Diabetic ex-footballer Gary Mabbutt is coming to Swindon as part of a football legends charity evening.

The tough tackling centre half will appear in front of football fans for a question and answer session in the event organised by the Swindon-Spurs Supporters Club.

A contribution from funds raised on the night with the 49-year-old will be handed to the Swindon Children With Insulin Dependent Diabetes (SCWIDD) – a support group based in Highworth.

Former Tottenham Hotspur captain Mabbutt, who was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 17, became a role model to children after injecting an orange with insulin on BBC’s Blue Peter to show how he dealt with his condition on a daily basis.

There are about 100 children under the age of 18 – the youngest being a baby – who live in and around the Swindon area with Type 1 diabetes.

Nationally 2.8 million people are diagnosed with diabetes, with an estimated 850,000 people who have the condition but don’t know it.

MBE Mabbutt, who made 482 appearances in a 16-year career at White Hart Lane, will appear at the Village Swindon Hotel in Shaw Ridge, set to be known as Village Swindon, next month.

Swindon-Spurs chairman Roman Piotrowski, from Covingham, is excited by the prospect of football legend coming to the town.

“We’ve been trying to get Gary to come for a legends evening for ages,” he said.

“He won the UEFA Cup in 1984 and the FA Cup in 1991 with Spurs, so he’s got great pedigree.

“Gary is second only to Steve Perryman as Spurs’ longest serving player.

“We’ll talk about his early days, how he got into football, how he managed his diabetes, to what he’s filling his time with now.

“It should make for a great night. He’s well known to Spurs fans during the 80s and 90s and had quite an impressive goal record for a defender.”

Statistics show Mabbutt scored 27 goals for the North London club between 1982 and 1998.

The 5ft 10in defender, who could also operate in midfield, also played more than 130 games for Bristol Rovers and has 16 caps for the senior England side.

This is the fifth legends evening hosted by Swindon-Spurs after appearances by Micky Hazard, Keith Burkinshaw, Pat Jennings and Martin Chivers, and Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa.

Tickets are priced at £45 for adult members and guests with non-members charged £50. This includes a buffet.

The event is scheduled for a 7.30pm start running until late on Saturday, May 21 – the night before the last day of Premier League matches for the 2010/11 season.

To book or for more information, please call Roman on 07821 577 850 and visit www.swindon-spurs.com