Manchester Utd striker finds an alternative logo to smooch with

During Saturday’s defeat at The Emirates, Wayne Rooney showed us that badge kissing is so two weeks ago with a brand new method of making out with his short. Instead of kissing his beloved Manchester Utd crest, the balding striker put his lips to the Premier League badge on his shirt, reminding everyone who the current holders of the league are.

What next? Will teams visiting West Ham and West Brom rile up the crowds by kissing their shirt sponsor?

Fulham boss joins The Spoiler’s campaign

After we lambasted Wayne Rooney and Joey Barton’s unnecessary badge kissing this week, Fulham gaffer Roy Hodgson has waded in on the subject, banning Andy Johnson from smooching his crest when he visits his old stomping ground tomorrow:

“I’m not a great fan of badge kissing. We’re mercenaries in football, there’s no question of that.

“The days of badge kissing at Fulham died with the likes of Johnny Haynes and Jimmy Hill. I’m surprised if fans want to see it.

“They’re not stupid, they know that players come and go and change clubs.

“They also know that when a player changes clubs he gives his 100% allegiance all of the time he’s playing for them.

“I expect every player Fulham to have nothing but the club in his head. He doesn’t need to kiss the badge to show me that.”

In an age where passionate loyalties can literally change overnight if the right amount of money is exchanged [cough, Harry Redknapp, splutter] it is truly refreshing to hear someone in the game speak so honestly about its mercenary nature. Well done, Roy.

[Team Talk]

Footballers make out with their shirts for the wrong reasons

In a weekend dominated sackings and surprise appointments, the ill-conceived actions of Wayne Rooney and Joey Barton cannot be overlooked.

After the Manchester Utd striker received a yellow card on Saturday, he thought the best response would be to goad the supporters of the club with whom he spent the first eight years of his career. Why? F*ck them, that’s why. Instead of claiming his 100th club goal at the place where it all started, the striker subjected himself to a barrage of abuse and an impromptu substitution.

If Rooney’s actions were poorly thought out, then Joey Barton’s were even more despicable. Just days after the vile criminal promised to become a role model, he simply couldn’t help himself when given the opportunity to intentionally rile up Sunderland fans. The result - an eruption of crowd violence and a leopard who clearly cannot change