Wigan Away (Featured In Red News Issue 197)

Red News Issue 197

Its 9am on New Years day 2013, previously only 5 hours ago I was dancing around my kitchen with the wife to the sounds of the Stone Roses and the Smiths celebrating the start of the new year. My head hurts and I'm not entirely sure why I set my alarm to go off at this ridiculous time on a bank holiday, then I suddenly remember that its Wigan away today.

My old man sorted the tickets out through Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi who is a frequent visitor to Old Trafford whenever his team are not playing. On match days my dad works at United on the car park and in exchange for a good parking place at the front, we get 2 tickets for Wigan away every season so fingers crossed they stay up this season!

In no time at all I am showered, clothed, fed and ready to make my way to Piccadilly station in time for the train. I call at my mates house on the way, he looks exactly how I am feeling! We then meet our other mate at the train station who has clearly got his New Year priorities correct as he has a plastic bag full of cans with him for our journey!

On arrival at Piccadilly train station in our tender state we are a little confused as to why there are no United supporters knocking about, in fact there seem to be Bertie's all over the place? I'm getting a little anxious because my only job was to check the train times and inform my mates what time the train was leaving at. A City supporter in a half and half scarf visually tells us that they are playing Stoke today and another quick glance up at the digital arrival monitor confirms to us that the influx of City supporters around us is because the train from the Stockport line has just arrived at Piccadilly!

We get on the train and there is not much of an atmosphere, its very subdued as most people are obviously still recovering from the New Years eve celebrations. There is just enough time for us to sink a couple of cans and chat about past away day experiences before we arrive in Wigan.

As we are getting off the train I get a call from my dad who tells me to hurry up and make my way to the stadium as he has us "Golden Tickets", this means we can drink in the players lounge before and after the match, "I'm having a bit of that" I said! My mates at this stage had stopped for a toilet stop at a pub near the train station so I told them I would meet them after the match to travel back to Manchester as we were not sat together in the ground.

Players Before Kick Off 

On arrival my dad come out of the players lounge to give me my ticket and we went in for a few swift pints before making our way into the executive seating area in the main stand. I had a quick glance around to establish where the United supporters were gathered, it wasn't hard as they were the ones making all the noise to my left behind the goal, our full allocation had clearly been taken up for today's game.

Its away days like this make me think back to just how vocal Old Trafford was on a match day, the days before the corporate sections, prawn sandwich munchers and day trippers diluted our home atmosphere. The United faithful were in full voice as they rummaged deep into the United song archives to sing a wide variety of terrace chants passionately, they were all in great spirits and I found myself sat in the Wigan end a little devastated that I was not part of it. Although I was there to watch the team I adore I found myself looking to my left at the travelling support on many occasions to see what was going on and what song they would sing next, the atmosphere they were generating was brilliant.

Players Celebrate RvP Goal

I constantly found myself tapping my foot and muttering certain songs quietly under my breath as I tried to get involved, I was proud of the United supporters that day who sang throughout the match, I was proud to be a Mancunian. I even overheard a Wigan supporter say to his mate just near me "those lot have not shut up all game"! It was in stark contrast to the Wigan supporters who had bothered to turn up for this game, if this had of been a church service they would have been applauded by the priest for behaving quietly and staying in their seats throughout the service!

The match finished 4-0 and will be remembered for a moment of brilliance from van Persie and the United supporters who created a carnival like atmosphere inside the stadium. We made our way back to the players lounge in the hope that maybe a few of the United players might show their faces. The Wigan players all walked in about half an hour after the game and sat with their family and friends, no sign of any United players. Then Darren Fletcher walked in, I was instantly shocked by his gaunt and thin look which are the effects of his chronic bowel complaint, my dad even doubted for a minute it was actually him. I have seen him on the television but to see him in the flesh makes you realise the amount of weight he has lost during his difficult time.

Darren Fletcher & Me In The Players Lounge

I'm not one to pass up on a photo opportunity so I made my way over and waited for him to finish his conversation with the person who he had come in to talk too. He then looked at me and I asked if I could have my picture with him, my dad took the picture and I told him that I hoped to see him back in the first team soon to which he replied "thanks", before saying "I better get off before the team coach leaves without me".

I then get a text off my mate who tells me they are in the queue for the train, I say my goodbyes to my old man and as I get outside the ground I ring my mate who tells me they have now boarded the train, I knew that it would take me 10 minutes to get back to the train station running, so I told them to go on without me and silently prayed that there was another train later on.

