text: Premier League clubs are now so wealthy through their TV deals that they can afford to turn down a title sponsorship worth £45million a year. Guinness offered the top flight a huge deal of £135m over three years, a £5m-a-year increase on the payments from Barclays, whose 15-year partnership with the Premier League will finish at the end of next season. But the clubs awash with over £5billion from domestic TV rights alone rejected the bid from Guinness’s parent company Diageo, in part because some teams have conflicting beer deals. THe Premier League has turned down a bid from Guinness to replace Barclays as the title sponsor . Instead the PL want as much as £60m a year from a mega title backer but will also examine a multi-partnership sponsorship model. Such are the TV riches that the smaller clubs in the PL are the ones more anxious about the sponsorship money — the £3m-a-year split doesn’t make much difference to the top of the table. The FA, meanwhile, have failed to find an ‘in association’ FA Cup partner this season prepared to pay £9m a year, although it’s understood Wembley finally have someone at the table after well over a year’s search. The league's mega-rich clubs have demanded a deal in the region of £60m-a-season from 2016 . Sky Sports’ petty refusal to let pundit Thierry Henry present Tony McCoy with the champion jump jockey trophy at his Sandown farewell on Saturday — because it’s on Channel 4 — doesn’t mean that an Arsenal legend will not doing the honours. Another iconic Gunners name has been lined up for the role although Sandown officials want to keep his identity a secret from Arsenal fan McCoy until the ceremony. It’s known that Tony Adams is unavailable while the ‘legendary’ tag surely rules out Ray Parlour, the Romford Pele. Ian Wright, record goalscorer before Henry, would be a good choice. Thierry Henry's (centre) contract with Sky Sports have presented him presenting a trophy to Tony McCoy . Surrey boss Richard Thompson’s elevation to chairman of the England cricket commercial committee will aid the sport’s chronic need for more terrestrial TV coverage. Thompson will push for a free-to-air highlights deal for the domestic T20 Blast this summer which would be vital to grow a tournament that is in the shadow of the IPL and the Australian Big Bash. Gary Neville is not known as a bon viveur. But the Sky pundit was keen enough to meet up with the class of 92 for a birthday party in honour of Nicky Butt’s wife Shelly at a London casino that he left Stamford Bridge last Sunday on the back of a dispatch rider’s motorbike. Gary Neville was desperate to get away from Stamford Bridge to get to Nicky Butt's wife's birthday party . Second chance saloon . The Football League awards — the best football dinner in the calendar by a distance — showed this year there is a way back for some football offenders. Shortlisted for the player in the community honour was Leyton Orient’s Elliot Omozusi, who served 16 months in prison for intimidating a witness in a murder trial. And one of the contenders for goal of the season was Shrewsbury’s Andy Mangan, who was banned for five months for betting on his own team when he played for Bury. Leeds’ banned owner Massimo Cellino has few fans — understandably, considering the constant turmoil at Elland Road. Yet it was the Italian who insisted midfielder Lewis Cook, voted Championship apprentice of the year, was given a first-team chance. Massimo Cellino may not be popular but his decision to force Lewis Cook into the first team paid off . Meanwhile, Leeds put out a statement after the sick-note six ruled themselves out of the match at Charlton, saying that the club ‘stand by internal medical recommendations’. Yet when the Leeds medical staff advised Cellino about the chronic knee condition of AC Milan player Zan Benedicic, he was still signed on loan and played 13 minutes of league football before needing more surgery. Jevans will stay silent . Debbie Jevans, who walked out of her job as CEO of England Rugby 2015 before she was pushed, cut a relaxed figure at the Football League awards dinner. Jevans left her post six months ahead of the World Cup following a breakdown in relationship with the interfering RFU. The chances of Jevans, an independent director of the FL, ever going public with the personal reasons for her exit are remote.
target: Drinks company offered Premier League £45million-a-year deal .
  But clubs turned it down because they have other deals with beers .
  Sky Sports block Thierry Henry from presenting award on Channel 4 .
  Richard Thompson looking to bring T20 blast highlights to terrestrial TV .