---------------------------------
[19] Ok, own up
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by tb:
Anyone we know?
Police have urged people not to clog up emergency phone lines during the festive
period after a caller dialled 999 and asked: "Can you get me home? I'm drunk."
---------------------------------
[18] Gregory praises Utd
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by tb:
As Shotgun says:
"I think it's a foregone conclusion - unless Barcelona come with a late run!
"They showed yet again against us what an excellent side they are and their results
this season prove they are much better than anyone else.
"They just keep plugging away and, as biased as I am towards my team, I have to give
credit where it is due - and there is a lot due to Manchester United.
"I have got no complaints about the result although United missed the kind of
gilt-edged chances that they normally stick away.
"When that was happening I thought it might be our day and we could get away with a
point but they were excellent over the 90 minutes.
"What was disappointing for me was the way we passed the ball although once again I
couldn't fault our effort."
---------------------------------
[17] More praise for Ole
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by tb:
As Fergie says:
"He could have scored four today but he is a magnificent finisher and he put away a
really good header."
---------------------------------
[16] Fergie not getting carried away
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by tb:
"By New Year we will know where any challenge is going to come from but I don't think
anyone in mid-table then can win the League from there.
"We won't get carried away. We will just keep battling away and try and get as many
points on the board as we can."
Ferguson admitted: "When it was 0-0 with five minutes to go I thought it was going to
be one of those days.
"But my players always keep going and driving on and looking for a goal when other
teams might settle for 0-0."
---------------------------------
[15] More Petit rumours
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by tb:
This time from the Indy:
Emmanuel Petit is keen to sign for Manchester United and end his misery with the
Spanish giants Barcelona.
Petit's move from Arsenal has turned into a disaster and now he has put the feelers
out about a sensational return to English football at Old Trafford. The Frenchman
would prefer to go to United despite opportunities to join Chelsea or Fulham. He has
been using his friends in the game to make contact with the champions.
Sir Alex Ferguson is a big fan of Petit, once revealing he was the Premiership
opponent he feared most, but any deal could come down to finance. Barcelona paid £8m
for the 30-year-old and would have to slash that fee before United would invest in a
player of his age.
Hints that Petit may quit football entirely in the summer may be designed to worry
Barça and force them to take less for him now. Petit is also on a huge salary at the
Nou Camp and those terms would have to come down to fit within United's pay scales,
but that should not be a major complication.
United could only use Petit in domestic games. He has already played for Barcelona in
the Champions' League and would be ineligible for them. However, Ferguson could be
tempted as he has no cover for his captain, Roy Keane, and is looking for
reinforcements at the back, where Petit has been performing this term.
---------------------------------
[14] Priceless Giggsy
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by tb:
By Ken Lawrence in the Moral:
Ryan Giggs arrives at Villa Park today having confirmed himself as the one, true total
footballer in the Premier-ship and a player even more important to Manchester United
than his close friend and colleague David Beckham.
The Welshman's devastating performance against Ipswich on Saturday suggested that he
can play anywhere.
A multi-functional exponent of the beautiful game, Giggs may have made his name as a
wiry left winger but will soon complete the decade of development that had made him
the embodiment of his side's success.
Ipswich, the side with the best away record in the Premiership, were undone by Ole
Gunnar Solskjaer, who scored two stunning goals in the space of 11 first-half minutes,
both emanating from driven through balls delivered by Beckham.
But it was Giggs who really terrorised George Burley's team at Old Trafford. If, as
seems likely, he is again deployed in the role of central attacker against Aston
Villa, the warm glow they felt after beating Leeds United will be chilled by the fear
of taking on a player whom the Ipswich manager deemed 'unplayable'.
Giggs, who will complete 10 years in the United side in March, was as comfortable,
composed and creative playing alongside Solskjaer as he looks in his more accustomed
left-wing berth.
He has also been utilised as a midfielder given freedom to run from deep positions, as
a right-winger and even, when the chips have been down, as a defensive flank man.
His crosses may sometimes be somewhat short of those delivered by Beckham but Giggs
has more pace to dart past defenders, whether it be on the wing or in a midfield
traffic jam, and the power in the air that have brought him several goals.
