ENGLAND'S hooligan element will be all dressed up with nowhere to go this summer as Euro 2008 goes ahead without them, so it's just as well cable channel, Bravo, continues to show programmes like Lee Sharpe's Hooligan Hall of Shame to keep them occ
upied.
Former Manchester United favourite, 'Sharpey', whose TV career took off after rejecting the advances of presenter Jayne Middlemiss and cosying up to, er, Abi Titmuss instead on Celebrity Love Island, takes viewers through an international top ten of countries bedevilled by crowd violence and hooliganism. England, given an exemption, were not included.
The 'top' spot went to Honduras and El Salvador after the infamous clash that sparked the "100-hours war" in 1969, with dishonourable mentions also for Italy, Germany, Turkey, Portugal, Poland, the former Yugoslavia, Russia, Argentina, Colombia and the Netherlands.
In an odd kind of way, however, it made a refreshing change from Bravo's top geezer, Danny Dyer, "giving it large" and swaggering his way around the world in a Crombie jacket in The Real Football Factories.
Beeb ain't wot it used to beTHE British Broadcasting Corporation may have been founded on a strict adherence to the English language, but the internet era appears to have forced a complete rewrite of the rulebook.
Take the homepage of the BBC's excellent online sports service yesterday ... sitting proudly on the home page, as bold as brass, was a web link to a video trailer captioned: "Stubbsy snubs Lawro for Becks."
Complaints should be addressed to: Mark 'Thommo' Thompson, top dog, The Beeb, Big Smoke.
Indycar rolls out red carpetAMERICAN motorsport is proving to be a magnet for celebrities, with Paul Newman, Jason Priestley and George Foreman among the regulars on the Indycar circuit.
Talk-show host David Letterman has also been working with former Indy 500 winner, Bobby Rahal, for years, while Newman and Carl Haas formed their first IndyCar team in 1982 and began competing a year later.
"I like it because there are no critics, no lawyers, no agents," said Beverly Hills 90210 actor Priestley, now a co-owner of Rubicon Race Team.
TALES FROM THE TABS: JEFFERIES ALL HEART?JIM Jefferies is top of the Hearts shortlist in the club's search for a new manager, according to the Sun.
Yesterday's back-page splash claimed that after failing in their bid to prise Mark McGhee from his post at Motherwell, the Hearts board had identified the current Kilmarnock – and former Tynecastle – manager, Jefferies as "one man who could unite players and fans – and help lead the club out of turmoil".
Jefferies spent the bulk of his playing career at Hearts and famously led the club to Scottish Cup glory in 1998.
'GERS SEBO JOY' was the somewhat cruel back-page headline in yesterday's Daily Record, as it was reported that Ibrox flop, Filip Sebo, is to be offloaded to French side Valenciennes for £1million.
Sebo, signed for £1.8million by Paul Le Guen, failed to get near justifying his price tag while at Rangers, and has been on loan with Valenciennes this season. Walter Smith will welcome any transfer fee generated from the sale of Sebo to add to his summer transfer kitty.
