Gooner Lloyd makes a pact with Red Devils

The duplicitous worlds of media and politics often vie for pole position in the Champions League of Double-Dealers. But in the world of football, true supporters never switch allegiance according to the fashion of the day. Unless, of course, the supporters come from the duplicitous worlds of media and politics.

Just one year after his team secured the double, avid Arsenal fan Sir Nicholas Lloyd, ex-Express editor and PR supremo, must have been forced by his friend, the Manchester United supporting Mirror Group chairman Victor Blank, to fly by private jet to Barcelona to watch Fergie’s boys get lucky. Most self- respecting Gooners could hardly bring themselves to turn on the TV.

Also in Barcelona, Burnley supporter Alastair Campbell, alongside Sports Minister and Chelsea man Tony Banks. Some clubs really should review members’ credentials.><“it’s not rocket science,” cry marketing directors worldwide. “Oh yes it is,” retorts computer games manufacturer Eidos Interactive.

For Eidos has hired a team of Nasa scientists and Stanford University Phd students to develop its first range of games for the hotly anticipated, and supposedly vastly superior, PlayStation II.

Apparently games for the new souped-up console will be more difficult to produce than those for the existing PlayStation, hence the involvement of the egg-heads at Nasa.

The Diary can almost hear the Nasa boffin pillow-talk: “How’s the Mars shuttle mission coming on, dear?”

“Well, actually honey, I’m designing the new ‘Lara Croft for President’ computer game for Eidos…”