Taxing Matters

It is with a little irony that as the UK is apparently just coming out of recession (even if it bloody doesn't feel like it), football appears to be heading that way. These are tough times for the game and its followers.

The January transfer window saw only a handful of clubs indulge and only £40M was spent, 12 months earlier it was more than 4 times that figure but closer to home, there are those clubs - including my beloved Cardiff City - facing a battle with the tax man. It comes to something when we can't enjoy a 6-0 win at Bristol City becuase of the antics of Peter Ridsdale next day with his monstrous attempt to bury bad news after good. How that has rebounded in him.

Hardest hit at present are Crystal Palace who entered adminsitration last week and lost 10 points moving overnight from play-off contenders to relegation battlers. This because they could not meet HMRC demands.

HMRC, the biggest petitioners for Winding ups in the courts due to unpaid tax bills have lost their respect and leniency towards football and its club, a legacy of years of problems dealing with them and cutting deals. The blind eye is being turned no more.

Four other clubs are known to be in trouble with them - the exact figure is likely to be many more - but followers of Notts County, Portsmouth and Accrington Stanley - are affected as much as Cardiff's.

The game has got itself in such a mess that West Ham confessed to over £100M of debt, Manchester United a crippling 7 times that amount.

However, fans notably are turning on their clubs and owners and bnot blaming the tax people at all. They know company directors have run the game of football in a reckless manner and without due care and responsibility. They have dug themselves into the hole, nobody else.

If the upshot of this carnage is that football matches what's going on is society and is run properly in future, then that may be something worth celebrating. It will ceratinly bring the game back to the people. Until then, expect a lot more pain .

Now it's Wigan cash + Koumas for Ledley

The Daily Mirror reports that Wigan Athletic are the latest club to be ready to make an offer for Joe Ledley with a £6M package deal, £4M cash plus Jason Koumas. The Latics needs players and have funds available having just sold Palacios and Heskey for £17.5M but whether that offer will be made and, more to the point, whether it meets City's valuation is a different matter. The Bluebirds have made it clear that they are fighting to keep Joe at the club and put a £8M asking price on his head but Wigan are stated to be interested after previous target, Reading's Steven Hunt, is believed to be have turned down the club.

Monday's South Wales Echo also stated that Peter Ridsdale turned down a weekend bid from the player with hints that it may have been Fulham who need to replace sold star Jimmy Bullard, who joined Hull City, and require a replacement for him.

As for Joe himself, his only words are he hopes to play in the F.A. Cup replay at Arsenal - that game coming the day after the transfer window closes - and that he's happy to stay unless City accept an offer for him to consider.

The line of suitors for Joe is getting bigger if you believe the press. By my reckoning, it's Spurs, Everton, West Ham, Fulham, Aston Villa, Wigan, Stoke, Portsmouth and Newcastle. No interest yet from Accrington Stanley however.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2009/01/26/wigan-to-offer-jason-koumas-to-land-cardiff-star-joe-ledley-115875-21071947/



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IT's MY BIRTHDAY and I'LL SIGH IF I WANT TO

Now, THAT IS a Birthday Cake!!

Another candle on the cake of my life today and it's a big effing cake these days to fit them all on. I've reached the age where my birthday means more to other people than myself and the best present would be a City win at Burnley tonight. The missus wants to take me for a birthday meal so I'm making take me lunchtime to be home to listen to the game.

One perennial disappointment about my birthday is the lack of credible celebs who share the date with me. Every year, I hear I have the same birthday as Donny bloody Osmond, terrific. The only other muso is Joan Armatrading but nobody bothers mentioning her anymore and few know who she is anymore. Wait a mo, I've just discovered Tre Cool of Green Day shares the date, now I feel better!

There was a movie icon in Charlton Heston but he's dead so I'm left with Dame Judi Dench, John Maklovich (who's more known to me for partly owning a Cardiff hotel) and a bloke who played Worf (whoever/whatever his/that is) in Star Trek.

Sports stars - there are none that I know of but I'm sure if there is, it'll be a midfielder for Accrington Stanley.


STOP PRESS - I've now found out that Cardiff City's Steve McPhail of all people has his birthday today so he's suspended and at home for his birthday. Better than an Accrington Stanley midfielder although not too often this season, if at all!!!