Pete Barrow: Thanks, but no thanks

Sep 25 2009 by Peter Barrow, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Should Henson call time on his career at 27, he will be echoing the departure of John, who bowed out at the same age.

But in 1972, and playing as an amateur, John found the demands of international rugby were taking their toll.

If Henson walks away it will not be because he is having to count the pennies.

Given his professional playing career, the endorsements that came with that and some judicious courting, pennies are not really a problem.

In fact if he does retire he could fill in the time by counting out what he has in the bank in pennies – it may take some time.

People of Wales take heart – I think Gavin will be doing fine whatever he decides!

A MUCH overhyped Manchester derby served up plenty of controversy.

Craig Bellamy’s reaction to a pitch invasion, Gary Neville’s celebrations and the amount of injury time played have all earned themselves a ludicrous level of attention when the real controversy was Sir Alex Ferguson’s remark that this was “probably the best-ever Manchester derby”.

Not enough attention has been paid to this complete aberration on the part of the knighted one and I will throw up a few examples of more classic clashes between Manchester City and that lot from Salford.

For a start in the old First Division in September of 1989 came probably the most memorable meeting at Maine Road, when the team in blue scored five and the other lot got one.

And if you want to concentrate on games at Old Trafford, then how about the 1974-75 season, when one Denis Law back-heeled the ball into the net to give City victory and help send United down.

You might be getting the idea that any kind of impartiality has gone out of the window here – and you would be right.

But all the same I do think the current obsession with making big games even bigger is not helping the game.

Bellamy and Neville simply should know better. Neither of them are kids and both have the kind of track records to know the implications of their actions – in fact when Bellamy looks back on his career he will be totting up the far too many suspensions he has served.

And fans getting over-wrought when we are in September is plain daft – the title will not be decided right now!

This season will take its course and United will continue to plot their route to another title with the efficiency that years of experience has bestowed upon them, while City – along with Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and possibly Spurs – will plot to try and dethrone them should they show any sign of weakness.