Income is derived from the club’s main sponsors, BT Cellnet, together with television revenue. While Robson has outlayed £73m on players, £38m of that has returned from outgoing transfer fees “The club is healthy financially; it looks after itself. I categorise everything, and I can assure you that my football interest doesn’t impinge upon my business one. Middlesbrough Football Club has to stand on its own feet, except that our aim isn’t making money, it’s making points.

That’s our balance sheet.”Whether that turns out to be underlined with the red of relegation by season’s end is now largely in the hands of Venables, who is entrusted with team selection. Robson will still have overall responsibility for the transfer of players. Venables insists that his duties will cease, regardless, at the end of the season, leaving Robson and hopefully the club, too, in a healthier position.But has not this whole saga already reduced Robson’s status? “I know Bryan Robson better than all these critics and it hasn’t touched him at all,” declared Gibson. “I think to take a backward step will do him the world of good.

But his determination, and his dedication to the club is enormous. He will come through this, no problem.”It will make him stronger, not weaker. I think that says a lot about Bryan because, frankly, what usually happens in times of stress like this is that people immediately protect their own position He hasn’t done that Bryan said, ‘First and foremost comes the football club. I think this club needs a change, needs a fresh face and this is my recommendation.’ I thought that was a fantastic gesture.”Maybe an even more altruistic one would be for Robson to do the decent thing? Or maybe his chairman should suggest it? “Everybody knows I have a good friendship with Bryan, but that sometimes has to be left at the door,” replied Gibson. “We’re professionals in a professional business, and the club must come first. If a decision has to be made, the decision in the best interests of the club will be made.”Gibson, who was a Labour councillor at the age of 24, is also concerned about the interests of the community and 10,000 children from the most deprived areas of the town have been through a £9m scheme at the club which advised them on health issues.

“On Teesside, we have some very distressing health statistics. We teach the kids about smoking, diet, alcohol, drugs, in partnership with the police and the local health authority. We have to recognise that football has a power, and we are using it to develop responsibility for their own health among the kids. If a teacher has a kid’s attention span for a minute, a copper for 30 seconds, and me for 10 seconds, Paul Ince has it all day.”And with that, Gibson prepared to withdraw back into his world away from football. His profile unusually high during these troubled weeks, the character who lives in remote beauty on the north Yorkshire moors with his family, explained: “You have to be seen to be shoulder to shoulder during these times. I’ll look forward to a little bit of anonymity as quickly as possible.”With no more of the horrors already experienced this season? “Oh, I wouldn’t describe my time here as horrendous. I’ve been disappointed, of course, but losing football games doesn’t touch me that deeply.” You can only remind him of that image at the end of the Bradford game, and tell him he’s fooling no one..

Jarvis Astaire, the multi-millionaire business and boxing entrepreneur who was deputy chairman of Wembley stadium until it was sold off to the Football Association last year, could have been excused an “I told you so” smirk when he glanced in the direction of his old adversary Ken Bates at Stamford Bridge yesterday. Jarvis Astaire, the multi-millionaire business and boxing entrepreneur who was deputy chairman of Wembley stadium until it was sold off to the Football Association last year, could have been excused an “I told you so” smirk when he glanced in the direction of his old adversary Ken Bates at Stamford Bridge yesterday.
Chelsea fan Astaire, who argued forcefully, though unsuccessfully, against the terms of a sale which has now resulted in the so-called Superdome being shunted back to the drawing board by the FA, believes that Bates has no option but to resign as chairman of Wembley National Stadium Ltd, together with the chief executive, Bob Stubbs.”Bates may claim he has the full backing of the FA, but it is clear he has been totally humiliated,” says Astaire “He is putting on a brave face but believe me, he is crying. His ridiculously grandiose plans have gone out of the window, and if he was an honourable man he would go now.”He surely has no option, because he has been left looking like the Chelsea Village idiot. He must be seriously troubled, too, by the reflection that this débâcle has had on Chelsea.” Strong words, but Astaire never was one to pull his punches, and he says he is angry that so much time, and effort, has been lost over Wembley. “I said at the time it would all end in tears, and it has,” he added.Now he believes the FA should consult those who were involved with the old Wembley. “Hopefully they will sit down with with some people of expetrience. Only those who have had experience of what Wembley does will know accurately what is required.”One of the things you don’t need is that big arch It’s an architects’ ego trip.