But it has taken until now for the Yes team to emerge from the sidelines and start playing

But it has taken until now for the Yes team to emerge from the sidelines and start playing. A letter signed by 50 top City figures in favour of the euro kicked the grudge match off at the beginning of last week, and this was followed by the pro-euro Ken Clarke's declaration that he was running for the Tory leadership.But the No side has countered with a few more economic arguments, the odd well-known supporter and some heavy rebuttal. Detailed research from economist Roger Bootle and former Financial Times journalist David Lascelles has given the No campaign the intellectual high ground in recent weeks.The Yes campaign, though, is likely to fight back, signing star players such as Sir Richard Branson and James Dyson.Mr Blair says he is in favour of a referendum on the euro and then, if the conditions are right, joining it You can't get much less committal than that In keeping the game fair he has two assistant referees. One is Digby Jones, the CBI boss who has sat so firmly on the fence that he might find it hard to get off it.

However, he has successfully moved the boss's body away from the pro-euro position of his predecessor at the CBI, Adair Turner The other assistant is Sir Eddie George. The Bank of England Governor is suspected to be a No, but has shown some Yes tendencies recently, so his views can't be accurately gauged They should keep the fight fair. But with Mr Blair committed to applying Gordon Brown's famous five tests in the near future, and a referendum to come after that, this game will go into extra time.Yes: It's a 5-3-2 formation featuring a crowd-pleaser, an Irish wizard and a tough-tackling captain Goalie Lord Marshall Chairman of BA, Invensys and a gaggle of other firms. A safe pair of hands, though prone to turfing prot?s out the team ­ ask Bob Ayling Right backLord Brittan Back from Brussels where he went native. The ex Tory Home Secretary might be expected to be anti-euro but leads the new City in Europe group Left backRobin Cook.

More like left behind after his demotion from Foreign Secretary. Clashed with Gordon Brown over the euro and that is supposedly what did for him.LiberoSir Richard Branson. Could be the secret weapon of the Yes campaign as it aims to add some popular players. Expect Sir Richard and James Dyson to sign up soon.Central defenderLord Simon of Highbury. Former BP boss who has recently gone back into government after a spell in the political wilderness.

He will pull in the big business vote.Central defender Charles Kennedy. A less than secret weapon, he had a good election and his popularity could be key to the undecided "man in the lounge bar with a double whisky" vote.Midfielder and captain Peter Mandelson. Now out of government he can use his spin and rebuttal skills to add some steel to what has been a rather limp campaign so far.Creative midfielderChris Huhne. MEP and former business editor of 'The Independent', he has spilt ink in the euro's cause. There are worries, though, about his low level of accurate passes.StrikerNiall Fitzgerald The Irish wizard peppers the opposition with fierce shots. Tends to get offside, as with the pre-euro price rises announced by his firm, Unilever Striker Ken Clarke. Says his campaign for the Tory leadership is not about the euro, but we all know different.