After watching him impress during a loan spell with Southampton, Harry Redknapp jumped at the chance of spending £1.75 million on Israeli playmaker Eyal Berkovic, who soon became a favourite with the West Ham supporters by scoring the winning goal against Tottenham Hotspur on his debut in 1997. Berkovic would play 79 times during his two years at West Ham, but his time with the club will be best remembered for his training-ground bust-up with John Hartson, who kicked him in the face after Berkovic had retaliated to a late challenge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAz4Sz9gT0E Hartson would soon leave for Wimbledon, but the incident would play its part in Berkovic leaving for Celtic in July 1999. It appeared a lucrative opportunity for the attacking midfielder but he would not reproduce his best form in Glasgow.
A degree-educated, dart-throwing, non-smelling sports journalist based in a small Staffordshire town that has just become Floyd Mayweather's answer to the question: "What's the strangest place you have ever visited?"
