Brian Lane was voted "One of TV's greatest loonies". It is not known by whom this poll was conducted though.
Creator Roy Mitchell, a lifelong fan of West Bromwich Albion football club, gave the lead characters the surnames Halford, Lane and Standing. "Halfords Lane Standing" was once printed on tickets to football matches for West Bromwich Albion for spectators in the Halfords Lane Stand (before seated stadiums).
Alun Armstrong admitted in an interview that he was pleased his character Brian Lane was not killed off.