And many happy returns . . .

PERHAPS it’s the Johnny Onion Rings.

Usually even the listless mid-Christmas lull doesn’t get us too downhearted here in Talking Sport, but we’re glum this last couple of days. There may be extenuating circumstances: at a pal’s 40th birthday party the other night the food and drink flowed, but somewhere north of 2am the packets of Johnny Onion Rings started to circulate, and your correspondent is suffering a little yet.

And perhaps that explains the dark clouds over the desk and the gloom facing into 2008. From this seat the coming 12 months may be a long, dark stormy tea-time of the soul.