BobBev Posted January 14, 2005 Author Share Posted January 14, 2005 Scotland On Sunday May 7th, 2006 Agony For Celtic Fans Celtic were within seconds of clinching the SPL title at Parkhead yesterday afternoon as they entered stoppage time leading Dundee United by a Stephen Pearson goal. But not for the first time this season the Tangerines failed to read the script and young Austrian forward Alex Hauser spoiled the party with an equaliser seconds from the final whistle. But with Rangers recording the same 1-1 scoreline at neighbours Dundee, Tick Jones’ team still hold the advantage being three points ahead and holding a superior goal difference. At the bottom of the table Ross County’s failure to beat St. Johnstone means that the highlanders slip back to Division One after two seasons of struggles in the SPL. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 14, 2005 Author Share Posted January 14, 2005 Nice return on that bet BoN Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 16, 2005 Author Share Posted January 16, 2005 The Glasgow Herald May 11th, 2006 Rollo Off As ‘Gers Crash Out Rangers defender Andrew Rollo was cruelly red-carded with barely 15 minutes on the clock leaving his temmates with a mountain to climb as they attempted to overcome a 2-goal deficit against Barcelona. The 22-year-old will feel harshly treated by the referee as his offence occurred outside the area and looked worthy of a booking at worst. A man short, Rangers always struggled to get into their stride and reached the break with the game still scoreless. Thierry Henry effectively killed them off with a goal shortly after the restart and although Barry Ferguson squared things up with ten minutes remaining a late strike from Saviola completed a 2-1 defeat on the night and a 5-2 aggregate defeat. Barcelona will meet Manchester United in the final as the Red Devils overcame stiff resistance at Anfield to beat Liverpool after extra time. After a scoreless first half Paul Scholes put United in front 10 minutes after the restart. Liverpool substitute Sinama-Pongolle scored in stoppage time to take the tie into extra time but Fergie would not be denied, Scholes completing a fine individual display by scoring the winner just three minutes before the end of the game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 17, 2005 Author Share Posted January 17, 2005 The Glasgow Herald May 12th, 2006 Elvis Has Left The Building Celtic defender Steven Pressley has decided to pack his bags and look for work elsewhere after he failed to gain a contract extension at Celtic Park. The 32-year-old has been unable to command a regular starting place since arrival from Hearts in the early days of the “Braveheart Revolution†and has not featured at all this season. Scotland On Sunday May 14th, 2006 Celtic Are Champions Celtic secured their third SPL title of the “All-Scots Era†with a 3-0 defeat of Dunfermline at East End Park. The excellent Stephen Crainey got them off to a flyer with a goal after just two minutes, fitting reward for a player who has been outstanding since making his first team debut as an 18-year-old. Gary McCutcheon added the second on the half hour and then scored again on 60 minutes to kill the game off completely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 congratulations on the title, bob and fitting that super mac got the finals goals Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 17, 2005 Author Share Posted January 17, 2005 Thanks Simon - Mac certainly did have a fantastic season I have to say. Scotland On Sunday May 28th, 2006 Rangers Win Cup Final Classic Rangers denied rivals Celtic a domestic treble with an extra-time victory in a classic Scottish Cup Final at Hampden Park yesterday. Gary McCutcheon got the Hoops off to a great start when he opened the scoring with less than 15 minutes on the clock but Rangers responded by mounting a series of spirited attacks. The excellent Kevin Nolan forced the ball home but his effort was denied by a free kick decision. However, that just delayed the inevitable and Andy Cole fired home an equaliser midway through the half. Neither side gave any quarter as the game progressed and with less than 20 minutes remaining Freddie Ljungberg put the Gers in front. It was Celtic’s turn to respond and they upped the tempo. They gained their reward when Mac the Knife scored his second of the game on 79 minutes. Both keepers saw plenty of action as the game went into extra time but it was Sander Westerveld in the Rangers goal who particularly impressed, pulling off a number of fine saves. Man of the Match Nolan finally won it for his team when he scored a decisive goal ten minutes into the first period of extra time. Try as they might, Celtic could find no reply and Rangers boss Alex Totten celebrated his first trophy for his new club. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 18, 2005 Author Share Posted January 18, 2005 Scotland On Sunday June 4th, 2006 Season Review Welcome to our annual roundup of the season just completed in Scotland and around Europe. In Scotland, Celtic came close to lifting the domestic treble, winning the League title and the League Cup but just losing out to Rangers in the Scottish Cup. Rangers came closest to European glory, reaching the Champions League Semi Final before losing to Barcelona. Celtic hitman Gary McCutcheon was named Player of the Year and won the SPL Golden Boot, the second season in succession that he has landed both awards. Celtic manager Tick Jones was lauded as the Manager of the Year for the 4th time in succession. The final leagues tables for all four divisions are shown below. