HARRY IN CHILE, HOPING ENGLAND RUN HOT

The good news for our English World Cup football team is that Prince Harry will be touring Brazil and Chile in June at the same time as the Cup is in its qualifying stages. He will be in the stands watching Roy’s boys against Costa Rica, hopefully securing a place in the knock out rounds. He is also going to the capital, Brasilia, to see the hosts play Cameroon. If he wants to catch up with some more football when he visits Chile, he might take a plane from Santiago and spend a day or two on Easter Island (Rapa Nui), where the main settlement is Hanga Roa. I was lucky enough to include a game of football in my itinerary when I took in the Chilean special territory in 2008. With only 5700 in the population, the locals play amongst themselves, although when I arrived at the airport to start my trip, I was surprised to see a large crowd gathered;  they were there to greet a local who had just won the Chilean version of Big Brother! The other great feature of the island apart from the mysterious heads and Bird Man artefacts,  is a massive USA sponsored “plane” runway designed to take the space shuttle should it need to land in the Pacific. The FA president, Harry's brother William, will be missing the jollyties; no doubt looking after the family back home. 

THE HEAT IS ON FOR WEBB

42-year-old Howard Webb, the ex-policeman and referee from Rotherham, gasps for air as the heat in a tiny room at Sheffield Hallam University's Faculty of Health and Well being rises and the humidity spirals. He is 6,000 miles from Brazil but Webb is preparing for the World Cup, as he runs mile after mile on the treadmill. "It is tough, very tough," he says. "The heat and humidity are going to be the biggest challenges in Brazil." Webb flies to Brazil in three days as England's sole refereeing representative. 

World Cup final referee in 2010, he has been preparing for the conditions in Brazil for the past two weeks. The chamber he is running in has been set to 40C with 80% humidity, as Webb begins the first of 20 sprints, each 150m in distance. "I want to be as prepared as I can," he says. "Coming to the chamber here gives me that chance. If it gives me a small advantage, so I can perform to my potential there, then why not do it?" To do the World Cup final twice would be most unusual!

In Manaus, where England will play their first group game against Italy, humidity can reach 90% and temperatures can peak at around 33C. Webb burns around 2,200 calories during a Premier League match. In Brazil, that figure will jump to more than 3,000. The scientists at Sheffield Hallam believe Webb will sweat around 10 pints of fluid during every World Cup match he takes charge of and lose an incredible 1kg for every hour he spends on the field.

"Getting into the right place to make the right decision is key," he says. "It is so important to be physically and mentally fit enough to make a clear call even though you are having to work hard in difficult conditions." Recently, as he stepped out into the mid-afternoon heat of Fortaleza to referee the Confederations Cup match between Brazil and Mexico, he was surprised by the intensity of the heat. "It was really quite oppressive," he recalls. "The games I did in Fortaleza were challenging, but they gave me a feeling for what it is going to be like”.

Howard Webb refereed the final between Netherlands v Spain in South Africa. He goes to Brazil knowing that, however good his performance is, he is unlikely to take charge of the World Cup final. Spain won the last World Cup, beating Netherlands 1-0 in the final. One of the big talking points was Webb's decision not to send off Holland's Nigel de Jong for a chest-high kick on Spain's Xabi Alonso. "Very rarely will I look back at a game and think everything was perfect. Looking back at the game, there were one or two things that weren't right".

Webb could be in line to referee the opening match of the 2014 tournament, between Brazil and Croatia in Sao Paulo, on 12 June, but the Englishman will not discover which match he will officiate first until he arrives in Rio at the weekend. "We only get given one game at a time," he says. "You need to deliver that and then that might open the door to a second game and beyond. Any World Cup is special, but for it to be in Brazil, a football-loving country, is really special."

WHAT'S A GRECIAN EARN?

Exeter City will play a “Brazilian XI” match on the 20th July at Estadio das Laranjeiras in Rio de Janeiro, where the original fixture between Exeter and an embryonic international Brazilian XI took place in 1914, after being chosen by the Football Association as a "representative" English team to fulfil an ambassadorial fixture. After playing games in Argentina, Exeter played three matches in Brazil, even beating Rio De Janeiro.

The Brazilians then selected an ultimate side from Rio and Sao Paulo combined to beat the professionals, which they did 2-0 and the national team was born. In the end, Exeter won five games and lost one on the tour.

One week after the 2014 World Cup concludes just four miles away at Rio's Maracana Stadium, Exeter City will be playing this centenary game. The two sides will wear replica kits from the game 100 years earlier and will kick off with the original ball.

Fluminense, who have undertaken to finance City's trip to Brazil, will try to include "guest" players from other clubs in Brazil to try to replicate the original fixture.

A Brazil Masters' side faced Exeter in 2004 to commemorate the Grecians' centenary.Exeter City finished 16^th in the SkyBet League 2 this season and their next big pre-season match is against Weston-Super-Mare in a friendly. Come on the Grecians! Why the Grecians?

Exeter City football club formed from the predecessor club St Sidwells United in 1904. People living in the parish of St Sidwells in Exeter have been known as "Greeks" or "Grecians" for many centuries, as noted in Southey's Common-Place Book in 1669. This is possibly due to the parish's location outside the city walls. In Homer’s epic poem "The Illiad”, the Greek forces laid siege to the walls of Troy. The association possibly arose because of rivalries between city boys and St Sidwellians during the annual beating the bounds.

SCHOOLBOYS' REUNION.

