Brighton graded this fixture a Category C match (highest risk of disorder) – a category usually reserved for its arch enemy Crystal Palace. In fact, the last time Brighton graded a match Category C was when Crystal Palace turned up at Withdean 5 years ago. Accordingly, FC United were only allocated 845 tickets - which is amusing because they could probably have sold 4 times that number while Brighton reduced the price of their fans’ tickets out of fear that no-one would turn up.
Category C, You’re havin’ a Laugh: “So, the mockery of the Category C grading had been turned on its head. Best away fans we've had at the Withdean? Probably. Certainly, they were the loudest since Stoke City came to town around six years or so ago. There will be better days for the Albion. Promotion would be rich reward for the Brighton fans whom have fought tooth and nail to keep their club afloat in more trying circumstances. A final thought to the Safety Advisory Committee: Football is nothing without fans.”
Read more here:- European Football Weekends
This extraordinary story has another chapter to run yet: “The Mongol hordes didn’t materialise, as things turned out. Indeed, anyone looking for trouble around Brighton railway station yesterday lunchtime will only have found a handful of bored and cold looking policemen and the pubs humming with travelling support from Manchester enjoying a pre-match drink and trying to postpone having to venture out into the bitter, lacerating cold...
The club brings with it an undeniable and insuppressible sense of event to the match, and even prior to kick-off all of the noise inside the ground comes from the away end, to our left. The myth that it is impossible to create an atmosphere at this ground is being demolished before our very eyes – they just have to work harder for it on account of the distance that they are from the pitch…
Away to our left, a party has already started that doesn’t seem likely to end any time soon. The decision to label this match as a Category C match, the first at Withdean for five years, was an extraordinarily wrong-headed one and the proof of this has come with the impeccable behaviour of the travelling FC United support. The most surprising thing about all of this is that anybody was surprised by this in the first place. Withdean has not – if ever – witnessed anything like this in years and they, as well as their team, thoroughly deserve their place in the draw for the Third Round of the competition…
Meanwhile, another victory has already been won by FC United of Manchester this weekend. If the battle for hearts and minds counts for anything, the noise and colour of the supporters has rolled into another town and out again without incident, and the possibility of the replay being televised may bring further, much-needed money into the club. On top of the decision that was made on Thursday to grant planning permission for their new ground, they have had a brilliant few days and the positive attention that their cup run is bringing them is thoroughly deserved. This alternative vision for the future of football continues to confound and amaze.”
Read more here:- Match of the Week: Brighton & Hove Albion 1 -1 FC United of Manchester
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Football and its Discontents: The Restructuring of Australian Football and the Fate of the Ethnic Clubs
"This paper examines the cancellation of Australia’s National Soccer League (NSL) at the end of the 2003-2004 summer season and its replacement with the new A-League competition. The shift to the A-League resulted in the ethnic community clubs, which had formed the backbone of the NSL for 30 years, being relegated to the state premier leagues... [t]he A-League used high minimum annual budget figures to “price” the ethnic clubs out of the marketplace. However, the “other” Eastern European ethnic element has not been completely assimilated into “Modern Football”. Hardcore supporters of the ethnic clubs continue to express dissent towards “Modern Football” by online forum postings, homemade fence banners, and the like."
"During the mid- to late-1990s, under the leadership of the English-born Mr David Hill (1995 to 1998), a concerted effort was made to “de-ethnicize”, “mainstream”, and “professionalize” the NSL... [e]thnic clubs to be forcibly removed from the NSL in the Hill era included Melbourne-based Brunswick, Sydney-based Parramatta Eagles (clubs traditionally associated with the Italian and Maltese communities, respectively), and the popular Greek/ Greek Macedonian club Heidelberg United from Melbourne’s north-eastern suburbs.”
"In 2004 the NSL was disbanded by the then ASA (now FFA). Just prior to this, multi-billionaire, Frank Lowy, once owner of the Sydney City Slickers aka Hakoah and now the CEO of the Westfield property group, had been hired to restructure and reinvigorate Australian football. In October 2003, the ASA had appointed a Taskforce to investigate a replacement national competition, chaired by Sydney businessman and former Sydney City Slickers chairman Andrew Kemeny. The Taskforce received 110 submissions and released its results on 8 December 2003. Ultimately Tony Labbozzetta, Ange Cimera, and like-minded traditional club stalwarts were defeated and a corporatized national league plan was promulgated that involved expelling the ethnic community clubs to the premier leagues of the various states; utilizing a North American style “one-city-one-team” model; and encouraging new private-equity franchise teams."
You can download a copy of this research paper here: Download - Football and its Discontents: The Restructuring of Australian Football and the Fate of the Ethnic Clubs
You can read this research paper online here: Read - Football and its Discontents: The Restructuring of Australian Football and the Fate of the Ethnic Clubs
"During the mid- to late-1990s, under the leadership of the English-born Mr David Hill (1995 to 1998), a concerted effort was made to “de-ethnicize”, “mainstream”, and “professionalize” the NSL... [e]thnic clubs to be forcibly removed from the NSL in the Hill era included Melbourne-based Brunswick, Sydney-based Parramatta Eagles (clubs traditionally associated with the Italian and Maltese communities, respectively), and the popular Greek/ Greek Macedonian club Heidelberg United from Melbourne’s north-eastern suburbs.”
"In 2004 the NSL was disbanded by the then ASA (now FFA). Just prior to this, multi-billionaire, Frank Lowy, once owner of the Sydney City Slickers aka Hakoah and now the CEO of the Westfield property group, had been hired to restructure and reinvigorate Australian football. In October 2003, the ASA had appointed a Taskforce to investigate a replacement national competition, chaired by Sydney businessman and former Sydney City Slickers chairman Andrew Kemeny. The Taskforce received 110 submissions and released its results on 8 December 2003. Ultimately Tony Labbozzetta, Ange Cimera, and like-minded traditional club stalwarts were defeated and a corporatized national league plan was promulgated that involved expelling the ethnic community clubs to the premier leagues of the various states; utilizing a North American style “one-city-one-team” model; and encouraging new private-equity franchise teams."
You can download a copy of this research paper here: Download - Football and its Discontents: The Restructuring of Australian Football and the Fate of the Ethnic Clubs
You can read this research paper online here: Read - Football and its Discontents: The Restructuring of Australian Football and the Fate of the Ethnic Clubs
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Speaking of football in the community
ACFC youngsters to meet refugee challengers
Auckland City Football Club is getting the best of its under-20 side together to take on an “All Refs” side this Thursday.
