Cult Moments.

Here at 442 we've recently started up a new collection of pic which we like to call Cult Moments, those infamous, memorable, iconic moments that happen during the game we love so much.
So I thought to help launch the series off I'd present in video form my top 5 cult moments.




Number 5 - Manchester Utd v Bayern Munich - Champions League Final 1999
Nowadays we're no strangers to great comebacks, but this one has to be the starting place. In the Champions League Final one nil down to the German table toppers, Manchester United chasing the Treble seemed to be on the verge of defeat. They hadn't had many clear cut chances & Bayern rattled the woodwork twice, with Keane and Scholes missing they were losing the midfield battles. But then into injury time, substitutes Sheringham & Solskjær won the game for United, this was no "Fergie Time" it was a hard fought and deserved victory.

Number 4 - Real Zargoza v Arsenal - Cup Winners Cup Final 1995

Last minute goals are always up there when it comes to Cult Moments and you won't find one much better than this. The scores were level with the game in the last seconds of extra time when the ball fell to Nayim just inside the Arsenal half, Seaman was off his line with his mind perhaps on penalties as Nayim sent to ball lobbing over his head and into the net. The most spectacular goal ever scored in a European final? Possibly.

                                                              

Number 3 - France V Italy - World Cup Final  2006

Of course it's not all about scoring goals, sometimes it's the action of the player without the ball that grabs the attention. And while we would never condone such situations, this ugly side of football does add to the drama of The Beautiful Game. It was Zidane's last World Cup, he announced his retirement from football before the tournament, he'd also been awarded the Golden Ball as the best player at the Finals but one moment of madness saw it all end in disaster. Some choice words alleged to be about his Sister from Italian Materazzi saw the Frenchman headbutt him in the chest, a deserved red card followed and the glittering career of one of the world's greatest players came to a downbeat end.

 

Number 2 - Arsenal v Liverpool - 26th May 1989

Another last minute winner, this time in the last minutes of the last game of the season. Arsenal needed to win by two goals to pip Liverpool to the title. The Reds had already won an emotional FA Cup Final against neighbours Everton in the same campaign that had seen Merseyside devastated by the Hillsborough Tragedy and it was due to a logical postponement of the originally scheduled game that saw this match being played on a Friday night. Like many moments in football the drama was added to by some nicely timed commentary, on this occasion by Brain Moore.

Number 1 - Crystal Palace v Man Utd 1995

Arguably the most infamous moment in Football at number one. The majority of football fans could tell you where they were when this happened but what about the score or the scorers? No the match will always be remembered for a kick, and a few punches. Eric Cantona had had a colourful career even before his shock move for the bargain price of £1 million pounds from then rivals Leeds Utd. But Alex Ferguson was the man who would tame him of course and he had or so it seemed. But an initial sending off for a kick at an opponent started a chain of events that would end in possibly the most infamous football quote "When the seagulls follow the trawler it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea"

 

So there's my top five, don't forget the check out our image gallery for these and many more that we'll be adding to all the time. 

As with all best of's I expect there to be disagreements and debate, so don't forget if you want to give us your view, comment below!'

Jumpers for goal posts!

So the weekend is only a few cup's of tea away! 

It's time for our daily round up

Big Roy Hodgson hasn't had to wait long for another crack in the top flight. Confirmed as the new West Brom boss on a contract until 2012. Although history is against WBA in terms of being a so called 'yo-yo club' We still feel that Roberto Di Matteo was dismissed too hastily * two of the promoted teams that beat Arsenal @ The Emirates this season have then gone on to sack their mangers! Thats a crazy fact! 

It goes from bad to worse @ West Ham. New Hammer Robbie Keane who scored on his debut, and whom the Upton Park fans talked about of becoming a future Cult hero, has been struck off work for 6 weeks! The reported £65k a week the players earns must be a bitter pill for the owners, who were hopping that Keane would show his class and worth in the remaining 12 games of the season.

