Uri Geller said yesterday he was "astonished and disappointed" that Glenn Hoddle had denied seeking his help. He insisted that the England coach had visited his house with faith healer Eileen Drewery to use his powers to help the team's World Cup preparations. Hoddle, criticised and ridiculed for using Drewery, said he only met Geller once at a match four years ago and there was no arrangement between them and the English FA. But Geller said: "He visited my house with Eileen and somebody else, who I'd rather not mention, and my wife and children met him, we made him coffee and then we did something which I can't talk about.
"It's astonishing for me to hear from some friends that he sat there in a press conference and totally ignored that he was in my house for many hours . . . and he also denies seeing me just a few months ago when Tottenham played Arsenal and we had a long chat."
Geller has also warned Hoddle of the perils of ignoring his help. After falling out with the Reading chairman, Geller has not seen the team this season.
And Reading's league position? Bottom of Division One.
Arsenal's Patrick Vieira has been charged with misconduct by the FA after an on-field clash with West Ham's Ian Pearce.