I make it to the train station and to my delight there are United supporters all over the platform which obviously means that another train must be arriving soon, when it does I make my way into the first carriage and stand at the front watching the train fill up with everyone in high spirits and singing. I notice an innocent looking couple at the front of the train who's faces drain and drop as they realise that the train has just been taken over and invaded by a gang of alcohol fuelled football supporters celebrating! Its not long before the 'Kicking a Blue' song gets going and some reds stand on their seat proceeding to beat the roof of the carriage for a drum sound effect. At this point a train conductor walks on, takes one look and walks back off! His face was a picture, I'm sure that he said under his breath as he walked off the train "Fuck this"! A sarcastic applause and cheer is followed by everyone singing "We're Man United We Do What We Want"!

The songs never stopped on that train back from Wigan, song after song after song, just like at the match that day. A Wigan supporter with an official training ground top on had tried hard to keep himself to himself on the journey home, he departed us at the Bolton stop off with the sounds of "You're going home to shag your sister" still echoing in his eardrums! It was all harmless banter! By the time I got home that evening I sat down and thought to myself, great away day, great result and a great start to 2013.

Panoramic Picture Of The DW Stadium

@kevinashford7

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United Make Statement With Dramatic Manchester Derby Victory

The 164th Manchester derby was settled with an injury time winner from a player many predicted would win Manchester United the 2012/13 Premier league trophy. In the 92nd minute Robin van Persie scored a free kick that could end up being a pivotal moment in the race for the title between the Manchester clubs, one thing is for sure, on this evidence the Premier League trophy is staying in the North West.

It was a fascinating spectacle watched by millions in 200 countries worldwide and it didn't disappoint, you simply could not take your eyes off this game, the two City rivals showed passion and raw emotion.

The decision by Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini to drop Carlos Tevez and start with Mario Balotelli handed their rivals the upper hand as the Italian failed miserably to make any kind of impact on the match, his body language suggests he is not happy, his manager must have felt let down by his performance.

City dominated the early possession without really troubling or testing David De Gea, it was soon clear that United had adopted a counter attack style of play at the Etihad, looking to use the width of Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia in their quest to win this game.

United were ruthless and clinical when they made the breakthrough in the 16th minute, Robin van Persie had dragged City captain Vincent Kompany out of his comfort zone and he got too close to the Dutchman as the ball was played into him, van Persie sublimely cushioned the ball off his chest into the path of Ashley Young who exploited the space in front of him. Young found Wayne Rooney who managed to roll the ball into Joe Harts right hand corner leaving the England number one glued to his goal mouth unable to react.

City again started to probe but it was United who extended their lead after good work again using the width down the right hand side this time, Rafael cut a ball back to Wayne Rooney who arrived late in the penalty area to smash the ball under Joe Hart. The keeper picked the ball out of the net for the second time in 29 minutes yet to make a save in the match.

The score line at half time probably flattered the reds slightly, there was not much in this game but United had been clinical in their finishing.

For the 52 minutes Mario Balotelli was on the pitch it was like City were playing with 10 men, the introduction of Carlos Tevez changed the complex of this mach completely and gave Uniteds defence something to think about.

The game changing incident come when United had a goal ruled out for offside that would have killed off City, replays showed that Ashley Young was onside when he tapped in a magnificent effort from van Persie that had rebounded off the post after excellent footwork in the box to open up the space for a shot. City. It was the wake up call City needed and they responded by pulling a goal back when Yaya Toure scored after a brilliant double save from David De Gea, the atmosphere in the Etihad exploded in to life as City sensed the comeback was most definitely on.

Tevez was pulling all the strings for City and looked like a man possessed, his endless running and menacing movement meant that Uniteds defence would have to be switched on to prevent the threat of the Argentine.

City pulled level with 4 minutes of the match left when Zabaleta was left unmarked on the edge of the United area to drill home the goal which looked to have snatched a point for the blues. Zabaleta showed that City's mentality has dramatically changed over the last few seasons by instructing his team mates to retrieve the ball from the United goal and get back to the halfway line, the momentum was with City and they wanted the 3 points.

In injury time United substitute Danny Welbeck pressurised defender Gael Clichy in to conceding possession, his pass found Rafael who was clipped by Carlos Tevez presenting United with a free kick and a chance to test Joe Hart with what would be the last opportunity in this epic Manchester derby.