Meanwhile elsewhere in London, Chelsea's Ivanovic has signed a contract extension that should keep him @ Stamford Bridge until 2016, I use the term 'should' as we all know what contracts are worth in the modern game....... 

The big news today is the out come of the Olympic stadium debate, I've never seen two sets of fans look so horrified about moving into a new stadium! Again Sky have over hyped the event, Reporters @ the Olympic stadium for some unknown reason.... maybe it's to have a chat with a few of the many builders that are constructing the stadium! Or maybe we have forgotten what the stadium looks like?  

We've seen former England international David James play into his 40's and now another golden oldie, Villas Brad Friedel has reviled that there are countless offers for his services for the next season. The 39 year old has no intention of hanging up his gloves @ the end of the season and the ideal situation for the Former USA international would be for Villa to extend his contract.

It's the time of the day for a cheeky cup of tea and a few cheeky hobnobs! 

The weekenders tips!

So after a dull 2-1 win over Denmark, (You would of thought that FAB would have picked up a few more words by now, or @ least ITV could have run subtitles!)  


We turn our focus back to the domestic leagues and what's on offer this weekend in the Top flight of the English game. We will start with the live fixtures this weekend which see Sunderland @ home against a Tottenham Hotspur team hit by injuries. Not the most glamours of games, but over the past few seasons we've seen this game produce mouth watering goals, a shed load of pen's and some debatable decisions. Our verdict is that you can expect a high scoring draw. 


United V City, After going over half the season without losing, could United lose a second game on the bounce? Rooney is starting to look like the Wayne of old, Nani and Berbatov are having their best seasons in the red of United. Meanwhile down the road @ City, things are looking good, Hart put in a solid display for England while the likes of Milner & Barry look ever steady. Tevez will be out to prove a point and after the hat-trick last weekend he will be looking to add to an impressive goal tally already this season. Our verdict is a 3-2 win for United.


Bolton V Everton, Bolton have gone off the boil after a fantastic start to the season, The young lad Sturridge looks in fine form, and both him and Bolton will benefit from the loan agreement come the end of the season. Everton have hit form of late, the 5-3 win over Blackpool had left the toffee's on a high going into the international break. If Saha can add a touch more consistency to his game, Everton have one hell of a player @ there disposal. Our verdict is an away win. 


Fulham V Chelsea, Just as things started to look up again @ Stamford bridge Chelsea go and lose to Liverpool, The talk before the game was all about the £50 million pound man Torres, Now the media hype as died down, can Torres make a bigger impact in his second game for the club? Fulham have started to get going under Hughes, A great F.A cup win against Spurs, followed by a league win against Newcastle and a great away point @ Villa, With Zamora close to a return Fulham should start climbing that table. Our verdict is Fulham to cause a shock and win 2-1

No Place Like Home?

With all the Home Nations playing this week (we've included the Republic of Ireland in this just because we can!), we thought we'd have a look back at some of the memorable goals scored by our home grown players. The opinions expressed are mine, we've tried to pick from all nations and I expect a full debate to follow...

Joe Cole - England V Sweden 2006

We'll start with a player who showed so much potential at West Ham & Chelsea and was expected to go on to even better things with his Summer move to Liverpool. Joe Cole against Sweden, perhaps one day we'll see him again pulling on the an England jersey and scoring a beauty like this?

 Archie Gemmill - Scotland V Holland 1978

Now, I'm one of the older member's of the 442 staff so I remember watching this and Scotland's World Cup campaign on the telly back in the day. With England not qualifying I was cheering on the Tartan Army and although they won the game against the former finalists goal difference saw them go home early. But Archie Gemmill's goal was one recreated over and over again in the school playground!

                                         

Michael Owen England V Argentina 1998

What a way to announce yourself on the world stage, he look's about twelve in this clip! It was a game of "what if's?" to follow, Beckham's kick, Simone's reaction, a disallowed goal and two squandered penalties, but the goal by Owen lives longer in people's memories.