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">************************************************************************************************ Scottish Premier Division ************************************************************************************************ Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag Won Drn Lst For Ag Pts --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st C Celtic 38 15 2 1 41 6 11 5 4 45 24 85 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd Rangers 38 18 2 0 47 4 6 8 4 34 27 82 3rd Dundee Utd 38 12 4 3 42 25 5 7 7 24 27 62 4th Motherwell 38 9 6 3 22 15 7 3 10 22 26 57 5th Dunfermline 38 14 2 4 34 17 1 4 13 13 30 51 6th Dundee 38 10 6 3 30 17 1 8 10 16 30 47 7th Aberdeen 38 9 4 6 30 28 7 4 8 25 32 56 8th St. Mirren 38 9 5 5 33 20 5 3 11 22 33 50 9th Hibs 38 8 4 7 32 34 5 5 9 25 33 48 10th St. Johnstone 38 9 4 7 28 30 2 4 12 12 36 41 11th Livingston 38 5 7 7 17 28 2 2 15 17 46 30 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12th R Ross County 38 2 7 9 27 39 3 0 17 8 39 22 ************************************************************************************************ Scottish First Division ************************************************************************************************ Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag Won Drn Lst For Ag Pts --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st C Falkirk 36 14 2 2 35 14 10 4 4 32 21 78 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd Inverness C. Thistle 36 11 2 5 39 31 6 6 6 37 37 59 3rd Kilmarnock 36 11 3 4 32 17 6 4 8 30 31 58 4th Partick Thistle 36 12 3 3 35 23 5 3 10 28 32 57 5th Ayr 36 8 6 4 38 30 8 2 8 30 32 56 6th Hearts 36 10 4 4 31 24 6 3 9 30 35 55 7th Arbroath 36 10 3 5 36 27 1 4 13 16 31 40 8th Morton 36 9 2 7 32 32 3 1 14 26 45 39 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9th R Cowdenbeath 36 7 3 8 29 30 2 4 12 14 33 34 10th R Forfar 36 6 6 6 28 32 1 3 14 17 38 30 ************************************************************************************************ Scottish Second Division ************************************************************************************************ Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag Won Drn Lst For Ag Pts --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st C Clyde 36 12 3 3 39 20 10 4 4 34 27 73 2nd P Airdrie Utd 36 14 3 1 37 14 6 4 8 24 23 67 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3rd Stranraer 36 10 6 2 31 15 6 5 7 29 27 59 4th Stenhousemuir 36 13 1 4 38 15 4 6 8 20 30 58 5th Montrose 36 7 5 6 19 18 6 8 4 18 16 52 6th Queen's Park 36 6 5 7 23 24 6 2 10 28 35 43 7th Raith Rovers 36 7 6 5 32 25 3 3 12 20 37 39 8th Dumbarton 36 6 2 10 21 30 4 4 10 24 32 36 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9th R Alloa 36 4 8 6 25 27 3 6 9 12 28 35 10th R Albion Rovers 36 3 6 9 25 38 5 3 10 17 35 33 ************************************************************************************************ Scottish Third Division ************************************************************************************************ Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag Won Drn Lst For Ag Pts --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st C East Stirling 36 15 3 0 49 19 10 2 6 32 25 80 2nd P Hamilton 36 7 5 6 24 19 11 5 2 31 18 64 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3rd Peterhead 36 11 4 3 37 19 8 0 10 25 33 61 4th Gretna 36 11 3 4 33 18 4 5 9 24 31 53 5th Brechin 36 8 3 7 31 25 5 5 8 19 23 47 6th East Fife 36 9 5 4 38 31 4 2 12 29 40 46 7th Elgin City 36 7 4 7 27 30 5 5 8 27 30 45 8th Queen of Sth. 36 6 3 9 26 34 6 4 8 32 39 43 9th Stirling 36 4 4 10 20 31 4 3 11 20 34 31 10th Berwick 36 4 7 7 23 28 0 10 8 15 35 29</pre> Scottish Awards Player of the Year 1st – Gary McCutcheon, Celtic 2nd – Barry Ferguson, Rangers 3rd – Chris Sutton, Rangers Young Player of the Year 1st – Agnar Fryer Gunnarsson, Motherwell 2nd – Barry Jenkins, Motherwell 3rd – Jonathan Black, Dunfermline Top Goalscorer 1st – Gary McCutcheon, Celtic, 33 goals 2nd – James Duffy, Peterhead, 30 goals 3rd – Michael Craig, Stenhousemuir, 26 goals Scottish European Qualifiers Champions League – Celtic, Rangers UEFA Cup – Dundee, Dundee United, Dunfermline, Motherwell Inter-Toto Cup – Aberdeen England Premier League Champions – Manchester United Relegated – Ipswich, Wolves, Birmingham First Division Champions – Millwall Promoted – Sheffield United, Stoke Relegated – Crewe, Derby, QPR Second Division Champions – Burnley Promoted – Wigan, Colchester Relegated – Wycombe, Walsall, Barnet, Luton Third Division Champions – Darlington Promoted – Rochdale, Torquay, Scarborough Relegated – Boston United Conference Champions – Chester Relegated – Hastings Town, Nuneaton Borough, Newport FA Cup – Arsenal 2 Liverpool 1 League Cup – Newcastle 2 Fulham 1 (aet) Vans Trophy – Reading 1 Burnley 0 FA Trophy – Bournemouth 2 Macclesfield 0 (aet) Charity Shield – Manchester United 3 Liverpool 2 France First Division Champions – Lyon French Cup – Toulouse 3 Lorient 2 Germany First Division Champions – FC Bayern German Cup – 1.FC Koln 3 Darmstadt 0 Holland Premier Division Champions – PSV Dutch Cup – Feyenoord 1 Excelsior 0 Italy Serie A Champions – Milan Italian Cup – Milan 4 Parma 3 (over two legs) Portugal Premier Division Champions – Porto Portuguese Cup – Sporting 3 Salgueiros 2 Spain First Division Champions – Barcelona Spanish Cup – Barcelona 3 Deportivo 1 European Competitions Champions League – Barcelona 1 Manchester United 0 UEFA Cup – PSV 0 Juventus 0 (PSV win on penalties) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 19, 2005 Author Share Posted January 19, 2005 Scotland On Sunday June 11th, 2006 Late Penalty Sees Off Scots Scotland were very unfortunate to lose their opening World Cup group match against Spain when they conceded a penalty with just 8 minutes of the game remaining. Berti’s boys had taken the lead after 20 minutes when Celtic star Gary McCutcheon scored his 60th goal in all competitions this season. Spain struck back through Fernando Morientes on 55 minutes before Alberto Marcos tucked home the winning penalty. