Ever remember those guys in your school who’d simply support Manchester United on the basis ‘that they won the most cups?’ This new found love for the most successful team in the land had nothing to do with passion, geographical location or even that United played the best football, but pure and simply glory supporting. When asked to name the starting XI, most people could only come up with ‘Ermm Beckham? Giggs? Ermmm..does Steven Gerrard play for them? He wears red?’
However, in terms of annoyingness regarding choice of football clubs, nothing can be more frustrating than seeing a celebrity declare their love for ‘insert name of random English club here.’ Be it for a publicity stunt, or genuinely supporting their chosen side but in the most irritatingly public manner possible, choosing an English team has become a new fad among celebrities. It’s slightly less controversial than adopting African babies, but highly infuriating for the real fans who spent their time wondering why these so-called fans don’t actually put some of their millions into the club they support. Here are 15 celebrities that make the prawn sandwich brigades look like a set of die-hard hooligans.
Click on Will Ferrell below to get the ball rolling
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Leighton Baines has admitted to being surprised at the lack of interest Manchester United showed in signing him.
Early in the transfer window lots of speculation linked the 27 year old with a move to Old Trafford but Sir Alex Ferguson opted for Alexander Buttner instead.
Buttner signed from Vitesse and appears to have been signed as back up to Patrice Evra, who will remain United’s first choice at left back, despite a sloppy start to this season, and sub-par performance last year.
Baines told The Metro, “People were asking me and yet I didn’t know anything. It was getting mentioned that often that I was getting puzzled by it and yet I heard nothing.”
The England international stated he is content at Everton, but wants to play Champions League football and would be unlikely to turn down a move to United.
“I’ve never been one to rock the boat. I appreciate the position I’m in life and I love what I do. At the same time you do have to have ambition because it doesn’t last long and before you know it’s over.
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“The main thing in football at club level is the Champions League which is always going to be an aim and if you can do that it strengthens your chances at International level as well.”
Dwight Yorke has branded Manchester United’s decision to sell Danny Welbeck to Arsenal for £16m over the summer a “disgrace”.
The Red Devils sanctioned the deal just hours before the transfer deadline close during the last window after Louis van Gaal had deemed the England international to be surplus to requirements.
The Dutchman had secured moves for Radamel Falcao and Angel di Maria, leaving his attacking options plentiful, which freed the 23-year-old for the switch.
WANT MORE? >> Manchester United transfer news | Arsenal transfer news
Welbeck has since impressed for the Gunners, with his hat-trick against Galatasaray taking his tally in north London to four – more than any player in the United squad this season.
And after watching other England internationals such as Adam Lallana and Luke Shaw command fees of £25m and £27m respectively, Yorke feels that his old side’s decision was a poor one:
“£16m – that’s a disgrace,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “When Lallana and Shaw have gone for £25m and £27m, that’s pathetic.
“That’s why I cannot understand the market. He had to be a loan deal – especially with Falcao not signing permanently.
“You could let Danny Welbeck go on a year’s loan, get some money and have that option. He’s worth more than £16m in today’s market. Shaw and Lallana – they’re worth that much more than Danny Welbeck?
“I don’t think so. Not with his pace and power.”
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Welbeck netted 29 goals in 142 games for United, which is a record Van Gaal suggested was not befitting of a player in a team of such stature.
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Newcastle’s entire season can be best be summed up in this 8 second video:
[youtube FfnhmuZ27eQ]
The clip is of John Cleese in Clockwise; a film in which Cleese’s character Brian Stimpson finds things consistently going wrong for him despite his best efforts. Stimpson is helpless to change his fortunes. He is little more than a spectator in his own life as the world transpires against him.
“It’s not the despair Laura; I can stand the despair . . . It’s the Hope!”
Struggle we can deal with. We know how to struggle. Struggle is constant. You’ve just got to accept your struggle and keep at it.
But hope, hope hurts. Hope allows you to believe that things may get better. We invest in hope. It consumes us. And when our hope is invariable dashed the fall is much the greater. The low is always lower than the high that hope allowed us.
And there has been a lot of reason to hope at St. James’ Park recently.
First there was Andy Carroll. And then there was Demba Ba and Yohan Cabaye. There was the rise of Tim Krul and Fabricio Coloccini, and the fall of Joey Barton. There was the 2011/12 Manager of the Season and the 2011/12 Goal of the Season. There was the 11-game unbeaten run only ended away by Manchester City.
There was even European football.
But then came the fall. And the fall was tough.
