Kember freed & George Cross for Iraq bomb hero

BBC NEWS World Middle East British Iraq hostage Kember freed

Gallantry

Nice to hear some halfway decent news from Iraq. Whatever you think about the war (and, for the record, it's obvious how fundamentally flawed and fundamentally wrong the whole thing was from the start) the people who've been sent out there deserve recognition. People are all too quick to seize upon lurid pictures of rogue troopers (regardless of whether they are taken in context or even genuine).

All that gallantry and humanity makes my worrying about the forthcoming derby fairly shallow but let's face it come tomorrow my stomach will be in knots. At least we have played ourselves into a position where we are desperate for the points...It'd be annoying if that lot where there first team to do the double over us, especially considering that since the last time we played them we've only dropped 8 points out of the last 33.

WWWWXWWLXWW isn't that bad a run of league form is it? Especially when you consider it came after LWLLLLLLXWWLWWWXLLLL. What an odd, odd season we are having.

Tomorrow I'll go for updates on Sky Sports (far too gut churning listening on the radio) then some consolatory or celebratory drinks watching 'loo.