Ethnic cleansing at The Stadium of Liiiiiight?..... This weeks screacher feature In a move as cynical and calculated as the recent events in The Balkans, Slobbo Reidovitch has placed three of his top stars on the transfer list. Top of the list of undesirables is record signing Lee Clark along with Michael Bridges and Allan Johnstone. Who will be next? Clark, who came across the border from neighbouring Newcastle has never lost his affinity to Newcastle and his troubles began when he went to Wembley to support them in the FA Cup Final in May this year. Photographed wearing the combat gear of the Toon Army, Clark's shirt proclaimed "Sad Makem Bastards". However, rather than take it as the joke it was meant to be, the powers at SAFC have effectively sacked Clark, deeming him second rate despite paying out a record fee for the England man.

During his time at SAFC, while turning in some top class performances which earned him a place in the England squad, Clark and his family have been subjected to a tirade of abuse from the club and fans alike. All this, while trying to learn a decent living in a neighbouring land. Is it any wonder that, in a moment of relaxation, he should make a dig at his tormentors? The parallels to the Balkan Crisis do not end there. Clearly, the efforts of the Government in Belgrade to rid themselves of Albanians in Kosovo brought humiliation and suffering to their country - a country already falling behind their neighbours in Europe. After the Government's efforts, the country is even further behind. The same is happening at SAFC. Instead of trying to build a team around their current stars, Slobbo Reidovitch seems determined to press the self-destruct button by putting three of his most talented players up for sale. Times must indeed be hard at the Stadium of Liiiiight where they feel it necessary to ethnically cleanse two Geordies and a Scot. How long before the other Geordies in the squad either go by their own choice or are made to feel unwanted? While the neighbouring Toon Army continue to strengthen, with yet more international players providing cover for a long season of battles ahead, The Mackems seem intent on weakening their already under-strength squad. Major Reidovitch is showing as much accumen for fighting it out on the toughest battle field in Europe as his counterparts in Belgrade. Bravado is not enough, as the battle-worn heroes of Barnsley and Charlton found out to their detriment recently. Even such big names as Blackburn and Forest have lost battles at the highest level and the Smoggies had to delve deeply to strengthen their own squad after playing the yo-yo game. It seems highly likely that SAFC will struggle this season as they did last time they visited this battle field. They need some new artillery to fight the battle. But they also need some better leadership than Major Reidovitch and General Murraymint.