There are plenty of people, not least within the governing bodies of football itself, who would have it that football and politics don't mix. This is, of course, bunkum, whether we like it or not. The game holds such influence over so many people that it sometimes seems impossible for politicians not to be able to link the two, from the relatively harmless, "You only win the World Cup under Labour" slogans of Harold Wilson's British government of the late 1960s to the altogether more sinister machinations of the state organisations and their leaders that ran clubs in Eastern Europe during the Cold War.

It's true, there are a lot of Brentons in Swansea. Third most dense concentration of Brentons in the UK after southwest England (Plymouth) and Southampton. Fascinating stuff, this.

Read Martin's preview because you should and because he paints a bleak picture of our backline, a picture we all need to come to terms with.

The Ajax Experience x Sid Lee Architecture

Aside from my unwillingness to experience an angry pre-match speech from Frank de Boer, the new Ajax Experience museum is one of the freshest things I've seen.

The city is completely related to its club: Amsterdam is Ajax, Ajax is Amsterdam.

Sir Geoff Hurst video special: Bobby Moore, West Ham, winning the World Cup and more

Sir Geoff Hurst turned 70 on December 8th and to celebrate MirrorFootball is proud to present this exclusive video in which the living legend talks us through the stories behind his greatest moments.

When I was writing about the evolution of the football programme a few weeks ago I mentioned a Hibs v Liverpool Fairs Cup programme from December 1970 that carried an interview with Bill Shankly.
I can't remember seeing an interview with a visiting manager in a programme before.

Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has controversially claimed that Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is a superior manager to Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley.
Collymore, who also claims that Man United wanted to sign him in 1994, argued:
"Through the years there have been plenty of top bosses; Jock Stein, Brian Clough, Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley have all written their names into history books, but Fergie is on a different level altogether".

By Chris Wright

Sir Alex Ferguson, a man who turns 70 on New Year's Eve, celebrates 25 years as manager of Manchester United on 6th November (tomorrow), so we thought we'd mark this truly astounding milestone and all the incredible accomplishments therein with a suitably colossal retrospective photo essay of the Scot's time at Old Trafford.

2010 European Cup winners Inter Milan are managerless again having sacked Gian Piero Gasperani after just 5 games in charge following Leonardo's departure at the end of the season. Inter's board lost patience with the former Atalanta coach after just one draw in their last 5 Serie A ties, it seems last nights 3-1 defeat to newly promoted Novarro was the last straw.

Tonight's Europa League group game sees PAOK Salonika take on Spurs for the first time and with no history between these sides, how much do we know about our opponents tonight?

PAOK are usually in the shadow of the larger Greek club,s but they have won their national championship on two occasions, the last triumph coming in 1984/85.

It took two second-half goals from Giuseppe Rossi, but Villarreal finally were able to get past Danish side Odense, and advance to the Champions League group stage.

Rossi who was linked with a move to Juventus this summer, got in front of his marker to open the scoring five minutes after halftime and then rifled in a brilliant volley in the 66th minute.

A complete 360 took place in the 1996 rankings from 1995. In 1995, Ajax won the European Champions Cup only to finish second to Juventus in the rankings because of the lower ranking of the Eredivisie. In 1996, Juventus defeated Ajax on penalty kicks in the final of the European Champions Cup, but still finished behind Ajax in the rankings because AC Milan was able to take the Serie A title away from Juventus.

As 1983 drew to a close, Everton Football Club was in a state of crisis. On New Years Eve, with just over 13,500 people rattling around Goodison Park like marbles in a tin box, they played out a dismal goalless draw against Coventry City which was seen by the nation that night on Match Of The Day.

By Chris Wright

Doyle is forcibly separated from a worried-looking Brian Kidd by City teammate Tony Book during the Manchester derby at Old Trafford in 1970

Today's 'Black-and-White Years' marks the sad passing of a tough-tackling, utterly uncompromising, staunchly anti-United Man City icon, Mike Doyle who died last night at the age of 64 after losing his battle against liver failure.

By Chris Wright

Doyle is forcibly separated from a worried-looking Brian Kidd by City teammate Tony Book during the Manchester derby at Old Trafford in 1970

Today's 'Black-and-White Years' marks the sad passing of a tough-tackling, utterly uncompromising, staunchly anti-United Man City icon, Mike Doyle who died last night at the age of 64 after losing his battle against liver failure.

Manchester United and Barcelona at Wembley, then. These are two clubs whose European histories have become interwoven with each other as well as this venue. When Manchester United became the first English club to win the European Cup, they did so at Wembley in 1968. Twenty-four years later, Barcelona won it for the first time at the same venue.

Sir Alex Ferguson admits the European Cup Winners' Cup unexpected victory against Barcelona 20 years ago was a major step in the club's development under his control. The famous night in Rotterdam in...
Continue to the full story

For the sixth year in a row, Arsenal are struggling to win trophies. Three chances of doing so were wasted in a matter of two weeks. Who is to blame?

Anyone but Arsene Wenger.

In 15 years, Arsenal have achieved just enough to match the famous Herbert Chapman side of the 1930s that dominated England.

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it. | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here

With Manchester United on the verge of a record-breaking 19th league title and a Champions League final to look forward to, this week languagecaster profiles the Red Devils Manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Manchester City are facing up to the fact that their influential skipper Carlos Tevez's participation in next weekend's FA Cup final is still under some serious doubt. The 27-year old suffered a hamstring injury last month against Liverpool, and it is still very much touch-and-go as to whether the Argentinean will be included in the match-day squad that travel to Wembley on May 14th.

