So, it’s summer and as we have already established the wheels on the rumour mill are truly going round and round. To the extent that something important actually seldom happens, leaving the genuine news barrel well and truly dry.

In an attempt to keep you lovely people entertained until that momentous day when Curbishly ends his love-affair with Louis Boa Morte, I have decided to begin a short series.

I am going to run a player by player analysis comparing this years (predicted XI) with the team of 1998-2000 who qualified in 1998 for the UEFA Cup after finishing 5th and winning the Intertoto Cup. At the end of the day, we all expect something half decent of our current team…it’s very interesting.

So here goes……..you are about to embark of a journey of relative excitement.

Read the first comparison here: Alan Curbishley and Harry Redknapp

Sam