My Premiership Strategy

[road trip]

So I have become fully addicted to Fox Soccer Channel and as I don't have an official team to support (although I've tried mightily to think of one), I think I'm going to *follow* the teams with US players... Man City (Reyna), Fulham (McBride), Blackburn Rovers (Friedel - oh, and I have this jersey), and Man U (Howard - even though I doubt that I'll technically "root" for Man U).

I'll also *pay attention to* the upper echelon of teams - - Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool (especially if they get Michael Owen back) and even Everton as that's my cousin's team.

I'm hoping that by the end of this season, I'll even have the whole "Cups" thing figured out too.

That's my plan and I'm sticking to it.

[1080Rider]

I seem to fall prey to games once the season has started as well. I've done research regarding champions cup vs. FA cup but can't retain the information .

I'm not sure who to pull for either. I think I'll follow w/ half the free world and just be a man U fan. Real original, I know. I want to pull for the likes of blackburn or even newcastle but the damned blokes will never amount to much.

[flatlander420]

I seem to fall prey to games once the season has started as well. I've done research regarding champions cup vs. FA cup but can't retain the information .

I'm not sure who to pull for either. I think I'll follow w/ half the free world and just be a man U fan. Real original, I know. I want to pull for the likes of blackburn or even newcastle but the damned blokes will never amount to much.

Don't support Man U! I am an Aston Villa supporter all my family supports them as we are from Birmingham. My second team is Newcastle,Alan Shearer is a god in English football. The FA cup is a knock out tournament that any team pro or amatuer that belongs to the FA can enter. Champions league is the top 4 teams from each league in the europe.They play in different random groups in 2 stages then it becomes knockout at the 1/4 final for the best club team in europe which is currently Liverpool,who just won the super cup 3-1 against CSKA Moscow who won the UEFA cup last season .Got it?

[Beaver]

I'm hoping that by the end of this season, I'll even have the whole "Cups" thing figured out too.

Those are the pieces of plastic that keep you from wanting to die if you get kicked in the nuts.

[edg]

Those are the pieces of plastic that keep you from wanting to die if you get kicked in the nuts.

Bwa

edg

[Foggy_Goggles]

Forest!!! oh wait, they haven't been good in 20yrs. They ain't even in the Premiership but I won't ever forget Ol' Big Ed however.

In January 1975, Clough made a quick return to management with Nottingham Forest who were an ungainly Second Division side. He transformed the club's fortunes and his first success at the club came in his second full season (1976-77) when they won promotion to the First Division. In their first season after promotion they were crowned champions of the First Division. And during the 1978-79 season, Clough signed the 24-year-old Birmingham City striker Trevor Francis - Britain's first £1million footballer. The season was rounded off with victory in the European Cup. A year later, Clough guided Forest to a second successive European Cup. It was not until 1989 that Clough and Forest would enjoy another major trophy success, this time over Luton Town in the League Cup. A year later, Clough guided Forest to another League Cup victory, this time over Oldham Athletic. In 1991 Forest reached their first F.A Cup final under Brian Clough, but lost 2-1 to Tottenham Hotspur. They reached the League Cup final again in 1992, but lost 1-0 to Manchester United.

The 1992-93 season was Nottingham Forest's 18th season under Brian Clough - and the club's last. They were one of the 22 clubs in the new Premier League, but the sale of key players like Teddy Sheringham and Des Walker saw the club's fortunes take a sharp decline and they were bottom virtually all season. Just before a 2-1 defeat against Sheffield United confirmed the club's relegation after 16 years in the top flight, Clough announced his retirement as manager.


Retirement
Clough retired as manager of Nottingham Forest in May 1993 to be succeeded by the Leyton Orient manager Frank Clark. He spent the majority of his retirement living in Quarndon, Derbyshire before moving to Derby itself.

Much of his retirement was spent concentrating on his fight against alcoholism which had plagued him since the 1970s. He considered applying for the job as manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers on the resignation of Graham Taylor in October 1995, perhaps thinking that he could take the struggling club (then just above the relegation zone in the new First Division) to the same heights he took Nottingham Forest to. But nothing came of it and Clough's managerial career was over. Nottingham Forest honoured him by renaming the City Ground's Executive Stand the Brian Clough Stand.