The “All Refs” are a football team made up from refugees who live throughout Auckland. The team has built up quite a reputation and some its members have played at national level and internationally.
All Ref Walid Omar Hassani (18) has had his fair share of international games and also tried out for Manchester United in 2006. Similarly Mukhtar, who plays in the NZ under-17s, has taken on teams in America, Australia, Canada and Hong Kong.
The Auckland City team will be made up of Academy players and supported by noted Premier side members including ex All White Riki van Steeden and Takayuki Omi who played for the Japanese under-19 side.
Craig Edwards, general manager at Auckland City Football Club said that though the All Refs have a good side, ACFC have put together a tough team to beat.
“These players are the cream of our under 20s crop.” says Edwards.
This is a unique one off event which has largely come about because the Auckland football club is interested to see if they are able to tap into a new talent pool.
“The All Refs have a reputation for being a highly skilled team and this game is a great opportunity for ACFC to get to know more about the players,” says David Cooper of Malcolm Pacific. He and business partner Aussie Malcolm have helped the team members and many refugees by sponsoring team uniforms and fees as part of the Refugees as Survivors programme in Auckland.
The game is scheduled for 6pm on Thursday 25 November at ACFC’s Kiwitea Street ground in Sandringham. Entry is free to all wishing to attend.
Read more here:- Refugees as Survivors New Zealand
Auckland City Football Club is getting the best of its under-20 side together to take on an “All Refs” side this Thursday.
The “All Refs” are a football team made up from refugees who live throughout Auckland. The team has built up quite a reputation and some its members have played at national level and internationally.
All Ref Walid Omar Hassani (18) has had his fair share of international games and also tried out for Manchester United in 2006. Similarly Mukhtar, who plays in the NZ under-17s, has taken on teams in America, Australia, Canada and Hong Kong.
The Auckland City team will be made up of Academy players and supported by noted Premier side members including ex All White Riki van Steeden and Takayuki Omi who played for the Japanese under-19 side.
Craig Edwards, general manager at Auckland City Football Club said that though the All Refs have a good side, ACFC have put together a tough team to beat.
“These players are the cream of our under 20s crop.” says Edwards.
This is a unique one off event which has largely come about because the Auckland football club is interested to see if they are able to tap into a new talent pool.
“The All Refs have a reputation for being a highly skilled team and this game is a great opportunity for ACFC to get to know more about the players,” says David Cooper of Malcolm Pacific. He and business partner Aussie Malcolm have helped the team members and many refugees by sponsoring team uniforms and fees as part of the Refugees as Survivors programme in Auckland.
The game is scheduled for 6pm on Thursday 25 November at ACFC’s Kiwitea Street ground in Sandringham. Entry is free to all wishing to attend.
Read more here:- Refugees as Survivors New Zealand
"The principle here is putting the supporters and the community at the centre of everything we do...
...[e]verbody who cares about the game thinks that there's something not quite right at the heart of it and something needs to be done." Andy Walsh, General Manager, FC United.
"'It's the message that was given out on live television...
...that in football it's the ordinary fans and how they want things to be that matters more than anything else.' [Andy Walsh, General Manager, FC United]...
...The Stretford End, the famous former terrace and locus of United's most passionate supporters, was renamed the West Stand and it's first tier filled with executive seats."
Read more here:- FC United: A punk football fairy tale by Julian Coman.
...The Stretford End, the famous former terrace and locus of United's most passionate supporters, was renamed the West Stand and it's first tier filled with executive seats."
Read more here:- FC United: A punk football fairy tale by Julian Coman.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
A sign of things to come...
Sky buy an 80% stake in the Kingz. One of the first things they do is a new ad campaign. I mean, who on earth thought that it was ever ok to kick an animal!?
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Shades of Stretford
People standing, singing, waving flags, lighting flares... it's hard to believe it's October 2010 and not October 1982. Enjoy.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Up For The Cup - Part II
Carlos Roca books the Rebels a place in the FA Cup first round proper against Rochdale.
Up For The Cup - Part I
An example of the sort of atmosphere that can be generated at crap grounds like Fred Taylor Park in Kumeu, Centennial Park in Ngaruawahia etc
Bloc 5: Live at the BBC!
Never before seen on tv! BBC World Service Producer Jo Parsons came out to New Zealand in 2002 to do a piece on Bloc 5 and the Kingz for BBC Sport.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Samuel Baxter McIlroy
On 6 November 1971 a 17 year old Sammy McIlroy made his debut for United against City in front of 63,000 at Maine Road ...and scored!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Death of a Disco Dancer
Part One - What killed the Kingz
It can be quite amusing to read comments about the reasons for the demise of the Football Kingz. Usually they’re written by people who never went to a Kingz game and have only really been actively following football in NZ for the past 3 seasons and 9 games (and counting). So here for your enjoyment (and in bullet point format) are the indisputable reasons for the demise of the Football Kingz.
•Too soon for professional football
Think about the problems professional sports leagues and professional sports teams, especially in this part of the world, are currently experiencing. Then imagine what it was like ten years ago when the Kingz kicked off – if you go back 10 years you could probably magnify those problems 100 fold. You only have to look at the current problems faced by the Hyundai A League – is there a club that hasn’t been propped up or isn’t currently being propped up by Football Federation Australia? And this is despite the A League being awash with cash. In the Kingz case there were financial problems only a few weeks into their inaugural season which led to players going unpaid and, in the case of Dino Menillo, walking out. Eventually the Kingz were forced to go semi-professional. There’s some great stories about the players having to get up at 2am in the morning, to check in at the airport at 3am, to catch 6am flights to Australia, to sit around in the airport for the entire day and wait for the bus to take them to the game which usually kicked off at 7pm in the evening – all in the name of cost saving (those were the cheapest flights). Dugdale wasn’t prepared to put up with it and quit as coach. For whatever reason Chris Turner always wanted to push ahead. I really think that football in Auckland and in New Zealand as a whole would be in a much stronger position if the Kingz had closed up shop after only the first year and we had pulled the plug on the Aussie experiment to instead focus on our own national league.
•Poor product
Despite the fact that the NSL was arguably a more credible league than the current A League, it was under resourced and wasn’t really supported outside the ethnic communities. There was stuff all support from the commercial sector (big corporates, sponsors etc) too and most importantly there was no TV coverage. Channel 7 had the rights but wouldn’t show the games! Cue “Nobody Screws Soccer Like Seven” protests. No league can survive without television coverage not to mention television revenue. The A League survives on the millions that Fox Sports pumps in every year – without Fox Sports money there would be no A League.