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 19, 2005 Author Share Posted January 19, 2005 Scotland On Sunday June 18th, 2006 Kyle On Target To Beat Yanks Scotland kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the knockout phase of the World Cup with a 1-0 defeat of the USA. The Scots dominated the game after the Americans were reduced to ten men following the dismissal of Carlos Bocanegra on 19 minutes. Within seconds Sunderland striker Kevin Kyle fired his team ahead with what proved to be the only goal of the game. Scotland’s qualification hopes now rest on their final game against Peru on Friday. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 19, 2005 Author Share Posted January 19, 2005 The Glasgow Herald June 24th, 2006 Scotland Make History The Scottish national side made history yesterday when they qualified for the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time. Berti’s boys beat Peru 3-2 to finish runners-up to Spain in their group and enter the second round proper. Scotland’s hero was ace Celtic striker Gary McCutcheon who scored twice in the first half to put his team on their way. Peru pulled a goal back on the stroke of half time but Bolton midfielder Charlie Miller eased Scots nerves with a goal on 50 minutes. The Peruvians scored a late consolation goal but the Scots would not be denied and held on for the win. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 20, 2005 Author Share Posted January 20, 2005 The Glasgow Herald June 28th, 2006 It’s Miller Time Scotland recorded a stunning 2-0 win over Belgium last night courtesy of the Miller boys, Kenny and Charlie. Celtic man Kenny opened the scoring after just 5 minutes to get the Scots off to a flyer. As a tense contest moved into the closing stages, namesake Charlie sealed the win with 8 minutes remaining. The only cloud on the Scottish horizon was the dismissal of Gary McCutcheon who received his second yellow card in the closing stages of the game. But that couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the thousands of Tartan Army fans who have invaded Germany to cheer their team on as they look forward to seeing their heroes contest a World Cup Quarter Final. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 21, 2005 Author Share Posted January 21, 2005 Scotland On Sunday July 2nd, 2006 Czech That Out Scotland’s extraordinary World Cup adventure continued with a fantastic 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in Dortmund last night. The Scots fell behind midway through the first half but on the half hour captain Christian Dailly levelled the scores. There was virtually nothing to separate the teams for the remainder of the game with the Scots keeping the dangerous Czech attack comfortably at bay whilst rarely threatening much on the attacking front. Then with less than 5 minutes left to play young Celtic striker Gary O’Connor sent the Tartan Army into ecstasy by firing home a late winner to take his team into the World Cup Semi Finals. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 21, 2005 Author Share Posted January 21, 2005 The Glasgow Herald July 6th, 2006 Seven Minutes From Glory Scotland came agonisingly close to a place in the World Cup Final as they took host nation Germany into extra time before finally succumbing. Charlie Miller gave the Scots the lead shortly before half time to trigger wild celebrations from the Tartan Army. They were subjected to intense pressure from the Germans as they sought to overcome the dark blue defence and with just 7 minutes of normal time remaining they finally got their reward when Christian Timm fired home the equaliser. The same player also won the game for the hosts when he scored his second of the game in the final minute of first half stoppage time. Timm’s Golden Goal sends his country into the Final but everyone back in Scotland can be immensely proud of what their team have achieved in this tournament. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 28, 2005 Author Share Posted January 28, 2005 Scotland On Sunday July 9th, 2006 Weary Scots Crushed By Argentina A very tired Scotland team was comprehensively beaten 3-0 by Argentina in the World Cup Third Place Playoff yesterday. This was a game too far for a Scotland side who had given their all and exceeded all expectations in the tournament. Under pressure for the entire 90 minutes they held out bravely until the interval but in the second half their resistance crumbled and they conceded three goals. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 29, 2005 Author Share Posted January 29, 2005 The Glasgow Herald July 10th, 2006 Italy On Top Of The World The whole of Italy was celebrating last night as their national team were crowned champions of the world after their 2-0 defeat of Germany. Alessandro Del Piero got them on their way, scoring after just 10 minutes. The Italians looked the better team throughout and when Christian Vieri added their second with 15 minutes remaining it was all over for the Germans. The host nation were not at their best, rarely threatening a solid Italian defence and there was little doubt that the best team triumphed on the day. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 29, 2005 Author Share Posted January 29, 2005 The Glasgow Herald July 11th, 2006 Jones To Take Charge At United In a shock development at Celtic Park it was announced yesterday that their hugely successful and popular manager Tick Jones would be leaving the club to take over from Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. Following his recent retirement from management Sir Alex is planning to “move upstairs†as he puts it, taking a position as Director of Football and Jones will be in charge of all day to day football activities. Jones took charge at Celtic following the departure of Martin O’Neill in protest at the club’s Scots-only signing policy but in his five seasons in charge he has demonstrated that it is possible to bring success on the pitch using only Scottish players. Under his management Celtic have won the SPL title three times, the Scottish Cup twice, the League Cup four times and have tasted European glory by lifting the UEFA Cup. Ferguson is a known admirer of his fellow Scot and is rumoured to have been instrumental in naming Jones as his successor. The Manchester United Board refused to comment on the suggestion that the arrival of Jones would herald a similar transfer policy in Manchester than the one that has proved to be so successful in Glasgow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacemaker7 Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 Interesting move Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 30, 2005 Author Share Posted January 30, 2005 PM - Well when the job offer came it it just seemed like a good opportunity for a twist in the story. The Glasgow Herald July 21st, 2006 Laudrup In Charge At Celtic Park Yesterday Chairman Brian Quinn announced that the new man in charge at Celtic Park is Danish legend Michael Laudrup, brother of the former Rangers player Brian. Laudrup has been in charge at Danish club Brondby for the last 5 years and is said to be delighted to be given the opportunity at Celtic. The Manchester Evening News July 31st, 2006 Jones Announces First Signing New Manchester United boss Tick Jones has unveiled his first signing for the club, the relatively low-key acquisition of former Liverpool striker Neil Mellor on a free transfer. The 23-year-old was released by his former club at the end of last season after failing to establish himself in the first team. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacemaker7 Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 So you're going for an all English squad rather than an all Scots one? Certainly keeps the story going Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 30, 2005 Author Share Posted January 30, 2005 Hopefully the transfer policy will become clearer as the season progresses PM. The Guardian August 7th, 2006 Forlan To Leave Old Trafford Uruguayan star Diego Forlan is to end his five-season stay at Man United with a move to German giants Leverkusen for a fee rumoured to be in excess of £16M. The 27-year-old has made over 270 appearances for the Reds, scoring 74 goals in his time at Old Trafford. The popular Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has also been made available for transfer, triggering concern amongst the United faithful that new boss Tick Jones is looking to offload his foreign players and sign domestic replacements much as his previous club did. So far the club has made no official response to the speculation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 good luck with this, bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 31, 2005 Author Share Posted January 31, 2005 Cheers Simon - I thought that this could be an interesting path to take. The Guardian August 14th, 2006 Arsenal Humbled In Charity Shield Rivals Manchester United and Arsenal met in the traditional season opener and it was first blood to the Red Devils who ran out comfortable 4-0 winners. The Londoners were totally outplayed as United gave notice of their intentions for the campaign ahead. Seba Veron opened the scoring after just 10 minutes with Darren Fletcher and Ryan Giggs adding two more before the break. Rio Ferdinand scored their 4th just after the restart as new boss Tick Jones got his reign off to a stunning start by adding another trophy to the Old Trafford collection. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted January 31, 2005 Author Share Posted January 31, 2005 The Guardian August 20th, 2006 United In Ruud Health Man United got their league campaign off to a flying start with a 4-0 defeat of visiting Chelsea with Dutch star Ruud van Nistelrooy netting a hat trick. The Chelsea defence held firm until just before the break when van Nistelrooy opened the scoring. Within 7 minutes of the restart he had added two more and Phil Neville completed the rout midway through the half. New boss Tick Jones has certainly made a most impressive start at Old Trafford and if he can keep his team playing this well then they will surely be challenging for honours this season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 1, 2005 Author Share Posted February 1, 2005 The Manchester Evening News August 24th, 2006 Hammers Hammered Man United kept up their explosive start to the season with a 3-0 demolition of West Ham at Upton Park last night. A vibrant attacking display from United brushed the Londoners aside and when van