When Sir Alex Ferguson made wholesale changes to the Manchester United side which faced Schalke in the second leg of the Champions League semi final last month there was not a single word of complaint from UEFA – and with good reason. On the other hand we are now seeing warnings from the Premier League that “The FA are watching to see what­ team Ferguson puts out against Blackpool on Sunday. If they make­ major changes from the team that played­ Blackburn last weekend, they will face penalties just like Blackpool­ and Wolves did in the last couple of seasons.” Why? Clubs should be able to field any team they want, in any Premier fixture they want – with one proviso. If a player is named in the squad required by the FA, there surely cannot be any valid argument for them to be used.

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And so news has emerged that, as of next season, season ticket prices at Man United will be increasing by £1 a game, with the rationale behind this decision being attributed to the rise in VAT earlier in the year from 17.5% to 20%. On the other side of the coin though, the Glazer’s (or someone at United who is employed by the Glazer’s) have listened to suggestions from fans by capping junior ticket prices at £20.

To be honest, it could have been worse. Considering that, over the last six years, ticket prices have increased by an average of 5.8% P/A, ‘tis but a drop in the ocean. But let’s not get lulled into a false sense of security here because, as evidenced by the ticket prices for the Champions League final, the common fan is still being treated with complete and utter contempt by those running the clubs and authorities within football. Read the full story

The first reaction to Wayne Rooney’s two match ban being upheld – which includes the FA Cup semi final derby, was to tell the suits at the FA to well and truly stick their Cup and field the Manchester United Youth team in protest to what has universally been condemned as a totally unfair suspension. After all it’s no more than a tin pot with little relevance for major clubs when compared to the only two competitions worth winning. Remember the Portsmouth – Cardiff final just three years ago? Not exactly a pulsating Barca – Real classico was it except for fans of both clubs?

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Wayne Rooney may or may not deserve the two match ban handed down by the FA for his outburst to a Sky TV camera at West Ham on Saturday. That depends on a variety of biased opinions, but the point now has to be raised as to the responsibility Sky must equally carry for such incidents. It wasn’t the first and it won’t be the last because things are said and done in the heat of battle. It’s a situation which can very easily be avoided with a little bit of common sense.

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Evolution be damned. Clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool need a revolution. Truly Reds has never been radical or  politically driven, nor is it about to start preaching anarchy now. We believe however, that the time has come for football fans to take control of their clubs from the Gordon Gekko type greedy tycoons who are slowly destroying our great clubs and even the game itself. All shades of governments and self appointed football guardians like the FA, UEFA and FIFA are either unable or, more than likely unwilling, to stop OUR clubs from being financially driven out of existence by corporations who only see them as a means of making a quick, few million bucks. Football has sadly become all about the almighty  dollar.

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The FA Umbro Fives is the national 5-a-side competition organised by the English FA. The final will be played at Wembley, with participating teams going through the same experience as teams playing a real cup final (or a semi-final, or a Community Shield match, or…you get the drift) and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to score / win a title at Wembley.

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