In January 2003, the 67-year-old Clough underwent a liver transplant, 30 years of heavy drinking had taken its toll and doctors said that Clough would have died within two weeks without a transplant. The transplant gave Brian Clough a new lease of life for the next 20 months.


Death and legacy
Clough died of stomach cancer on 20 September, 2004 at the age of 69.

Such was his popularity that fans of Derby County and Nottingham Forest, usually the fiercest of rivals, mourned together following his passing. A memorial service was held at Derby's Pride Park Stadium on October 21, 2004 which was attended by over 14,000 people. It was originally to be held at Derby Cathedral, but had to be moved due to demand for tickets.

Many consider that taking two relatively small and unfashionable clubs to such heights ranks as one of the great -- if not the greatest -- managerial achievements in the history of English football.

During these years Clough was the English public's pick for manager of England, but he was never given the job by the Football Association, presumably because FA officials were nervous about his outspoken nature and habit of causing controversy. To this day Clough is widely regarded as the best manager never to have had the England job.

[Woodsy]

I follow Premeir lLeague and am a full blown Man U supporter.
When I lived in Glasgow my roomate was a catholic working class dood from Manchester, so hence a HUGE fanatical Man U supporter
It was 1993 the first time they won the league in Years, so i got swept up and have been a fan ever since.
get me drunk enough I can even sing some songs ( although my favorite desn't apply anymore since Cantona retired.

C'mon ye redds!

[Mott the Hoople]

Liverpool for me. "you'll never walk alone"

[Woodsy]

Liverpool for me. "you'll never walk alone"

"We are the pride of all Europe; The cock of the North; We hate the Scousers, the Cockneys of course (And Leeds!);

"We are United without any doubt; We are the Manchester boys; Na na na na na na na na na na na na na."

[Stu Gotz]

Or you could just follow Millwall -

"Nobody likes us and we don't care!"

[Hayduke]

Bless you all.....but fuck arsenal. Do people ever sing baseball songs?

[Foggy_Goggles]

Chills. A world class football with in unrivaled. Growing up in London in the 70s in a family from Aronold (Notts County) was the shit!!! I'm Francis, I'm Francis.

[flatlander420]

Liverpool for me. "you'll never walk alone"

I don't think they will dump Cisse after his performance today. Single handedly won that game, Raffa must have a headache!

[Mott the Hoople]

I don't think they will dump Cisse after his performance today. Single handedly won that game, Raffa must have a headache!

Lots of rumours about Owen coming back now that Baros is gone. He and Cisse up top would be trouble for any back line.

[road trip]

And I see we had two Americans strike this past weekend...

Reyna propels Man City.

McBride lifts Fulham over Everton - slight upset me thinks??

Nice!

[bad_roo]

Guys. Blue is the colour - Chelsea is the team!

[road trip]

Guys. Blue is the colour - Chelsea is the team!

Front runner.

I bet you're a Red Sox fan too.

[comish]

Chelskie???

Come on you Gunners! (although me thinks they are gonna struggle against Chelskie this year.

[bad_roo]

Front runner.

I bet you're a Red Sox fan too.

I was actually brought up in Southampton, who were relegated from the Premiership last season. They're the team I follow closely.

When I moved up to London eleven years ago, I decided that I'd pick a London team to follow. Chelsea were the closest and at that stage they were pretty inept. It was great to watch faded superstars like Gianluca Vialli and Ruud Gullit but I get called a glory boy whenever I mention Chelsea so I'm getting used to it.

[xkyzero]

Long time Watford fan.

[road trip]

It was great to watch faded superstars like Gianluca Vialli and Ruud Gullit but I get called a glory boy whenever I mention Chelsea so I'm getting used to it.

Ha, I believe Vialli came to play for the Metrostars in the US's "MLS" even after he was a bygone at Chelsea! Talk about a reject league!

All things considered, I think I find myself leaning towards Man City - rooting for the New Jersey boy Claudio Reyna.

My brother (who is an infinitely better player than I am) got to play in the high school "Senior Game" with Claudio Reyna back in 1991. Let's just say that Claudio's career turned out a little better than my bro's!

[Arno]

Forest!!! oh wait, they haven't been good in 20yrs. They ain't even in the Premiership but I won't ever forget Ol' Big Ed however.

Brian Clough... almost as good as he said he was