You would think, with the economy sucking as much as it does, that more people, even those who previously retired, might don stripes and referee. High School soccer pays pretty decent (I'd get $40-$45 a center for high-school ages at the club level - high schools pay close to $70), but I've been getting emails, and now texts, from assignors desperate for officials - and just not getting them.

By Chris Wright

It's official. All you gooners can start saying your goodbyes to Samir Nasri as Arsenal have agreed a fee with Man City (somewhere around £24 million) who have, in turn, agreed personal terms with the jinky Gallic schemer, who is now thought to be heading to Carrington as we speak to undergo a routine medical.

By Chris Wright

This photo just landed in Pies' inbox and we felt we had to share it...

What we have here is an image of Aston Villa's matchday mascot throughout the early 1950s 'Darkie' to his friends (and his tailor) who is, unmistakably, a white fellow 'blacked-up' to look like a gollywog, minstrel or some such other casually racist stereotype that used to fly back then.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Today we were horrified to discover there is another football tourney currently taking place without our knowledge or consent. We've had a meeting and decided to take the line that everyone is always welcome to stuff our inbox with sufficiently important details.

OTP ponders the possible courses of action as the Premier League's gaffers find an unsolicited email offering them Asamoah Gyan in their inbox this morning. Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) Mark as junk Harry Redknapp (Tottenham) Attach > big brown envelope Roberto Mancini (Manchester City) Forward to thesheik@mcfc.

OTP ponders the possible courses of action as the Premier League's gaffers find an unsolicited email offering them Asamoah Gyan in their inbox this morning. Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) Mark as junk Harry Redknapp (Tottenham) Attach > big brown envelope Roberto Mancini (Manchester City) Forward to thesheik@mcfc.

For the nth time in the history of The Offside's email, a title which could be paraphrased as ZOMG!!! Worst Miss EVerrrrrrr!!!!! landed in the inbox. This sentence runs through the mind often.

And for some reason, they seem to be getting increasingly accurate. Is football so visible now at lower levels that we really are seeing the worst misses ever, finally?

May 20, 2011 German giants Bayern Munich have bolstered their squad for the 2011/12 season by signing second division top scorer Nils Petersen from Energie Cottbus. Petersen, who has signed a three year contract, has cost Bayern a reported three million euro fee. Petersen is Bayern's first signing of the summer window as they aim [.

For a long time I felt guilty for not liking Run of Play, and more specifically, the writing of Brian Phillips. Of all the writers in the soccersphere, Phillips is probably the best example of one who can arrange words in a way the grammar nazis intended. Other writers I respect (and have in the past secretly aspired to be, although the Ives Galarcep references have mostly cured that by now) read and quote Phillips.

Imagine my surprise this morning when a press release popped into my inbox announcing the signings of two Seattle Sounders. Josh Ford and Miguel Montano are now both under contract for the coming year after signing contracts with Seattle on Monday, making official what we've thought for the last week or so.

This e-mail recently ended up in my inbox from a NCNB reader, and I must say, I really like it. To make it in this world it takes a little bit of luck, some connections, but most of all ... Continue reading →