ANOTHER of my 'fans' wrote in this week to complain that it was all well and good for me to voice my thoughts on ticket prices when I didn't pay for my own!

I will not dispute that I benefit from a free press pass but it is something I have never abused.

And believe it or not, I am actually paid for my opinion. How many people pay to do their own job? Exactly!

What I should point out is that whenever I have brought a guest along, I have paid for their ticket or tickets, as I quite rightly should.

My dad came to the Reading game in February (I still have the receipt) and my girlfriend and her sister had their tickets paid for when they came along to the Bristol City match.

The chap in the ticket office should be able to back up my story.

And before you ask, no I didn't claim them on expenses.

So while I might not pay for my own ticket (find me a football reporter who does) I am prepared to put something back into the club I write about.

Just as well I have such an attitude with Bob Holt clamping down on freebies next season!

I STAND by the comments I made about the minority of Cardiff City supporters.

A Swindon-based City fan wrote to me unhappy that I had branded them as the 'worst supporters of the season' in my review of 2001/2.

I am not disputing the fact that the majority of their fans are well behaved and the way the Cardiff fans have turned out in numbers this year is fantastic.

However, there is no denying there is a nasty streak among the Ninian Park support. If there was any doubt, look at the scenes which followed their play-off defeat by Stoke (themselves no angels).

The gentleman concerned blotted his copy book in the very final sentence of his letter.

He suggested Town would go bust while Cardiff would be playing in Division One next year.

All I can say is that I'm looking forward to another Second Division clash with the Bluebirds next season!

There seems to be something about the play-offs and hooliganism. Millwall fans disgraced themselves after their defeat by Birmingham.

The so near yet so far scenario is too painful for some idiots to bear.