54 years ago in Munich, 8 of Manchester United's brightest stars were killed when the aircraft that was bringing them back home crashed. Along with them, 3 of the backroom staff, 8 journalists and 2 other passengers also perished bringing the total casualty count to 21. Nothing could have prepared the city of Manchester and indeed the whole footballing world for a tragedy of that scale.

Often, when push comes to shove in radicalising a group of football supporters, it will take one, symbolic moment to push those that might otherwise have merely got on with the job of watching their team to realise that the time for action is now.

For those that follow the ailing Blue Square Premier club Kettering Town, that moment may have come at any of three or four different occasions over the last month or so, but the tipping point for many may have cone with twin five-goal defeats at the hands of Luton Town over Christmas and the New Year (results which plunged the club back into the thick of the relegation places at the bottom of the table), it with the release of an official club statement which sought, unsurprisingly enough, to place the blame for the club's woes at the foot of everybody but those with the overall responsibility for managing its finances.

Are Russell Brand and Katy Perry getting a divorce? That's the latest rumor in the entertainment industry, at least. And there was just some gasoline thrown on those flames when Russell Brand was pictured without a wedding ring while in London.

Where is Katy Perry? She's in Hawaii.

Hmmm, interesting.

By Alan Duffy

It's a saga which has stoked the flames of well, hatred, between the red half of Liverpool and the red half of Manchester, but now, finally, The FA has passed judgement on Luis Suarez, with the Uruguayan receiving a very hefty eight-game ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra.

6 Togolese players were killed in an unfortunate accident on Saturday after the bus they were travelling in plunged into a ravine and exploded into flames. This is the latest tragedy to affect the footballing fraternity in the Western African nation after their after yet another attack on their team bus by armed gun men in Cabinda in January 2010 left team members and officials dead.

The United Soccer Leagues will hold a press conference with VisionPro Sports Institute on Wednesday in Tampa to announce a new addition to the USL family. VisionPro Sports Institute (VSI) along with USL President Tim Holt will announce that VSI has struck an agreement with the elite Tampa area soccer club Brandon FC Flames.

As every fan will no doubt have seen by now, Liverpool defender Daniel Agger has publicly lambasted his team-mates as a result of the team's poor showing against Swansea. Was such public evisceration warranted?
Agger, who clearly forgot about the Liverpool principle of never washing dirty laundry in public, blasted:
‘Sometimes we looked like headless chickens running around after the ball.

As one of football premier characters, this is going to be Mario Balotelli's career. The Edenbridge Bonfire Society, a group comprised of bonfire enthusiasts, one would assume, had to decide upon a subject whose effigy would be worthy of a bonfire. Mario's behavioral issues and bathroom shenanigans took care of the rest of the process.

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has stoked up the flames ahead of Sunday's Manchester derby by telling United fans that they cannot wind him up. Let the mind games begin! Sunday's Manchester derby at Old Trafford is perhaps the biggest yet with both clubs separated by just two points at the top of the table.

Images via bild.de.

Bayern Munich defender Breno made a narrow escape from his home last night after he awoke to find flames raging around him.

Reports state that the player was uninjured, but kept in hospital for observation after suffering the effects of smoke inhalation. His wife and children were not in the house at the time.

A few weeks ago the transfer window slammed shut. This was the biggest thing that had ever happened. Jim White's Scottish head almost exploded in your telly.

Twitter was abuzz with rumour and counter-rumour regarding the human resource situation at football clubs up and down the country.

Why 'jokes' about cancer are no laughing matter

A few weeks ago, when parts of London were in flames, the much-loved broadcaster Danny Baker wrote on Twitter that he wished cancer on every one of the rioters. Maybe he was trying to be funny but it didn't read that way.

I'm in a poll sort of mood. This should have gone out sooner, while the flames were hot, though now the numbers may reflect a more grounded response. Here's the transcript, provided by Ginge's earlier post:I know a lot of fans have been doubting, but they're not fans to me.

Image Credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Europe.

Liverpool's newest signing, Sebastian Coates, popped a mischievous squat some seats down from his club's captain during Saturday's Liverpool vs. Bolton match, and even though we're pretty sure the answer to this question is overwhelmingly obvious, we've gotta give the newbie a shot and ask it anyway.

I suppose this post should be subtitled "The Game that Broke My Heart." I had watched sports my whole life (my dad was a High School coach,) and yet this, my first World Cup, made me feel like no other sport had ever made me feel before. This tournament and the infamous final were my first real experiences with the beautiful game, and because of my heartbreak, would spark the flames of a passion for a sport that is almost obscene.

With so many self-absorbed, money-grabbing players currently snaking their way through the game, it's heartening to see that there are still some honest, genuinely loyal players around. Dirk Kuyt, for example. As a footballer, I've never been his biggest fan, but as his latest comments show, Kuyt's professionalism, work-ethic and loyalty are - and always have been - beyond reproach.

