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SSN reporting that Suarez to wear 7... so the number 9 is not free for him...yet...

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Apparently, Rafa was "concentrating on my team" at the end of the game yesterday and so did not manage to shake hands with Maureen... Well, if that is the case then he ought to snub every manager at every game until he retires.. Ok, so I know Jose started this little spat at the end of the cup semi but should Rafa be descending to this level? Mind games between them are now part and parcel of the game but this detracts from what was a very promising performance and will only cloud the build up to the next game, and the one after that etc etc. Getting the 'score' back to 1-1 to show he is not afraid to play dirty is one thing but shouldnt we be above such pettiness? I remember when lord ferg and wenger were engaging in this in recent years I got to the stage of wanting to bang heads together as the red tops got more and more excited about the 'will they, wont they?' debate in each build-up. It would be applying double standards (a trait we are all capable of) to simply say, "go get him rafa" now. These are two great managers and it is great to see them sparring but surely they have better ways of achieving whatever advantage they are seeking?

Saw Razor Ruddock at Chart Hills Golf Club (Kent) on Friday - looks like he has been missing out the "after" and "speaker" from his new career and has simply been concentrating on the "dinner" aspect... still a legend though..

Well not quite the same joy and pain but here goes.. Spent Saturday watching the Final at home with my wife (a Hammer) whilst, during extra time and pens at least, trying to get ready to go to a charity Ball.. Taxi arrived at 5.50pm with one of us trying not to look too euphoric as our journey took us past pub after pub of seriously pi**ed off looking hammers' fans.... So that is the joy... and the pain? Well, the charity 'do' had an auction.. can you guess yet? One of the lots was a signed pic of a certain XAbi A on duty in Istanbul.... as it got mentioned there were calls of "50p" "burn it" etc matched with appropriate boos and hissing from the largely west-ham mad pantomine audience... Anyway, I am now the proud owner of the said pic for £300GBP - ouch! As i said when I collected it - it was only worth £200 at 3pm but he is an FA Cup winner now!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4924602.stm Hope the boys can deliver him some good news over the weekend YNWA

Not sure if you've got sky but these shows are on fairly regularly on channel 442 - tonight is the 7-0 v Spurs from 78 and tomorrow is us v the Mancs when beardsley got a hat-trick. Otherwise both the st etienne and history programmes are on at various times in the early hours... just a case of checking the listings or ESPN's tv listings page...

a variation on a theme but no less satisfying... http://www.canyouimagine.co.uk/josemourinhobaseball.html

The sentiment is fine but why is Reina getting himself quoted in relation to something (chelsea v barca) which is no real concern of his... How many times have we suggested that some quote or other should be pinned to the dressing room wall or that someone from another team (usually maureen or lord ferg) have come up with some utterance that has done the team talk for us.... Reina should concentrate on us first and leave this other stuff to journos to deal with.... (come on barca!)

If so, got any ideas for local hostelries for a pre-match pint? (preferably with youse lot rather than someone recommending a 'home' pub) ta

Have just read El Macca - detailing Mcmanaman's time at Real Madrid - I know a lot of you on here are not great fans of him for the way he is perceived to have left etc etc - but those comments aside, the book is interesting, informative and really well written.

I paid for a band on 21 Jan via Paypal. I £1 for each of the band and postage and a small contribution to HJC. I have heard nothing since. I have just emailed Peter Evo who says he is not dealing with old orders but only those from new buyers ahead of Wednesday. Can you let me know when I can expect to receive the band? Thanks