VAR SECURITY CLAMPDOWN

McLAREN have caused a stir by dropping their paddock lunches, saving them an eye-watering £500,000 over the season. The lavish buffets, plus gratis drinks, acted as Formula One’s canteen for media and sundry hangers on. But after a record £96million operating loss by their racing division last year, cutbacks have had to be made across the board, and the spreads are now reserved for team members and invited guests, starting at the Spanish Grand prix. THE Premier League are going to extreme lengths to protect the integrity of their VAR operations ahead of the major launch next season. For test matches in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, Hawk-Eye operatives and refereeing experts have been ordered to hand in their phones when they enter the chamber at the Stockley Park base. The room goes into lockdown 45 minutes before kick-off and recording devices are placed into the ceiling to monitor all conversations. Operatives are allowed to leave the room to use the toilet — but only at half-time and in the company of chaperones. Hawk-Eye staff, who have no influence on refereeing decisions, have also been asked to reveal their personal club allegiances and are kept away from matches involving their own teams or closest rivals. CREWE have banned a book written by a supporter from being sold in the club’s store. Former Financial Times journalist Charlie Morris published Generation Game in April and sent a copy to Alison Bowler, the daughter of owner John Bowler. It partially explores how a Crewe fan grapples with his conscience following the conviction of former youth coach Barry Bennell. Morris criticises the club’s ‘cold lack of empathy for victims’ and wonders: ‘Could I continue to support this fallen club even though my family had followed it for 118 years?’ Alison Bowler, the club’s business operations manager, wrote to Morris: ‘We feel it would not be appropriate to stock the publication.’