Struggling to fight the good fight on four fronts lead to a season of strife. But there was an acceptance that the 2012/13 season was never going to be as easy as the previous, and everyone knew deep down that the team wasn’t as bad as the table suggested.
It was a struggle, but a struggle with pride. Struggle is something they can do at Newcastle. They’re used to struggle.
But the worst was yet to come.
Worse than selling your local lad to Liverpool. Worse than fighting against relegation when it was supposed to be ‘your season’. Worse than losing 3-0 at home to Sunderland.
There was mediocrity.
The mid-table of the Premier League can be a tragic place. Some are happy to be here, but this happiness is only fleeting. The inevitable demands for European football come a calling. And with European football, the fall back to mid-table mediocrity.
At the top you can win. At the bottom you can survive. But in the middle; in the middle you can only be forgotten.
Nothing happens in the middle. The middle is made up of nowhere men.
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This may sound alright to some. It may even sound appealing. None of this messing around with highs and lows, give me a safe slice of the middle.
But anyone who’s spent anytime here will know different.
We watch football for the excitement. We watch football for the fun.
But there’s nothing fun about knowing that if any of your team’s players actually turn out to be good, they will inevitably be sold. There’s nothing fun about winning seven out of 10 games between November and December, hoping that this time might be different, only to see your team then give up. There’s nothing fun about having nothing to gain, nothing to lose, about knowing your season is essentially pointless.
It would have been easier without the hope. Despair may seem like the worst possible outcome, but those familiar both know that it’s the hope that really hurts.
Everton scored twice in stoppage time help Everton to a dramatic victory over Tottenham at Goodison Park to snatch fourth place in the Premier League.
The Toffees had stuttered of late, drawing three games on the trot after losing at Reading last month, but returned to winning ways on home turf to keep their Champions League dreams alive.
David Moyes was tipped as the favourite to take over at Spurs in the summer before Andre Villas-Boas stepped in and the Portuguese coach will be left cursing his luck after his side threw away their slender lead so late in the game.
Leon Osman saw a shot blocked early on as the hosts started with a vim and vigour missing from their recent performances and only some last ditch defending and excellent goalkeeping from Hugo Lloris stopped them from taking the lead.
The French shot stopper did well to thwart Nikicia Jelavic in the penalty area before Seamus Coleman flashed an effort wide as the first half somehow ended without either defence being breached.
Steven Naismith came on at the break for Everton and almost broke the deadlock straight away, side footing wide after Leighton Baines’ free kick rebounded off the wall.
Their profligacy in front of goal was eventually punished 15 minutes from time when Clint Dempsey’s long range strike clipped off Sylvain Distin and beat Tim Howard.
Substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson then went close to sealing all three points for the visitors only to see his fierce strike come back off the crossbar and from that the home side dug deep to force the equaliser their performance deserved.
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It was Steven Pienaar, a former Spurs player, who did the damage thundering a header past Lloris in the 90th minute from Seamus Coleman’s cross.
And just over a minute late the turnaround was complete as Jelavic swept home the winner after Apostolos Vellios’ overhead kick fell into his path eight yards out to bring Moyes roaring out of the dugout in celebration.
O São Paulo foi beneficiado pela vitória do Corinthians sobre o Oeste, por 1 a 0, neste domingo, e chega à última rodada da fase de grupos do Campeonato Paulista dependendo apenas de suas forças para avançar às quartas de final.
O Tricolor encerrou a 11ª rodada em segundo lugar do Grupo D, com 14 pontos contra 17 do Ituano, que já está classificado. O Oeste poderia pular à frente do São Paulo, mas perdeu e ficou estacionado nos 12 pontos.
Uma vitória sobre o São Caetano, às 21h30 de quarta-feira, no Anacleto Campanella, basta para o São Paulo avançar. Se empatar, o time do Morumbi ainda poderá ter sua pontuação igualada pelo Oeste, que recebe o Mirassol em Barueri no mesmo horário. No saldo de gols, no entanto, a vantagem são-paulina é confortável: 3 contra -1.
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Se quiser terminar essa fase na liderança do Grupo D para fazer o jogo de volta das quartas em casa, o São Paulo precisará vencer, torcer para o Ituano perder para o Corinthians, no Novelli Júnior, também às 21h30 de quarta, e ainda tirar a diferença no saldo de gols. O Ituano leva vantagem de 8 a 3 no momento.
Se avançar, seja em primeiro ou segundo, o São Paulo enfrentará o Ituano nas quartas.
