I must admit, I usually enjoy my Barking Cup nights, but this time round, I’ve entirely neglected to buy myself a ticket. This is partly down to idleness and partly down to the fact that I am on call – Mrs RotorGoat has had a medical condition for nearly nine months now, and, well, she’ll be getting better soon. If you get my drift.

Should be a good night too, with a sprinkling of experience (Cygan, Flamini, van Persie and Reyes) mixing with raw inexperience (Gilbert, Eboue, Djourou, Muamba, Larsson, Lupoli, Bendtner and Connolly).

Reading, flying high in le championnat and 23 matches unbeaten, are formidable opponents, though I am reliably informed that they, too are resting key players. There’ll be quite an old-boy connection too, with rising star Sidwell, former (but not quite yet ex) keeper Stack and James Harper all playing. Not to mention the 7,200 Reading fans making the journey, about as healthy a turn-out as you will ever get.

In the wider world, the only other news you need to know is that Thierry Henry is off to Madrid. Well, he might be. Actually, Beckham says it would be nice if he did. It would also be nice, of course, if world poverty was eradicated, global warming was reversed and my council tax bill went down.

Yes indeed, that would be nice.