I am all about being prepared, and with Euro 2012 kickoff only 4 short months away, it is never too early to start packing. In addition to all of the necessities of life, a football fan has special items to pack in order to survive. [read more]

The recent upheaval following a club match in Egypt that left 74 people dead and more than a thousand others injured could have easily convinced Bob Bradley to pack up his things and return to the comfort of the United States.

Instead, the former U.S. national team coach and current Egypt national team coach reportedly remains committed to his job while doing his part in the rebuilding of a nation.

I am asking the question to you the football fan reading this because I will be honest, I just don't know how to feel about the game tomorrow.
Being honest with you, this is the first time that I can remember in a long time that Chelsea are about to take on United and I don't feel confident at all!

In January, I cast an eye on the unending cacophony of abuse in online football communities, with a section on Doncaster Rovers website Viva Rovers, and provoking a compelling spate of comments involving Leeds United blog, The Scratching Shed. The problems are not confined to Yorkshire alone, but as an important follow up, Michael Wood here provides an epitaph on the Bradford City site, Boy from Brazil, one of the very best chronicles online and one that closed towards the end of 2011.

By Chris Wright

Given the furore at Leeds yesterday, we thought it would be fairly timely to put together Pies' pick of the ten English-based football managers that, for one reason or another, are almost impossible to foster a begrudging respect for let alone take to your heart.

I'll always remember the first game of football I ever went to: I was aged six; the location was Aggborough in Kidderminster as the Harriers took on Aston Villa in Graham Allner's testimonial. It was a few years before I was ever introduced to top flight football at Villa Park or First Division football at Molineux.

The President of Rwanda wants his buddy Arsene to step down? Robin van Persie is furious with Arsene...Or is he? And, does Real Madrid really want Arsene?

It's been quite an interesting week for the Arsenal so far. If you haven't been following the news as much as I have, allow me to illuminate you.

The modern football fan has access to statistics that would have seemed unthinkable only five or six years ago. Sites such as the marvellous whoscored.com offer the casual fan a site from which they can drag figures to prove or disprove their assertions on their side. Are we missing a lot of chances?

Danny Welbeck scored again against Arsenal. This time, unlike the last, it couldn't have been important. When he last scored against Arsenal Manchester United won 8-2 and were so imperious on the day that it was a little surprising David De Gea, the Manchester United goalkeeper, did not manage to get on the scoresheet.

Nottingham Forest fans read on, for we are very pleased to welcome back Glen Wilson, steward of Doncaster Rovers' Popular STAND Fanzine and late of award winning blog, Viva Rovers. Here Glen provides us with an insight into Sean O'Driscoll, recently installed in a supporting role to Steve Cotterill at the City Ground.

The fiery Scot, seemingly on the edge of his nerves at the best of times, appeared furious at the end of the Bolton vs Liverpool clash. Liverpool fans ought to see hope in this anger, after all, a weary look of resignation would have been the far worse sight at the final whistle. Kenny Dalglish, one suspects, knows that this Liverpool squad is underperforming and is struggling to meet expectations.

By Saf Hossain, writing hours after returning from Craven Cottage

Attending a live match is, obviously, an entirely different experience to watching on TV. When you are free of the director's control, you might choose to follow an individual on the field for long periods of the game.

This afternoon is a must win game for Chelsea and it really is as simple as that. We cannot afford to drop points over the next few weeks as we need to try and close the gap to the sides above us now in the league.
AVB and his Chelsea players have a job on their hands this afternoon as a rejuvenated Sunderland side under new man-manager Martin O'Neill travel to the Bridge with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

::: FistedAway welcomes a guest post from Elliott,
editor of the rather lovely Futfanatico :::

As the year comes to an end, awards circulate. Everybody speculates as to who will win the Ballon d'Or. Some say Messi. Others say Xavi. A few say Ronaldo. However, the most shocking award involves none other than Ricardo Kaka.

Even though my first game is now a whopping 29 years ago, which doesn't seem possible in itself, the memories are still very vivid.

I was approaching my twelfth birthday and being that age for my first Spurs game, it appears so clear and fresh in the memory. Your first Tottenham match is something I'm sure that nearly all will recall fondly, as nothing is more important to you back then.

By Chris Wright

Boom! Back in the saddle after a week in the wilderness (well, 'Scotland' to give it it's Latin name) and a couple of brief flirtations with death on the rather blustery drive home in the wee small hours of this morning. It's good to be home/alive.

After being cut off from the rest of civilisation for the past few days, I thought I'd kick-off the new year with the only football-related thing I've been exposed to in 2012 this video of an anonymous football fan, clearly irked by a shonky performance, attempting to take out his anger on a stadium seat and losing out badly.

The murky racism row to engulf the Premier League just got foggier with the uncovering of startling new evidence that points to not just Luis Suarez being racist, but the whole of the red half of Merseyside exhibiting a proclivity towards bigotry. Our BFZ Times' correspondent, under great risk to life and limb organized and executed the perfect undercover operation to unearth this mystery leading to great teeth gnashing at News International's headquarters in Wapping, London.

""Yo... mothe#*$%in n*ggas!"

- Patrice Evra berating Hasseilbank , truestory

It's a world that knighted Sir Ryan of Giggshire for being the role model for modern footballers. A world where an English footballer(who could it be?) talks about a foreigner diving, headed by an organisation which probes itself for bribing.

I realise this is slightly old news now but what the hell John Terry is set to face prosecution over racism claims during a match with QPR a few weeks back. A complaint from a member of the public was made to the police regarding the incident in which Terry squared up to Ferdinand before apparently insulting him verbally.

