All roads lead to pound signs for Mike Ashley

By 3pm

Published 22:02 19/02/12

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Foxes boss doesn't suffer questioning fools gladly

Norwich striker always looks on the gripe side of life  

Not for nothing is Mike Ashley a multi-millionaire.

A day after the famous St James’ Park signage was taken down at Newcastle United’s home ground to be replaced with a giant advert for Ashley’s sportswear company, the club shop was doing a roaring trade in these replica items…

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Tim Ream is said to have hiked his £30,000-a-year salary to nearly £20,000-a-week after switching from the MLS to Bolton – and the former New York Red Bulls’ defender’s relatively modest earnings in America are reflected in his wedding present list, which is still available online.

Ream and new wife Kristen Sapienza’s wants are reassuringly normal, from a £4.50 cake tin to a £5 glass jar.

There’s only one hint of starriness in their list of must-haves – a £115 Bissell vacuum cleaner designed solely to take care of pet hair, which comes with the famous “Shedaway Pet Grooming Tool”. And no-one’s bought it yet, so Kevin Dacvies and co should start saving now…

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Former Spurs winger Richard Cooke, an up-and-coming prospect in the 1980s who ended up playing for future Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp at Bournemouth, is a sporting pioneer

Cooke is now a cabbie in Dorset but has a fascinating sideline as a crack driver in sit-down lawnmower races. See if you can work out which of these quotes from him is closer to the truth of why he’s taken up this exciting new threat to Bernie Ecclestone’s F1 empire:

a) “It’s like the Le Mans race.”

b) “Living down here in the countryside, it gives you something to do on a weekend.”

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