As we approach the matches for Round 3 Proper of the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the discussions
continue about the venue switch for the Seattle Sounders vs. Atlanta Silverbacks match. Here's the
backdrop: if the Silverbacks won their ...
Visit http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com for the rest of the story.
Grant Russell penned this column. Russell is a journalist for STV (Scottish Television) and
regarded as an expert on Scottish football and on homegrown rules and players eligibility. Russell
also tweets frequently on the Rangers and the American contingent playing there.
Grant is a must-follow on Twitter.
1-0 up, 2-1 down and a (seemingly) improbable fight back... Arsenal's victory at the Hawthorns
may not have had quite the drama of Manchester City's stunning fight back at the Etihad, but its
importance for the Gunners cannot be overestimated.
Suicidal defending, an inability to keep possession, plenty of pretty passing and an unlikely
3-2 victory.
By Chris Wright
Chelsea have confirmed via their official website that they have submitted a bid to acquire the
Battersea Power Station site in order to build a new 60,000-seater stadium on said land.
The club have announced they along with their 'property development partners' Almacantar are
hoping to acquire the 39 acres of land, which they plan to redevelop if, as and when they should
decide to up-sticks and leave Stamford Bridge.
As the New England Revolution prepare for a Wednesday night clash with the Colorado Rapids there
are questions about tactics, lineups and what we can expect to see out on the plastic pitch of
Gillette Stadium.
Among the lineup questions, the introduction and integration of the new international players is
key among them, and as far as this blog is concerned, there's a clear interest in the status and
progress of our new Colombian signings and if we should expect to see more of them.
Not to take away from Rich's most recent post, but lost among Chelsea's guerrilla tactics on
Tuesday was the fact Aston Villa choked a lead away and lost, at home, to relegation candidates
Bolton.
So, with three games left, Aston Villa are just three points above the drop. And if Mark
Schwarzer's parry hadn't fallen to the feet of Andreas Weimann at the death last month, they would
be one point above the drop, with three matches left.
Not to take away from Rich's most recent post, but lost among Chelsea's guerrilla tactics on
Tuesday was the fact Aston Villa choked a lead away and lost, at home, to relegation candidates
Bolton.
So, with three games left, Aston Villa are just three points above the drop. And if Mark
Schwarzer's parry hadn't fallen to the feet of Andreas Weimann at the death last month, they would
be one point above the drop, with three matches left.
Through Ryu's Lens: Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid.
The Champions League always provides an immense backdrop, with an abundance of characters. These
characters are usually met with excessive amounts of talent, yet this match at the Allianz Arena
got ugly.
Originally posted on Imagine2050
Last night, fans of the Major League Soccer (MLS) club Chicago Fire unveiled a massive banner
displaying the rich diversity of the club's city, supporters and team. The banner featured the
Chicago skyline with a backdrop of the rainbow flag with the words "Our City Our Club Our Diversity
Our Strength".
Date: Friday Dec 30 2011
Ground: Edgar Street
Comp: League Two
Match: Hereford United 1 Accrington Stanley 1 HT: 1-0
Arquin 5: Evans 72
ATT: 2,057
Additional: Entrance £14.00, Programme £2.50
Edgar Street in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 8, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7
Total 30
Filed under: Groundhopping, Non-League, Stadia, Grounds, Travelog Tagged: Dudley Town, Evans Park,
Non-League, Stafford Town, west midlands regional league
Date: Saturday Dec 17 2011
Ground: Coronation Park
Comp: Conference North (step two)
Match: Eastwood Town 0 Workington 3 HT: 0-2
Caines 36 og, McNiven 41, Amison 50
ATT: 209
Additional: Entrance £10.00, Programme £2.00
Coronation Park in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 6
Total 27
Filed under: Groundhopping, Non-League, Stadia, Grounds, Travelog Tagged: Dudley Town, Evans Park,
Non-League, Stafford Town, west midlands regional league
The Middle East and North Africa loom large as FIFA's executive committee meets in Zurich this week
against the backdrop of calls to investigate Qatar's bid to host the 2022 World Cup and blatant
political interference in Egyptian soccer, says writer James Dorsey.
Date: Saturday Dec 03 2011
Ground: The Muga
Comp: Welsh Cup third round
Match: FC Cefn (3rd Tier) 1 Aberystwyth Town (1st
Tier) 6 HT: 1-3
ATT: circa 450
Additional: Entrance £3.00, Programme £1.00
The Muga in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 4, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7
Total 25
Another Welsh odyssey and this time my first Welsh Cup tie.
If one had made a list before the season began, ticking off the players most important in
determining the success or failure of Liverpool's campaign, most would have gone through the same
five names: Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger, Lucas Leiva, Steven Gerrard, and Luis Suarez. Of those five,
three are injured and one is horribly off-form as the club head into their most important league
match of the season against an Arsenal side seven points ahead in fourth place but with Liverpool
holding a game in hand.
Very interesting news from the Bundesliga. Cologne striker Lukas Podolski has been given the
green light by his club to move to EPL club Arsenal. This news comes on the backdrop of emerging
reports from German news agents claiming that the 26 year old have already agreed personal terms
with Arsenal.
