War and peace

SUPPOSE they called a war and nobody came? November 24 at Molineux had been pencilled in the diary of many a journalistic adventurer as a date with danger not to be missed.

Flak jackets had been ordered and Sky were ready to give it the full rolling news treatment.

On the night, the Black Cats and the Wolves would go at it with teeth bared and claws unsheathed but, as far as the media and the mass audience were concerned, that was only by way of a warmer upper. Top of the bill was to be the shuddering collision of Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy, the Saipan rematch finally cast as the Rumble in the Black Country. Seismographs around the world were primed, front and back pages cleared, and the UN were said to be prepared to go into emergency session.