The football league table was invented in 1873 by Ronnie League-Table, after whom it was named. And every week Ronnie would sit down, at 5 o’clock on Saturday, when ALL that week’s games were over, with a quill and an abacus, and perform his calculations for the teams’ positions. But now its different. Not only are matches played virtually every day, but they also use the ‘as it stands’ table. Which updates with every goal scored. So even though matches aren’t over and winning teams can still lose or draw, until that happens, they have their precise position, as it stands.

This picture is the one from yesterday, just after Harry Kane scored Spurs goal at West Brom. The photo arrived from Spurs Paul with the message: STOP THE COUNT!!!!

If only. Unfortunately it was merely a snapshot, and 28 minutes later Leicester scored at Wolves and ‘as it stood’ went top of the league. Where they are now.

But football matches are much more important than presidential elections. And no amount of law suits can alter the league table. I’ve tried. On grounds of diminished responsibility. Pleas of mitigation. Based on morality, when Chelsea or Manchester City are involved, obviously. But the courts aren’t interested. Football has its own ‘court system’ anyway and its called VAR. Unfortunately it is total shite and not worth the cost of the tv screen.

Liverpool played after Spurs and could have gone top with a win at Man City. But it wasn’t to be. Even though Etihad Airlines sponsor the video refs. In cash. And City duly won a really dodgy penalty but amazingly the never-failing Kevin De Bruyne actually failed to score it. But the draw was sufficient to keep Liverpool below Spurs. Even though Leicester’s match had by then finished and they were top.

Yet the best was yet to come. I didn’t watch it because I would never spend 15 quid on pay-per-view to watch Arsenal. In case they won. However, they didn’t win. They rather catastrophically, rather beautifully, rather… wonderfully, managed to lose 3-nil to Aston Villa. Who I noted, when I did see hilights later on BBC FOR FREE!!!, were just brilliant. And played… well, played like Arsenal once did, all speed of attack and fabulous, flowing, one-touch wonder. And Ollie Watkins. The ‘kid’ who’d put three past Liverpool, yesterday scored 2 against Arsenal. Bless him. Until he scores against Spurs.

Ahhhh, delightful Monday. Because for those 28 minutes, I was living the dream. Its time to ‘believe’!!!!

A xxxx