Sol Campbell's decision to quit League Two Notts County after just a single game has put the Magpies back in the headlines and prompted the Fleet Street hacks to dig around for the real reason behind the former England defender's departure.

'Broken promises' say Sol's people, an unpalatable 'reality check' say club insiders. But The Times' Kevin Eason believes the problems may run much deeper for the world's oldest league club, with financial question marks still hanging over the club's mysterious new owners.

"Each day that passes with the Football League refusing to rubber-stamp the acquisition means more anxiety for many fans, who welcomed the takeover with open arms but are starting to worry that their bright new dawn might yet turn into a nightmare.

Research by The Times has revealed a puzzling web of connections between the men managing County and the Belgravia Group, a collection of companies with interests in aviation, construction and finance. The remnants of that business are in the hands of liquidators appointed by the courts in Jersey, who are trying to unravel a trail of debt, thought to run to millions of pounds, and angry investors."

The topic of questionable proprietors continues in The Guardian where Marina Hyde focuses on Flavio Briatore's role at QPR following his exclusion from Formula for cheating. Under the "fit and proper person's test" the Italian could be disqualified from football and she urges FA chief Lord Mawhinney to do so, to partly restore the honour of the game.

"Even in the grimmest times, we must never stop believing in the possibility of rainbows. And so it is that the dark cloud of Flavio Briatore's banishment from the motor racing firmament might have the silveriest of linings: a legacy project for the beguiling Lord Mawhinney, in whose gift it could be to disqualify the Queens Park Rangers co-owner under the traditionally self-parodic "fit and proper person" test.

The Briatore situation now offers the metaphorical deciding penalty in the frustrating draw of his tenure. If he nails it, then he can leave with his state earnings-related dignity. If he fails … well, it's all going to feel a bit Gelsenkirchen."

It's difficult to keep away from the topic of one-game-wonder Campbell as it dominates nearly all of the newspapers this morning and Harry Redknapp uses his column in The Sun to comment on the situation.

The Spurs boss, who signed Sol for Portsmouth, said recently that he still rates 35-year-old Campbell amongst the top six defenders in the Premier League, but despite his penchant for signing players he has previously coached he still won't be making a move for the centre-back.

"I said during the summer that, if I was the boss of any other Premier League club, I'd sign Sol like a shot. That statement still applies today. But there is no way in the world Sol is ever going to play for Spurs again.

There is simply too much bad feeling towards him from the fans at White Hart Lane. It would be too much hassle for him, for me and the club."

Well that's that then.