The situation is so bad that at Slough on Tuesday Pejic had

The situation is so bad that at Slough on Tuesday Pejic had to put three players he had never seen play on the substitutes' bench.On Wednesday he spent this week's only spare evening scouting for new recruits. "And they're full-time pros - all our lads are part-timers." Work commitments meant that Leek had to do without two key players, Neil Ellis and Dean Trott, for the two away games on Monday and Tuesday.Pejic's selection problems have been exacerbated by two bad injuries: against a physical Welling side last weekend John Diskin suffered a broken leg and Dale Hawtin a fractured elbow. Tomorrow the Staffordshire side's exhausted players will have to drag themselves back down to the Home Counties again for the final fixture, at Hayes."I read about Arsenal finding it tough with five games in 17 days, and I wasn't very sympathetic," Pejic said. Last night they were at home to Yeovil, while tonight Morecambe are the visitors to Harrison Park. Then it was off to Stevenage on Monday, followed by another away game at Slough on Tuesday. These are not meaningless matches, either, for they need points to escape relegation.Caused by four games being postponed during April, Leek's eight days of exertion started with last Saturday's home defeat by Welling. By Rupert Metcalf WHEN the former Stoke City and England full-back, Mike Pejic, took over as manager of Leek Town three weeks ago, he knew he faced a tough task - but not this tough. When the GM Vauxhall Conference season concludes tomorrow, Leek will have played six games in eight days.

But Stoke have been accepting telephone bookings and put tickets for the other three sides of the ground on open sale.. Manchester City were given 4,800 tickets for one end of the ground and sold their allocation inside two days. We have to rely on the clubs involved to organise their games in the best way possible and ask fans to behave themselves."Stoke have decided to bring in 200 extra stewards and 250 police officers for a game that is potentially explosive. Fears of crowd problems at the relegation clash between Stoke and Manchester City and promotion-chasing Sunderland's visit to Swindon have prompted the League to beg supporters not to wreck English football's improved image in the eyes of the sporting world. The League has reacted following worrying problems emerging from the Stoke game - where both sides could be relegated on Sunday - that Manchester City fans have bought up thousands of tickets for areas of the Britannia Stadium normally reserved for home fans.Stoke believe as many as 3,000 City supporters could be in areas of the ground normally reserved for home fans, although even this estimate could be a conservative one.It is feared that in the 28,000-capacity stadium as many as 10,000 City fans have acquired tickets.There are also reports that Sunderland supporters have acquired many tickets in the home support areas of the County Ground.A League spokesman, Chris Hull, said: "We are obviously unable to become involved in the ticket arrangements of individual clubs but we are aware of the possible problems at Stoke.

THE Football League has pleaded for sanity and good behaviour from fans at Sunday's Nationwide League climax. Zagallo thought so too because Edmundo soon went on for Denilson.Argentina were looking more dangerous and, after Ze Elias had fired a long-range effort straight into Burgos's arms, on the counter-attack Juan Veron's strike bounced out of Taffarel's grasp and the loose ball evaded Argentina's onrushing attackers to let the world champions off the hook.Pride demanded a home win and Ronaldo tried to rescue Brazil with an impressive dribble which took him past Burgos, but the Inter striker could not take the ball with him.Lopez then took over, setting his sights with a shot straight at Taffarel before he cut in from the wing and beat the veteran keeper with only six minutes left.Romario and Ronaldo both created openings in the closing moments, but Argentina held on for a morale-boosting victory.Brazil: Taffarel, Cafu, Junior Baiano (Cleber, 64), Aldair, Roberto Carlos, Cesar Sampaio, Ze Elias, Rai (Leonardo, 67), Denilson (Edmundo, 69), Ronaldo, Romario.Argentina: Burgos, Vivas, Sensini, Ayala, Zanetti, Almeyda, Simeone, Veron, Ortega (Delgado, 75), Lopez (Pineda, 88), Batistuta.. Lopez went much closer seconds later, sending the ball inches wide of the post.Denilson was also close to opening the scoring when he extended the Argentine keeper German Burgos, who was relieved to see the midfielder's shot drift narrowly wide.The second half began with a series of the physical confrontations which have characterised matches between these two great rivals, and Roberto Carlos was fortunate not to concede a penalty when he knocked over Argentina's play-maker Ariel Ortega in the area.The Brazilian full-back had a chance to show off his own dead-ball expertise when Ronaldo was fouled, but the free-kick flew straight into the wall.The home crowd started to get impatient and began chanting "Edmundo" - as if the Fiorentina striker could set things straight. Minutes later, Nelson Vivas's effort from outside the area flew straight at Brazil's goalkeeper, Claudio Taffarel.Then Roberto Ayala earned himself a yellow card for fouling Ronaldo, who almost exacted revenge with a long-range effort which was off target. But as the game progressed Brazil picked up steam, with the formidable pairing of Ronaldo and Romario taking on and beating defenders with ease.Argentina hit back, with Gabriel Batistuta breaking into the penalty area in the 27th minute, but he sliced his shot wide.