Beckham, of course, has a deserved reputation as the best crosser of a ball in the
world, while his commitment and leadership skills have now made him England captain.
More demonstrative both off and on the field than the unassuming Giggs, Beckham makes
more noise. More people notice him.
But when United lost their first home Premiership game in two years against Liverpool
nine days ago, Beckham's talents were negated because he had no-one to aim at in the
absence of the suspended Dwight Yorke - who completes his ban today - and Teddy
Sheringham, who is still suffering from a groin injury.
Gerard Houllier's team also clogged up the midfield and Giggs, who began the Liverpool
game wide on the left, was eventually brought into the centre.
While there was to be no success on that occasion, the hour in which he worked with
Solskjaer helped him develop a rapport with the Norwegian. That relationship went on
to dismantle Ipswich and will give Sir Alex Ferguson yet another exciting attacking
option.
Ipswich captain Matt Holland had this warning for the Villa defenders: 'The way Giggs
played was remarkable, almost like he was made for that central role. His speed of
thought and of action is incredible and I believe he could play anywhere.
'When he has the ball at his feet, his pace is outstanding and he also has more
strength than would first appear. He is very difficult to force off the ball.'
Bury-born Holland, a former Stretford Ender, added: 'With a player like that coming at
you, tackling becomes too difficult. In the box you simply can't afford to make a
mistake and I think our manager was right - how do you play someone like that?
'There are very few teams, if any, who could have handled him, or the way his runs
provided room for others.'
Giggs was required for only 59 minutes against Ipswich before Ferguson began making
stamina-saving substitutions as his side cruised to an eight-point lead at the top of
the Premiership.
By darting here, there, and everywhere across the line of defenders, Giggs created
constant confusion. Sometimes he would drop deep to gather the ball; on other
occasions he would make a bounding run forward.
Solskjaer, of course, enjoyed the freedom created by his new partner and his pairing
with Giggs not only suggests Villa can expect more of the same today but that the new
formation could be exploited when the Champions League resumes in February.
It also makes pointless any interest Barcelona may have in Giggs, who insists that
when discussions begin in earnest on his new contract, he will not be difficult to
deal with.
He would say that, of course, because he rarely takes himself seriously and values his
connection with Ferguson and United so much. But if any of those currently awaiting
contract talks were able to name their price to remain, Giggs would surely be most
likely to succeed.
Beckham or Paul Scholes might command transfer fees of at least £30million each. But
Giggs is simply priceless.
---------------------------------
[13] Oops!
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by tb:
THIEVES who stole a BMW estate car leased to Mersey Region Ambulance
are being warned the drugs stored on board the vehicle are
potentially fatal.
The car was taken from the driveway of a house in south Liverpool
during the early hours of yesterday and among the items was a full
paramedic uniform.
It is believed the thieves may not have realised the vehicle was an
ambulance as it was unmarked and appeared to be just a normal estate
car.
The silver grey 318SE, registration number S105 ENM was stolen from
outside a house on Rudston Road, Childwall, between midnight and 6am.
A Merseyside Police spokesman said: "There is a range of drugs in a
bag which was left in the rear as well as intravenous needles, a
resuscitation kit and a defibralator.
"Among the drugs inside include Atropine, Aspirin, Diazamule,
Lignocaine, Narcan and Salbutamol.
"These drugs, either individually or together, have the potential to
kill and we would urge anyone who knows where the vehicle is or who
was responsible for the theft to contact their nearest police
station."
---------------------------------
[12] Safe Standing latest
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by tb:
Whilst understanding the sensitivity of the standing debate to the Hillsborough Family
Support Group, a debate based on fact rather than emotion is what is needed. Hoey
should at least be applauded for sticking her neck out (not common in a politician)
for rasing the standard of the debate. The below article is from Ananova.
STANDING areas must never return to England's top flight clubs,
members of the Hillsborough Family Support Group said last night.
They were reacting to a suggestion from Sports Minister Kate Hoey
that limited standing places could be re-introduced to Premiership
terraces.
