Well-coiffed midefielder flouts anti-terrorism rules

Pilot Pablo Mason is a hero. Not only has he grown a moustache that most men could only dream of owning, but he led Tornado jets on 23 bombing missions over Iraq during the Gulf War, sticking it to Saddam on each occasion. However, thanks to his decision to accommodate the whims of Robbie Savage, the 57-year-old has lost his £90k a year pilot job:

Captain Mason, who became an airline pilot after leaving the RAF, lost his job after taking Blackburn Rovers home on a private charter flight following a match in Finland in August.

His crime was to allow one of the players, Robbie Savage, to spend most of the three-hour journey on the Airbus A320’s flight deck to help allay his fear of flying.

Flight deck visits have been banned since 9/11, but Mason protested during his employment tribunal with “bureaucratic nincompoops” MyTravel Thomas Cook that a Premiership footballer did not pose a terrorist threat.

[The Telegraph]

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Toon Army unhappy with controversial takeover plans

Geordies are outraged today by the news that the Bin Ladens are front runners in the race to take Newcastle United from Mike Ashley. The Saudi BinLadin Group, who turn over around £2.5billion annually through their construction work, have reportedly offered £300m for the club, and they plan to spend millions developing leisure and retail facilities around St James’ Park.

Osama was disowned by his family many years before 9/11, but the prospect of having an overweight recluse replaced by lots of men with big beards is a frightening one.

Ben Linton, a 27-year-old insurance broker from Gateshead said: “I saw Team America at the cinema and on DVD, so I know that terrorism is something I do not want my club associated with.”

Boris Langley, a retired teacher from Newcastle,