THE Charity Shield is supposed to be the curtain-raiser for the new football season, a gentle preamble between last season's champions and cup winners to raise money for good causes and to prove that there's more to the modern game than just greed.

Sunday's Charity Shield between Manchester United and Chelsea was nothing of the sort. It culminated in the sending-off of United's captain Roy Keane.

If Keane had been a true professional or a half-decent captain, when he was fouled by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink he would have got up and got on with the game. Instead, he aimed an ugly barrage of verbal abuse at the referee Mike Riley.

This was hypocritical because, a couple of weeks ago, Keane promised that he would not contravene the new Football Association guidelines on abuse of referees. It also showed that Keane had psychologically worked out that Riley was a weak referee and was prepared to push him as far as he could. If the bald Italian with the piercing eyes, Pierluigi Collina, had been refereeing there is no way Keane would have dared flap his arms about like an injured seagull.

Minutes later, Manchester United's captain took disgraceful retribution by throwing his studs at another Chelsea player, Gustavo Poyet. As it was right in front of the referee, it was akin to asking a policeman to hold your coat while you mug an old lady. He was sent off.

However, we learned more about Keane's psychological make-up in this incident. We notice that he didn't dare tackle Hasselbaink himself, but Poyet who is a comparatively soft touch.

We also learn that he is not a top sportsman. No boxer shows his opponent he is hurt; no athlete shows the final run-in is killing him; no tennis player shows he is nearing breaking point. Yet here was Keane showing Chelsea every one of his emotions.

And all the time he was displaying how annoyed he was, he wasn't playing football - which he is paid handsomely to do. Plus, of course, he won't be playing much football in the new season as he's banned for three matches.

This is the trouble with Manchester United. Most football fans that I know are not jealous of their success because they have been the best side in this country for years, playing the best football seen in this country for years. It is simply that they have this deeply unpleasant arrogant streak running through them that makes most neutral people hope to see them get their comeuppance.

A FRIEND of mine has just returned from a fairly expensive cruise. She was surprised that when the ship called at a port, two families were put off it for rowdy behaviour. A crew member told her that just because you have come into money, it doesn't make you behave any better. The money just gives you the ability to travel to different places in which you can behave in your natural fashion. Roy Keane, of course, earns £52,000-a-week and will be captaining his side in the European Cup this season. And, sadly, he won't be expected to behave any better than anyone on £52-a-week playing in the Darlington Invitation Cup.

I AM, of course, renowned as a pundit whose predictions always come true. For regular readers, that goes without saying!

So I fancy Chelsea to win the Championship. Manchester United will struggle if their attitude problems continue to overshadow their footballing skills. They will come second.

And in the North-East, I expect Newcastle to come out on top. They can't win the League, but with Bobby Robson settling into his first full season in charge having already pulled them out of the doldrums, they will finish ahead of Sunderland and Middlesbrough