'Arry's "creative" approach to financial management strikes again!

How on earth can Portsmouth owe a sell-on fee to Spurs for a player they never owned?

I'd like to see him arrested during a game.

^You'd certainly see him twitch then...

Qatar Airways in dark over $0.30 Portsmouth debt

IN CREDIT: Qatar Airways is owed the sum of 20p ($0.30) by Portsmouth FC, according to the EPL club's administrators.

Qatar Airways is owed the sum of 20p ($0.30) by Portsmouth FC, according to the English Premier League club

What was your take on the penalty, Fred?

The general opinion seems to be that it was a fair challenge but having seen it from every angle imaginable, I thought Johnson was asking for trouble. He got a touch on the ball without fully taking it out of Agbonlahor's stride, then took him out completely thus denying Villa a chance at goal. At worst it fell into the category of "seen them given". I'm with Martin O'Neill on this one!

What was your take on the penalty, Fred?

The general opinion seems to be that it was a fair challenge but having seen it from every angle imaginable, I thought Johnson was asking for trouble. He got a touch on the ball without fully taking it out of Agbonlahor's stride, then took him out completely thus denying Villa a chance at goal. At worst it fell into the category of "seen them given". I'm with Martin O'Neill on this one!

In any other part of the field no one would have blinked at such a clumsy lunge being called a foul, in fact Blues should be thanking their lucky stars that he wasn't sent off. Alas, you can't reason with neanderthals. Anyway I hope they enjoy 9th while it lasts, they're still going to finish twenty points behind us. THE GAP IS CLOSING OH NO hur hur hur hur

People need to realise that there's a world of difference between getting a touch on the ball and actually winning it.

With any luck, they won't be 9th for much longer...

Could Sunderland apply for the Intertoto? Not that you should bother, but is it possible?

Could Sunderland apply for the Intertoto? Not that you should bother, but is it possible?

I vaguely remember reading somewhere that Platini/UEFA/whoever decided to scrap the Intertoto (though I could be wrong on that). It probably won't be missed though - Newcastle won it a few seasons ago which shows what sort of tournament it is. Having said that, I wouldn't have been totally against the idea of entering this year. Injuries permitting, we have the makings of a decent first 11 and some reasonable fringe players, and only a couple of them (if that) will be going to the World Cup. It might have been worth a swing.

Aston Villa celebrating their 2001 Intertoto Cup triumph.

One to tell the grandkids about, y'know?

I forgot Paul Merson played for Villa. Is that the trophy he's holding or just his customary post-match drink?

I forget too sometimes, though in truth I was quite immersed around the period he signed. 1998/9 was the first year I shared a season ticket with my brother, and as it worked out I ended up seeing his last game for Middlesboro (3-1 home win), his home debut for us (Wimbledon 2-0) and his second home game, in which he missed a penalty but scored the match winner (Derby 1-0). That pretty much sums it up, against the lesser teams he could score delightful goals with the outside of his foot and run games without breaking much of a sweat, but against everyone else he'd go missing. Amazingly we have some idiot supporters who seem to think we're worse off under O'Neill than we were back then.

That being said, this was a fine goal.

That being said, this was a fine goal.

For some reason, I remember the goal quite well but forgot it was scored for Villa.

Amazingly we have some idiot supporters who seem to think we're worse off under O'Neill than we were back then.

That seems to be a growing trend around here, too. Plenty of fans are incredibly critical of the current set-up, yet they happily sat through the worst of the Mick McCarthy days (when we had Jon Stead and Kevin Kyle leading the line). Someone even told me recently (with a straight face, I might add) that he thought this season's team had been as bad, if not worse than Mick Mac's woeful 15-pointers of 2006. I realise the team is still far from the finished article and that not everybody is sold on Bruce, but wow!

Yesterday often gets justified by virtue of not being today. "You know, Make Believe by Weezer wasn't that bad and I suppose when I look back Milan Baros did score a couple of goals for us", etc, etc.

Very true...

If I ever start reminiscing about seeing Liam "Westlife" Lawrence stagger down the right wing, you've got my permission to shoot me!

^Probably owed a few million by Portsmouth.

A few months ago I told someone that Fulham would do exactly what Middlesboro did a few years ago in the UEFA Cup; battle to the final and then get thumped by a much more classy opponent. Of course it helps that I like Roy Hodgsen a hell of a lot more than Steve McClaren, but hmm, still not sure. Being a petty man I've never subscribed to the idea of cheering for other English teams in European competitions. Regardless, Roy is a scholar and a gentleman.

Atletico are nowhere near as classy as Sevilla of 2005, especially with Flores at the helm and their erratic form. It's ridiculous that they've made a cup final by winning only 2 of their 14 European games this season It should be a good match and I'm banking on Fulham to take the first Europa League title.

I think a neutral venue will mean Fulham will revert to type and defend for their lives, much like Rangers did when they reached the final a couple of years ago. They're a pretty easy team to keep quiet, for all their neat and tidy players, a bit of pace usually sees them flustered. Of course my prediction was made without knowing who their opponents would be, and though I don't follow the Spanish game at all, I'll go with 2-0 Madrid. Dignified defeat, Roy gets knighted, Clint Dempsey replaces Jonathan Ross on BBC 1, Bobby Zamora becomes England captain, Nick Clegg makes al-Fayed Chancellor, etc, etc.

Also, Hamburg...what a mess.

Also, Liverpool, what a mess. Ed, you must be getting nostalgic for Stig, Razor Ruddock and Rob 'thickest man ever according to Stan Collymore' Jones at this point.