Argentina also played poorly, but they had much better rhythm, which is very important."In the early stages, Argentina seemed better organised, keeping the ball in Brazil's half for the first few minutes. Brazil 0 Argentina 1 CLAUDIO LOPEZ punctured Brazilian morale as they prepare to defend the World Cup by scoring the only goal in the 84th minute of a prestige friendly at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium on Wednesday. Brazil's coach, Mario Zagallo, conceded: "The team did not play to my satisfaction and we must improve for France. Isn't this what Blairism's all about? And, with New Labour's nose for a vote-winner, I can't believe our Prime Minister (lately of North London moreover), will be supporting Newcastle for long after 16 May Thus will cult-status be sealed Whether that's what I want is quite another matter.. Small wonder the reporters feel like pupils at the feet of the master. So welcome to the new Arsenal, multi-national, multi-faceted, the blending of the best of British with the best of Europe. Now Wenger, mysterious and cooler than Cool Britannia could ever dream of, who turns the post- match press conference into a Cartesian dissection of the footballing universe.Did I detect an "over zee moon"the other day ? Maybe, but the gallic lilt of the studious, unfailingly polite Wenger, occasionally to be found in post-match rumination in a local restaurant, can turn Gaffer-speak into Racine. Even after his 1971 double, Bertie Mee never acquired a fraction of the star quality radiating from Wenger before the possible repeat of 1998.

What is it about these Frenchmen that so bewitch us ? What came of our national contempt for the "bottomless superficiality" of the ancient foe from across the Channel? First Eric Cantona, the thinking man's footballer - artist, actor and poet on the side. Or, going back even further, "Bertie Mee said to Bill ShankLEE, Have you heard of the North Bank, 'IghbuREE..."And then there's Arsene. The subject matter may be more ambitious, but in terms of scansion not a patch on "Six foot two and eyes of blue, Willie Young is after you," the chant in honour of the lumbering Scottish defender of blessed memory, responsible for the odd mazy dribble and one or two of the most thunderous own goals in Arsenal history (among them a header in the Manchester United game of April 1, 1978, that left Pat Jennings frozen as a statue). These days, grace a Arsene, the verses have a more cosmopolitan flavour: "He comes from Seneg-AL, he plays for Arsen-AL ,'' for instance, in honour of Patrick Vieira, these days the North Bank's supreme favourite; or "He's blond, he's quick, he's named after a porno flick," eulogizing Emmanuel Petit, the other French titan of the midfield. Newcastle has Tony Blair, Blackburn has Jack Straw, and Tottenham in the Glory, Glory Hallelujah days had Freddie Ayer. I have called around to check, but the best anyone can come up with for Arsenal in the celebrity supporter stakes is Melvyn Bragg.And the terrace poetry hasn't improved much either.