I’M NOT quite sure why Stoke felt the need to wheel out a rather bemused looking Sugar Ray Leonard prior to kick-off last Saturday.

ALTHOUGH a point a piece was a fair result, I couldn’t shake off the feeling we missed a chance to put United to the sword, or, rather, that Anelka missed the chance . . . again!

AFTER the first 60 minutes at Middle Eastlands I had mentally crafted this column as a thesis on which set of supporters this weekend looked the biggest set of plums — the Manchester City fans swathed in tea-towels and Brazil shirts or those braying Geordies with their paranoid banners about “the Cockney Mafia.”

WELL, what a week that was! I bet no one saw that one coming out of the Middle Eastlands did they?

TOP OF the league — we’re having a laugh …… hmmm . . . maybe not.

SUNDAY was not, for the most part, pretty. In fact it was pretty frustrating to watch and there was much moaning around me from supporters who had expected the dazzling display of last week to continue.

NEW season, new manager, renewed hopes, a united support, excellent signings and the retention of some crucial players — all in all, an excellent way to put the heartache of Moscow behind us and look forward to a season full of promise.

PLANES, trains and automobiles, intrepid Blues (and Reds) are utilising any means available to get to Moscow.

LAST Wednesday was one of those special Stamford Bridge nights. The Liverpool fans were virtually silent throughout — they knew what was coming and it seemed that the Chelsea crowd knew too as we roared the team to Moscow.

WELL, what a great week that was to be a Chelsea fan! The Liverpool game was hilarious. We were awful and deserved nothing from the game — which is what made Riise’s intervention even more fantastic. Right in the middle of a rendition of “You’ll Ne-ver Wa-alk Al……oh”. Cue mental abandon in the Chelsea end. I still have the bruises.