Attendances at English Premier League games are down by an average of 920 fans per game this season, according to an investigation by the Daily Telegraph.
The biggest losers are Newcastle, with a drop-off of 4,631 fans per game with Sunderland also badly hit at 3,010 down. Blackburn, Everton and Wigan all suffered drops of more than 1,000.
The league average is almost 1,000-a-week down from last season's 50-year record of 36,076 though this season's figure is slightly distorted after Manchester United's home game with Fulham in August was postponed due to Super Cup commitments.
Nevertheless, even United are feeling the pinch of the global economic crisis having failed to sell out Old Trafford's 76,180 seats for any game this season.
Marseille to face Gerrard charge
UEFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against Marseille after Liverpool's Steven Gerrard was hit by a cigarette lighter during the sides' Champions League meeting on Wednesday.
European soccer's governing body said yesterday that the French club would be charged with the throwing of missiles by their supporters at the next meeting of UEFA's disciplinary body on Dec. 11.
Gerrard scored the only goal of Liverpool's 1-0 Group D victory to send the Premier League side into the competition's knock-out stages.
Sunderland to offload players
Sunderland expect to see more players leaving the Premier League club than arriving in the January transfer window, chairman Niall Quinn told Sky Sports News.
"I think it is no secret that we are top heavy with players here," he said.
"There will probably be more outs than ins but if there is a touch of quality to be had somewhere and we think it's really good for the club then we are in a position to do that too," added Quinn.
Manager Roy Keane has rung the changes after keeping the Black Cats in the Premier League last season, signing eight players permanently as well as Djibril Cisse on loan.
Kinnear stays until end of season
Joe Kinnear has had his contract as Newcastle manager extended until the end of the season, the Premier League club said yesterday.
Kinnear, 61, was appointed interim manager at the club after Kevin Keegan resigned in September.
Newcastle are 18th in the standings and have only three league victories this season.
"We have a big challenge ahead of us for the rest of the season but together I'm confident we will make good progress," Kinnear said in a statement.
The former Nottingham Forest and Wimbledon boss has helped steady the ship at St James' Park and a number of players had already called for Kinnear to be handed the job on a more permanent basis.
Inzaghi - Euro goal king
Milan seemed heading for defeat at Fratton Park when Portmouth took a 2-0 lead in a UEFA Cup group match on Thursday night. However, a Ronaldinho free-kick and a Pippo Inzaghi goal late on saved the Rossoneri.
Inzaghi had struck the woodwork three times before finding the net. His goal again put him in front in the European goal record list on 65, one better off than Real Madrid's Raul.
"I was starting to think it could be a jinxed night after hitting the post twice and the bar," Inzaghi told reporters.
"But I kept believing to the end because I felt really good physically and the gods of football rewarded me in the 93rd minute. To overtake Raul with a goal that secures qualification is something extra... Europe is a special stage for us."
Cavenaghi keen on Spurs move
Argentine striker Fernando Cavenaghi is interested in a move to Tottenham Hotspur in January after French daily L'Equipe reported the London side could try to sign him from Bordeaux.
"This is a great club and the Premier League is the best league in Europe. So, obviously, I would be interested. If Tottenham double my wage I leave," Cavenaghi was quoted as saying by the paper.
However, Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud will not even contemplate the departure of Cavenaghi.
"For us, the question of Cavenaghi's departure this winter is not even being asked," he said.
"I have heard no news from his agent since June."
Wenger has the money to spend
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has the money to spend on new signings in January, club chairman Peter Hill-Wood said. The Gunners are risking falling off the pace in the Premier League, having already conceded five defeats.
Wenger prefers to develop young players than spend but the fans have called for Wenger to bolster his squad.
"He certainly has money if he wants to spend it," Hill-Wood said.
"There have been suggestions we keep stopping him from buying but that is not the case. He's very sensible with the way he approaches the transfer market, he's not going to buy anybody just because the press or fans say he should."