Everton Football Club is one of English footballs great institutions. Founder members of the Football League in 1888, they are second only to Arsenal in terms of their unbroken record in the top flight they will celebrate their sixtieth consecutive season next year and have won a clutch of trophies along the way as well.

Maddy's Note: A guest post from the Blue Corner of this blog.

Let me start this post with a challenge. Go and ask any Chelsea fan about the most memorable night in his life. He will mention the 19th of May ahead of even the night when you know, well you get the point!

The sixteenth round of the Torneo Apertura is upon us, with San Martín taking on Olimpo in the weekend's first match (if Olimpo don't win, they'll be relegated). Tomorrow, title challengers All Boys (those are four words I never thought ... Continue reading →

Orlando Pirates celebrate with the ASBA Premiership trophy

Orlando Pirates (Played 30, points 58) are the ASBA Premiership champions for the second consecutive year following their 4-2 win away at Lamontville Golden Arrows last weekend. A brace from Benni McCarthy proved crucial for one of South Africa's most decorated clubs, his two goals coming in the last half an hour of the game to help push his team over the winning post.

Montpellier champions: Poor conquer rich in thrilling Ligue 1 season is a post from: Just Football

In the wintery climes of a cold Parisian night last November, Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser al-Khelaifi was asked about the Ligue 1 title race, his recently acquired team three points clear at the top having drawn 1-1 away at Bordeaux.

Chinese club Ghangzhou Evergrande have made a statement of intent for the year ahead by appointing former FIFA World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi to take charge of the team.

Lippi takes over a club who are in fine health having won their maiden Chinese Super League last season and leading ten games into the current campaign with 22 out of 30 points (seven wins, one draw, two defeats), one more than nearest challengers Ghangzhou R&F.

At the start of the season, Andy Ollerenshaw was kind enough to tell us the story of Guernsey FC, the first club from the Channel Islands to take a place in the English football pyramid. They have had a very successful first season in Division One of the Combined Counties League, and Andy has kindly returned to fill us on their progress over the last nine months or so.

Arsenal have had a lot of results go in their favour in the last few months as they have struggled to hold onto the Third Qualifying place for the Champions League, and after taking just two points from the last nine the Gunners are running out of breathing space at the top. Bolton (with Fabrice [...

By JOHN BOSCHINI

Italy's race for third place and the final spot in the Champions League has an unexpected contestant.

Inter Milan, largely counted out as little as a month ago, have surged with a six-game unbeaten streak since the appointment of new manager Andrea Stramaccioni to draw level on points with three other teams in the race for a spot in the Champions League.

The biggest derby for decades, or of all time, will be played this evening, with the title more than likely going to whichever team wins tonight.

Danny Pugsley from the excellent City blog, Bitter and Blue, has given his thoughts on the season.

Scott the Red: City were 8 points clear and are now 3 points behind.

Juventus remain on course to win their first Scudetto in 9 years after they beat Novara 4-0 yesterday to remain 3 points clear of their nearest challengers AC Milan with 3 matches left to play.

A brace from in form striker Mirko Vucinic and strikes from Marco Boriello and Arturo Vidal were enough to see off a weak Novara side that failed to provide any real threat.

Germany has announced it will not bid for Euro 2020, leaving Turkey with a clear field to host the tournament.
Tuesday the 15th of May is the deadline for bids to be received at UEFA headquarters, but if no other nation submits an application, it is probable the announcement of the winning Turkish bid will be brought forward from December 2013 or January 2014.

Gareth Bale says he'll have to "see what's best for myself" if Spurs don't reach the Champions League.

A run of one win in nine league games has seen Spurs slip from title challengers to fifth place, outside the Champions League berths and facing the prospect of a second season of Europa League football next term.

Gareth Bale says he'll have to "see what's best for myself" if Spurs don't reach the Champions League.

A run of one win in nine league games has seen Spurs slip from title challengers to fifth place, outside the Champions League berths and facing the prospect of a second season of Europa League football next term.