•Sky TV
Sky bought an 80% stake in the Kingz. In my opinion the Kingz board during the Sky years is largely responsible for killing professional football in Auckland. Who were the suits involved at that time? Maybe you can help me: John Fellet (Sky), Simon Massey (Sky), Paul Smart (Sky), John “Rugby” Hart ...I see a theme developing here. They brought in a string of gutless Melburnians who turned tail and fled after only a couple of games. The Kingz finished bottom of the league and Sky abruptly disposed of their stake. The Kingz never recovered from this ...and neither did professional football in Auckland.
•No support from New Zealand Soccer (as they were then known)
It was a real “them and us” attitude. The situation was in direct contrast to the current position with the Phoenix where NZF not only held the A League licence but has also financially assisted the Phoenix.
Replicate those circumstances in any city, in any country, in any part of the world and the outcome would be the same, namely the death of a disco dancer.
Part Two - What killed the Knights
•Money
More specifically the lack of it from Messieurs Katzen and Lee. It’s ironic that the final death knell was when the FFA pulled the plug on an instalment due to the Knights – which is the complete opposite to the situation with Newcastle Jets, Adelaide, North Queensland, Gold Coast etc etc where the FFA gave those clubs extra money to bail them out instead of taking it away.
•John Adshead
Used what little money he had to buy a string of dud players (third rate/fourth rate journey men) then, when he realised he had made a mistake, fled to Tauranga to play golf with Allan Jones. It always amuses me when Adshead pops up in the paper to offer advice on football matters. Surely if he had any credibility, when the reporter rings up he’d simply say “I was a dismal failure at the Knights and am partly responsible for destroying professional football in Auckland so I really don’t feel I have anything credible to say about the current state of football”. Same goes for Fallon popping up in the media (vis a vis his part in the demise of the Kingz), although at least with Fallon he inherited a team that wasn’t really his - but that’s still no excuse for signing your oldest son!
•No support from New Zealand Soccer
See “Part One – What killed the Kingz” above. It’s particularly pertinent here because the Knights were waiting on an instalment of money due to them from the FFA but which never arrived – I think it’s common knowledge that in the case of the Phoenix, NZ Football is advancing the Phoenix money due to them from the FFA.
"...Oh, but maybe in the next world
Maybe in the next world..."
It can be quite amusing to read comments about the reasons for the demise of the Football Kingz. Usually they’re written by people who never went to a Kingz game and have only really been actively following football in NZ for the past 3 seasons and 9 games (and counting). So here for your enjoyment (and in bullet point format) are the indisputable reasons for the demise of the Football Kingz.
•Too soon for professional football
Think about the problems professional sports leagues and professional sports teams, especially in this part of the world, are currently experiencing. Then imagine what it was like ten years ago when the Kingz kicked off – if you go back 10 years you could probably magnify those problems 100 fold. You only have to look at the current problems faced by the Hyundai A League – is there a club that hasn’t been propped up or isn’t currently being propped up by Football Federation Australia? And this is despite the A League being awash with cash. In the Kingz case there were financial problems only a few weeks into their inaugural season which led to players going unpaid and, in the case of Dino Menillo, walking out. Eventually the Kingz were forced to go semi-professional. There’s some great stories about the players having to get up at 2am in the morning, to check in at the airport at 3am, to catch 6am flights to Australia, to sit around in the airport for the entire day and wait for the bus to take them to the game which usually kicked off at 7pm in the evening – all in the name of cost saving (those were the cheapest flights). Dugdale wasn’t prepared to put up with it and quit as coach. For whatever reason Chris Turner always wanted to push ahead. I really think that football in Auckland and in New Zealand as a whole would be in a much stronger position if the Kingz had closed up shop after only the first year and we had pulled the plug on the Aussie experiment to instead focus on our own national league.
•Poor product
Despite the fact that the NSL was arguably a more credible league than the current A League, it was under resourced and wasn’t really supported outside the ethnic communities. There was stuff all support from the commercial sector (big corporates, sponsors etc) too and most importantly there was no TV coverage. Channel 7 had the rights but wouldn’t show the games! Cue “Nobody Screws Soccer Like Seven” protests. No league can survive without television coverage not to mention television revenue. The A League survives on the millions that Fox Sports pumps in every year – without Fox Sports money there would be no A League.
•Sky TV
Sky bought an 80% stake in the Kingz. In my opinion the Kingz board during the Sky years is largely responsible for killing professional football in Auckland. Who were the suits involved at that time? Maybe you can help me: John Fellet (Sky), Simon Massey (Sky), Paul Smart (Sky), John “Rugby” Hart ...I see a theme developing here. They brought in a string of gutless Melburnians who turned tail and fled after only a couple of games. The Kingz finished bottom of the league and Sky abruptly disposed of their stake. The Kingz never recovered from this ...and neither did professional football in Auckland.
•No support from New Zealand Soccer (as they were then known)
It was a real “them and us” attitude. The situation was in direct contrast to the current position with the Phoenix where NZF not only held the A League licence but has also financially assisted the Phoenix.
Replicate those circumstances in any city, in any country, in any part of the world and the outcome would be the same, namely the death of a disco dancer.
Part Two - What killed the Knights
•Money
More specifically the lack of it from Messieurs Katzen and Lee. It’s ironic that the final death knell was when the FFA pulled the plug on an instalment due to the Knights – which is the complete opposite to the situation with Newcastle Jets, Adelaide, North Queensland, Gold Coast etc etc where the FFA gave those clubs extra money to bail them out instead of taking it away.
•John Adshead
Used what little money he had to buy a string of dud players (third rate/fourth rate journey men) then, when he realised he had made a mistake, fled to Tauranga to play golf with Allan Jones. It always amuses me when Adshead pops up in the paper to offer advice on football matters. Surely if he had any credibility, when the reporter rings up he’d simply say “I was a dismal failure at the Knights and am partly responsible for destroying professional football in Auckland so I really don’t feel I have anything credible to say about the current state of football”. Same goes for Fallon popping up in the media (vis a vis his part in the demise of the Kingz), although at least with Fallon he inherited a team that wasn’t really his - but that’s still no excuse for signing your oldest son!
•No support from New Zealand Soccer
See “Part One – What killed the Kingz” above. It’s particularly pertinent here because the Knights were waiting on an instalment of money due to them from the FFA but which never arrived – I think it’s common knowledge that in the case of the Phoenix, NZ Football is advancing the Phoenix money due to them from the FFA.
