Message for Steve and KitchenPete......

http://www.radiotimes.com/ListingsServlet?event=10&channelId=132&programmeId=43015067&jspLocation=/jsp/prog_details.jsp

...."Pickles the dog, who sniffed out the missing trophy in a London garden. Pickles is no longer with us, but his owner is here, glowing with pride. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of a very odd tale is the part played by a beautifully crafted fake version of the missing Jules Rimet trophy......."


And this news item from the Financial Times is almost 100% accurate, but not quite......

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/87e8256e-cbcc-11da-a7bf-0000779e2340.html

The Auction House (Sotheby's) was asked to keep the whole matter strictly confidential but the story leaked out, although some of the details, incuding the names, have either been changed on purpose, or were given incorrectly.

I have just made a phone call, and have been given permission to give details and pics, but no names or locations. This is owing to the story finally having been broadcast on national TV, so the confidentially contract that was signed is all pretty pointless now, as it is in the public domain.

Right, the story in the previous post is almost true, apart from the fact that we were told by Sotheby's that the cup had been purchased by a mega rich London businessman, possibly the guy who owned the "Sports Cafe".

Maybe Sotheby's were bound by their purchasers confidentiality clause, and they were telling us fibs....so it COULD have been the Brazilian FA that purchased it, who knows.

What I CAN say, without fear of getting hit with a rolling pin, is that the maker was the father of a certain female of the very close variety, who doesn't want any more given in the way of personal details.

I have a video of the auction, that one of our friends took. He faced away from the auctioneer (bless him, he missed most of the excitement) so that he could point the camera at us and record the reaction.

Two members of our party had to leave half way through, as one felt giddy and the other one went to assist.

I was physically sick at about midnight that night, either through release of tension, or the two or three bottles of Champagne I had consumed.

We held a farewell party for the Cup the night before the Auction, and it was very sad to actually say goodbye to it.

I have been DYING to tell this story for ages, and have been amazed that it has taken this long to get on to TV. I didn't actually take part in the programme, in actual fact we had no inkling that it was coming on until a friend phoned to tell us.
I'm glad I didn't miss it!


A certain very close friend of the rolling pin variety, saying goodbye, the night before the auction.

We stayed in central London on that night, as the offer of "safe keeping" by Sotheby's had been declined. They weren't too happy about not having it in their sweaty little mitts until the morning of the auction, and finally we agreed to them picking it up the night before, as they insisted that it had to be on display by the time their auction house opened.

We had already attended a photo shoot about two months before, and the cup had been placed on the front page of their glossy brochure for that upcoming sports memorabilia auction.

When we received a copy of the brochure, we started to have an inkling that this may fetch more than the £30K estimate. When the Sotheby's guy turned up at the hotel to take the cup, he had two uniformed security men with him. That was our second inkling.....

Good stuff, your Lordship.

Fame at last in this thread, too!

Sorry for addressing the thread to you and Steve, but I was so excited, I just picked the two Brits that I knew would be interested.

I knew it wouldn't mean much to the Americans, so ............


I've calmed down now.



Another thing....we went to the Sports cafe about three months later, armed with photos of us holding the cup, and the Sotheby's stuff, in an attempt to see where it was on display (and possibly cadge a free meal while we were there).

They looked at us as if we were mad. No flicker of recognition at all. This leads me to believe that it WASN'T sold to their company.

Apparently, it's now in the FIFA Museum in Preston of all places.

BLOODY PRESTON! OUTRAGEOUS!!

Left out, again. (sniff)

Sorry, McT, I forgot all about you!


I didn't realise that you were a football fan?

Supports some minor club in a premium league, called Blue.

No, Town.

Sorry, City, it is, as I recall it now.

Are you referring to "Manchester City FC," Walter? If not, you've confused me terribly.

If I really wanted to confuse you, Tico, I would try harder.


You're of course correct, I was referring to the Manchester City Football Club.

Superbia in Proelio!

Correct.

But tonight, I will support the Arsenal.

Come on you Gunners!

Good on yer, McT.

Being an ardent Arsenal fan, I am all a quiver.

The Chilli is already made, the beers are in the fridge and the tranquilisers are on the armrest of the couch.

You won't see me much on A2K tonight, methinks.


Barca are the out and out favourites with the bookies, apparently.


We'll show 'em!

GOOOOOOOONERRRRRRRRS!

Is the game on in about an hour and a half?

7.45PM KICK OFF (bst) TICO.

Can you get to watch it over there?

Yeah, it's on ESPN ... setting the VCR now.

There should be some of this......


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2414914133462698140&q=thierry


...and some of this......

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1177437902170449843&q=ronaldinho

I've seen that video of Ronaldinho before. I find it hard to believe it's unedited.