A TRIPLE WHAMMY ?

Once again the by now discredited honours system has brought the game into disrepute.  I have always been suspicious of it as a system and each year it throws up yet more examples of how out of touch it really is.

Now I`m the first to say that of course there are many, many examples of honours being bestowed on people who richly deserve them - the countless numbers who diligently perform their roles in the common good and - perhaps less so - those who bring a little comfort and joy into our lives through their excellence in representing the country in the field of entertainment or the world of sport.

And yet every time the honours are announced there are cases which really do defy belief.  The latest is, of course, the Knight of the Garterhood bestowed on Tony Blair.  I can only assume that it has been granted in recognition of his services to illegal military operations which caused the loss of life to so many and inflicted untold suffering on many many more.  You really couldn`t make it up.

But more than that, maybe he has also been `honoured` for his role in bestowing a knighthood on former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.  It came on the back of United`s famous success in winning three competitions in the same season and was encouraged by the belief in Downing Street at the time that it would be good news for Blair to be associated with United`s success, despite the fact that the reputation of their manager was founded on sour faced Caledonian aggression and an almost total disregard for the way the game should be played and represented.  Maybe there are parallels between the two?

It`s been interesting to witness the outpourings of homage to Ferguson in the last few days as he joins the ranks of us octogenarians.  Old Trafford has gone bonkers in its adulation for its former bruiser who seems to have become a permanent fixture in and around the club in the mistaken belief that his presence is in any way helpful. 

So, the honours system has delivered a triple whammy - the system itself of course coupled with the examples of Blair and Ferguson   which confirms that the system as it stands sinks deeper into irrelevance as time goes by.  It has reached the stage whereby I am heartily relieved not to have been recognised for doing anything out of the ordinary;  I`ll just settle for my deserved bronze life-saving medal, my refereeing medals and my lifelong membership of the Tufty Club.