But more than that, these guys are pioneers of facial furniture. In the whisker stakes, they sit on top of the obelisk of beardo justice, their flailing moustaches blowing in the wind as they survey a barren wasteland of baldylocks and smooth-chinned smudgers.

As a teaser to a new feature we are releasing next week ... like a stray sideburn in a land of Wilkinson Sword enthusiasts, Open Goal is to undertake some extensive research, plumbing new depths of old worn-out beard trimmers and clogged up plugholes, to ask: "Does facial furniture have any place in the modern game."

Over the course of the next few weeks we will be looking at the evidence, hoping to cast your minds back to the days when footballers earned £500 a week and beards weren't an accident or a fashion statement, they were a downright necessity of manliness.

It's time to shed those stubble sensibilities, readers, and let us know your thoughts, either by suggesting some great facial furniture of days gone by, growing your own, or just filling our Inbox with mindless incessant beardo banter.

Things will come to a head in the first week of September, when Open Goal has sorted an exclusive interview with probably the most famous tash-artist of all time, Mr Ian Rush, and we'll be putting your finest facial quips to the legendary John Aldridge plagiarist.

We'll be selling our research to the highest bidder (or to anyone who will take it) and with the winnings will be planning a hostile takeover of Remington.

Look out for the start of the feature next week, and remember, a beard is for life, not just for a good old laugh down the pub with your mates.

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