Challenging for the title is the exclusive prerogative of a privileged few in most of Europe's leagues. But no one has told AZ Alkmaar, writes Derek Brookman

Out of the 32 million or so eyebrows in the Netherlands, the number raised when AZ Alkmaar vis­ited PSV Eindhoven two games into the Dutch season and lost 5-1 probably didn’t exceed single figures. After all, this was the natural order: big eating small, famous club and previous European Cup winner putting team from cheese-market town with an 8,390 capacity stadium in their place.

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Online coverage of matches can amount to little more than the bare statistics or, worse, a sub-tabloid set of cliches. But  Ian Plenderleith finds some fan sites that still offer an original alternative to the press

While reading a match report that involves your own team, you might tolerate the lowest standards of writing just to find out the basic details of who scored when. Most web­sites realise this and skimp on all attempts at style, structure and originality in favour of short, bland, factual write-ups. The occasional more gifted writers, however, will engage the neutral and keep them reading to the end, no matter which sides are playing.

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Ten years ago Terry Christie led a club with a century of underachievement behind them to a perfect day in Perth, beating Dundee United to delight Scott Harvie

“Remember, remember the fifth of November, Armstrong, Haddow and Sprott.” While this version of the traditional rhyme may not have much meaning outside Ochilview Park, many Stenhousemuir fans would want to rewind repeat Guy Fawkes Day 1995 as their version of Groundhog Day. Until then Stenny had recorded 111 years of footballing existence without a national trophy to their name. Giv­en their decline so far in the 21st century, you can safely speculate that even the youngest babe in arms at Ochilview won’t be around to celebrate their next such success.

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Steve Menary tells us why Australian constructors Multiplex may be cursing the name Ken Bates for years to come

So, Ken Bates, why is one of Australia’s biggest construction companies rebuilding Wembley Sta­dium? Leeds’ saviour knows only too well as he was the Football Association’s choice to find a contractor for the job. With strike ballots, delays, pollution fines and a High Court battle, Multiplex could be forgiven for wishing they had stayed in New South Wales.

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Eighteen months after selling Chelsea, Ken Bates has kindly stepped back into the game to save Leeds – though strangely, as Duncan Young explains, not everyone at Elland Road is happy.

The outgoing board at Leeds United moaned about the complexities of doing a deal to safeguard the club, yet within days snatched at Ken Bates’ offer ahead of two other bewildered consortiums who were poised to make bids after painstaking analysis of the books. As the dust settles only one person has resigned, citing the complete irres­ponsibility of it all. John Boocock, chairman of the supporters’ trust, clattered Ken from behind and, sensing the exile that would follow, carried on straight down the tunnel as his senior colleagues lined up to disassociate the trust from his views.

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