THE biggest groan of the day on Saturday would not have been the one produced by the Kop when Chich’s goal went in but that which emanated from United fans seeing the team sheet for the first time.

GREETINGS from the Old Port of Marseille. I’ve always considered tonight’s venue to be one of the most under-rated in Europe and make no mistake — when the conjunction of occasion and opposition is right, it can equal anything Madrid or Milan has to offer in terms of bloodcurdling atmosphere.

FESTIVE greetings to you, dear reader – assuming you are a blessed Red, naturally. May any eavesdropping Scousers-Bitters-Rent Boys have a miserable New Year.

AH, the dilemma of the successful: who to laugh at first? Arsenal’s “11 babies”, as memorably skewered by ‘Potty’ Paddy Evra the other day – much to French team-mate Silvestre’s fury?

I DOUBT anyone will ever top Garret FitzGerald in my list of Five Fave Irish Leaders (in my fantasy play-off, he beat Michael Collins after extra-time) but, like most Manc Reds, I had a big soft spot for Bertie Ahern, due to his evident love of the Reds. And of a good time. (Oh, and for that Northern peace treaty stuff, I guess.)