European Super Football

 Derby County 2 - 0 Carlisle United Derby County secured promotion to the Championship after a confident and assured final-day win against already-relegated Carlisle United at a jubilant Pride Park Stadium. The Rams required only a draw against the division's bottom side to end their two-year stay in League One. However, Max Bird's powerful and curving shot from outside the box, which found the back of the net after just five minutes, had Derby County supporters singing and celebrating to the tune of 'we are going up'. James Collins then sealed Paul Warne's side's promotion with a composed and close-range finish on the hour mark to complete the victory. This marks 50-year-old Warne's fourth time leading a team to promotion from League One, having previously achieved this feat three times with Rotherham United as they alternated between the second and third tiers of English football. Click here to find more stories from the English Football League The be

Middlesbrough have released a statement regarding a compensation claim against fellow Championship side Derby County  The statement reads: "MFC is aware of the media speculation regarding its claim against Derby County and has read last night's statement by the EFL. The club wishes to ensure that, to the extent possible given that the arbitration claim is confidential, the full facts are in the public domain, rather than ill-informed speculation." Why are they making a claim now? "MFC became aware that Derby County was cheating under the P&S Rules during 2018/19. MFC first intimated a claim against Derby County in May 2019 immediately following the end of the 2018/19 season. The claim was held in abeyance whilst the EFL Disciplinary Proceedings against Derby County were followed through to a conclusion.  "MFC then sent Derby County a Letter Before Action in the autumn of 2020 and started arbitration proceedings against Derby County in January 2021. Derby

 Derby County have been docked 12 points by the English Football League, sending them to the bottom of the Championship. (A picture taken from outside their ground in 2012) The club has also confirmed the appointment of administrators. Wayne Rooney’s side had picked up a credible 10 points from eight games but are now six points adrift of second-bottom and rivals Nottingham Forest. The chief executive of the English Football, Trevor Birch, added in a statement: “I appreciate that this is a challenging and concerning period for everyone associated with the club, particularly the staff and supporters, and it is our intention to work proactively with the administrators and all relevant parties with the objective of securing a long-term and viable future for Derby County.” Click here to read more news from the English Football League A truly bleak situation for the club Derby also stands to be deducted a further nine points, and given a suspended three-point deduction, for a separate bre

The Joint Administrators of Derby County have released a statement to update fans on the current situation. It starts: This statement provides a summary of progress to supporters and the media in respect of Derby County Football Club. As we have previously reported, we are dealing with a large number of sensitive issues and felt that issuing reactive statements in response to the recent statements issued by various related parties would at best be unhelpful and also may hinder or prejudice discussions we are having with the same parties. Our perceived lack of recent communication has therefore been both tactical and deliberate. The full statement which can be read here includes a section on the claims from two EFL clubs. This section says: "These have been well documented both by us previously and more recently, by others making statements. We do not think it would be helpful, in view of the sensitivity of these matters, to elaborate on the discussions we have been having other

 Northampton Town 1 - 0 Derby County Derby's dreams of promotion took a hit as they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against mid-table Northampton, dealing a significant blow to their aspirations. It was a tough loss for Derby, with Northampton securing their first victory in six games, and notably, their first-ever win against Derby. Sam Hoskins emerged as the hero for Northampton, scoring his 15th goal of the season with a strike in the first half. Initially, Derby seemed to have control of the game, enjoying the lion's share of possession. However, they squandered a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 20th minute when Martyn Waghorn missed a clear chance, side-footing the ball over the bar with the goal gaping. More news from across the English Football League League One news and stories Against the flow of the game, Northampton seized their chance midway through the first half. Louis Appere chased down a long ball and displayed excellent awareness to find Hoskins, w

