Crunch Tackle for Football Clubs

Has the credit crunch produced a new indicator for firms that may be in trouble? The football shirt sponsorship killer deal?

AIG have just hit the headlines and been "rescued" but when Manchester United signed up with AIG two years ago, could they have foreseen that the US insurance company would soon be hanging onto the cliff by its finger tips?

There are interesting parallels through this uncertain economic time. Newcastle United will probably forever be linked with the biggest banking failure Britain has seen, Northern Rock.

The bank's name is still displayed on the shirts - we assume because Newcastle cannot afford to change them or are unable to attract a new sponsor

West Ham are now without a sponsor, following the XL Travel "crash" last week stranding thousands of tourists but immediately dropped the XL logo, we assume because they are no longer happy with the association.

Really, does the above mean that we should be watching to see who is sponsoring which football team as an indication of what will happen next on the Footsie 100 - I am just smiling slightly as my favourite team have Carlsberg printed all over them and most people will still want a nice cool beer at some point!