By Chris Charles BBC Sport Online

Forget Arsenal's poor run of form, there is only one real news story filtering out of Highbury - David Seaman has had his hair cut.

Photo Gallery: How Seaman's hair has grown

The news, which will send shockwaves across Europe, was confirmed by the England goalkeeper's hairdresser, Errol Douglas.

The London locksmith claims to have been looking after the famous tresses for four-and-half years. Talk about money for old rope.

Seaman's locks and shocks

Douglas told BBC Sport Online: "He's had about five inches of hair cut off.

Oops, I did it again

"He came in to the shop on Monday and said he wanted a change. He's also had his moustache trimmed, so there's about half of it left."

Sadly he didn't say which half.

Still, according to Douglas it's a move in the right direction.

"David looks totally different - it takes years off him," he enthused.

Presumably Seaman will also be hoping it improves his wretched run of luck which has seen howler after howler picked up by the press in recent months.

There was the Ronaldinho free kick in the World Cup, not to mention the Macedonian corner and the cross from Bolton's Gareth Farrelly that sailed over his head.

Douglas insists this was not the reason for the radical change, though.

"He didn't say it had been affecting his form at all, absolutely not.

"And he's not one of these people that will do what he's told. People have been telling him to have his hair cut for ages and he hasn't done it."

Fans got their first glimpse of Seaman's new look during the Champions League defeat by Borussia Dortmund in Germany - Arsenal's fourth straight loss.

The big question - was it worth it?

Douglas admitted the hair was still long enough to put it in a pony-tail, describing it as "a longer version of David Ginola's".

So is a small pony-tail any better than a big pony-tail?

"Of course it is, psychologically anyway," added Douglas.

Gunners supporters will be hoping the trim doesn't have the same psychological effect as it did on Samson, who lost all his powers when his hair came off.

Look on the bright side guys - things can't really get any worse can they?