The FA finally appear to be making progress in the search for a new title sponsor for the England team, with Aviva among those interested.

It is almost two years since Vauxhall announced they would terminate their seven-year headline sponsorship deal with England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland after the 2018 World Cup, worth £6million a year to the FA.

Sports Agenda understands, however, that the FA commercial team led by Mark Bullingham have a number of interested parties, with insurance giants Aviva, who have enjoyed major sponsorship deals with rugby and athletics, prominent among them.

The FA have a number of interested parties who want to be new sponsor of the England team

The FA are also looking for a new chief executive and senior figures are optimistic they will beat the Premier League to finding a new CEO, even though the two organisations have employed the same firm of head-hunters.

The Premier League job was always considered more attractive than succeeding Martin Glenn at the FA, not least because of the challenge of working with the blazers on the FA council. 

How times have changed. While the Premier League have now been rejected by their first two choices, the FA are said to have a decent list of applicants.

Craig Bellamy awaits academy decision 

When Craig Bellamy meets Cardiff City officials on Monday to discover the outcome of an investigation into claims that he bullied Under 18 players at the club’s academy, one hopes he does not react in the same way as when told he would not be succeeding Chris Coleman as Wales manager.

Craig Bellamy to discover the outcome of an investigation into bullying claims on Monday

Bellamy interviewed brilliantly for the job, impressing with his diligent preparation and explanation of how he has tempered the fiery attitude he had as a player to become a thoughtful coach.

But Sports Agenda understands that the 39-year-old, who stepped down as Cardiff’s Under 18 coach six weeks ago but insists he has always been fair, could not hide his upset when told the FAW had decided to give Ryan Giggs the role instead.

BBC are stumped by talkSPORT 

It seems some at the BBC have not taken playing second fiddle to talkSPORT during England’s cricket tour of the West Indies with particularly good grace.

The commercial station, which won the rights to broadcast England’s tours of Sri Lanka and West Indies — as well as trips to South Africa (2020) and India (2021) — from BBC’s Test Match Special, has been referred to, rather sniffily, as ‘tabloid radio’. 

And some Beeb employees continue to expect the privileges — in terms of player access and one-on-one interviews — they enjoy as rights-holders to England home matches.

News UK, the owners of talkSPORT, have also been monitoring Cricket Social, the offbeat commentary service broadcast on the BBC website from Salford, to ensure it does not stray into ball-by-ball action.

The irony of Test Match Special stalwart Jonathan Agnew having to contribute to the Cricket Social has not been lost on those who remember his obsession with Test Match Sofa, the original interactive commentary service started by Daniel Norcross — now Agnew’s BBC colleague.

The cricket correspondent, who earns up to £189,999 a year according to the BBC pay report, was apoplectic when The Cricketer acquired Test Match Sofa in 2012 and resigned from the magazine’s board in protest.

The day John Barnes pulled a fetlock! 

The decision to host the Randox Health Grand National weights lunch in Liverpool for the first time last week was a big success — and the event will stay there in 2019.

This year’s lunch boasted a Scouse theme, with a Beatles-infused soundtrack at the Cunard building on the banks of the Mersey and guests including gymnast Beth Tweddle and a video welcome from Sir Kenny Dalglish.

John Barnes was injured racing then Liverpool team-mate Alan Hansen at the Grand National

Ex-Liverpool star John Barnes also told how on his only trip to the Grand National — ‘at a time when players could drink’ — he pulled a hamstring racing Alan Hansen from Becher’s Brook. ‘I was out two weeks and no one knew how I was injured,’ he said.

Caterers for the event had to be as quick on their feet as Barnes in his pomp when one table, including a Grand National-winning trainer not known for watching his figure, requested a cheese board rather than the dessert on the menu. A dash to the local Tesco saved the day.

Serious plans to revamp the Fed Cup revamp

Tennis authorities have been taking flak for developing new men’s team events while seemingly failing to do anything for the women’s game. 

But there are finally signs of action with a serious Fed Cup revamp in the works. The plan being discussed is to create a play-off round next year involving 16 nations competing to find eight qualifiers for a finals week in one city, possibly in Asia around October.

The victorious eight nations would be joined by the previous year’s champions and runners-up, plus two wildcards, leaving 12 nations to compete for the title.

The proposal has hefty support and would simplify the unfathomable current system of two World Groups.

Burger King and balls for the Borisov boys

Passengers in economy on Friday morning’s Belavia flight from Minsk to London Gatwick were surprised to find themselves sitting next to players and staff from BATE Borisov, who had humbled Arsenal 1-0 in the Europa League the night before. 

BATE Borisov players tuck into breakfast burgers before boarding the flight to London

After snaffling Burger King meals for breakfast, the Belarussian side filled the plane with balls, bibs, cones and water bottles, and then checked goalposts, kit bags and even full-sized training mannequins into the hold ahead of Thursday’s return leg. 

There was so much equipment that a passenger was hit in the leg by a stray goalpost making its way round the carousel.

Blackout lifted for FA Cup tie 

Despite the TV football blackout from 2.45pm to 5.15pm on a Saturday, BT Sport agreed with the FA that they could show Brighton’s FA Cup clash with Derby until it concluded. 

Had the 12.30pm kick-off gone to extra time and penalties, it would not have finished until after 3pm. 

Though Brighton won 2-1 in 90 minutes so the rule wasn’t broken.

Agent Matt Southall out of work

Aston Villa fans might breathe a sigh of relief after learning of the travails of former football agent Matt Southall. 

The Manchester-based businessman was credited as being part of a consortium who tried to buy Villa last June and was also linked with a takeover of Bolton in 2017.

He has now been ordered to pay more than £10,000 in unpaid legal fees to IPS Law but has claimed he is unable to do so as he does not work and has no means of income.