18 January ~ Every year a panel of "psychological experts" announce "Blue Monday", a date in January when winter gloom is supposedly at its worst. From research originally commissioned by a travel company this is calculated according to: weather, debt, time since Christmas, the failure of New Year's resolutions, low motivational levels and the feeling of a need to take action. This year it is today, Monday 18. Thankfully, Richard Scudamore, the Premier League chief executive was on hand to provide some light relief, arguing that "there are lots of positive things going on."

In reference to troubles at Portsmouth the ever-optimistic Scudamore argued that the League could do no more: "We can only go by our rule book... in fairness to the people running that club they are working extremely hard to live the dream." Scudamore sees no reason for the worst case scenario: "given the amount of central income that is generated, it would be rank bad management if a Premier League club were to go into administration." "Infrastructure-wise Portsmouth are in a difficult position but the clubs have assets – the players – so they have choices. They might not want to sell them because of their own aspirations but in the harshest scenario that's the circle of life of a football club." From his final image it's no wonder he sounds a little divorced from reality, he's obviously been watching Disney cartoons all weekend.

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