Twice in the season, incidentally, I saw West Ham (The Hammers) in opposition to Sheffield Wednesday (The Owls), a fixture I found too rich in unfortunate imagery. I didn’t mind foxes beating magpies, or gunners beating spurs, but the idea of owls being beaten by hammers still affects me to this day.

Lynne Truss, Get Her Off The Pitch! : How Sport Took Over My Life (2009)