Griff

He played in the 1989 Second Division Premiership Final for us. I saw him only two or three months ago - no hint then of what might happen.

Sheffield Eagles have a number of tickets available in Block 509 at Wembley for the Challenge Cup Final. These are in the Warrington ‘end’ of Wembley and are category 5 tickets. These are priced at just £25 for Adults and £20 for Concessions, a saving of £10 and £5 respectively. You can buy these online here: http://sheffieldeaglesshop.co.uk/tickets/2016-challenge-cup-final.html with first class postage just £1. Best of luck in the Final from everyone at the Eagles!

Still - it's all been great publicity, hasn't it ?

There's a few got to the last 16 - Egremont spring to mind for some reason - don't think anyone's got further. Twelve Apostles might have done better with a full team.

Buried in last week's Budget was a statement that HMRC was inviting submissions on the withdrawal of the special tax treatment for the sporting testimonial. Does this mean the end of the traditional Testimonial season - or will they continue ?

That's a fair point and I'm sure the exemptions will be in place for properly structured charities. Are you aware of any examples of charitable Testimonials outside major soccer clubs ?

There are a few effects. Firstly, you won't need RFL approval to have a Testimonial. Anyone can have one. I can have one. You can have one. Secondly, the consequence of that is that the Testimonial might lose its cachet and Testimonials in general might make less money. Thirdly, the player doesn't need a Testimonial Committee. He can run it himself.

I'm not a Fev supporter, pal. Though they are my local club and I have a lot of friends there.

I must have misunderstood the bit where you said "get them on loan .... [and] you have to pay for them. Nor are they necessarily free gratis on DR. They may be, they may not be. It's up to the clubs to agree.

Fev ? I've no recent information, I'm afraid.

No, that's not so. The "receiving" club has to pay whatever's agreed. Could be more, could be less. Furthermore, it's not paid to the player through the PAYE system, it's paid to the club holding his original registration, + VAT. It's a bit like hiring a plumber. You don't pay the plumber a wage, you pay his employers.

Ryan Giggs has just announced getting £1m from his third Testimonial game. In all fairness, taxi drivers and catering workers don't get a big wedge but they get taxed on the tips they get. Well, in theory, anyway.

Has he ever played soccer ? The game's so well covered on video these days that "simulation" has become a two-edged sword.

How's George Flanagan's nose ?

10 apiece. Anyone able to confirm that Brown had already scored before Sam Scott touched down?

Widnes 3 Sheffield 0 - about 2001. The game was played in a swimming pool with a bar of soap. Well it looked like it from my position in the stand, any road.

Au contraire. I like it. Owt could happen for one play. What's the problem ?

Looked fairly mild to me.

These offers are all discriminatory and wouldn't stand up in court if anyone cared to challenge them.

I can't do with spin. Div 3 it is.

Plan 9 from Outer Space. Classic B movie stuff. Done on a budget of 4/11. In old money - just in case young people don't recognize the format.

Hey - it's all been a bit of a shambles, but I don't think it's been changed. I'm still not clear who wins Div 2, though. I'm assuming that it's the top team after 23 games.

I take it you get £1m for winning the Million Pound Match ?

One year, some bloke got injured in the first minute. They'd kicked off at 11.15 pm and they were still in the first minute at midnight. Obvs a fairly unusual and unfortunate scenario but - sadly - that was the first time I'd stopped up to watch it and to say it put me off a bit is an understatement.