THE York City faithful will be relieved to hear that Sophie McGill won't be "doing a Delia" at home games - although these two great female football fans are to meet.

City director Sophie told the Diary she has no plans to emulate Norwich City majority shareholder Delia Smith's Monday antics.

The retired TV chef strode on to the pitch at half time during Norwich's game with Manchester City to try to rouse home support. In oratory reminiscent of wartime Churchill, Delia told them: "Let's be having you. Come on!"

Her intervention clearly had an effect. Norwich were drawing 2-2 at half time, but after the pep talk went on to lose 3-2. Sophie assures us she will not be issuing a similar rallying cry at KitKat Crescent. "I have got a bit of a phobia of microphones," she said. "And, anyway, our PA is not that hot."

York's "fantastic" supporters would not require such a battle cry, she added. One stunned onlooker described Delia as "well refreshed", and she is known to open a bottle of champagne or two during games. Does Sophie do the same?

"The most you get at York City is a cup of tea - Yorkshire Tea of course," she insisted, sensing a sponsorship opportunity to complement the KitKat deal.

It turns out Delia and Norwich chief executive Neil Doncaster are keen to help smaller clubs. They asked football journalist David Conn for suggestions. His book The Beautiful Game? relates York City's fan-based renaissance so he put the club in touch with Sophie.

Now she plans to meet up with Neil and Delia to talk football. To which the Diary can only holler: "Let's be having you. Come on!"

Sophie's more detailed reflections on that Delia moment can be read in her Evening Press column on Saturday.

STILL with sport, and concern is growing for the comfort of the hordes expected for Royal Ascot in June.

Apparently, concerns over whether there will be enough conveniences for the horsey set dominated discussions at this week's Micklegate ward committee meeting.

Keith Chapman, who attended the meeting, said: "It's a bit of a do to find a loo at the Knavesmire at the best of times. How many Portaloos have been asked for? That's the question."

If the "Ascot Tsar" has the answer, please get in touch...

THESE days we're used to shock advertising, the soft sell and all ads in between. But Joy Cann, at City of York Archives, stumbled upon one of the strangest messages ever to appear in the Evening Press classifieds.

Dating from March 25, 1937, it came under the heading "Miscellaneous", and said: "Good Homes wanted for Baby Girl, payment - D 811, Press Office 170".

Joy has tried to find out more but to no avail. Can you shed light on the mystery?

THE Diary was sent a pillow this week, prompting wry cracks from colleagues about sleeping on the job.

It was an early promotional stunt for the long-awaited National Pillow Week (April 18-24). The accompanying press release contained the delightful revelation that ten per cent of a pillow's weight is made up of two million dust mites, sweat, mould and mildew if it hasn't been changed for 18 months.

Sleep well.

Updated: 08:49 Thursday, March 03, 2005