Hart-ache for forgetful Fergie

What with the Rafael Benitez feud, the weakened FA Cup team and the Wembley pitch, there were so many issues for Sir Alex Ferguson to cover at his Monday press conference their imprending game with Portsmouth was overlooked.

“Nobody has even asked me about my old pal, Harry,” the Manchester United boss jokingly complained before being told Paul Hart is the Pompey manager and Spurs were not the opposition.

Emirates shows how size could matter in Wembley pitch battle

Arsenal have been basking in the glory of their perfect pitch at Emirates Stadium in comparison to Wembley's troubles with Arsene Wenger leading the cheers for their architects.

But the good publicity for the company in question — Populous, formerly HOK Sport — may be tempered by the fact they were also on the team of architects behind Wembley.

Populous' website lists Emirates and Wembley among its completed projects with their verdict on the latter trumpeting the roof's “retractable panels to allow light and air onto the pitch, maintaining the quality of the famous Wembley Stadium turf”.

In the wake of the FA Cup semi-final, Wenger insisted the “first priority” in the design of the Emirates was to get the pitch right. Similar assurances were given by FA chiefs during the building of Wembley, but there are key differences between the designs, which could explain the pitch problems.

Emirates has a different ventilation system and pitch surface and benefits from having shorter stands thereby allowing more sunlight onto the pitch. In contrast, Wembley officials decided that a steep-sided stadium — 17 metres taller than the old Twin Towers and 10m taller than Emirates — would give fans a better view. They hoped the retractable roof on the south side — combined with artificial lighting during spring and autumn — would compensate for the lack of sunshine.

Daggers display their dark side

Dagenham & Redbridge might consider renaming Victoria Road the Stadium of Dark' after yet another floodlight failure.

The Daggers were forced to postpone their televised clash with Brentford last month after a power cut.

The game was rescheduled for Tuesday and, although the 90 minutes passed by without any hitches, the ground was plunged into darkness within seconds of the final whistle — leaving fans to navigate their way out using cigarette lighters and mobile phones.

An electrician pressing the wrong switch was to blame this time.

Groves is buzzing over Hurlock

Perry Groves has listed his 20 biggest football heroes for a new book and, alongside Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff, sits former Millwall midfielder Terry Hurlock.

“It was like having a bare-knuckle fighter against you,” wrote Perry, who stressed that few people got the better of Animal'. . . except for a crafty Scottish estate agent.

Recalling Hurlock's house move that followed his transfer to Rangers in 1990, Groves said: “Tel and his wife had been shown a lovely house — four bedrooms, fitted kitchen and bathrooms. They said yes on the spot, without even looking at the garden.

It was only after they moved in that they noticed the noise. When they looked out, all they could see was a massive electricity pylon going zizz, zizz, zizz. No wonder the agent never opened the back door when he showed us round,' said Tel.

He ended up selling it for about £30,000 less than he paid for it.”