APPARENTLY the security in the tunnel on Saturday was very severe, at Manchester United's insistence.

They insisted on having the tunnel extended before the game, insisted on the mascots having to wait outside the exclusion zone and insisted the coach stopped in Occupation Road rather than have the players walk through from the directors' car park.

They also informed Watford officials that they did not sign autographs because 'they are not in our contracts' and any request should be referred to the player's agent.

Small wonder at such cossetting and a divorce from the roots of the game, they should expect an equal say in the refereeing as well.

The previous week I heard an Arsenal official informing a Watford counterpart who they normally allowed in the tunnel.

I also enjoyed the reply: 'Well this is Watford, not Highbury.'

It is nice to be in the top flight, mixing it with the nobs, but it is also reassuring to discover, after visits from the two leading clubs, that the higher you get, does not necessarily mean you meet nicer people.

Furthermore, as Ferguson and his players did sign autographs after the game, it was also heartening to discover they are not as bad as they are cracked up to be.

Referee Steve Lodge's visit on Saturday was his third to Vicarage Road this season. He was there for the opening game, against Wimbledon, returned for the match with Liverpool in early January and then was back for Manchester United's visit.

And Watford lost all three by the same 3-2 scoreline.

Those, including the Watford players, who were baffled on Saturday by Lodge's decision to give Manchester United a free kick after the double sending off, may be heartened to know the referee admits he got it wrong.

While Watford's players took positions in the last third of the pitch, expecting the free kick they had been awarded to be hit into the United goalmouth, Lodge told United to take the free kick.

The Hornets had to stream back into defence and Lodge later admitted to Taylor he was 'not too sure how to start the game and the linesman told him afterwards: 'You got the restart wrong'.'

Which just goes to show that it was not Micah Hyde who lost his cool on Saturday.

Commentator Jonathan Pearce is not among my favourites when it comes to listening to broadcasts but it is interesting to note that he is among those who think the big clubs can do no evil.

Plainly, he did not see the entirety of the Butt-Hyde incident but was heard to tell his listeners that because of Hyde's indiscipline, he had got two players sent off. The presumption was: it must be the Watford player's fault.

Then again, you would have thought, watching the previous 64 minutes, he would have gained some clue as to Butt's temperament. If Ladbrokes had offered odds at half time for the player most likely to be sent off, surely most people would have put money on Butt.

When his manager, who protested most decisions all afternoon, then comes out with the fatuous claim 'I did not see the incident but Nicky tells me he was hard done by', we know that Wenger has not got a monopoly on avoiding reality.

Nominations for Supporter of the Season often throw up some unusual perceptions. For example, it is the first time in years Elton John has not received a nomination.

Among those who watch, have no chance of winning the award, but have been nominated by fans are: Alex Bonnot, Tommy Mooney, Gifton Noel-Williams, Oliver Phillips and Simon Oxley, whereas the nomination of 'anybody but Pete Fincham' has a slightly better chance of making it.

Portsmouth striker Steve Claridge in his weekly Sky column, said: 'I've got some bad news for the teams coming down from the Premiership this season - I don't think you're going to be able to bounce back.

'Watford and Bradford are worse teams now than they were when they won promotion last time. While Wimbledon will have to sell if they take the drop; and then it will be the slippery slope to nowhere - as happened with Luton Town when they lost their top-flight status.'

When this was drawn to Graham Taylor's attention he had me going for a moment when he asked: 'Who's Steve Claridge?'

Watford have received many inquiries as to the build-up music prior to the teams taking to the field to the sound of Z-Cars.

I am told it is 'I'm Gonna Be Alright' by Technocrat on Ibiza 95 album.

While police have had a purge on ticket touts outside the stadium, some young children on Saturday thought they got the ticket deal of the week.

'How much?' they asked.

'One pound,' came the reply.

The children were thrilled but this turned to disappointment when they inquired which end were the tickets for.

It was then they realised they were not ground tickets but raffle tickets.

Inside the ground, the teams had to change ends just prior to the kick off, which prompted scores of photographers to make a hasty switch to the end United were attacking. Only one photographer was going against the tide: our own Jane Parr, heading to the end Watford were attacking.

Disappointed that Watford are not battling for survival, Taylor can take an objective view of the teams immediately above the Hornets.

'I am not at all impressed with some of the comments from players or John Hartson's comments after being sent off,' said Taylor reflecting on Wimbledon's problems.

'Wimbledon have had this bad run and have spent a long time looking over their shoulders. Now they are there, in the bottom three and they are looking ahead.

'Now Bradford are in the new position of looking over their shoulders and how will they cope with the situation Wimbledon have been in?'

Former referee Gurnam Singh, writing in the Midlands, reviewed the weekend's incidents and expressed amazement that Arsenal's Vieira did not actually make contact with his head-butt. He took the line that you don't need to draw blood and gore in order to be guilty of an offence.

At the time of going to press the ticket office had 20 tickets remaining for the trip to Middlesbrough and the ticket office stresses there will be 'no availability on the day.'

The latest edition of The Yellow Experience is on sale now and will be available at the usual selling-points before the Coventry game.

The back page reminds fans of 'Relegation with a Smile', referring to tomorrow's 'party' at Middlesbrough, the final away trip in the Premiership.

It also reminds fans: 'Don't forget your kazoo!'