Two more independent schoolboys made their way into the national press this weekend with James Norwood, 24 years old, now with Forest Green Rovers and Harrison Dunk of Cambridge United featuring in the Non-League Football paper (May 25^th 2014).

Norwood a pupil at St Bede’s School, Hailsham, Sussex (now known as Bede’s) played for his county, Independent Schools’ FA and for English Schools’ FA Schoolboys when he played at Wembley against France and scored. He has recently had good coverage in the NLFP in his “Norr’s Tour”, a “blog” on the England C Squad’s East European Tour and in their International Challenge Trophy bid.

Harrison Dunk (21), a product of Millfield School in Somerset, is another ISFA member, and he has been part of the Cambridge United’s success this season in the Skrill Premier. He will find himself playing in the Football league having been retained for the 2014-15 campaign. Dunk was also lucky enough to be part of United’s Trophy victory at Wembley recently.

Norwood’s hundredth appearance for Forest Green Rovers was in September 2013 against Cambridge United. No doubt he took the opportunity to share a few schools japes with Harrison!

MILLERS REVELL AND COD ARMY FLOAT TO THE TOP

On Sunday, Rotherham United earned their return to the Championship by beating Leyton Orient 4-3 on penalties after an enthralling 2-2 draw in the League One play-off final at Wembley.

Moses Odubajo gave Orient the lead with a brilliant 25-yard volley before his low cross set up Dean Cox to tap home, so by half time it was 2-0.

The impressive Rotherham centre-forward, Alex Revell, stabbed home from close range to make it 2-1, before levelling with a stunning 30-yard strike that caught the Orient keeper off his line. At 2-2 after extra time it was penalties that decided the matter.

The victory brought joy to Rotherham manager Steve Evans's in first success at Wembley and his celebration along the touchline almost caught him with his trousers down! With suitable investment from chairman, Tony Stewart and a brand new stadium (see previous blog) the Millers are well prepared to face their new division.The Devil and Revell certainly are.

The day after, on Wembley’s third consecutive play off day, Fleetwood Town (see previous blog), a genuinely local club, continued their amazing run of promotion, as chairman Andy Pilley celebrated his birthday by seeing his club beat Burton Albion 1-0 from Antoni Sarcevic’s free kick, following a sad goalkeeping misjudgement. In their fifth meeting this season the honours are even, though Burton would have given anything to win this promotion game. So next season The Cod Army will be visiting Oakwell to take on mighty Barnsley in League One! The Brewers, however, will have to regroup and go through all this again.

FTFC Winning the Blue Square in 2012.

GALATICOS BALED OUT

The European Cup, as it was originally known, was first won by Real Madrid in 1956, the start of a period of dominance by the great Spanish side, which brought stunning international football to the small black and white TV sets of Britain in the late 1950's.The only British side to enter the competition at that time was Hibernian from Scotland. The English FA was not interested in competing in Europe at that time. Last night a Welshman put his side, Real Madrid, ahead in the final in Lisbon, with an extra time header, which will rate as his most important goal. Gareth Bale’s powerful running got him into a position to direct into the net a brilliantly saved shot by the “on loan” Atletico Madrid, goalkeeper Courtois. 

As full time loomed and the engraver was beginning to sharpen his cutting tool, the mattress makers ran out of legs and were forced into extra time. As the Galaticos methodically wore down their opponent’s defence, the hearts of their less successful city neighbours were broken and the end result was inevitable. Atletico were magnificent up to Ramos' equalising header and the neutrals would have wanted the red and white stripes to make history, but once there was an opening, Marcelo and then Ronaldo, with a penalty, sealed the 4-1 victory. 

Real achieved the Decima, their tenth European Championship victory, Ronaldo scored his 17^th goal in this year’s  competition, Atletico’s Godin scored a goal to put his side ahead and this matched his effort last weekend to bring secure the Spanish league title, Bale came from the valleys, whilst Ancelloti, the Real manager, saved his job and went off to Canada to get married. Meanwhile, Simeone, the Atletico manager, who has pushed back the boundaries this season by creating a formidable team that has matched Real and Barca, lost his nerve and showed how petulant he can be by invading the pitch, complaining to the Dutch referee about the extra minutes added. Remember his reaction when David Beckham raised a scrawny leg and kicked the Argentine in the World Cup? The Dutch referee had a great game and kept his cool.

After all the theatricals, this was a fascinating final which should have been Atletico’s to win, had Bale not popped up at the right time.

FROM POOLE TO PREMIERSHIP TO POVERTY

Charlie Austin whose career nearly ground to a halt at lowly Poole Town, has found himself aiming for the premiership with his latest team, QPR, as he helped their reguard action against Derby County today, in the Championship play off at Wembley. After a relatively even game, QPR were reduced to ten men in the second half,  by O’Neill’s “just” justifiable sending off as the last defender. Derby threw the kitchen sink at their west London opponents, who put up an amazing and sometimes lucky defence but they survived until the final minutes. Then Hoilett battled his way down the right, crossed to old faithful Bobby Zamora who scored his second career play off goal, to bring £120 million worth of Premier Football to his team next season. 

Hopefully the rewards of reaching the Premiership will help pay off some of the huge debt owned by QPR FC! Reports suggest that promotion will cost QPR a fortune in fines under the “Fair Play Tax”. Maybe they should sell off their Loftus Road ground for redevelopment and build a new cheap stadium, to help balance the books.

