asidelines

FOOTBALL potty Pat Draper is hoping to score a winner as she heads for the final of Britain's biggest football fan competition.

Pat, from Chesterfield, is one of the final 10 shortlisted in Virgin Media's competition to find the country's most fanatical fan.

An avid Blade for 30 years, Pat was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago but continued to attend all United's games throughout her chemotherapy, travelling to games as far as Plymouth and climbing the ground's steps on crutches.

Luckily her doctor went to all the games too, so he was always on standby if she needed any help.

Pat said: "I'm really passionate about football and did everything I could to keep going to the matches when I was ill. I even travelled to Plymouth and back in one day because I was too sick to stay over."

The finalists will be judged by Kelly Dalglish, and football fans from Sheffield can cheer on Pat by logging on to www.virginmedia.com/sport/biggestfan

Life and crimes of city villains

SHEFFIELD historian and author Julian Bean – better known as JP – will be busy over the coming weeks.

He'll be giving a series of talks on Sheffield's best- known criminals at the Police and Fire Museum in West Bar.

Starting on Tuesday with the topic Sheffield Gang Wars, JP will follow that up by talking about five centuries of crimeon October 23.

Then on Tuesday November 6 he'll be talking about undefeated bare knuckle fighter Bendigo, aka West Street publican William Thompson, and on November 20 he'll be discussing Charlie Peace.

All talks start at 8pm. Tickets priced 4, call Sheffield 2491999.