The Christmas period was again another hectic time for Premier League teams who played four matches in nine or ten days.
The FA will persist with this congested programme at such a short space of time because of tradition and their conservative way of ruling the sport. While football takes a break in the rest of the world, the Premiership is the other way round... play until you drop!
Indeed, only a sensible winter break can alter some of these hefty schedules but one should not bother criticise any more about this because, it seems, there's no changes in store to find an adequate solution.
On the field of play, Chelsea kept on their winning trek and opened a gap of seven points on nearest rivals Arsenal. They emerged as the only club to win all four matches during Yuletide.
There were very few changes at both ends of the standings. The exceptions were those of Blackburn, on the up, and Aston Villa and Middlesbrough on a downward trend.
Other football items in December:
¤ Former Dundee, Tottenham and Scotland goalkeeper Bill Brown dies at the age of 73.
¤ Rangers receive a setback in their attempt to qualify from the group stages of the UEFA Cup following their 0-1 defeat away at AZ Alkmaar.
¤ David Beckham, of Real Madrid, remains Britain's wealthiest footballer in a list of sport's richest people. His fortune is estimated at £65 million. He is followed by Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal), £37 million, and Michael Owen (Real Madrid), £30 million.
¤ Scotland name Walter Smith as head coach.
¤ Middlesbrough qualify for the knock-out stages of the UEFA Cup without being involved after Lazio's 2-2 draw with Aigaleo in Group E.
¤ Chelsea supremo Jose Mourinho and Arjen Robben are named Manager and Player of the Month.
¤ League One side Wrexham are docked ten points by the Football League after their entry into administration.
¤ Non-League Exeter shock Doncaster with a home 2-1 win in the second round of the FA Cup.
¤ At Highbury, Arsenal defeat Rosenborg 5-1 in the last match of the group phase of the Champions League to reach the knockout stages. Liverpool follow suite after their 3-1 victory against Olym-piakos at Anfield.
Other results: Celtic-Milan 0-0, Porto-Chelsea 2-1, Fenerbahce-Manchester United 3-0.
¤ For the first time, all four English representatives reach the start of the knock out second round stage of the Champions League. England are the only nation to have four clubs at this stage.
¤ Struggling Southampton ap-point Harry Redknapp as their new manager.
¤ At Ibrox, Rangers go down 0-2 to Auxerre to be eliminated from the Uefa Cup.
Other results: Middlesbrough-Partizan Belgrade 3-0, Hearts-Ferencvaros 0-1, Newcastle-Sporting Lisbon 1-1.
¤ Joe Kinnear quits as manager of Nottingham Forest.
¤ Thierry Henry, of Arsenal, again has to be content with the runner-up place in the FIFA World Player of the Year award, behind Brazilian Ronaldinho, of Barcelona.
¤ During 2004, England fall from 7th placing to 8th in the FIFA world rankings. Scotland drop 32 places to slot no.86.
¤ FIFA fine the Spanish FA 100,000 Swiss francs for the racist chanting of their fans in the friendly match against England in Madrid.
¤ English soccer reacts with disdain to the fine imposed on the Spanish federation for racist chants.
¤ Portsmouth appoint Velimir Zajic as head coach.
¤ In the New Year football honours for 2004, Doug Ellis, the chairman of Aston Villa, is awarded an OBE. An MBE goes to former Manchester City and England midfielder Colin Bell.