Chasing the Big Leagues FC Zwolle (Dutch Eerste Divisie) is a post from: Just Football

Just Football's Tales from Tier Two series, in association with @tiertwofooty, concludes now with a look at the runaway leaders of the Dutch Eerste Divisie:

FC Zwolle

FC Zwolle are in pole position to return to the Dutch Eredivisie eight years since they were cruelly relegated after both Volendam and Vitesse claimed rare victories as Zwolle were being thumped 7-1 at Feyenoord.

Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill has backed tomorrow's opponents Arsenal to silence their critics, making it clear that the Gunners have sufficient talent to prevail at the Stadium of Light.

Arsene Wenger's men are three points adrift of fourth-place Chelsea and have relied heavily on the incredible form of skipper Robin van Persie, who scored a brilliant hat-trick in last weekend's 7-1 rout of Blackburn.

By Chris Wright

While making their way home from an away match against Kardemir Karabükspor a couple of nights ago, Turkish top flight side Samsunspor flirted with disaster when their team coach was side-swiped by a train on a level crossing.

The incident was captured on CCTV.

Man City's official YouTube channel has provided a lot of unexpected entertainment over its relatively short existence and has already become a model for other clubs to follow. It does, however, go off the rails from time to time (City kitman Les Chapman's "nature watch" segment where he tracks down a ginger kid in his underpants).

Have you been wondering what it takes to make it to the top-flight? Here's your answer: beat yourself with a book several times a day. Chelsea players opt for books from the Horrible Histories series, but a Harry Potter could work just as well for you. Spotted on Dirty Tackle

Ep.24 Chelsea Choke by Off The Post on Mixcloud The transfer window may have slammed shut last week, but someone left the OTP cage door open and we're back to wreak more Premier League based audio havoc. So strap in as we ride the goals rollercoaster at Stamford Bridge whilst also taking in the delights [.

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- QPR of 1903-04 From the Bushman Photo Archives
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- Follow QPR REPORT on TWITTER!
- QPR REPORT MESSAGEBOARD - Visit the cutting-edge, football-only, QPR Report messageboard
- Visit the truly-fascinating Bushman QPR Photo Archives
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Athletic Bilbao midfielder Oscar de Marcos insists his side will show Mirandes total respect on Tuesday night as the two clubs clash in the Copa del Rey semi-final.

Athletic, whose record of 23 Copa titles is second only to Barcelona (25), are favourites heading into the semi-final second leg after earning a 2-1 lead from last week's first meeting at Mirandes' Anduva stadium.

Here's a depressing statistics for Chelsea fans: based on his strike rate with the Blues, it would take Fernando Torres around 20 years to score 100 goals. Potential transfer target Neymar, on the other hand, yesterday completed a career century on his 20th birthday, five games into his fourth top-flight season.

What's stopping you, Kenya? is a post from: Just Football

Sudan aside, there's a glaring geographical gap at this year's African Cup of Nations. Andrew Crawford has a few ideas why:

Watching the current African Cup Of Nations (ACON), it is somewhat tellingly awkward how there isn't a stronger presence from countries from East Africa, although the same could be said for almost every ACON and since it began.

In September, I wrote how Fox Sports choice to show Barclay's Premier League games on tape delay was a brilliant idea. Two weekends ago, Fox took it the next level by showing Manchester United vs. Arsenal live as a lead into the NFL Conference Championship Games. Sure the rating where not great. According to ESPN, the match was seen by 1.

Premier League centurion Darren Bent has mimicked Pele to celebrate bagging his 100th top-flight goal. Alas, the Aston Villa striker is a nought short.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez was left furious when Tottenham left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto was allowed to remain on the pitch despite a high tackle that forced forward Franco Di Santo out of the Latics' 3-1 defeat at White Hart Lane.

With his side firmly rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table, the only positive Martinez could reflect on was the mild nature of Di Santo's injury.

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.

