Goals, poles and Norwegian Noëls

By Mat Kendrick on Dec 21, 09 05:06 PM

WHAT is it with John Carew and poles? If he's not watching women dance around them, he's wellying them into the Holte End!

In fairness to the gentle giant the way he quickly made amends for his over-exuberant goal celebration on Saturday was a measure of the man.

No sooner had Big John got a little bit carried away with scoring the winner against Stoke and booting the corner flag into the supporters than he apologised to the unintended 'victim' of his moment of madness.

The flagpole flew over the advertising hoardings and brushed seven-year-old Sam Clements, who just so happened to be wearing a Superman t-shirt with Carew's name on it.

Having checked that the Daventry youngster was not hurt, Carew then returned at the final whistle and as well as planting a kiss on Sam's head and ruffling his hair, generously donated his match worn shirt to the boy.

So all's well that ends well with a Villa fanatic getting an early Christmas present from his idol and the Norwergian target-man restoring his popularity as a darling of the Holte End.

With Sam, by coincidence, also half Norwegian, it's no wonder that some of the hacks in the press room after the match were dreaming up fairy-tale-style reports making reference to the half Norwegian author Roald Dahl and likening Carew to the BFG - Big Friendly Giant!

Mind you, far be it from me to be all Scrooge-like but how did Carew escape a booking for uprooting the corner flag with his size 10s?

Wolves striker Kevin Doyle was yellow-carded for celebrating his goal against Burnley by whipping his top off and showing his nipples.

And, although in the chilly Black Country weather, they could have had someone's eye out, it's hardly as dangerous as kicking a pole with a sharp end.