From Mike Amos' Backtrack yesterday

JOE ALLON could be the next Gordon Bradley. The former Newcastle United, Chelsea and Hartlepool striker hopes next year to open a football academy in Florida. "It's well advanced, I'm really just awaiting a visa," he says.

Washington-born, given the appropriate middle name of Ball, Allon scored twice in ten Magpies appearances in the mid-80s before a nomadic career that embraced two spells at Victoria Park. His 79 goals make him the clubs seventh leading scorer.

In 1991, after being named North-East Footballer of the year, he swapped £300 a week at Hartlepool for £125,000 a year at Chelsea - still not as much as John Terry now gets in a week, he reminded the Arngrove Northern League's annual dinner on Friday.

His last job in football was with Dennis Wise at Leeds United. Though he started just four games at Stamford Bridge, he's recently been working with both Chelsea Radio and Chelsea Television and also has an interest in a ski resort in America.

The US still hopes to host the 2018 World Cup. It could, says Allon, 41, be the perfect time to be involved.

I studied English at A-Level under Amos' brother. Mad as a hatter but very good all the same. He's what I'd imagine a 1950's Cambridge professor would be like.

Two faced badge kissing bounder.

Well done Joe, I had imagined you as an "on the bones of your arse former footballer" sort of bloke, shows how wrong you can be about someone.