It's time to take any walk down memory lane. This time to 1982 for the Manchester derby. We have the first half of the match featured on The Big Match with Brian Moore and Jim Rosenthal. And what a derby it was.

The last two times these teams played each other before the 1982 derby was April, 1974 when Denis Law scored a back heel goal for Manchester City to relegate Manchester United to the then second division.

A Spanish national team shirt was attached to a balloon and launched 33 kilometres up into the atmosphere to celebrate their World Cup qualification.
A Spanish company called Zero 2 Infinity are responsible for the taking the T Shirt to where no other T Shirt has ever gone before.More.

Although Frank Lampard was publicly declared as a doubt by Carlo Ancelotti the day before Chelsea's seasoner opener at home to West Bromwich Albion, few outside the club knew that it was more than just a knock bothering the 32-year old midfielder.

The general perception was that Lampard was suffering from fatigue after England's midweek friendly against Hungary and subsequently aggravated his condition during a training session on Thursday.

Good morning America! How the hell are ya? I'm great. My team is not as bad as usual and have finished the season at the top of the Eastern Conference for the first time since...let's just say it's been a long-ass time.
But even though I'm feeling good I'm not going to get too ahead of myself because being top of the East does not mean what it has in past years.

I don't think words exist to describe this season. Manchester United and Liverpool out of the FA Cup, the Kopites losing their 12th game of the season as they departed at the hands of Reading mid-week, while at least one member of the seemingly impenetrable 'big four' have looked vulnerable on a weekly basis.

Headline: José Mourinho the strangler plots to snuff out Lionel Messi's menace Teaser line: "José Mourinho's first love is defence and he is not about to let Barcelona's Lionel Messi break Inter's heart . . ."

Okay, Paul Hayward's blog at The Guardian is at least trying, but perhaps, um, trying too hard?

Did you know that Sacha Kljestan and Adam Spangler are two of my favorite people in American soccer? It's true. Mind you I don't even know Sacha so his status could change.
Anyway they've come together like Voltron for a 5-part series on This Is American Soccer. I'm pretty pleased about it and you will be too.

Let the fun begin!

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So here are some words of irritation in relation to the World Cup ball, which is apparently the roundest football ever!

Denmark coach Morten Olsen after their 1-0 friendly defeat at the hands of Australia: "We played with an impossible ball and we need to get used to it.

What a world. Regardlesss of the lie of the fixtures, if anyone had said two days ago that Paraguay and Uruguay would be the last South American representatives in the 2010 World Cup, they would have been dismissed as cranks. But here we are. We have had three marvellous quarter-finals so far (for an almost baffling variety of different reasons) and here we are, all set for the final match between Paraguay and Spain.

Frank Lampard spoke to ChelseaTV after the game on Saturday and revealed just what was involved to get him out on the pitch on Saturday after we had heard he was doubtful for the game. He told our channel:

'I managed to go right over on my ankle and it blew up like a balloon, It took a lot of work, a lot of credit to the medical team who are always brilliant and worked round the clock on it.

You've seen Manchester City, the football club. Now get ready for Manchester City, the movie. Later this year, a film entitled "Blue Moon Rising" will be released in cinemas throughout the United Kingdom to chronicle the meteoric rise of the blue half of Manchester. The film includes behind-the-scenes footage from the boardroom, dressing room and more as it gives viewers a glimpse into Manchester City's 2009-10 season.

This summer I was shocked by the newsstory coming out of North Korea that the nation's soccer federation had hired Chinese actors to portray Korea DPR fans and the acting troupe was paid to travel to South Africa and support the underdog soccer country at the World Cup as if the side was their own.

Life for Manchester City supporters in the 1970s and 1980s was one filled with plenty of highs and lows. The highs included a European Cup Winners Cup trophy, two League Cup trophies and a Charity Shield. But the lows included City's flirtation with relegation throughout the 80s as they see-sawed between the top and second flight of the English pyramid system.

Don't panic. That's the message coming from these quarters. Well, not too much anyway. Last week left us deflated, distraught and in some cases damn near suicidal. Sounds a bit over the top but this is what two derby defeats on the bounce will do to a man. Or woman for that matter. You'd only need to stumble across a forum or three in the last few days to realize that there're one or two ripples of unease about how this good ship is sailing forth.

Just out this morning at about 4:30 AM PDT.

Just the money?

Wayne Rooney says at Manchester United after signing a five-year deal.

Hell of a way for the player to get what he asked for, no?

Raise your hand if you're a Manchester United fan and you're, well, embarrassed.