Fulham may have a rich owner with big plans, but Scott Longley claims the club still isn't going in the right direction
Initially it was like winning the lottery. For one glorious moment Fulham fans felt like we were the cats who not only got the cream but got the whole dairy and an army of milkmen to feed us on demand. Thanks to Mohammed al-Fayed we were rich beyond our wildest dreams.
Being a Burnley supporter isn't easy at the moment. Tony Dawber discusses the club's descent to the bottom of the Second Division
Imagine being as depressed as a Manchester City fan. Then double it and you are somewhere near. Burnley are languishing at the foot of the Second Division and on a downward spiral back to obscurity despite being arguably the best supported team in the division. Our plight has earned even more attention because the slide is being presided over by legendary former sausage seasoner Chris Waddle, who turned down other offers in order to grab Burnley by the scruff of the neck and hurl it towards the Premiership and whatever else came into our sights.
Things could be about to change in Scottish football, as Gary Oliver analyses what the future holds for the SPL
Tony Blair may have no intention of repealing trade union legislation, but that has not prevented ten Scots hankering for a closed shop. And far from being Old Labour dinosaurs, these protectionists are the thrusting ‘entrepreneurs’ who chair Scotland’s Premier Division clubs: in the crusade to create an autonomous Premiership, their latest threat is to sever all links with the Scottish Football League and dispense with promotion and relegation.
Constantly changing the rules makes things difficult for everybody, not least the referees
Watching Nigel Martyn take an eternity over a goalkick the other day prompted thoughts about the Law of Unintended Consequences. Some years ago the tidy-minded people on FIFA’s rule-making committee decided that one of their minor rules was unnecessarily holding up play. It was the one that said a goalkick must be taken from whichever side of the goal the ball went out of play.
Monday 3 For the second time this season a Premiership match is abandoned due to floodlight failure: West Ham have just equalized after being two down at home to Palace when Upton Park is plunged into darkness. "The electricans said they just couldn't get to the bottom of it," says Harry Redknapp, looking even more perplexed than usual.
Tuesday 4 Goals from Ian Taylor and Dwight Yorke take Aston Villa on to the Third Round of the UEFA Cup. Opponents Bilbao pull one back twenty minutes from time but fail to force the draw that would have taken them through. "Now we can look forward to going on our travels again before Christmas," says Brian Little. (And that was the best quote too. God, he's boring.) "We just didn't stick the ball in the net enough times," says Roy Evans, flashing that marvellous old boot room wisdom as Liverpool beat Strasbourg 2-0 but go out 3-2 on aggregate.