The Inside Man

• Impatient Thaksin Shinawatra has privately given Sven-Göran Eriksson two more seasons to win something, otherwise the madcap Thai will consider replacing him at Manchester City.

• Despite claims to the contrary, Sky's Soccer Saturday presenter Jeff Stelling is not the neutral observer that he seems on a packed day of football. Sources close to Stelling revealed to me this week that Jeff owns a pair of Hartlepool United pyjamas. Meanwhile, it is rumoured that Phil Thompson once played for one of the three Merseyside clubs, and Matt Le Tissier is apparently a true-blue Pompey fanatic behind the scenes.

• Is it just me or have Rotherham's recent financial troubles come on the back of their decision to stop sponsoring the famous football yearbook? You can't buy publicity like that.

• I have it on good authority from a UEFA insider that 16 leading European football bodies are planning to meet up in central Europe this summer for a three week conference, but Brian Barwick and the FA have not been invited. Why? My investigations continue...

• A mole in the Leeds United boardroom has sensationally lifted the lid on the scenes that followed the club learning that their points deduction appeal had failed. The revelations include news that chairman Ken Bates was "unhappy" on hearing the news.

THIS WEEK'S UNNECESSARY, CORRUPT, SORDID, THROBBING , WICKED RUMOUR: Which manager, who likes a full-ham, once spent time in(ter) Milan and was cuckoo about Toblerone (in Switzerland), has been unable to clear his cold for the last 15 years, and is now using homeopathic remedies that have no basis in scientific fact? Some might say that his illicit use of a Vicks Inhaler Stick on the side would show he is "hodging" his bets.

APOLOGY: Contrary to previously stated, the following people have not, at any time, been known to 'fly the rainbow flag': John Jensen, Doug Ellis, Clive Allen, Jason Cundy and Justin Fashanu. Sorry lads.