Cheap at less than half the price

So, we're back on the market again - only now the asking price is £100m, £300m less than it was last year. Given the knock-down price, presumably there will be some interest this time - but back before Christmas we were at least a Premier League club.

Making the announcement, Fat Mike took the opportunity for some more public self-flagellation: "It has been catastrophic for everybody. I've lost my money and I've made terrible decisions. Now I want to sell it as soon as I can." There was also another explicit apology: "I put my money into it and I tried my best. But I accept my best was woefully short. I am genuinely sorry for everybody about what has happened." All fine and well grovelling now, Mike, but the horse has not so much bolted as galloped a few hundred miles away so don't expect much forgiveness or sympathy to come your way.

In a statement released this evening, Wor Al commented: "I fully understand Mike Ashley's decision to sell the club as he feels it's now in the best interest of the club and the fans." Shearer's own position is still far from clear - verbal, financial and legal wrangling seems to be ongoing, with him displaying an intriguing grasp of nuance and semantics to claim of his meeting with Fat Mike and Llambiarse: "I made no demands but there were obvious conditions". He's predicted everything will be resolved "by the end of the week" - I'd like to think he'll stay, but but the longer things drag on the less likely that appears.

(Incidentally, nice to see Fat Mike referred to as "the American" in the BBC's report on the statement (though no doubt this will have been corrected by the time you click on the link). I could have sworn it was a Cockney mafia we were complaining about, not an American gangster...)