Bale out

So the deal is finally done, Cardiff born Gareth Bale has finally signed for Real Madrid and in doing so becomes the most expensive football player in history. Not bad for a player once described by the English media as a flop defender who ought to be offloaded to Birmingham for £3m. The Real deal was signed for €100 million which works out as around £85 million. But bare with me as this isn't really a post about football.

The top 10, with a Cymro in first place

80 minute patriots

The six nations is almost over for another year. The 80 minute patriots are about to use their fluffy pink cowboy hat one last time before returning to their default position of not caring about Wales, a region of the English empire that only exists to them for 80 minutes at a time sporadically throughout the year.

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There is nothing special or unique about our football clubs

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One myth I've heard and read many times is that if Wales was independent then our exiled football clubs; Swansea City, Cardiff City, Wrexham, Newport County, Colwyn Bay and Merthr Town would be ejected from English football and forced to play in the Welsh pyramid.

And considering how vital it is for Wales to win support from the valleys then it's crucial to have Swansea and Cardiff fans in particular on side. And there's a few important things you need to understand about football, not just in Wales and England but throughout the world before you can see how ludicrous this myth really is.

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