Derby County are in the news again News reports indicate that Derby County boss Wayne Rooney turned down the chance to talk with Everton about their managerial vacancy.  He wants to stay and help Derby out of the mess that threatens their entire existence.    (Wayne Rooney also had a spell playing for Derby) Rooney said: "Everton approached my agent and asked me to interview for the job, but I turned them down, It was a difficult decision. I believe I will be a Premier League manager and that I am ready for that 100%." He added: "If that comes with Everton, great. But I have a job at Derby, which is important to me." Derby were docked 21 points, their main signings were free agents and loan deals. He turned down the Everton managerial job because helping Derby avoid relegation is "important" to him. I'd be the happiest human if Wayne Rooney manages to keep Derby up. Legend! ❤ #mufc pic.twitter.com/rq7Ey2a1QY — UtdFaithfuls (@UtdFaithfuls) January

Derby County are not going down without a fight.  An immense performance against promotion West Brom left them still well adrift at the bottom of the Championship. There's still plenty of hope within the club.  Their sixth league win of the campaign came thanks to a defensive howler. This gifted substitute Colin Kazim-Richards the only goal of the game. Kazim-Richards could well turn out to be key in their bid for survival in the second tier of English football. That level of experience is always important. After the match, Rooney told the BBC and other media outlets: "I could see something happening between the defender and the goalkeeper. Them getting so close to each other, you hoped it would fall for us. It did and he [Kazim-Richards] put in a nice finish. "The administrators have confirmed they have had bids from other companies and it needs to be done before January. I'm trying to plan for the future of this club and if it keeps dragging on, it's not hel

This article will explore some of the top talent in the English Football League Are there any players in the Championship, League One or League Two that could be soon signed by a Premier League side? The leagues below the Premier League are arguably the perfect breeding ground for England's top talent.  Alex Scott - Bristol City After an impressive breakthrough season in 2021-22, this is a player hoping for even bigger things he looks to carry on establishing himself among the country’s top talent. He starred for Nigel Pearson’s Bristol City side last season and launched himself onto the international stage by helping England win the Under-19s European Championship.  In the 2021/2022 season, only Callum Doyle (3,109) played more league minutes across the top four tiers in England than Scott (2,762) while aged 18 or younger. Ryan Giles - Middlesbrough The Wolverhampton Wanderers academy graduate is only 22. However,  he’s already played 115 senior career games over three seasons

Birmingham City have announced the appointment of Wayne Rooney as their new manager. The 37-year-old former England captain has joined the Championship club on a three-and-a-half-year deal. He succeeds Blues head coach John Eustace, who was perhaps controversially sacked after 15 months in charge. Read the stories behind a football icon.  The new American owners of Blues, Shelby Companies Limited, have made their first managerial change by appointing the ex-Everton and Manchester United striker. They took over the club in July.  In his new role, Rooney will be supported by his former England team-mate Ashley Cole alongside his old United colleague John O'Shea, the assistant coach of the Republic of Ireland men's national team. Carl Robinson and Pete Shuttleworth will also be part of Rooney's backroom staff after both assisted him at DC United. Click here to read more news from the EFL Wayne Rooney's managerial career will continue with his third job in management, f

Fulham were unable to find a breakthrough in the absence of Aleksandar Mitrovic as they were held to a 0-0 draw by bottom club Derby at Craven Cottage. They were seeking an eighth successive win but they were denied by Wayne Rooney’s side. The home side were left frustrated after being unable to capitalise on a succession of good chances.  Let's have a look at some of the best reaction Wayne Rooney said after the game: “It is a good point, a very difficult game against one of the best teams in the division. After the last week, to get four points against Bournemouth and Fulham, they deserve credit for that.” “I give the players big demands every day and they haven’t let me down one bit, We’ll keep fighting and pushing, you never know – even if there’s a small chance of staying up.” Here's @WayneRooney on 'a good point' at Fulham! 🗣️ #DCFC — Derby County (@dcfcofficial) November 24, 2021 Silva added: “It wasn’t our best performance but we created enough to win