Families of victims of the 1989 disaster responded angrily after Ms
Hoey commented she would consider bringing back safely-designed
standing areas using new technology and would like to see a pilot
scheme introduced.
But a spokesman for the Sports Minister said she was prepared to meet
with relatives of the victims to discuss their concerns.
Support group chairman Trevor Hicks, whose two daughters Sarah, 19
and Victoria, 15, were among the 96 victims at Hillsborough
said: "There are no technical, economic or safety reasons why we
should bring back terraces.
"We are struggling to believe the insensitivity of Ms Hoey's remarks
at such an emotionally difficult time for our families over
Christmas."
"We have already asked our supporters to contact their MPs to oppose
any moves to bring standing terraces back as the first step in our
campaign to prevent this act of folly. They say technology has moved
on since 1989 but it is our view that no terraces are safe.
"Everybody said the Hillsborough ground was safe and look what
happened."
And her arguments sparked a ministerial row when Culture Secretary
Chris Smith, insisted the government stood firm on its committment to
all-seater stadiums.
Ms Hoey made her comments in an interview on BBC1's Weekend Watchdog
programme.
She said: "What this is about really is whether it is possible if the
clubs and certain supporters want it - to have pilots perhaps of safe
designed standing areas, very small and well-controlled."
And she was adamant there would be no return to large scale terraces
holding thousands of supporters that could lead to surges and
crushing.
Ms Hoey added she had been impressed with a German scheme in Hamburg
where new technology allowed parts of the ground to be converted from
seated into standing room.
Her suggestions have met with support from other quarters of the
footballing community.
Sir Rodney Walker, the new Wembley chairman, backed the the
introduction of standing areas.
He said: "I know Kate Hoey is a minister who listens to the fans and
they have never stopped saying they wish there was some standing
terracing available for them."
Malcolm Clarke, the Chairman of the Football Supporters Association
said: "We support proposals to introduce small pockets of standing
room.
"What is misleading about people's reaction to standing room is such
terraces already exist at large numbers of lower division football
grounds, rugby league and union clubs and huge pop concert venues."
And Rogan Taylor, the Director of the Football Research Unit at
Liverpool University added: "The usefulness of Kate Hoey's remarks is
that she has brought the issue into the open and shown that most
Premiership clubs are at the moment hiding behind a 'fig leaf' by
saying it isn't safe to have standing room."
But he added he did not expect club backers who have spent millions
of pounds building new all-seater stadia to be prepared to convert
them to standing room.
---------------------------------
[11] Fergie - always on the look out
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by tb:
Liverpool and Chelsea currently house the cream of Premiership talent outside Old
Trafford - according to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
The man who has guided United through a decade of dominance in English football and a
crowning glory in Europe's Champions League last year is satisfied that he has
"probably half-a-dozen genuine international class" players in his own squad.
But that does not stop him casting an envious eye elsewhere - and it most often
alights on Anfield and Stamford Bridge, to judge by his comments in the Daily
Telegraph.
Perhaps the most surprising inclusion in his wish list, though, is West Ham's fiery
Italian Paolo di Canio whom he rates a "marvellous player" well capable of
representing his country despite what Ferguson terms as the "baggage" he carries with
him.
Di Canio is joined by two more predictable picks from Chelsea in Frenchman Marcel
Desailly and the West Ham forward's fellow Italian Gianfranco Zola - while Liverpool's
German wing-back Markus Babbel and his team-mates Patrik Berger and Vladimir Smicer
from the Czech Republic also fall into Ferguson's top category along with Arsenal's
Patrick Vieira.
The United boss said: "Vieira has now established himself as the best midfielder the
French have.
"Marcel Desailly has proved himself at the top level. I would say Gianfranco Zola is
definitely international class but he doesn't play for Italy.
"I know there is always a bit of baggage with Paolo di Canio, but he is a marvellous
player -international class. He should also be playing for Italy."
David O'Leary's expensively assembled Leeds squad cuts less ice with Ferguson, with
the notable exception of Harry Kewell.
Instead Anfield is clearly the place where Ferguson sees most to interest him -
although he conspicuously leaves out any mention of England forward Robbie Fowler who
is the man so often recently linked with a move to Old Trafford.
