It’s been a funny week in football, with talk of fights between managers and players, a lacklustre end to the Champions League matches and more talk of clubs in financial peril. It’d be foolish and potentially libellous for us to talk about what went on at Stoke and QPR earlier in the week, but in terms of an ingenious imagining of what could’ve possibly happened, you can’t beat the latest cartoon created by the chaps at Studs Up. And that’s all we’re going to say on the matter!

After all the talk of anger, it’s good to hear some silliness as we move towards the weekend. In his latest column for the Mirror in which he looks back at footballer’s Christmas parties, Robbie Savage has admitted that he once played the role of Snow White during his time as an apprentice at Manchester United – with David Beckham as a dwarf! Dirty Tackle do a fine Photoshop job showing what it could have all looked like here.

Also involving Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson has mentioned this week that three of the clubs longest serving players  – Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville – are all doing their coaching badges with a view to moving into management. Over at Who Ate All The Pies, they’re currently running a poll to decide which of the three will fare the best in management, complete with more cut ‘n’ paste Photoshop action. Any other players that you think could make it in management?

Up in Scotland, there’s been plenty of talk about football finest, with the Old Firm clubs in particular feeling the effects of having to tighten their belts. This could have a positive effect on Scottish football though, suggests The Guardian in this article, with Hibernian and Dundee United pushing Rangers and Celtic at the top of the league so far this season. It would certainly be interesting to see what would happen if either of these clubs were to finish higher in the league than the two Glasgow clubs.

Apparent wealth hasn’t really helped in League 2 so far this season however, with Notts County sitting in the play off positions whilst Rochdale sit at the top of the league with an impressive squad cobbled together on a tight budget. The always insightful twohundredpercent looks into the news that County have been put up for sale again here, a sober read for any lower division fan who dreams of big money investment. Back at The Guardian, this excellent read from John Ashdown explains how Rochdale are trying to gain promotion whilst balancing the books, after spending 35 years in the same division. That’s a long time to spend in the bottom division, so I’m sure plenty of us wish them the best in trying to get out of there.

And finally, that picture at the top is taken from the toilet doors here at Umbro House. You can see more shots of our extremely swish offices over at the Flickr stream. Talk about losing his head…