It's National Pub Football Week - hurrah!!

Footy fans are being actively encouraged to go to the pub this week as part of "the biggest initiative in the history of the UK pub industry": 6th to 13th September is National Pub Football Week.

Next week sees a number of important qualifying matches for Euro 2004 and fans are being encouraged to watch the matches in their local.

Pub chains Punch, InnSpired, Unique Pub Company and Pubmaster are taking part in the promotion and more than 20,000 watering holes are expected to take part.

Manufacturers including Guinness, Smirnoff, Budweiser, Carlsberg, Coca-Cola and John Smiths have created offers for the week including price cuts, competitions and giveaways. Four Four Two magazine is offering complimentary beer vouchers and Budweiser is giving away Premiership tickets via the event's official website.

The official launch for the event was held earlier this week at Westminster, featuring Gabby Logan, Viv Anderson, Norman Whiteside and Gordon McQueen.

Planning already underway for similar events to coincide with the Euro 2004 finals in Portugal next July.