Cecily's death puts football into perspective.

Byline: TomRoss

WE ALL get carried away with football and its highs and lows that often act as a barometer for our emotions.

Many fans quote Bill Shankly when he said that football was more important than life or death.

Well, far be it for me to argue with the Liverpool legend, but it most definitely isn't.

This afternoon I was attending the funeral of former Albion defender Brendon Batson's lovely wife Cecily, who sadly passed away after a short illness.

Cess was one of those gorgeous people who always had time for others and made everyone feel welcome.

I remember spending time with her and Brendon at their place in Spain and she couldn't have done more to make me feel welcome.

They were a devoted couple who shared every single thing together and I am sure Brendon will agree that she helped to make him the man he is today.

She touched everyone who ever met her and will be sadly missed.

Another good pal of mine, Mark Halsey, is battling to beat throat cancer after recently being diagnosed with the dreadful disease.

This came just after his wife had been told she was suffering with leukaemia.

Mark and his lovely wife are showing great courage in their battle to beat this most dreadful illness.

Puts losing football matches into perspective, doesn't it? * "IT'S a funny old game," as Jimmy Greaves once famously said - and ain't that the truth.

Villa have been winning playing 4-5-1 yet changed it for Saturday's game against Blackburn and lost.

Villa fans have been emailing me and ringing me asking why Martin O'Neill changed it.

Blues have been relatively successful playing 4-5-1 yet fans are screaming for Alex McLeish to play 4-4-2. The game is not about systems, it's about players.

They did not lose to Bolton because of tactics or formations, they lost because a player switched off for just a few seconds and gifted Bolton their winner.

I would always prefer 4-4-2 and, to be honest, expected McLeish to play that system on Saturday.

However, I play fantasy football while O'Neill and McLeish do it for real.

I am sure Eck deliberated long and hard about whether to play either 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 as did O'Neill about what system to use for his game.

What does surprise me is the attitude that "we should be beating teams such as Bolton or Blackburn".

Bolton spent more on one player than Blues did in total during the summer and they could also afford/persuade Fabrice Muamba and Gary Cahill to play for them.

Neither I nor any supporter ever complain about systems or tactics when our team win - only when it loses.

* LAST weekend I met the guys who will be the two main members of Carson Yeung's management team to run Blues.

Sammy Pannu, who is a corporate lawyer and accountant, will take care of the financial side of the club while Sammy Yu will run the football side working closely with Alex McLeish.

What impressed me most was their enthusiasm and urgency to restore the relationship between the club and its supporters.

They both promise total honesty in dealing with the fans and will not be making any promises they can't keep.

Only time will tell but my first impression is that they will be very good for the club

CAPTION(S):

Sad loss: Brendon Batson.