Latest Football News

Ferguson: Knows losers will have regret

DERBY 'MEANS EVERYTHING TO FANS'

Sir Alex Ferguson says there will be a deep sense of regret for whichever Manchester club fails to lift the Barclays Premier League title this term.

At one point City were five points clear and apparently cruising to their first championship since 1968, while it is only three weeks since United held an eight-point advantage.

But now the pair meet at the Etihad Stadium on Monday knowing the victor will be overwhelming favourites with just two games to go.

"If one loses they will be reflecting on what might have been," said Ferguson.
"The points total which both teams will probably amass, it is championship form.
"But it will be tinged with regret simply because it is the derby thing.
"You can't get away from it. It is our fans' most bitter rivals.
"For me it is just another league. For the supporters it is special."
Ferguson has opted to take United out of Manchester for the build-up, instead heading to South Wales at a bolt hole near Cardiff to escape the almost insatiable appetite for debate on Monday's game.
The local paper has published a map of the strongholds for both United and City within the Manchester boundaries, which have quickly been disputed.
It is pointless anyway. On streets and even individual houses, there can be red and blue, all with an opinion on what Ferguson has already stated will be the biggest Manchester derby ever.
"It means everything to a supporter. It is everything," said Ferguson.
"For both sets of supporters, going to work on Tuesday will be the most important day of their lives.
"People have been brought up to what they are through their fathers and their grandfathers and grandmothers. You can't change a families traits.
"I saw a banner at Ibrox recently that said: 'Supporting Rangers for 139 years'. That sums it up.
"It is in the blood of the supporters and I know a lot of our supporters who would give everything to win this game on Monday."
If anything, the contest is more enjoyable due to the attitude of the respective managers.
No quarter will be given once the action starts, with both Ferguson and City counterpart Roberto Mancini equally desperate to secure the right result for them.
However, there also appears to be a genuine respect.
"Roberto Mancini is second top of the league at the moment with the league decider on Monday," said Ferguson.
"That is great progress. It is a step forward for them. That is the only way you can measure it really, isn't it?"


Source: http://www.freefootball.org/newsite

Old Trafford

Old Trafford, Greater Manchester

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Coordinates: 53°27′37″N 2°17′13″W / 53.4603°N 2.287°W / 53.4603; -2.287

Old Trafford
Old Trafford  Old Trafford shown within Greater Manchester
Population	13,000approx.
OS grid reference	SJ825955
Metropolitan borough	Trafford
Metropolitan county	Greater Manchester
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MANCHESTER
Postcode district	M16
Dialling code	0161
Police	Greater Manchester
Fire	Greater Manchester
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Stretford and Urmston
List of places: UK • England • Greater Manchester

Old Trafford is an area of Stretford, Greater Manchester, England, 2 miles south-west of Manchester city centre. The crossroads sites of two old toll gates roughly delineate the borders of the area: Brooks's Bar to the east and Trafford Bar to the west.
Old Trafford is the site of two major sporting venues: Old Trafford Football Stadium, home of Manchester United F.C. and Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket Club.
The stadia are at either end of Warwick Road, two parts of which have been renamed Brian Statham Way (formerly Warwick Road) and Sir Matt Busby Way (formerly Warwick Road North). The interconnecting strip of road between retains the name Warwick Road, and the southern section on the other side of the Metrolink line is called Warwick Road South.

