Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

I've just had the opportunity to catch via YouTube on the offence which got Wayne Rooney sent off in the Euro 2012 Championship qualifier against Montenegro in October.

So it with some bemusement that I read that the England forward has got a three match ban reduce to two which means he will now be available for England's third group D game against Ukraine in the finals next summer.

Football Diary
by Patrick O’Connor

OVER the next few days all attention will be on the transfer window which closes on Wednesday.

Speculation will be rife over who is going to be transferred and for how much but it has been managers who have been mainly in the news in the last week.

A good friend of mine is currently awaiting news of whether he will lose his job. He works for a local authority which employs over 7,000 people and is looking to axe 600 by the end of March.  That scenario is being acted out in both public and private organisations throughout the country as the financial crisis sweeping the UK tightens its grip.