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He dares to say the club would have closed without the move to Milton Keynes and says it will still happen whilst Peter Winckelman sits in Milton Keynes hoping it will still happen. This should surely bring new hope of an end to this man’s abuse of English football, the Football League and the FA should now take every possible opportunity to say no more and stop him from doing more damaging by forcing his club out of the game.
Administration has been a dirty word in Burnley this week, Ipswich Town’s abuse of administration has enabled them to wipe out massive debts and then make an offer for one of our players, Driss Diallo, that was just about impossible for him to refuse. Leicester did it, now Ipswich have done it. Walsall’s Chief Executive Roy Whalley has had the guts to call it what it is, cheating. But they have been allowed to get away with it and we have lost one of our players because of it.
There were no sanctions but there again little did happen at the Football League’s AGM with the new balmy play off idea being stopped by the Premiership and the FA. Having said that it did look as though it might not get through anyway with clubs turning against the idea. Norwich and Forest were set against it whilst Reading are all ready to go down the road of scrapping the play offs altogether.
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Bradford City have signed goalkeeper Alan Combe from Dundee United. He had an excellent loan spell with the Bantams a couple of seasons ago, including a blinder against a Paul Gascoigne inspired Burnley, and Nicky Law has finally got his man on a permanent basis.
That is if Law is still there. He is now facing action with the FA’s Compliance Office investigating him after suggestions that he had been offering games to younger players if they signed up with a particular agent. This is just the reason that John Gregory has gone from Derby but just for now Gordon Gibb is backing his manager.
Gregory’s job meanwhile has finally gone to George Burley on a permanent basis this week. Having said he wanted it he was always favourite and he has now signed a two year contract with the Rams.
Simon Jordan is still searching for a tenant to use Selhurst Park and has been boosted by the news that Franchise could be left homeless, if sadly they are still in existence. "Charles Koppel is a friend of mine," said Jordan thus alienating himself from all decent people in the game. "They will be welcome to come back here."
Gillingham Chairman Paul Scally was disgusted with fans who had contacted sponsor Sea France following news of the kit change. Sea France have threatened to withdraw sponsorship and true to type Scally has threatened the Gillingham fans. He has a problem with their supporters club but what Scally doesn’t seem to realise is the fact that a massive majority of Gillingham fans have a problem with him.
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Talking colour and Watford have asked fans to help paint Vicarage Road on a voluntary basis. You can join the chairman in painting sessions at the ground. I just thought it would be quite amusing if an army of Burnley fans offered and painted the ground Claret & Blue. Oh, I forgot, we’ve done that one before. At Ewood a few years ago.
There’s been no bubble blowing down at West Ham this week. Just about getting used to the fact that they have been relegated they have been hit with the news that Glenn Roeder is on the way back. Most Hammers fans expected that the club would use his illness to quietly get rid of him without giving him the sack. It now looks as though he could be in charge next season.
One coach as left though. Kevin Blackwell, he once went three rounds with Stan, has walked out on Sheffield United to take up the job as head coach at Leeds under Peter Reid. The Leeds fans are thrilled to learn that at least it isn’t Adrian Heath getting the job.
It’s bad news for the Blades with Blackwell considered to have been a massive influence on their form and style of play this season. Neil Warnock is expected to approach Sky TV’s Chris Kamara to take over from the departed Blackwell.
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When Keith Harris and David Burns left the Football League they did so with a blast from Millwall chairman Theo Paphitis who claimed he wouldn’t let them run a kebab shop. Last week we reported a rights issue at Millwall that is being underwritten by Paphitis and Seymour Price Ellis. Guess who is chairman of that particular company? None other than Keith Harris.
And we end with Millwall. There are some players in football that are so obnoxious you just cannot wait to see the back of them. So it was good news for 1st Division supporters this week to hear that Steve Claridge has left the Den to take up the manager’s job at Weymouth.
The man who delights in criticising Burnley at every opportunity on television will not be missed.