Brian Horton run tings

I was at the Reading Festival when I heard that Brian Horton had been snaffled by Manchester City to manage in the Big League. I was as baffled as the next man (who happened to be a Blackpool and Senseless Things fan). Horton was never much loved by the Manor faithful, possibly because they were still smarting from the end of the glory years. Horton was a moderate Division 2 manager and little more, although anyone able to see into the future and the debacle of recent years would have erected a bronze statue in his name to commemorate his achievements. He did, at least, keep us at that utopian state best described as above average.

Moderate teams, of course, consist of moderate players. Therefore, who could have seen that Horton himself would spark Steve McClaren into a management career that would end with the England job? Now comes the news that Dave Penney, another from this early nineties stodgy vintage, could be lining up to take over the Under 21s. This makes Horton the current Godfather of English football, who'd have thought it? Penney was best man to Mickey Lewis at his wedding, Penney reciprocated by appointing Mickey to his backroom staff at Doncaster. If Penney does take over the Under 21s, are we to expect Theo Walcott being mentored by The Mad Dog?