Joe Hart looked undecided on what his goal line position would be as a 3 man wall waited for van Persie to take the free kick, the Dutchman curled the ball with his lethal left foot which took a deflection off a pathetic attempt by Samir Nasri to block the effort, the ball deflected just enough to sneak into Joe Harts right of the goal sending the visiting supporters in to raptures, United had earned 3 points, opened up a 6 point lead over their rivals and had the bragging rights of the City.

The game was held up following ugly scenes after the goal when a City supporter decided to try and get up close and personal with Rio Ferdinand who had received a cut above his left eye after supporters threw coins at the United players who celebrated in front of the visitors section. The players celebrations looked like an outburst of emotion and passion after experiencing heartache on the pitch at the Stadium of Light last season when they were informed that Serio Aguero had scored in similar circumstances to this derby match to confirm City as Premier League champions.

The final whistle went and Uniteds players celebrated triumphantly with their supporters, the importance and significance of this result will not be clear until later on in the season, but physiologically it is a huge blow to City who surrendered an unbeaten home record of 37 games in the process. United will not get carried away and will look to the end of last season when they threw away an 8 point advantage as a reason to remain fully focused. The difference this year is van Persie, he is the player for the big occasion and has fitted into the Manchester United team like a duck takes to water, he could be the difference this season.


@kevinashford7

The Day I Faced Hostility And Hatred At Anfield

The date was the 18th of February 2006, it was a Saturday, we were playing Liverpool in the the 5th round of the FA Cup at Anfield, this was to be my first experience of a game that is filled with rivalry, passion and hatred, both on and off the field.

The rivalry between the cities stretches back to industrial times when they were both competing for supremacy of the north-west.

The clubs are the two most successful teams in England, they are two of the best supported clubs in world football, they have also suffered tragedy's that unfortunately and distastefully a minority of both sets of supporters like to remind the other about and mock.

Add all this together and the Manchester v Mersyside fixture makes an explosive spectacle both on the field and on the terraces, its a fixture that has a history of trouble and violence, again, both on and off the field.

I was offered a ticket by a friend and obviously could not turn down the opportunity to attend such a high profile match, the ticket allocation Manchester United received would ensure that this would be an explosive atmosphere.

I remember leaving the house in the morning and my dad telling me "watch yourself and take care", sound advice from a man who followed United home and away in 70s and 80s and knew what the Anfield experience was like.

Me and three mates travelled by car that morning, it was about a 30 minute drive. We parked down a side street a few minutes walk from Stanley Park, and proceeded to make out way down the streets keeping ourselves to ourselves, speaking openly between us would have been a big give away to any Liverpool supporters looking to cause trouble as the three of us had Mancunian accents! I suppose we were just trying to be a bit streetwise.

Anyone who has passed through Stanley Park will know that it is a moody place, as we made our way through we spotted gangs of lads on mobile phones obviously trying to find the enemy, they were like birds of prey looking for their morning breakfast as they stood on walls to gain a height advantage watching us like hawks.

As we approached the ground we spotted the away end and made our way swiftly over, supporters of both clubs were trying to pick each other out, its a task made very difficult by some supporters choice of clothing, lots of supporters choose to dress in plain clothes and shy away from wearing club colours to go undetected, it can save you a lot of bother!

As we passed through the segregation it was time to turn and join in singing with the thousands of United supporters who had already got through the mass police presence, its at this moment the adrenalin starts pumping, the excitement kicks in, you cant wait to get into the stadium, you cant wait for the referee to blow his whistle to signal the start of the game.

The rivalry, bitterness and hostility between both sets of supporters is unlike anything else I have ever witnessed or experienced as a Manchester United supporter, the stadium was a cauldron of noise as both sets of supporters reminded each other of past Glory's. No Manchester derby has ever even come close to being compared to the hatred I witnessed during that 90 minutes of football, it was definitely an eye opener!

United supporters were taunting the Liverpool supporters about Michael Shields, the Liverpool supporter who was jailed in Istanbul after the clubs Champions League win, Shields always protested his innocence in the murder enquiry, but United supporters seen it as an opportunity to get under their rivals skin.

I remember looking into the main stand and some Liverpool supporters were not interested about what was happening on the pitch, they were making aeroplane gestures in reference to the Munich air disaster, you could cut the tension with a knife.

