The good old days? The first myth we need to shatter is that of burn-out, the energy-sapping ailment that affects players if they play too many games.

I don’t recall burn-out ever being something that was a tangible reality; the BBC define burn-out as ‘physical and emotional exhaustion, reduced performance, and a lack of enjoyment/reward from playing and training’.

But looking back into the past one wonders why England legend Alan Ball, a tireless runner, wasn't affected by burn-out. In the 1966-67 season he played over 50 games, all that on the back of his stamina sapping, Duracell bunny style World Cup campaign, but never once was burn-out an issue that was brought up.

'Arsenal did pretty much exactly what the MK Dons did early last century, and now it is just a forgotten footnote in history'


Not only did Ball play a huge amount of games, with far less sophisticated training regimes, but the game was a far more violent form back then. Tackles from behind were woven into the games and players often sustained injuries as a result of what would today be described as on-field GBH. The biggest factor was that there was no respite, only one substitute - usually Tommy Jackson or Sandy Brown would be glumly sitting there on the Everton bench.

The second thing that needs to be tackled is the anger tossed towards the MK Dons, who have provoked haughty responses from many a fan claiming that they are a fake club, ruthlessly harnessing Wimbledon's proud history - tearing them away from their roots and unfairly remaining in the higher levels of the league system.

MK Dons have featured a lot in the press this season with their Johnstone's Paint win and their promotion to League One, inching their way up the league slowly but surely.

The truth of the matter, though, is that if they do return to the top they will have to overcome a wailing wall of sanctimonious criticisms. Take a look back in footballing history and you will notice that Arsenal did pretty much exactly what the MK Dons did early last century, and now it is just a forgotten footnote in history.

Arsenal used to be based in Woolwich but the shrewd and mendacious mind of Henry Norris knew that a greater fan base could be acquired if they elbowed their way into north London, which boasted a superior transport system and a potentially bigger fan base.

I still fail to understand why people yearn for the good old days, days of Tony Kay, the man who - whilst at Sheffield Wednesday - bet on his own side to lose, at a stroke frittering away his huge potential.

Days that represented a golden age of football - but only for the chairmen - as star footballers were treated like minumum-wage meat.

And don't forget that many a fine footballer died in near poverty because of the pitiful wages they got.