10 days to go

The fact that any of FIFA’s 200-plus affiliated nations can reach the World Cup finals is what makes the tournament so special.

However, it can also make for some interesting match-ups in the David and Goliath sense, and therefore throw-up a few one-sided results.

The biggest of these came in 1982 when Hungary put ten past El Salvador as they ran out 10-1 winners – the most any team has scored in one match.

The match was also notable for Hungary’s Laszlo Kiss scoring the World Cup’s fastest ever hat-trick, bagging in the 69th, 72nd and 76th minute. The fact he came on as a substitute in the 55th minute makes it even more impressive.

11 days to go

It’s always nice to get an early goal to settle the nerves, particularly when you’re playing in the World Cup. And that’s exactly what Turkey got when Hakan Sukur put his side ahead against South Korea at the 2002 tournament.

The strike was officially timed at 11 seconds and makes it the fastest goal in World Cup history.

England’s Bryan Robson made a bit of World Cup history for the Three Lions when he scored after just 27 seconds against France in 1982. It was our fastest goal in the competition and England went on to win the match 3-1.

12 days to go

It must be a great feeling to score at a World Cup, although it must be quite surreal to score at World Cups 12 years apart.

Pele (1958-70), Uwe Seeler (1958-70), Diego Maradona (1982-94), Michael Laudrup (1986-98), Henrik Larsson (1994-06) and Sami Al-Jaber (1994-06) have all managed to achieve this incredible feat and it is unlikely it will ever be improved upon.

There are no Englishmen on the list, although David Beckham would have had the chance if injury had not intervened this year, and it would be great to think Wayne Rooney might add his name to this elite group were he to score at the 2018 World Cup...preferably on home soil!

Lincoln Beer Festival 2010

It was Lincoln Beer Festival this weekend and we went down to the Drill Hall on Friday night. K and I met up with Mark & Lydia, Pete & Ginny, Martin & Charlotte, Andy, Nick and Clint for some real ale and cider action.  Well most of us were up for the ale, some of the girls were resolutely sticking to the wine.

As usual there were more people trying to get in than the venue could cope with.  It's been like this for a few years now and I think they need to consider a bigger venue.  We were queueing for about an hour and it just puts customers in a bad mood.

Despite it being Friday night and the middle of the festival, there were still lots of beers that had run out.  That is also typical for Lincoln and a problem that doesn't really affect the other festivals I've been to.  I don't know why Lincoln don't get it quite right - it's a shame.  Cambridge and Newark are the same weekend and I think I might give Lincoln a miss in favour of one of those next year.

Anyway, those two moans aside, we had a really good night.  Of course it was good fun to spend time with our friends and it was a good atmosphere inside the hall.  As the weather was good there were lots of people sat outside which made the hall itself seem uncrowded.  My favourite was the Titanic Chocolate Vanilla Stout - I don't need to explain what it tasted of, silky smooth and gorgeous.

13 days to go

At Germany 2006 Miroslav Klose scored five goals to take the Golden Shoe award for top goalscorer. It was a good effort but one which pales in comparison to the incredible tally of Just Fontaine in 1958.

The Moroccan-born France forward was at the peak of his powers in Sweden and opened his World Cup account with a hat-trick in the 7-3 win over Paraguay in their opening group game.

He continued his red-hot form with two goals against Yugoslavia (3-2 loss), one against Scotland (2-1 win), two against Northern Ireland in the quarter-finals (4-0 win), one against Brazil in the 5-2 semi-final defeat and he signed off with an incredible four goals in the match for third place against Germany – winning 6-3.

It gave Fontaine a total of 13 goals, the most scored by an individual in any one World Cup. It was to be his only tournament appearance but due to his incredible strike-rate he still remains the tournament’s third highest goalscorer of all-time – behind Ronaldo (15) and Gerd Muller (14).

14 days to go

West Germany leaked fourteen goals but still won the tournament in 1954.  They caused a massive upset by beating Hungary 3-2 in the final.

The Hungarians, with the likes of Ferenc Puskas and Sandor Kocsis in their line-up, had been huge favourites to win the tournament but, despite going 2-0 up within eight minutes, they were unable to stop the Germans making an incredible comeback.

The result was even more galling for Hungary, having won their group stage game against West Germany 8-3.  That scoreline went a long way to the German total of fourteen goals conceded throughout the tournament - the highest number of goals shipped by a World Cup winning team.

Pop a cap in that clay ass

Keren and I went clay pigeon shooting with Mark and Lydia on Friday.  It was the first time that Keren had had a go and my third attempt - on the previous two occasions I had managed to hit precisely nothing, clay pigeons are safe with me.

Until now!  After some excellent tuition from Will, I managed to start pointing the gun in the right general direction and Kezza and I both ended up hitting 13 out of 25.

Really good fun and some excellent bruising to show off.

Strange weekend in Denmark

Kezza and I had a very strange weekend trip to Esbjerg.  K had got us a great deal on the overnight crossing from Harwich so we were just going to have a look really.

Stopped on the way at Ickworth House near Bury St Edmunds for some National Trust action - not actually much in the way of 'action' more looking at old stuff really.  Arrived in Harwich mid afternoon, had a walk along the front before parking up and boarding the boat.

Crossing was good fun, we had a nice little en-suite cabin and the food on board was terrific.  Best I've ever had on a ferry - as it was a Danish menu it was very fish based.  We arrived in Esbjerg at 1pm Saturday and walked 10 minutes into the middle of town - then walked the full length of the main street before finding a little bar for a coffee and cake.  When we emerged it was like a ghost town, there was no-one anywhere.  The shops were all shut and the streets were empty - it was literally 2 minutes between cars.  The only time I've ever been in an urban area that's so quiet was in the City of London on a Sunday (try it, it's eerie).  We walked and walked but hardly saw a soul so we headed for a big park on the edge of town and just pottered about until it was time to re-board the ferry.

Trip home was just as pleasant as the outward journey.  Rather strange 'entertainment' consisting of a Scottish singer/guitarist and a bloke doing a really bad impression of Manuel from Fawlty Towers.  We got back to Harwich at noon on Sunday and called off at Anglesey Abbey (near Cambridge) for a look round and some lunch (really good place, sort of 1920s house with fantastic gardens, well worth a visit if you're nearby).

All in all, a really relaxing weekend but we didn't really see Esbjerg at its best.  Go if you can get a cheap deal... but not at the weekend.

Keith Alexander Benefit Match

Now here's something you don't see every day, Franny Green (playing for England) beating Steve Hodge (St Lucia!) while Simon Weaver, Ben Futcher and Sir Les of Ferdinand look on.  Nice.

Martin, Nick, the Goldsbroughs and me were down on the banks of the river Sincil yesterday afternoon for a benefit match for the family of Keith Alexander.

An all-star team managed (and featuring) Paul Ince took on a team of players who had played for KA.  As well as Ince, Sir Les and Harry, we had Paul Merson, Dion Dublin, Lee Sharpe, Brian Deane, Rufus Brevette, Paul Davis, Nigel Jemson and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.  The KA XI had Yeo, Mazza, Garlic Mayo, McCombe, Bimmo, Scrappy Doo, McAuley, Biggedy Morgan and Schoey - Simmo was the manager and also made a guest appearance (I think he had a ball hidden up his shirt).

There were fans there from many of Keith's clubs - I saw Macclesfield, Mansfield, Barnet, Bury and Peterborough shirts and there may have been others.  It was an afternoon about fun as well as football and a fitting tribute to one of Lincoln's greatest managers.