Stoopid

Whatever the rights and wrongs, it 's such a relief that never again will we have to endure the soul-shivering tedium of a post-match interview with Claude. I'm an old git, and I've seen 'em come & go. But maybe McLintock apart, I can't remember a time I've been more relieved.

To the tune of 'It's My Party & I'll Cry if I Want To' Nobody Knows where my Danny has gone - N'Golo went the same time - Now I'm here on me own, Trying to run the top line. My name's Vardy & I'll moan if I want to Moan if I want to, Moan if I want to You would moan too if it happened to you! Now all I get is 10 touches a game, And when I shoot it goes wide - Looks like old Claude thinks the same - He's leaving me out of the side! My name's Vardy & I'll moan if I want to Moan if I want to Moan if I want to - You would moan too, if it happened to you!

Yeah - I'm sure it fekked him off at the time: he was a World Cup winner after all. Bur he knew Shilton's potential, and he'd been round the game long enough to know Leicester didn't really have a choice. In the long run I think he accommodated himself to it and certainly seemed to retain a real affection for the club.

I Was an 11 yr old kid sandwiched in somewhere towards the front. Don't see myself on this, but I remember it vividly. Especially his modesty. Hard to imagine that diffidence almost, being displayed in similar scenes today.

We also had the best young keeper in the country coming through.... It was really a footballing decision & in hindsight 100% the correct one, though I was gutted at the time. To be fair to Gordon, he knew the score, and always regarded his time at Leicester with great affection.

Seem to remember Alan Green on Radio 5 ripping into Banksy for having the temerity to suggest that Joe Hart was a pretty ho-hum goalie a few years ago. Green's spluttering ulster disbelief made him see an even bigger div than usual. If that's possible. Also struck by the irony of this coming a day or two after the Schmeichel stuff. Peter S bellyaching about his multi-millionaire's sons' prospects, when Gordon had to sell his World Cup winner's medal to provide for his family. I love Kasper for what he's done with us, but let's face it, as a keeper Banks was from a different universe.

We had the chance to have his statue here - the one with him holding the Jules Rimet - but prevaricated, and Stoke took it. Found it rankled me to see it on the news with a red scarf round the neck. He was our man when we won it, and that statue should be in Leicester. But. to be fair, Stoke fans don't have much to celebrate, I suppose.

Gordon Banks was our goalie when I first went to Filbert St. At first I was unimpressed, as he wasn't one to throw himself around, until my Dad ( who'd played in goal as a pro) pointed out that because of his uncanny anticipation he didn't need to. Unflappable & at times seemingly unbeatable. Remember the crowd in Town Hall Sq to greet him for a civic reception after the World Cup victory. When Matt Gillies sold him to Stoke it was a sad day for me & many others. To Stoke, of all places. But at least they had the decency to display his statue, when we'd dithered and dallied. Not our finest hour. Part of that great team with Len Chalmers, Ian King & Ritchie Norman in front of him. Thanks for the memories, Gordon. An English hero. RIP

Hard to understand what Liam's agenda is here. Unlikely to be true, as 10 minutes reflection would give anyone with even the merest crumb of intelligence ample opportunity to see how dumb it is to blame an entire race/creed/colour/nationality for the transgressions of one individual. Let alone walking around for a week, coshed up, 'looking for a black man' People just don't operate like that. Not outside of crappy films, anyway. Maybe he's remembering some film script he read that was too clichéd for even him to make. Or maybe he's just finding that life's a bit messy when you haven't got someone else writing the words for you...

Ok - When I spoke with him he wasn't famous, at least not telly-famous. I had no idea who he was anyway. I suppose he was yet to get jaded with it. He couldn't have been more than 25 at the time, if that. i remember being genuinely surprised when I saw him on 'Red Dwarf'. i like his radio show too, by the way.

Thinking about my encounter with the future Dave Lister (above) got me thinking about other encounters; Again at The Phoenix I once met Roy Hudd. Remember him ridiculing my leicester accent. Less a legend , more a bell end - Played pool against Roger Chapman (ask your dad) - nice enough, but a sore loser. Big City fan. Also played pool with Ali Mauchlen( same venue as above - Nag's Head). Top bloke.

Many years ago I went between shifts ( working for GPO) to meet my girlfriend who worked at The Phoenix Theatre. She was delayed, so I spent 30 or 40 mins chatting to some scouse bloke at the bar. Said he was a comic, had just done a gig etc. i wasn't in the mood for discussing that - neither was he to be fair to him... So we talked politics & football. Despite being a scouse and a professional comedian, he was actually pretty funny. Couple of years later I saw him on 'Red Dwarf' as Lister. Craig Charles, This is Your Life...

He tried to but the Council wouldn't let him...

Thinking about it, the other bloke looks a bit like Len Cantello.

Is the goalie Osborne (WBA)?

Yes Gary went there, as did Emile Heskey. After my time though. I was there with Alistair Campbell, notorious Burnley fan,

Yeah - Tomlin of course. Thanks - it's been doing my head in!

Gordon Hill

So did my sister..,

Went school with Carl Jayes (City Boys') - these blokes are my contemporaries. Still can't place the winger though...

Pat Kruse, Carl Jayes, Steve Yates forget his name, Stevie Earle

Sunderland & Lawro

Allemao?

Looks a bit like Martin Allen -not sure it is though.

Maradonna, but the Brazilian bloke eludes me...