Scally focuses on exclusion zone in media war

You would think that Paul Scally, the chairman of Gillingham, would be full of the joys of summer, embracing fans and local followers of the club alike. His side, after all, romped to a 5-0 win at home to Preston last weekend and went straight to the top of the First Division. You'd be wrong.

Not content with taking what is believed to be the longest-ever ban by a football club on a media organisation (the local newspaper, Kent Today) into its third season, Scally has now barred the chairman of the Gillingham Supporters' Club, Alan Liptrott, from home games. Scally is also seeking to extend his general powers of exclusion across the country. Yesterday he asked Sheffield United not to allow Kent Today access to Bramall Lane this afternoon and he has written to other clubs asking them to ban the paper too. It will be interesting to see whether Gillingham's manager, Andy Hessenthaler, will refuse to do any post-match press interviews if Kent Today turn up. The Football League is looking into the matter, apparently unimpressed. While Scally can ban who he pleases from his own ground, taking his revenge mission elsewhere is not something that will be welcomed.

The background to the dispute with Kent Today was an article in the paper a couple of years ago in which Scally was misquoted. The paper printed a front-page apology at the time but has been banned from the Priestfield Stadium ever since. The person who wrote the piece does not even work for the paper any more, but that has not stopped Scally excluding its chief football writer, Tony Hudd. Reporters still go to all matches (incognito at home) while photographers take pictures at Priestfield Stadium games from the roof of a building adjacent to the ground.

Scally's beef with Liptrott, a 55-year-old telephone engineer, is that his organisation, Gillingham Supporters' Club (from which Liptrott resigned as chairman last week, because his ban has not been rescinded), is not an official club body. Scally says it sounds like one and wants the group to change its name: to one that he agrees with, although it is independent. Until the Supporters' Club changes its name, Liptrott's ban stays.

Scally also wants Liptrott to hand over the internet domain name, gillinghamfc.co.uk, to the club, despite the fact that a) Gillingham FC already has its own official website with a different address, and b) Liptrott happens to be the legal registered owner of the gillinghamfc site. "If he lifts my ban, I'll give him the thing, and for free," Liptrott told us yesterday. "But I expect him to recognise us, the Supporters' Club. And let us sponsor players and matches." Scally will not, apparently, take the group's money so that players' shirts can be sponsored by GSC.

"The whole thing's ridiculous," said Liptrott. "I've done nothing wrong and all I want to do is get my season ticket back."

DID YOU become a parent at 3pm or later last Saturday afternoon? If you did, and can prove it by Monday, then the newest member of your family could be in the running for £1,000, courtesy of Nationwide. The sponsors of the Football League are giving away the cash in the form of a new bank account for junior to celebrate the start of the new season.

In all, the first 11 babies born across the country after 3pm last Saturday will benefit from the giveaway, with one prize of £1,000 and 10 more of £100. All 11 winners will also get a babygrow in the colours of their parents favourite Nationwide team, a rattle to help show support, and a teething ring. The wags at the bank say the latter is "to help the youngster when their favourite team is up against stiff opposition." Ho ho.

If you know of anyone who had a baby in the allotted time, apply for the loot either via nationwide.co.uk or by phone, on 01652 641 662.

Next week, it is hoped, we will bring you an interview with the winner, which should go something along the lines of: "Agoo. Ahhh. Mweeeeah. Ga. Ga. Wuuuuh." In other words, it'll be every bit as erudite and incisive as anything you'll hear in dressing-rooms and press conferences up and down the country.

BOOKMAKERS, EH? One of that scurrilous bunch were this week offering a measly and pathetic 1,000-1 on Wales to win the 2002 World Cup and 500-1 on Manchester United to get relegated. Which means it is only twice as likely that Wales will pick up the trophy (and they're virtually out already) as it is that United will be playing First Division football next season. Still, it might be worth 10p on a 501,000-1 double (to win £50,000) just on the off-chance that Ryan Giggs makes the Japan/Korea fiesta the greatest ambition in his life to the exclusion of everything else, thereby losing his club form, disastrously distracting his team-mates, and taking them down. Or not.

THE HEADLINE seemed extreme but was true. 'Argelico Fucks off to Benfica', it read, telling us that Fucks, a defender with Palmeiras in Brazil, is moving to Spain. For the record, he also has a deliciously named colleague – the midfielder Chocolate – plus an aptly named team-mate who's a striker: Neto.