FORMER Bolton Wanderers midfielder Peter Reid has paid tribute to footballing legend Diego Maradona who has died aged 60.

Reid was a member of the England team that famously lost to Maradona's Argentina side in the 1986 World Cup quarter final.

The match included two of the most famous goals in football history, both scored by Maradona.

The first goal, after 51 minutes, was to become known as the "Hand of God goal", which Maradona scored by using his hand. His second, four minutes after his first, saw him dribble past five England players, including Reid, and became known as the "Goal of the Century".

Argentina won the game 2–1 and went on to win the 1986 World Cup with a victory over West Germany in the final match. 

Speaking to BBC 5 Live's Tony Livesey, Reid, who played 225 times for Wanderers between 1974 and 1982, said: "I'd seen him against Scotland when he ran past the great Alan Hansen as if he wasn't there and you'd see him play for Barcelona and the talent he had, his pace and his strength. 

"We decided not to man mark him and thank god I wasn't given that job. He was one of those players that whatever you way you went about it if he was playing well on the day it was very difficult to stop him.

"We felt a little bit cheated with the first one but the second goal was magnificent. It wasn't a great pitch but he moved the ball with his left foot. If he had one weakness it was that he had no right foot but with the gem of the left foot he had he didn't need one.

"His balance and strength meant he was one of those things you couldn't stop. I wake up in a cold sweat still thinking about it and I still can't get there."

Asked if Maradona was the finest player he ever played against, Reid, 64, added: "I went to Argentina a lot to watch players and if you ask anybody there about the greatest player they'll say Diego Maradona. Lionel Messi is an Argentinian and I think that says it all.

"He is up there as one of the greatest of all time".