George Graham wants Arsene Wenger to come out and explain why Arsenal have gone six seasons without winning a trophy. The former Gunners boss, who guided them to two league titles, one FA Cup, two League Cups and the European Cup Winners' Cup, in his nine years in charge believes it is time for some answers.

Any player who grew up watching the game in the 80's would have to admit to being an admirer of Bryan Robson. 'Captain Marvel' - as he was known to his fans - was a tremendous leader and competitor.
As BBC Sport reports that the former Manchester United and England captain has undergone surgery for throat cancer, we wish 'Captain Marvel' the swiftest and safest of recoveries.

Hot on the heels of ‘In Search of Alan Gilzean', comes another must read for any Spurs fan. The Ghost of White Hart Lane
is written by Rob White, son of John and tells the story of his quest to learn about the father that he never knew.

John White played his part in all the great triumphs of the early 1960's; the 60/61 double season, the 1962 FA Cup and the 1963 European Cup Winners Cup, where he scored in our famous win over Atletico Madrid.

Date: Wednesday Dec 29 2010
Ground: Farrar Road
Comp: Welsh Premier League (Welsh step one)
Match: Bangor City 2 Prestatyn Town 1 HT: 0-0

Jones 54 Morley 79: Rogers 53

ATT: 716
Additional: Entrance £7.00, Programme £2

Farrar Road in pictures

Bangor City or Clwb Pêl-droed Dinas Bangor are an old club with a fascinating history.

Date: Wednesday Dec 29 2010
Ground: Farrar Road
Comp: Welsh Premier League (Welsh step one)
Match: Bangor City 2 Prestatyn Town 1 HT: 0-0

Jones 54 Morley 79: Rogers 53

ATT: 716
Additional: Entrance £7.00, Programme £2

Farrar Road in pictures

Bangor City or Clwb Pêl-droed Dinas Bangor are an old club with a fascinating history.

Three-time European Cup winners Manchester United travelled to the Stade Veladrome Wednesday in first-leg action from the UEFA Champions League knockout stage, squaring up against the successful French outfit Marseille.
For no legitimate reason, Reds manager Alex Ferguson opted for Darron Gibson in midfield in lieu of Paul Scholes.

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it. | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here

This week's main report continues with our series of profiling football super stars. Earlier this week we saw the retirement of one of the greatest strikers of this generation, O Fenômeno, Ronaldo.

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it. | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here

This week's main report continues with our series of profiling football super stars. Earlier this week we saw the retirement of one of the greatest strikers of this generation, O Fenômeno, Ronaldo.

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it. | Subscribe: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Our football review of the week looks back at the Champions League matches in Europe. You can listen to these and other stories on our weekly podcast and can find explanations of key vocabulary in bold below.

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it. | Subscribe: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Our football review of the week looks back at the Champions League matches in Europe. You can listen to these and other stories on our weekly podcast and can find explanations of key vocabulary in bold below.

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands Johan Cruyff has returned to Ajax on an advisory basis after agreeing to become a member of one of three "sounding board groups". A meeting on Thursday night between general manager Rik van den Boog, Ajax's board of directors and Cruyff confirmed the former Holland playmaker's willingness to advise on technical issues.

PARIS, France — Striker Andre-Pierre Gignac fired defending champions Marseille back into the title race on Saturday with the only goal at home to rock bottom Arles. Coach Didier Deschamps had demanded a massive improvement after a woeful goalless draw last week against struggling neighbours Monaco and Gignac's third goal of the season brought some [.

MANCHESTER, England — Neil Young, a striker in Manchester City's trophy winning teams of the late 1960s and early 1970s, has died aged 66 from cancer, the English Premier League club announced Thursday. Young, who scored the winning goal in the 1969 FA Cup final, was also a member of the City side that [.

It's with great sadness to report that Manchester City legend Neil Young passed away today after a long battle with cancer.

Young will go down in history as the man who scored to help Manchester City win the 1970 European Cup Winners Cup as well as the solitary goal in the 1969 FA Cup Final.

Manchester City legend Neil Young (66) lost his battle against terminal Cancer today.

Young was part of the great City sides of the late '60′s early '70′s, scoring 107 goals in over 400 games for the club.

The winger scored the only goal in the 1969 FA Cup Final as City beat Leicester 1-0 at Wembley, a year later he scored City's opening goal against Gornik Zabrze in the European Cup Winners Cup final which City won 2-1.

You may well have come across Rocco Cammisola's football writing at ITV Sport, In Bed With Maradona or maybe on his blog The Football Express. Oh and Rocco is also a Twitter legend so follow him @RCammisola .. this is his account of the last ever goal in the European Cup Winners' Cup ..

Glasgow Rangers mad Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish from Dalmarnock, was signed as a youngster by Celtic after his boyhood club Rangers failed to spot his immeasurable talent.
Dalglish took time to develop his natural on field role, manning the nets as a pupil at Milton Bank, and at right half for Scotland schoolboys.

The January transfer window has received one of its biggest shocks in recent times as Sunderland striker Darren Bent has handed in a written transfer request in order to sanction an £18million move to Aston Villa.

If this had been mooted last summer it wouldn't have seemed that much of a shock.