The only two thing I remember about the match itself, was that Liverpool won it 1-0 following a Peter Crouch goal scored at our end, and the horrific injury that Alan Smith suffered. It was reported after the match that the ambulance transporting Smith was held up by Liverpool supporters who were outside the ground, they apparently rocked the ambulance and tried to open the doors. This just goes to show the pure hatred between the two sets of supporters.

It was the sound of the referees whistle to indicate that the match had ended and what went on next that I will never forget. As the whistle sounded the stadium erupted as if the trophy had been won that day, but we unaware that Liverpool supporters were in the tier above us until a coin pinged off the concrete floor in front of me, next was a shower of beer, it was time to put my hood to good use! As we looked up the Liverpool supporters had the stewards pinned back and were able to lean over the tier showering us with all kinds of objects which was later reported as urine and feces. Chants of "Munich" were also aimed at us from all directions.

As the stewards and police established control of the situation, a sense of order was restored. Next was the incident that sparked a backlash from the United supporters. The stadium was nearly empty with us still kept in for safety reasons, but somehow a Liverpool supporter managed to make his way back in and run the whole length of the stand making an aeroplane gesture, what followed was a reaction.

A small minority of supporters proceeded to start stamping on the Anfield seats trying to snap them off to use them as objects to throw, the outrage in the crowd was clearly evident as the stewards and police quickly lost control of a situation that had just hit boiling point, emotions were ready to spill.

One United supporter managed to break his seat off next to me and ran at the man who was making the gesture, there was a steward telling the Liverpool supporter to make his way out of the stadium, the United supporter launched the seat like a frisbee, but instead of hitting its intended target it hit the steward knocking him clean out.

A small minority of United supporters then let themselves and our club down by chanting Hilsborough songs at the Liverpool supporter, who police had managed to get a grip of before ejecting him out of the stadium. United supporters were now livid, being kept behind was making a section of supporters more aggressive as they wanted to get out as quickly as possible and confront the home supporters, I was preparing myself for a riot outside, how would we be able to avoid it?

The police tactics worked that day, keeping the United supporters in after the match enabled them to clear all the surroundings of Anfield before letting us out of the stadium. When they finally let us out a group of supporters ran out into the streets fully pumped up full of anger, but the streets were deserted like a ghost town, there was a heavy police presence, but no Liverpool supporters to clash with.

Its unbelievable when I think about the hostility and abuse that was aimed at us that day in 2006 at the final whistle inside Anfield, this was a match that Liverpool had won, judging by their reaction you could have sworn that they had just lost! 

We made our way back to the car undetected and without any bother and were quickly on the M62 heading back towards Manchester. It was a disappointing result, but an experience I will never forget, the rivalry between the clubs is incredible, it will always be one of the biggest football spectacles in world football because of that reason.

Its still the game that Manchester United supporters look most forward too when the fixtures are announced at the start of each Premier League campaign.


@kevinashford7

Witnessing Ronaldo Graduate From His United Football Eduaction Was A Joy

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United as a teenage boy, he departed for the Madrid capital as man. His football education under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson helped him become arguably the best player on the planet, although many would agree he is second to Barcelona sensation Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo joined United for a fee of £12.24million in 2003 from Sporting Clube de Portugal. Unknown by many, supporters were soon to learn that the manager had purchased a player with huge potential and unbelievable talent, but also realised that it was going to take time to work on his all round game.

Ronaldo had the full backing of Sir Alex Ferguson who had the belief that he could succeed at United when he was was handed the iconic no7 shirt, Ronaldo said "After I joined, the manager asked me what number I'd like. I said 28. But Ferguson said 'No, you're going to have No. 7,' and the famous shirt was an extra source of motivation. I was forced to live up to such an honour."

I was lucky enough to be at Old Trafford the day Ronaldo made his Manchester United debut as a 60th minute substitute against Bolton. Chants of "There's only one Ronaldo" echoed around the Theatre of Dreams as the crowd welcomed the Portuguese wizard to the field, he didn't disappoint, it's still the best debut I have seen by a United player.

Yes, I am aware that Wayne Rooney scored a hat trick on his debut for United in a Champions League game in 2004. I think for the overall impact and excitement, Ronaldo's debut easily edges it for me because nobody really knew what to expect that day when United's new no7 took to the field for his 30minute cameo. Rooney on the other hand joined the club as an established talent who was no stranger to Premier League football.

