Posts in category "football"

Who will be next to bolster Uniteds strikeforce - Pele ?

I really hope Ferguson recalls Rossi from his productive loan period spent sitting on the Newcastle bench.

4 November 1986. League Cup 3rd round replay. Attendance 17,914.

Southampton 4 Manchester United 1 (Davenport).

Ron Atkinson's last game in charge and I was there. The United team that night was:

• Chris Turner
• Mike Duxbury
• Arthur Albiston
• Paul McGrath
• Graeme Hogg
• Remi Moses
• Jesper Olsen
• Norman Whiteside
• Frank Stapleton
• Peter Davenport
• Colin Gibson
• Subs: Kevin Moran, Nicky Wood

I was partly responsible for Ron Atkinson's departure. The seeds were sown the previous season when United won the opening 10 games of the 1985-1986 season, fuelling expectation that United might actually win the title. However, I was foolish enough to attend game number 11. Inevitably, that game was a 1-1 draw at Luton and ended the run. United finished 4th that season behind Liverpool and the writing was on the wall for Ron Atkinson.

Favourite Ferguson quote: 'My greatest challenge is not what's happening at the moment, my greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their fucking perch. And you can print that.'

Arsene Wenger is bleating about a referee who doesnt see things that exist. This is the ultimate irony from a man who, after 10 years, still constantly fails to see things that do exist on a football pitch.

Thierry Henry is a superb footballer but should similarly be discouraged from giving post-match interviews after a defeat. His moaning, whinging performance almost rivalled his self-pitying rant following his dismal showing in the European Cup Final.

Both men remind me of the junior football league my son plays in every Saturday. Apart from the fact, those lads accept defeat with a good deal more grace and dignity.

I support England but I simply can not help laughing uncontrollably at this goal. I wonder what Steve Maclaren was jotting down:

• 'Give David James a call when I get home'
• 'More backpassing practice tomorrow'
• 'Get lawn cut at weekend'
• 'Wonder if Gareth will have me back as assistant ?'

Almost as amusing is the media backlash against Maclaren. Inevitably, the honeymoon is over before it even started. Pity there is no-one better to replace him.

Maybe, just maybe, England aren't as good as we seem to think we are.

The Council House will host the Uefa Cup Final in 2008.

Unfortunately, City won't be appearing but at least the revenue might relieve some of the MASSIVE (£60m) debt.

Manchester City - Theatre of Comedy

• Pearce uses a cuddly horse
• Barton bares his mouth to Everton fans. A marriage made in heaven.

I honestly didnt think I would see this Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wear a Red shirt again, let alone score in the Premier League.

Three long, hard years fighting a recurrent knee injury. Well done Ole.

He (Ruud van Nistelrooy) is a striker who can score upwards of 20 goals a season and there are not many of those going around.

So why are we selling him them ?

Let's wait and see if Saha, Rossi, Ronaldo and Ole manage more than 20 goals (between them).

Dougs post about early memories of attending football matches got me thinking.

Years ago, I was a LMTB (League Match Ticket Book) holder at Manchester United and went to every home game at Old Trafford. An LMTB was similar to a season ticket but only entitled the holder to attend League Matches with no priority for FA Cup tickets.

Consequently, whenever United got to the latter stages of the FA Cup, there was a black market in the Manchester Evening News for the little numbered tokens that were printed in the matchday program. You needed a large number of tokens (including reserve games) to get a ticket.

However, my father was a bank manager and then, as now, the majority of tickets for big football matches went to corporate hospitality rather then the true fans.

So, on Saturday April 3 1976, on a beautiful sunny day, my Dad and I crossed the Pennines to see United play Derby in the FA Cup Semi Final at Hillsborough.

The tickets had 'Exeter FC' imprinted on the back and we were in the wrong end (Spion Kop) and all the United fans were at Leppings Lane but none of that mattered. I was so excited and nervous, I could barely converse properly.

We got into the ground early to watch the ground slowly fill up, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the fans taunting each other. Inevitably, there were pockets of United fans scattered on the massive, steep terrace at Hillsborough.

United had a young team, managed by Tommy Docherty and were riding high in their first year back in Division 1 after promotion and Derby were the reigning champions.

Gerry Daly gave United the lead in the first half but my main abiding memory of this game was late in the second half when United were awarded a free-kick at our end. Gordon Hill stepped up and produced a swerving, curling free-kick past the despairing hands of the Derby keeper into the corner. 2-0 to United ! The ground exploded, the noise was unbelievable and the whole stadium was a moving sea of red and white.

When the game ended, United fans invaded the pitch to celebrate. Inevitably, a significant minority came to the Kop end to taunt the Derby fans. Some Derby fans responded and joined them on the pitch and the press carried pictures of the resulting 'ugly scenes'. I can vividly remember trying to leave the ground and taking refuge in a concrete backwater as United fans started to get onto the Kop terrace and most peace loving supporters desperately tried to get away from the chaos.

All in all, a fantastic day out.

HDTV. Robert Scoble is an intelligent chap but has some truly bizarre thoughts. This theory is perhaps the most bizarre of all.

Playing is better than watching. Watching in the ground is better than HDTV. HDTV is better than TV. Watching on TV is (sometimes) better than listening on the radio.

To achieve success at 'soccer', you actually need to run around on a field not slump in front of TV with four gallons of soda and a mountain of cheesy nachos. If the latter was the criteria, England would surely have lifted the last two World Cups and European Championships.