TOM, Dick and Harry badly wanted to watch a premier league match at Christmas time.

They had all the time on their hands but couldn't because as is customary in the Yuletide season, the league takes a break.

Christmas time is party time and the players are no exception to that. So when the league resumes today and some teams get a beating - be it a walloping or an edging - listen out for the excuses: too much partying at Christmas time.

But what more could one expect at this time when there's much eating and drinking, and less training and no ball-kicking.

Given the probable negative spin-offs it appears the league, clubs and players would be better served by taking lessons from another side of the business community and make Christmas time a windfall for their business.

Most shopkeepers keep their doors open up to the 11th hour and even into the Christmas morn to capitalise on the huge amounts of cash that is more readily available at this time. People, too, have more time to spend the cash that is oftentimes fattened with a bonus, as many offices are closed for the period.

So immediately after the relatively quiet Christmas Day, when most families gather; how about league action on Boxing Day when people relax with a real craving for daytime activity.

Extra cash

Wouldn't that encourage many fans, and even their families to put away some of the extra cash for this what could really be some wonderful Christmas time entertainment, helping to fatten the coffers of the clubs with some seriously needed cash.

Most of the teams would not make a million but 10 chances to one, the money made at that point would probably double the take on a normal day.

Given their budgets, basically all the clubs are playing an impossible game to make profits so it stands to reason that any opportunity to make an extra dollar should be seized.

Fixtures

Such effort is more apparent with the scheduling of mid-week fixtures to grab the dollar of the working masses who scurry to watch late matches; and staggered fixtures on Sundays to accommodate the lovers of the beautiful game who might want to watch another fixture within close proximity.

But hey, it's Christmas time so it can't be the same as the league must take a break. So just sit tight in the living room and watch action from the big leagues that already have, and are looking to swell their grounds with bigger crowds. And allow less training and playing and more time for eating and drinking.

That way Tom, Dick and Harry will forever be wanting, badly, to watch a premier league match at Christmas.

Unlike some clubs though, they wouldn't have squandered a chance to make some more money and later they won't be singing no Christmas Blues.