IT IS about time that the British sporting public got a say in where our money goes.

As literally billions of pounds of publicly-generated funds are being spent on the 2012 London Olympics, we sit helpless without an influence on how we would like our hard-earned pennies employed.

I must admit I am not entirely sure how sports funding works – which is probably a deliberate ploy on the part of the powers that be.

But wouldn’t it be fun if we could say where the cash from our income tax – and what we fritter away on a weekly basis on the lottery – was directed?

I already have strong ideas where I would like to see my money spent, and who would not get anywhere near it.

For a start the England Hockey Board can have a decent slice of my brass after the national side won through to the last four of the men’s World Cup in India.

Equally the rowers and cyclists who have had continued success over recent Olympics and world championships are also deserving.

But just how does funding work?

A bit of quick research does not really help roll away the clouds surrounding this issue.

Apparently the England Hockey Board secured £11.5m backing for the four-year period from April 2009, while cycling appears to have received around £17.5m over the past three-year period which has been stunningly successful, and rowing is reportedly now Britain’s best-funded Olympic sport with £27.5m of backing thanks to consistent victories at the top level.

Compare these figures with the £59.7m I saw quoted in one report that is allegedly spent on tennis in this country each year.

Now to be fair, other reports suggest the figure tennis receives is nearer £30m, but all the same whatever my contribution is to this I would like it rescinded immediately.

How can a high-profile sport continue to justify such spending when the national team can’t even beat Lithuania in the Davis Cup?

Pathetic!

While other sports try to raise Britain’s profile, those charged with promoting tennis seem happy to live with the fact that the last time we had a genuine winner in the sport was a guy from Stockport in the 1930s – and let’s face it Fred Perry’s T-shirts continue to be more successful than any of our players right up to date.

Defeat in Lithuania – to a team made up of teenagers who have so little top-flight experience that they probably still get excited that there are free soft drinks on offer between every other round – means the British squad are now one more slip-up away from being placed in a group with Andorra, San Marino and Montenegro.

The common theme between that trio is that they are all mountainous countries, so on winning the toss you will be asked if you want to play the first game with or against the slope and players will notice that the overwhelming majority of the ball boys (or girls) will be congregated at one end of the court.

If I am going to have my cash spent on tennis then I want to put down a marker on the LTA not calling the team Great Britain, until they can assure us there will be something tangibly great about what they are sending out onto the court.

THE Rugby League Challenge Cup’s fourth round draw has pitted Sheffield Eagles against Wigan.

For many this evokes memories of arguably the biggest ever cup giant-killing as the men from the Steel City turned over the mighty Cherry and Whites in the Wembley of 1998 – Eagles skipper Mark Aston and prop forward Paul Broadbent are pictured above with the trophy.

In the style of the Examiner nostalgia supplement and columns that run each week, I would like to ask readers to send in their recollections of this great moment.

That is not particularly because I really want to hear what Huddersfield RL fans thought of the event, but because at the time I had a couple of mates who were playing at amateur club Siddal and we were backing the Eagles because one Johnny Lawless, a product of the Exley club, was starring for Sheffield.

And the lashings of ginger beer we had in celebration wiped my memory of the entire game and final score – so any help to fill the gaps would be appreciated.

JUST for a change I thought I would use part of this column for one of those magazine-style surveys.

All you have to do is answer the questions, then tot up how many a, b or c answers you give and you can work out whether you are up to sports management at international level.

Question 1 – You are handed the opportunity to have an influence on a top Great Britain sporting team, do you:

A: Determine that you are going to make Team GB the best in the world and keep them there?

B: Enthusiastically put together a team that will help Great Britain compete and have a good chance of success in coming years?

C: Realise that this sport hasn’t had any real success for years, accept you are on the gravy train and put your feet up knowing you can do no worse?

Question 2 – Your team face an important international cup-tie which you should win hands down, do you:

A: Insist that all your top players are available and wipe the floor with the opposition?

B: Accept you are missing a few key players, but still motivate the team to come up with the expected victory?

C: Start handing out excuses before the tie has even started and lower morale within the camp to the point where your unlikely defeat becomes almost inevitable?

Question 3 – Your sport reportedly has annual funding of somewhere between £30m-£60m, do you:

A: Ensure a scheme is put in place so that the top players at all levels are given the best chance to succeed?

B: Put the facilities in place so that from the grassroots up your sport has the best chance of producing a winning formula for years to come?

C: Blow the whole lot on Pimms No1, authentic traditional cloudy lemonade and strawberries and cream?

If you answered mainly A then you are a go-ahead type who ought to be given a shot at making Britain great.

If you answered mainly B then you have the commonsense approach that promises Great Britain the chance of success in future years.

If you answered mainly C then congratulations! You are already employed by the English Lawn Tennis Association!