Never mind the season to be jolly, the old waistline seems to be taking a battering during December.

The Sunday before last it was a trip down to Southampton for the BBC South Sports awards dinner where Sussex County Cricket Club received the recognition they deserved for their exploits this summer in the shape of two awards.

What a shame they weren't acknowledged in a similar fashion during the main BBC awards show on Sunday.

Then last Monday it was auction time at Albion's Christmas party which was a superb night. The following day I did the auction for Worthing FC at their raceday at Fontwell.

I rounded the week off on Thursday with my annual Christmas visit to Hove Greyhounds Stadium. When I got on a 'speak your weight' machine on Friday morning it said: 'One at a time please.'

Dick Knight, like the rest of us, clearly enjoyed the Albion party, hitting the dance floor in a routine that can best be described as making Mick Jagger look like a shrinking violet. And why shouldn't he?

John Prescott's decision on Falmer is only a month or so away and then the next chapter in Albion's history can begin. Which in a strange way makes me admire the resolve of a certain member of the anti-Falmer brigade.

He is first and foremost an Albion fan and has been for a very long time, but he also lives in Falmer village and that clearly has given him a different perspective on the whole issue.

We live in a democracy so he is entitled to his opinion, but I wonder when he will realise, a bit like the Dutch boy with his finger in the dyke, that enough is enough?

In his opinion Prescott will throw the Falmer Stadium plans out because of the location of the site and the logistics surrounding it, and even if he doesn't he thinks it will go for a judicial revue and that Albion will still be at Withdean in ten years time.

As much as I like the man, and will always have time for him, I have got to say I think he's wrong and look forward to the day when he, being the honest man that he is, will finally admit it and take his seat in the Mike Bamber Stand at the 'New Goldstone' at Falmer.

After an emphatic victory in the Manchester derby, the red half of the city, or at least those that actually live there, will have the bragging rights until the return fixture in the City of Manchester Stadium.

Things appear to be looking up for United who are going well in the Premiership and are in the last 16 of the Champions League.

What could possibly go wrong?

Well if anything does it will have nothing to do with football.

Rock of Gibraltar could end up being United's answer to the iceberg that sunk the unsinkable Titanic.

It appears with some people that they can never have too much money. They may be financially secure but they just don't know when to stop. In my opinion Sir Alex Ferguson is just such a person.

To enter into an expensive legal contest against the Rock's majority owner John Magnier is bad enough, but it's made ten times worse by the fact that he is also a major shareholder in Manchester United.

In short, Fergie is locking horns with one of his bosses. As far as proper legal advice goes, has Fergie had any?

From the outside looking in Fergie is in a lose-lose situation. If he 'wins' I think he really had better think about clearing his desk because things at United will never be the same again. And if he loses things will probably never be the same again anyway but not only will he be humiliated in the courts but also hit in the pocket.

And, as this whole episode is basically down to the old greenbacks, to quote the words of the late, great wrestling commentator Kent Walton" "He certainly won't like that!"