IN THE HOT SEAT

Meeting of the committee of the Chester City Former Players Association tonight in what is becoming our favourite pub on the outskirts of the city. It was time to grasp the nettle of who does what. Gary Talbot, our legendary goalscorer from the 1960s is our president. Grenville Millington - goalkeeper in our most successful team of the 1970s - is our chairman. Alan Tarbuck, another superb goalgetter for Chester in the late 60s, is treasurer. My pal Chas Sumner, Chester City statto and historian, is secretary and I am (guess what) media officer.

Gary and Gren went to Chester's home game with AFC Wimbledon on Saturday. They were guests of the club which was a very nice gesture. The invitation followed on from the FPA's approach to the club back in September to inform them that the association was being set up and to ask permission to incorporate the club's badge in the logo. Bob Gray, managing director, has been very supportive.

There was a bit of a problem on Saturday when the FPA was wrongly announced as being match sponsors. Some fans understandably concluded that the FPA was putting money into the club and wondered why that was the case. In fact, Gary and Gren were asked to select the Man of the Match, which is usually the role of the sponsors, and the mistake seems to have taken off from there.

The FPA did not sponsor the game and paid out no money.

ROUGH NIGHT IN LIVERPOOL

I hear there was a lot of trouble at the boxing promotion at the Liverpool Echo Arena last night.

There was much more fighting outside the ring than in it. The scrapping was orchestrated by lads on mobile phones. The main event inside the ring had to be delayed while police and stewards restored some sort of order.

I gather that the police were only present in numbers because they were using the occasion for a training exercise.

Doesn't bode well for the future of boxing at the venue.

QUOTE UNQUOTE

Daily Mirror columnist Guillem Balague identifies one of the greyest of grey areas in journalism in the sports pages of today's paper.

Guillem is an acute observer of Spanish football and he is also no mug when it comes to the fancy footwork of the media.

His theme today concerns the comments attributed to the Wigan Athletic boss, Roberto Martinez, who was quoted in Spain as criticising Sir Alex Ferguson. Martinez denies making the comments.

Guillem points out that "journalists work within an unwritten set of rules when it comes to what is said 'on the record.'"

He goes to explain that to some journalists "off the record" means it's OK for the information to be used, providing the name of the person who gave the info is kept quiet.

To others, "off the record" means the info is for background only.

He is quite right. My advice to anyone dealing with a reporter is to forget "off the record." If Martinez didn't want his opinions reported, he should have said so.

CHESTER CHRONICLE WIDENS ITS NET

Last week the Chester Chronicle asked me to write an article about the sad state of affairs at my favourite football club, prompted by the Conference's threat to expel us for non-payment of debts.

Interesting to note that the Chronicle has published it online today, ahead of the print edition. They also posted a link on the main fans' messageboard, Devachat. Clever way to maximise attention and good use of digital media by so-called traditionalists.

My pal Jonathan Legard also has his say. The BBC's Formula One commentator is a stalwart Blues fan. Like most of us, he is appalled at the current situation. Something has to give, and soon.

Read both articles at www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/chester-city-fc/

YOU HEARD IT THERE FIRST

Bernie Ecclestone today stated that plans to shift the British GP to Donington next year are dead in the water. That's a verdict that will come as great interest to BBC Radio's Sporting Inquisitor in Chief Gary Richardson.

On the day Donington pulled off their coup in snatching the GP from Silverstone, some 18 months ago, Gary gave the Donington chief exec Simon Gillett a real grilling on Radio Five Live's Sportsweek. The dogged but ever-so-courteous Richardson wanted to know if there was a get-out clause should Donington fail to upgrade their track in time, one which could take the race back to Silverstone after all.

After much sparring, Gillett conceded that there was.

So Gary's scepticism has been proved justified. Others who will have heard today's news with a knowing look are the students on the Sports Journalism course at the University of Central Lancashire, where we have often studied that interview as a good example of sport making news away from the field of play.

FAIR POINT, WRONG TARGET

Another spat (no, I'm not talking about the spread of swine flu here) between the media and a football manager. Everton's David Moyes refused to talk to reporters after his team lost to Spurs in the Carling Cup. This was apparently in protest at the absurd scheduling of three games in five days for Everton.

The irony is that most of the media are in complete agreement with Moyes. The scheduling of away games againast Benfica, Bolton and Tottenham between Thursday and Tuesday was ridiculous. Last night Radio Merseyside's commentators criticised the arrangements several times, and it wasn't just the local media, Radio Five Live's Mark Pougatch made the same point and had Spurs' boss Harry Redknapp agreeing with him.

So why a bright chap like David Moyes should take out his frustration on the reporters baffles me. He simply made their job harder, when they were pretty much on his side.

Memo to Moyesey: right message, wrong address.

FA CUP ON THE WEB

Another significant step has been taken today regarding the showing of live football on the internet.

The FA have sanctioned the showing of one FA Cup first round tie via the internet. It will be Oldham v Leeds at 5.15pm on Saturday November 7th. Perform, the company which produced the webstream of England's match in Ukraine recently, are again putting the show together.

This would not have happened but for the demise of Setanta UK who originally held the rights. The FA is being imaginative in its exploration of the new possibilities on offer and the availability of live sport via the internet is bound to increase.

The game can be seen at www.thefa.com