For all the joy of mass participation when it comes to raising competitive standards it is not

For all the joy of mass participation, when it comes to raising competitive standards, it is not just about creating an interest in the game then filling expensive seats with that interest.Rather than "hundreds of development schemes" run by disparate bodies, a streamlined system with more expertise is the need. It looks like good news, assuming English clubs are still taking on English players in a few years. Indeed, it says, male participation in England is probably the highest in the world, since the figure for the top nation, Germany, with 6.5 per cent of population playing compared to England's 6.25, contains a greater proportion of women. Technically speaking, the newsletter of Howard Wilkinson's FA department carries a revealing survey which shows the percentage of males taking part in the game in England has increased over the last 30 years, with almost 50 per cent playing in the 16-19 age group. Macari has already spent several months in court."I have to think of myself but also of how I can put the club first," he said. "I cannot serve Stoke's best interests while spending time with my barrister." Makes a change from wanting to spend more time with the family.. The Glasgow club issued a counter-suit for breach of contract and pounds 250,000.

They beat Shrewsbury 2-0.Lastly, Lou Macari, the Stoke City manager, has added piquancy to this afternoon's First Division Potteries derby against the play-off candidates Port Vale, the last one played at the Victoria Ground before Stoke move to the new Britannia Stadium next season, by announcing his resignation at the end of the season.Macari claimed wrongful dismissal and sued Celtic for pounds 431,000 after being sacked in July 1994 He'd been in charge for eight months. On the fringes, Queen's Park Rangers won 3-0 at Manchester City, another two goals for John Spencer, but Portsmouth lost 2-1 at Charlton, Mark Bright scoring both.Southend's woe at Wolves was compounded by Grimsby's 2-0 defeat of Reading, a win that lifted the Mariners out of the relegation places at the expense of Bradford, beaten 2-0 at home by Birmingham.In the Second Division, the leaders Bury beat ailing Peterborough 1-0 at Gigg Lane and have the deposit down on a second consecutive automatic promotion. Palace created three good chances and took the fourth, Neil Shipperley's 40th-minute header doing full justice to Simon Rodger's booming cross. The game at Molineux was in effect over five minutes before half-time. Darren Ferguson's free-kick 25-yards out and a Steve Bull header put Wolves 2-0 up in nine minutes and after Andy Rammell pulled one back on the half-hour, Mark Atkins, from close in, and Don Goodman's powerful 40th- minute header made it 4-1. Barnsley, meanwhile, battled to make their point from a hard-fought match at Selhurst Park. Wolves kept up the pressure on Barnsley for the First Division's second automatic promotion place to the Premiership with a 4-1 thumping of Southend United, who dropped to rock bottom, while the Tykes were toughing out a creditable 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace. Given the club's lack of spending on players this season, despite plunging towards relegation, Rokerites are apparently wondering quite what purpose the money will serve..

At Sunderland, for just pounds 5, you can have your name in the programme for the last-ever match at Roker Park, against Everton on 3 May. This idea that the game is best left to professionals is manifest nonsense, though in the media it is mostly best left to media professionals. The decisions probably evened themselves out, he said - though they probably didn't - and if the referee doesn't see it he can't give it. Nevertheless, "Super Slomo" showed Chesterfield were denied a 3-1 lead.Mr Elleray may have made errors of judgement during the match, as did players, as perhaps did the managers tactically.