"At Liverpool, Markus Babbel is international standard - at wing-back. Definitely
Patrik Berger and Vladimir Smicer, a good player for the Czech Republic.
Asked about Leeds, he added: "I am not so sure. Harry Kewell is without doubt the star
in that team. Him coming back makes them a better team.
"He's very good. It's a pity he's Australian because he is the best young player in
England."
---------------------------------
[10] Final score
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by tb:
Villa 0 Utd 1 (Ole -85 mins)
After being completely in control without having anything to show for it for most of
the game, Ole came up trumps from a typical Becks cross with 5 minutes to go. Great
save by Fab from Bob de Bilde just beforehand.
---------------------------------
[9] Scholesy in the Moral
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by tb:
"It's the England team and I'd like to see them with an English manager.
"I don't know why they didn't give Peter the job full-time instead of just asking him
to take care of things for a while, especially as he's English.
"Peter seems a really nice bloke and a good manager."
Read the above quotes carefully. Now tell me how the Moral manage to get a 'Scholes
criticises Eriksson'headline out of it? The Moral foreigner bashing, surely not!
---------------------------------
[8] More from Fergie
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by bar-knee:
"Both Phil Neville and Nicky Butt are probably playing the best football they have
ever played for the club...Nicky Butt is also playing his best football ever. He has
been absolutely fantastic this season. What you are getting is a maturity from the
players who have been brought up at this club. They've always had that ability and
desire to do well but until you get authority you don't understand what maturity is.
I think they are getting authority in their game now and it is good to see it."
---------------------------------
[7] Shotgun Gregory on differences at Villa & Utd
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by bar-knee:
"The trouble here is that the chairman thinks we're like Manchester
United, but acts small. We have to put up with that. He thinks we're the only club in
the area, and that everybody has to support Aston Villa. He [Ellis] expects
everybody to come to us automatically. He's stuck in a time-warp, which does make
things more difficult. We're dragging him, kicking and screaming, into the
millennium."
---------------------------------
[6] Possible Utd team
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by bar-knee:
Abd remember whilst we were stuffing our faces and reaching 'one more wafer thin mint
sir?'stages, the Utd players were deep in a training session.
Possible United: Barthez, P.Neville, Silvestre, Brown, G.Neville, Keane, Scholes,
Beckham, Giggs, Fortune, Solskjaer.
Subs (from): van der Gouw, Wallwork, Greening, Chadwick, Healy, Butt or Irwin.
---------------------------------
[5] Fergie will back his replacement
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by bar-knee:
"The important thing is there's a great structure at the club, and I'm sure they will
pick the right man. He will get my 100 per cent support because I'm a United man."
---------------------------------
[4] Idle transfer talk
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by bar-knee:
In the SUN you may be suprised to hear. This time about Bosnich - first mention in a
while - moving to Monaco.
A source at Monaco said: "Bosnich has been watched on several
occasions but the club believed he wouldn't be prepared to move from
United. However, things have apparently changed. Fabien has been very impressed with
his attitude since he found himself completely out of favour at Old Trafford and a
£2m bid is on the cards."
---------------------------------
[3] Fergie - I don't want to talk to you lot
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by bar-knee:
No, not us (you know our number Sir Alex!) but the seagulls.
"That's the one part I will not miss I can assure you, the media
attention of the club. A lot of people criticise us for not being media friendly,
which for my mind is a load of nonsense. We give as much as we need to give and
that's all you have to do. If I were to do all the interviews and the players had to
give all their interviews that they had to do then we would not win a game, there's
no question about that.
It's insatiable the interest in this place. You have to be tough. You have to say
we're not doing this or we're not doing that and we're not doing the next thing and
get on with the job of preparing to play important games. I include myself and
sometimes a Friday is agony. You've got them all - radio, TV, Sundays, dailies and
evenings and it's very, very difficult."
Just do what we do - don't answer the phone!
