Review of the week
As the legendary Reg Varney made his final journey, an unlikely character was spotted on the buses.
Step forward Robinho, the global superstar who left passengers "open-mouthed" when he paid the £6 coach fare to take his girlfriend shopping - instantly elevating him to the position of England's new favourite footballer.
Not only that, the Manchester City hot-shot is apparently spending the rest of his spare time watching Coronation Street so he can learn the lingo - not bad for a £32.5m Brazilian who was reportedly only interested in the size of his pay cheque when he arrived on these shores.
A passenger who spotted Robinho on the bus to Manchester's Trafford Centre said: "He sat downstairs as if it was the most normal thing for a multi-millionaire footballer to do. Word quickly went round about who he was. Nobody quite believed it and some just stared open-mouthed. At the very least you'd expect him to be driven by a chauffeur or maybe, at a push, pay for a taxi. But a bus? Amazing!"
Amazing indeed. The in-form striker, who scored another beauty against Arsenal on Saturday, has also earned himself a new nickname thanks to his Corrie obsession. A 'club source' told the News of the World: "The lads have been calling him Ken in training. It took a while for him to realise what they were getting at but once one of the lads explained they were referring to Ken Barlow, he thought it was brill."
In the inimitable words of Andy Gray - take a bow, son.
While Robinho was winning hearts and minds, Arsenal skipper William Gallas appeared to be losing his after indulging in a spot of insider squealing about life at the Emirates.
The Frenchman looked certain to be joining John Sergeant for the last waltz out of London but was given a stay of execution by Arsene Wenger. Any more comments about his team-mates, though, and he'll be out on his ear quicker than you can say foxtrot oscar.
Gallas received an unlikely ally in the shape of Roy Keane. The Sunderland manager said: "If that is the way he feels, leave him to it. It might stir a few players up
"I would deal with it in the dressing room and then put a hand grenade in. Stir it up a little," added Keano, safe in the knowledge that none of his players would be foolish enough to say exactly what they thought about him.
Gallas was replaced as Arsenal captain by Cesc Fabregas, which should make for some interesting team-bonding exercises. Last season the Spaniard revealed: "Sometimes on a day off I go to the Krispy Kreme doughnut shop. When we play at home, after the game I go there and it's like a party, a doughnut party! You see all the cars parked and everyone is eating doughnuts inside their cars. It's like a disco."
Good job Fabregas doesn't play for England, following the news that coach Fabio Capello had taken chips and ketchup off the menu, shortly before announcing the side to play Germany had been shorn of players including Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard. Coincidence?
England's B team secured an impressive victory in Berlin, while a few thousand miles away, Joe Cole's fiancee was doing her level best to live up to the WAG stereotype during her stint on I'm A Celebrity. (my girlfriend makes me watch it).
After winning a trial, Carly Zucker chose to watch the England-Germany game so she could see 'my Joe' perform, but admitted: "Slowly through the game I realised he wasn't involved."
Scotland managed to restrict Argentina to a single goal in Diego Maradona's first game at the helm. Assistant boss Terry Butcher spent the week moaning about Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal 22 years ago, but the little magician had the perfect riposte when pressed about the row in the post-match press conference - "Who is Terry Butcher?"
Over at my crazy club, Paulo Sousa became the sixth man to take the reins at QPR since Flavio Briatore and co assumed control 14 months ago. Sousa was quickly christened Keyser by wags on the Loft for Words messageboard, but was powerless to stop the usual suspects crashing 3-0 to Watford. The Portuguese superstar said: "I have always wanted to work for a big club" - hope he gets his wish one day.
Appointment of the week saw top football presenter Jeff Stelling replace Des O'Connor in the countdown hotseat. It might have come as a surprise to the blue-rinse brigade, but Stelling is used to dealing with conundrums on his Saturday show - how do you stop Paul Merson putting his foot in it?
Best story had to be the cheeky Brummie builder who spelt out 'Blues' in paving stones at the ground of Birmingham's arch-rivals Wolves. Fortunately it only went unnoticed for, er, four years.
And finally, Popbitch came up with this heartwarming news: 'If you want to say hello to Jeffrey, who used to star in Rainbow, try going to Notts County FC games, where he is a regular, and "very friendly and polite".' No word on Zippy and Bungle, but the chances are they'll be unveiled as the new management team at Loftus Road in six months time.
OTHER STUFF
The best goal ever?
Kid cops throw-in in the face
Ref shows two yellow cards simultaneously
(Taken from 'Off The Post')
I am a journalist with BBC Sport, dealing with the more offbeat stories doing the rounds. I am a QPR fan - and also quite fond of football. If our new-found wealth brings success I'll be happy to tell anyone exactly where I was when we were sh... rubbish - row J seat 139. 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~23~RS~)
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I was quite amused by the two yellow cards : ( Saved the ref some time.
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Hi Chris
Another very entertaining blog. That Blue at Wolves thing is hillareous, genius in fact.
Also fair play to Robinho, nice to hear hes actualy having a laugh and trying to fit into his surroundings. To be honest i didnt think he would settle at Man City but it appears he is, and good luck to him. The novelty might wear off come January or next season when a few more big names come in and hes not the daddy of the team sheet any more, but who knows.
