After all, it's 35 years since Yorkshire packed in playing cricket there. So how come?

Well, try football!

Yes, he of the frizziest, longest locks in cricket (sport?) could have been a Blade!

He was a promising young footballer and had trials with Sheffield United which may not be too surprising given the pedigree - his father Arnie was a footballer for Manchester United and Huddersfield as well as a cricketer for Yorkshire.

But the younger Sidebottom got no further than the trials and, anyway, an invitation to go to the Yorkshire winter nets soon had him turning thoughts towards a professional game with a smaller ball.

For this little gem, among hundreds of others, I am indebted to the 2008 edition of Wisden which is so eagerly devoured by those devotees of what we call the summer game although summer will hardly apply this weekend when the season gets underway once again for so many.

Sidebottom was named one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year after a most remarkable "arrival" on the Test match scene last Summer.

I put "arrival" in quote marks because he actually made his Test debut in 2001 but only played once. As father Arnie also played only one Test - in 1985 - it seemed that father and son would be forever amongst the band of one-cap wonders.

But after excelling for Notts, Ryan got the recall last year - at the age of 29 - and made such an impact with his left arm swing and seam that he became the top bowler in the series and soon had a regular place in the England side. This winter showed it was no one off.

He helped Yorkshire win the County Championship in 2001 and when, disheartened, he left the county two years later, the White Rose loss proved to be Notts' gain and he helped them to the County Championship crown in 2005.

Back to the Wisden article on him for another gem and yet another example of not giving up and proving people wrong.

He had trials with Yorkshire Schools Under 15s but didn't make the A squad and found himself in the B squad.

After the first game, the coach - in front of the rest of the lads - said to him: "Find something else to do, you'll never be good enough at cricket."

Ryan says he went home and cried his eyes out. His dad told him to prove people wrong.

I think we can safely say he has done!

Testing times for Ryan's father

REMAINING on the Sidebottom theme, dad Arnie didn't enjoy watching Ryan because he got so uptight and nervous. So he wouldn't go.

However, after missing those Test successes last summer, Arnie and wife Gillian decided they'd go and watch him this winter in Sri Lanka.

He didn't disappoint them because he was excellent again but with one Test remaining, Arnie and Gillian returned to England.

"We've got to get back for the dog," was the explanation!


Stink created by rugby snobs

IT was former England rugby union captain Will Carling who once memorably described those in charge at RFU headquarters at Twickenham as "57 old farts".

In their handling of Martin Johnson's elevation to the England team manager's job over the past few weeks, it is the particularly cruel way they have hung out to dry a decent and honourable man in the deposed coach Brian Ashton, that should have rugby's top administrators hanging their snobbish heads in shame.

Something stinks in the house of the old farts!

Hell-and Road

FINALLY, apart from a Leeds United fan, have you met anybody who wants them to get those lost 15 points back after this week's court battle?

If promotion starts getting won in the courts then it's a very sad day indeed for football - and Leeds will be disliked even more!

What do you think? Post your comments below.

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