"...Oh, but maybe in the next world
Maybe in the next world..."
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Reminisce Part One: Come On You Kingz (The Auld Lang Syne chant)
Inspiration? There’s really only one noteworthy team that does this chant. I’ll give you a clue, they’re (not so) affectionately known as the Fulham of the Midlands for their average support and this chant is one of only three in their repertoire - the other two being Villa/Villa/Villa Villa/Villa/Villa/Villa and Holte Enders in the sky.
The Kiwi Kingz
Here's some names for you:
Season One (1999-2000)
Jason Batty; Che Bunce; Jeffrey Campbell; Fred DeJong; Mark Elrick; Noah Hickey; Chris Jackson; Lee Jones; Leigh Kenyon; Aaran Lines; Harry Ngata; Jonathan Perry; Stu Riddle; Wynton Rufer; Mike Utting; Riki van Steeden; Ivan Vicelich.
Season Two (2000-2001)
Che Bunce; Mark Burton; Jeffrey Campbell; Gerard Davis; Sean Douglas; Simon Eaddy; Noah Hickey; Chris Jackson; Lee Jones; Aaran Lines; Chris Marsh; Heremai Ngata; Jonathon Perry; Wynton Rufer; Tim Stevens; Paul Urlovic; Riki van Steeden; Ivan Vicelich.
Season Three (2001-2002)
Mark Atkinson; Campbell Banks; James Bannatyne; Scott Bishop; Mark Burton; Jeffrey Campbell; Gerard Davis; Sean Douglas; Lance Eason; Sean Fallon; Chris Jackson; Leigh Kenyon; Heremaia Ngata; Jonathon Perry; Wynton Rufer; Tim Stevens; Paul Urlovic; Riki van Steeden; Craig Wylie.
Season Four (2002-2003)
Mark Atkinson; James Bannatyne; Mark Beldham; Mark Burton; Jeffrey Campbell; Jeremy Christie; Raffaele de Gregorio; Johnny Foundoulakis; Chris Jackson; Heremaia Ngata; Jonathon Perry; James Pritchett; Ben Sigmund; Jonathon Taylor; Steven Turner; Paul Urlovic; Michael Utting; Riki van Steeden; Darren Young.
Season Five (2003-2004)
Campbell Banks; Mark Beldham; Mark Burton; Jeffrey Campbell; Jeremy Christie; Glen Collins; Chad Coombes; Danny Hay; Noah Hickey; Chris Jackson; Heremaia Ngata; Ross Nicholson; David Rayner; Jason Rowley; Brad Scott; Michael Utting; Michael Williams; Tamati Williams; Craig Wylie; Darren Young.
Season One (1999-2000)
Jason Batty; Che Bunce; Jeffrey Campbell; Fred DeJong; Mark Elrick; Noah Hickey; Chris Jackson; Lee Jones; Leigh Kenyon; Aaran Lines; Harry Ngata; Jonathan Perry; Stu Riddle; Wynton Rufer; Mike Utting; Riki van Steeden; Ivan Vicelich.
Season Two (2000-2001)
Che Bunce; Mark Burton; Jeffrey Campbell; Gerard Davis; Sean Douglas; Simon Eaddy; Noah Hickey; Chris Jackson; Lee Jones; Aaran Lines; Chris Marsh; Heremai Ngata; Jonathon Perry; Wynton Rufer; Tim Stevens; Paul Urlovic; Riki van Steeden; Ivan Vicelich.
Season Three (2001-2002)
Mark Atkinson; Campbell Banks; James Bannatyne; Scott Bishop; Mark Burton; Jeffrey Campbell; Gerard Davis; Sean Douglas; Lance Eason; Sean Fallon; Chris Jackson; Leigh Kenyon; Heremaia Ngata; Jonathon Perry; Wynton Rufer; Tim Stevens; Paul Urlovic; Riki van Steeden; Craig Wylie.
Season Four (2002-2003)
Mark Atkinson; James Bannatyne; Mark Beldham; Mark Burton; Jeffrey Campbell; Jeremy Christie; Raffaele de Gregorio; Johnny Foundoulakis; Chris Jackson; Heremaia Ngata; Jonathon Perry; James Pritchett; Ben Sigmund; Jonathon Taylor; Steven Turner; Paul Urlovic; Michael Utting; Riki van Steeden; Darren Young.
Season Five (2003-2004)
Campbell Banks; Mark Beldham; Mark Burton; Jeffrey Campbell; Jeremy Christie; Glen Collins; Chad Coombes; Danny Hay; Noah Hickey; Chris Jackson; Heremaia Ngata; Ross Nicholson; David Rayner; Jason Rowley; Brad Scott; Michael Utting; Michael Williams; Tamati Williams; Craig Wylie; Darren Young.
The Football Federation Australia Welfare League
It’s enlightening to read Australian football fans on Australian football forums refer to their own Hyundai A League as a sham and/or “The FFA Welfare League”. Let’s examine this proposition in greater detail. Here’s a list of clubs that the FFA has propped up, has offered to prop up or is currently propping up:
Perth Glory: FFA owned Perth Glory for a year;
Sydney FC: FFA chairman Lowy’s money bailed out Sydney FC when the club was about to go “belly up” after only a season or two;
Adelaide United: Currently 100% owned by the FFA;
North Queensland Fury: Currently 100% owned by the FFA;
Brisbane Roar: FFA offered to prop up cash strapped “Queensland Roar” at the start of the 2008-2009 season and was about to take control of the club at the end of that season;
Gold Coast United: FFA propped up Gold Coast United last season;
Newcastle Jets: FFA recently bailed out the Newcastle Jets.
Perth Glory: FFA owned Perth Glory for a year;
Sydney FC: FFA chairman Lowy’s money bailed out Sydney FC when the club was about to go “belly up” after only a season or two;
Adelaide United: Currently 100% owned by the FFA;
North Queensland Fury: Currently 100% owned by the FFA;
Brisbane Roar: FFA offered to prop up cash strapped “Queensland Roar” at the start of the 2008-2009 season and was about to take control of the club at the end of that season;
Gold Coast United: FFA propped up Gold Coast United last season;
Newcastle Jets: FFA recently bailed out the Newcastle Jets.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Gold Coast United v Newcastle Jets FC - Wednesday, 22 September 2010
"Tonight I sat down and watched Gold Coast United play the Newcastle Jets. In all honesty it was one of the worst games of football that I have ever seen. It was 90 minutes of total shite, that literally had me feeling like clawing my own eyes out by the time that John Curtis smashed home an injury time winner that was really the only glimmer of quality in a match of total and utter dross. It was such a poor game that I would in all honesty have preferred to have sat down and watched two super, morbidly obese women indulge in a 72 hour tribbing marathon instead of watching that shit." - taken from foggyatnight.blogspot.com
Read more here:-
Perhaps The FFA Could Kindly Tell Us When To Panic (Sunday, 19 September 2010)
Jets Saved, But How? (Wednesday, 22 September 2010)
FFA Boggles The Mind (Tuesday, 28 September 2010)
Read more here:-
Perhaps The FFA Could Kindly Tell Us When To Panic (Sunday, 19 September 2010)
Jets Saved, But How? (Wednesday, 22 September 2010)
FFA Boggles The Mind (Tuesday, 28 September 2010)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
How the Kingz got Easy Easy (aka The Kingz Fling)...