Gerry Armstrong Northern Ireland V Spain 1982

Another World Cup another Home Nation triumphant, maybe not the best goal that Gerry Armstrong has ever scored but arguably the most important. Northern Ireland were the underdogs against Spain but managed to hold on for an historic victory and passage through to the second round.

 Bobby Charlton England V Mexico 1966

 Next up, England's highest goalscorer. And how much as an England supporter, would you wish that we had a player now who could drive through the midfield before unleashing such an unstoppable, venomous shot into the back of the net?

David Narey - Scotland V Brazil 1982

To open the scoring for your country would be a dream for any international player, to do that and it to be such a well worked and taken goal you'd expect some plaudits, for it to be against Brazil in the World Cup Finals well you'd be on cloud nine! Oh and Jimmy Hill claimed it was a toe poke!

 

John Barnes - England V Brazil 1984

Ok, so it was a friendly but it was against Brazil at the Maracana Stadium and it is the first and only time that an England team have beaten Brazil in Brazil. Many people may say that this goal also guaranteed Barnes' place in England Squads for the rest of his career, but although not consistently, Barnes did show glimpses of brilliance again in the Three Lions shirt on several other occasions to follow.

 

 

Ronnie Whelan - Rep of Ireland V USSR 1988

 

Prior to any training ground bust up, the Republic of Ireland team, particularly under Jack Charlton showed alot of other International Teams how it should be done, how to play as a team with spirit, pride and a will to win. They were I guess the Crazy Gang of world football and some how they kept on upsetting the odds, no more so than in this game against the Soviet Union.

Paul Gascoigne - England V Scotland 1996

There's not much else that can be said about this goal that hasn't already been soliloquized, many a bar room pundit will pick this as their greatest ever England goal.

 Geoff Hurst - England V West Germany 1966

But for me, it's this one. In the 120th minute of the World Cup Final? Did he mean it? I think he did, still the only player to score a hat-trick in the Final of a World Cup Tournament. We can give them the dodgy "did it didn't it" goal and maybe karma paid us back in South Africa. But no one can take this moment away from any Englishman.

So there we have it, our pick of the Home Nations' goals. Yes we missed some out, I wanted to keep it to a nice round number and didn't want to be blogging all night! 

Feel free to tell us your views,we're hoping to do more features like this.What's your favourite goal? What would you like us to blog on? After all, football is all about opinion and we wouldn't be here without yours!

Denmark v England

So it's the time of the year for an international match, The usual suspects have been included in the squad, with the odd surprise, although as often the case with our FAB manager, these surprises hardly get a game, and the odd one which is lucky to get on the pitch never gets into any future squads anyway!

As always a few of the players have withdrawn the likes of Gerrard & Crouch the most notable of the bunch. We are blessed in this country with some of the club football we get to watch, but when it comes to international games i personally struggle to sit through the whole game. Since Euro 96, we haven't really been or looked in a position to lift any major trophy, every 4 years we are told this is our time, every player is talked about being the next big thing! The next manager that comes in; the media, the FA put them up there in the same light as Sir Alf.

Tactilely we always seem to get it wrong, most recently the use of Steven Gerrard on the left wing, the topic of can Gerrard & Lampard play in the same team, Using Rooney as a lone striker. We have players such as Parker,  Huddlestone, Wilshere that can sit in the middle of the park and make things happen, but they never get the chance to impress as FAB always includes Lampard, Barry & Gerrard in the starting 11.

There are a few senior players that seem untouchable regardless how rubbish they are or have played. Now on paper (as the most famous saying goes) we have a squad full of potential and world class stars. But when it comes to the crunch they all seem to go missing. I couldn't tell you of an individual in the recent squads that takes his club form into international games for his country, can you? (the last player able to do this was of course Beckham)

So where does it leave us for the future?

An English speaking boss would be a good start, i get so frustrated trying to pick out key words from FABS press conferences, hasn't ITV or Sky thought about using Sub titles when our boss speaks?

