These are the most ridiculous times in the Premiership. First there was Sheffield United’s desperate attempt to save themselves, using the back door. They want us to forget that they played like cr*p on the final day, when salvation was within their reach. They want us to forget that they so clearly deserved to go down.

Which in fact neatly vindicates West Ham’s breach of regulation on the transfer of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano. With the financial reward of staying up, who cares about a £5.5m fine and a slap on the wrist? The fact that the FA were farcical in meting out their punishment sets a precedent for others to follow. It’s OK to cheat so long as the ends justify the means. Instead of whining, Sheffield United should have concocted a scheme to bring Ronaldo, Kaka and David Beckham to Bramall Lane. Dammit Neil Warnock, haven't you heard the saying that if you are threatened by a gun, pull out a bazooka?

Stupid suggestion, I hear you say. But wait. What can be more ridiculous than the matter of the Stevens inquiry about bungs in football? Everyone knows someone gave something to somebody for something that was somehow not right. Yet months later, no-one wants to do anything to anyone because nothing is clearly known about any matter. Sounds very much like an episode of Seinfeld. It was such a botched-up job I'm surprised no one was reprimanded for it. Wait…I forget…this is the FA and anyone can screw them and get away with it.

'Inflated prices, inflated salaries, shady deals, loose policing of policy, and more and more dubious foreign interest in the English game. It all sounds like a James Bond movie plot, except the victims here are the fans themselves'


But here’s the icing on the cake - Thaksin Shinawatra and his coup of Manchester City. I like the word 'coup' when applied here. It’s so deja-vu. There is speculation that the cash he used to purchase City may not have been altogether that pristine. It doesn’t matter, of course, to the City board. It's better to sell out to someone of dubious character than run the club with heart and soul. I mention Liverpool because I wanted to set aside any doubts that Thaksin actually bought Manchester City for the love of the club. Isn't it poetic that Sven-Goran Eriksson, who had no qualms about taking whatever he could, finally gets to serve under someone more expert at it than himself?

And amid all of this, we have the Thierry Henry saga. Why did he go? Because of the departure of David Dein? The uncertainty about the future of Arsene Wenger? It was about money. It was about the Arsenal board not wanting to sell out to billionaire Stan Kroenke. And the bottom line? No Stan, no money. No money, no trophies. No trophies, no future as Thierry and Arsene see it.

What of the famed Arsenal spirit? The Arsenal loyalty fostered by Tony Adams. I guess it went out the door with the No.14 shirt. The whole episode kind of belittles Wenger's undertaking to spend so much of the last few seasons investing in youth in the first place, doesn’t it?

It doesn’t help that Arsenal’s rivals are flaunting their new wealth. Manchester United have just added Nani and Anderson at a combined cost of £34m for inexperienced unproven players, each costing more than Henry.

And then there is the 'insult' of Alan Curbishley’s £17m and £18m bids for Darren Bent and Andy Johnson. West Ham are a club who were nearly relegated. They aren’t suppose to have that kind of money.

Oh…and Spurs! They are rumoured to have agreed £16m for Bent. In addition, they found enough in their transfer kitty to splash out £7.5m for Younes Kaboul. Who? Is he as good as Nemanja Vidic or Jonathan Woodgate, who both cost the same?

The fact is that all Arsenal's rivals have cash. And they are flaunting it. Most of it is being used to buy nonsense players with no heart and no soul. What has become of English football's heart and soul? They are lost in a sea of money.

Inflated prices, inflated salaries, shady deals, loose policing of policy, and more and more dubious foreign interest in the English game. It all sounds like a James Bond movie plot, except the victims here are the fans themselves. The ordinary man in the street struggles to earn a decent living and despite this, will compromise whatever he has for a season ticket.

Take Henry. Rescued from the oblivion of Juventus, he was charged with putting a fledgling team of huge potential under his wing. Yet his choice was to abdicate his responsibility as a captain and as a mentor in favour of personal fulfillment .

None of the big four clubs have a captain who would take responsibility in such a flippant way. Steven Gerrard, when tempted to swap red for blue and a chance for more glory, walked away from the offer. And then there is John Terry. Look at him, enough said. Look at Alan Shearer. He spurned countless opportunities to swap the black-and-white for red and win a hatful of silverware.

The clubs survive on the fans'  love and commitment to the club. Shouldn't the fans expect the same in return? Why are clubs, boards and players so ready to turn their back on the man in the terraces?