Did anyone see the Tony Harrison interview on the box last night? Was so good. Further proof, if any were needed, that it's time to replace football with more enjoyable pursuits.

Quite liked the bit I saw and might have another look on iPlayer. Put off by Simon Armitage though - his red face keeps popping up everywhere and I don't like him at all.

Yep, it's well worth listening to. He's an individual of rare talent and character. (That's an understatement but one doesn't want to end up in Pseud's Corner.)

I quite like Armitage...have seen him read his stuff a couple of times and he has lots of good points, despite looking as if his mum cuts his hair with a pudding bowl!

In last night's interview, Harrison mentioned an incident at the premiere of one of his plays in London, where he'd heard a Surrey-type woman say at the interval: Such a command of language he has and yet he's from SHEFFIELD.

(He's actually not, he's from Leeds, but of course we're all the same oop north.)

I think (if memory serves) he played in goal for The Bishops in the late 80's early 90's.