European Super Football

 It's time to have a look at the history of Women's Football.  The original article was posted on GM Footy 0161 back in 2020. Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. A similar game was played by women during the Han Dynasty.  The modern game of football or soccer (as it's also known) has documented the early involvement of women. It is believed that French women played a form of the sport around the 12th century. An annual competition in Mid-Lothian, Scotland during the 1790s is reported, too. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardised rules to prohibit violence on the pitch. This made it much more socially acceptable for women to play. Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of WW1, when employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for the men's game several decades earlier. Despite being more popular than some men's football events, women's footba

Fifa 23 was the 30th game in the popular video game series.  It was previously revealed that the game will be the last in the franchise, but it most certainly doesn't spell the end of football video games. Let's explore the history and future of football video games. What was the first football video game and what football games did people before that? Despite the sport not being as popular in the United States, the first dedicated interpretation of football in video game form was based on the NASL (North American Soccer League) Soccer.  Before Video Games were around, people recreated their favourite football moments with Subbuteo. This type of game has remained its popularity. Ever since the 1940s, millions of fans have adored it and replicated some of their favourite moments from the real world. The first version of FIFA and the Ultimate Team revolution years later The first version of FIFA was called FIFA International Soccer and was released in 1993. The game only featured

Football will return to Gigg Lane next season for the first time since 2019. A vote to merge Bury FC and Bury AFC passed and paved the way for football to return to the iconic stadium. <More Non League news> Members of both clubs failed to reach a two-thirds majority in a previous first merger vote in October. This time over 90% of the Bury FC Supporters' Society and 97% of Bury AFC members voted to form one club to play at Gigg Lane from next season. This unified club in Bury also qualifies for local council and government levelling up funding. What league with the team play in? When Bury F C was expelled from the English Football League in 2019, some fans going formed Bury AFC. That club now plays in the Premier Division of the North West Counties League, the ninth tier of the English football pyramid and they staged their home games a few miles down the road from Gigg Lane at Stainton Park in Radcliffe. The newly merged Bury Football Club will therefore play in that sa

How has the world of football translated onto the small screen? We have picked some excellent documentaries and TV series that are worth a watch. Dream Team Dream Team was a drama that aired on Sky One from 1997 to 2007. It chronicled the on-field and off-field affairs of the fictional Harchester United Football Club. It was more dramatic than many of the Netflix and Amazon Prime series based on real-life football teams.  Renford Rejects A series that examines and explores the grassroots side of football. The centre of this show is a five-a-side school football team, made up of aspiring players who had been turned down by their school team. They were named Renford Rejects when a rival player sabotaged their league entry form. They ultimately decided to stick with the name as it suited the outcast nature.  Welcome to Wrexham An American sports documentary series that premiered in August 2022. It documents the events of Wrexham A.F.C. It was told by the club's owners Rob McElhenn

 It's time to explore another football icon. This time, it will be our first female player with Alex Scott. Alexandra Scott MBE is an English sports presenter, pundit, and former professional footballer. Known mainly as 'Alex Scott', she mostly played as a right-back for Arsenal. Scott made 140 appearances for the England national team and represented Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics. More Women's Football news can be found here Becoming an Arsenal legend At club level, Scott has had three separate spells with Arsenal, punctuated with a season at Birmingham City in 2004–05 and three years in the American Women's Professional Soccer with Boston Breakers.  Scott was a key figure in Arsenal's historic "Quadruple" season in which they won every trophy they were involved in. In fact, they are the only team in the history of English football, across the men's and women's game, to win four major competitions in the same season. This list

 England 2 - 1 Germany (After Extra Time) This was the day when football came home. Let's look back at a dramatic day in London. Match report England created history by winning their first major women's tournament in a dramatic Euro 2022 final against old rivals and eight-time champions Germany at Wembley. Substitute Chloe Kelly got what proved to be the winner after she poked home a loose ball from a corner to send the record crowd of 87,192 wild with ten minutes of extra time remaining. There was a short wait before a VAR check confirmed the goal. She then off her shirt and waved it around her head while being lifted by her teammates in a moment of pure elation. Sarina Wiegman's side showed they were equal to anything a physical German team threw at them. Earlier on the day, Toone had come off the bench to score the opener in normal time before Germany's Lina Magull set up a nervous ending when she equalised. There were scenes of jubilation in the stands. There wa

Edward Paul Sheringham, known by most as Teddy Sheringham, is another football icon.  He played mostly as a second striker in a long and eventful professional career. Early career He began his career at Millwall, where he scored 111 goals between 1983 and 1991. The forward is the club's second all-time leading scorer. He eventually left to join First Division Nottingham Forest. A year later, Sheringham scored Forest's first-ever Premiership goal. Move to Tottenham  Not long after that goal for Forest, he was signed by Tottenham Hotspur.  Sheringham had a great start to his career at the club by being the Premiership's top goalscorer in its inaugural season, scoring 22 goals. His strike partners at White Hart Lane included Gordon Durie, Ronny Rosenthal, Jürgen Klinsmann and finally Chris Armstrong.  In 1993–94, he was the Spurs top scorer with 14 Premiership goals but only played in just 19 games due to injury. In that campaign, they finished 15th.  The following sea

