Our Birmingham Gold Cup Lunch will once again be taking place in the Banqueting Suite, at one of the country’s most famous and iconic cricket grounds, Edgbaston. Cheltenham Gold Cup Friday is the sport at its absolute best, attracting some of the best National Hunt horses in the world to compete over the hallowed turf at Prestbury Park!
On what is sure to be another thrilling day, we are delighted to welcome as our very special guest one of English football’s finest goalkeepers of recent years, former England, Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham and Man City star, David James. Our event will also feature a comedy set from award-winning TV comedian Lindsey Santoro, whose effusive brand of comedy is soon to be at ‘Live at the Apollo’. With live music from our Irish band, a superb three course lunch, the full Cheltenham card on our giant screen, our in-house bookmaker, and racing tipster service, this is an event not to be missed.
David James
In a career spanning an astonishing 26 years, David James amassed 958 club appearances with a further 53 caps for England, placing him amongst the select band of players who played over 1000 times as a professional. Eighteen of those seasons were spent in the Premier League, representing Watford, Liverpool, Ason Villa, West Ham, Man City and Portsmouth, and his 572 appearances are the highest by a goalkeeper in the history of the competition, and fifth in the all-time list behind Gareth Barry, Ryan Giggs, James Milner and Frank Lampard. David won the League Cup whilst at Liverpool in 1994/95, and famously, the FA Cup whilst at Portsmouth in 2007/08, with Harry Redknapp at the helm. He was also named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year in 1995/96 and 2007/08. David was capped 53 times by England between 1997 and 2010, being first choice goalkeeper during the team’s Euro 2004 and the 2010 World Cup campaigns. He was appointed an MBE in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to football and charity, the latter through the David James Foundation which has supported a diverse range of projects to help young people.
Lindsey Santoro (TV Comedian)
Naturally effusive and full of giddy joy, Birmingham’s Lindsey Santoro has emerged as one of the most original female voices to come out of the West Midlands and is one of the best hidden gems on the comedy circuit. Lindsey enjoyed remarkable success at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2023, winning Next Up’s Biggest Award in Comedy for the most outstanding show at the Fringe and also earned an Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer Nomination for her critically acclaimed debut sell-out show Pink Tinge. Lindsey recently made her hilarious TV debut on Mel Giedroyc’s: Unforgivable (Dave), Comedy Central Live and The Stand-Up Sketch Show (ITV2). Other credits include Ch4’s The Joy of Missing Out and The Elephant in the Room with Sarah Millican on BBC Radio 4. She is shortly going to appear at ‘Live at the Apollo’.
Dave Fulton (Host)
Dave enjoyed a 15 year career with Kent, playing in 200 First Class matches with an average in the high 30s, and over 100 one day games. His best season came in 2001, when he scored an incredible 1892 First Class runs at an average of just under 76, being crowned PCA Player of the Year. Since retiring from the game in 2006, Dave has forged a career as a sports journalist and event host, appearing regularly on Sky Sports’ cricket coverage. In 1993 he took the catch to dismiss Viv Richards in his final First-Class innings! A huge racing fan, Dave has previously hosted our Lord’s Long Room Lunch and Birmingham Gold Cup Lunch on numerous occasions and is a safe pair of hands to run our events with his customary wit and style!
Edgbaston Stadium
We are delighted to be holding our event in the Banqueting Suite at Edgbaston Stadium, which is a fantastic large facility, perfectly suited to our event. This is the stadium’s premium pitch-facing facility, enjoying magnificent views over the middle, and plenty of natural light. Our guests will enjoy quality dining and service for which Edgbaston is rightly renowned, with ample complimentary parking for all attendees.
