When Wenger first came to England, the other title contenders had more or less sewn up the scouting network on the British Isles, the next George Best or Denis Law was going to be snapped up by United or Liverpool.

He had his connections in France and other parts of the continent... he stole a massive march on Fergie and Co by signing the likes of Anelka and Fabregras whilst the rest were scouting on a cold evening at Turf Moor.

Featured image: Bobby Moore, Gerry Francis and Pele before the Team America vs. England game at JFK

The news that PPL Park will be host the 2012 MLS All-Star Game means that Philadelphia will be the host of a major pro sport All-Star event for the first time since the NBA came to town in 2002.

For today's introduction we are going back into the mists of time, when men were men and not floppy overcooked strings of spaghetti like Busquets, Nani and Pepe.

England were World Champions and Man Utd had recently won the European Cup. For the younger reader who has grown up in the Sky era, there can be no understanding of the excitement and national pride that both events stirred.

Games come thick and fast at this time of the year and this evening's match against Fulham follows hot on the heels of Saturday's one nil win at home to QPR.

Founded in 1879 Fulham Football Club are the oldest professional team in London.

MLS's latest entry in their video series, Soccer Jobs, features Houston Dynamo President Chris Canetti. Canetti has been with the Dynamo since 2006 when he moved to Houston to serve as the club's first Chief Operating Officer. Canetti was promoted to team president in 2010, after the club's first president, Oliver Luck, left Houston to become the Athletic Director at the University of West Virginia.

I was recently in Florida and went to see my first American football match, from the North American Soccer League, one of the final league matches before the play-off, between the local side, Ft. Lauderdale Strikers and the Atlanta Silverbacks. It was a horrible match until the last few minutes when Atlanta underservedly went ahead, but the Strikers managed a late equalizer.

I must say that when I was asked if I would like to write an article whereby I get to select Manchester United's top ten all time right sided midfielders, I jumped at the opportunity with great pleasure and enthusiasm. As a historically powerful juggernaut United have made it easy to pick top tens for [.

Sir Bobby Charlton has today claimed he thinks Wayne Rooney can break his goalscoring record for Manchester United.

Our legend saw his appearances record broken by Ryan Giggs during the 2008 European Cup final in Moscow, but has still scored 98 more goals than any other player in the history of our club.

Burrito not write in long times cause he peed-off with Los Estrikers!
The team is playing like poopoo! They need to play with huevos! Don't they know who used to wear the Red and Gold? Don't they know Burrito's compadre Ray Hudson used to wear #4? Or that Teófilo Cubillas used to wear #10?
Burrito ponders, Burrito chews on chew toy, then bites an old chicken bone, then back to chew toy.

The second in this long running series begins with footysphere. A remarkable site that features a superb advert for Kevin Keegan slippers (1). <Insert your own I'd love it if I had a pair of them joke here>. This advert led us onto the magnificent French site The Vintage Football Club, that features amongst other things some holiday pics of a fully-bearded George Best (2).

Wembley was a happy hunting ground for Man Utd in their first Champions League victory in 1968 when they beat Benfica, 4-1. Bobby Charlton with a brace, George Best, and Brian Kidd scored for Utd while Graca pegged one back for the Portugese giants.

Best was a thorn dazzling with his footwork and Charlton was a sublime finisher.

It's disappointing when former highly talented players become bitter as they age. Although he spent his best years in the blue of Manchester City, Mike Summerbee was a close friend and business...
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MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has dedicated his sensational winner against Manchester City to his club's fans. Rooney knows some United supporters have become disillusioned with the England international since he handed in a transfer request following a row over the club's perceived lack of ambition.

"Genius, maverick, legend". Three words often used to describe the magnificent George Best.
While we all know that the former Manchester United maverick was a one-off, from time to time there have been players who had the talent to come close to matching the Belfast man's genius. At the start of his career, Ryan Giggs was labelled the ‘new George Best'.

Every single player who has won the Ballon d'Or from the English league has played for Manchester United.

Winners
1956: Stanley Matthews (Blackpool at the time)
1964: Denis Law
1966: Bobby Charlton
1968: George Best
2001: Michael Owen (Liverpool at the time)
2008: Cristiano Ronaldo

Matthews was a war time guest player for United whilst Owen is a current United player.

So the Lamborghini Murcielago, represented by Lionel Messi, takes top trumps. The Barcelona superstar and current FIFA World Player of the Year has capped off another annual by retaining his Ballon d'Or crown.

Messi fended off the challenge of fellow Barca compatriots Xavi Hernandez, and Andres Iniesta to become one of the rare few to have won the prize twice in succession.

We at In The Stands almost spat out our cups of tea upon reading quotes from renowed football agent Jorge Mendes claiming that Cristiano Ronaldo is: "the greatest player in the history of football".

Yes, the ever-humble and down-to-earth agent of CR7 has gone on record and suggested that, in addition to being the best player in the world at present, Portuguese and Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is also the greatest player of all time!

Indulge me, it's my birthday.
The programme pictured is from the first match played at Easter Road after I was born in 1980.
A league game against Celtic. And a goal for George Best. Dodgy video footage below of Best sending Peter Latchford into the back of the net along with the ball.