Play players that are playing well for their teams, regardless how big of a name you need to leave out!

Tactilely we need to play to our strengths, If we have pace on the wings then lets make sure we have a striker that can get on the end of crosses!

Stop classing every player as the next big thing.... Oh and make it an honor not a cash bonus to play for the three lions.

But regardless of all this, we are still England @ the end of the day, and although we don't agree with alot of the things the FA like to do, we still need to get behind the lads! Roll on Wednesday!

COME ON ENGLAND!

The weekender!

So the sunday roast has gone down a right treat!

Wow what a weekend in terms of The Premier League! United losing their first game of the season to a Wolves team sat rock bottom of the league. Arsenal hitting Newcastle for 4 before half time. Then the Gunners went to pot in the second half and ended up lucky to escape with a point! *Bet them Newcastle fans that left @ half time wished they stayed for the second half! Fulham and Villa playing out a 2-2 draw with the young full back Walker catching the eye of our Fab England manager! Wigan finally gaining their first league win of 2011, Thats two straight defeats for the Rovers now, I wonder if sacking Big Sam was a good idea, Rovers playing like a mid table team @ the best? City keep on racking up the wins, I wonder if Tevez will be @ City next season??? Stoke left it late, but snatched 3 points from the grasp of Sunderland! I wonder if Delap had been a shotput thrower in a previous life? Whats gone wrong @ Blackpool...... entertaining off the field but on it they need to find their way again, Saha was electric! not sure about that hair style though! Spurs and pen's hey, how many have they missed already this season? Harrys side lucky they have Kranjcar in their ranks! Maybe he may start a few more games now?

West Ham are in trouble, they had 4 strikers on the pitch @ one point but couldn't find the net! Bentley seems to be a different player @ Birmingham, The Blues managing to scrap a 1-0 away win.
It was written that Torres was gonna rip Liverpool apart, the blues had found their form again, But under Kenny Liverpool have also found their form, and so be it Liverpool left london with a few hooky items and 3 points!

So what has this weekend taught us about the game we all love?

That anything is possible!

What makes a cult hero?

Every club has a cult hero, some have more than others, players such as Des Walker, Danny Murphy, Steve Bull and Gary Mabbutt the list is endless but what makes a cult hero? A last minute goal in the final to win the trophy? A solid centre back making last ditch tackle? A joker who interacts with the fans? Or someone that gives 100 per cent every time he puts on the shirt. Modern day cult heroes are becoming fewer and fewer, Take crouch for example the cult status is because of his England form, not club form, *the many clubs he has represented over the years its almost impossible to achieve cult status in a short amount of time. Players move around all to freely in todays game, The likes of one club men such as Giggs Le Tissier & Neville are few and far between in the modern game, mainly because the amount of money which has been injected into the game. What ever happened to players reaching 400 games plus for their clubs? Now if you reach 200 games for a club you get a testimonial! It would be great to see players and clubs showing more loyalty towards each other, as fans are becoming so disheartened with the game. So what i want to know is who would be your clubs modern day hero and why? 

