Focus on : Alex Ferguson A decade of Glory 1986-1996

  Sir Alex Ferguson had to walk a long, hard road to become the most successful Manchester United manager of all time. He was born in Glasgow's shipbuilding district of Govan in 1941 and, after leaving school the teenage Ferguson joined the tens of thousands of men who laboured in the yards, as an apprentice welder. But the boy was also turning out for Glasgow's famous amateur club, Queen's Park, and his prowess as a centre-forward outshone his ability with a welder': torch, and he was soon signed on as a professional by Perth's St Johnstone in 1960. After four years there he was snapped up by Dunfermline Athletic, who were at the time one of Scotland's elite dubs. But a boyhood dream came true in 1967 when Rangers, the team he had supported all his life, paid £65,000 to take him to Ibrox. The move did not work out well. Ferguson gained a reputation for truculence, a trait which landed him in trouble with team-mates, opponents, referees and the Rangers management. He was showing early signs of the single-mindedness that would make him such a formidable manager, but at this stage his intransigence saw him transferredto Falkirk, where he had a taste of coaching, and later to Ayr United. Ferguson took his first steps as a fledgling manager at East Stirling in July 1974, but after making an early impact there he was given the chance to manage a bigger club, St Mirren, in Paisley on the outskirts of Glasgow. 

Focus On : England Tribute to Gary Lineker

Focus On : Gary Lineker Football Legends

Newcastle Division Two 1992 1993 Champions

 Newcastle did not just win promotion. They went up with superb panache and style into the bargin. Kevin Keegan's men set record after record including a club best points haul and United's biggest number of wins in a season. Their magnificent start of 11 wins in the first 11 games provided the platform on which the First Division Championship was won. And while there were a few mini stutters on the way, they also ended the season powerfully to take the title with plenty to spare. So where was the difference from a side that had only just escaped relegation the previous season? Most importantly, Keegan instilled enthusiasm and confidence. The players almost expected to go up before a ball was kicked. He bought well during the summer, particularly at fullback where Barry Venison and John Beresford had magnificent seasons. 

David Ginola Legend of Newcastle

European Cup 1988 1989 Real Madrid Psv Eindhoven

Quarter Final Second Leg
15 March 1989 
Santiago Bernabéu Madrid
Referee: Mr Vautrot

   Le choc P.S.V.-Real est presque une monstruosité à ce stade de la compétition et c'est ce qui fait songer à un championnat d'Europe chez ces Messieurs cousus de trophées qui n'aiment pas risquer leurs billes en agate sur des coups tordus. P.S.V. Eindhoven, champion d'Europe 1988 (aux penalties et à la muraille de Chine) est en phase d'évolution lorsque approche le printemps 1989. Son gardien-vedette, Van Breukelen, opéré d'un genou, a été remplacé par un boy-scout un peu fébrile, Lodewijks. Son attaque a été renforcée par l'arrivée de l'international brésilien Romario, Et son avenir a été radicalement modifié par l'annonce du transfert de son « monstre », Ronald Koeman, au F.C. Barcelone, pour un monstrueux paquet de dollars. Il a même été dit qu'en cas d'élimination de P.S.V. en quart de finale, Koeman rejoindrait aussitôt les rangs catalans, ce que l'intéressé s'est empressé de démentir : « Je terminerai la saison 88-89 avec P.S.V. Ensuite, je penserai au Barça. » A vingt-six ans, Koeman arrive à maturité. Il le démontre dans sa manière d'être sur le terrain et de prendre les choses en mains quand un secteur de l'équipe se montre défaillant. « Je suis l'homme libre de P.S.V. J'ai la latitude de prendre les initiatives que j'estime nécessaires à l'intérieur d'un match. » Même s'il marque beaucoup moins de buts que la saison précédente et s'il semble un peu las (« J'ai eu un peu de mal à redémarrer, dans la tête comme dans le corps, après l'extraordinaire saison 87-88 »), Ronald Koeman reste le grand patron de P.S.V. 

Europa League 2010 2011 Sparta Prague Liverpool

Jackie Milburn Tribute

 

 

Friendly 1985 France Bordeaux Farewell Marius Tresor

14 July 1985
Stade Vélodrome,
Bordeaux

 Ils sont venus, ils sont tous là. En ce 14 juillet à Bordeaux, c'est doublement jour de fête. La Nationale avec ses feux d'artifice et ses bals. Celle du football avec le jubilé de Marius Trésor. Et si l'affluence sur la pelouse du stade-vélodrome de Bordeaux est inhabituelle, c'est parce que Marius ne compte que des amis. Comment, d'ailleurs, pourrait-il en être autrement ? Qui se souvient d'une colère de Marius? Personne, sans doute, tant le Quadeloupéen est la joie de vivre personnifiée. Bon vivant, d'humeur égale, Marius est dans la vie comme il est sur le terrain et comme il l'a toujours été tout au long de sa riche carrière. D'Ajaccio, son premier club français (après des débuts à la Juventus de Sainte-Anne en Guadeloupe) jusqu'au Variétés Club de France, son club d'aujourd'hui, en passant par l'Olympique de Marseille et les Girondins de Bordeaux, jamais Marius n'a eu de vilain geste, de méchante parole. 

Europa League 2010 2011 Psv Eindhoven Lille

Dutch Eredivisie giants, PSV Eindhoven will be thinking that they already have one foot in the Europa League Round of 16, as they managed to claim a 2–2 stalemate in the first leg encounter against Lille OSC at Stade Lille-Metropole. The Red White Army should count themselves lucky, as they escaped a scare in their first leg against the French outfit. Two goals from Wilfred Bouma and Ola Toivonen in the dying minutes of the match somehow secured a result for the Boeren, as they were outclassed on the pitch by the French outfit. Despite claiming a positive result, PSV manager Fred Rutten was not pleased with his side’s show on the pitch.
Les Dogues were stunned last week in their Europa League encounter against PSV, when they conceded two goals in the dying minutes of the match in front of their home crowd. LOSC’s focus was completely shattered with the Europa League draw as the Ligue 1 leaders lost their domestic encounter against Montpellier HSC Despite the loss, they remain atop the Ligue 1 table. LOSC’s form in the Europe’s secondary football competition has remained erratic so far. Many expected the French outfit to be eliminated in the group stages, but the Mastiffs squeezed through after finishing second in their group. However, Les Dogues will have to lift their game if they want to keep their European dreams alive.

Newcastle Season Review 2009 2010

WC 1998 Nigeria Denmark