Six year post-match boycott comes to an end…

Expect Gary Lineker’s opening lines on next season’s Match of the Day to be even more smug and annoying than usual. New Premier League rules, to be enforced next year, mean all managers will have to give post-match interviews to broadcasting rights holders - meaning Sir Alex Ferguson will have to explain his latest outburst to the cameras himself, rather than sending right-hand man Mike Phelan.

Ferguson promised never to do another interview with the BBC after it broadcast a documentary alleging his football agent son Jason used the family name to gain influence in transfer dealings, in 2004.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp and Blackburn’s Sam Allardyce have also had previous run-ins with the Beeb over corruption allegations, but all will have to give TV or radio interviews or face ‘a sliding scale of punishments’.

Blackburn star makes up bizarre excuse for bad behaviour

Blackburn’s El Hadji Diouf gave the world yet another example of his sparkling personality at the weekend, when he was overheard by home fans at Goodison Park shouting “F**k off white boy” at an errant ball-boy.

Keen to stress that he would never impart offensive comments at a stranger, the Senegalese star has vehemently denied the incident:

“I didn’t even speak to him. I just told the assistant ref that the ball-boy should respect the players.

“For a kid to say things like that is unacceptable.

Could the World Cup hopeful go from Los Angeles to Lancashire?

When his self-imposed US exile expires, David Beckham is likely to rejoin AC Milan: he recently reasoned that the move would be born out of “patriotism” and passionate for his country”, perhaps not realising that Milan isn’t in England.

However, a transfer back to the Premiership is still a possibility, and the latest club to be thrown into the fray are Blackburn. They are linked to Mr B via 412-year-old Spanish defender and former Real Madrid teammate Michel Salgado:

“David and I are still friends. He asked me all about my new club.

“Could I get David to Blackburn? Of course I’ll have to speak with him.

“The problem might be we have to collect money from the players to pay his wages.”

Spoiler bonus: We don’t think that Beckham will be lured to Ewood Park by the prospect of playing with his old amigo, so Blackburn will have to remain internationally famous only for its mention in this song…

The stars who have enjoyed facing their previous employers

This weekend, a whole host of players faced their former employers, most notably Emmanuel Adebayor at Eastlands and Dimitar Berbatov at White Hart Lane. Face kicking and celebrating aside, the former put in a performance that truly represented his stunning talent (something which was somewhat of a rarity during his final months at Arsenal), while the latter moped around and fluffed numerous chances (prompting the chant “That’s why we sold you!” - a chorus only bettered by the  “You’re not signing any more!” that Chelsea received at Stoke).

With these acrimonious encounters in mind, Spoiler correspondent Liam Jarvis has selected his top five players who have enjoyed facing the teams that used to sign their puffed-up pay cheques…

William Gallas
The tantrum-prone Frenchman scored the winning header from a Cesc Fabregas corner to beat Chelsea 1-0 back in 2007. The goal ended a 3-year winless streak against their London rivals.

Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer marked his 300th club career goal in perfect fashion, a simple penalty against former side Blackburn in 2002.

The 2009 window deals that were absolutely inevitable

As the transfer window creaks shut for once more, Spoiler correspondent Andrew Brook has compiled a team of players who were always destined to change clubs this summer. And look, he’s done it in a 3-5-2 formation! How fun!

GK - Joe Hart
(Manchester City to Birmingham)
As soon as Manchester City signed Shay Given in January, Hart was destined to leave. Every season a promoted team seems to get a new goalkeeper (Scott Carson to West Brom in 2008, Craig Gordon to Sunderland in 2007) so this was an obvious match.

DF - Joleon Lescott
(Everton to Manchester City)
One of this season’s most painfully long sagas saw David Moyes over take Sir Alex Ferguson as the Premier League’s dourest Scot, and thus by extension its dourest person. Just be thankful that this inevitable deal didn’t drag on all the way to deadline day.

DF - Kyle Naughton
(Sheffield United to Tottenham Hotspur)
Even before Sheffield United failed to secure Premier League promotion, everyone knew one of their ranks would be playing in the top flight this season. Harry Redknapp could not remember which of the Blades’ Kyles he wanted, so nabbed Naughton’s teammate Walker as well, but we all knew which one he meant.

Also appearing on a computer near you…

Can you say “irony”, Dwight Yorke?
[Pies]

FHM trains with Blackburn Rovers. Badly.
[FHM]

Best. Haircut. Ever.
[The Offside]

Cesc Fabregas is winning his fight for fitness for the Manchester Utd game
[F365]

UEFA FAIL!
[Dirty Tackle]

Chelsea make a last ditch £57m bid for Franck Ribery
[Daily Mail]

Kaka ain’t afraid of no English teams
[The Telegraph]

Fiorentina rebuff Chelsea’s advances for ‘unsellable’ youngster Stevan Jovetic
[Goal.com]

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Vince Grella is the latest victim of aggressive burglary

In light of the antics of the Liverpool FC cat burglar, the ram-raid attack on Jermaine Pennant’s mansion and the assault on Darren Fletcher’s home, the prospect of being a rich Premiership footballer living in Cheshire, Manchester or Merseyside is becoming less attractive.

Blackburn’s Vince Grella is the latest victim of a burglarisation in the north-west, thanks to a knife-wielding gang who made off with his jewellery and gaz guzzling car.

Incredibly, the Aussie midfielder has become the seventeenth Premier League armed robbery victim in less than three years. The Sun reports:

Four masked thugs burst through the door of his £1million house, threatened him with a blade and demanded jewellery and watches.Stunned Grella, 29, then saw the mob swipe his car keys and speed away in his BMW 4×4.

The latest transfer gossip, rumours and damned lies

Anderson ain’t going nowhere
Yesterday, the hills were alive with the sound of the Brazilian’s bad attitude and reported transfer request, but he has spoken out against these rumours, insisting he is happy to stay at Utd and he respects the team selection choices of Sir Alex.

The Spoiler truth-o-meter: Perhaps Anderson is simply biting his tongue, but we expect he will stay at Old Trafford all the same.

Pascal Chimbonda to Blackburn
The Daily Mirror believe Sam Allardyce is to make a ’shock’ move for the unsettled Frenchman, thus opening the door for Stephen Warnock’s departure.
The Spoiler truth-o-meter: There doesn’t seem