BILLY BUNTER

Weblog: The football punter

Bradford brawl may impact on weekend matches

I KNOW it’s wrong to wallow in some of the bad things in life but I confess, I have occasionally glanced across the hard shoulder at a road accident.

I’ve also tuned into watch Miranda Hart – while channel-hopping I hasten to add – so I’m sure I’ll go to hell. I actually thought it was some sort of documentary; I had no idea it was a comedy.

Now I’m drawn to the closing stages of the Bradford versus Crawley match on Tuesday night. The text ticker reads: “90.00 – the game is over as the referee blows his whistle.” Game over? Not by a long chalk. That’s when the fun and games started with proper punches being thrown and not the usual handbags which have always tended to be the weapon of choice whenever there’s a skirmish.

Anyway, forget the voyeuristic side to all of this – I’m thinking about the coming weekend and getting an edge. I’m trying to work out how many players Bradford and Crawley are going to have missing for their respective League Two assignments at Plymouth and Burton. I’ll certainly have a bit of the 5-4 Argyle and Burton looked overpriced at 4-1 anyway.

The pre-planning policy is because I can’t be bothered expending too much grey matter on tonight’s Europa League card which doesn’t feature any British interest. British? Who am I kidding. Did anyone expect Glentoran, Neath or Rangers to still be involvedat this stage? Well, Glentoran or Neath.

What I meant is that there’s no English interest although that actually gives me a clue. Athletic Bilbao were excellent against Manchester United and can avoid defeat at Schalke while Man City’s conquerors, Sporting, should see off Metalist at home.