Fan-tastic

Bob Oxtoby, with luck soon to be the 105th member of the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals when Bolton Institute gets upgraded, has a second identity as possibly the world's unluckiest football fan. Not only is he a season ticket holder at Bolton Wanderers (bottom of the Premiership), but he also has serious allegiances to Luton Town (bottom of the first division) and Hull City (bottom of the second). If the university status application process gets tricky he should threaten to start watching whichever team Mrs Shephard (or possibly by then Mr Blunkett) supports.