Ronaldo's debut was sensational, within seconds of being introduced to the game he had the Bolton back line on their toes as he worked his magic down the left and the right showing that he was confident on either foot. The step overs were a bit of a novelty with the crowd at the time, but they worked and gained Ronaldo that extra yard. 

Ronaldo was introduced to the game against Bolton with United leading 1-0, the match finished 4-0 and its no coincidence that United scored 3 goals whilst the raw Portuguese prodigy was working his magic on the Old Trafford turf. After the match, although he didn't score,  supporters, the media and the manager were all praising 18 year old Ronaldo and the impact he had on the game.

"It looks like the fans have a new hero, It was a marvellous debut, almost unbelievable. I felt his penetration could make a difference for us" said Sir Alex Ferguson after the Bolton game.

Cristiano Ronaldo went on to become a Manchester United legend during his time with the club scoring 84 goals in 196 games and winning every top honour he possibly could. Ronaldo never kept it a secret that his dream was to play for the team he supporter as a child, Real Madrid.

Although United supporters would have been devastated to see Ronaldo leave Old Trafford, I got the impression at the time the majority of fans waved him off saying 'thanks for the memories'. Ronaldo is the only player I have seen leave Manchester United who had not fully fulfilled his potential and hit his peak, his name is still sung proudly by supporters who acknowledge and appreciate what he did in his 6 seasons.

Ronaldo was the conductor of the United orchestra when he discovered how to use his talent to the best of his ability, the impact he made was something we will never recapture or replace, he was truly phenomenal in the famous red shirt.

It's sad to think that he will probably play his best football for Real Madrid, he's carried on his sensational form for his new club and is justifying the decision by his new employers to hand over a world record £80million fee for his extraordinary services .

I'm just glad that in years to come I can tell people that seen a legend of world football in the making, it was a pleasure and a joy watching the boy become a man and watching him graduate from his football education at Manchester United.

Thanks for the memories Cristiano Ronaldo.

@kevinashford7

Safe Standing Campaign Gathers Momentum

A campaign launched by the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) for the introduction of  'Safe Standing' sections in English football stadiums has gathered momentum with Birmingham MP Roger Godsiff, Aston Villa and Peterborough giving their support to the idea.

Aston Villa are the first Premier League club to publicly back the campaign to hold small scale trails of the scheme with a view to implementing safe standing if the trail proves to work safely. The trails would need a change in the Football Spectators Act 1989, brought in after the Hillsborough disaster.

Premier League clubs have now sounded out supporter groups to get their reaction to the idea and it seems to be receiving a positive response with the majority of fans in favour of testing the scheme out in their teams stadium.

The Hillsborough disaster in 1989 changed the way our football stadiums once were, nobody wants a repeat of that tragedy in which 96 innocent people cruelly lost their lives. The recent verdict in the 'Justice For The 96' campaign found that West Yorkshire police were to blame on that fateful day for their failure to control the situation they were presented with. 

Last year the Hillsborough Family Support Group opposed any move to bring back standing areas.The Safe Standing campaign is not intended to anger or upset any of the families who fought so hard and long for justice, its something that is looking to be implemented because it has already proved that it can work successfully, most notably in Germany. 

It seems that people opposed to the idea think that stadiums will revert back to all standing stadiums, that is not the intention and will never happen, I believe supporters should have the choice to stand or sit.

Both the FA and Premier League currently fail to acknowledge that thousands of supporters stand at games every weekend, the majority of away supporters at top flight matches stand for 90 minutes during games, and thats Liverpool supporters included, surly it is more of a safety issue to stand in a seated area? If you were standing with a safety bar in front and behind you, you would have to agree it would be safer?

Safe Standing would help football clubs increase attendances and turnover without spending millions on redeveloping their stadium or relocating to a new area, cheaper standing tickets could also appeal to supporters who have been priced out of watching their beloved team due to rising ticket prices.

I believe it is a no-brainer, Safe Standing must be given a chance to show how it can run successfully. People who are against the idea seem to be living in the past, our stadiums today are policed and stewarded to a good level and football clubs would have a responsibility and duty of care monitoring standing areas to ensure that safety is the main priority.

If a trail run is successful Safe Standing could be implemented in English football stadiums in 2015, the main battle now is convincing the people who are against the idea that it will work and that it will enhance our overall atmosphere, which lets face it, has been on the decline since the introduction of the all-seater stadium.