وشهد تشكيل آرسنال، تواجد الوافد الجديد كاي هافيرتز على مقاعد البدلاء، بينما غاب محمد النني عن التشكيلتين الأساسية والاحتياطية. تشكيل آرسنال اليوم أمام نورنبيرج
حراسة المرمى: أرون رامسديل.
خط الدفاع: وايت، ساليبا، جابرييل، كيفيور.
خط الوسط: بارتي، تروسارد، أوديجارد.
خط الهجوم: ساكا، نيلسون، نيكيتاه.
🔴 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️
🔙 Wilo returns 🪄 Odegaard in the middle 📞 Eddie leads the line
Let’s do this, Gunners ✊
Live coverage on https://t.co/4KJlfKW7rt 📺 — Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 13, 2023
ولعب الفريقان مباراة ودية في العام الماضي، خلال الموسم التحضيري أيضًا، وانتهت بفوز آرسنال بخمسة أهداف مقابل ثلاثة، وسجل محمد النني حينها هدفًا صاروخيًا.
⏪ Last time out v FC Nurnberg…
🚀 Mo with the long-range rocket pic.twitter.com/bIj60R5cFa — Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 13, 2023
Alan Richardson’s hat-trick and Thilan Samaraweera’s 99 gave Worcestershire the edge against Leicestershire at Grace Road.
29-Aug-2013 ScorecardAlan Richardson took the first hat-trick of his career•PA Photos
Alan Richardson and Thilan Samaraweera were the stars as Worcestershire gained the edge againstLeicestershire at Grace Road. Veteran seamer Richardson claimed the first hat-trick of his career and Sri Lankan Samaraweera hit an unbeaten 99 as Worcestershire closed the second day nine runs ahead of the hosts.With 38-year-old Richardson taking their last three wickets in three balls, Leicestershire were bowled out for 274, having added only four runs to their overnight score. Then, despite losing their first three wickets for 55 runs, Worcestershire recovered to close the second day on 265 for 5, with Samaraweera one run away from completing his second century against Leicestershire this season.There was another excellent innings as well from 19-year-old Tom Fell, who earlier this month signed a two-year professional contract with Worcestershire. He was out for 84, just 11 runs short of posting his Championship-best score.Fell and Samaraweera shared a fourth wicket stand of 181 in 56 overs and, at 236 for 3, Worcestershire looked to have a stranglehold on the game. But Shiv Thakor, the seventh bowler used by Leicestershire, brought them back into the match with two wickets in two overs. Fell, having faced 167 balls and hit 14 fours, edged behind to wicketkeeper, Niall O’Brien, and Joe Leach was brilliantly caught at slip by Greg Smith when Thakor again found the edge.It meant the day started and ended with a flurry of wickets. Richardson, who had already picked up two wickets on the first day to take his total for the season past 50, struck with the last ball of his 24th over and then the first two of his next, to bag the first hat-trick of his long and successful career. He had Ollie Freckingham caught at slip and then nailed both Matthew Hoggard and Alex Wyatt lbw to finish with figures of 5 for 57.Three more wickets fell before lunch – all of them lbw decisions. Openers Daryl Mitchell and Matthew Pardoe were Hoggard victims and Moeen Ali was trapped in front by Ben Raine. But Samaraweera and Fell dominated for the next three-and-a-half hours as the home attack toiled on a slow pitch.Samaraweera reached his 50 off 98 balls with eight fours and Fell brought up his half-century off 97 balls with seven boundaries. Then Thakor’s two late wickets gave Leicestershire a glimmer of hope again.
قيّم لاعب وسط الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد الجديد، جود بيلينجهام، أول أسبوع من العودة إلى التدريبات والعمل مع المدرب، كارلو أنشيلوتي.
وتعاقد ريال مدريد مع بيلينجهام قادمًا من صفوف بوروسيا دورتموند مقابل 103 ملايين يورو، مع عقد مدته 6 سنوات ينتهي في 30 يونيو 2029.
اقرأ أيضًا.. رودريجو: أتمنى انضمام مبابي إلى ريال مدريد.. ولكن
وتحدث الإنجليزي في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية، وقال: “أشعر بفرحة غامرة في كل لحظة أعيشها داخل ريال مدريد”.
وتابع: “استمتع بوقتي في التدريبات مع أنشيلوتي، أتعلم من الجميع سواء اللاعبين أو الجهاز الفني”.
وتغزل بيلينجهام في زميله الجديد، توني كروس، وقال: “أستاذ، أحد أهم صفاته هو دقة التمرير، تذهب الكرة حيث يريد، ما زال يحافظ على مهاراته رغم أننا ما زلنا في الأسبوع الأول، لكن اللعب بجانبه ممتع عكس مشاهدته عبر التلفزيون”.
