Well, it's been all beautiful Autumn days and diddley-squat else here at Pittstop HQ.

Vietnam's been a flutter with a sexual scandal -- even the beeb is talking about it -- involving a 19-year old TV star: "This is the most scandalous and controversial thing that has ever happened in Vietnam's virtual world."

...meanwhile the boys are crowding the girls out in Vietnam: "...over the past few years, in tandem with rising incomes and easier access to clinics that determine foetal sex and conduct abortions, the number of male births has raced ahead of female ones. Already, the number of boys born in many regions of Vietnam exceeds those of girls by 20 per cent or more..."

Sadly the much anticipated season of glory for Minsk FC is yet to get going. Pictures here. Playing at My Dinh Stadium – on the training pitch rather than inside the stadium, alas – the boys were under the cosh for most of the first half, but thanks to some resolute defending and Ali's goalkeeping heroics it was only 2-0 at half time rather than 10 -0. In the second half the lads went three down before deciding to fight back, but two goals were too little too late. For a team with aspirations of winning the title, a heroic loss doesn't cut the mustard anymore but... "It's more of a marathon with a very slow, laboured start rather than what you might call a quick sprint," the Gaffer John Cinnamon reassured the lads.