h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Another season, another summer of wondering if it's really worth stumping up half a grand to watch Spurs.

Well, in short - yes. It doesn't matter that the board are trying to shaft the fans - last year they cut the cup allocation from 4 to 2, next year it goes from 2 to 0 (and we don't get the refund on this year's unused ticket...) - and get this - they seem to be encouraging season ticket holders to take out membership too! Wasn't membership meant to be a cheap alternative to a season ticket? How can someone who pays about 5% of what I put into the club each year be entitled to benefits that I'm not?

Still, things could be worse. I could support Leeds, West Ham or the Scum. West Ham need to cling on to Defoe, Carrick, Cole and Johnson if they want a shot at bouncing back - and they can, and it could be a great launching pad for the club to rebuild with momentum. High earners pushing retirement like Winterburn and Ferdinand will help trim the wage bill with their departure, and you can bet James will leave - the wrong side of 30 and a senior England player. He'll jump at the chance of playing for a club in Europe. I bear the Hammers no malice - although I've wanted to see the number of London clubs in the top division come down (too many derbies), I think Fulham offer less to the neutral and I can't see them lasting long term in the top flight. Not without a home...and not with Fayed doing his best to unsettle successful managers.

Leeds and Arsenal? Well, for the past six or seven years we've been looking over at Highbury and wondering where the hell they were getting all the money from. Only a couple of thousand extra seats on us and cheaper tickets. Yet they still spend more in the market and more on wages. Playing badly in the Champions League each year doesn't bring in the money they've been spending.....and now we know why. For years I've been preaching patience - take our time, invest in youth - try to do a Man Utd and bring thorugh talented players who have passion for the club - that's the secret of sustained success - who wants to bea one season wonder and then collapse under debt? It's frustrating when it always seems to be another season or two away, but Leeds and Arsenal aren't the only clubs who are feeling the pinch. Chelsea bailed themselves out (but only short-term) yesterday, Liverpool's board are speaking in a tone that suggests the money they will find is money they don't really want to....Newcastle are signing youth with big wage packets so need to continue success or it could catch up with them in a few seasons. I think within five years you'll see the clubs that have been cautious during the Premiership era will be the ones fighting for the trophies....

..but I guess that's just me hoping. If the board succumb to a stupid bid for Simon Davies, then that would show zero ambition. Competitive clubs do not sell their best young players to their biggest rivals.

Hoddle deserves the full five years as far as I'm concerned - give him that long to bring through his team - no manager has built his first eleven in two years, so don't expect it now.