 Football is the most popular sport across the continent.  This has resulted in thousands (possibly millions) of articles being published each year, all of which combined analyse every inch of the beautiful game.  The disadvantage of this is if you want to read some insightful analysis, it's hard to know where to start. We're here to help. Let's explore some of the best football blogs and articles published in recent months. " Floodlights " ( CC BY 2.0 ) by  It's No Game From Media Referee -  Can Wayne Rooney’s Derby County build a successful future? This interesting article from Media Referee looks at the future of Derby County. After suffering a points deduction, many experts said they were certainties to get relegated and face a grim future. However, this article points out that Derby does have a lot going for them.  Icons: Wayne Rooney Since the article was published, Derby have gone on a great run leading to some changing their predictions. Is the great

Eastleigh  1 - 3 Newport County Newport County secured a spot in the FA Cup fourth round and a lucrative tie against Manchester United by defeating Eastleigh 3-1.  Aaron Wildig gave Newport an early lead, skillfully gliding past goalkeeper Joe McDonnell following great play from the County. Paul McCallum equalized for Eastleigh after 48 minutes with a well-placed half-volley, levelling the score against Newport. However, Newport's James Clarke regained the lead with a header on the hour mark, and the victory was sealed by Will Evans, their top scorer. The televised match in the fourth round is expected to bring significant financial rewards, around £400,000, to Newport.  They are set to face Manchester United at Rodney Parade on Sunday 28th January, showcasing their potential for causing upsets, as demonstrated by previous victories against Leicester City , Middlesbrough and a draw with Tottenham Hotspur. Newport class shows While this game was anticipated as a historic moment

Let's take a look at another football icon. This time it's Wayne Rooney. Early career Rooney joined the Everton youth team at the age of nine and made his professional debut for the club in 2002 at the age of 16. He spent two seasons at the Merseyside club, before moving to Manchester United. Move to Manchester United He cost the Old Trafford club£25.6 million in the 2004 summer transfer window. He would have a fantastic career at Manchester United. He won 16 trophies and became the only English player, alongside teammate Michael Carrick, to win the Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, League Cup, UEFA Europa League, and FIFA Club World Cup. Rooney scored 253 goals for United in all competitions to make him their top goalscorer of all time, with 183 Premier League goals being the second-most scored by a player for any single club, behind Sergio Agüero Rooney's 208 Premier League goals make him the Premier League's second-top scorer of all time. He also has

 It's time to explore the season of each Premier League club. We will start  off  at the bottom with Sheffield United. The 2023–24 season marked the 135th year in Sheffield United’s history and their return to the Premier League after being promoted from the Championship last season. Alongside their league campaign, the club also competed in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup. On 24 April, they suffered a 4–2 defeat to Manchester United, setting a new record for the most goals conceded in a 38-game Premier League season, surpassing the previous record held by Derby County in the 2007–08 season. Just three days later, a 5–1 loss away to Newcastle United confirmed their relegation back to the Championship. This result left the Blades with 16 points, trailing 17th-placed Nottingham Forest by 10 points, with only three matches left to play. On 4 May, The Blades matched Swindon Town's record for the most goals conceded in a Premier League season (100 goals) following a 3–1 home defeat

 We all love the drama of the playoffs.  They are a series of matches contested by the four football teams that finish below the automatic promotion places in the second, third and fourth tiers of English football. They were first introduced to the EFL in 1987 and have been staged after every season since. Some hate them and others love them. Let's explore some of their greatest matches. <Click here to find more news and stories from the English Football League> Reading 2-4 Swansea: 2011 Championship play-off final. Swansea stormed into a 3-0 lead come the end of the first half. However, a two-goal comeback from Reading after half-time tested the nerve of the Welsh side. A young Scott Sinclair then bagged a hat-trick to ensure Swansea became the first Welsh side to play in the Premier League. This would mark the start of a memorable period for the club. In 2013, they won the EFL Cup.  Nottingham Forest 2-5 Yeovil: 2007 League One play-off semi-final.  One to forget for Fo