---------------------------------
[2] Blomqvist later - is the truth out there
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by bar-knee:
As Fergie says of Jesper Blomqvist: "Jesper's nowhere near a return. He's not even
ready to start training with the first team yet unfortunately. I had hoped he'd be on
his way back next month but that's not materialised. He's only really at the remedial
stage. He's improving but he's not really at where I thought he would be.
It is desperately disappointing for him. It's not easy to cope with what he's gone
through, it's difficult when you haven't played for a year and a half. We are just
going to have to wait and see with him. I am not going to put any time schedule on
it."
Sadly this seems to back up rumours we've had in RN about the possibility of May 26th
1999 actually being his last game for Utd. We hope not but there just doesn't seem to
be an improvement - and this likeable player looks like he's back to square one again.
---------------------------------
[1] Pie in the Sky fantasy
---------------------------------
Posted Tuesday, December 26, 2000 by bar-knee:
And whoever in whichever pub set this rumour off surely can't believe it got as far as
Joe Royle having to deny that city were about to make a bid for Dwight Yorke - as if!
But Potatohead said: "This is just not true. It's not even agents stirring the pot."
---------------------------------
[3] Kenyon in S.E. Tier 2 on Sat
---------------------------------
Posted Monday, December 25, 2000 by redend:
The Chief Exec of the PLC sat in Tier 2 of the Stretty on Saturday. We understand this
was broadly in response to consultaton with IMUSA about atmsophere and stewarding etc.
At half time he even appeared underneath the stand - by the bars - where he answered
questions amongst the sweaty Stella monsters (aka Jonah). Much of the talk surrounded
Special Projects Security and how most supporters had lost all trust in them and would
actually prefer GM Police now.
There was a particularly sweet moment for this RN agent as the purple jacketed chief
steward (who I'd recently had a run in with) appeared on the scene. His face matched
his jacket as he tried to fix a false smile while watching Kenyon nodding in agreement
as the SPS etc. were criticised.
Will it make any difference? Well - you have to admit that Kenyon is making a lot of
effort - and will probably be flexible on prety much anything as long as it doesn't
directly impact negatively on PLC profits. The honeymoon is not over yet.
---------------------------------
[2] A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL
---------------------------------
Posted Monday, December 25, 2000 by bar-knee:
Very merry Christmas to all of you - hope you all have a good one with our very best
wishes. Just to prove the point we've dusted down the Red News joke book for an
ancient cracker.
What do city and a turkey have in common?
They both get stuffed at Xmas!
To those of you who were expecting a pair of socks from santa but instead got a
computer and are new to this site - a big hello. www.rednews.co.uk brings you news 365
days a year, updated throughout the 24 hours in a day (wow...), keeping you ban
up-to-date with goings on involving United. The fanzine and web site run alongside
each other but with different content - what you see here is different to the mag and
vice versa. Have a look around the site for features including match reports for the
reserves and first team, a shop section and photo gallery - and bookmark
www.rednews.co.uk on your online options.
Anyway, see you at Villa hopefully but wherever you are in the world reading this, we
really do hope you have a good one and remember - there's nothing on earth to match
Manchester United!
---------------------------------
[1] Team news for Villa game
---------------------------------
Posted Monday, December 25, 2000 by bar-knee:
'Aston Villa welcome back Dion Dublin... The striker missed Saturday's victory over
Leeds due to his wife giving birth to a daughter on Friday night. Midfielder Ian
Taylor (hamstring) and striker Julian Joachim (broken toe) are ruled out.
United are without the suspended Dwight Yorke and Teddy Sheringham misses out again
with a hamstring injury. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ryan Giggs are likely to team up in
attack again. Nicky Butt is available again after sitting out the 2-0 win over Ipswich
with an ankle injury.'
---------------------------------
[14] Team from Ipswich
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, December 24, 2000 by bar-knee:
Barthez, Gary Nev, Phil Nev, Brown, Silvestre (getting better all the time), Beckham
(great passes), Keane, Scholes, Fortune (off day), Ole, Giggs (subs, Wallwork,
Greening, Healy).
Goals - Ole, 20,32
And what was that new dj on about yesterday when he announced the crowd - 67,597
'crowd for a festive feast of football' was his exact quote - come back Keith Fane all
is forgiven!
