‘Much sympathy has been given to the long list of Premiership players like Paul Robinson and Frank Lampard who had had their luxury homes burgled.
‘And rightly so. But these break-ins are hardly surprising, when you consider how widely-known their wealth is. And also when you consider statements like this, from Middlesbrough's new full-back Emanuel Pogatetz talking about his life, on £30,000-a-week, in the north-east:
‘"Thank God it's only on match-days that players have to go into Middlesbrough. The place is an industrial town. All you've got there is smoke and chimneys."
‘In fact when you read statements like that the only surprise is that the local scallies haven't torched the mansions on the way out.’