REFEREES come in for a lot of stick and sometimes it’s justified but would you want to do their job?

A special report by BBC Radio 5 live Breakfast paints a depressing picture.

IN what appears to be a very brave piece of marketing spiel, a Championship club is offering supporters a ‘money back guarantee’ on their season tickets if they are not happy with the summer transfer activity.

Derby County are owned by a Stateside company and their American chief executive Tom Glick told the club’s website that they are committed to investing in the first team squad in the close season to mount a challenge for a top six place next season.

WE are fast approaching the time when clubs will be sending out fancy brochures to their supporters imploring them to renew their season tickets for the 2011-12 campaign.

Fancy buzz phrases such as ‘moving forward,’ ‘customer focussed’ and ‘you are our lifeblood’ will be trotted out as chief executives try and get as much cash in before deciding their budgets.

IT can be tough being a football manager, what with disgruntled fans, over-ambitious directors and the media constantly harping away.

So the last thing you need is to be sent off for tackling a pitch invader dressed in a mankini!

MUCH of the media spotlight this last week has been on Scottish football with the disgraceful scenes at the Celtic v Rangers Scottish Cup replay in Glasgow.  But another item which emerged from north of the border was the decision to start next season’s Scottish Premier League on July 23, the competition’s earliest ever start.

IF your team is having a rubbish season, try looking in the dug-out for a clue as to why.

Scientists at the University of Portsmouth reckon that a coach’s appearance could  have an effect on players' impression of their competence.