It's funny how certain verses from the Bible stick with you. As we've been going through the book of James, I have been particularly struck by chapter 5, verse 4: Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The application of this verse to the sorry situation at our local club, Plymouth Argyle, has been almost painful. Staff and players have not been paid in full since last December. The club itself entered administration in March, victim of owners with grand visions of hosting World Cup matches, but with little desire to fund their ambitions. A possible buyer emerged in May but every deadline for the new owner to seal the bid has failed. We are now in September, the club is at the bottom of the league, and its very survival is at jeopardy.

It's not just a case of one club falling on hard times. It's a litany of broken promises, arcane business dealings, and interested parties being, at best, economical with the truth. Meanwhile the players are wondering if they can survive any longer on their hand to mouth existence, and it's not surprising their performances have suffered.

As James reminds us, this is not just a business issue. It's also a profoundly moral one. The Bible has a lot to say about the ethics of wage payments, and with good reason. Prompt payment for work done is a basic matter of justice, and there is a serious human cost when payment, for whatever reason, is avoided.

For my part, I've joined the Argyle Fans Trust - and it's well worth visiting their website if you want any further information. We're also praying about the situation in church, because if football club goes, then the effect on the city will be profound. We've just lost our airport. To lose our football club as well would be disastrous.