture and how Ginola performed, have become lost in our archives and the mists of time.

Maybe you were playing for Newtown against Ginola that night, or are a fan who simply bagged his autograph at the game, please share your memories by contacting us at sport@countytimes.co.uk