...and how ACFC got We’ll Be Coming Down The Road. A true story.
The year is 2000 AD. A young boy, let’s call him Ultra, is scouring the internet for material (images, audio, chants/songs, links etc) for a Bloc 5 website. Back then the internet was still in its infancy (no broadband for a starter) and there were far less football related resources to determine what fans around the globe were up to. Nowadays all you have to do is click on Youtube to find out what football fans are doing from Taiwan to Tel Aviv – so there can be no excuse for turning up and yelling “Who are ya?”, “She fell over”, “Eeyore” and all those 1966 Stockport versus Huddersfield style chants (ie “Build a bonfire, build a bonfire, put the [insert team] on the top etc ”, “In your [insert town] slums, you look in the garbage for something to eat etc”, “Oh [insert town] is wonderful etc”) and thinking that it constitutes decent football support.
The best sites back in 2000 were the European ultra sites ...that’s why Bloc 5 did a number of Fossa dei Leoni style chants. Working out the Italian/French/Spanish/Polish/German/Russian etc words for “songs”, “chants”, “audio” and “images” could be hazardous. I couldn’t tell you the number of times I stuffed up the computer by downloading rogue files/viruses when I thought I was downloading a Magic Fans chant.
I digress. I could see on some of the Scottish football forums and websites that there was quite a bit of reference to a chant with the words “When you hear the noise of the Tartan Army boys we’ll be coming down the road” but there were no audio links and no-one could tell me the tune. Colin fae Manurewa (via Dundee and Arbroath) thought it might have something to do with the Civil War song “We Are Coming Father Abraham” – I wasn’t so sure. Nowadays you could just use the inbuilt microphone on your laptop to record yourself and send it via email as an audio file. I left my contact details on a few Tartan Army message boards hoping someone would get in touch.
The only person to contact me was a Scot living in Melbourne called Ross. He sent me a CD “The Tartan Army: Scottish World Cup Anthems” with the note: “Richard, A cultural masterpiece from Scotland. Cheers Ross” (in return I sent him a copy of Messieurs Stantiall and Stephens’ Pulitzer Prize winning Stand Up If You Love The Kingz season review and a Kingz keyring). There are some great World Cup/Euro Cup anthems on that CD (Big Trip To Mexico, Fergie’s Fusiliers, Viva Scotland etc). In fact, Rod “the mod” Stewart’s Ole Ola and Purple Heather are two of my favourite football anthems of all time. The CD also contains the 1974 Scotland World Cup squad singing Easy Easy. It does not contain We'll Be Coming Down The Road.
Fast forward to 2001 and the Sky TV operated Kingz are looking for an anthem for the start of their third season in the NSL. Being someone with a bit of an interest in these sorts of things I sent a tape recording of some songs (including Easy Easy) through to ...I think it was Dean Pooley ...and Glen (insert name here) was another ...and quite possibly Simon Massey ...all at Sky TV.
What might have been? Here are some of the other tracks that were on that tape: I know The Offbeats’ Dad’s Army was on that tape; I’m pretty confident Ben Gunn’s Viva Scotland (or was it Ben Gunn’s Fergie’s Fusiliers) was on that tape; I’m also confident Bloc 5 favourite On My Radio (The Selecter version) was on there; I think maybe Carry, Go, Bring, Come was also on it (The Selecter or Justin Hinds version, I can’t remember which). I’m not sure why I included Easy Easy. Possibly to show what could be done with glam rock – I mean everyone loves jumping round to Tiger Feet. I didn’t think Sky TV would just copy it. Anyway, I take full responsibility for my part in the Kingz Fling – cue ex-pat Scots to ring talkback radio and whine about how it was the Scotland 1974 World Cup anthem.
Fast forward (again) to 2004. Someone seeing the contact details which I had left many years before on one of the Tartan Army message boards sent me a link to the Tartan Specials' We'll Be Coming Down The Road. I forwarded it on to Colin fae Manurewa (via A House In The Ferry). ACFC did a recording. I wasn’t there for the recording. I’m not quite sure they got it right. I reckon you need to hold the “...down...” in “down the road” for it to work.
What I do remember is a 20 minute rendition of “We’ll Be Coming Down The Road” by the Bloc 5 Boyz when the Knights got hammered 4 – 0 by Melbourne at North Harbour in October 2006. Scott (not Archie) Gemmell came off the field at the end of the game and just stood in front of the Bloc and applauded.
The end.
The year is 2000 AD. A young boy, let’s call him Ultra, is scouring the internet for material (images, audio, chants/songs, links etc) for a Bloc 5 website. Back then the internet was still in its infancy (no broadband for a starter) and there were far less football related resources to determine what fans around the globe were up to. Nowadays all you have to do is click on Youtube to find out what football fans are doing from Taiwan to Tel Aviv – so there can be no excuse for turning up and yelling “Who are ya?”, “She fell over”, “Eeyore” and all those 1966 Stockport versus Huddersfield style chants (ie “Build a bonfire, build a bonfire, put the [insert team] on the top etc ”, “In your [insert town] slums, you look in the garbage for something to eat etc”, “Oh [insert town] is wonderful etc”) and thinking that it constitutes decent football support.
The best sites back in 2000 were the European ultra sites ...that’s why Bloc 5 did a number of Fossa dei Leoni style chants. Working out the Italian/French/Spanish/Polish/German/Russian etc words for “songs”, “chants”, “audio” and “images” could be hazardous. I couldn’t tell you the number of times I stuffed up the computer by downloading rogue files/viruses when I thought I was downloading a Magic Fans chant.