Sex(ism) Lies & Videotapes

It's Wednesday 26th January, Sky Sports 1 is on and West Ham are playing Birmingham in the second leg of their Carling Cup Semi Final. A familiar voice is missing from the match this evening though, Andy Gray ex-Wolves & Everton striker was sacked by the satellite channel yesterday.
What started out as an off air exchange between Gray and his on & off screen mate Richard Keys, turned into front page headlines that rivalled the woman who put that cat in the wheelie bin.
The original sexist remarks against the female referee's assistant (and going by the definition of the word "discrimination or devaluation based on a person's sex", they were indeed sexist) while off air but with mics still turned on, could have been dealt with. An on air apology, maybe a prepared statement read out, these things normally do the trick and it all would have been swept under the carpet. But this "leaked" audio clip was then followed by another, this actually showed Gray this time making a lewd remark to fellow presenter Charlotte Jackson (again it appeared to be off air and during rehearsals). And this Sky decided, was too much and Gray was given his marching orders.
The central theme that kept on rearing it's ugly head during the whole series of events was that prickly subject of sexism, but in the second clip that got Gray the bullet he showed no sign of sexism at all! Lewd? yes! Pervy? yep! Dirty old man? Definitely! But in any workplace you will find this and having worked with the fairer sex on many an occasion I can say that it doesn't always come from the male! Plus anyone who's ever had the dubious honour of catching ITV's Loose Women will know......well! (sorry is that sexist?)
We all indulge in banter and whether Ms Jackson took exception to Gray's request and reported him we just don't know. Like the pundit himself may have said before in the event of a sending off, it's all about intent......
But the whole sorry mess that this has escalated into also stings of hypocrisy, Sky Television is of course owned by Rupert Murdoch who also owns The Sun newspaper, the very same newspaper that decided that they needed a picture of Sian Massey the lady in the middle of the story and so on it's front page printed one, of her dressed in a short skirt slightly the worse for wear at a party! And we all know what we find on page 3 every morning...
With most news stories there will always be conspiracy theories, Andy Gray was in the process of suing the News of the World (The Sun's sister newspaper) for alleged phone tapping. And with what amounted to in total four "leaked" clips (reporter Andy Burton describing Ms Massey as "a bit of a looker" again not actually sexist and another in which Keys did make a sexist remark by refering to Jamie Redknapp's ex girlfriend as "it") eventually being unearthed, along with Keys comments on "dark forces" at work before his eventual resignation, you can't help but think that they were either not liked within the corporation or Sky just wanted a shake up of the old guard and either way needed an excuse.

If anything, Gray & Keys are guilty of stupidity, you work on television, you're wearing a mic and the camera's are on you......hhhmmm let me think, should I maybe be careful about what I say just in case??

What makes a stadium a home?

There's been a lot of talk over the past few weeks with regards to the Olympic stadium, and the use of it after them few weeks next summer! Two Premier league teams have thrown their names in to the hat to take it over once the Olympics have been & gone! The two different sets of supports for their own reasons don't want it! West Ham due to the fact the running track will be kept! and a large part of the fans will be sat further away from the adapted football pitch than they would be, if sat watching the action from their armchair at home. And Spurs fans because their not from EAST LONDON their from NORTH LONDON! Spurs fans need to face up that as much as they either love or hate Daniel Levy, the fact is he is a BUSINESSMAN.

Now the fans play a massive part of the reason that Spurs are a profitable team, cast your mind back over the last few seasons, over 9 new kits, new merchandise, ticket prices increased. Now could you imaging how much Levy could of made if White Hart Lane could seat 60,000 + fans per game! At upwards of £45 a ticket? that’s a lot of money. 

The talk of the Northumberland Development project was music to the ears of Spurs fans and for the local community. But the fact is Levy wants to spend less to make more! It’s how Businesses work! The opportunity to create a larger stadium outside of North London for less money doesn’t trouble Levy when he goes to sleep at night, after all it’s he’s club and he can do what he likes!

A fair way down the road in East London large areas of temporary structures are being created for the 2012 Olympic games. All the structural ground work would still be useable, transport links in place. All that’s needed is someone to create a new stadium! Be it for football, rugby or athletics! Step forward Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and Chairman Daniel Levy.

Since Spurs made it clear they wanted the Olympic stadium site, Spurs fans near and far have been voicing their views, and its clear they want to stay in North London, and in my view Too right!

This is not like moving a Tesco store on a B&Q store, this is a club that has built up history over the years playing at White Hart Lane in North London, The first team to win the double, the glory days of old all washed away! A legacy ruined! All because a certain businessman….. wants to create his own history.

Now the fact of the matter is that if Levy wants to move to East London he will move the home of the Famous Spurs as he see’s fit, and will sell off the naming rights to a random rich company just for good measure!

