Alastair Campbell refuses to crow over Burnley win

Last night's 1-0 victory for newly promoted Burnley over champions Manchester United in the Premier League has caused great outpourings of glee for fans of the Lancashire side, footballing romatics and fans across the world who subscribe to the ABU - Anyone But United - school of thought. And one would imagine that Burnley fans would be keen to shout about the result from the rooftops.

But the result could have put former Labour Party spin doctor Alastair Campbell, the team's most famous supporter, in a potentially uncomfortable situation. For Campbell is great friends with United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson, a former Clyde shipyard worker and trade union shop steward who has appeared alongside Campbell and his ex-boss Tony Blair at Labour events.

When Campbell guest-edited the New Statesmen earlier this year, one of his coups was a Q&A with Fergie in which the pair talked about football and politics. The Manchester United boss said on that occasion that "all my life I've seen Labour as the party working to get better health care for ordinary people, and the Tories really only caring about the people at the top". Campbell talked of how during "tough times in particular, you were never off the phone", especially "when the pressure was on".

So on his blog this morning Campbell, after rhapsodising about the "fabulous win" and the club’s "passionate" support, turned to the question on everyone’s lips: "Some of you were asking if I texted Alex Ferguson after the match to gloat. I didn't. I have too much respect for him as a manager. Both managers spoke well afterwards though, Alex refusing to take anything away from a great night for Burnley, whilst acknowleding they missed chances, Owen Coyle saying he still expected United to be champions at the end of the season."

A very diplomatic response, although Campbell goes on to note sadly that he had also been inundated with gleeful texts messages from fans of rival Big Four clubs, happy to see their rivals slip up. "The only dark spot on an otherwise wonderful evening was getting happy text messages from Chelsea and Arsenal supporters, including Piers Morgan. Oh well, there always has to be a blot on the landscape." ·