I digress. I could see on some of the Scottish football forums and websites that there was quite a bit of reference to a chant with the words “When you hear the noise of the Tartan Army boys we’ll be coming down the road” but there were no audio links and no-one could tell me the tune. Colin fae Manurewa (via Dundee and Arbroath) thought it might have something to do with the Civil War song “We Are Coming Father Abraham” – I wasn’t so sure. Nowadays you could just use the inbuilt microphone on your laptop to record yourself and send it via email as an audio file. I left my contact details on a few Tartan Army message boards hoping someone would get in touch.
The only person to contact me was a Scot living in Melbourne called Ross. He sent me a CD “The Tartan Army: Scottish World Cup Anthems” with the note: “Richard, A cultural masterpiece from Scotland. Cheers Ross” (in return I sent him a copy of Messieurs Stantiall and Stephens’ Pulitzer Prize winning Stand Up If You Love The Kingz season review and a Kingz keyring). There are some great World Cup/Euro Cup anthems on that CD (Big Trip To Mexico, Fergie’s Fusiliers, Viva Scotland etc). In fact, Rod “the mod” Stewart’s Ole Ola and Purple Heather are two of my favourite football anthems of all time. The CD also contains the 1974 Scotland World Cup squad singing Easy Easy. It does not contain We'll Be Coming Down The Road.
Fast forward to 2001 and the Sky TV operated Kingz are looking for an anthem for the start of their third season in the NSL. Being someone with a bit of an interest in these sorts of things I sent a tape recording of some songs (including Easy Easy) through to ...I think it was Dean Pooley ...and Glen (insert name here) was another ...and quite possibly Simon Massey ...all at Sky TV.
What might have been? Here are some of the other tracks that were on that tape: I know The Offbeats’ Dad’s Army was on that tape; I’m pretty confident Ben Gunn’s Viva Scotland (or was it Ben Gunn’s Fergie’s Fusiliers) was on that tape; I’m also confident Bloc 5 favourite On My Radio (The Selecter version) was on there; I think maybe Carry, Go, Bring, Come was also on it (The Selecter or Justin Hinds version, I can’t remember which). I’m not sure why I included Easy Easy. Possibly to show what could be done with glam rock – I mean everyone loves jumping round to Tiger Feet. I didn’t think Sky TV would just copy it. Anyway, I take full responsibility for my part in the Kingz Fling – cue ex-pat Scots to ring talkback radio and whine about how it was the Scotland 1974 World Cup anthem.
Fast forward (again) to 2004. Someone seeing the contact details which I had left many years before on one of the Tartan Army message boards sent me a link to the Tartan Specials' We'll Be Coming Down The Road. I forwarded it on to Colin fae Manurewa (via A House In The Ferry). ACFC did a recording. I wasn’t there for the recording. I’m not quite sure they got it right. I reckon you need to hold the “...down...” in “down the road” for it to work.
What I do remember is a 20 minute rendition of “We’ll Be Coming Down The Road” by the Bloc 5 Boyz when the Knights got hammered 4 – 0 by Melbourne at North Harbour in October 2006. Scott (not Archie) Gemmell came off the field at the end of the game and just stood in front of the Bloc and applauded.
The end.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
I don't do crowds
Hyundai A League, Week 7:
Newcastle v Perth - 6500
North Queensland v Melbourne V – 4500
Brisbane v Adelaide – 7000
Melbourne H v Wellington – 5500
Gold Coast v Central Coast - 2000
Newcastle v Perth - 6500
North Queensland v Melbourne V – 4500
Brisbane v Adelaide – 7000
Melbourne H v Wellington – 5500
Gold Coast v Central Coast - 2000
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Crap football chants - Part Three: Eeyore
The year was 1988. At the European Championships, England came up against a Netherlands side containing Marco Van.... scrub that, all you need to know is that it was 1988(!!).
Crap football chants - Part One: She fell over
What does this mean? Women can’t walk properly and fall over a lot. Accordingly, that player is like a woman because he can’t stay upright?!
FIFA has run a variety of much publicised campaigns to “kick racism out of football”. Some clubs, notably Sankt Pauli, have done much the same with sexism.
FIFA has run a variety of much publicised campaigns to “kick racism out of football”. Some clubs, notably Sankt Pauli, have done much the same with sexism.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
S Y D, N E Y
As I said to my old mate CK, I bet that when the A League kicked off back in 2005 Sydney FC weren't expecting to average only 12,000 in the regular season of the fourth year of the competition in which they were Premiers. The market for club football in Sydney was illustrated one sunny weekend in October 1998 when over 25,000 Sydneysiders turned out to support the NSL. Sure the league they were supporting was arguably a more credible one ...but Marconi weren't even playing at home ...and Olympic had the bye.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
...that this is still football worth watching and that Grimsby is still a team worth fighting for
Crawley Town 0 Grimsby Town 1
Check out Marianthi SpiralScratch's review of Grimsby Town's first game in the Conference here: Cod Almighty.
Photo taken from Marianthi SpiralScratch's Grimsby Town FC flickr set.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
MON has left the building
I used to support The Villa. Here in NZ you can sometimes tell when someone started following football from the English club they support. Take for example all those Leeds supporters who appeared when Leeds were doing well in the early 1990s and all those Blackburn supporters of the mid 1990s when that club was in the ascendency etc etc.
Villa were pretty big around the time I was born. League Cup victories in 1975 and 1977, First Division Champions in 1980-81 ...and of course 1982. The greatest footballing year of my life (until a bunch of shop assistants, truck drivers, interior decorators, school teachers, window cleaners etc took to the field at the Club World Cup in 2009). In 1982 the All Whites marched on to Spain and Villa lifted the European Cup in Rotterdam. I don’t really support Villa anymore. Reading this blog you may be forgiven for thinking that I don’t support the Premier League. I don’t. Sure I keep a watch out for The Admiral’s performances and I do follow the relegation battles come the end of the season but I don’t follow the other end of the table. Why bother when only 4 (and a half) teams are ever going to win the Premiership – the half is reserved for Spurs and Citeh.
Anyway, there’s been much discussion about why MON left. Some say he was sick and tired of trying to build a competitive side with Randy selling (or looking to sell) his best players at the end of each season – Barry, Milner, Young etc etc. Some are sad to see him go. Others argue MON had more money at his disposal than any Villa manager in recent history and still couldn’t do any better than 6th place. Arguments which take from the past to explain the present/future are troublesome. Time goes forward not backwards. What was a considerable sum to spend on players back in 2005 ain’t so in 2010.