Two former  independent school educated footballers graced the famous turf; Will Hughes from Repton School playing for Derby and Nedum Onuoha from Hulme Grammar School, Oldham. Hughes had a very influential game but was substituted as Derby tried to finish off their stubborn opponents whilst Onuoha was a rock in the QPR defence.

QUEEN'S PARK ROVERS?

As QPR get ready for their play off final against Derby County tomorrow, played at Wembley, which is not a stone's throw away from their home ground, it is worth noting that the Rangers have played on a number of grounds since their formation in 1882.

Originally formed in 1882 by the old boys of Droop Street Board School. The boys were members of the St. Jude's Institute, used this as the Club headquarters,  They obtained the name of Queens Park Rangers when they merged with a team called Christ Church Rangers in 1886.  The Club's playing pitch was on a piece of waste ground near Kensal Rise Athletic Ground and shortly after they moved to Welford’s Fields . In 1888 they rented the London Scottish ground at Brondesbury . In 1888/89 the pitch became unplayable, and between 1890 and 1892 they moved to four different grounds - Home Park, Kensal Rise Green, The Gun Club at Wormwood Scrubs and Kilburn Cricket Ground. In 1896 Rangers moved to Kensal Rise Athletic Ground. They played their first professional league match on September 9th at Tottenham and lost 1-0.

Due to poor finances, QPR had to move to St. Quintin Avenue in 1901. Players had to change in a public house and walk to the pitch but the local inhabitants of the area complained that Rangers were lowering the tone of the neighbourhood and in 1902 they moved back to Kensal Rise!

In 1904/05 they moved to The Royal Agricultural Society Ground at Park Royal. In 1907/08 QPR moved to another new ground at Park Royal.  In 1914/15, because the First World War had started, the army took over QPR's ground at Park Royal, so they played the rest of their fixtures at Harvist Road. The R’s then took over the ground of amateur Club Shepherd's Bush FC, who played at Loftus Road. In 1920/21 Rangers were elected to the newly-formed Third Division. 1931/32 season Rangers moved to the White City. In 1933/34 the R’s moved back to Loftus Road. Rangers played at White City again for half a season in 1962 but again poor attendances forced the Club back to Loftus Road. Where next?

TO CARE IS TO DO-TO DARE IS TO DO

Having made  too many managers and backroom staff unemployed over recent years, it is ironic that Tottenham Hotspur football club is finding jobs for the people in the local community. The club’s charitable foundation is providing a facility for people to get into training and jobs. The Spurs’ brand has formed a partnership with Haringey Council, the Department of Work and Pensions through Jobcentre and businesses in the area. Spurs players become ambassadors and the club hosts events at the stadium with employment skills' programmes for those in need. The scheme was launched in April last year and has already sourced over 500 jobs in the community. The club is central to the London borough that has the third highest benefit claim in the city and where there is definitely a need for an economic boost. Tottenham Hotspur FC has launched a £300 million redevelopment of their White Hart Lane stadium, boosting its capacity to 56,000 seats, with attached retail properties including a Sainsbury’s supermarket employing 280 local workers. Seeing the club as the “economic driver” in the area, THFC is taking its responsibility seriously. Advertising is aimed at the local area, with schemes in place to help people improve their CVs and interview skills, starting an apprenticeship or getting a City and Guilds at one of the company's Food Colleges.

Linked to this is a social boost, with programmes , such as Kickz, targeting youths, especially 12-19 year olds and vulnerable residents.  Spurs players go out into the community twice a week to promote the foundation, knowing that many of their colleague super stars had roots in similar backgrounds. The foundation motto is “To care is to do”, reflected in the club’s motto “To dare is to do”. Maybe the foundation will help Tim Shearwood find some work this summer.

Ledley King, the Club's Skills Ambassador and a representative for the Mayor of London's regeneration programme says:

It's a great place for both boys and girls to come along and I can only wish that there were more things like this around when I was younger. I'm delighted that the project is up and running and that youngsters are showing an interest. Having spoken to the young people myself, they seem happy with the project and happy to participate in the different sports on offer.

IT'S NOT TOO LATE, THOSE WHO DREAM

Keep taking the coaching badges and applying for posts, your dream job may just be round the corner. 

Paul Clement, son of former Queens Park Rangers and England defender Dave, Clement  is one of the few English coaches working abroad at a highest level. The 41-year-old now works with  Zinedine Zidane, helping train some of the best footballers in the world. At Real Madrid, Ancelotti describes Clement as “one of the most dynamic and intelligent” coaches.

Clement's father, a favourite at Loftus Road, took his own life at the age of 34 in 1982 after suffering from depression, when Paul was 10. Paul wanted to be a footballer like his father but unlike his brother Neil, who played from WBA, he didn't reach a professional level.

Paul played non-league football near his hometown, Sutton in London, but he switched attentions to coaching aged 23, at Chelsea's centre of excellence, when Glenn Hoddle changed the playing style at the club. At this time he was at Glenthorne School as a physical education instructor, having trained at St Mary's Twickenham.

Clements said that “Teaching gave me a foundation: organisation, planning, understanding different learning styles and needs, the importance of good communication. I've taken that into my coaching”.

Clement obtained his UEFA ‘A’ coaching licence in 1999 at the same time as Liverpool coach Brendan Rodgers and became a full-time football coach a year later when he was appointed at Fulham's academy, where he worked with Jean Tigana. He also helped train the Republic of Ireland U-21s for three years.

