TIT BITS

Last updated : 19 June 2007 By editor

* Sheffield United are apparently more confident about securing reinstatement to the Premier League after Liverpool's chief executive Rick Parry spoke as a witness at the arbitration hearing.

* Today's transfer rumours: Benny McCarthy to Chelsea and Michael Owen staying put at Newcastle say the Times. The Independent links Craig Bellamy to Juventus and Roma!! Middlesbrough are said to be the latest club interested in Alan Smith.

* Mourinho is babbling again. He told Chelsea magazine, "People ask Chelsea, 'Last season you won two trophies: why did you not win four?' But not many journalists ask Rafael Benítez and Arsène Wenger, 'Why zero?' And not many people ask Manchester United, 'Why only the Premiership?'

"Is it about money? If it is, I hope that next season the media put pressure on the big spenders because for sure the big spenders will not be Chelsea. The spenders will be Manchester United, Tottenham and maybe Arsenal. I don't know, but it won't be Chelsea. So maybe at the beginning of next season they will say that Chelsea are not the favourites any more because they do not spend so much money."

* Blackburn are the latest club to be linked with a takeover. The Express reports:


'American-based businessman Daniel Williams has confirmed his consortium are in the early stages of talks with Blackburn about a possible takeover. The 30-year-old entrepreneur from Lytham St Annes, a boyhood Rovers fan, said his plans would include giving manager Mark Hughes substantial funds to compete in the transfer market if the bid was successful.

'He told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph: "We are at the very, very early stages of any kind of process."'

* Manchester City is the worst value football team in the Premier League according to the Times:

'The cost of being a football fan has been laid bare by a new league, which reveals that Manchester City fans are getting the worst value for money from their season tickets.

'The Blues came bottom of a "goals per pound" league devised by personal finance website Fool.co.uk, which compared the price of a season ticket with the number of goals scored at home last season.

'The Manchester side, which charges between £385 and £550 for a season ticket, scored just ten times at home, meaning their fans forked out £46.75 for every goal.

'The Chairman of Manchester City Supporters Club said: "It's been one of those seasons, and it's a disgrace we've had to fork out nearly £50 for each goal we scored at home. Hopefully next season, fans' money will be invested in new players which will see us climb down the league of costly goals".'