It seems at the start of 2015 that we really do live in a world where people will do anything just to save a few quid.

The fact that football clubs even contemplate signing convicted rapist Ched Evans, despite the storm of controversy surrounding the case, just goes to prove it.

It’s an incredibly complex and emotive case and not one I wish to delve too deeply into. However, whatever you think about a man’s right to return to work and a place in society after serving (some of) his sentence, I simply can’t fathom why any potential employer would consider signing Evans worth it.

Yes, so Oldham might be able to sign a £3m, £25k-a-week, 26-year-old, 20-goal striker for a knock-down price, but they will soon find, if they haven’t already, that the real cost will be much higher.

I’m not talking about sponsors or high-profile supporters removing their backing – good bit of cheap PR for firms to publicly distance themselves, of course – no, I mean the price will be the impact on the reputation of a traditional family club.

Forget the FA Cup semi-finals, a League Cup final and Premier League fun in the early 90s, the club will forever be known as the team to have given the Welshman his chance.

As for Evans, who maintains his innocence, he’d be best advised to steer clear of the game until after the appeal against his conviction has been heard. If it is overturned it all becomes much easier.

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In case you didn’t know, Monday was the busiest day of the year for divorce applications. Something to do with the stresses of the festive season.

I reckon the busiest day when it comes to England cricketers getting divorced could be Monday, September 14.

The England squad flew to Australia on Tuesday to begin preparations for next month’s ICC World Cup.

Between their first tour game on Monday, January 12 and their final ODI of the summer against Australia on September 13, the longest break without a game of England cricket this year could be as little as 15 days, depending on how they fare in the World Cup.

During that eight-month span, they will play against at least 10 countries, in five different countries, play 15 ODIs – not to mention at least six World Cup pool games – plus 10 Test matches, a couple of T20s and another half-dozen warm-up matches.

That's going to be a fair bit of missed babysitting and taking the bins out for those boys to make up for.

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Steven Gerrard wanted to stay at Liverpool? Who’d have guessed? Oh. Everyone.

It certainly appears the only reason the 34-year-old is going is because his manager didn’t want him. There was no offer of contract extension, he was told his playing time would be limited.

Say what you like about Gerrard (I often do) but how can it be that a club’s talisman, an icon, an institution, can be permitted to finish his career wearing the shirt of another club.

Gerrard made his debut in November 1998, two years after then Reading youth coach Brendan Rodgers played his final game for Newbury Town. Since then, Gerrard single-handedly dragged his side to more trophies than Rodgers will ever win.

Mark my words, by the time Gerrard’s three-year deal in LA is up, Rodgers will have left Anfield, having piggy-backed off the talent of his players for long enough.

On the list of great Liverpool managers, he’ll forever be grouped alongside the likes of Roy Hodgson, Graeme Souness and Roy Evans. Good, but nowhere near good enough.