 History

Old Trafford was a crossing point over the River Irwell in ancient times. The name Old Trafford possibly derives from the time when there were two Trafford Halls, Old Trafford Hall and New Trafford Hall. The old hall was situated close to what is now the White City Retail Park, and was said to have been the home of the de Trafford family since 1017, until the family moved to the new hall in what is now Trafford Park, some time between 1672 and 1720.^[1] The name of the area around Old Trafford Hall may subsequently have become shortened to Old Trafford.^[2] The old hall was demolished in 1939.^[3]
In the 1820s, Manchester scientist John Dalton chose Old Trafford as the site for a Royal Horticultural and Botanical Gardens because of its clean, unpolluted air, and so began the area's association with sports and recreation. The popularity of the botanical gardens – which was a kind of northern Crystal Palace – led wealthy people to build large houses in the area. In 1857, and again in 1887, the gardens staged exhibitions of art treasures, the former as part of the Art Treasures Exhibition and the latter in celebration of Queen Victoria's silver jubilee. The Hallé Orchestra was formed to participate in the first of these exhibitions. The site of the botanical gardens was purchased by White City Limited in 1907, and it subsequently became an amusement park, although the name lives on in the street called Botanical Gardens. From the 1950s to the 1970s, White City Stadium was used as a greyhound racing track and for stock car racing. This site is now White City Retail Park. The front entrance is all that has been preserved of the old botanical gardens. Nearby, on the site of what is now the Greater Manchester Police Headquarters, was Henshaw's Institute for the Blind, which originally opened as Henshaw's Blind Asylum in 1837. Next door on the same site was the Royal Institute for the Deaf, where the film Mandy was made.
Old Trafford expanded and became an urban area after the building of the Manchester Ship Canal in the 1890s, and the subsequent development of nearby Trafford Park Industrial Estate, in the early 20th century. Trafford Park provided employment for thousands of local residents. Employment was also provided on a smaller scale, notably by Duerr's Jams, Vimto, Arkady Soya Mill and Ludwig Oppenheimer Mosaics. The Royal Army Medical Corps and the Territorial Army have well-established bases in the area.
Slum clearances during the 1960s and early 1970s saw some of the old Victorian housing stock demolished. However, after the perceived failure of the deck-access concrete crescents of Hulme, Old Trafford's residents preferred renovation to demolition. As a result, there are still many Victorian terraced streets in the area.
By 1985, employment at Trafford Park had fallen to 24,500, as unemployment in the northwest soared above 30% in some inner-city areas. Nearby Manchester Docks, which had also been a major source of local employment, closed in 1982. As the revitalised Salford Quays it has become an emblematic part of the regeneration of Manchester in general.

Come On You Reds - Man Utd football song

Song for the champions Man United

Latest Football News

UNITED FAVOURITES REGARDLESS - MANCINI

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini insists

Manchester United will remain title favourites even if they lose Monday's crunch derby at the Etihad Stadium.
Mancini has repeatedly written off City's chances of winning the Barclays Premier League over the last three weeks, even though they have cut United's lead from eight to three points.
Victory in possibly the most eagerly-anticipated Manchester derby of all time would take City back to the top of the table on goal difference with two games remaining, but Mancini is still publicly downbeat.
When asked if he was surprised United had allowed City back into the race, Mancini said: "I am not surprised because in football, until you finish the championship or every game, anything can happen.
"But my opinion is always the same - I think they have more chance than us.
"We play the derby Monday and then afterwards Newcastle, that will be a very tough game, then after that QPR.
"Instead, United will play against Swansea and Sunderland and I think for them they will be two easy games.
"I think (even) if we win this game, they are favourites."
Mancini, however, is in agreement with his Manchester United counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson over the importance of Monday's encounter.
Ferguson has described the match as the "derby of all derby games" and the biggest of such he has been involved with.
Mancini said: "I agree. I think that after 50 years, Manchester United and Manchester City are playing for the title. For this reason I agree with him."
Controversial striker Mario Balotelli is available again after serving a three-match suspension for his sending off at Arsenal earlier this month and joins an otherwise fully-fit squad.
City have flourished in Balotelli's absence, winning all three of their games and scoring 12 goals in the process, but Mancini will not rule out recalling his fellow Italian.
He said: "We have another two training sessions but all the players are available.
"I have 48 hours until the game, I have time to decide for every player."

Source: http://www.freefootball.org/newsite

Manchester United F.C.

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"MUFC" redirects here. For other uses, see MUFC (disambiguation).

