Bloody hell, that didn't last long - I don't even remember the pre-season friendlies.

On top of that, no summer holiday, several wasted weekends visiting the outlaws, and I can't even pretend I mulled away Sunday afternoons watching cricket.

What am I banging on about? Well, the new football season, of course, because it officially starts today. It seems only yesterday that John Terry was doing his Christopher Dean impressions, but sure enough we're off again, with the InterToto Cup marking our very own summer solstice - the dawning of the new (footy) era.

Some delights in store today, too. In particular, I have picked out Etzella Ettelbruck versus Lokomotiv Tbilisi, Mika Ashtarak v FC Tiraspol, but the biggy is tomorrow. Dunno about you, but I can't pick a winner between Zhetysu against Budapest Honved. Can you?

There's actually a Welsh v Irish clash as Bohemians v Rhyl, and joking aside, I may just look out for the result of this one, possibly giving it a knowing nod when it flicks through on the vidiprinter, or letting out a dull "aah" under my breath, as you do.

I'm still puzzled as to what happened to the rest of pre-season though. Maybe I've been sleeping too much?

By the way, who did Drogba and Ronaldo sign for in the end? It wasn't Ethnicos Achnas of Cyprus was it, because I, like many others I'm sure, have gone big on them at the bookies this morning as they take on the mighty Besa.