Where do you stand on Safe Standing? Are you for or against the idea? 

@kevinashford7

  

United Victorious Down At The Bridge

Manchester United claimed a memorable 3-2 Premier League victory over the current Champions of Europe at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, this is a result that the reds had previously failed to achieve in 10 years against Chelsea in the top flight of English football in Chelsea's own back yard.

What a spectacular advertisement this was for the English Premier League, it was clear from the start that Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had a game plan that involved attacking the Chelsea back line who were missing influential captain John Terry through suspension, the plan was to use Uniteds width where Ashley Young made a surprise start that has further cast doubt over Nani's Old Trafford future.

Uniteds defencive frailties left them little option but to use attack as their best form of defence as they quickly found their rhythm and set out to dictate the passage and pace of the game early on.

Robin van Persie was labelled Uniteds danger man before kick off, ex Manchester United player Gary Neville said that United handed over £24million for van Persie for games like this, the big games, the games that really matter, the Dutchman paid back a small chunk of that fee with a breathtaking overall performance, he is the reason United claimed 3 points as Chelsea failed to get to grips with him.

After testing Petr Cech early on van Persie had a big say in Uniteds first goal in the 4th minute as his thunderous shot smashed against the post rebounding into the net off a helpless David Luiz.

United continued to threaten the Chelsea goal and were rewarded as they scored a second goal, a wonderful drilled cross from Antonio Valencia found van Persie who's first time connection left Cech with no chance and picking the ball out of the net for the second time in the first 12 minutes of this epic match.

As the first half minutes ticked away Chelsea slowly gained the upper hand and you could sense that it was only a matter of time before they got back into this game, United were desperately trying to hold onto their two goal advantage and see it out until the break.

Juan Mata had different ideas, a cheap foul by Wayne Rooney presented the Spaniard with a free kick centrally just outside the United area, Mata did not waste the opportunity scoring a magnificent goal that ended the half with Chelsea 2-1 down but with their tails up.

Chelsea thoroughly deserved their equaliser early in the second half as Ramires headed home to draw level, it looked like Uniteds early hard work was about to be punished as they struggled to get to grips with Chelsea's early second half wave of attacks.

van Persie started to influence the game pulling the Chelsea defenders all over the Stamford Bridge pitch leaving gaps for his teammates to exploit, this was evident in the 63rd minute when his hold up play and vision played in Ashley Young who was in one on one with Cech until Ivanovic brought him down rightfully receiving his marching orders in the process by referee Mark Clattenburg.

In the 69th minute the real controversy unravelled as Chelsea striker Fernando Torres received his marching orders for simulation following a challenge from Jonny Evans, the Irish man did seem to make contact and the majority of spectators both in the stadium and watching on TV must have been expecting the yellow card to be shown to the United player, to the amazement and disbelief of the Chelsea supporters the card was shown to the Spaniard and Torres left Chelsea trying to hold on playing out the game with 9 men, advantage United.

This was a game of end to end football as both teams traded blow after blow like two heavy weight boxers, United landed the fatal blow in the 75th minute when super sub Javier Hernandez scored following a saved van Persie shot that Rafael drilled back into the danger area for the Mexican to tap in, replays showed Hernandez was offside when the ball was played but United will not have a complaint about it after being on the receiving end of some bad decisions against Chelsea themselves in the past.

Its difficult to sum up how huge a result this could be for Manchester United, it could prove to be important when it comes to deciding what colour ribbons will be tied around the handles of the Premier League trophy next May, its still early days as far as the title race is concerned but this was a huge win as many expect Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs to be battling it out this season for England's top honour.



@kevinashford7

FA Should Punish Suárez For Shameful Dive

As the dust settles on another weekend of Premier League action, it seems the most talked about incident was the embarrassing and shameful dive that Liverpool player Luis Suárez performed to try and win his side a penalty kick against Stoke at Anfield.

Tom Daley would have been proud of the Uruguay internationals technique if he had of been breaking the water surface of an Olympic pool rather than hitting the grass surface at the Kop End of the stadium

Diving has been one of the main talking points in the English game recently, the influx of foreign footballers have contributed to it largely as it seems to be a more common in European football, its worrying because it seems that there is now a generation of British based players who will simulate contact, or go down far too easily from minimal contact.