Nistelrooy scored the opener after 10 minutes there was only one team in the game. Fletcher scored the second before the break and Paul Scholes wrapped up the scoring late on. Had United showed slightly more accuracy in front of goal the 3-0 margin might have been greater as the visitors out-shot their hosts by some considerable margin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian of Nazareth Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 ooh interesting. Good luck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 1, 2005 Author Share Posted February 1, 2005 Thanks BoN The Guardian August 26th, 2006 Fulham Defender To Join United 27-year-old Fulham defender Luke Young will be moving to Old Trafford in December. The move was agreed when the player’s contract became unprotected and Fulham will be compensated to the tune of some £2.7M. Young can play in the centre of defence or on the right side and many observers believe that his arrival is an indication of the new manager’s intention to stock his team with domestic talent and dispose of his overseas players. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 2, 2005 Author Share Posted February 2, 2005 The Guardian August 27th, 2006 Trotters Dealt With At A Canter Another dominant display saw Manchester United gain a comfortable 3-0 victory over visiting Bolton. Already in trouble near the foot of the table, the Trotters failed to register a single scoring attempt as United dominated play. Van Nistelrooy was on target twice with Luke Chadwick celebrating his first start of the season with a goal in the second half. The win lifts United to the top of the table and Tick Jones’s team have yet to concede a goal in their league campaign thus far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 2, 2005 Author Share Posted February 2, 2005 The Manchester Evening News September 1st, 2006 Ziege On The Way Home Having spent just a season at Old Trafford after his Bosman move from Spurs last summer, Christian Ziege is returning to his homeland. A £450K fee was agreed with Wolfsburg for the 34-year-old former international as they seek to strengthen their squad in a bid to return to the top flight after their relegation last season. The Manchester Evening News September 7th, 2006 Davids On The Move Dutch international midfielder Edgar Davids has made a formal transfer request that has been accepted by United manager Tick Jones and the 33-year-old is now available. He stated that after two seasons in the Premiership that he needed a new challenge and wanted to move on. Sources close to the player tell us that the real reason is that he can feel the winds of change blowing through Old Trafford as the club look to jettison their overseas players and replace them with domestic players. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 The Guardian September 10th, 2006 Late Burst Sees Off Leeds Leeds became the first side to score against Manchester United this season when Ian Harte cancelled out an early van Nistelrooy goal from the penalty spot. The score remained tied until the last 15 minutes of the game but a late flurry of goals from Giggs, Scholes and van Nistelrooy again took United clear, giving them a 4-1 win to stay clear of Liverpool on goal difference. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 The Manchester Evening News September 13th, 2006 Davids To Join Madrid It was announced earlier today that Edgar Davids will be leaving Man United in December and moving to Real Madrid in a £2M deal. The highly experienced, whose previous clubs include Ajax, Milan, Juventus and Valencia, is said to be delighted to be moving to the Bernabeu where he will challenge former Arsenal star Patrick Vieira for a place in midfield. The Manchester Evening News September 14th, 2006 Late Goal Steals CL Win Man United avoided a frustrating shutout at Anderlecht last night thanks to a late, late goal from Ruud van Nistelrooy. United had the majority of the possession but some profligate finishing kept the game scoreless until deep in stoppage time when the Dutch Maestro broke the deadlock. In the other game in United’s group Bordeaux had an excellent 2-0 win at home to Besiktas and head the table. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 not sure i can cheer on Man Utd success, bob :/ but i'll still be reading all the same Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Jimlad Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Top story and nice twist. Pity the CL couldn't be won at Celtic but its still a fantastic achievement. Do you plan to return to Parkhead in the future when the Scottish regens come through? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Jimlad Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Also, forgot to ask about Laudrup. What's he done to your squad since you left? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 4, 2005 Author Share Posted February 4, 2005 I know Simon but just do your best Thanks Jimlad. In the story Laudrup has only just arrived so he has done nothing significant yet. But as I have played more than two seasons ahead of where I have posted I can give you a look into the future . They finished a distant second to Rangers for the last two seasons and have not won a trophy since his arrival. The original squad hasn't changed too much although he has brought in half a dozen non-Scots. A couple of key players moved on as you will see later if you keep reading. The Guardian September 17th, 2006 Dominant United Too Good For Leicester The Red Devils racked up another league win, easing past a hard-working Leicester side with a 3-1 scoreline. Darren Fletcher opened the scoring for the visitors in the first half with Danny Webber and Saba Veron adding two more after the break. The home side gained a late consolation goal in stoppage time but they were outclassed throughout by an impressive United side. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 5, 2005 Author Share Posted February 5, 2005 The Manchester Evening News September 20th, 2006 Bordeaux Hit For Six Manchester United went on a scoring spree at Old Trafford last night in their Champions League group game with Bordeaux, racking up 6 goals in a superb display of attacking power. A van Nistelrooy hat trick takes the Dutchman to 12 for the season and he is in unstoppable form at present. John O’Shea scored his first of the season from the penalty spot with Veron and Giggs both chipping in with goals of their own. Besiktas overcame Anderlecht 3-0 in Turkey leaving the Belgians bottom of the group with united in pole position at the top. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 6, 2005 Author Share Posted February 6, 2005 The Manchester Evening News September 23rd, 2006 Silvestre Departs Old Trafford Yesterday saw the surprise move of Mickael Silvestre to VfB Stuttgart for a fee believed to be in the region of £13M. The French international has been a key component of the United defence for the past 6 years but has not featured in the first team this season. With Irish international Paul Tierney having been elevated from the reserves by new boss Tick Jones to provide cover on the left of defence, Silvestre has clearly been seen as surplus to requirements. Many observers see this as another sign an as yet unstated policy of basing the United team on domestic talent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 7, 2005 Author Share Posted February 7, 2005 The Guardian September 24th, 2006 Battling Bristol Brushed Aside After a stubborn first half performance from Bristol City at Man United the teams left the pitch with the score tied – Lee Matthews having cancelled out van Nistelrooy’s opener on the stroke of half time. But United proved too strong for the visitors in the second half and goals from Giggs, substitute Danny Webber and a second from Van the Man saw the home side end with a 4-1 victory. Van Nistelrooy’s strike in the first period was his 200th league goal for the club since his arrival in 2001. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 7, 2005 Author Share Posted February 7, 2005 The Manchester Evening News September 27th, 2006 No Turkish Delight At Old Trafford Besiktas got no joy out of their Champions League visit to Manchester United as the home side completed a comfortable 3-0 win over the Turkish champions. The Old Trafford faithful had to wait over 40 minutes for the first goal though, Darren Fletcher breaking the deadlock minutes before the break. Further strikes from O’Shea, from the penalty spot, and van Nistelrooy followed as United virtually assured their progression to the second group stage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 7, 2005 Author Share Posted February 7, 2005 The Guardian October 1st, 2006 Sheffield Steel Dented Sheffield United endured quite a battering from visiting Man United and can thank new keeper Arno Brands for keeping the scoreline respectable. The Dutch youngster was prised away from Sunderland at a cost of £3M in the summer and despite his team’s poor record he has been in sparkling form since his arrival. The United attack certainly kept the 18-year-old busy, subjecting him to a barrage of goal attempts, most of which he repelled. But he could do little about Seba Veron’s powerful header that opened the scoring after 15 minutes and John O’Shea showed his aerial ability when he doubled the visitors advantage on the half hour. But thereafter the youngster was unbeatable, pulling off a series of stunning saves to deny United time and again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Jimlad Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Nice start to life at Old Trafford Bob. I'm on tenterhooks waiting to see what you've got planned for Ruud and Seba. Will they last the season? Who knows? Tick Jones takes no prisoners when it comes to squad building! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 8, 2005 Author Share Posted February 8, 2005 Thanks Jimlad - don't want to give too much away but Seba and RVN may not be ditched straight away. The Manchester Evening News October 2nd, 2006 The New Look United – Celtic In Red? New Manchester United boss Tick Jones has certainly made quite an impact since his arrival from Celtic in the summer. His team are still unbeaten in all competitions and are playing a brand of open and attacking football that has the pundits drooling. But all is not totally rosy as there are a number of committed United fans that are concerned by what they see as an attempt to impose an arbitrary signing policy that precludes foreign stars from coming to Old Trafford. Further weight has been added to their concerns when it was revealed earlier today that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is joining Arsenal in an £800K deal. Thus far the club have declined to make any official comment on the situation but newly instated Director of Football, Sir Alex Ferguson is rumoured to have been very impressed with the results achieved by Celtic with their “Braveheart Revolutionâ€. The arrival of the former Celtic manager has certainly reinforced the impression that a similar regime may be forthcoming in