Manchester United

Full name	Manchester United Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Red Devils[1]
Founded	1878, as Newton Heath LYR F.C.
Ground	Old Trafford (Capacity: 75,811[2])
Owner	Glazer family
Co-chairmen	Joel and Avram Glazer
Manager	Sir Alex Ferguson
League	Premier League
2010–11	Premier League, 1st
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours Third colours
Current season

Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.
The 1958 Munich air disaster claimed the lives of eight players. In 1968, under the management of Matt Busby, Manchester United was the first English football club to win the European Cup. The current manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has won 37 major honours since he took over in November 1986.^[3][4]
Manchester United has won many trophies in English football, including a record 19 league titles, a record 11 FA Cups,^[5] four League Cups and a record 19 FA Community Shields. The club has also won three European Cups, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, one Intercontinental Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup. In 1998–99, the club won a Treble of the Premier League, the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League, an unprecedented feat for an English club.
Manchester United is one of the wealthiest and most widely supported football teams in the world.^[6][7][8][9] As of July 2011, the club is number one in Forbes magazine's annual ranking of the world's 50 most valuable sports teams, valued at $1.86 billion.^[10] After being floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1991, the club was purchased by Malcolm Glazer in May 2005 in a deal valuing the club at almost £800 million.^[11]


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soccer

Football culture

Association football culture

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The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (December 2010)

Football culture refers to the cultural aspects surrounding the game of association football. In many countries, football has ingrained itself into the national culture, and parts of life may revolve around it. Many countries have daily football newspapers, as well as football magazines. Football players, especially in the top levels of the game, have become role models for people. The game has become glamourised, with many children practising the game and aspiring to the wealth shown off by the top footballers.^{[citation needed]} Football's power runs deeper than the ninety minutes played on the pitch, it has held the power to unify nations, it has played out wars and it has brought people together from around the world. The FIFA World Cup held every four years is the quintessential football event, combining the greatest players in the world and the passion of the fans. Football has a long and glorious history, with which a vast and diverse culture has emerged. The culture of football can be easily divided into how the players, fans and clubs see the sport.


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soccer

Association football

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  (Redirected from Soccer)

Jump to: navigation, search

"Soccer" redirects here. For other uses, see Soccer (disambiguation).

For other uses, see Football (disambiguation).

Association football

An attacking player (No. 10) attempts to kick the ball past the opposing team's goalkeeper and between the goalposts to score a goal.
Highest governing body	FIFA
Nickname(s)	Football, soccer, footy/footie, "the beautiful game", "the world game"
First played	Mid-19th century Great Britain, Nottinghamshire, Sheffield.
Characteristics
Contact	Yes
Team members	11 per side
Mixed gender	Yes, separate competitions
Categorization	Team sport, ball sport
Equipment	Football (or soccer ball)
Venue	Football pitch (or soccer field)
Olympic	Part of the Summer Olympic programme from 1900 to 1928 Returned to the Summer Olympic programme in 1936 to today
Paralympic	No
Country or region	Worldwide

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball. At the turn of the 21st century, the game was played by over 250 million players in over 200 countries, making it the world's most popular sport.^[1][2][3][4] The game is played on a rectangular field of grass or green artificial turf, with a goal in the middle of each of the short ends. The object of the game is to score by driving the ball into the opposing goal.
In general play, the goalkeepers are the only players allowed to touch the ball with their hands or arms (unless the ball is carried out of play, where the field players are required to re-start by a throw-in of the game ball), while the field players typically use their feet to kick the ball into position, occasionally using their torso or head to intercept a ball in midair. The team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins. If the score is tied at the end of the game, either a draw is declared or the game goes into extra time and/or a penalty shootout, depending on the format of the competition. The Laws of the Game were originally codified in England by the Football Association in 1863 and have evolved since then. Association football is governed internationally by FIFA - Fédération Internationale de Football Association (English: International Federation of Association Football), which organises the FIFA World Cup every four years.^[5]


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soccer