BBC SPORT | Funny Old Game


9. From Lennon to McCartney
By Kevin Darling BBC Sport Online

The latest of our sporting connections series takes us from Neil Lennon to George McCartney in six steps.

But what about suggestions for next week's link: Roger BLACK - Jimmy WHITE?

Remember, the best effort wins a mystery prize!

LENNON-McCARTNEY

Neil Lennon
Has bleached blond hair, an attempt to disguise the fact that he is...

Ginger
A much-maligned hair colour that, according to a recent survey, is attractive to only 4% of women.

Among that 4% is presumably...

Billie Piper
The teenage pop sensation who puzzlingly wed carrot-topped smart alec...

Billie Piper
Ginger sympathiser

Chris Evans
A marriage made all the more surprising by the goggle-eyed entertainer's well-known fondness for...

Benders
The binge-drinking escapades that Evans regularly enjoyed with his great pals Danny Baker and...

Paul Gascoigne
Who, before he discovered the joys (and pitfalls) of drink, had a similarly unhealthy soft spot for sweets.

As a boy, Gazza's penchant for Mars bars was rivalled only by his love for...

Newcastle United
Which means you were OK as long as weren't a stick of celery or a Sunderland player. So it's unlikely he ever shared a bender with...

George McCartney.

Congratulations to Paul Markwick for his link from Lennon to McCartney (see below).

An exclusive mystery prize is on its way!

Neil Lennon
Plays for Celtic under...

Martin O'Neill
Who used to play for Nottingham Forest. The most famous inhabitant of a Nottingham Forest was..

Robin Hood
Who had a friend called Little John, not to be confused with..

Richard Littlejohn
Who writes for The Sun, which, if we're lucky, will be...

Shining
The Shining is a film starring...

Jack Nicholson
Who also starred in the Witches of Eastwick. The pets of choice for witches are..

Black Cats
The nickname of Sunderland FC, one of whose players is...

George McCartney.

Thanks for all your Lennon-McCartney alternatives - here's a selection of the best:

David Regan, England

Neil Lennon
Ex-Northern Ireland captain, who plays for Celtic in...

Glasgow
City in Scotland - famous for, among other things...

Billy Connolly
Comedian, known as the Big Yin, currently seen advertising...

Billy Connolly
Wrong way round, Billy

Lotto
Game in which picking six correct numbers could make you a millionaire. Doing this would call for a few celebratory beers, my favourite being...

Stella
Not only a good drink, but also the same first name of the designer called...

McCartney
A name mainly associated with The Beatles and Wings.

However, Sunderland supporters are now aware of a new kid in defence, in the shape of...

George McCartney.

Paul Donlan, UK:

Neil Lennon
The Celtic and (ex) Northern Ireland midfielder is a famous redhead, as is Scooby Doo's pal...

Shaggy
A well-known reggae artist who enjoyed huge hits with titles such as It Wasn't Me, Mr Boombastic and the memorable Oh Carolina, a remake of the classic from Prince...

Buster
A dull and uninspiring film featuring Phil Collins hamming it up as the Great Train Robber, who following the heist, fled with his wife to...

Mexico
The name of a car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company, who were also responsible for the...

Thunderbird
The name of a cheap wine and a TV series starring the Tracy family of super-puppets, Lady Penelope and Parker, created by Gerry..

Anderson
Surname of the prolific Danish children's writer Hans Christian who was responsible for many fables such as The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Pea and...

The beetle who went on his travels
Another Beatle who went on his travels and was famously arrested in Japan was Sir Paul McCartney, who shares a surname, but very little else, with Sunderland defender...