NEW LABOUR WITH A BALL

It is almost impossible to believe that football continues to operate as though it were in a different economy. Manchester United and Chelsea, we are informed, have a combined debt of £1.5 billion. I'm sure that I don't have to remind the majority that these two clubs fought both the amusingly named Premiership Championship and the European Champions League. This debt is outrageous, a fact that UEFA chief Michel Platini appears to have his teeth well and truly into, metaphorically speaking, with considerable justification. We can imagine that, if Northern Rock were a football club, they would be challenging for top spot. We are assured that this mountain of money is guaranteed, just as we were with high street banks. Let us not forget that most of the money in these banks belongs to us! Could I suggest more considerable zeal.

Incidentally, having sat through the thoroughly boring European cup final, it's difficult to identify why it generates all this cash. We should refer to it as the ultimate 'spitting finals' combined with the 'read my lips swearing competition'. Whatever these occasions are they have little to do with football, the ball itself only has a bit part and the over hyped so called stars appear in brief walk on roles throughout the duration of the back street occasion. When they have finished spitting/swearing and crying, they return to their opulent homes funded by this massive debt. Remember who put the money in the bank to start with. I suspect that both 'Sir Alf' and 'Cloughie' would be turning in their graves witnessing the fall of a once wonderful game.