Fans feeling pinch of Wembley way

WHILE everyone recalls with nostalgia that Trevor Francis was the first million-pound footballer, there may not be so many recalling with fondness in future the advent of the £10 (€14.60) match programme.

Like the price of professional players, where noughts have been added regularly to Francis’ fee in the last 30 years, the price of the cup final programme has soared similarly. Where fans handed over 3d for little more than a team sheet at the 1923 final, the first at the original Wembley, they would be staggered at the price and size of the programme 84 years later.

With ticket prices ranging from €58 to €140 for a normal supporter, and a burger, chips and a coffee leaving the average four-person family with little change from €80, turning up today is going to be an expensive outing.

Said an FA spokesperson: “It is slightly larger than A4 size, has 150 pages and is printed on very high quality paper. It is more like an annual than a matchday programme.”

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FOOTBALL fans are to press ahead with a boycott of catering outlets at the new Wembley during today’s final.

The Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF) claim the action is to protest against the distribution and cost of tickets, along with the prices of food in the stadium and final programmes.

Steve Powell, head of development for the FSF, said: “Football fans are fed up of being treated as turnstile fodder who will pay whatever they are asked, so we are asking fans to boycott catering outlets inside the stadium.”

FULL LIST OF PRICES: Brockwurst Hot Dog, £4; 5oz 100% Scottish Beef Burger with cheddar cheese and salsa, £5 (Lords £7, Twickenham £7); Bottled water, £1.80 (Emirates £1.80, Chelsea £1.60, Twickenham £2); Tea, £1.50. Coffee, £1.70; Burger meal £8; Meat pie £4.50; Hotdog £3.90; Coffee £2.50.

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WITH two irascible managers and two teams packed with incendiary players, Steve Bennett will require a cool head, diplomacy and eyes in the back of his head as today’s referee. He is no stranger to controversy.

At the 2005 Carling Cup final in Cardiff, he sent Jose Mourinho to the stands for putting his finger on his lips to quieten Liverpool fans. Neil Warnock, the recently left Sheffield United, once described Bennett as “a manufactured referee”.

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IT MIGHT have been greeted with worldwide celebrations 50 years ago but is just plain weird today. Sofia Loren says she’s going to strip if her favourite soccer team is promoted. Loren is a big fan of Napoli, who have fallen on hard times since winning their first Italian championship 20 years ago. The 72-year-old actress said: “You watch if we go up, I will do a striptease.” Napoli are third in Serie B and have five games left to force their way into the top two or face a promotion play-off.