While most of the country was focused on the climax to the football season, some, as always, were seeking to exploit the game for political gain, writes Barney Ronay

Last month a survey named Wayne Rooney as the number-one choice among children under 13 for prime minister – narrowly edging out Harry Potter and Charlie from the defunct boy band Busted. News of Rooney’s popularity will surely have made waves among the image handlers and style technicians in Whitehall. At some point in the run-up to the general election a process of Wayne-ing up of the Prime Minister will have been tentatively focus-grouped; the potential pull of the retrosexual number-three crop debated; and yak fur Wellington boots with matching, custard-coloured gilet ordered in Cherie’s size.

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Thailand’s answer to Zico did not have a happy time in West Yorkshire but, as Steve Wilson reports, there are corners of Asia that are forever Huddersfield

When Kiatisak Senamaung touched down at Pleiku airport, Vietnam, in February 2002, he was overwhelmed by the number of fans there to greet him. The 30-year-old captain and leading goalscorer of neighbours Thailand had signed for second division Hoang Ahn – who gave him a brand new Mercedes, a five-bedroom house and a contract worth £5,600 a month, more than 300 times the average local wage. An open-top car took him to the training ground where 4,000 fans turned out to watch his first training session. One of the number told the Bangkok Post just what Senamuang’s arrival meant to the team: “It’s great that such a famous player is coming to play for us. We’ll probably become champions!” 

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Coventry filled their old ground for a fantastic finale, but often struggled to do so and Neville Hadsley wonders why they have to move to a venue fit for Kylie and U2

It hasn’t been a good 12 months for Coventry City chairman Mike McGinnity and his board. First he sacked a popular manager, Eric Black, then compounded the error with City’s worst appointment in living memory – Peter Reid – who, instead of achieving the “instant success” McGinnity declared he wanted, pitched the club into a relegation battle.

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Thanks to the bitter legacy of English rule it has always been impossible to play association football in Ireland’s finest stadium, Croke Park – until now, as Robbie Meredith reports

Describing football grounds as shrines or cathedrals is fairly commonplace; a lazy marketing trick exploiting a supporter’s passion for their team. One stadium in Dublin, however, explodes the cliche.

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Two years ago Luton teetered between farce and oblivion, with a new manager ‘elected’ by a dubious poll. Now, as Neil Rose reports, Mike Newell’s side are firmly on the up

You could tell it was a special day. Luton fans could not really bring themselves to hate the Milton Keynes Dons – and they have more reason than most.

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