Extracts from Harry Redknapp's book are still being published in The Daily Mail and for the most part they continue to be great, often ridiculous stories.
In one of today's pieces Harry informs us about the time he played a West Ham fan in a friendly against Oxford City in 1994. It's the unlikely moment that every fan dreams about when they turn up at a football match, being asked to suit up by the manager when the team is in desperate need of a substitute.
I had no other option. I turned round to big mouth.
‘You’ve got some old bunny,’ I said. ‘Can you play as good as you talk?’
‘I’m better than Chapman,’ he said. ‘Right,’ I said. ‘Get your gear on.’ He thought I was joking. ‘What do you mean?’ he said. ‘You’re playing for West Ham,’ I told him.
He came back, kitted up and stood on the touchline. ‘Where do you play?’ I asked. ‘Up front,’ he said.
‘Right,’ I said, ‘we’ll soon see if you’re better than Chapman.’ And on he went. Oxford’s announcer came down and wanted to know who the sub was. ‘Didn’t you watch the World Cup?’ I asked. ‘That’s Tittishev of Bulgaria. He scored three goals.’
‘Oh yes,’ he said, nodding wisely. ‘I thought it was him.’
Remarkably, the fan actually scored and according to the extract "ran round the field like he’d won the World Cup".
