Is big money spoiling the game? It never spoiled any game of mine that's for sure. I only ask because it seems some kid at Chelsea is upset because he is only on 30 grand a week while Lampard is on 160 grand. Don't know about you, but I could weep for the lad. Reminds me of the old story about Tommy Docherty in his playing days going to see the manager to complain that the legendary Tom Finney got paid more than him, with his £10 a week, and £8 during the close season, two quid more than old TD was on. "But Tommy son, Tom is a much better player than you" says the manager. "Not in the summer he's not" replies the irrepressible Scottish prankster. Ho, ho, ho, indeed.
There is a moral there somewhere I'm sure, just not certain what it is. Anyway nobody is going to turn it down are they? And at least what we pay for Sky, or used to pay in my case, keeps the old movie channels going as well, which is nice. Still at least when you turn out to watch the bold boys in the Northern League you know it is all about love of the game, not the filthy lucre ... Do you reckon the Blyth chairman will be watching the match down at Bournemouth or counting the crowd?
Anyway a win at last and the old bandwagon is rolling again. You need adversity to make you appreciate the good times, as Captain Smith was heard to say as the Titanic went down, and we have had some adversity this season, from what I have seen, but I don't think the good ship RCA is ready for the bottom just yet. And just as well, because I think the bottom of this league is likely to turn into a right dog-eat-dog affair as the end of the season looms. Looks to me as if there will be a few candidates from the Alliance and Wearside leagues looking to step up, and seeing how Birtley and Whitehaven have done, who can blame them. It could be that this old second division gets more and more competitive as the FA's plans for a real pyramid, even up in the frozen North East, finally start to bear fruit. Yes I think those down at the bottom come February will start to twitch quite a bit, and I somehow don't think there will be any reprieves this season. So maybe the time is right to escape upwards to greener pastures. And they will certainly be greener than our pasture after the Crook game. Never does to over rule the boss, he knows best ...