Post Hammers: Carroll singing

With a haircut more suited to a Snoop Dogg video rather than the hallowed turf at SJP, Andy Carroll had a lot to prove taking his place in the line up on Saturday. Luckily the striker's robust performance and late equaliser meant his hairstyle wasn't the only thing people were talking about. Speaking after the game, the Big C said:

'That is something I will cherish for all my life and something I have dreamed of since I was a little boy. Hopefully that's not it, I'd love to get a few more. It was the best feeling in the world. I grew up watching Shearer. I had a season ticket to watch him and he was just scoring goal after goal.

Alan was brilliant to watch as a kid and before he retired I had a training session with him, that was unbelievable. Everyone was saying it was getting shaved off if I didn't get a goal but it is now my lucky haircut. I'll have to keep it and see how many goals I get with it.

If I had the braids taken out, like the lads said I should, it might not have gone in. But the braids cushioned it in. I spent two-and-a-half hours in the barbers. It was long and too messy, I just wanted to do something different.'

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