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Former Buc Mike Alstott takes to the field in London

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By ROY CUMMINGS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 24, 2009

Bucs great Mike Alstott was back on a football field Saturday and doing what he's always done best, which is run the ball and score touchdowns.

The field wasn't the kind Alstott is accustomed to, however. It was a make-shift one set up inside London's Richmond Park, which used to be a favorite hunting ground of King Henry VIII.

Nor was the game anything Alstott became used to during his days as a Bucs fullback. It was a touch football game between United Kingdom-based fans of the Bucs and Patriots.

The game was arranged by Paul Stewart, the founder of Bucs UK, a 300-member UK-based Bucs fan club, and Alstott wasn't the only former Bucs players to participate in it.

Former Bucs linebacker Shelton Quarles played a few snaps as well while Bucs Hall of Fame defensive end Lee Roy Selmon and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders cheered on the Bucs side.

"You can't put a price on this,'' Stewart said. "I had no idea any of these guys were coming. I mean, I've never met Lee Roy Selmon before, and now to meet him here and have Mike play in this game with us, it's truly priceless.''

Alstott, who retired as an active player in January, 2008 and spent most of his day Saturday signing autographs and posing for pictures with fan club members, was a little wowed by the experience himself.

"It's absolutely beautiful out here,'' he said as he watched a herd of wild deer grazing in nearby meadow. "And now I can say I got to score a touchdown in London. How great is that?''

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