Liverpool host Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup – the ECHO has looked back at how the life of a boy from a famous TV advert became marred with crime
A famous advert for milk dating from the 1980s in which a young boy worries he will only be good enough to play for Accrington Stanley. The child actor off camera who utters the famous line “Accrington Stanley, who are they?” is Kevin Spaine who was jailed this week for murder(Image: Youtube)
A boy synonymous with the famous “Accrington Stanley, who are they” milk advert grew up to be a brutal murderer. Kevin Spaine was one of two boys who starred in the famous 1980s Milk Marketing Board advert that became an instant hit with Liverpool fans due to the mention of Reds star Ian Rush and the now retro LFC kits.
But while Spaine’s iconic phrase from the advert was repeated everywhere from pubs to playgrounds in the following years, it would prove to be a rare positive moment in his life that later became marred with crime. This culminated with Spaine being convicted of murder after he repeatedly punched and kicked one time friend Learoy Venner in a brutal assault at an Anfield flat.
The then 43-year-old was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years at Liverpool Crown Court. The advert more recently received social media attention after Premier League leaders Liverpool were drawn against League Two minnows Accrington Stanley in the third round of this year’s FA Cup – the first meeting of the clubs since the only other tie in 1955-56.
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Today marks the visit of the Lancashire club to Anfield. The ECHO has taken a look back at the journey of Spaine – from child advert star to killer.
When Spaine appeared before the courts, his defence barrister said his client was formerly a “very promising young footballer” and even starred in the famous television ad for the Milk Marketing Board in 1989. Spaine was one of two boys seen in the clip, clad in Liverpool FC kits.
He himself is only briefly sighted on camera, walking through the shot before it focusses on his co-star Carl Rice besides a fridge in the kitchen. The defendant is heard to ask “have you got any lemonade?”, to which the other junior footballer replies: “If you want.” As he then pours himself a glass of milk, Spaine reacts by saying: “Milk? Eurgh.”
His friend tells him: “It’s what Ian Rush drinks. He said if I don’t drink lots of milk, when I grow up I’ll only be good enough to play for Accrington Stanley.” Spaine then delivers the familiar line “Accrington Stanley, who are they?” before a young Mr Rice, who has gone to a successful career on screen including roles in Coronation Street and Brassic, responds with “exactly”. His role in the TV advert had until now been incorrectly credited to “Kevin Staine”.
Kevin Spaine(Image: Facebook)
But Spaine’s life spiralled into one of crime and drugs in the following years, leading to around 40 appearances before the court for nearly 100 offences. Since 1999, his criminal record includes convictions for dealing heroin and crack cocaine, wounding and assault with intent to rob.
His legal counsel John Harrison KC said: “This defendant’s life has been ruined and dominated by the abuse of illegal drugs. He has a very long history of criminal offending. We know he’s been in this situation for 20 years or more, but he wasn’t always like that. Mr Spaine was a very promising young footballer, and he appeared in a very famous advertisement on the television – an advert for milk involving Accrington Stanley.
“He played a part in that advertisement. At an age of 10 or 12, or however old he was, he had a promising future. Shortly afterwards, he sinks into a life of criminality. Twenty years later, he is convicted of murder.”
The circumstances that led to the death of Mr Venner were bleak. The criminal trial heard Mr Venner had been living at the Anfield flat temporarily at the time of the incident on July 27 2022, sleeping on a camp bed in the lounge. The flat was “being used as a drug den” with Spaine among its frequent visitors.
But Spaine was refused entry shortly after midday on the day in question, before being eventually let in by returning tenant Mark Kelly, who then left again to top up the electricity meter. It was at this point that Mr Venner was fatally assaulted, with Spaine leaving him lying unconscious and going to his mum’s house to change his clothes afterwards. He was arrested on suspicion of murder on Edge Lane that evening, at which point he responded: “That’s a big charge, what do you mean murder?”
Learoy Venner(Image: Merseyside Police )
Under interview with detectives, Spaine later stated that Mr Venner – from Toxteth – had “taken two swings at him” and he had returned four or five blows “in self-defence”. A post-mortem investigation revealed that he had suffered “multiple forceful blows”, causing a brain injury – “the sort of trauma usually associated with a car crash or a fall from height”.
Senior Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor Angie Rowan, of CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: “Kevin Spaine admitted his actions had killed Mr Venner and, indeed, said he had gone over the top, but he said he hadn’t intended to do him serious harm. The Crown Prosecution Service couldn’t accept that.
He had rained blows and kicks on Mr Venner who was not a well man. He left him for dead and did nothing to raise the alarm. We said that he did mean to cause really serious harm and indeed was reckless to what the outcome of his vicious assault was. The cause of this extreme violence seems to have been that Mr Venner would not let him into the flat. Now Spaine has been jailed for life for murder.”
Mr Venner’s injuries were so severe they were likened to those seen in car crash victims. Spaine was found guilty by a jury after two hours and 39 minutes of deliberations and was handed a life imprisonment. He sat with his bowed in the dock as the sentence was passed.
Kevin Spaine was found guilty of murder Learoy Venner(Image: Merseyside Police)
Sentencing, Judge Brian Cummings KC said: “Only you will know the detail of what happened in the flat at that time. You have shown yourself to be a shocking liar. I am sure there was no element of self-defence in anything you did to Leroy Venner. What possible threat could he have presented to you?
“I am sure you struck him multiple heavy punches to the face and then finished your attack by kicking him, probably more than once and with force. What precisely caused you to want to do all of this will never be known to anyone other than yourself. You were very insistent of wanting to get into the flat.
“I am sure your interest in gaining entry to the flat was because you hoped to get either drugs or money – probably, you were disappointed in that hope. I do not find this was a murder for gain. However I am sure when you gained access to the flat, having been kept hanging around, those things led you to launch a ferocious attack upon him.
“He had no chance of escaping you or fighting you off. You attacked and killed a man whom you knew to be weak and in poor health. I accept that the eruption of violence occurred spontaneously, albeit you were in an agitated state having regard to the fact you’d been kept waiting outside. You left him unconscious on his back and breathing in his own blood for something like half an hour before he actually died.”