They were first introduced to the EFL in 1987 and have been staged after every season since. Some hate them and others love them.  Let's explore some of their greatest matches. They were first introduced to the EFL in 1987 and have been staged after every season since. Some hate them and others love them. Let's explore some of their greatest matches. This is the place for all the latest EFL news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Sheffield Wednesday 5 - 1 Peterborough United  (The match finished 5-5 on aggregate, Sheffield Wednesday won 5-3 on penalties.) Sheffield Wednesday pulled one of the greatest playoff comebacks in English Football League history to beat Peterborough United on penalties. After losing the first game 4-0, very few people believed they would progress to Wembley. That's exactly what happened. They reached the final and eventually gained promoted to the Championship. This match was the highlight on that journey. Just after the match, James, a S

St Mirren 0 - 3 Celtic Celtic secured a convincing 3-0 victory over St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership, maintaining their perfect start to the season with three wins from three games.  The champions were in control from the outset, with Callum McGregor scoring within the first three minutes. Reo Hatate added a second goal before halftime, and Alistair Johnston completed the scoring in the second half, following a strong performance from Nicolas Kuhn. Despite the ongoing transfer saga involving Matt O'Riley, who is close to joining Brighton, Celtic's midfield performed exceptionally well. Paulo Bernardo stepped in for O'Riley, but it was the established players, McGregor and Hatate, who led the charge. Hatate was particularly impressive, creating five chances and showcasing his ability to fill the void left by O'Riley. St Mirren struggled to break through Celtic's relentless pressing and managed only one shot in the first half. Although they showed some impr

The draw of the third round of the FA Cup has been made.  Let's have a closer look at some of the matches Boreham Wood or St Albans v AFC Wimbledon Yeovil Town v Bournemouth Charlie Wakefield's driven finish early in the second half against Stevenage was enough to put the Glovers into the hat for the third round. Their ultimate reward was a draw against Championship side Bournemouth. Stoke City v Leyton Orient Swansea City v Southampton Chelsea v Chesterfield Liverpool v Shrewsbury Town Cardiff v Preston North End Coventry City v Derby County Burnley v Huddersfield West Bromwich Albion v Brighton and Hove Albion Kidderminster Harriers v Reading Kidderminster Harriers are dreaming of more giant-killing exploits after upsetting FC Halifax at Aggborough to reach the third round of the FA Cup. Their reward is a home match against Reading. The away side will want to avoid a huge upset and go to have a decent run in the competition.  Leicester City v Watford Mansfield Town v Middl

Dundee United 2 - 2 Dundee Dundee twice came from behind to deny Dundee United a victory in their Scottish Premiership return, as the first city derby in over two years lived up to its billing as the game of the weekend. There was a fantastic atmosphere created by both sets of fans. After a dull start on Saturday with two 0-0 draws, three early goals set the new top-flight season ablaze. Dundee gave their hosts a guard of honour before last season's Championship flag was raised, then left Kristijan Trapanovski plenty of space to slot the opener after just 13 minutes. Seb Palmer-Houlden equalised from close range five minutes later, but Miller Thomson restored United's lead with a similar finish—all within the first 15 minutes of the game. United deserved their lead, but Dundee finished stronger in a thrilling end that saw a Luke McCowan penalty 11 minutes from time. Dundee United now remain unbeaten in seven derbies , while Dundee have not won at Tannadice in their last 13

What next for Wayne Rooney and Birmingham City? Picture credit -  Colin Bradbury | Flickr Birmingham City has decided to part ways with manager Wayne Rooney after a brief stint of only 83 days leading the Championship club. The 38-year-old took over the managerial role on 11 October following the contentious choice to remove John Eustace , with the team positioned sixth in the table at that time. However, the team's performance has seen a decline, now standing at 20th place. The recent 3-0 defeat to Leeds on Monday marked the ninth loss during Rooney's 15-game tenure. Professional development coach Steve Spooner will be assuming  temporary charge for Birmingham. Additionally, the club has also ended its association with one of Rooney's backroom staff, former Wolves and Wales midfielder Carl Robinson. The decision to bring in former England captain Rooney, who had previously managed Derby County and MLS side DC United, drew comparisons to the club's unfortunate mov