Allegiances are for life in football, I mean fans never change the team they support, be it borne out of total devotion, or from gentle “persuasion” from an older relative, the team you chose is yours for life. Right? All well and true you may say, but at this time of year, those allegiances get slightly blurred. A look at the latest Premiership fixtures will show you what I mean. Take the Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United game on bank holiday Monday

Mitsuko Emmerson won her fourth Gross medal in four months, firmly establishing her monopoly on the monthly tournament at Emirates Golf Club. Playing on the Majlis Course, Mitsuko uncharacteristically recorded bogey on all the par-fives but still came home with 81, tied with recently crowned Ladies Club Champion Jacqui Barry but two double-bogeys in three holes on the back-9 gave the countback to Mitsuko as she continues her domination of the 2006 medals

Renault have boosted Giancarlo Fisichella's hopes of winning in front of his home fans at Imola on Sunday by giving the Italian a more powerful engine than his team-mate Fernando Alonso. Fisichella, equal second in the formula one standings after three rounds, races in Sunday's San Marino grand prix. The championship leader Alonso, winner at Imola last year on his way to the title, must continue with the engine that powered him to victory in Australia on April 2

Never mind the Guineas trial, the Abernant Stakes or the maiden events, the race at Newmarket yesterday that spoke most clearly about the sport's medium- and long-term future was the five-furlong contest for juveniles. The favourite was Chief Editor, to be ridden by Derek Nolan, who claims 5lb. That meant that Nolan had to weigh out at 8st 7lb - yet when he emerged into the paddock, he was taller than plenty of the owners and trainers

A hectic summer schedule that sees Bryan Adams and Jose Carreras grace the Galpharm Stadium appears increasingly likely to include a play-off semi-final on its undercard. With little to play for but a win bonus, Chesterfield showed commendable powers of motivation to reduce the home side's chances of automatic promotion

Easter Saturday, and I'm on the slow train from Manchester to London. Turns out they are all slow; a tribute to our Virgin's consistency (Branson, not Mary). I'm feeling melancholic. Manchester United have drawn at home to Sunderland making a fool of my dreams. Anyway, as a City fan what pleasure could I have derived from United toppling Chelsea? And City? We've lost six on the trot - at least we keep breaking records. As for Chelsea, I reckon I have been unfair

Paul Jewell was welcomed to the Premiership with a firm handshake and a patronising platitude from David O'Leary last summer. "I hope you stay up," said the Aston Villa manager who, in fairness, was probably articulating the thoughts of most of his peers at a pre-season gathering of the country's finest coaches. "I hope you do too," came the withering reply. Today, only Jewell no longer hopes for salvation

It was billed for months as the game that would finally decide which of these Yorkshire rivals would be automatically promoted to the Premiership. When last night's derby finally arrived there was nothing left for either side to play for - but that did stop not Neil Warnock, the Sheffield United manager, from rather ruining his own promotion party by being sent to the stands by the referee, Graham Poll, after an argument with his former assistant and opposite number Kevin Blackwell

Two years ago Ludovic Giuly limped away from the Champions' League final. Then captain of Monaco, he had played with an injury but lasted just 23 minutes. From the sidelines he watched Jose Mourinho's Porto dismantle his team. Last night Giuly was given the unenviable task of filling Lionel Messi's boots. He responded with the clinically taken 57th-minute goal which earned Barcelona a significant first-leg advantage in this semi-final of the titans

Microsoft has recently announced that the company will sponsor the cutting-edges video games showcase World Cyber Games through 2008, providing Windows and Xbox 360 software, hardware and marketing support. Three pan-regional upcoming championships - the Korean Championship, the USA Championship and the Grand Finals in Monza, Italy (October 18-22) - will thus benefit form this sponsorship, as the Korean-based International Cyber Marketing Inc