---------------------------------
[13] Houllier thinks it will be 11 years and counting
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, December 24, 2000 by bar-knee:
"I don't think Manchester United will drop 10 points in the second half of the season.
I still regret that we are possibly five or six points short if we are to have a run
at the Champions League. Even if we have beaten them, it doesn't mean we are at
Manchester United's level. We are not. But this team will get better in the second
half of the season."
Scousers must be doing their nuts listening to him continually praising us!
---------------------------------
[12] Compare and contrast Utd '68 to Utd 2000
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, December 24, 2000 by bar-knee:
Fergie and Bobby Charlton do.
"This is the best side this club has ever had. I have spoken to Bobby about this a
couple of times and he probably shares that opinion. It is difficult to compare eras.
But the number of games they have got, the media profile they have nowadays, these
players handle it very well. The statistics point to that also. They have surpassed
the '68 team. The '58 team, no one knows. That probably would have been the greatest
team ever, but no one knows.
The point about this team is that it is not me that has to make the decisions about
their place in football history. They will do that themselves. If they keep that
momentum going, keep winning, eventually people will say it's a terrific team.
At the moment there will still be some discerning, reluctant voice about how well they
have done. The important thing, the vital ingredient, is that hunger they have got,
wanting to achieve. That's what pleases me. And when you have seen them growing up
together. It's terrific.'
My players want to win, they have great pride, they are hungry. The hunger they have
got is nothing to do with putting bread on the table or getting £1 million in the
bank. It is about trying to achieve things, and then strive for other things. They
have been great that way. You always hope there is a percentage, an inch of
improvement to come. That is the way life is. We have got to be like that, it's a
moving bus, we can't wait for people.
I think the maturity this team has shown is the main reason for that. The players have
grown up together, it's a good team now, a really good team. The team spirit has got
better. They have forged a lot of friendships that are going to last, there is a good
spirit in the dressing room. Even when a player is left out, they are sharing in his
disappointment, because they are friends.
And if a player is left out, he is supporting the player who has got his position. I
think that is unusual in modern football.
After New Year we will have a good indication of where the main challenges are coming
from, by the halfway stage. If we can be in first place on New Year's Day when we play
West Ham, we will have a big chance then. As chasing teams, I don't think you can
ever give up on these things. Look at '98 when we were 12 points ahead of Arsenal and
they won the league from us. You can't say for certain.
But I would like to think, unless we have a catastrophe of an injury list, that if
we're 12 points ahead this year we won't lose it."
---------------------------------
[11] Fergie on Ole
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, December 24, 2000 by bar-knee:
"The two goals from Ole Gunnar were absolutely magnificent, particularly the second
goal which was absolutely stunning. You always feel when he's near the penalty box
you've got a chance of scoring. He's deadly, a marvellous player."
---------------------------------
[10] You couldn't make it up...
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, December 24, 2000 by bar-knee:
The whole nation was talking about the standing debate and what is the top news story
on the official site? See below!
'MUDA's Superpools in the Community scheme received a major boost this week with the
delivery of a new van. Matthew Morton of Volkswagen UK kindly presented the vehicle to
Carol Kirby at Old Trafford, aided by Matthew Johnstone of Smith Knight Fay. The van
will enable MUDA to tour the districts where the Superpools lottery is promoted and
ultimately raise more money for stadium improvements and for local children's
hospitals.'
---------------------------------
[9] Giggs fancies staying
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, December 24, 2000 by bar-knee:
"It's the success and sustaining it that drives players on here. There are other clubs
across Europe who would throw money at some of the players here - so why haven't we
all taken flight and joined them? Of course times are changing and as the game evolves
your pay is reviewed, like any other industry. It's fair to say a footballer's career
is short-lived and you need to safeguard your financial future. But I have always
maintained that as long as I am happy I don't care what other players are earning -
and that remains the case to this day."
---------------------------------
[8] Fergie - my team will stay United
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, December 24, 2000 by bar-knee:
"I would put my life on the players staying - as long as we look after them. Nothing
is certain in life but I don't think they want to leave Manchester United. I think we
have the financial clout to keep our best players. We will look after them. We have a
great set-up. There's a good structure at this club and we don't to break it. It's all
about continuity."
