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Robin Parke

WRITTEN as fiction, no publisher would handle this week's English league football scenarios unless he happened to specialise in boys' comics. The verdict would simply be: nobody would believe it.

 But not surprisingly, the subject does take place in England, from the stellar heights of the Premier League to the bare stands of the lower regions of the Third Division.

 If there was ever any need to explain the reason why the sport captivates so many, surely last weekend in England provided it.

 Carlisle United survived in league football in the fourth minute of stoppage time when on-loan goalkeeper Jimmy Glass scored a winner in a desperate up-field dash for a corner. He's a hero for life in the border town, but won't even be around next season.

 Can you imagine anyone believing that scenario in a novel?  Elsewhere, Charlton Athletic, doomed in the eyes of most midway through the season, scored an incredible four goals away from home against Aston Villa, with the winner, which extended their Premiership life until today at least, coming in the final minute.

 Four goals, indeed. There was a time they would scarcely have scored as many in four months.

 Plots and sub-plots all the way to the finishing line.

 If it is true that Alex Ferguson did not know that Blackburn Rovers were bound for the drop unless they beat Manchester United on Wednesday night, then it is definitely an indication why he is so phenomenally successful.

 Ferguson, asked for his reaction to Kidd's plight, did not realise they were already down, thinking the Rovers had a chance to survive by winning today's final encounter against Newcastle United.

 That surely sums up the Scot's total absorption with his team. His is an absolute commitment and concentration on Manchester United to the exclusion of all else.

 It makes for a casebook study of football managerial success at the highest possible level.

 Kidd, when he could have been revelling in United's treble bid, is now in charge of a shell-shocked side in the First Division. It is truly ironic that, as owner Jack Walker shed tears on Wednesday night, Roy Hodgson, the man peremptorily sacked last November, was preparing to send him a letter of support.

 Hodgson is sincere and has rapidly rebuilt his career since the numbing shock of his Ewood Park departure. Given his vast European experience and success, it is scarcely a surprise. He will be in charge of the World All Stars XI for FIFA, which opens the new Olympic Stadium in Sydney on June 12.

 Hodgson, the Englishman so at home in continental Europe, has also said that Blackburn would not have been relegated had he remained in charge. Easy to say, of course, but Kidd's total lack of experience with a struggling team must have played a significant part in the club's ultimate downfall.

 So, too, did his extravagant purchases. Buying players from previously relegated teams - Ashley Ward and Matt Jansen - does not strike one as being overly astute.

 Now they are down, Swiss central defender Stephane Henchoz and the injury-plagued Chris Sutton will depart, and Kidd has stressed that he will use youngsters coming through the club's own coaching system.

 And so to the final day with the David Ginola-inspired Tottenham Hotspur under former Arsenal super-hero George Graham meeting Manchester United in the Old Trafford cauldron. Home win, and it's the title. A draw, and it will probably go to Arsenal, who meet Aston Villa at home.

 The rivalry between Arsenal and Spurs might more accurately be described as animosity, if not hate. When Graham, his home decorated with Arsenal memorabilia, joined Spurs from Leeds United, it was seen as treachery by the Highbury faithful. If he spurs Tottenham to success today, will the slate be wiped clean?  Although odds-on to succeed in front of the Old Trafford faithful, it has to be said that United have not looked overly convincing in the past two weeks. And they will sorely miss Roy Keane - particularly with dual Player of the Year Ginola certain to be looking for a glorious finale to his memorable season.

 The French star will never have a bigger platform on which to demonstrate his extravagant skills and Ferguson, if he ever does think of the opposition, might just be pondering the vaunted Ginola threat.

 It would be impossible to dream up most of the above, which does indeed underline the old adage that truth, however unlikely, is certainly stranger than fiction - and much more compelling.

 My own attention will stray to Burnden Park and, so long as you are not a Bolton Wanderers fan, might I ask you to cross your fingers for Ipswich Town who, in a manner known only to their fans, managed to throw away certain promotion to again enter the play-off arena.

 The omens are not good. Twice in the past two years the Suffolk side have been involved in the play-offs and failed. May it be third time lucky. I feel they deserve it and that is, hopefully, an objective viewpoint.

 Objective, subjective? An own goal, a dubious penalty? Who cares, just win.

parkbyglo Robin Parke Parke View 



Truth proves stranger than fiction as season's end nears