Man of the summer > Proud to lead JT: took just 23 days from the first approach from Man City to find the right words. "I'm totally committed to Chelsea and always have been. I know there's been comment that I should have made a statement earlier ... [but] I'm as committed as ever: I am proud to lead the team ... The manager, friends and family all know my situation. They know I love the club so much. It was never an issue." (Other JT news: The Times – "Chelsea have offered John Terry a new four-year contract worth £151,000 a week."😉
Runner-up
Sepp: busy summer a) launching Football for Hope forum in South Africa aimed at combating poverty and inequality; b) renewing attack on financial excess among club owners ("The rich are becoming richer. The gap is growing and this is a danger."😉; and c) presenting Fifa's 2008 results: profit of £127m, equity of £645m, and World Cup 2010 income projection of £1.9bn.
Transfer window: highlights
1) Toughest stance
10 July: Roberto MartÃnez, Wigan: "It is not our style to discuss transfers, but I've made an exception in this case because I feel so strongly about it. Lee Cattermole is not for sale. End of story. People should forget about it and move on. We are not selling him."
12 August: Sells him.
2) Best agent
16 July: Franco Zavaglia, agent to Alberto Aquilani: "Alberto to Liverpool? Don't talk nonsense. There's no need to even speak about it because there's nothing real. The player just extended his contract and gives his all for Roma." 3 Aug: Joins Liverpool.
3) Second best agent
3 Feb: Ken Bates: "The last time I looked at Fabian Delph's contract, he's with us until 2012. Why should he go anywhere else? He's happy at Leeds and has an agent who is more interested in looking after him than he is in making a fast buck." 5 Aug: Signs for Villa.
4) Hottest transfer
May 2009: Kolo Touré: "People know I love Arsenal, nobody can say that I do not. I've loved this club for years, and I believe you can only truly love one club in your career: my club is Arsenal!"
July 2009: "When you love a woman and she gives you back the love, you are really happy! That is what Manchester City have done. I will give back all that love."
5) Best Harry moment
23 July: Harry Redknapp: "I like Crouchy but he's not a priority. I just feel that for that type of money it is an awful lot – no disrespect, but Peter's 28 years old and his salary is high. There's no return when you pay that type of money." 27 July: Signs him.
7) Second best Harry moment
2 August: "Signing Bassong? It's not true. He's a player that I was interested in. He's a young player with a good future but the chairman has not made an offer."
6 August: Signs him.
8) Most moving
9 April: Carlos Tevez: "I cannot think of any team except United! The United fans love me and I do not want to play for anyone else: I always follow my heart. Sir Alex is a gentleman. From the moment I arrived, he has treated me with respect. "
3 June: "I am not bothered about Alex Ferguson. That is all the past: Manchester City is the present."
And finally
Timeless philosophy for every top-level pro: Emmanuel Adebayor, October 2008: "Money is killing football. People are making their decisions based on money. If I made my decisions because of money, I would not be at Arsenal. I'm at Arsenal for love."
Best/Fastest vote of confidence, Possibly ever
11 August: Norwich co-owner Michael Wynn Jones tells a meeting of fans that manager Bryan Gunn must be given time. "The important thing is that he and his team have not had a chance to show what they can do." 14 August: Sacks him.
Most supportive players
£40,000: Amount raised for charity by Man United fans paying to watch the team train earlier this month. "We support so many different charities," said Fergie. "The players have been very supportive of that."
3: Number of hours it takes Man United to spend £40,000 on wages.
And finally: Most emotional comeback
Spanish actress Amaia Salamanca – left "badly inflamed" after Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos was seen with another woman last season – has recovered and returned to record the third season of her hit show, There's N
