Venue: St James' Park, Newcastle. Date: Sunday 2nd September,2012. Kick-Off: 4:00pm. Referee: Lee Probert. UK TV: None. Sunday brings Premier League football back to St James' Park as Aston Villa provide the opponents for a 4pm kick-off. There will be no UK TV broadcast of the fixture so it will be time to scour the [.
Venue: St James' Park, Newcastle. Date: Sunday 2nd September,2012. Kick-Off: 4:00pm. Referee: Lee
Probert. UK TV: None. Sunday brings Premier League football back to St James' Park as Aston Villa
provide the opponents for a 4pm kick-off. There will be no UK TV broadcast of the fixture so it
will be time to scour the [.
Newcastle United old boy, Craig Bellamy, has a long and insightful interview on American site 'EPL
Talk.' Given while Bellamy was in Orlando, Florida last month, coaching the youngsters at the 2011
Disney Soccer Academy, it covers quite a few topics from Bellamy's time in the game. This included
recollections of his five years at [.
Yes you are reading a football blog! However, we at In The Stands have brought
out our Devilish side and manically have short-listed our top five football scuffles and
spats.
Every sport needs its bought of ‘dramatic entertainment' and footy is no different.
With West Ham's promotion to the Premier League yesterday, the 2011/2012 Championship season
finally came to an end. Despite having had three weeks to mull over Ipswich Town's year, I still
haven't come to a conclusion on how I feel about it. It's been disappointing, that much is
clear. But even the pessimistic of fans would be hard pressed to deny that we (when I say we I man
Paul Jewell) have learnt a few lessons and the side HAS progressed form this time 12 months ago.
Really can't say that this was not coming. However, there is a good chance the rest of the
fixtures will start on time.
Here is football's role in quelling the orgy of violence and looting. I think the stars on each
football team and their managers should come out with public service announcements appealing for
calm.
A host of Premier League clubs have released up to 123 players this summer with Patrick
Vieira, Jonathan Woodgate and Matthew Upson amongst the most high-profile stars let go this
summer.
The official list of ‘free agents' released on Thursday night features former World Cup
winners, former England internationals and Premier League champions.
A list of the top EPL players to be released on free transfers this summer has
been announced, with some high profile named players now without a club. Jonathan
Woodgate, Patrick Vieira and Matthew Upson will be on
the hunt for new clubs, while Manchester United finally released Owen Hargreaves
after he only played 11 minutes in 2 full seasons.
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech wants his teammates to revive their deteriorating campaign by
winning at home to Birmingham City in the FA Cup tomorrow a feat that he realizes won't be easy to
accomplish.
Birmingham suffered relegation last year but the Championship outfit has managed to become
somewhat of a cup specialist, claiming the Carling Cup at Arsenal's expense at Wembley 12 months
ago and now looking to send another London club packing out of the FA Cup.
Leicester: Having massively overhauled the squad during the summer, signing no
less than nine players, including the marquee signings of Kasper Schmeichel, David Nugent, Michael
Johnson, Neil Danns and Paul Konchesky should give the Foxes the quality needed to reach the
Premiership for the first time since 2002.
Birmingham City fans reached the highs of winning their first trophy in over 40 years last
season and then suffered the lows of relegation from the Premier League.
Then this summer, the manager who won them that trophy left the club in their hour of need to
join their city rivals Aston Villa.
Following his release from Birmingham City, Lee Bowyer has been handed a one-year contract by
Championship club Ipswich Town. The 34-year-old had been linked with a return to former club Leeds
United earlier in the summer, but it is the Tractor Boys that have secured his signature on a free
transfer.
Alex McLeish has kept his job at St. Andrew's, despite Birmingham's last-day relegation to the
Championship, but has been told by the board that he must lead the side back to the
Premiership.
The Blues went down, due to a defeat against Tottenham at White Hart Lane and other results not
going their way, and there were rumours that Birmingham City owner Carson Yueng would sack the
Scotsman.
Joey Barton had a very good game on Saturday against Birmingham City. Joey Barton in action
yesterday with Lee Bowyer And you could tell from the first minute that he wanted to make it up to
the Newcastle fans, for the team's rather inept display in the previous game at Liverpool. Joey is
a [...]
Enlarged Photo
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Birmingham City are heading to their first Wembley Final for 55 years after beating West Ham 4-3
on aggregate in their Carling Cup semi-final. Birmingham will play Arsenal in the final on the 27
February.
Leading 2-1 from the first leg, West Ham seemed to have a place at Wembley all locked up when
Carlton Cole put them one up (and 3-1 on aggregate) in the 31st minute.
Manchester United vs Birmingham City January 22, 2011 ( Man United at home) Final score:-
Manchester United 5-0 Birmingham City ( Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov*3, Nani) Dimitar Berbatov
becomes the first Premiership player since Ruud Van Nistelrooy to net three hat tricks in a season
as Manchester United crush Birmingham City 5-0.
Arsene Wenger has talked a lot about tackling. Invariably the discussion gets hijacked by
clueless hacks and pundits who convert that into an Arsenal V Rest of the League debate and take
pride in highlighting one or two poor tackles by Arsenal players.
According to a number of morons who have the privilege of influencing public opinion, Arsenal
are just as bad as any other team when it comes to tackling.
I'm sure I'm not alone in hoping that the first game of 2011 is a sign of things to come for
this year. A good win, three goals, a clean sheet and the best response against a team who went
over the edge a little bit physically.
Apart from one Fabianski save from a first half Seb Larsson free kick I don't remember the
Arsenal goalkeeper having to do much at all beyond come for a few crosses and corners which he did
solidly.
Now that's what I call fairweather blogging! I raved about the Chelski performance, but kept mum
after earthward bump at Wigan. Now I'm back to doff the cap to the team for today's performance at
lowly Birmingham, which was as excellent as Wigan was disappointing as Chelski was excellent.