Can you imaging how much fun The other lot that support that other team in North London are having right now! There laughing at the Spurs fans, Chants of “there’s only One team in North London” will ring true! This is more than Business this is PRIDE! 

THE PRIDE OF NORTH LONDON! 

Big fish, little fish......

A lot of people will say that the FA Cup has lost it's magic and while it may be true that we've not really had a decent final since arguably 1991 (an unbiased opinion), the early rounds have given us some memorable performances and results in recent years from the likes of Barnsley, Havant & Waterlooville, Cardiff & Portsmouth.
The Champions League may promise to pit Europe's elite against each other but where else would you have the Champions of the highest league in the country potentially play a team made up of part time footballers?
It's at the Third Round stage that the "Big Boys" enter the competition and it usually has it's fair share of upsets and drama, if the magic had gone and the big teams had distractions elsewhere nowadays then what were their excuses back in say, 1972 when non-league Hereford knocked top flight Newcastle out? Of Newcastle there would be more to come later.

This particular FA weekend for me was spent in the pub, not that an excuse is needed of course. But Soccer Saturday with Jeff and the Boys is the ideal accompaniment to a few pints of watered down lager and a packet of pork scratchings, they go hand in hand, there's even a Soccer Saturday drinking game!

Along with the best drink and bar snacks that McMullens can supply another essential is the filled out betting slip of course, more so during the FA Cup with a chance of a giant killing on offer! and my four pound accumulator promised me a return of nearly two grand if my seven predictions proved correct.

Now Soccer Saturday has had it's classic moments in the past, Merson's tooth falling out mid-report, Chris Kamara mistaking a sending off for a substitution, Jeff Stelling's James Brown doll to name but a few, but on this particular day we had a show without major incidents; presenter wise at least. But it's down to these presenters that make this show; which essentially boils down to us the viewer, watching people, watch football, a success.
So settling down on the bar stall that I would later be slouching on, three o'clock was here and the games kicked off. I had my money on upsets at Norwich, West Ham, Stoke, Blackburn & Southampton. Of course myself and my mate weren't the only one's aiming to prove our superior football knowledge and earn ourselves some extra pocket money, as the reports and scores started to trickle in, other blokes around the pub were checking their own grubby bits of paper.
An early goal for Leyton Orient (a second team of mine) started proceedings off nicely and the subject of second teams came up later when the Landlord was found to be cheering on Wigan, Everton and Arsenal! We've all got them, the minnows, the local team or maybe the first team we were taken to see as a lad. The FA Cup gives us a chance to focus of them a bit more.

Maybe it's the smaller away grounds, the crowd closer to the pitch, the more physical opponents or just complacency but there's always an upset or two and as the results came in; particularly for the likes of Brighton, Notts County, Southampton and the rest it was apparent that the FA Cup had done it again.
Yet as the beer flowed more was to come, Stevenage were drawn by Noel and Serge to face a rematch against Newcastle United. Back in '98 it had been a rather surprisingly unsporting affair; for a start Kenny Dalglish, Newcastle manager at the time didn't want to play at Stevenage (all those roundabouts can get a bit confusing eh Kenny!) and eventually it was agreed that with some new temporary seating the game at Broadway Hall could take place. Dalglish had been ungracious towards Stevenage in his dealings and it almost became a grudge game before a ball was kicked with Grazioli's equaliser taking the tie back to St James Park where King Kenny had wanted the game to start off with! But things were further sullied there when Newcastle won the replay with the help of an opening goal that hadn't even crossed the line. Stevenage though had done the Conference proud and there was an obvious hint of revenge in the air on Saturday evening as we tuned in to ESPN.