---------------------------------
[7] More from Fergie
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, December 24, 2000 by bar-knee:
"The first half was a really exhilarating performance by us. The football was fast and
quick and the tempo was good and we had good penetration in our game. It was the kind
of performance we hoped we were going to get last Sunday. But I think you do get blips
in the game and the important thing is to recover and we did that well today. I
thought the goals by Solskjaer were absolutely stunning, particularly the second one.
It was a great ball from David Beckham and controlled and hit before the defender
could get on him."
Healy was very unlucky and it was a good header. He made a good run to the front post.
He worked very hard, showed his temperament and that's all we need to ask of the boy
at this moment."
---------------------------------
[6] Burley thinks we've won it
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, December 24, 2000 by bar-knee:
"...United are virtually odds on to win it. You can see the squad of players and they
had maybe four or five players out today. But look at the players coming in, they're
all world class and they're covering themselves because you do get injuries and
suspensions and at the moment I can't see anyone catching them."
---------------------------------
[5] Fergie on yesterday
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, December 24, 2000 by bar-knee:
"We're very happy with the table, but if you look at the fixtures it's maybe a false
picture at this moment in time. We've a lot of tough games to come and Arsenal have
played all their big away games, like Leeds, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham. We've
still to go to these grounds. March and April are the months, they're what searches
out everyone. It's very tough then for everyone and you never get it easy."
---------------------------------
[4] Red News makes up it's own Utd transfer talk!
---------------------------------
Posted Sunday, December 24, 2000 by bar-knee:
Spotted at Old Trafford on Saturday was a defender from Bruges, who are currently top
of the Belgian league . This player apparently had an excellent game against Overmars
in Bruges' recent 1-1 draw at the Nou Camp against Barcelona in the UEFA cup, although
Bruges lost the tie having already been beaten 2-0 at home. However, it seems the
Neville job-share position at full-back is safe for the time being as the visitor was
simply that - a Christmas visitor to Old Trafford during the Belgian mid-season break.
But it's a shame that Fergie isn't planning to sign the young Belgian as his name is
Olivier De Cock. We'll leave you to make up your own Overmars jokes and to dream of
the possibilities for Boylie's song writing skills if we signed a player with a name
like that!
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[3] Classic quote
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Posted Sunday, December 24, 2000 by bar-knee:
"Nobody tells me how I should present myself in public. I will completely shit on
anybody who doesn't like that."
Bayern captain Stefan Effenberg after criticism from club chief Franz Beckenbauer for
what he wore at the Xmas do - cowboy boots and lederhosen. How bizarre.
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[2] Great fish and chip paper
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Posted Sunday, December 24, 2000 by bar-knee:
Sunday Mirror goes for the full sweep of nonsense today.
1) 'The title race isn't over yet. Liverpool...gave the chasing pack real hope that
the Champions can be caught'. Er, real hope as we're 8 points clear. If that's
pressure I'll take that any day!
2] O'Leary wanted as next Utd boss in 'United target' story after he 'won a host of
admirers in the corridors of power at Old Trafford' - news apparently to those in the
corridors of power (incidentally cuddly Peter Kenyon was apparently watching the game
in Tier 2 yesterday - hope he helped putting the banners up!).
3) Barca are about to tell Utd to 'name their price' for Ryan Giggs.
Obviously a slow day for real stories...
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[1] Ticket Office - you are the weakest link
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Posted Sunday, December 24, 2000 by bar-knee:
Guess which club had a 5,500 allocation and still couldn't get it right. Yep, good old
United. They didn't announce that the Fulham game would be on a first-come-first
served basis for tickets - lo and behold people are being sent back their tickets on
Tuesday, two days before the application final date was. Rumours are that United were
then deluged with applications in a fianl push causing people to then get knocked back
as they were 'over subscribed', leaving talk of a ballot pretty impossible if they'd
already sent out tickets...
Only at Old Trafford. And I haven't heard anything yet - so if a Chubb comes my way...
