A cunning plan to make fans buy more pies.

Hard-up German League clubs have hit upon a great new way to boost their bank balances - longer half-times!

Apparently the Bundesliga barons reckon that a longer half-time interval would give the fans more time to buy beer and bratwurst, solving the game's financial problems at a stroke.

Bundesliga clubs want the current 15 minutes of half-time increased to 20 minutes and have asked FIFA to consider the idea.

Bayer Leverkusen business manager, Wolfgang Holzhaeuser, said: "We have found that 15 minutes for fans to buy a bratwurst or beer from vendors isn't always enough."

And Manfred Mueller, head of marketing for the current leaders of the Bundesliga, Werder Bremen, added: "We have to increase the length of time that fans are in the stadium.

"By adding an extra five minutes on to half-time, profits in the catering section can be raised considerably. And it's not going to make a difference to the players' performances."

But will the idea catch on in England? Do the fans really want more time to buy a Bovril and a balti pie at Barnsley or a haddock and chips at Hull?

Maybe it's time to rethink the idea of football entirely and have two 45 minute periods of eating with a 15 minute football break in between.