There are 3 players that will spring to most football supporters minds when you mention the word diving, Luis Suárez, Gareth Bale and Ashley Young, they have all been guilty of simulation at some stage over the last few Premier League seasons, they should hang their heads in shame because diving is trying to gain an advantage through cheating, they are trying to con the referee.

Luis Suárez is the main culprit when it comes to diving, and it is now a case of the boy who cried wolf because his reputation as a diving cheat is going before him, this was evident recently when Liverpool played Manchester United and Suárez should have been awarded a penalty after he was brought down in the area by Jonny Evans, it was a clear penalty but the referee who was maybe a little unsure about the call decided to wave play on after perhaps taking in to consideration the player who had gone down under the challenge.

What Suárez did at Anfield against Stoke was hilarious, frustrating and annoying, the Football Association should have stepped in by now and charged Suárez  for his pathetic actions, this is a player who has previous when it comes to diving, they should make an example of him if they are serious about helping to eradicate it from our game.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis was angered by the incident involving Suárez saying:

“Retrospective decisions are made on a Monday and Luis Suárez should be punished. The one in the penalty box was an embarrassment and how he wasn’t booked I don’t know”.

The FA have come under justifiable criticism recently after their overall handling, verdict and the punishment they handed John Terry for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, if they wanted to assert their authority and claim back a minute piece of respect from football supporters and people within the game then they should have come down on Suárez like a ton of bricks and handed him a ban and a hefty fine.

The Uruguayan was not carded by match official Lee Mason for the incident so the FA could and should have stepped in by now to condemn his actions and prove to English football that they are serious about combating cheating in the game.

@kevinashford7 - Follow Kevin on twitter.

Fabregas Is The Perfect Replacement For Scholes

When Paul Scholes retired from Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson focused his attention on replacing the Old Trafford legend with a player who mirrored the same attributes.

Its no hidden secret that the reds made a serious and lucrative offer for Inter Milan midfield play maker Wesley Sneijder, the deal never happened and United suffered without that touch of calmness and class in the centre of the park.

A sensational derby day comeback in January from retirement by Paul Scholes proved that Sir Alex was regretting not adding a touch of class to his midfield department, sensing that maybe there was too much weight of expectation placed on United youngster Tom Cleverley's shoulders for him to be expected to take the baton from Scholes and hit the ground running.

Scholes could have another season left in his tank depending on how Sir Alex uses him, but one thing has certainly become clear, United will need to replace him when he finally brings down the curtain on his illustrious career for the second and final time!

I'm sure it has not gone unnoticed by Sir Alex that a certain Cesc Fabregas is currently struggling to register any playing time on his Barcelona staff key fob at the Camp Nou, a player the United manager knows all about from the Spaniards playing days at Arsenal.

Reports in the Spanish media have also recently indicated that the player is unhappy at his lack of first team opportunities, Fabregas was quick to deny these rumours this week claiming that he is happy at Barcelona and is prepared to work hard and fight his way back into the Barcelona team.

It was Pep Guardiola who signed Fabregas, Guardiola left his post with the Catalan team at the end of last season and it remains uncertain if new manager Tito Vilanova sees the player as part of his future plans.

Fabregas would be an interesting and realistic target for United and at 25 years old would definitely prove value for money as you know exactly what you would be getting from him, he is a proven Premier League player who provides and scores goals, he also knows how to play a pass, in many ways he is a similar player to Scholes.

We will have a clearer indication regarding Fabregas' future at the Camp Nou in January or next summer, by then he could be back in the first team frame at his boyhood club, but if there was the slightest hint he was unhappy and wanted first team football and a return to the Premier League I am sure United would launch a bid to land his services.

If Barcelona were happy to recoup the £25million fee they payed Arsenal for his services it would prove to be a shrewd bit of business when you consider the kind of transfer fees clubs pay for players in today's crazy transfer market, Jordan Henderson cost Liverpool £20million!

The recent signing of Robin van Persie could work in Uniteds favour and make a move to Old Trafford seem more appealing to Fabregas following their playing days at Arsenal where they were good friends and team mates, players are often instructed and encouraged by their club managers to put in a word with players they are interested in, van Persie could surly be used to contact Fabregas if the club were given the green light to start negotiations?

It remains to be seen if Fabregas would want a move away from his boyhood team after such a short spell, but one thing is for sure, if he ever become available he would be the ideal candidate who ticks all the boxes when Manchester United look to replace an iconic and legendary midfield player named Paul Scholes. 