There was one reader’s comment on the Guardian website which reckoned Villa without MON was headed straight for the Championship. One can only hope. If that happened I might consider supporting them again.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Ruminations on a World Cup campaign (cont.)... I knew I had forgotten something
10. Vuvuzelas
Completely destroyed the World Cup.
Completely destroyed the World Cup.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Ruminations on a World Cup campaign
1. Tommy Smith:
Our best player. His feints, dummies, positioning etc to gain control of the ball and maintain possession reminded me of a real player. But see 8 below.
2. Ryan Nelsen and Mark Paston:
Were good. Obviously.
3. Ivan Vicelich:
I reckon the Italy game was Ivan’s best game in an All Whites shirt. In all three games he was good “mopping up, calming things down, keeping cool and issuing orders”. The sight of Ivan taking the kick off to commence the second half of the Paraguay game nearly made me pee my pants. But if you play an uber defensive “mopper upper” then the other central midfielder really needs to be an outrageously creative playmaker – and with all respect to Simon Elliot he’s a million miles away from that. Did someone say Michael McGlinchey?
4. All Whites v Slovakia:
Probably the worst performance I’ve ever seen from an All Whites side in the last 10 years. Were it not for 3 seconds in the 96th minute then it would’ve been a very poor start to the campaign. I guess both teams can be forgiven as it was their first up match (and also Slovakia’s first game at a World Cup and the All Whites first game at a World Cup in 28 years) – but it really was like watching two teams wearing lead boots chasing a balloon...in slow motion.
5. All Whites v Italy:
Italy had 23 shots on goal to our 3. On a good day half of those would’ve gone in making it something like a 12 - 2 final scoreline in Italy’s favour. On a great day all of those would’ve gone in making it a 23 – 3 final scoreline.
6. All Whites v Paraguay:
How can you play 3 strikers and yet not have any shots on goal? OK, I exaggerate... we had three. What was Ricki Herbert doing – surely we should’ve just flooded the pitch with our attacking players and pushed everyone forward. We were on the verge of making it through to the second round. I would’ve liked to have heard Chris Coleman’s punditry on ITV – apparently he was imploring Ricki to dispense with the defence minded game plan and push players forward. It was as if not conceding a goal was more important than progressing to the next round!? Maybe Herbert should’ve taken some goalscorers. On that note here is Fallon’s league and cup record for the 3 seasons prior to the World Cup: 114 appearances for 17 goals. Here is Killens: 57 appearances for 6 goals.
7. Luck:
I think we were lucky with the draw – being drawn in the same group as Slovakia (in their first World Cup) and the aging Italians – and lucky with playing Slovakia first up and Paraguay last. I reckon it would've been a different World Cup had we come up against Paraguay first... or been drawn in Group G.
8. Rory Fallon:
I find it hard to support the guy. He turned his back on NZ to go play for England. Even when it was obvious that he’d be forever warming the bench of some third rate outfit, NZ still wasn’t good enough for him. Only when he got a whiff of a World Cup did he show his face. Same goes for Tommy Smith and Winston Reid. I bet neither of them would’ve come calling had there not been a trip to the World Cup on offer. It’s much easier to support those who have put their hand up to play for NZ from the start – you know, Vicelich, Smeltz, Killen, Elliot, Bertos, Paston etc. Guys who have fronted at the Caketin in front of 2000 versus Vanuatu and at QE2 in front of 9000 versus Malaysia etc.
9. Mainstream media coverage:
The mainstream media coverage was just an embarrassment - TVNZ, TV3, The Herald etc etc. A whole lot of people who didn’t know what they were talking about. So too was seeing All Whites players like Winston Reid, Rory Fallon, Tony Lochhead et al appearing in the Womans Day!! It made me ashamed to be a NZ football supporter. Also embarrassing were the many “journalists” who just couldn’t hide their manic hatred of the world game, ie Leggat, Rattue, Eric Young and co.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
The Beeb
Ivan Vicelich makes the BBC's team of the day:
Ivan Vicelich
Centre-back
New Zealand
Auckland City defender was half of the partnership that kept the Azzurri at bay. To restrict the world champions to a single goal leaves the group wide open.
Ivan had a good game - mopping up, calming things down, keeping cool and issuing orders. In approximately the 70th minute the All Whites lost possession on the edge of the Italian goalbox. Winston Reid was down with an injury inside the Italian box and so we were going to be caught short at the back. Ivan runs the length of the pitch to put in a goal saving tackle... not bad for a "retired" 33 year old. Had he scored with that volley I would've cried.
Ivan Vicelich:- representing New Zealand, Auckland City Football Club and our national league the New Zealand Football Championship.
Ivan Vicelich
Centre-back
New Zealand
Auckland City defender was half of the partnership that kept the Azzurri at bay. To restrict the world champions to a single goal leaves the group wide open.
Ivan had a good game - mopping up, calming things down, keeping cool and issuing orders. In approximately the 70th minute the All Whites lost possession on the edge of the Italian goalbox. Winston Reid was down with an injury inside the Italian box and so we were going to be caught short at the back. Ivan runs the length of the pitch to put in a goal saving tackle... not bad for a "retired" 33 year old. Had he scored with that volley I would've cried.
Ivan Vicelich:- representing New Zealand, Auckland City Football Club and our national league the New Zealand Football Championship.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Greatest performance by a New Zealand football team on the world stage? I should coco.
Thanks to Sa'id Milton for this "Howick New Wave" portrayal of ACFC's performance at the FIFA Club World Cup 2009.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
A tale of two Manchesters
Last Saturday (24 April 2010) Manchester United played Tottenham Hotspur in a crucial EPL title race match at Old Trafford. The sight of Ferguson on the sideline imploring the crowd to get vocal was rather satisfying. The atmosphere was largely non-existant prior to Nani's goal which put Manchester United ahead 2-1. Even after the goal the crowd could only manage "We shall not be moved" and a half-hearted "Red Army" (in response to Spurs' "Yid Army").
Meanwhile, up the road in Bury, FC United played Matlock Town in what was the final game of the season for the two Unibond Premier teams. It was pretty much a "dead rubber" - neither team was vying for promotion or battling relegation. Yet here's an example of the atmosphere that 2500-odd managed to generate inside Gigg Lane. Heart and soul football:
Meanwhile, up the road in Bury, FC United played Matlock Town in what was the final game of the season for the two Unibond Premier teams. It was pretty much a "dead rubber" - neither team was vying for promotion or battling relegation. Yet here's an example of the atmosphere that 2500-odd managed to generate inside Gigg Lane. Heart and soul football:
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
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Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Football fans "kick off"...
