Chelsea have ticked off their own fans for venting frustrations at the club's manager.

Avram Grant was subjected to critical chants while successor Luiz Felipe Scolari has faced jeers at times this season.

A club representative told their recent fans' forum: "We take a very dim view of anyone within the club who does not fully support him [the boss]. When we hear supporters singing songs criticising the manager, this goes beyond the fans' role.

Fortunately, such songs are not commonplace." But it is not just the fans who can get irked by the boss. Talk hears that some Chelsea players have been grumbling about Scolari's habit of referring to individuals by their surnames when shouting instructions.

A source said: "It feels a bit cold compared to Jose Mourinho's approach."

Jacqui backs capital punishment

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is clearly expecting misery for either Arsenal or Chelsea this season.

At a recent Whitehall drinks reception, the MP for Redditch in Worcestershire confidently predicted that Aston Villa would qualify for the Champions League — which would mean one of London's Big Two missing out.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill will be heartened and, should he be looking at any major overseas signings, work permits are unlikely to be a problem.

Magnusson not such a bad egg

Is it time to take another look at the reputation of Eggert Magnusson? The former West Ham chairman was ridiculed for paying over the odds during a 2007 transfer spending spree and earlier this month ex-manager Alan Pardew attacked the Icelander for being “naive” and wanting to “buy the world”.

However, one of Magnusson's key signings, Craig Bellamy, has just been sold to Manchester City for a £6.5million profit while other recruits such as Lucas Neill, Matthew Upson and Scott Parker are mainstays of Gianfranco Zola's resurgent side.

Former biscuit tycoon Magnusson, who has seen his personal fortune suffer in Iceland's financial meltdown, told Talk: “I am very proud of my time at West Ham. We were in a situation where we were bottom of the League and needed players in January. You only have to look at the prices Manchester City are paying now to see how difficult that is. We paid for quality players but they were the right ones and, like Bellamy, will attract big fees.”

Tom's goal vow is a Soares point

Out of respect for Crystal Palace, their former midfielder Tom Soares has pledged not to celebrate if he scores for Charlton in Tuesday's south London derby. “I think too much of the club and the fans,” he revealed. Given that Soares has scored only 10 times in 171 appearances and last found the net in May, it may not be as grand a gesture as it sounds.

Orient want Wayne Roo-mey

Leyton Orient fans have launched a tongue-in-cheek bid to sign Wayne Rooney in the hope of highlighting their team's lack of goals.

A campaign by the Pandamonium fanzine has raised £7,000 to put towards a loan deal and one Walthamstow-based fan has even offered rent-free accommodation to Rooney and wife Coleen in his spare bedroom.

Pandamonium editor Matt Roper this week wrote to Manchester United chief executive David Gill asking for permission to speak to their striker but is yet to receive a reply. He said: “We are not pinning our hopes on Wayne saying yes but we need to get someone in.”