Based on an industrial estate in Elstree, Hertfordshire, they comprise a massive countrywide operation. "The Lydon Corporation and Universal Traders, in their various incarnations, have been causing problems for about four years," says Ian McLachlan, chief TSO for Hertfordshire, where the company is based.To see how they operate, TSOs posing as shoppers went to a Universal sale at the Pavilion Conference Centre, Northampton, on 29 September last year. The firm holding the sale gave the same address as one used by the registered company Universal Traders, but gave a slightly different name: Universal Tradings. There is no Universal Tradings listed at Companies House."I bought a £20 lot which turned out to be a cheap watch, valued at £6 by a local jeweller," reports the TSO Peter Calvert "People were paying hundreds of pounds for shabby stuff. At the end, they lured everybody outside and then shut the doors. The only person who got his money back was a burly guy who threatened trouble."Behind the Hertfordshire companies is a Watford businessman, Simon Marks He refuses to name or number the companies he runs. He is, however, director of Universal Traders, a former director of the Lydon Corporation and the company secretary of Trafalgar Promotions.Despite the fact that he can be contacted at the number printed on fliers at the sale in Northampton and that the company addresses are an exact match, he denies knowledge of Universal Tradings or the Universal Shopping Club, a name also given on fliers "They may be in the same building as us.

I don't know." Responding to customers' complaints, he says: "People get everything they pay for."Sometimes small victories are won. Paul Hunter, who was an auctioneer for the forerunner of Universal Traders, the defunct Lydon Corporation, was prosecuted under the Consumer Protection Act in December 1992. He had made a series of false claims aboutgoods on offer, claiming that the Binari LifeStyle microwaves that he was selling were new and perfect and available at Habitat stores for £225, whereas they had a maximum retail value of £110.David Starr and a company he once worked for, A&D Supplies, were prosecuted in Shropshire in May 1993 under the Prices Act after holding a sale at the Park Lane Nightclub, Shrewsbury, on 19 December 1992. Starr was found guilty of failing to indicate the prices of various items and was fined £250, ordered to pay costs of £360 and given a conditional discharge for 12 months.But there are no plans to improve legislation, or to license sale companies. Thus for Peter Cobb, a TSO of 30 years standing, his most aggravating problem is unlikely to go away."What is worrying is that several years ago firms like this would have taken £10 off people Now they are taking £200 to £300 with credit cards. I heard of someone the other day who lost £1,000."Clare Walker is maintaining her leaflet campaign outside Universal's sales. "We just cannot prosecute and hit them in the pocket where it hurts.

This and warning potential venues is all we can do."The end of the evening atMarylebone sees David Starr standing on a virtually empty platform with a small fortune.How does it feel to know his customers are furious? "They're all a nuisance and the reason they are so dissatisfied is that they have no fucking money.". Cinema celebrated its 100th birthday last month (most accounts set the date in March 1895, when the Lumire Brothers first projected their one-reelers to the public), but Britain's celebrations won't begin in earnest until next year. Swindon Town's tannoy announcer was sacked during Bolton's 1-0 win at the County Ground last night after a public criticism of the referee, Graham Barber. Victor Fernandez, the Zaragoza coach, said his team used the same tricks "as do all players" whether from England, Germany or South America.Nayim, the inconsistent midfielder who had four seasons at Tottenham under Terry Venables, expects to be among the starting opposition who, unlike any of the sides dealt with by Chelsea in earlier rounds, are blessed with several players possessing superior technique.Their leading scorer, the Argentinian Juan Esnaider, combines a potent mixture of goal scoring ability with an abrasive mentality, and has been dismissed twice this season.Hoddle has expressed his admiration for Zaragoza's midfield craftsmen and, with another strategy based on survival, will attempt to counter them with forces who owe more to running and ball-winning skills.Precicely who he will employ Hoddle was not saying, and guessing games amongst close observers of Chelsea failed to find much agreement.It is complicated by fitness tests today for Gavin Peacock and Andy Myers, as well as the goalkeeping choice between Kevin Hitchcock, the Englishman who let in a soft goal at the weekend, and Dimitri Kharin, the Russian international, plus the availability of Jakob Kjeldbjerg as well as the stipulations on foreigners.It is Chelsea's hope that from this pot, and against a background of mounting relegation concerns, Hoddle can once again concoct a winning formula over the two legs.Chelsea (probable): Hitchcock; Clarke, Johnsen, Sinclair, Minto, Burley, Spackman, Rocastle, Peacock, Myers, Furlong.Real Zaragoza (probable): Juanmi; Belsue, Caceres, Aguado, Solana, Poyet, Aragon, Nayim, Higuera, Esnaider, Pardeza.. The hosts have taken exception to his remarks and local journalists were quick to call Hoddle to account yesterday.He claimed he was the victim of misinterpretation - the fault of creative headline writers rather than the language barriers - and turned back the clock to play his way out of defence with smooth control and a neat pass."I never said that Zaragoza were a dirty team, but with 11 players on yellow cards it suggests they can be physical," Hoddle explained "That is not a problem. In England we are used to a physical contest."The passionate Spanish supporters who have telephoned complaints to the radio station here will be able to broadcast their views personally when the hostilities begin for real tonight.With the seating pushed up close to the touchlines it was always going to be a fierce occasion. The Chelsea manager has insisted his players indulge in a show of shirt-pulling and injury-feigning over the last few days to prepare themselves for the intimidation the English visitors expect when they confront Latin temperaments. Zaragoza are a physical team and have the worst disciplinary record in Spain, with 102 cautions and 15 sendings off in 37 games this season.