It seems almost absurd to suggest that signing Paul Dickov on a free was as little a risk as paying £38million for 23-year old Sergio Aguero in the summer of 2011 but such is the change at Manchester City that if, indeed, a signing was not to materialise, they could, well, just get someone else.

I think it would be fair to say if you were to ask most people to people look back at what has set this Premier League season apart from others the answer you'd get would have to be: high-scoring games. For a slightly more pessimistic view: bad defending.

It is in the big games where this has been most noticeable.

Borussia Dortmund took a giant step towards retaining their Bundesliga title after beating Schalke 2-1 yesterday. The win takes Dortmund 8 points clear at the top of the league after their nearest challengers Bayern Munich were held to a barren draw at home to a stubborn Mainz.

Bayern's result will be a big psychological disadvantage ahead of their Champions League semi final fixture with Madrid this week.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Norwich City, Monday 9th April, White Hart Lane, 3pm kick off

THFC1882 is pleased to welcome back Ciaran Griggs for his preview of the game against Norwich.

I'm going to start this preview by reminiscing. For those who recall, the reverse leg of this fixture against Norwich in December was held in a happier, more enjoyable time in Spurs' season.

The Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger thinks that his captain Robin Van Persie is definitely in with a shout of winning the PFA Player of the Year award, but he also named a couple of Man City players as possible challengers. Arsenal could completely derail City's chances of winning the Premiership on Sunday, but Wenger acknowledged [.

Wenger: Bucking the odds?

When Arsene Wenger arrived at Arsenal in the autumn of 1996, one of his earliest moves was to look at the wages the players of greatest importance to him were receiving, and tie them to the club by extending their contracts under improved terms. The growth in income as a result of improved deals for Premier League TV rights meant that the more frugal approach the club had demonstrated in the years before were no longer going to retain the best talents.

By JOHN BOSCHINI

The already-intense rivalry between Juventus and Napoli takes on added significance this weekend as both teams are in desperate need of a win.

Juventus, while still unbeaten, are four points behind AC Milan in the race for the Scudetto.

Monday's 1-0 win over Fulham had all the hallmarks of a Manchester United win in the closing weeks of a season.
Rio Ferdinand believes their experience of such tight encounters gives them the belief they can hold their nerve while others would panic. He also thinks such wins have a negative mental impact on the rivals.

TweetManchester City ambassador Patrick Vieira is in the firing line after suggesting that Manchester United get special treatment from referees sparking angry responses. United defender Rio Ferdinand was amongst the most vocal challengers to Vieira's comments, which, incidentally, the former Arsenal and Inter Milan midfielder believes has been taken out of context.

The "Phoenix Club" lives on

Tonight marks the 20th anniversary of the demise of Aldershot Football Club. Having been a member of the Football League for 62 years, the club was declared officially out of business on the 25th March 1992 and had to resign from the League.

Yet 20 years on, Aldershot Town FC have risen from the ashes, and tonight take on Bristol Rovers in what many might see as a standard midtable fixture.

Some people find their way in the world as a jack of all trades, spending their talents over a range of different tasks. Others, meanwhile, discover that they can do one thing, but do it very well. Midfielder Tom Davis didn't quite make the grade as a Premier League professional and he has also tried other divisions, but like a compass pointing involuntarily north, he always seems to find his way back to the division that he has called home for the lions share of his career: the Blue Square Bet South.

This season's version of Europe's most prestigious club competition has thrown up surprises and shocks along the way, with a number of sides in the last eight exceeding expectations and defying Champions League odds. However, the usual suspects and biggest teams in Europe remain, with four mouth-watering ties having their first legs played this week.

Arsenal made easy work of Aston Villa yesterday with a 3-0 win at the Emirates Stadium. In doing so, the Gunners made it seven league wins in a row, and did not concede a single shot on goal to their opponents; they are the first team to do this on more than one occasion this season.

