OOPS! My ear has been bent so often and so vigorously that I'm currently suffering from cauliflower ear.

And all because I failed to identify one of the most famous sons of St Helens on an old junior classroom picture taken at St Austin's, Thatto Heath, during the late 1940s.

The little lad among his 36 knee-pant colleagues (this page, March 30) was none other than Alex Murphy, who went on to become a rugby legend in Saints' and international jerseys.

To this day he is venerated by the Knowsley Road faithful who rate him the finest scrum-half of all time. Though he's certainly changed since those boyhood days, I've been amazed by the number of local folk who picked Alex out and brought this 'omission' to notice.

MY apologies . . . not that Alex has ever been in need of any publicity from me!