In 2007, Chelsea made an offer for him to return, where he started as Under-16 coach, graduating to the youth team, then the reserves and then to the first team during Guus Hiddink’s spell as caretaker manager.

Hiddink impressed the young coach with his charisma, people skills and linguistic ability as Chelsea won the FA Cup and reached the 2009 Champions League semi-finals, losing out to Barcelona.

Clements  stayed with Chelsea when Ancelotti replaced Hiddink and helped  win the domestic double in 2010. When Ancelotti  left Chelsea, Clement moved to Blackburn Rovers as an assistant to Steve Kean during his unhappy reign, but wasn’t long before Ancelotti  asked Clement to join him in Paris St Germain.

Clement couldn’t refuse, he took three hours of French lessons daily and was part of the team which won the Ligue 1 in 2013. David Beckham, with whom Clement worked closely, was the most famous Englishman at PSG, but the assistant coach was the rising star.

Ancelotti moved to Madrid and Clement followed in July 2013. Clement has ambitions to go into management and said: “I’d like to think there's a chairman out there who will look at me and think he’s had a good apprenticeship.”

Modern football demands the more innovative coach with fresh ideas; somebody with a thirst for learning what’s out there, someone who's travelled the world looking at different methods. The secret is to reduce the time and space that players have so they think quicker and have to act quicker. It is a simple as that!

COSTA INJURY MAY HAUNT EL PUPAS

The mattress men won the Spanish League title, yesterday, on a wage budget of £52 million, one fifth of their opponents Barcelona, from whom they stole a vital point to secure La Liga. Outrageously, under  500 Atletico supporters were given tickets for this game at the Nou Camp. The fairy tale victory spoke loudly for the “smaller club” in Spain, where Barcelona and Real Madrid have dominated the championship for years on huge budgets. So Diego Simeone, manager of the “other” Madrid club, has performed a miracle in winning the Europa League and fifth place in his first season, third place and the Copa del Rei win over Real in his second season and now this, with a Champions League final to come. Tony Pulis said, when taking on Crystal Palace recently, that football is very simple; all we have to do is make sure we are hard to score against, get organised, take no risks, be disciplined and then counter attack!  This is what Simeone did when he arrived at Atletico, salvaging the club at the relegation end of the league and having just lost in the cup to third division Albacete.
In last week's La Liga game, Atletico nearly beat Malaga and that would have made the title theirs, so going to the Nou Camp would have been a formality. However, a brilliant save by Malaga’s keeper, Caballero, in the 94^th minute kept the score at 1-1, so a visit to Barcelona, needing points, was more daunting. Atletico’s alternative nickname, “El Pupas”, the cursed ones, would have stuck hard, had this been the case. But all’s well that ends well; the mattress men's next and final venue is Lisbon for the European Champions’ League Final versus some other club from Madrid.

BREWERS DON'T DROOP AS SHRIMPS SHRIVEL

Gateshead take on Cambridge United for the privilege of joining Luton Town in the Football League Two next season. The game is at Wembley today at 4pm. Halifax Town and Grimsby Town fell at the semi-final stage in their campaign to regain full league status. Looking at the Skrill Conference Table there are a number of ex league clubs hoping to join the big time as soon as possible; can you name them? At the bottom of League Two, Bristol Rovers and Torquay United fall out.

At the other end of the table, Burton Albion will play Fleetwood Town at Wembley next week, to decide who is promoted. After Burton's team bus broke down on its way south to play in the away leg of the semi-final play off, Gary McGurk, who scored goal in the home fixture at the Pirelli Stadium, made manager Gary Rowett smile by grabbing another goal to win the tie overall. Another strike on Southend's home ground at Roots Hall, secured the victory 3-2. Alas, the Shrimps found the hot afternoon too much, despite dominating the first half. There was nothing  manager Phil Brown could do to raise his troops, not even employing the old trick of keeping his team on the pitch at half time or bringing Jimmy Bullard on to do the team talk. The Brewers from Burton did not droop however, as they put in a pedigree performance to win their play off place at the national stadium.

NEW CUP, NEW WINNERS?

The winners of 2014 FA Cup with Budweiser will lift a brand new trophy at Wembley this weekend ;only the third edition of the world’s most famous domestic Cup.

The 2014 trophy will replace the 1992 edition, which in turn replaced the first iteration of the current design in 1911, and will be presented to the winning captain by HRH The Duke of Cambridge.

Made by renowned silversmiths Thomas Lyte of London, the new trophy is made from 6.3kg of sterling silver and, standing at 61.5cm, is a perfect replica of the 1911 trophy. The 1992 trophy will remain in The FA’s possession at Wembley Stadium.

Arsenal first appeared in the FA Cup Final in 1927 when the famous team was shocked by Cardiff City who won on a goal keeping error by the Welsh born goalkeeper. Hull City has not had the success of Arsenal and have never been to a final before, so it would be apt for them to lift the new trophy.

The first professional club to get to a final was Blackburn Rovers in 1882 when they lost to the Old Etonians. The year before was the last time both finalists were amateur-the winners the Old Carthusians who beat the Old Etonians 3-0.

Queen’s Park from Scotland played in the final twice in 1884 and 1885 and of course the cup nearly left the country in 2008 when Cardiff narrowly lost to Portsmouth.

The original FA Cup, cost £20, was stolen in 1895 from a footballers' outfitters shop in Birmingham after Aston Villa had won the competition. It was never recovered. A replica was made and was changed in 1910 to the new design, which stayed in circulation until this year.

