Britain’s regional newspaper champions have signed two football legends to give its back pages a kick-start for the new season.

The Express & Star in Wolverhampton, currently Regional Daily Newspaper of the Year, has bagged two of the game’s biggest names, past and present, to bolster their sports coverage.

Leeds United legend Johnny Giles and former England striker Kevin Phillips, who’s just hung up his boots at Leicester City to become first team coach at the King Power Stadium, have both joined the paper as columnists.

Both have strong connections with West Bromwich Albion – Giles as player-manager there in the mid-1970s while former England international Phillips managed more than a goal every other game in his 71 appearances for the Baggies between 2006-08.

It's the way we play them . . . news in the E & S on new signings Johnny Giles and Kevin Phillips

Express & Star editor Keith Harrison said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have Johnny and ‘Super Kev’ on board.

“I don’t get star struck very often, but having Johnny Giles in the office was something special, as he put the football world to rights for an hour or so.

“His knowledge of the game is second to none and he’s never been short of an opinion.

“Kevin has only just hung up his boots after a fantastic career and is still involved at Premier League level with Leicester, so brings a sharp, modern edge to our coverage.”

The pair brings to the pages of the West Midlands regional a fine footballing pedigree – both having enjoyed long playing careers.

Giles, now 73, was voted ‘best player in last 50 years’ in a Football Association of Ireland poll while Phillips holds the distinction of being Crystal Palace’s oldest ever scorer at 39 and at the same age struck an extra-time winning play-off penalty that promoted Palace to the Premiership in 2013.

“They’ve both got strong West Bromwich Albion connections and join Wolves legends Matt Murray and Steve Bull on our team,” added Keith. “We can’t wait for the season to get started.”

The E & S, with a daily sale of more than 82,000 which makes it the UK’s current circulation league leaders, has a new-look Monday sports pull-out called The Score for its football-mad readers.