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Friday, 27 December, 2002, 15:24 GMT

Funny old round-up

BBC Sport Online picks out some of the quirky, offbeat or plain daft stories doing the rounds.


Webb delivers

Former England football international Neil Webb has hit the post once again.

Webb was forced to give up football in 1996 after a string of injuries following a glittering career with Manchester United and Nottingham Forest.

After netting £5,000 a week when he was playing alongside Bryan Robson, Mark Hughes and Peter Schmeichel, he is now being paid £220 for a week of ten hour shifts as a postman.

Webb gets up at dawn for shifts sorting mail before pounding the streets of Reading delivering mail to 500 houses.

Webb, who played 26 times for England, admits that after 17 years playing football, his employment options are limited.

"I played from 16 to 33 and I have no O-levels and I'm not skilled at anything but football," he said.


Becks' new crop

Manchester United midfielder David Beckham is well known as a style icon but he probably won't be too keen on his latest nickname.

Sharp-eyed United team-mates have noticed the resemblance between Becks and actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, who plays transsexual Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street.

They have jumped on the bandwagon by taunting their captain with the nickname 'Hayley'.

Although in the show Hayley has an unflattering black bob, in real life Hesmondhalgh has spiky blonde hair, similar to Beckham's style.

Perhaps more embarrassingly, Ms Hesmondhalgh is now being called 'Becks' by her Weatherfield colleagues.


Popov pops in

While David Seaman has been picking up awards like Football's Worst Ponytail and Most Under-Fire Keeper, one of his tormentors this year has picked up a prize of his own.

Macedonia midfielder Robert Popov, who starred for his country in their 2-2 draw against England in October, has been voted his country's Footballer of the Year.

The 20-year-old played a key role at the St Mary's Stadium, denying Jonathan Woodgate a second half goal.


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