Tom Davies gives us our regular update on clubs in crisis

A huge debt to the Inland Revenue is hanging over the future of Grimsby Town, a now wearily familiar legacy of the ITV Digital collapse and some profligate spending in the late 1990s. The Mariners owe the taxman £700,000 and, as WSC went to press, the club were in final negotiations with the Revenue in a bid to find an acceptable repayment schedule. The League Two club have already had two such offers turned down this season, with Town chairman John Fenty complaining that the terms the IR were putting forward were unaffordable. Failure to reach agreement this time could land the club in administration.

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Hard as it is to believe, some players may actually be in the wrong when it comes to officiating, just don't try to tell them that

Arsene Wenger made a piece of personal history during the recent 1-1 draw at Southampton, by acknowledging that one of his players, Robin van Persie, was at fault for being sent off: “He knows he should not have done what he did. I could not support him.” Earlier in the match, the home side’s David Prutton had to restrained by Harry Redknapp when seemingly intent on thumping the assistant referee having also got a second yellow card. “I was really upset because we are in a relegation battle and it is not about kicking people up in the air,” said Redknapp.

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Not all ex-Sunderland bosses are unemployable. Burnley fan Kevin Clarke looks at the amazing success of Steve Cotterill

Pundits often express disappointment at the lack of young English managers flourishing and the fact that top clubs appoint foreign coaches with the rest of the jobs swallowed up by the same old names. In Burnley, however, a quiet revolution is taking place, spearheaded by a man whose public stock was very low be­fore this season. Step forward Steve Cotterill.

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Saturday 1 Chelsea stride on, with a controversial 1-0 win at Liverpool who are denied a clear penalty in the first half before Joe Cole gets the late, deflected, winner. “Sometimes you have the luck of champions,” says José, cupping an ear for the squawks of outrage from Old Trafford and Highbury. Arsenal stay in pursuit after a 3-1 win at Charlton. “No one is playing as well as us,” says Sir Alex following Man Utd’s eighth win in nine, 2-0 at Middlesbrough, though Spurs might contest that after their 5-2 thrashing of Everton. Bolton stop the rot, just, a late equaliser forcing a 1-1  home draw with West Brom. Palace’s 3-1 defeat to Fulham returns them to the bottom three, below Norwich who play 85 minutes with ten men after Marc Edworthy’s dismissal at Portsmouth but still get a  1-1 draw. Wigan regain the lead in the Championship, winning 2-0 at Sheffield Utd, while Ipswich lose by the same score at home to West Ham. In League One Hull’s 2-1 victory over Huddersfield brings them level with leaders Luton, held at home by Sheffield Wed. Yeovil’s 2-0 defeat  of Swansea allows them to catch up League Two leaders Scunthorpe, beaten at home by Darlington. The FA will probe a half-time incident during Bristol City’s 2-0 win over Peterborough that makes it a happy new year for  City defender Tony Butler, who suffers “eight displaced teeth”.

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Jonathan Baker recalls a season when Howard Wilkinson refined his managerial tactics and Kevin Keegan had a glimpse of what his would be

The long-term significance
This was the season that launched the careers of two influential modern managers – Kevin Keegan and Howard Wilkinson – with radically contrasting footballing philosophies. In the north-east Keegan, in his last playing season, was inspiring a Newcastle team managed by Arthur Cox to adopt the swashbuckling passing game that would become his managerial hallmark. He was ably assisted by two rookie local-born forwards, Peter Beardsley and Chris Waddle.

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