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.

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.

Best fans outside of Kiwitea Street. Fact.

FCUM v (Bundesliga bound) Sankt Pauli 15.05.10

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:

Stand up if you still believe

Top drawer football kits: Part 4.

FCUM third strip

Top drawer football kits: Part 3.

Man Citeh