OAPs STEAL THE Os SHOW

As with all the play off semi-finals this season, the finales have been frantic and have shown what a great idea these deciders are for the fans. Firstly QPR, then the Os and tonight Rotherham, all came through to win a place at Wembley after tense final minutes. This evening there were 6 minutes of added time, but the Millers kept their two goal lead in tact and thankfully Steve Evans found refuge in the tunnel as the final whistle went; preventing the invading crowd the doubtful pleasure of giving his "sweatiness" a hug and a kiss.
Last night in Leyton, as the Orient crowd flooded onto the pitch, two seniors, Bill and Maureen, politely asked the stewards  to let them through a gate so that they could "invade" their beloved Brisbane Road along with the youngsters. They were caught on camera and today Colin Murray on Talksport  and Leyton Orient FC have made the most of this community feeling by interviewing Bill on this morning's show, and presenting him and his wife, Maureen,with tickets to the Wembley play off and a visit to the training ground to meet the players. Maureen was not available to chat this morning as she was doing her usual task of looking after a local disability group. She will, of course, be free for the trip to the ground and the big final. Well done to the oldies, to Talksport for making all this happen and also to the Os, a small, community based and successful Football League club. We await the outcome of the Division Two play offs, not yet complete.

Football On This Day 29th April 1961

Football On This Day 29th April 1961, a 15,318 London Road crowd saw Peterborough United beat Barrow 6-2 in their final Division Four match of the season. Not only did Posh top the division in their first Football League season but those six goals saw the club complete the season with a record 134 League goals. Terry Bly scored a hat-trick against Barrow to finish the season with 52 League goals, a post-war League best.

The Division One play off, second leg, on May 14th 2014 saw Leyton Orient and Peterborough United locked at 1-1. Orient had a terrible run in, having once being easily in automatic promotion. The Posh have never failed at the play off stage.

Peterborough United Football Club officially came into being on 17th May 1934 when a meeting at the city's now long demolished Angel Hotel decided to form a professional club to fill a void left by the collapse of Peterborough and Fletton United two years earlier. Local councillor Jack Swain, appointed acting chairman, told the gathering: 'I think that with the revival of old enthusiasm in the city, Peterborough will ultimately find a place in the Football League.' It took almost 40 years for that dream to come to fruition in 1960, replacing Gateshead.

The club's 'Posh' nickname has obscure origins but it is believed to have stemmed from player manager Pat Tirrel who in 1921 said he was looking for 'Posh players for a Posh team.' Peterborough and Fletton, also known as the 'Brickies’ (the local employer), folded in 1932 with considerable debts and the new club had to obtain confirmation from the Football Association and Northamptonshire Football Association that there were no liabilities. The delight of representatives at the annual meeting of the Midland League, where a membership application was welcomed with open arms, turned to sheer panic when it was realised they didn't have the cash between them to pay a £20 security deposit, a 10 guinea entry fee and 5 guinea subscription. Grantham Town loaned the cash and back home the Posh officials set about raising funds through the sale of five shilling shares, around 150 turning up for a first shareholders' meeting on 31st July 1934 when a ten strong board of directors were elected. When Posh resigned from the Midland League in 1960 after their election to the Football League, the original £20 deposit was refunded!

The London Road ground was hired from Peterborough City Council. The weekly Posh wage bill was £38 and admission charges were set at one shilling for men (5p), six pence (2.5p) for women and the unemployed and, one shilling for transfer to the stand. City Council workmen built new dressing rooms and local businesses helped; Midgate outfitters E.B.Jackson donated shirts, Hoyles of Westgate gave towels and George Stokes of Church Street presented a new football. A crowd of 4,033 turned out on 1st September 1934 to see the Midland League campaign begin in some style with a 4-0 beating of  Gainsborough Trinity, the distinction of scoring the first Posh goal going to Len Hargreaves who had been signed from Luton Town. Posh began in green shirts with a while 'V' on the front, white shorts and black socks with a green top carrying two white hoops and as early as November 1934, when a statutory meeting took place, it was suggested the club should think seriously of seeking a league place. The Posh has had its ups and downs under a variety of managers, including the larger than life Barry Fry, chairman of the club.

Darren Ferguson, son of Sir Alex, first managed the club in the Second division in 2007 and took them to the Championship over a two year campaign. He later resigned in 2009 when the club was struggling to maintain its place in the division, only to return to the club, guiding them to 4th place in Football League One in 2010-11, BUT this was with one of the worse defensive records in the third tier, conceding over 70 goals, but scoring 106; (clearly inheriting his father’s love for attacking football) the most for anybody in the Football League that season. Peterborough beat Milton Keynes Dons in the playoff semi-finals and defeated Huddersfield Town in the Final 3–0 and gained promotion back to the Championship. Ferguson led the team to safety in its first season back in the Championship, however, the Posh were relegated back the following season, after losing to Crystal Palace 3–2 on 4 May 2013, the final match of the season. After being relegated from the Championship, the club worked hard in Division One and met Leyton Orient in the PLay Off. Posh were Football League Trophy holders, having beaten Chesterfield 3-1 in the Wembley Final March 2014

FLOODED PITCH POSTPONEMENT CALLS FOR FLEETWOOD MAK

The postponement of their play off match at York City, due to a flooded pitch, has heightened the nerves of the Cod Army, who are looking to continue their remarkable ascent to the top of the Football League by beating York City en route to another Wembley final. The Fylde club has had its ups and downs since its foundation but their position now will give heart to all clubs floundering in the lower table of the football pyramid.

