Hammer time for Rocky?

Might our pursuit of Rocky be at an end? The BBC are reporting that our former striker is on the verge of joining West Ham on loan for a fee of £2m. His club Liverpool seem to be giving out mixed messages about whether or not they want to keep him; if Rocky does feel to have been deemed surplus to requirements at Liverpool, then - despite apparently favouring a move back to Tyneside - he might decide to take whatever escape route is offered. If a loan deal has been agreed with Fat Sam's Hammers, then you'd imagine the only thing that could scupper it would be an acceptable bid for a permanent deal. The ball's in your court, Jabba, and you don't have much time to decide...

On a tangential note, sad news for another of our former strikers. Leon O'Best was unfortunate enough to sustain a serious knee injury in a recent pre-season friendly for Blackburn, one which looks likely to keep him out of action for six months. We wish him well for a swift recovery.