Bunhill: Champs Cola

IN VIEW of the supermarket's rift with 'the real thing', it's hardly surprising that Champs Cola is not available in Sainsbury's. But the drink is said to be a big seller in the Tescos and Asdas around Old Trafford.

The lookalike can was the bright idea of Manchester United's catering manager, Mike Whetton, who launched it a few months after his team won the league title last year. Although it has caught on in a big way and is a welcome addition to the dozens of other products, such as videos, launched on the back of the team's successes, it can't be sold inside the ground in cans in case the fans imitate their friends from Millwall. So they can only buy it on draught.

Of course, if they could afford an executive box, they would be able to choose from the wide range of Man U wines - no, these are not all red, they include a specially packaged champagne from Lanson.

Surprisingly, Coke has not objected to Whetton's bright idea. But what if Man U do the treble next year and lift the Cola Cup. . . We await developments.

(Photograph omitted)