Town have been based at their refurbished Highbury Stadium for almost 70 years. The original team played on a pitch next to the North Euston Hotel, where the police station is, moving to the present ground in 1934. The club's colours were previously amber and black but changed to red and white as part of an arrangement with a local trawler company whose own corporate colours were red and white. Fleetwood was a major fishing port until the Icelandic Cod Wars and EEU fishing restrictions in the 1970's. The club celebrated a successful sponsorship deal by initiating a quick change of name to Fleetwood Freeport FC.

The club’s first representative side emerged in the mid 1880’s but the original Fleetwood FC did not come into existence until 1908. They played in the Lancashire Combination League and then became founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968.

In 1976, Fleetwood were forced into extinction; the victim of a winding up petition served by the Inland Revenue. A year later, Fleetwood Town FC was formed, carrying all before them in their inaugural season, prompting a move to the Cheshire League. In 1980 the club reached the First Round of the FA Cup where they met neighbours Blackpool. The Seasiders triumphed 4-0 but the glory belonged to the Cod Army.

On the formation of the North West Counties Football League in 1982, Fleetwood Town were placed in Division Two.  At their second attempt, Fleetwood were crowned Second Division Champions and earned promotion to the top Division. A year later, Town enjoyed their then greatest day ever when they reached the Final of the FA Vase. Sadly they lost the Wembley final against Halesowen.  In 1987, Fleetwood joined the new First Division of the Northern Premier League, winning the title immediately. Promotion to the Premier Division saw them compete favourably when they finished fourth in season 1990/91. However, the joy was short-lived and after a period of severe instability the club again folded in ignominious fashion in 1996. A new club was reformed in 1997 and during their second year of existence, season 1998/99, Fleetwood once again found themselves on the trophy trail when they clinched a North West Counties League and Cup double; earning promotion to Division One as a result.  Despite some success and stability, the chairman resigned, the ownership of the club transferred to former manager Mick Hoyle, who then departed in the build up to the 2001/02 campaign.

In July 2002, Fleetwood Freeport reverted to the club’s former title of Fleetwood Town after the 5-year sponsorship deal with Freeport PLC ceased. The 2002/03 season saw further changes as the club’s fortunes improved when Tony Greenwood was appointed manager and then a few months later Hoyle stood down as chairman and owner, to be replaced by Andy Pilley. Pilley inspired a dramatic and immediate transformation in the club’s fortunes. Fleetwood finally made it to the UniBond League 1^st division by winning the North West Counties Division One title in record style during season 2004/05. Twelve months on, Town were celebrating back-to-back promotions with second place and automatic promotion to the UniBond League Premier Division. Season 2006/07 saw Town just fail to make the UniBond Premier Division play offs. The cups brought huge consolation though with a League Cup Final triumph over Matlock Town and an exciting run to the first round proper of the FA Cup.

Off the field, Fleetwood opened the new £250,000 Percy Ronson stand and begin season 2007/08 hopeful of another fruitful campaign. The UniBond Premier Division title and promotion to the Blue Square North was added to Fleetwood’s list of honours in 2007/08. So the Cod Army made it three promotions in just four years. A £1million re-development at Highbury Stadium followed as Town took prepared for Blue Square North football in 2008/09. But after a poor start to the campaign, manager Tony Greenwood left the club after nine league games and five points and Micky Mellon, a former player with West Brom, Blackpool and Tranmere Rovers, was appointed first team manager.

Micky Mellon steered his 2009/10 side to a second spot finish and promotion to the Conference National. Fleetwood Town were crowned champions of the Football Conference following the 2011-12 season. The club took its place in the Football League for the first time in 2012-13 and immediately finished 13th in League 2 under the guidance of Graham Alexander. The rest is history!

WEST AUCKLAND "LOSE" FA VASE AND WORLD CUP

Yesterday, West Auckland FC lost the FA Vase final at Wembley, to Sholing FC from Southampton 1-0. Despite their best efforts, and this is the second final the Durham club has been in recently, West Auckland could not secure the trophy.

The club is probably best known for its title as first World Cup winners! The story goes that they were entered for the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy in 1909-essentially the first "club" World Cup.

The Trophy was initiated by businessman and sporting enthusiast Sir Thomas Lipton, who wished to see a competition between the leading football clubs of Europe. The football associations of Italy, Germany and Switzerland duly complied, but the Football Association of England refused to nominate a club. West Auckland, a lowly amateur side of coal miners from the Northern League entered into the competition, although it has never been entirely clear why.

One explanation for West Auckland's entry was that an employee of Sir Thomas Lipton's had contacts in the Northern League and put out an appeal for a team to take the English spot. An alternative explanation, popular in the town itself, is that Lipton had wanted to send Woolwich Arsenal (the fledgling Arsenal FC) to the Championship – an instruction to his secretary to "contact W.A." led to West Auckland being mistakenly contacted. There is no documentary evidence however,  to suggest any sort of link between Sir Thomas Lipton and Woolwich Arsenal, so it is unclear why he would have chosen them ahead of any other English team.

West Auckland duly made the journey to Turin, where the first tournament was being held, many of the players paying out of their own pocket to do so. They beat Sportfreunde Stuttgart in the semi-finals 2–0; in the final, on April 12, 1909, West Auckland faced Swiss side FC Winterthur and beat them 2–0 as well to take the trophy.