...to the astonishment of the surrounding bankers, lawyers and accountants.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Hogg and Hayne make team of the tournament
"Barcelona lifted the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009 but there were more players who stood out in the 10-day competition...
LB: Ian Hogg (AUC)
Auckland City’s marauding left-back never pulled out of a challenge and showed composure beyond his years, comfortably dealing with everything thrown at him. His bursting runs down the left flank caused Al Ahli problems in the opening game and, despite conceding three against Atlante, it could have been more had it not been for his impressive display.
...
CF: Jason Hayne (AUC)
The New Zealander was due to start the tournament on the bench against Al Ahli, but when a teammate pulled up injured, he was handed a chance to shine. And he did just that, collecting the man-of-the-match award. Restricted against a superior Atlante side in the quarter-finals, he was back on form against TP Mazembe in the fifth-place playoff, scoring twice."
See full team of the tournament here Alves, Denilson, Messi, Hogg, Hayne...
LB: Ian Hogg (AUC)
Auckland City’s marauding left-back never pulled out of a challenge and showed composure beyond his years, comfortably dealing with everything thrown at him. His bursting runs down the left flank caused Al Ahli problems in the opening game and, despite conceding three against Atlante, it could have been more had it not been for his impressive display.
...
CF: Jason Hayne (AUC)
The New Zealander was due to start the tournament on the bench against Al Ahli, but when a teammate pulled up injured, he was handed a chance to shine. And he did just that, collecting the man-of-the-match award. Restricted against a superior Atlante side in the quarter-finals, he was back on form against TP Mazembe in the fifth-place playoff, scoring twice."
See full team of the tournament here Alves, Denilson, Messi, Hogg, Hayne...
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Now this is what I'm talking about...
...open terraces, pitch cutting up a treat, standing room only...listen to that crowd!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Spanish La Liga winners over the last 20 years
2009 Barcelona
2008 Real Madrid
2007 Real Madrid
2006 Barcelona
2005 Barcelona
2004 Valencia
2003 Real Madrid
2002 Valencia
2001 Real Madrid
2000 Deportivo La Coruna
1999 Barcelona
1998 Barcelona
1997 Real Madrid
1996 Athletico Madrid
1995 Real Madrid
1994 Barcelona
1993 Barcelona
1992 Barcelona
1991 Barcelona
1990 Real Madrid
1989 Real Madrid
2008 Real Madrid
2007 Real Madrid
2006 Barcelona
2005 Barcelona
2004 Valencia
2003 Real Madrid
2002 Valencia
2001 Real Madrid
2000 Deportivo La Coruna
1999 Barcelona
1998 Barcelona
1997 Real Madrid
1996 Athletico Madrid
1995 Real Madrid
1994 Barcelona
1993 Barcelona
1992 Barcelona
1991 Barcelona
1990 Real Madrid
1989 Real Madrid
English Premiership winners over the last 20 years
2009 Manchester United
2008 Manchester United
2007 Manchester United
2006 Chelsea
2005 Chelsea
2004 Arsenal
2003 Manchester United
2002 Arsenal
2001 Manchester United
2000 Manchester United
1999 Manchester United
1998 Arsenal
1997 Manchester United
1996 Manchester United
1995 Blackburn Rovers
1994 Manchester United
1993 Manchester United
1992 Leeds United
1991 Arsenal
1990 Liverpool
1989 Arsenal
2008 Manchester United
2007 Manchester United
2006 Chelsea
2005 Chelsea
2004 Arsenal
2003 Manchester United
2002 Arsenal
2001 Manchester United
2000 Manchester United
1999 Manchester United
1998 Arsenal
1997 Manchester United
1996 Manchester United
1995 Blackburn Rovers
1994 Manchester United
1993 Manchester United
1992 Leeds United
1991 Arsenal
1990 Liverpool
1989 Arsenal
Monday, February 1, 2010
Over 100 years of history (aka Who'd be a football supporter?)
Official UniBond League Statement regarding Kings Lynn FC
UniBond League officials, who had hoped that Kings Lynn FC would be reprieved in the High Court on Wednesday, were bitterly disappointed when written confirmation was received from the Official Receiver’s offices in Norwich on Thursday morning, 10th December 2009 that the Liquidator appointed to wind up Kings Lynn FC had confirmed the club could not fulfil its fixtures. Accordingly under League Rule 13.9 Kings Lynn FC ceases to be a member of the Company.
The UniBond League is equally disappointed for the large body of supporters who followed a club with over a century of history behind them.
Kings Lynn were also removed by the Football Association from the FA Trophy and the scheduled tie on Saturday, 12th December against Vauxhall Motors awarded to the Conference North side.
A decision regarding the playing record of Kings Lynn will be announced by the League shortly and fixtures will be rescheduled.
UniBond League officials, who had hoped that Kings Lynn FC would be reprieved in the High Court on Wednesday, were bitterly disappointed when written confirmation was received from the Official Receiver’s offices in Norwich on Thursday morning, 10th December 2009 that the Liquidator appointed to wind up Kings Lynn FC had confirmed the club could not fulfil its fixtures. Accordingly under League Rule 13.9 Kings Lynn FC ceases to be a member of the Company.
The UniBond League is equally disappointed for the large body of supporters who followed a club with over a century of history behind them.
Kings Lynn were also removed by the Football Association from the FA Trophy and the scheduled tie on Saturday, 12th December against Vauxhall Motors awarded to the Conference North side.
A decision regarding the playing record of Kings Lynn will be announced by the League shortly and fixtures will be rescheduled.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Messieurs Scott, Krishna and Totori take note
"Players are conning each other, I'm glad I'm not playing anymore, especially in the Premiership. I can't get my head round a player who rolls around then gets up thirty seconds later. I'd be embarrassed. Lads I've played with go down like they've been shot and it drives me crazy." - Roy Keane
Arsenal
"Our gate income will probably be the highest in the world. We will have 60,000 fans and higher priced tickets - and more premium [corporate] tickets than any other club in the UK." - Keith Edelman, Managing Director of Arsenal, 2006.
Mot Den Moderne Fotballen
"In the Mexico 1986 World Cup, TV companies made teams play in Mexico City at midday and with an altitude of 2,500 metres and high levels of smog and humidity. It was inhuman. They sold a bad football product to the world. You have to care for the game and defend it from the outside aggression of commercialisation." - Jorge Valdano, 1986 Argentine World Cup winner.
Anti Moderne Voetball
"If tomorrow, business becomes more important than the game itself, then football will no longer exist." - Aime Jacquet, 1998 French World Cup winning manager.
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