Welcoming the moneymen without question is often to over-depend on the kindness of strangers; a case of ‘seller beware’. Deeming his Red Bull Salzburg to have already outgrown the Austrian ‘market’, multi-millionaire fizzy pop junkie Dieter Mateschitz is seeking ‘conversion’ into the German Bundesliga.

Only this, he says, will enable the company to compete in the Champions League. Their Salzburg franchise would remain – as an incubator for talent recruited from similar operations in Ghana, Brazil and, of course, New York. A whole lot of fans are going to be left watching some heavily hyped-up reserve team football.

As Red Bull look overseas, there’s good reason to tread in the opposite direction. Supporters of Switzerland’s FC Lucerne were the latest to make their way to Nonntal, to see champions Austria Salzburg knock Perwang for six last weekend.

For what could be their last game before a move from the foot of the Mönchsberg, the beertent is booked, and fans from Borussia Dortmund, Udinese plus, of course, Leeds United are due in Salzburg for the season’s finale on June 9th. Kick off: 5pm. Don’t be late.

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Owing to an unexpected loss for second-place Michaelbeuern on Friday night, Austria Salzburg’s fans decamped to the Trumer lakes safe in the knowledge that their club – just twelve months old yet carrying 74 years of proud tradition – were champions.

Though decked out in a slightly uncharacteristic fashion, the manner in which Gustl Kofler’s players quashed Mattsee was a familiar one: by four goals to nil. With three games remaining, this sixteenth straight victory brought their congressmen to the turf and signalled the start of prolonged celebrations.

For the season’s end, against Nussdorf on June 9th, a bumper gathering is anticipated in the city’s violet quarter – and TBG will be there.

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Once, when they found themselves fundraising to pay the sort of crippling tax bill a less scrupulous chairman would save for a rainy day, Blyth Spartans proudly dubbed themselves ‘The World’s Most Famous Non-League Football Club’.

A blinding mid-seventies FA Cup run brought to an end by a thrice-taken corner kick alloted themselves this brazen claim, one which may shortly be under challenge from overseas.

Of course, we know all about the threat posed by the best-kept secret in world football, and will join the dissident die-hards of Austria Salzburg on June 9th in celebration of perhaps their greatest achievement yet.

Back-to-back batterings of Seeham and SG SSK/BW Salzburg (or Spielgemeinschaft Salzburger Sport Klub von 1919/Blau Weiss Salzburg, as they’re known to their mothers) left the Violet & Whites requiring a single point from four remaining games to secure the title in Austrian football’s seventh tier.

Up in the Bundesliga, the season ended with fascist Governor Jörg Haider’s FC Kärnten buying a berth in the top division, and Red Bull Salzburg’s fans claiming to have won their fourth league title despite only being in existence for two years.

Remember ‘There’s no tradition. There’s no history?’ Well, there’s apparently no shame there, either.

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