Two years later, West Auckland returned, and after beating FC Zürich 2–0, they ran out 6–1 winners in the final over future Italian giants Juventus. By the rules of competition, they were awarded the trophy to keep.

Upon their return home, the club was forced to pawn the trophy to the landlady of the local hotel because of financial problems. It remained with her family until 1960 when a village appeal raised money to return the cup to the club. The cup was then stolen in 1994 and despite the best efforts of local police and a £2,000 reward it was never found. An exact replica of the cup can now be found in a secure cabinet in the West Auckland Working Men's Club.

This is another reason why the north-east region may claim to be the hot bed of English football this season.

For further information on football in the north-east, contact the Durham Amateur Football Trust.

BLACK CATS PUT PAY TO THROSTLES AND CONDEMN CANARIES TO CHAMPIONSHIP

There was no sympathy for poor Norwich last night as Sunderland continued their revival under Gus Poyet.
Founded in 1879 as 'Sunderland and District Teachers A.F.C.' by Glaswegian schoolmaster James Allan, the club soon found it difficult to compete with a growing number of professional clubs. A team of teachers was not going to be a viable project, so re-named Sunderland AFC in 1881, the team soon established links with talented Scotsmen coming over the border looking for work and play and  they joined The Football League for the 1890–91 season. Having replaced Stoke, who had failed to be re-elected, Sunderland became the first new club to join the league since its inauguration in 1888. Winning the League in 1891-2, 1892-3 and 1894-5, Sunderland was soon regarded as a major force and the club moved to Roker Park.

Sunderland's official nickname now is The Black Cats. They have other nicknames, such as The Rokerites and the Roker Men. 99 years after leaving Roker Park for the Stadium of Light in 1997, the club decided on a vote to settle the nickname for the last time. The Black Cats won the majority of votes, beating off other used nicknames such as the Light Brigade (Stadium of Light), the Miners (the local coal industry), and the Sol (local knowledge??). There is a long historical link between black cats and Sunderland, including the "Black Cat Battery", an Artillery battery based on the River Wear.

With the poor performance of Newcastle United this season and with Middlesbrough in the doldrums, Sunderland might be regarded as the best team in the north-east, especially with their latest record of beating Manchester United at Old Trafford 0-1, Cardiff 4-0 at home, Chelsea 1-2 away, and last night West Bromwich 2-0, they also drew with Manchester City 2-2.

Others might argue that Gateshead FC, about to play in the Skrill Conference play off at Wembley, or Humbledon Plains Farm FA, holders of this years FA Carlsberg Trophy, should have that accolade.

CANARIES HOPE FOR HELP FROM THROSTLES

Norwich City players are about to watch the most important game of their season tonight, as the result between Sunderland  and West Brom will go a long way to determine the Canaries survival in the Premiership. Their remarkable draw at Chelsea on Sunday gave their supporters some hope, but a defeat for Sunderland tonight might be even more important.

The club was founded in 1902 and it took 70 years to win promotion to the Football League First Division. They were founder members of the Premier League in 1992–93, finishing third in the inaugural season and played in its first three seasons, reaching the UEFA Cup 3rd round. Norwich most recently returned to the Premier League in 2011. The bottom of the Premiership looks like this:
16th West Brom  P 36 Pts 36
17th Sunderland  P 36 Pts 35
18th Norwich      P37  Pts 33 Cardiff and Fulham are already down.

Since 1935, Norwich have played their home games at Carrow Road and have a long-standing and fierce rivalry with East Anglian neighbours Ipswich Town; Norfolk v Suffolk. The fans' song "On the Ball, City" is regarded as being the oldest football song in the world.

The original stadium, "the largest construction job in the city since the building of Norwich Castle... was "miraculously" built in just 82 days.

Norwich City was formed following a meeting at the Criterion Cafe in Norwich on June 1902 by a group of friends (reputedly teachers) and played their first competitive match against Harwich & Parkeston, at Newmarket Road in September 1902. Following an FA Commission, the club was ousted from the amateur game in 1905, deemed a professional organisation. Later that year Norwich became professional and were elected into the Southern League. With increasing crowds, they were forced to leave their Newmarket Road ground in 1908, moving to The Nest, a disused chalk pit.

The club's original nickname was the Citizens, wearing light blue and white (bit like Ipswich??) although this was superseded by 1907 by the more familiar Canaries after the club's chairman (who was a keen breeder of canaries-see below) dubbed his boys 'The Canaries' and changing their strip to yellow and green. During the First World War, with football suspended and facing spiralling debts, City went into voluntary liquidation on 10 December 1917.

The club was officially reformed on 15 February 1919. In May 1920, the Football League formed a third Division, Norwich joined the Third Division for the following season and their first league fixture, against Plymouth Argyle, on 28 August 1920, ended in a 1–1 draw.

The earliest known recorded link between the club and canaries, comes in an interview recorded in the Eastern Daily Press with newly manager, John Bowman in April 1905. The paper quotes him "Well I knew of the City's existence, I have heard of the canaries." "This as far as we can tell is the first time that the popular pastime of the day ie... rearing... canaries was linked with Norwich City FC. The city of Norwich had long connections with canaries owing to its 15th and 16th century links to Flemish weavers who had imported the birds to the Low Countries from the Dutch colonies in the Caribbean.

