Premiership passions

I see (through the wonder of the internets) that big Al managed to notch a penalty in his testimonial - did anyone use my ticket?

On the subject of football, I thought that the supposed huge global audience for the premier league was always a bit of a myth talked up by Sky, but this trip has proved to me that it's true.

Where we always seem to talk about the Spanish or Italian leagues every country we've been to so far has shown live Premier league games, regardless of the local time. When you mention you're English the premier league is the first thing people want to talk about, especially in teh Asian countries.

It will give me no end of amusement to know that when I'm sitting at the Gallowgate end next year, that millions of people in Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and Australia will be watching just as avidly.