From a Barnsley council estate to playing for England and being part of the iconic Ping Pong Diplomacy tour. That was the incredible journey taken by England international Alan Hydes – and he’s been talking to the BBC about it.

Alan, who still lives in Barnsley, features on the Secret South Yorkshire segment released by BBC Radio Sheffield this week.

He tells how he almost became a cricketer – only to be scuppered by having the wrong trousers – and got into table tennis instead.

With money tight in the family, Alan won a tournament which gave him the finance to continue his journey, which led all the way to the World Championships and that incredible Ping Pong Diplomacy tour in 1971.

Alan brings the tour and other aspects of his career to life with a series of great anecdotes – click below to listen to the feature.

What was Ping Pong Diplomacy?

In 1971, Ping Pong Diplomacy fostered a new understanding between east and west as English players were among the first in a generation to visit China.

The invitation stemmed from American player Glenn Cowan who, after practising with China’s Liang Geliang prior to the start of the 1971 World Championship, inadvertently boarded the bus carrying the Chinese team. 

It set in motion a train of events which ended up with the US team being invited to visit China after that World Championship – an invitation which was also extended to England, Canada and Nigeria.

The English players who made the trip along with Alan were Jill Parker, Pauline Piddock, Trevor Taylor and Tony Clayton, plus support staff. They entered China on April 10, 1971.

It was a trip which was reciprocated later in the year as a Chinese team visited these shores, when matches were held in Wales and Scotland as well as England, and there was a visit to 10 Downing Street and an audience with PM Edward Heath among the cultural programme.

Ping Pong Diplomacy remains a key landmark in world table tennis history – and its influence was felt in wider society around the globe and is still being felt in our sport. You can read more about this by clicking here.