By Chris Wright

'Twas a bit of a slow one yesterday as anyone who spent 11-and-a-bit hours 'glued' to the live feed will tell you, with the total spending across the English leagues failing to surpass the £50 million that Chelsea spaffed on Fernando Torres this time last year let alone the ludicrous £225 million that was spent in total in January of 2011.

Photo: Paul Rudderow

"You just ripped the heart out of your squad. And your fan base."

Martin Longman, Union fan, on the Union web site

"Horrible day, horrible decision. All the guy did was give his heart, soul and sweat to this team for two years and this is how you repay him.

Photo by John Todd/ISIphotos.com

European transfer deadline day has proved to be fruitful for one American abroad.

Mikkel Diskerud has been loaned from Stabaek in his native Norway to Belgian top flight club KAA Gent, the club announced on Tuesday. The loan comes with an option to buy at the end of the season and gives Diskerud a chance to prove his worth for a different club for the first time in his brief career.

The Premiership

Wednesday 1st February 2012. 8pm

The Reebok Stadium

Bolton Wanderers v Arsenal

Formed by the Reverend Thomas Ogden as Christ Church FC in 1874, the club changed it's name to Bolton Wanderers in 1877, they chose the name as they had difficulty in finding a regular ground at which to play their matches before settling at Burnden Park.

The Premiership

Wednesday 1st February 2012. 8pm

The Reebok Stadium

Bolton Wanderers v Arsenal

Formed by the Reverend Thomas Ogden as Christ Church FC in 1874, the club changed it's name to Bolton Wanderers in 1877, they chose the name as they had difficulty in finding a regular ground at which to play their matches before settling at Burnden Park.

German forward Lukas Podolski, who has been linked consistently with Arsenal in recent weeks, has chosen to focus on his future in the Bundesliga rather than talking up a move to the English top flight.

The 26-year old Podolski appeared on Arsenal's radar in this month's transfer window after disagreements with FC Cologne's management late last year.

"No, we're the underdogs."
Ayr v Kilmarnock. An Ayrshire derby in a league cup semi final and nobody wants to be favourites.
No surprise there. Derby games are different. Derby games in cups carry an extra weight. Make it a semi final and you've got a hell of a game on your hands.

Today at noon, or if you're on the East Coast 3 p.m., Fox Soccer will be broadcasting Everton vs Fulham in a FA cup match up. I bet you're asking yourself why I'm bringing this up here? Two of America's best players will be on display, on opposite sides of the ball. The LA Galaxy's Landon Donovan who is on loan to Everton, and Clint Dempsey - the only American to bag a hat trick in England's top flight.

The Pyramids of Giza serve as a graphic to help describe a simple 3-D model of corruption in football
The power pyramid on the left represents agents, betting, mafia.
The power pyramid on the right represents the ruling bodies, the national associations, major leagues.
The power pyramid in the centre represents the territory where these two other pyramids mingle - the upper part of the central pyramid is the white market, the lower half is the grey market and the underground is the underground.

Fulham midfielder Clint Dempsey has made it clear that he would like his long-term future to be at a club with Champions League aspirations, alerting many potential suitors to make a move for the U.S. international.

Dempsey has scored nine goals in 22 matches so far this season, with his most recent accomplishment being a remarkable hat-trick the first for an American in the Premier League against Newcastle United.

Blackpool goalkeeper Matt Gilks tasted Premier League football last season with the Tangerines and now the shotstopper is looking for his side to make a swift return to the top flight.
The Seasiders sit just one point off the play-off places in the Championship table in seventh spot, in what has once again been a very competitive league this term with any side capable of getting a result in any game.

Deloitte report assessing the financial impact of The FA Cup reveals: £650m earned by clubs in the past 10 years Crawley Town receive £1m pay day from single FA Cup tie

As excitement builds ahead of The FA Cup with Budweiser Fourth Round Proper, the financial impact of the competition has been revealed in a new report by the Sports Business Group at Deloitte.

This'll probably be the end of this site. Who the hell lets a Chelsea fan write on their Spurs blog, anyway? Well put the flaming torches and pitch forks away, folks. This one cometh in peace and he's here to save the world. One person at a time. Trailer Trash's Harry Thompson talks racism...

