Accrington Stanley milk advert kids now from convicted killer to Coronation Street star

It's been over 40 years since the Accrington Stanley advert aired on TV and young actors Carl Rice and Kevin Spaine had a famous squabble over milk - but where are they now?

The two youngsters in the iconic Accrington Stanley advert ended up down two very different paths.

The famous 1980s milk advert coined the well-known phrase "Accrington Stanley - who are they?" which still echoes around Liverpool today. The ad featured two young football fans, played by actors Carl Rice and Kevin Spaine, having a conversation about milk after playing a game.

Spaine asks Rice: "Have you got any lemonade?" as he opens the fridge. But Rice instead pours himself a glass of milk, and Spaine reacts by saying: "Milk? Eurgh." Rice, dressed in a Liverpool stripe, says: "It's what Ian Rush drinks. He said if I don't drink lots of milk then when I grow up, I'll only be good enough to play for Accrington Stanley."

Spaine, who is off camera, then replies with the famous phrase: "Accrington Stanley—who are they?" To which Rice responds, in his thick Scouse accent: "Exactly!" For decades, the Lancashire-based club has turned the catchphrase into a badge of pride - but not everything aged well.

Rice, who was paid just £90 for the advert, went on to have a successful acting career. He appeared in the Granada Television series Children's Ward, had roles in Bread and Brookside and appeared in Coronation Street in 2015 and 2016 as Ian Rigby, a cellmate of Rob Donovan. He's also had roles in Good Cop, Disney's Cruella, and every series of Brassic, playing Ronnie Croft.

Unlike his co-star, Kevin Spaine has spent his life in and out of trouble with the law and has almost 100 offences. He has been convicted of drug dealing, wounding and assault, and in February 2023, he was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 18 years for the murder of Learoy Venner at a flat near Anfield in July 2022.

John Harrison KC, appearing on behalf of Spaine, told Liverpool Crown Court at sentencing: "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. It's not an unfamiliar spiral to the court, but it is a tragic one. Of course, he respects the jury's verdict."

Despite the former child actor's dark life after his brief brush with fame, the advert remains a memorable piece of British advertising history, and it hasn't stopped Accrington Stanley fans from chanting the phrase.