Roy of the Rovers the Rovers go on tour to a fictional country in an exotic part of the world, normally South America, where they would invariably be kidnapped and held to ransom. "Melchester played more pre-season games at gunpoint deep in the jungle than they ever did in more mundane settings." The summer would often also see Roy fending off lucrative offers to leave Melchester, as in 1978, when the Sheik of Basran, an oil-rich Middle-Eastern state, offered him £1 million to coach the national team. Especially during the 1980s, real-life personalities often made appearances. Former Division One stars Bob Wilson and Emlyn
Roy of the Rovers sometimes recycled; during the first ten years of his playing career, Roy was kidnapped at least four times. Roy also made numerous appearances for England, depicted playing alongside actual players such as Malcolm Macdonald and Trevor Francis. The stock media phrase "real 'Roy of the Rovers' stuff" is often used by football writers, commentators and fans when describing displays of great skill, or surprising results that go against the odds, in reference to the dramatic storylines that were the strip's trademark. Roy of the Rovers first appeared on 11 September 1954, as a weekly feature in the comic magazine "Tiger",