Still pinching themselves.

They play in our 1968 FA Cup winning shirts. Other things we have in common; Sylvain Distan, John Bond, Mel Machin and beating the Rags (FA Cup 1984, Harry Redknapp).

Although the Cherries shouldn’t be a banana skin we need to remember they are above Chelsea, “But most of the league is” I hear you laugh.

From 2009 the club has experienced a meteoric rise. When it looked like waving bye-bye to league football all together, now it resides in the top flight and 3000 Cherries can visit the superb City of Manchester Stadium, a sojourn that shall make Boscombe a ghost town.

Although we have been saddled with (international) injuries; Aguero missing in action, Silva and the left-back position looking a bit dodgy, the opposition has its own share of damage to contend with but I trust we shall deliver our customary welcome and pit those Cherries.

I was often called into service as Billy used to love cherries. He could spit a cherry stone further than anybody. I remember the ‘ping’ as it bounced off the unsuspecting defender’s head and their incredulous ‘what was that?’ expression as he waltzed past. Priceless.