Anyway keep up the good work Chris, look forward to reading your next article
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I was meant to go to Trafford Centre this week!
On a similar note, my mates said they'd seen SWP on a night out in Manchester (Birdcage, I think).
Also, the throw-in vid was hilarious, even though the Rory Delap-wannabe was showing off!
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Best one yet.
Good Blog
Class Videos.
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That's hilarious!!
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Gave me a smile to think that robinho would get the bus like its just a normal thing for a footballer to do.
You never know maybe Ill see him on the 42 or 192 sometime soon.
Oh BTW I support the only team in manchester - city!
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that throw in vid is quality what i dont get is why the kid stood right back in the same place!
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2. BC Chris - thanks mate, good to know the efforts are not unrewarded. Tough one getting it written this morning, though, after a rare after-work excursion with some of the real big-hitters on this website - your Cheeses, your Stevos, your Fletch's and your Honest Franks to name but a few.
I think even United fans must have a grudging respect for Robinho - there's too much of this 'them and us' culture these days so it's nice to see the boy keeping it real. Mention in dispatches must also go to Fernando Torres, who flew to Liverpool after he'd first signed on EasyJet. Man of the people or just plain tight? I'd like to think it was the former.
3. Forza4star - agreed, the throw-in vid is indeed ace, but more importantly, why didn't you make it to the Trafford Centre? BBC Sport is due to move up to Manchester in 2011 and I'm still undecided as to whether to uproot the family - sell it to me!
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yes, those tow yellow cards must have saved the ref hours
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Decent blog as ever. The chips paragraph in particular was top drawer.
No news on the Frank Lampard who's REALLY been making the headlines lately though.
:|
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10. ElevenLions - ah yes the REAL Frank Lampard - original and best as some cereal maker or other put it. I'll do my best to find something newsworthy to say about him next week. One of the first footballers I remember as a kid with a beard - although if I remember correctly he could never quite manage to grow one in the Brian Blessed category.
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Aren't those type of throw-ins banned from football?
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12. Jack - the best no-frills name I've ever seen on a blog/messageboard! In answer to your question, this was the equivalent of a Sunday League game in the States so don't know what rules (if any) apply. Hard to see that being legal in pro football though. And if you're having problems sleeping at the moment, here's some throw-in laws I've just Googled... http://www.hdjfl.org.uk/rules-mainmenu-33/31-law-15-the-throw-in
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So, Carly Zukcer doesn't know her "boyfriend" is injured. Hmm, they don't talk to each other much then? Maybe the conversation is just "Joe, I need money. Give me."
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Good stuff Chris.
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Chris, I'd give you my opinion of the Trafford Centre but it seems the Beeb is not too keen on the propagation of one of Greater Manchester's finest establishments!
It keeps saying:
''Your comment contains some HTML that has been mistyped.
Data at the root level is invalid on line 1''
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great videos and the blogs good to
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Just for you, Chris:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A44112746
Hope it helps.
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Nice one Wig, that made me chuckle, especially the German commentary on the Doppel Gelb clip! :o) very funny.. for Germans!
A toast to our new (very welcome) Captain, all the best and in the exact words of my favourite blogger (Arseblog) ..
" here's to Captain Fabtastic, may he develop a terrible withered elbow from lifting too many trophies"
Well, a girl has to dream....
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forz4star - what were your mates doing at the Birdcage? Hen night?
I'd expect it of SWP but surely you keep better company?
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@8 Chris "Sell it to me"
Almost everything is cheaper and better up north. That do you?
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@ WFITW
Yeah, I really need some new friends. The following week they went to Gay Village! I stayed in and watched MOTD.
@ donprestoni
It's all relative. The reason everything is cheaper here is coz everyone earns less up north. So is it actually 'cheaper'?
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
why is everyone so surprised about a bloke on a bus, wish more of the idiots who pass themselves off as celebs would do that... Nice blog mate. but 6 quid busfare? wow that is expensive
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20. Forz4star - cheers for that, nice little insight into your world!
21. Donprestoni - yes, that's definitely a factor, although in my local daaahn 'ere in the Smoke, I can still get a pint for under £2. It's a right old dive, mind you.
24. Collie21 - it was six quid for the pair of them, but still a tad expensive one could argue.
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apart from the footie you blokes are in the wrong country. it's a euro here for as far as you like on a bus, you can even change to a tram....( I did spell that right...why do I think people are going to have a laugh at that? )
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That throw in is by far the greatest feat in football ever. And reading the rules on throw-ins I think it is legal, so long as he has both his feet back on the ground before the ball leaves his hand, which I think he does.
Sheer Epicness.
I'm now happy for the entire day, thank you Chris.
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with regards to Robinho above.
Chris, you say he is now elevated to England's new favourite footballer. Who then, is the old favourite footballer? not someone from Arsenal I'm guessing.
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bring back ROBBO! His articles are good!
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gr8 blog chris
i hav 2 ask at the end of the year r u going 2 do 1 massive review of the week for the whole year?
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