If you're anything like me, you still love Lego, and the Morgan's over in Norway have found the perfect way to wish every football fan a Happy Christmas using the famous kids toy... English Premier League side Arsenal take on the Spanish giants Barcelona, with all watching expecting the same outcome a win for [.

If there is one thing we love in football, its a villain. Someone to hurl abuse at in such a fashion that it would not be out of fashion at a Pantomime at the Hippodrome in Birmingham. However, in pantomime we all know that anyone booing or hissing is merely in jest and by the end of the evening the actors and actresses all are smiling away as they accept the standing ovation which their performance (just about) deserves.

It's not often that you get detained under the Terrorism Act following the Arsenal. Well, when I say not often it's probably leaning to never. Except yesterday after the Manchester City defeat. There I was minding my own business as I tried to exit the arrivals hall after my flight from Manchester to Southampton.

It's not often that you get detained under the Terrorism Act following the Arsenal. Well, when I say not often it's probably leaning to never. Except yesterday after the Manchester City defeat. There I was minding my own business as I tried to exit the arrivals hall after my flight from Manchester to Southampton.

It's not often that you get detained under the Terrorism Act following the Arsenal. Well, when I say not often it's probably leaning to never. Except yesterday after the Manchester City defeat. There I was minding my own business as I tried to exit the arrivals hall after my flight from Manchester to Southampton.

It's not often that you get detained under the Terrorism Act following the Arsenal. Well, when I say not often it's probably leaning to never. Except yesterday after the Manchester City defeat. There I was minding my own business as I tried to exit the arrivals hall after my flight from Manchester to Southampton.

In life there are many things you cannot choose: you cannot choose your parents, where you are born, even whom you love is a difficult one: against all logic, a man may fall madly in love with some third-rate, cranky, controlling, selfish, unfaithful and evil bitch with a minority complex. Football is most often a mere reflection of life itself, where a man walks from happiness to sadness, from

Disappointment is part of football, of course. We all know this and in some respects enjoy it: our real lives are generally on the ordinary side and furthermore it's very rare for us to be able to shout, scream, jump around or make outrageous accusations in the real world without there being consequences.

By Chris Wright

The first two of our Christmas gift ideas were, admittedly, a little bit on the shonky side. Who in their right mind would want a Hannover 96 toaster for Christ's sake? Okay, I would but that's by the by.

This Yuletide pointer carries with it a smidge more prestige than our previous efforts, in so far as they're actually presents that the football fan in your life would most likely be cock-a-hoop at receiving on Jesus' big day.

By Thera Reyes, getting her first taste of Beckham and MLS in Manila

Two years ago, it would have been unheard of to have an international football team come to Manila. Heck, football fans even recently travelled to Malaysia to watch Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool for their Asian tours.

My dad is certainly two things, he is a Glaswegian, and he is a football fan. Nothing strange I know, but his club of choice baffles some, he comes from a family of Celtic fans, but for some reason in the 1960′s he adopted Clyde as his team. This rubbed off on me, and along with my brother we all follow the Bully Wee as well as Newcastle.

A signed shirt from Robin van Persie, Lionel Messi, Maradona or Paul Scholes? - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

In the past and the present, football players have enjoyed a special place in a football fan's life. People from all over the world take time out of their busy lives to watch them play or get a glimpse of them in training.

What a year 2011 was for Football! We have had fireworks, management fallouts, enthralling top-of-the-table encounters, relegation scraps and transfer embargos to drive any football fan round the twist. So without wetting your appetite any further, here is In The Stands' top ten football moments of 2011.

So it's Christmas, which means it's time to compile gift's for your loved ones. If that 'loved one' in question is a football fan then you've come to the right place! Books Essential: I'm not really here By Paul Lake Others to consider: The Good the Mad and the Ugly By Andy Morrison Where's [...

Got, Not Got: You Too Can Go To Bed With George Best Shock

Now here's an offer you don't get every day it's your chance to hit the sack with 1970s sex god, boutique owner and noted footballer George Best of Manchester United and Northern Ireland fame. What's more, Alan Ball, Bobby Moore and Gordon Banks come as a special bonus a dream Christmas gift for the lady football fan who previously imagined she had everything.

35,000 fans turned up to the quietest Melbourne Victory I've ever heard.
Big Boo to Promoter Lou Sticca. Imagine taking a team to play Celtic, Man United or Liverpool and saying your home supporter end, The Jungle, the Stretford End or The Kop are not allowed to sit in their usual places. Call yourself a football fan Lou - think not.

Mike Cockerill got his FFA Award this week, and fair play to him. You do the time, 30 years - you get an award.
I'm no fan of Mike's football analysis, he knows that - his tactical and player movements on and around the park leave a lot to be desired for this football fan. I grew up in the UK!

By Alan Duffy

Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva is yet another example of a talented player who was unfairly criticised by the kind of dim football fan who has no mind of his or her own. England fans' treatment of Owen Hargreaves followed a similar path to that of Lucas, but sadly it now seems that the Brazilian has something else in common with the injury-plagued Manchester City man.

I consider myself a football fan who, more often than not, looks on the bright side, but there are a few little things in the game that really grind my gears. Managers who wear tracksuits is one. Unless you're planning ...
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With all the press reports, stories, rumours and opinion on Chelsea at the moment highlighting the problems we have at Stamford Bridge, I was wondering what you the Chelsea/Football fan reading this thinks is the best way to move Chelsea forward from here?
Do you feel it's the manager, formation, tactics or players?

It is overdue. It doesn't make sense, either. Sure, the argument is that 1 and 2 seeds don't often make appearances together in the AFC, NFC championship games, but this is not the point.
There's nothing wrong with having 1 and 2 seeds play a first round game.