Updates from clubs in trouble including Chester City and Oxford United

Among the plausible candidates for this season’s spectacular calamity club are Chester City, where Kevin Ratcliffe’s resignation as manager after the first three games of the season has severely dented any optimism generated when Terry Smith, the former coach of the Great Britain gridiron team, took control of the club in July. Understandably, given the mess left by the previous administration, City fans have so far been prepared to give Smith the benefit of the doubt, despite his “colourful” past on the UK ice hockey and gridiron scene. 

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Captain Magpie tells us about Notts County well tanned chairman and the stand he modestly named after himself

Distinguishing features Always well tanned, accompanied by (considerably younger) blonde wife. Looks for all the world like a veteran Hollywood actor – Paul Newman, maybe, or Clint Eastwood – when dealing with bolshie agents or managers.

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Chaos ensued at White Hart Lane when not all season ticket books were recieved by fans. Adam Powley reports

Tottenham’s recent foray into the giddy heights of the table might have surprised their sup­porters but, when it comes to how they are treated by the club, it appears to be business as usual. Spurs fans are wearily used to shoddy treatment from a plc for whom customer ser­vice is an alien concept, but this season the club has surpassed itself with what has come to be known as the great season ticket fiasco.

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A new football film is in production in Scotland. Geoff Leonard went along to see what all the fuss is about

The Arsenal Stadium Mystery, Escape To Vic­tory, Sean Bean’s When Saturday Comes. The link? As I’m sure you know, all were attempts at football films which turned out to be trite rubbish. Robert Duvall’s new movie The Cup, however, promises to be rubbish on an altogether grander scale.

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Newcastle have sacked another manager, leaving us wondering whose fault this mess is

Another August, another Newcastle manager on his way. This time last year we boldly hinted at disaster for clubs like United who change their manager with ever increasing frequency. Obviously, it gives us absolutely no pleas­-ure to have been proved right. No, really, not even a tiny bit.

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