Manchester. But that apart, Jones has introduced a change to the team’s tactical approach, moving away from the 4-4-2 formation favoured by Sir Alex and using instead the lineup that he pioneered with his Celtic team. The man himself describes it as “a modified 4-4-2†and it certainly has elements of that formation about it. Two centre back and two full backs are deployed but with a rather narrow midfield setup the wide defenders are expected to do their share of attacking and operate as wingbacks. At Celtic, Jackie McNamara and Stephen Crainey were his favoured wingback pairing and both players excelled at the role. At United, Jones seems to be keen on using Wes Brown and Phil Neville with Gary Neville and Paul Tierney as backups. But one of his biggest weaknesses at Celtic Park was his central defenders. Ever since the retirement of the experienced Brain McAllister, Jones experimented with different pairings but was never totally happy with the results. At Old Trafford he has a much better situation – Rio Ferdinand and John O’Shea are two of the best in Europe and he has used youngsters Neil Barker and Philip Bardsley, both graduates of the Youth Academy, as alternatives. The back four is protected by a holding midfielder, a role that Jones has always said is at the heart of his team. At Celtic he had the inspirational Paul Lambert and at United he has the equally impressive Roy Keane – no coincidence that both players are club captains. His formation uses a lone striker – the highly productive Garry McCutcheon at Celtic and the equally prolific Ruud van Nistelrooy now. He also likes to have a withdrawn striker or advanced midfielder “in the hole†behind the frontman, a role that Paul Scholes loves. We have also seen Danny Webber used to great effect in that position. His midfield three play close together in the middle of the pitch in a relatively narrow formation, staying in close contact with one another and linking with both the holding and the advanced midfielder to great effect. This narrow shape leaves room on the flanks for the wingbacks to exploit but is a major departure for the team. Ryan Giggs and Darren Fletcher are having to get used to spending much less time glued to the touchlines but the indication so far are that both players are adapting superbly. So back to the overseas players debate. The core of Jones’s team is made up of British players with just foreigners Barthez, Veron and van Nistelrooy viewed as key, although summer signing Sebastian Kehl who joined from Dortmund on a Bosman has filled in for Keane during his recent absence through injury. Our guess is that right now Jones is scouring the country looking for quality British players to replace the aforementioned. Rumours are rife that he is trying to prise star midfielder Mark Kerr from his former club, and it would be a big surprise if goal machine Gary McCutcheon is not also on his radar. So far the fans have more or less accepted the big name departures but if results on the pitch start to falter then that could quickly change. Perhaps Jones’s biggest problem is also his most valuable asset – the Old Trafford God that is Ruud van Nistelrooy. Van the Man is positively worshipped by the United fans and given his wondrous scoring record it would be a brave man indeed that discarded the Dutchman. But Jones has shown in the past that he is not afraid to make unpopular decisions. One of his first acts on taking charge at Celtic was to sell Parkhead idol Henrik Larsson to Parma, a move that had the fans up in arms. But once Mac the Knife was banging in 40 goals a season that was soon forgotten. At the end of the day Jones will be able to do anything he, and Sir Alex, want with the playing staff as long as the team keeps winning trophies. After all, in the modern game of football results are all that matter. The United fans would happily accept a team full of Martians if their club won the Premiership and the Champions League every season. So expect further upheavals at Old Trafford – whatever happens next it certainly won’t be dull! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 The Manchester Evening News October 5th, 2006 The Red Revolution Rolls On Manchester United racked up another Premiership victory, brushing their way past an outclassed Everton side who can thank keeper Richard Wright for keeping the scoreline respectable. The England number one was in constant action as United subjected the home side to a barrage of attacks. The absence of Veron in central midfield, away on international duty for Argentina, was barely noticed with Sebastian Kehl filling in seamlessly. Ryan Giggs got United on their way in the first half with Darren Fletcher adding a superb second with 15 minutes remaining. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 The Guardian October 15th, 2006 Late Winner Sinks Sunderland Struggling Sunderland came close to leaving Old Trafford with a hard-won point as they fought back from two goals down to square the game. But Philip Bardsley rose highest to a Giggs corner to get the winning goal with a couple of minutes remaining. Danny Webber got the Reds off to a great start when he sliced through the Sunderland defence twice in the opening ten minutes. However, United failed to build on their advantage as the visitors retrenched and dug in for the remainder of the half. Kevin Phillips, fast approaching the veteran stage of his career but still a most effective goalscorer, gave his team hope with a goal shortly after the restart. Five minutes later young defender Osei Sankofa squared the game as United failed to defend a Zenden free kick. But United’s late winner dashed the Black Cat’s hopes and they forfeited the point that their determination perhaps deserved. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 10, 2005 Author Share Posted February 10, 2005 The Manchester Evening News October 19th, 2006 Istanbul Thriller Sees United Through Man United and Besiktas played out a thrilling game in Istanbul last night with the advantage swinging first one way and then the other before a late Ryan Giggs goal decided the match in United’s favour. A brave referee risked the wrath of the partisan crowd by awarding United an early penalty, calmly converted by John O’Shea. But within 60 seconds the home side squared the game at 1-1. On the stroke of half time they sent the crowd wild when they took the lead and the Besiktas fans spent the entire half time interval in wild celebration. However, they were silenced within minutes of the restart when Ruud van Nistelrooy found an equaliser. Both sides exchanged scoring opportunities as play swung from end to end before Giggs decided the game with his late strike. With four straight wins, United have comfortably qualified for the second group phase but any of the other three in the group could still gain the runners-up place. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 10, 2005 Author Share Posted February 10, 2005 The Guardian October 22nd, 2006 Clash Of The Titans The top two teams in England met in a titanic struggle as league leaders Manchester United travelled to Anfield to face second place Liverpool. A vibrant and thrilling encounter was finally settled in the 79th minute when Ruud van Nistelrooy out-foxed Liverpool keeper Chris Kirkland to reach a Roy Keane free kick first and head home the winning goal. United took the initiative for much of the game but Liverpool defended stoutly and always looked dangerous on the break. But quality told in the end and United now move three points clear at the head of the table and surprise package Fulham move above Liverpool into second place. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 11, 2005 Author Share Posted February 11, 2005 The Manchester Evening News October 25th, 2006 New Faces, Same Old Result With qualification for the next phase of the Champions League already secure, Man United boss Tick Jones took the opportunity to expose some of his second string players to European action as he made a number of changes from his preferred lineup for the visit of Anderlecht. But it was the familiar figure of Ryan Giggs who got the ball rolling with a goal after just 4 minutes. The Belgians spent the remainder of the game on the back foot but United were unable to turn their dominance into another goal until late in then game when centre back Philip Bardsley popped up to head home. The 2-0 win doesn’t fully reflect the balance of play but it was comforting to see that there are a number of capable deputies waiting in the wings for what will likely be a long, hard season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 12, 2005 Author Share Posted February 12, 2005 The Manchester Evening News October 27th, 2006 United Unveil New Midfielder Earlier today Man United announced that 22-year-old Steven Hunter had been signed from Coventry for a fee of some £5M. The Scottish midfielder has impressed for the midlanders this season and his defensive qualities could well make him an ideal backup for club captain Roy Keane. His arrival has triggered further speculation that United are preparing to offload more of their overseas players later in the season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 13, 2005 Author Share Posted February 13, 2005 The Guardian October 29th, 2006 United Roll On For the second weekend in succession Manchester United faced the team immediately below them in the league as Fulham came to Old Trafford. And just as last weekend, the league leaders overcame their challengers to keep their so-far perfect season on track. The excellent Ryan Giggs opened the scoring shortly before half time and Ruud van Nistelrooy killed off Fulham’s resistance ten minutes from time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBev Posted February 13, 2005 Author Share Posted February 13, 2005 The Manchester Evening News November 2nd, 2006 Oldham Close To Upset Second Division Oldham entertained neighbours Man United in the 3rd round of the League Cup last night and came mighty close to pulling off quite an upset. United put in an uncharacteristically poor performance and the home side took the lead from the penalty spot on the half hour. Things took a turn for the worse before half time when Gary Neville received his second yellow card of the game and was dismissed. But in the second half then ten men upped their game and Neil Mellor equalised with his first goal of the season. Just as it looked like Oldham would be going to Old Trafford for a replay teenager Fabien Brandy scored a stoppage-time winner. The 19-year-old was making only his second start of the season but looks like an excellent prospect. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spav Posted February 13, 2005 Share Posted February 13, 2005 Yet another top story from you, Bob. I must admit that I've had to skim the Celtic part of the story, but I've followed in detail your time at Manchester United. I will be interested to see how you handle the transfer policy and ensure that you get quality replacements for your star foreign players. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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