Man Utd chief executive nutmegs City

Football club plcs are increasingly concerned that their financial figures will clash with their football results. This worry delayed Manchester United deciding when to deliver its annual results until after its successful passage to the semi-finals of the European Champions Cup. The favoured time was in the week beginning 7 April, but with the first leg of the semi-final scheduled for 9 April, either the 8 or the 10 would not have been very helpful.

In the event the figures were produced on the 7, giving chief executive Martin Edwards time to fly to Dortmund after delivering his message to the City, while analysts could digest the numbers before worrying about whether the club was likely to gain an extra u10m by qualifying for the final.