By February 1907, the nickname Canaries had come more into vogue; thoughts that an FA Cup tie against West Bromwich Albion (nicknamed "Throstles" –a thrush like bird) was "a bird -singing contest" were dismissed by the polymath C.B. Fry as "humbug" .

ROVERS DONE BY STAGS SO CHARITY MATCH GONE TO GROUND

It seems unthinkable that Bristol Rovers are no longer members of the Football League. In front of over 10,000 spectators, (only Fratton Park had more for Pompey's game) you would hope that Rovers could have rallied to beat Mansfield. As it was a 36^th minute goal saw the Stags win. Two teams in one city should be sustainable but sadly Rovers have sunk to the bottom of Division Two, whilst City maintain a mid- table position in Division One.
Rovers, founded in 1883 and originally known as the Black Arabs, wore colours of black with a yellow sash. They became Eastville Rovers but during the 1897-8 season they were placed in the Western league as Bristol Eastville Rovers. In the following year they dropped "Eastville". Turning professional in 1897, the club eventually moved into the Southern League in 1904-5 and were founder members of Division Three in 1920. In the early 1930s the club adopted blue and white quarters as their colours, the manager apparently believing this combination made the team look bigger.
Sadly they were forced to moved from the old Eastville Stadium, shared Bath City’s Twerton park for 10 years and then moved to the Memorial Stadium at Horfield.

So after 94 years in the Football league, yesterday fans ran riot at the stadium, a police horse was “punched”! and six people were arrested. Meanwhile at Torquay, where the home club was already relegated, Wycombe’s manager Gareth Ainsworth said before the game that he hoped to tell his children a fairy story about the day his team survived-he can write the tale now having won 3-0. The bottom of the league looks like this:

22^nd Wycombe Wanderers           P46 W12 D14 L20 GD -8

23^rd Bristol Rovers                         P46 W12 D14 L20 GD-11
To add insult to injury this was posted after the game:-

It is with deep regret that tomorrow's charity match at the Memorial Stadium between Bristol Rovers Legends and Bristol City Legends has been postponed.

After the result and relegation of Bristol Rovers on Saturday the organisers do not think it would be in the interest of the charities to hold the event so soon after the disappointment.

The club hopes to arrange a new date later this month, details of which will be posted on their website www.kickingoutforkids.org.uk

SAD!

HEATHENS SURVIVE FINAL COUNTDOWN

Birmingham City survived the drop from the Championship by the skin of their teeth yesterday. Originally formed in 1875 from a clutch of Trinity church cricketers in Bordesley, they became Small Heath Alliance. Having dropped the Alliance, Small Heath was, reputedly, the first club to become a limited company (1888). Known then as the Heathens, the club played on waste ground and joined Division Two in 1892. The name changed to Birmingham FC in 1905, they moved to St Andrew's Ground in 1906, adding City to their name in 1943. In 2014, with the club's affairs in disarray, their £65,000 a week striker, Nikola Zigic, managed a goal after 78 minutes on Saturday to help them survive in the Championship. But it was Paul Caddis' leveller in stoppage time that forced the 2-2 draw against Bolton, from being 0-2 down. Poor Doncaster playing at Leicester City (the champions) had little hope of getting the points to keep them up, so they join Barnsley and Yeovil in Division One next year. Remaining in the Championship will give new stability to the proposed sale of the club by parent company Birmingham International Holdings Ltd. This will give the club some credence when it comes to signing new players for the coming season and no doubt Lee Clark will be employed, at least in Autumn.

CLEVER CLASHES IN DIVISION TWO

Over the past ten months the teams in each division of the 125 year old Football League have battled out to find themselves automatically promoted, in the play offs or fighting for survival. This last weekend throws up some fascinating matches in Division Two, proving that the fixtures team at the FL don't just pick these games on a Friday afternoon when everyone else has gone to the pub early or rely on a random computer selection.
Chesterfield are already up but could lose their champion status if they fail at home to Fleetwood (4th); Fleetwood, safe in the play offs, need to maintain momentum. Rochdale (2nd) are away to lowly Newport (14th). Rochdale could become champions. Scunthorpe (3rd) could catch Rochdale if they win at York City (6th). York could come 5th or 7th if they get a positive result. Southend (7th) play Burton (5th) and could overtake them. 8th place Oxford United (8th) with nothing to play for are at home to Northampton, who could embarrass themselves by ending up in the relegation pair if they get hammered and if Wycombe Wanderers (23rd) pull a miracle out of the hat, away to Torquay (24th)-Bristol Rovers might consider themselves safe! So who has nothing to play for over this final weekend? Well done fixtures guru.

1	Chesterfield	45	30	81pts
2	Rochdale	45	22	81
3	Scunthorpe	45	24	80
4	Fleetwood	45	15	76
5	Burton	45	6	72
6	York	45	11	70
7	Southend	45	16	69
8	Oxford Utd	45	5	62
9	Plymouth	45	-7	59
10	Bury	45	8	58
11	Portsmouth	45	-10	58
12	Dag & Red	45	-7	57
13	Mansfield	45	-10	57
14	Newport	45	-4	55
15	Cheltenham	45	-9	55
16	Accrington	45	-3	54
17	Hartlepool	45	-4	53
18	Wimbledon	45	-7	53
19	Morecambe	45	-12	53
20	Exeter	45	-5	52
21	Bristol Rovers	45	-10	50
22	Northampton	45	-17	50
23	Wycombe	45	-11	47
24	Torquay	45	-21	45