Date: Tuesday Nov 15 2011
Ground: Millbank Linnets Stadium
Comp: North West Counties League (step five)
Match: Runcorn Linnets 1 Stone Dominoes 1 HT: 0-0
Hardwick 68; Lowndes 58
ATT: 245
Additional: Entrance £5.00, Programme £1.50
Millbank Linnets Stadium in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 5, Structures/Terracing 5, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 3
Total 20/40
Linnets' lineage goes back to the non league giants of Runcorn FC, founded 1918, who along with
Telford in the 80s, were league clubs in waiting and oft-times FA Cup heroes.
Date: Saturday Nov 05 2011
Ground: Latham Park
Comp: Welsh Premier (Welsh step one)
Match: Newtown 2 Port Talbot Town 0 HT: 1-0
Penk 14, Boundford 82
ATT: 158
Additional: Entrance £7.00, Programme £1.50
Latham Park in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 9, Structures/Terracing 8, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 8
Total 32
Newtown marked my completion of the mid-wales Welsh Premier clubs.
Northern Brewer, the home brewing company has teamed up with the Minnesota Stars FC to create
Shining Star Pale Ale in tribute to the NASL Champion Minnesota Stars soccer team. "Bright and
intrepid, great hops on a grassy backdrop, and superb interplay between all the elements. Wait, are
we talking about the beer or the [.
The Africa Cup of Nations started on Saturday in west Africa. It's a competition that gives
supporters in Europe of over-saturated leagues a chance to see some new and exciting talent. The
opening match in Bata was between the hosts Equatorial Guinea in their first Africa Cup of Nations,
and Libya who qualified for the tournament under a backdrop of civil war and unrest at home.
The 2012 African Cup of Nations begins this weekend with two host nations, Equatorial Guinea and
Gabon, which have such a limited record in this competition. The former has never qualified for an
African Cup of Nations before and will be an unknown quantity to most observers of this year's
tournament whilst the latter have competed in just four previous tournaments and have only
progressed beyond the group stage on just one occasion when reaching the last eight in 1996.
When you break it down, what we love about sports are the memories they create.
You build stockpiles of those treasured days and nights. We all have our "Miracle On Ice"
moments, even if all can't rise to that level of cherish and intensity.
We fondly remember that special game at your high school.
Date: Tuesday Nov 01 2011
Ground: City Ground
Comp: West Midland Regional Division (step six)
Match: Darlaston Town 0 Cradley Town 8 HT: 0-4
ATT: 45 (headcount)
Additional: Entrance £4.00, Programme £1.00
City Ground in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7
Total 29
By a coincidence, just days before going to the City Ground of Darlaston Town, Neil
Chambers emailed me.
Date: Tuesday Nov 01 2011
Ground: City Ground
Comp: West Midland Regional Division (step six)
Match: Darlaston Town 0 Cradley Town 8 HT: 0-4
ATT: 45 (headcount)
Additional: Entrance £4.00, Programme £1.00
City Ground in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7
Total 29
By a coincidence, just days before going to the City Ground of Darlaston Town, Neil
Chambers emailed me.
Two weeks. Two weeks until the return fixtures begin. Two weeks until people start making
resolutions they won't keep. Two weeks left in 2011. And so the time has arrived to look back on
the last calendar year for Liverpool. A year for Kenny Dalglish, returned to lead his club after a
lengthy time away.
Date: Saturday Aug 27 2011
Ground: Evans Park
Comp: West Midlands Regional League (step six)
Match: Stafford Town 4 Dudley Town 1 HT: 3-0
Sequence: 1-0,2-0, 3-0, 3-1, 4-1
ATT: 35 (headcount)
Additional: Entrance £4.00, Programme £1.00
Evans Park in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 8, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7
Total 29
Stafford Town, founded 1976, are in only their second season back in the pyramid at step six or
above.
Date: Saturday Aug 27 2011
Ground: Evans Park
Comp: West Midlands Regional League (step six)
Match: Stafford Town 4 Dudley Town 1 HT: 3-0
Sequence: 1-0,2-0, 3-0, 3-1, 4-1
ATT: 35 (headcount)
Additional: Entrance £4.00, Programme £1.00
Evans Park in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 7, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 8, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 7
Total 29
Stafford Town, founded 1976, are in only their second season back in the pyramid at step six or
above.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Victoria Beckham is having the best week ever. She's got the cutest baby on the planet, she's
just won a major award and today she's debuted a fab video short for her S/S 2012 denim
collection.
Done exclusively for AnOther Magazine's website and directed by Quentin Jones, the
video is described as being:
.
Date: Tuesday Aug 23 2011
Ground: Butler Sports Centre
Comp: West Midlands Regional League (step six)
Match: Shawbury United 2 Dudley Town 3 HT: 0-0
Sequence: 0-1,1-1,1-2,1-3,2-3
ATT: 25 (headcount)
Additional: Entrance £4.00, Programme £1.00
Butler Sports Centre in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 6, Structures/Terracing 5, Hospitality 6, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 5
Total 22
Another midweek trip into Deliverance country this time to see one of the newer members
of the West Midlands Regional League, Shawbury United founded 1992.
