Meanwhile in a parallel universe:

BLUES FANS IN REVOLT. MORE than two thousand Birmingham City supporters signed a petition at St. Andrews yesterday demanding the resignation of the board.

The protest at Birmingham's failure to keep pace with neighbouring Aston Villa was organised by a committee of four British Leyland car workers John Witham, Jim Dixon, Frank Bennett and Alan Cornforth.

"We are not playing about." said a committee spokesman. "We will carry on for as long and as hard as is the road we have to travel."

We had a great response from disillusioned supporters. Our phones never stopped ringing with offers to help and the fans backed us up at the ground.

"We shall now take the petition all over the Midlands and into factories. We must show the board that we are not satisfied with their leadership."

The rebel Blues supporters sey that the Aston Villa boardroom revolution. in 1968 and subsequent playing success have influenced them.