Showing articles from the year 2009
Clear filterTottenham defender Ledley King has left the England squad after the national team’s medics decided to take no risks with the player’s health. King was called up by boss Fabio Capello following his outstanding club form. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was less than happy with the decision as it would have meant the player missing his team’s next Premier League fixture.
Since Wales’ last home game FSF Cymru has travelled to Monchengladbach, Copenhagen and Vila Real for friendly fixtures, the win in freezing Denmark was very welcome indeed.
Tottenham defender Ledley King has left the England squad after the national team’s medics decided to take no risks with the player’s health. King was called up by boss Fabio Capello following his outstanding club form. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was less than happy with the decision as it would have meant the player missing his team’s next Premier League fixture.
THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.
Most fans thought Monday’s estimated £20m out-of-court settlement between West Ham and Sheffield United had drawn the curtains on one of the longest-running compensation battles in English football but recent developments suggest the saga is set to continue.
The next meeting of the North West and North Wales Division of the FSF takes place at Hyde United FC (in the Pete O’ Brien Lounge in the Main Stand) at 1pm on Sunday, 29th March, 2009. Those of you who are after a bit of free food are advised to get there for 12.30pm to catch the opening of the buffet!
Arsenal’s Champions League victory in Rome last night was marred by reports from Italy that a number of away fans had been attacked by the home team’s support. The story follows depressingly similar lines to previous ones on English fans in Italy. In recent years Manchester United and Middlesbrough fans have been attacked while two Chelsea supporters were reportedly stabbed in Turin on Tuesday.
The British Olympic Association (BOA) and UK Government have been accused of acting like “schoolkids” after stating their determination to enter a British football team into the Olympics against the express wishes of the Irish (IFA), Scottish (SFA), and Welsh (FAW) FA’s. Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe has insisted that both male and female teams would be entered and said he has written assurances from Fifa that this would not threaten the sovereignty of the home nations.
Culture secretary Andy Burnham is expected to warn the UK’s leading sporting bodies that their obsession with money will “turn fans off in droves” if it is not significantly reassessed. At a Sport England conference, that will see figures from all the UK’s major sports in attendance, Burnham will outline his vision of increased regulation to ensure money at the top finds its way down to grassroots level.
Everton boss David Moyes has criticised the FA’s decision to host all FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley following the Toffees’ quarter-final victory over Middlesbrough. Everton came from behind to secure victory at Goodison Park yesterday with second-half goals from Marouane Fellaini and Louis Saha cancelling out David Wheater’s 44th minute opener.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has again voiced his support for the so-called 6+5 rule and claims he has backing from none other than Sir Alex Ferguson.
The FSF has learned that Morecambe Football Club are to become the first league club in England or Wales to incorporate Safe Standing areas into their new stadium.
Money’s tight. Nations are going bust. Banks are going, erm, bankrupt. But it will be of great relief to all fans out there to know that at least agents and footballers can splash the cash, check out David Bentley betting his agent’s £15,000 watch that he can kick a ball in a skip. And he does! We wouldn’t have been very happy if that was our van parked next to it though.
Notts County have been accused of putting profit before safety after they sold reduced price home tickets for their game against Rotherham.
Members of the FSF and 14 other supporters’ groups from across Europe met with Uefa president Michel Platini and general secretary David Taylor in Nyon, Switzerland, this weekend to discuss the future of the game and look at how supporter issues were being addressed.
The Premier League has admitted the threat that internet streaming has on football’s finances as more and more fans turn to online viewing.
Andy Burnham, the secretary of state for Culture, Media and Sport has called for greater protection for football from political rallies after police requested that Everton move their game with Stoke to accommodate a BNP meeting.
Free Lions 89, which was produced for England’s trip to Spain on Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 can now be downloaded free of charge. Download Free Lions 89 here.
Following on from the success of FSF Northeast’s Fair Cop? campaign members in our Southern Division ran their own version before Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Portsmouth on Saturday, February 7th, 2009. Pompey and Liverpool fans joined forces to hand out Fair Cop? cards – which offer advice on fans’ legal rights and Section 27 – at 19 pubs around Fratton Park, including the four most frequented by the away support. Fair Cop? also gives fans the opportunity to give their thoughts on policing and stewarding at games, be they positive or negative.
Ian Watmore has been named the new chief executive of the FA, replacing Brian Barwick. Watmore, a lifelong Arsenal fan, will start the job on Monday, June 1st, 2009 when he leaves his post as permanent secretary at the Department of Innovations, Universities and Skills (DIUS).
