FA Boots out Basil's Job Letter

THE Football Association has revealed it turned down a Scots candidate for the job of England manager not Alex Ferguson but Basil the Westie.

The FA was sent a letter by Stroud's famous Football Poets putting forward their West Highland terrier after Kevin Keegan stepped down. "I only wanted to be like Sir 'Arf Ramsey' said Basil the West Highland terrier.

The jokesters were stunned by the FA's reaction - it sent an official letter thanking Basil for his application. Basil's letter was signed by the dog and accompanied by his picture.

The group, who get together to wax lyrical about the beautiful game, decided to nominate Basil after he showed an interest in the football pitch.

His letter read: "I wish to apply for the post of England team manager. Although I am a dog I have a wealth of experience behind me."

Dave Cockcroft, of the Stroud Football Poets, said: "He is very interested in football and often watches matches. I have seen him dribbling a football and pitching it with his nose. He is a canny Scots dog with more of a continental feel for the game and some foreign tactics. We decided England was in a lot of, trouble and needed new blood so we wrote on behalf of Basil. We were not expecting a reply but were shocked when the FA sent him an official letter."

"The FA proved it is barking mad."

The FA said it was flooded with nominations for the coach's job which was recently awarded to Sven-Goran Eriksson - and did not have time to write individual replies.

Its letter to Basil, which explained that a shortlist for the post had already been drawn up,, said: "As I am sure you can appreciate, we have been inundated with applications and are grateful for the interest and enthusiasm that the job has generated from people such as yourself Thank you for taking the time to write and for your interest in the position."

FA spokesman Adrian Cooper said the association was swamped with more than 2,000 letters applying for the coach's job after Keengan stepped down, including letters from about 800 fans who nominated themselves.

He said: "We have a customer service department which deals with contact with the general public but it was inundated with people writing in. In one week we had 500 letters from people proposing themselves. All the letters were looked at but we did not have time to compose responses to everyone. I am sure the letter raised a laugh."