It's quite an achievement, there can be no doubting that.

Premier League Preview: Week 30

By Arun

A lot of things have changed since last weekend in the race for the remaining CL spots. One of the ‘title challengers' is trying to save their berth for the CL spot and the Untold analysis of referees suggests that one team in particular is getting a lot [.

Seven weeks ago, Arsenal were seventh in the league, struggling for form, in a serious crisis, and on a run of 3 consecutive league defeats. They were a staggering 12 points behind third-placed, north London rivals Tottenham, who at the time, were fooling themselves believing they were Premier League contenders.

Sunderland will have to play Everton again to determine who makes it to the semi-finals of the FA Cup after Tim Cahill's 23 minute equaliser left both teams evenly matched at Goodison Park.

The Black Cats had gone ahead in the 12th minute through Phil Bardsley and could have doubled their lead minutes later had their penalty claim been awarded.

By JOHN BOSCHINI

With a thrilling week of UEFA Champions League play over and a few high-profile fixtures looming next week, the slate of games around Europe this weekend lacks the prestige of high-profile clubs taking each other on.

That's not to say races for both league titles and next season's European places will not take significant steps forward.

It's almost come as shock to some people that Arsenal are kicking into gear and are starting to fly like R. Kelly believes he can.
It doesn't surprise me though. Not at all. There is too much quality in the squad for us not to be.
Of course, this current group of players is arguably one of Arsene Wenger's weakest since he joined the club but that just shows the strength of the previous teams he has had.

AC Milan Vice President Adriano Galliani has vowed that the Rossoneri will never wear a black jersey again during away matches. This comes after Milan lost 3-0 away to Arsenal in the Champions League last week.

According to Galliani, Milan's third strip black jersey brings bad luck to the team and he insists that they will return to their yellow strip next season.

FC Barcelona simply blew off Leverkusen at a brilliant night at the Camp Nou. The 7-1 victory has to be a stern message to all our challengers in Europe this season. With a 3-1 away lead we were almost there in the quarter final. But following last night's Arsenal's comeback against Milan, there were some nerves.

Expect the Andre Villas-Boas sacking to make sporting headlines for the next couple of days as the entire sporting fraternity grapples with rumors and reports linking the 34 year old to other top European clubs.

While the media has analysed the situation form every possible angle, the man at the centre of this debacle has remain awfully quiet.

Whether you are a Manchester United supporter or not, it's hard to argue with their ability to grind out results.
Sir Alex Ferguson and his 19 titles would be tough to refute in a debate, but when you look closely, you can see that at the core of the club's long run of success is the mental toughness needed to fight through rigid fixtures and tough opposition.

Arsenal skipper Robin van Persie and right-back Bacary Sagna have suggested that Sunday afternoon's highly anticipated North London derby could make or break the remainder of their season, with no less than a win considered acceptable.

The Gunners have done all but win in the last few days, virtually crashing out of the UEFA Champions League and falling short in a massive FA Cup clash three days later.

Harry Redknapp has Tottenham playing the kind of football fans of England's national team can only dream of. Spurs play an open, free flowing style every bit as effective as it is elegant. Redknapp transformed Tottenham from pretenders to contenders, and in doing so elevated Tottenham into the top 4 of the Premier League.

What do you think of United's result against Chelsea last night, was it a fair one? Andres Villas-Boas does not. In fact, it would have been a famous victory for him had it not been for Howard Webb awarding the Red Devils two penalties that changed the face of the game.

VIllas-Boas who believes United's second penalty should have never been awarded, claimed that Webb seemed to be making up for decisions he made against United in the First half.

Chasing The Big Leagues Southampton and the challengers (English Championship) is a post from: Just Football

Tales from Tier Two is a series on Just Football in partnership with @tiertwofooty, in which we assess the promotion chances of the clubs in tier two of Europe's major leagues at the midway point of 2011/12.