Rio Ferdinand's publishing empire

"After being paralysed by sheer bewilderment this was all that I could muster," says Blake Gladman, who's quite the artist for someone's who's paralysed Photograph: n/a

"Rio realised that in order to compete in the lucrative world of online publications he could not be late, so he had to model himself on an established form of digital media," chuckles Andrew Ferguson Photograph: n/a

"When Rio got asked to 'plug' his new magazine this wasn't exactly what he had in mind," says David Ellis, leafing through his back copies of the Beano Photograph: n/a

John Barry makes his point fairly succinctly Photograph: n/a

Kevin McAleer suspects Rio isn't the only man thinking of launching a publishing career Photograph: n/a

James Kelly gives us a glimpse into Rio's office Photograph: n/a

Neil Pollock's magazine even features a special guest star Photograph: n/a

"With Carlos Tevez struggling to hold down his place this season, Rio wonders if he should give his team-mate a job at his new magazine," says Nick Sanders tipping his hat to Ugly Betty Photograph: n/a

"I think Rio's magazine will be the epitome of highbrow reading," says Tom Lycz-Losi, silencing the doubters Photograph: n/a

"Not to be outdone, the other United centre-halves launch their own publications," giggles Robert Schofield Photograph: n/a