Was in The Tube last night in Mathew Street (shouldnt really be admitting to that!), anyway, Neil Ruddock was in there with a few fellas.
Given his reputation as a bit of a tit I was unsure about speaking to him, anyway I did and had a chat to him for about 5 minutes. Got to be honest, I take people as I find them and he was absolutely sound, chatted briefly about the Chelsea game and Sturridge's goal.
As I say, he has a reputation as a whopper but I must have caught him on a good night. Tell you this though, he's some bloody size!
Also, in a bizarre turn of events I ended up in the casino til 4am this morning and was on the roulette table with a guy who was apparently Kurt Zoma's best mate - he was loaded as well!
I used to work behind the bar in the White Horse in Woolton. Very few famous faces ever came in. But one Sunday afternoon, Ruddock and Dom Matteo were in. Matteo had not established himself in the team at this point, and would sometimes make an appearance off the bench, only to be greeted with moans and groans. He had recently put off a call up to Scotland, hoping to get involved with the England set up, and Roy Evans told the Echo he was also eligible to play for Italy, which seemed hilarious at the time.
Anyway, Ruddock was massive, had to basically duck the glass shelf above the bar to put an order in. Some guy was in for dinner with his kids and sent his lad over to ask for Ruddock's autograph. He was nice about it, spoke to the lad (must have been about eight years old or so) and then once he'd signed whatever it was, he asked the kid if he wanted Matteo to sign it as well. The kid looked up at Matteo and said "Why? Who are you?"
Matteo looked down and mumbled. "I'm Dominic Matteo. I play for Liverpool, too. Sometimes." The kid didn't look convinced, but the rest of the pub was in bits.