Date: Tuesday Aug 23 2011
Ground: Butler Sports Centre
Comp: West Midlands Regional League (step six)
Match: Shawbury United 2 Dudley Town 3 HT: 0-0
Sequence: 0-1,1-1,1-2,1-3,2-3
ATT: 25 (headcount)
Additional: Entrance £4.00, Programme £1.00
Butler Sports Centre in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 6, Structures/Terracing 5, Hospitality 6, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 5
Total 22
Another midweek trip into Deliverance country this time to see one of the newer members
of the West Midlands Regional League, Shawbury United founded 1992.
Date: Saturday Aug 20 2011
Ground: Garden Walk
Comp: FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Match: Gornal Athletic 2 Shifnal Town 2 HT: 0-1
ATT: 60 Head Count
Additional: Entrance £4.00, Programme £1.00
Garden Walk in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 7, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 6
Total 28
Gornal Athletic are a small unassuming club that have been around since 1919, taking over from
an earlier incarnation called Gornal Wood Excelsior.
Date: Tuesday Aug 09 2011
Ground: Silver Street
Comp: NW Counties League Division One (step six)
Match: Irlam 1 Wigan Robin Park 4 HT: 0-0
Burgess 90; Judge (pen) 49, Howard 65, 78, 80
ATT: 55
Additional: Entrance £4.00, Programme £1.00
Silver Street in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 5, Structures/Terracing 5, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 5
Total 22
Irlam FC, from West Manchester, started off as Mitchell Shackleton FC in 1969.
Date: Tuesday Aug 09 2011
Ground: Silver Street
Comp: NW Counties League Division One (step six)
Match: Irlam 1 Wigan Robin Park 4 HT: 0-0
Burgess 90; Judge (pen) 49, Howard 65, 78, 80
ATT: 55
Additional: Entrance £4.00, Programme £1.00
Silver Street in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 5, Structures/Terracing 5, Hospitality 7, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 5
Total 22
Irlam FC, from West Manchester, started off as Mitchell Shackleton FC in 1969.
To mark Remembrance Day two more entries in the Scottish Football Blog's Forgotten Scotland Players
series.
Two players who were part of the most famous Hearts team of them all.
Forgotten Scotland Players: George Sinclair
Football in Scotland didn't stop during the conflict of 1914-1918.
The Winter transfer window is just around the corner and many clubs are already flying their
agents to every continent to scout for the best talent. Chelsea coach Villas-Boas has already sent
out his newly appointed European scout to Italy to look for a replacement for the aging Didier
Drogba while fellow London Club Arsenal through their manager/scout Arsene Wenger have already set
their eyes on Borussia Mochengladbach forward Marcos Reus.
Who wants to give me a helping hand?
Arsenal heads to the south of France to continue our Champions League adventure. This is the
first of 2 back-to-back matches against Marseille. Stade Velodrome will provide the backdrop for
this encounter and this is the same pitch where Dennis Bergkamp scored that immaculate goal for
Holland against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup.
The question of how to divide international television rights and just what's fair is, at the
end of the day, hugely complex. It touches on dozens of other issues that effect league parity and
directly mirrors a much older debate about the sharing of gate revenue. There's greed and
self-preservation behind every corner, and it's all set against the backdrop of a thoroughly broken
system that nobody seems especially interested in fixing in any meaningful way.
Wayne Rooney will almost certainly play for England tomorrow, but will his dad's arrest
affect his form?
I would be astonished if Wayne Rooney didn't play for England tomorrow night following the
arrest of his dad and other relatives this morning. Rooney is used to playing against a backdrop of
issues in his personal life and there is nothing to suggest that there will be anything different
about the game her in Podgorica.
Thank the deity that doesn't exist it's over. The Modric saga and Harry's inability to pass by a
camera without giving an interview meant the last few weeks have been excruciating. Let's get on
with it now and play some football. However, here's no denying the backdrop of genuine tension on
deadline day.
Date: Wednesday Jul 27 2011
Ground: Campo Municipal de Juan Cayuela
Comp: Pre-season Friendly
Match: Club Olimpico de Totana 0 FC Cartagena 7 HT: 0-4
ATT: circa 400
Additional: Entrance €10.00 adults €3 children, Programme NONE
Campo Juan Cayuela in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 8, Hospitality 6, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 8
Total 30
Another friendly for Cartagena, in the area (well more or less!
Date: Wednesday Jul 27 2011
Ground: Campo Municipal de Juan Cayuela
Comp: Pre-season Friendly
Match: Club Olimpico de Totana 0 FC Cartagena 7 HT: 0-4
ATT: circa 400
Additional: Entrance €10.00 adults €3 children, Programme NONE
Campo Juan Cayuela in pictures
Ground Statistics (marks out of ten, maximum 40)
Character 8, Structures/Terracing 8, Hospitality 6, Backdrop/Scenery or aesthetics for larger
stadiums 8
Total 30
Another friendly for Cartagena, in the area (well more or less!
