"Only the late Sir Matt Busby thought football was more important than 'life or death."

Actually that quote is attrbuted to the late great Bill Shankly who said, "Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that."

Stigweard you're taking a beating here my son and I for one offer you my support for what its worth. I don't know if Rupert Murdoch is killing football. He's probably making it very difficult for real fans like Stigweard to watch it. In Canada we probably get better TV coverage than you do in the UK. We get three live games on a Saturday, one (usually) live on a Sunday and the Monday game. That's just the FA Premier league.

I think too that it is very easy to tar all football fans with the brush reserved for the lunatic fringe. I think the people who behave badly at football matches are probably hot-wired to behave badly in general. Of course alcohol is rocket fuel to this particular demographic. I have been involved with football all my life both as a player and a coach. It has stood me in good stead in terms of health and taught me some valuable life lessons. I think that football can a be a valuable pastime for any child. Its a great cardio workout, it teaches teamwork, cooperation, dedication, a feeling of self-worth, and it invokes a range of emotions.

I have coached a group of various kids from the age of 8. The boys are now 17 and the group that have been together the longest (8 kids) since the age of 8 are all doing well at school, are very respectful to their parents, to each other and to me, are extremely fit, and have never been in trouble with the police. I hate to see football getting a bad rap because of a few miscreants and I just wanted to put a positive spin on the thread using my own life experience.

Stigweard I watched the Villa, Borough highlights. Nice goal by Petrov. He was a good buy. I hope O'Neill does well with Villa, a good Norn Iron man BTW, who actually went to Queen's University with my brother Martin;-)