THE amount of column inches the written media has afforded Old Trafford's 'Scar Wars' comedy drama this week has been in keeping with David Beckham's status as football's number one celebrity.

Indeed, celebrity is the word when describing Manchester United's pretty boy pin-up these days because he has become more a personality than a player in the last two years.

His talents are accurately reflected in an annual income which sees him earn £5 million from playing and £8 million from commercial activities.

The fact he gets more money from his face than his feet made the scarring he received from a flying boot kicked by his boss more of an issue than if it had happened to, say, Martin Keown or Iain Dowie who are less likely to make a second income out of their appearance.

Had it happened to anybody but Beckham it would not have made the newspapers and Ferguson is right to play it down as is Beckham to describe it as just one of those things. Physical injury being performed on each other by footballers and managers in the privacy of the dressing room is, and always has been, a common occurrence.

Which brings us to the real and so far uncovered story here.

Ferguson isn't the villain. Indeed, most United fans will be pleased their manager showed a bit of passion and anger after such a humiliating lesson at the hands of arch-rivals Arsenal. Beckham should not be criticised for storming away from the ground and then walking around with a permanent scowl because he has every right to feel a little peeved when he takes a boot in the face.

No the real villain in this funny little story is the man who witnessed the incident and then announced it to the rest of the world.

In his pre-Juventus match press conference Ferguson went to great pains to say what happens in the dressing room is sacrosanct.

He said he would never reveal what goes on there because that would be disloyal to his players and loyalty between players, managers and coaches, he said, had to be one hundred per cent.

So who abused that loyalty by spilling the beans to the media? Whether it was a player, backroom member or coach I would have just one piece of advice for them if they are sniffed out. Watch out for the flying boot.