IT was a win-win situation for English clubs in Athens last night with Liverpool getting to the Champions' League final.For the relatively new owners it was yet another example of just what they were getting into and wealthy American George Gillett admits to being blown away by the sheer excitement of watching Liverpool in Europe.

IT was a win-win situation for English clubs in Athens last night with Liverpool getting to the Champions' League final.

For the relatively new owners it was yet another example of just what they were getting into and wealthy American George Gillett admits to being blown away by the sheer excitement of watching Liverpool in Europe. Every time the Americans experience just what it means to be a Reds fan, and hear You'll Never Walk Alone in the way only Koppites can sing it, then it whets the appetite for other rich and competitive Yanks who will want a piece of the action.

While Gillett admits it was the bottom line figures, and huge they are too, that attracted him, both he and his son Foster, along with business partners the Hicks family, love being involved in the football atmosphere. The sooner all the Premiership clubs are bought by new investors the better it will be for the likes of Ipswich Town. Newcastle United are the next club to be swallowed up, and this is by an English guy who made his money in sport retailing. Mike Ashby has paid more than £55m for sir John Hall's 41% of shares in the Magpies and stock exchange rules means he must offer a cash bid for the remainder of the shares which are held mainly by Freddie Shepherd.

It is trickling down, with Essex property developer Russell Bartlett pairing up with Paul Duffen in a bid to buy into Hull City for £10m - maybe he will consider looking closer to home if it doesn't work out at the KC Stadium. Incidentally, expect Brian Horton to link up with Phil Brown the Tigers' manager next season as he returns to his old club as assistant boss.

As the Carlos Tevez affair rumbles on with Sheffield United desperate to get West Ham docked points, the Premier League insist they will carry on as normal and produce their fixture list on June 14.

Even though they have set up a tribunal to hear complaints about the whole affair it is unlikely anything will change and the only people to benefit will, again, be in the legal profession.

For all you footballers looking to get in a bit of rest and relaxation before your next seasons start allow me to recommend a book while you are sipping a beer from your deckchair. Simon Thadani, the fitness coach at Ipswich Town, has brought out Soccer Conditioning and it is already storming the book charts.

The tome covers every aspect of getting fit, maintaining fitness and getting the best out of each individual.

It is well worth a read and covers planning your pre-season training, basic resting, conditioning for young players and children, and training principles.

Thadani knows what he is talking about as he has been at the forefront of Town's training procedures since the year they won promotion and is a key factor in getting players at their peak at the right time and getting players back playing after injury. Published by A&C Black it is priced £14.99, but if you pick the right website you can pick it up for less.

Mark Sharman's generous offer to donate the complete adult kit he won in a competition is going well on the EADT auction site. You may have read about Mark's offer of the kit or heard about it on Radio Suffolk, and the highest bid so far is £90, all of which goes to the Somerhsam Ward Support group at Ipswich Hospital.

The site can be found at www.eadt.co.uk/auction