THAT dreaded time of year is almost upon us once again. Prepare for endless trips to garden centres, supermarkets and shopping centres. That's right, it can only mean one thing, the end of the football season is nigh.

I'm sure I speak for many of us when I say that the summer is a mixture of sporting boredom and sunburn, with my ears hankering after the theme tune to Match of the Day after just one Lineker-less weekend.

Don't get me wrong, I love the summer sports, particularly cricket. A nice cold beer, a picnic and a few hours topping up the tan is a great way to spend a long and lazy summer's day.

But the sound of willow on leather doesn't quite live up to the mixture of anxiety and joy experienced from the terraces.

And as much as I enjoy spending time with the missus (she'll be reading this column, so I'd better be careful), there's nothing like a few hours in Primark to remind me of my love for adrenaline-filled Saturday's at the football.

I know I'm not the only one who thinks like this, there was even research carried out a few years ago, which suggested a football-free summer could leave up to two thirds of fans - approximately 9.2million people at the time of the study - with "end of season affective disorder".

Apparently, people close to football supporters should keep an eye out for signs of depression, lethargy, inability to converse and a feeling of hopelessness. These feelings, we are told, may also be common during the season, if said person's team is not faring well. So Cherries supporters are probably well prepared for the summer then.

Irritability is also believed to become a problem, so enthusiasts up and down the country will be a joy to behold this summer, no doubt.

It all seems a bit over the top to me, I'm sure I don't get quite that bad.

Of course, this summer the void in our lives will be filled by the European Championships - a godsend to all of us.

I'll be tuning in and cheering our beloved country, the home of football, on towards some rare glory.

Hang on a minute, no I won't. Steve McClaren and his underperforming players put paid to that a few months back. Thanks a bunch.

I enjoy fine football on the international stage, don't get me wrong, but major championships just don't get the juices flowing when England aren't competing.

I'll watch it, if only to break the boredom, but I shan't be taking too much notice.

So that leaves me with just one enjoyable part of football to mull over during the close-season - transfer rumours.

I defy any other football fanatic to deny they enjoy hearing some of the more far-fetched whispers that do the rounds.

Then again, there's only so much punishment a Tottenham fan can endure. To be linked with every Barcelona, Real Madrid and AC Milan player under the sun is one thing, but actually signing them, as we have seen for years, is quite another.