والتدريبات: “بينتوس (مدرب اللياقة) يؤهلنا للموسم، يحاول أن يجهزنا بأفضل طريقة ممكنة، يجعلنا في بعض الأحيان نعاني، يحب رؤيتنا هكذا، لكنها وظيفته ويقوم بها بشكل جيد للغاية وهو أمر مهم قبل المباريات الرسمية”.
Ed Cowan and James Taylor both enjoyed plenty of time in the middle on the final day in Hove, but only one of them has any real chance of playing in the third Test
Brydon Coverdale in Hove28-Jul-2013 ScorecardEd Cowan made his second half-century of the match but is unlikely to win a Test recall at Old Trafford•PA Photos
Ed Cowan and James Taylor both enjoyed plenty of time in the middle on the final day in Hove, but only one of them has any real chance of playing in the third Test at Old Trafford next week. Taylor’s unbeaten 121, scratchy though it was through its early stages, will give him some confidence as he travels to Manchester, where his fate will rest on the fitness of Kevin Pietersen. Cowan’s 77 not out, compiled with the help of some buffet bowling late in the afternoon, will boost his tour tally but won’t earn him a Test recall.As Australia’s three-day game against Sussex petered out to its inevitable draw, Cowan and Matthew Wade (30 not out) put on an unbeaten 61-run partnership before the players shook hands and play was called off at 5.20pm, the earliest possible stumps time. Cowan might have wanted to push on in pursuit of his first century in a first-class match since November but this game wasn’t about personal milestones so much as preparing players for Test battle.In that regard, it was Usman Khawaja and Phillip Hughes who most wanted a decent hit during Australia’s second innings, although Hughes had already made 84 on the first day. Alas, Khawaja edged to slip for 1 having been promoted to open and Hughes struck 38 during an innings that included a blow to the back of the helmet from Chris Jordan before it ended with a shuffle across the stumps to be lbw to Lewis Hatchett.Cowan brought up his second half-century of the match from his 73rd delivery with a cut for four off Monty Panesar and both he and Wade cleared the short boundary late in the afternoon as Rory Hamilton-Brown served up some full tosses. Cowan struck two sixes, as many has he has during his Test career, but it was the first-innings centurion Steven Smith who gained the most with the bat from this match for the Australians.Earlier, Sussex ended their innings at 368 for 7 after completing 100 overs, the maximum allowed for each team’s first innings under the agreed conditions of this game. Taylor had gone to lunch on 112 and added nine to his total after the break, as Australia’s ring-in player and first-class debutant Ashton Turner leaked a few boundaries during his maiden spell at this level.Taylor might not yet play in the Old Trafford Test but his innings was a timely way to celebrate his England call-up. Taylor brought up his hundred shortly before lunch with a cover-driven boundary off Nathan Lyon from his 233rd delivery, and it capped off a solid morning for his temporary team, as Sussex added 123 to their overnight total in the first session for the loss of two wickets.After the second day’s play, Jackson Bird described Taylor’s innings in underwhelming terms, declaring that although he had batted “quite well” he was “a bit scratchy at times” and had edged a number of deliveries through or wide of the cordon. That was a fair assessment at the time but Taylor looked more comfortable on the third day, especially when driving against the spin of Lyon and Ashton Agar.He also cut Lyon for an attractive boundary but was fortunate to reach his hundred after he lofted Lyon high over his head and was put down by Agar, who was running back with the flight of the ball from mid-on. It was one of two chances put down by the Australians on the third day – Smith’s difficult time in the slips continued when he missed an edge from Callum Jackson off the bowling of Agar.Jackson provided support for Taylor during a 55-run partnership but after he lofted Lyon over long-on for six, he fell next delivery when he played back and was lbw for 26. Lyon finished with 1 for 99 from 26 overs and while his bowling was not poor – he got some dip and turn at times – nor was it often threatening enough to worry the batsmen. He was far from alone on the third day, though, as none of Australia’s attack looked consistently dangerous.Mitchell Starc picked up the other wicket of the morning when he came around the wicket to Jordan (47) and knocked his leg stump out of the ground with a fullish delivery. However, Starc and James Faulkner both had trouble finding consistent lines, as they had on the second day. Bird beat the bat a few times and drew an edge from Jordan that narrowly evaded Khawaja at gully, but was unable to add to the two wickets he claimed on Saturday.