Living in Hertfordshire, Stevenage are about as local as I could get to a league team and I wasn't the only one in the pub wanting them to win. Newcastle could offer no excuses for what transgressed, they had an International defender in Coloccini who had appeared in the World Cup and with experience through Barton & Nolan you could hardly call it a weakened team. Still I couldn't see Stevenage winning the game before kick off, but just as my accumulator had proven I wasn't the best person at predicting football results and not only did the team 73 places lower than their Premiership counterparts win, but they did so convincingly and were the better team.
So a thoroughly enjoyable drunken day/evening had been had and football had provided the entertainment in the end. The magic was still there and long may it continue. Now if we could only transport that spirit, fight, pride and motivation into the Premiership we might just be onto something.......

Transfers and urban myths

So it's the 6th of January, not much has happened in terms of movements in the Premiership, The usual suspects are being linked with everyone from North to South! The talk of Beckham heading to White Hart Lane, Dzeko up in Manchester about to sign for the blue half, and of course no transfer window would be complete with out the inclusion of Robbie Keane.

January can be a bad time to purchase that special player, what with the rise in VAT! Any player that is valued by his club will not be aloud to leave, prime example would be Andy Carroll, Harry had a word with the Newcastle Board, And we all knew what the answer was via the morning papers!

Beck's back in the Big time! It would be great to see such an icon back in our league, but from the view that Beck's wants to play, he would be better suited for a team that are floating around mid-table. The likes of Villa or Blackburn. There would be a good chance he would figure on a more permanent basis. If he ends up going to one of the top 4/5 he may find himself in a "coaching role" advising that teams younger players on what to do in the future!

Dzeko is @ last about to sign for City, Everyone knew this would happen! Its been dragging on for what seems a lifetime. It's a lot of money to spend on a player that is not proven in our league. City have an embarrassment of riches and will need to off load a few players. Players that could walk into almost any team in the League. The likes of Given, SWP, Roque Santa Cruz, Adebayor & even A Johnson. But city, as we know do not like to sell to rival teams. So could the Championship or a move away from England be the new home for a few of this guys either on loan or permanently?

Robbie Keane..... Who is there left for him to play for? @ the age of only 30 he seems to have lost his heart playing @ The Lane, once an icon for so many Spurs fans, he now struggles to last even 20mins. As is the case with age, you end up losing your pace and your bounce back ability! Owen would be an example of this too! So as we understand here at It's a football thing Keane is on his way to the Midlands to sign for the Blues.

A quick look @ some of the other transfer rumours doing the rounds:

Glen Johnson heading to Spurs?
SWP off to St James park?
Bojan to be offered to Chelsea?
United join the race for Scott Parker?
.....and of course David Bentley linked to Blackburn!

Now before i head off to make another round of teas! I leave you with what could only be classed as a pipe dream, the moment you heard this story you wanted to laugh, and in away you do feel for the supporters of this club! Imaging your teams floating around mid-table, over the last 10 or so years its been a mixed bag, relegations, promotions, europe, and of course that Carling cup win......

Could you imaging being a Blackburn fan and hearing that your club has put in a bid for a one Mr ronaldinho! It leaves you with a smile on your face!

4-4-2 it's a football thing!

Bad boys, bad boys..........

Apparently Joey Barton's Sister is in fact his Mum, well she is if you believe the chants being sung at White Hart Lane last Tuesday. I'm not sure where the suspect parentage comes into it (his Mother & Father split up when he was 14), but of course why let the truth get in the way of a good (?) chant?
Barton has had an eventful career to say the least, mainly off the pitch and on the front pages, but what he has done to Spurs supporters personally isn't on record.
It was ironic really that I was at a game in December with Panto season upon us he was roundly booed or jeered every time he touched the ball. I know that Joey has had his fair amount of unsavory moments in the past but that doesn't make him a bad footballer and he certainly can play.
So basically he's one of those players we love to hate and he's not the first, he's stepped into the hard man role vacated by Roy Keane, before him Vinnie Jones and going further back Tommy Smith. There have been others of course, loved by their own supporters hated by the opposition. All the best teams have had them, especially winning ones and what would a team like Spurs on the verge; it's being said, of bigger things give to have a player like that in their midfield?