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Return of the gingerbread man?

Posted: 28th January 2008 13:16

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Ward: Fancy dress on standby

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Coventry City's Elliott Ward threatens to turn into the gingerbread man, Jamie Collins is a weirdo and Shaun Derry is more than just a tough-tackling midfielder.

Sky Blues defender Ward opted against cracking out his stunning new fancy dress outfit for his 23rd birthday last week following their 2-1 defeat to Burnley, but he is giving his team-mates an incentive to play at Wembley this season.

Should Iain Dowie's troops reach either the FA Cup or Championship play-off final, Ward will pluck out his dashing new outfit to commemorate their achievement.

"I'd bought my own outfit for the do and I was going as a gingerbread man, but it just didn't feel right after a bad result like that," he explained.

"The costume is still hanging up in the wardrobe. Perhaps I will fish it out if we get to Wembley in either the Cup or the play-off final!"

You've not made it through to boot camp

Meanwhile, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard turned into Simon Cowell when Havant and Waterlooville's Jamie Collins decided to do his X-factor audition in front of the kop.

After missing out on landing Gerrard's shirt Collins decided to find other ways to amuse himself, although his vocal talent failed to impress the England international.

"The first thing I said to Gerrard when he came on was 'Can I have your shirt?' He said 'Sorry, the little man has already asked,' talking about Alfie," said Collins.

"The next best shirt for me was Mascherano as I am a West Ham fan. I was at Cardiff when Gerrard scored a 30-yard screamer in the Cup final two years ago. I told him 'You broke my heart.'

"Then we were down at a corner in front of The Kop when they were singing You'll Never Walk Alone. I was standing next to Gerrard and singing along with them. He looked at me like I was a weirdo."

Lighter approach

Shaun Derry is often known for his no-nonsense approach to football on the pitch, although Neil Warnock has revealed his lighter approach to his style of play away from the action.

After securing a permanent move from Leeds to Crystal Palace, the experienced midfielder demonstrated his silky break-dancing skill to his Eagles team-mates.

"I told Shaun before the Bristol game and all the players were in the dressing room watching," confirmed Warnock.

"He got down on his hands and knees and did a break-dance, he was so happy.

"Now he's called break-dance Derry. It was just his way of showing how delighted he was at signing."

Finally...

Adrian Boothroyd is not one to lose heart at getting knocked back by the ladies. If anything, it only makes his resolve stronger.

"I tried to get him a year ago last January and he turned us down," he said on landing Fulham's Collins John.

"When somebody does that it's like a woman saying no to you. It just makes you even more determined to get them."