This being a Spurs site, and I, ahem, being a Chelsea supporter, I understand the absurdity of the task writing for an audience that already hates me.

By Chris Wright

There were amazing scenes in Spain last night, where third tier part-timers CD Mirandés beat La Liga side Espanyol 2-1 in injury time at the tiny, 6,000-capacity Anduva Stadium to secure themselves a 4-4 aggregate (away goals) win and a berth in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey in the process.

Cardiff City, the team from the Welsh capital, are heading to the Carling Cup final. The team defeated Crystal Palace in the first completed Carling Cup semi final. They will now play the winner of the Liverpool vs Manchester City tie which will be completed on Wednesday evening at Anfield.

Granada have hired former Atletico Madrid coach Abel Resino to replace the sacked Fabriciano Gonzalez and try to save the La Liga strugglers from making an immediate return to the second division.

"Granada CF announces the hiring of Abel Resino as the red and whites' new coach until next June 30," the club said in a statement on their website.

Portland's pre-season foes were added too. The Timbers will play Montreal, Houston, LA and Chicago during there 12 day stay in LA.

Here is information from the Portland Timbers:

The Portland Timbers today announced match details for the club's preseason camp in Carson, Calif.

Alfredo Morales could be handed his first top-flight start by Hertha coach Michael Skibbe on their trip to Nurnberg while a total of four Americans could be in uniform when Hannover visits Hoffenheim.

Wow what a comeback!! Espanyol scored three goals in four minutes to snatch a dramatic 3-2 comeback win at home to third-tier Mirandes in a King's Cup quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.

Mirandes have been the Cinderella team of this years tournament, having already knocked out La Liga sides Villarreal and Racing Santander in the early rounds.

The Colombia-to-Portland pipeline is back in action.

The Portland Timbers announced the acquisition of 24-year-old defender Hanyer Mosquera, a 6-foot-1 centerback expected to come in and add a dominating presence along the Portland back line. Mosquera becomes the fourth Colombian on the Timbers, joining Designated Players Diego Chara and Jose Adolfo Valencia and forward Jorge Perlaza.

Joe Corona appears destined for a big 2012 as he continues to contribute for Club Tijuana while becoming a bigger part of the U.S. national team set-up. All of that is on the heels of what was just recognized as a pretty sharp 2011.

The 21-year-old Corona won the Golden Ball as Mexico's top rookie, beating out finalists Alfonso Luna (Atlante), Armando Zamorano (Jaguares) and Hector Herrera (Pachuca) to take home the award.

Chasing the Big Leagues Greuther Fuerth (Bundesliga II) is a post from: Just Football

Tales from Tier Two is a new series on Just Football in partnership with @tiertwofooty, in which we assess the promotion chances of the clubs in tier two of Europe's major leagues at the halfway point of 2011/12.

Liverpool are considering a January move to sign Swansea City attacker Scott Sinclair after a succession of glowing scouting reports left Anfield boss Kenny Dalglish readying a potential bid for the former Chelsea man.
Dalglish has been monitoring a number of prospective attacking additions as the Scot looks to beef up Liverpool's fire-power after seeing his Merseyside club struggle to find the back of the net.

Liverpool are considering a January move to sign Swansea City attacker Scott Sinclair after a succession of glowing scouting reports left Anfield boss Kenny Dalglish readying a potential bid for the former Chelsea man.
Dalglish has been monitoring a number of prospective attacking additions as the Scot looks to beef up Liverpool's fire-power after seeing his Merseyside club struggle to find the back of the net.

For season after season Wigan Athletic has overcome the difficulties of remaining in top flight English football. The success of this fairytale story has heavily relied upon chairman Dave Whelan. The Wigan chairman has expressed an interest in...
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David Trezeguet (front) in training for new club River Plate

Argentinian giants River Plate, who are currently playing in their country's second division following last season's shock relegation, have showed their ambition to get back into the top flight by signing former France international David Trezeguet.