It's a rich man's world...

I have been pondering the rather ugly side of money this week as the football season gets into full swing, and the hideousness of the end of the 'transfer window' (a period of time in which players can be bought and sold between clubs), which ended on Monday at Midnight. Clubs holding out to get the most money, other clubs trying to pay as little as possible. And, despite being a passionate football fan, it still angers me that players can wait for a "better offer", when they earn something like £120,000 a week and want £140,000. Footballers aren't worth it, but unfortunately, this side of the game is here to stay.

And create an elite it has, with the "top 4" likely to stay there. (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United to put them in alphabetical order). However, Manchester City's recent move from one dodgy owner to another, sees them promise offers like £135m for players worth much MUCH less, just to become "the biggest club in the world". Money no object? Rather dull I think. Bit like stealing the bank in Monopoly. NO fun for anyone.

The events in Shropshire have just left me speechless, the apparent desperation of a man who fell foul to the love of wealth. Just an unthinkable event that you can't imagine being real.

I was listening to a Pulp song last night; and while its tone is a bit more unkind and angry than I would take, it makes a solid point:

Check your lucky numbers.
That much money could drag you under, oh.
What's the point of being rich?
If you can't think what to do with it?
'Cause your so bleedin' thick.

Oh we weren't supposed to be,
We learnt too much at school
Now we can't help but see
That the future that you've got mapped out
Is nothing much to shout about....

Cocker/Banks/Mackey/Senior/Doyle/Webber
(Taken from 'Mis-shapes' on 'Different Class', 1995 Island Recordings.

On a cheerier note, I saw Zoé Ball in Western Road the other day and was so distracted by her and the man singing show tunes badly into a tinny PA system, that I almost joined Amnesty International.