Jones has the best night in ages

It was a case of double whammy in a Soho hostelry last Tuesday evening when London creatives pitched up to down a few beers in honour of birthday boy Phil Jones.

Who was that distinguished geezer at the bar hob-nobbing with our own dear Typo Circle chairman? Surely it couldn’t be former football star George Best?

Any doubts were dispelled as talk turned to striking and scoring, and Jones’ Real Time colleague Annie Eaves confessed to having “fixed it”. But Phil still isn’t sure. “Was I dreaming?” read the e-mail from our befuddled fan the following day. “Was it really him or was it a lookalike?”

Sorry, mate. It was really you, looking starry eyed and swapping Man U anecdotes with your hero. Mind you, there’s no more hiding your age behind that boyish exterior. When sports heroes take on the grizzled look, you know you’re safely out of short trousers.