The Ruud reawakening: Shepherd and Hall gamble on football becoming an affair of the heart again

THE CHANGE of guard at Newcastle United was nothing if not brutal. Kenny Dalglish's autobiography had been rudely removed from the souvenir shop at St James' Park and not far away the statue of Jackie Milburn sported a new haircut. Dreadlocks, of course.

FOOTSIE SCORED a near-double (negative) century, with most overseas stock markets running for cover as the Russian bear seemed to grow even more angry.

The Agreeable World of Wallace Arnold

Sport on TV

Stan Hey gets a Grandstand view of what wasn't happening at Wembley

KEVIN KEEGAN could be leading Fulham out in a Wembley final, just nine days after his previous employers compete for the FA Cup there. The former Newcastle manager put himself in charge of the Second Division side yesterday after ending Ray Wilkins' reign as manager over "a difference of opinion".

Last week on BBC1's On Side, the presenter John Inverdale asked the recovering alcoholic Paul Merson what would happen if his team, Middlesbrough, won the Coca-Cola Cup and in the dressing-room afterwards his team-mates were circulating the champagne. Merson asserted that "they wouldn't pass it to me". "Just like in the game," came back Inverdale, without missing a beat.

Norman Fox hears how commercial pressures can kick morality into touch

LIFE cannot be easy when you are Eamonn Holmes. He has made his name - such as it is - on the tackiest breakfast telly station going, where he does his best to dominate not just the guests, but also his co- presenters. And yet, when the calls come through for someone to graduate to better (or more remunerative) assignments, it always seems to be Holmes's sofa companions who move on.

CLUBS will receive details over the next month of more than 500 players available on free transfers this summer due to the Bosman ruling - which could lead to the gulf between the salaries of Premiership and Football League professionals growing wider than ever.

RUUD GULLIT, the deposed Chelsea manager, yesterday again rejected claims that he had been greedy. "I feel I've been very badly treated after all I've done for the club," he said on BBC's Football Focus. "If they'd really wanted me they would have come back with an offer, like they did first time. Of course, I have my suspicions but I want to know the answers from the other side. Unless I can find out it will be a question mark over me for the rest of my life."

GRAHAM RIX, Ruud Gullit's right-hand man at Stamford Bridge, has claimed that the deposed Chelsea manager was on the verge of cracking under the strain. Rix told the News of the World of the Dutchman's actions at half-time during Chelsea's Premiership defeat by Arsenal last Sunday.

Despite the exit of Ruud Gullit, Chelsea fan Andy Prevezer says the revolution must continue