Sir John loses out at match point

Date: 25/09/1997

Sir John Hall, former chairman of the UK football team

Newcastle United, was by all accounts a busy man last week.

Too busy, it seems, to fulfil a long-standing commitment to attend the Committee of the Regions (CoR) forum in Brussels on 'Sport, a vehicle for the identity of regions and cities'.

First reports suggested that Hall, who had just resigned as chairman of the club, could not be at the event because he was unwell. This was followed by speculation that he had been kept away by 'car trouble'.

It was hardly surprising, therefore, that the sight of Sir John at a home match between Newcastle United and Barcelona that evening raised a few eyebrows. Hall's aides explained later that their boss was too busy “entertaining officials” at the match to attend the forum.

But Pasqual Maragall, president of the CoR and coincidentally mayor of Barcelona, made sure he was at the forum. Clearly talking about sport is more important to some than watching it.