Simply Vantastic !

It was the Robin van Persie show at St Mary's, as the £24million Dutchman displayed a masterclass in finishing to leave Southampton's players and supporters shell shocked.

Its games like this that are a great advertisement for the English Premier League, Manchester United twice fell behind in this match but responded the only way they know, to keep attacking until the final whistle.

After falling behind 1-0 to a Lambert header, United responded in the 23rd minute when a cross was beautifully brought down by van Persie on his chest which opened up the angle, everybody inside the stadium and watching knew what was coming next as the Dutchman sent the ball ferociously back across goal and into the bottom corner.

Into the second half and the reds again fell behind 2-1 after another free header from Schneiderlin found the bottom corner after Patrice Evra lost his footing on the St Mary's turf.

6 minutes later Sir Alex Ferguson changed things by bringing on Paul Scholes and Nani for Cleverley and Kagawa respectively, it was a change that totally changed the dynamics of the match as Scholes started to dictate Uniteds play in the middle, spraying positive passes in the attacking half of the field.

United were handed the opportunity to level the score when Jos Hooiveld scythed down Van Persie in the box, the Dutchman stepped up in front of the travelling away supporters and seemed to make a last second decision to try and gently guide the ball over the Saints keeper who read the spot kick well and at full stretch tip the ball around the post to a huge roar from the home supporters, it seemed it would just not be Uniteds day.

The score remained 1-1 and in the 71st minute Danny Welbeck was replaced by Mexican Hernandez, this was the last throw of the dice for United who were now pouring forward at every opportunity, Southampton were struggling to cope with Uniteds wave of attacking football, they were ready to be knocked onto the ropes as Rio Ferdinands header hit the post and van Persie tapped the ball in to level the score 2-2 in the 87th minute, United sensed they could still land the knock out blow in this tie.

United continued to flood forward and you sensed that there was going to be one more chance created in this game, in the 91st minute United earned a corner and Nani swung the ball in, Southampton's zonal marking meant that van Persie was able to run into space and head home in front of the travelling fans who erupted in to wild rapturous celebrations.

It was by no means convincing as United looked shaky at the back, they will not get away with playing the kind of football they displayed at times in this match against stronger opposition, its only early days but the reds will be delighted with the 3 points.

van Persie was devastating in front of goal, we seen it so many times last season for Arsenal and he seems to have hit the ground running at Old Trafford which will delight the manager and supporters, the Dutchman was apparently purchased to take some of the expectation and responsibility off Wayne Rooney, at St Marys van Persie showed he is happy to lead the team and be the talisman figure he once was at the Emirates.

United Agree £24m van Persie Fee

Sir Alex Ferguson has finally landed Robin van Persie from Arsenal as both clubs have agreed on a transfer fee believed to be £24million. A statement on Manchester Uniteds official website earlier confirmed the news saying -

"Manchester United is pleased to announce it has reached agreement with Arsenal Football Club for the transfer of Robin Van Persie.

The deal is subject to a medical and the agreement of personal terms. A further announcement will be made in due course."

Its nearly 6 weeks ago since van Persie released a statement on his official website stating his intention not to sign a new contract with Arsenal, its a decision that put United, Manchester City and Juventus on red alert as the tabloids speculated that City were the early front runners for the Dutch mans signature.

As the weeks passed by it then seemed Italian side Juventus were in pole position, but it is the famous red shirt of Manchester United that van Persie will be wearing this season as it seems the attraction of Old Trafford was a chance he could not pass up.

The signing of van Persie is a huge statement from United as he breaks the trend of Sir Alex not signing big name players for big money over the age of 28 mainly due to the fact the player will have no resell value. 

It seems that Sir Alex simply could not ignore the chance to sign a player who was head and shoulders above any other footballer in the Premier League last season, a player who was crowned the leagues top goalscorer and also scooped the PFA and Football Writers player of the year. 

The prospect of van Persie lining up alongside Wayne Rooney for Uniteds opening game away at Everton is simply mouthwatering, its like a fantasy football strike force!

The team who lost the league on goal difference will now have last seasons leading goalscorer in their ranks, its obvious Manchester United are wounded by last seasons title disappointment, signing a player of van Persies calibre and talent will give the reds a major boost as they look at trying to win back the Barclay's Premier League trophy.

@kevinashford7