Been a good year for the Rovers...

WE all know Elvis Costello doesn’t want to go to Chelsea but Tranmere versus Crewe on a chilly Tuesday night? That’s different. There was Elvis in the Prenton Park building (below), watching, along with 2,173 others, a thriller that ended up with Rovers getting turned over 4-3 by the Alex.

At The Valley, one chap decided the perfect moment to propose marriage to his girlfriend would be at half-time during Charlton Athletic’s blockbuster against AFC Wimbledon, with 1,242 witnesses.

Meanwhile, 15-year-old Luke Matheson skipped out of the school playground at halfthree, and six hours later was being named man of the match for Rochdale against Bury.

Ridicule it all you want but the Checkatrade Trophy is rapidly becoming my favourite football competition by a mile.

WHILE losses to Bournemouth and Wolves at home are not good, West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini should be afforded some sympathy in that the fixture list has dealt him an unkind hand.

Compare the Hammers’ opening nine Premier League fixtures to, say, those of Everton, who also appointed a new manager in the summer.

In the first nine matches, West Ham will have played against six of last season’s top 10, whereas Everton will have played against only two.

And FIVE of those nine Hammers’ games will have been against Big Six opposition, as opposed to ONE for Everton. It is a striking imbalance. You have to play every team twice, so what difference does it make? A big difference to Manuel because, if the dismal start in difficult fixtures continues, it is improbable he will see the same opposition twice this season.

Unlike Marco Silva.

the Australians have pitched up for the Ashes... “When Edgbaston is rocking, you’ll sit there with jealousy watching people play for England,” said Cook.

The first Ashes Test is at Edgbaston on August 1. You take every retiring great at his or her word, but to see Cook walk out on that day would surprise few.