I bet you’d look good on the Buck Shaw

It’s been a few days since the news has emerged that former Norwich City star Darren Huckerby is being pursued by the Quakes, and the rumors seem to be heating up.

The fact that Huckerby is leaving the Canaries at all has come as a shock to the club’s fans, who have responded by lobbying for a testimonial match and creating YouTube tribute videos (the Arctic Monkeys soundtrack is a nice touch, we think). As for the tribute match, Huckerby’s former teammate Iwan Roberts is all for it, according to the Pink’Un. (The Pink’Un story also makes liberal use of quotes from stories from Center Line Soccer’s Jeff Carlisle and Elliott Almond of the Mercury News.)

Speaking of Yallop, he’s quoted quite a bit in a story by Ipswich Town correspondent Mark Armstrong on MyFootballWriter.com:

Yallop, who won the Player of the Year accolade from the Portman Road fans 20 years ago, said: “The league rules say that Toronto have first refusal on Darren but I am sure he will be aware of our interest via his agent.

“I must stress, however, that we will only be able to do something if Toronto decide, for whatever reason, not to pursue their interest in signing him or if Darren turns down the chance to go there.

“We are next in line and I can’t deny I would love to have Darren here. He is a player I have admired for a number of years and I have always liked the way he plays the game.

“Darren is pacy, he goes straight at opponents and usually past them, plus he has a number of tricks and a decent scoring record. He’s exciting, a potential match-winner and the fans over here would love his style of play.”

“I have been looking at DVDs of him playing for Norwich in the season just ended and I can see he still has plenty to offer, but I cannot say any more than that at this stage.

“I think Darren intends to come out here, visit Toronto and then depending on how he feels he might come and give us a look in San Jose. I suppose things should be a lot clearer in a week or two.”

Considering the fierce rivalry between Ipswich Town and Norwich City, it probably seems a bit odd to those in the UK that a Tractor Boys legend like Yallop would speak so glowingly of Huckerby. Bearing in mind Yallop’s last place of employment, however, it’s not something Quakes fans would likely have a problem with.

• • •
In other news:-Oakland A’s GM and Earthquakes executive VP of Sports Operations Billy Beane’s efforts to quantify the various components that make up the Beautiful Game are drawing more attention in England, according to this story on Bloomberg.com.

- The Earthquakes’ weekly update is here.

- Joe Cannon shares his thoughts on Mothers’ Day in his latest blog for the Quakes.