By JOSE M. ROMERO

The Portland Timbers have become known as the MLS team that doesn't know how to hold leads, that lets advantages on the scoreboard slip away as its defense falters and its offense stagnates.

It has happened too many times already in this inaugural season for fans of the Timbers.

So sad and so shocking to watch the capital burn last night. Actually scary to see anarchy live on your tv...all this from a peaceful protest involving an grieving family. Is that what it takes? The police stay at home for 5 minutes and all of a sudden it's time to loot a retail park? Seeing shops set alight and the flames engulfing the surrounding flats just made you feel sick.

So sad and so shocking to watch the capital burn last night. Actually scary to see anarchy live on your tv...all this from a peaceful protest involving an grieving family. Is that what it takes? The police stay at home for 5 minutes and all of a sudden it's time to loot a retail park? Seeing shops set alight and the flames engulfing the surrounding flats just made you feel sick.

Stoking the flames A Dublin pub owned by the father of Celtic striker Anthony Stokes has been set ablaze following an armed robbery. The fire and reported robbery in which a member of staff at The Players Lounge was tied up is being investigated by Gardai. John Stokes' controversial pub was raided at [.

By Chris Wright

In which Scouse crooner Wayne Rooney serenades new flames Andy Carroll and Gary McAllister with a beautiful, tear-inducing rendition of 'Yesterday' before breaking into a Beatles medley (with a bit of Oasis thrown in at the end for good measure) in a bar in Barbados.

Liverpool reportedly wishes to wrap up a move for Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing by the end of the week.
The left-sided player has been linked with a transfer away from the Birmingham-based club for some time now, with his recent admission of wanting to play in Europe only fuelling the flames of speculation.

Liverpool reportedly wishes to wrap up a move for Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing by the end of the week.
The left-sided player has been linked with a transfer away from the Birmingham-based club for some time now, with his recent admission of wanting to play in Europe only fuelling the flames of speculation.

22 May 2011

Men's Major Division (Standings)

Ukrainian Nationals 3 0 Spirit United

Women's Major Division (Standings)

UGH Dragons 3 2 Phoenix United

VE Women 2 1 Philadelphia Flames SC

Flames Sarah Schaffer, gk Renata Dukat

Phoenix United 1 0 UGH Fury

Upcoming Matches

Tuesday, May 24, 8:00pm kickoff

VE Majors / Danubia White Storks at VE Club, 150 Davisville Road, Warminster PA 18974

UGH Ultra / Spirit United at UGH Club, 4666 E Bristol Road, Oakford PA 19053

Let's get this straight. I'm not even going to try to defend the chants of ‘Who put the ball in the Munichs' net' aimed in the general direction of Yaya Toure at last night's Blackburn vs Manchester City game. They're bang out of order.

I will contextualise the chants, though.

Screw 'stop, drop and roll', Kickettes. According to Real Salt Lake's Fabian Espindola, 'glide, grow & gripe' are the most imperative steps for fanning any pitch flames. Image: Steve Griffin/The Salt Lake Tribune. Thx ARF!

Jose Francisco Torres and Herculez Gomez will be watching the Mexican liguilla from their couches as Pachuca's Clausura playoff hopes went up in flames in a home loss to Atlas.

Three players are missing from Arizona right now for the final part of the team's preseason training, Teal Bunbury, Ryan Smith, and Konrad Warzycha were all left behind as the team departed. Bunbury was expected, Smith is disappointing, and Warzycha is surprising.
Bunbury's absence was expected after his dislocated elbow.

The Liberty men's soccer team has announced its 2011 Spring schedule. The Flames will have five spring contests in preparation for the upcoming 2011 season. Highlighting the schedule is a match with Virginia on April 9.
Besides the Cavaliers, the Flames will face several opponents who are expected to challenge for their respective conference titles next fall.

Last night Tottenham Hotspur produced an outstanding 90 minutes of football to dominate, frustrate and then, astonishingly, defeat AC Milan. Mighty Milan, clear at the head of Serie A, bristling with world-class footballers skilled in the particular wiles of winning in Europe, we took them on and left them bewildered and whinging.

We said this morning that we didn't think Kevin Nolan meant any harm by going on Liverpool FC TV on Tuesday. Kevin Nolan - has captain's job to so for the remainder of season But all it did in reality was to fan the flames of Newcastle supporters, who were still absolutely stunned that the [...]

The first time you see Tom Huddlestone play football is the first day of your life. He's a man mountain. Honestly, they guy's absolutely huge. When he and Luka Modric partner up in the centre of midfield, the difference in sizes make it appear like a comedy duo. But no-one's laughing when this man lines up a 30 yard Exocet towards goal.

The FA charge for Rafael da Silva because of his reaction to the unjust red card at the weekend was a result of Mike Dean specifically referring to it in his post-match report.

The referee who awarded a penalty against Rafael for a foul on Craig Bellamy outside of the area last season in the League Cup semi-final, made specific mention of Rafael's response to the decision, which could result in the player missing a total of two games for a red card decision that even opposition manager Harry Redknapp disagreed with.