No it's not a misspelling, but I will take the opportunity to wish all Arsenal supporters
everywhere a Very Happy New Year. And to all those of you who
Yearn for silverware and titles, I offer these words of comfort.......
The season is half over. We've done well; we're 2 points off the top of the table in 3rd
place.
A win from Town today would see the Blues getting three great results from what we thought would be
the three hardest games of the season: Middlesbrough, West Ham and Brighton.
What a wonderful time it is to be a Town fan!
I was speaking to @FelsedBoy this morning and he quite delightfully described today as 'feeling
like the first of the season, with the glorious weather and the feeling of hope in Ipswich'.
I guess the two teams used up all the goals and excitement last year because yesterday, the
controversial incidents apart, it was a snoozefest of a game, with little in the way of
highlights.
All the talk this morning will be of the red card, the red card that should have been and the
other red card that should have been.
That should really be the headline of the day. The Welsh midfielder will be named for the first
time in almost 1 year (11 months to be correct) in an Arsenal official competitive match day squad.
He had just returned from a loan stint with Nottingham Forest in the Championship.
Lee Bowyer is a nasty piece of work. The FA correctly slapped a three match ban on him for
stamping on Bacary Sagna with malicious intent to hurt as clearly shown in the picture. He was also
guilty of raking his studs down Sagna's Achilles heel on two separate occasions. It was clear as
daylight on the pitch and it should have resulted in a straight red card but the referee and
linesman either missed it or chose to ignore it.
Birmingham 0-3 Arsenal - and one very annoyed Lee Bowyer
As you may have been able to tell, my previous two posts were pre-set to publish over the
weekend last Thursday as I was away for a fantastic new years weekend. I hope you enjoyed the
finale of the festive season as well.
The commentators said that the difference between the two sides was the fact that Arsenal made
it count when it mattered, as opposed to Birmingham. We have been on the receiving end of the same
for a long time and it was nice to see a change. Is this for real or is it just blip in our rather
abysmal consistently inconsistent graph?
Well, for a myriad of reasons, my creative juices are well and truly sapped right now. No fancy
introduction today, I'm just going to roll up my sleeves and steamroller on before my keyboard sues
me for physical abuse and questionable grammar sense.
It was here at St Andrews that our title challenge crumbled in the 07/08 season. This was the
same setting in which the career of the prolific striker ended. Not forgetting this was also one of
the toughest away games of the season as Birmingham have only lost once in well over a season and
managed to peg Manchester United back in the recent midweek game.
Cracking start to the second half of the season as Arsenal coasted to a win in the hostile
environs of St Andrews. It is not easy to win there and for the Gunners, any trip to Birmingham
dredges up bad memories, very bad memories. But they turned in a scintillating performance against
a club that has only lost once in 29 other occasions at home.
This summer Ipswich Town have been 'linked' to so many footballers I think I've lost count; but
this time last week the name being thrown about on Twitter made my blood run cold.
Seven days later we have signed Lee Bowyer, chequered history and all. But was it the right
move?
The debate on Twitter has been interesting to say the least; when I offered my opinion on him I was
ridiculed for being childish and judgemental, being told to 'grow up' and 'give him a break'.
Just a list of the 123 players released by Premier League clubs this summer nothing more,
nothing less.
In alphabetical order...
Arsenal; Thomas Cruise, Roarie Deacon, Mark Randall.
Nigel's chips are up at Villa Park
Aston Villa; Durrell Berry, John Carew, Ellis Deeney, Calum Flanagan, Harry
Forrester, Arsenio Halfhuid, Isaiah Osbourne, Robert Pires, Nigel Reo-Coker, Moustapha Salifou
Birmingham; Marcus Bent, Lee Bowyer, Sebastian Larsson, James McFadden,
Mitchell McPike, James O'Shea, Stuart Parnaby, Kevin Phillips, Daniel Preston, Luke Rowe, Robin
Shroot, Maik Taylor.
The news broke this morning that the FA had finally taken some action over the John Terry racism
affair. Terry has been stripped of the England captaincy with immediate effect. Of course the
inadequate FA fell short of suspending him from playing for his country and it's unlikely that
Terry will be big enough to remove himself for selection.
Footballers are very much like Marmite, you either love them or hate them. So, for out Top 10 of
the week this week we have listed those who emulate the slogan incorporated by our favourite yeast
extract... 10. Roy 'Keano' Keane Love: Perhaps the only born leader of his generation. Hate: In my
eyes, he [.
Emma Davies on Twitter: "For all the ill-informed haters ... Kevin spoke to Tom Cleverly [sic] on
the phone earlier. He would never intentionally hurt anyone."
Name football's dirty players. Paul Scholes, perhaps. Midfield hardmen like Lee Bowyer and Joey
Barton. Football's hard-tackling cheats are idiots, aren't they?
As it has been reported recently in the media Simon is trying to lure Alan Smith, Lee Bowyer and
Jonathan Woodgate back to the club, in my opinion i would welcome all three back to the club
providing there are all fit as they have all proved they can still do it at the top level and all
three would want to get this club back where they belong.
Even though Newcastle beat a 10 man Birmingham side 2-1 on Saturday, the defense still managed to
let in another soft goal. Danny Simpson tackles Lee Bowyer on Saturday And that was just before
half time, after Newcastle were 2-0 up after another good penalty from Shola Ameobi on 35 minutes,
and a strong header [.
Hmmm, bank holiday here and in the UK, I believe. Which is kind of annoying because I wanted to
ring up my bank today and complain about something but I suppose it'll have to wait.
It means things are fairly quiet with not much in the way of fall-out from the Birmingham game
and little written about City just yet.