The dreaded European Super League is back in the news again This video from Tifo Football explores how the original idea fell apart. Keep reading this article for the latest news on the European Super League. It now appears to be back in the news again.  What's being said? In an article for Sky Sports, it was reported that the chief executive of the company behind the previous failed project has claimed that a new European Super League with no permanent membership could be up and running by the 2024/25 season. There has also been an interesting article in The Financial Times. ESPN are reporting some of the developments and what it could mean. Are we close to the idea being relaunched? A22 Sports Management -- the company that launched the European Super League in April 2021 -- appointed a new chief executive, Bernd Reichart, who claimed it would be relaunched within three years. This comes against the backdrop of legal action taken by the three remaining Super League clubs (

How has the world of football translated onto the small screen? We have picked some excellent documentaries and TV series that are worth a watch. Dream Team Dream Team was a drama that aired on Sky One from 1997 to 2007; it chronicled the on-field and off-field affairs of the fictional Harchester United Football Club. It was certainly more dramatic than many of the Netflix and Amazon Prime series that are based on real-life football teams.  Sunderland ‘Till I Die Sunderland ‘Till I Die is a documentary series focusing on Sunderland A.F.C. The first series showcases their year in the Championship and a second successive relegation. During the second series, fortunes start to improve for the Tyne and Wear side, but it ultimately ends in heartbreak as they lose in the League One Play-Off Final. All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur This is a documentary series focusing on the 2019–20 season of Tottenham Hotspur. It showcases a difficult season for the club, beginning with the sacking

It's time for another big discussion. What's the point of the UEFA Nations League? Launched in 2018, this was UEFA’s bold attempt to revitalise international football in Europe.  Author - Sean M Picture of the Nations League logo uploaded by  Nazionale Calcio | Flickr With an aim to replace often tedious friendlies with competitive matches, the competition promised more meaningful games, chances for national glory, and an innovative league structure.  Opinions remain divided on whether the competition has truly improved international football. This big discussion article will examine strengths and weaknesses.  Strengths of the competition  Competitive games not friendlies One of the primary reasons for launching the Nations League was to eliminate the ‘friendly fatigue’ plaguing international football. Traditional friendlies often failed to engage fans, lacking the intensity and consequence that competitive fixtures provide. In contrast, the Nations League gives each game a t

Oldham Athletic fans have been protesting about the running of their club. Pity so many within the media ignored it.  A recent article in The Guardian mentions: "Late payments of salaries, threats of player strikes and threats of administration have punctuated Abdallah Lemsagam’s reign." After weeks and months of anger, they have organised a huge protest outside the ground ahead of their League Two match v Hartlepool.   (A distant look at the Boundary Park ground back in 2014 Social media posts about the protests Throughout the protest, many Oldham fans have taken to social media to show the scale of the event taking place outside their stadium. One fan posted a heartfelt thread detailing his love of the club despite its problems. The thread starts with this tweet: "Tomorrow, I'm attending my first ever protest. I'm protesting against the current owners of my football club, Oldham Athletic, who might yet oversee the club dropping out of the EFL or worse. If

 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

The relationship between English football fans and international football can be mixed.  Some see it as a refreshing change, offering a chance to follow their national team and watch players from different clubs come together to represent their country.  Author - Liam C Others view it as an unwelcome interruption to what they care about most, causing frustration and even outright disdain. In many ways, it’s a love-hate relationship that has become a regular feature of the footballing calendar. More disruption Some fans of the big Premier League clubs might be annoyed that this current break is the 2nd one in an already-packed schedule. Some teams such as Nottingham Forest have started to build momentum. A break for these fans could feel like a real mood-killer. That same level of passion doesn’t always translate to the international stage, especially outside major tournaments.  Another major point of contention has been the risk of injuries. A couple of injuries at this stage of th

 Scotland 2 - 0 Spain It was another raucous at Hampden Park as Scotland stunned Spain. Scott McTominay scored a double as the home side took control of their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. The Manchester United midfielder, who also netted twice in Saturday's 3-0 victory over Cyprus, fired in the opener at Hampden Park after just seven minutes. This sent the Scotland crowd into an absolute frenzy. Spain looked for an immediate response. Dani Ceballos threaded a pass through to Mikel Oyarzabal but he could not get the ball under control and it rolled out. Scotland were then inches from a second in the 15th minute. John McGinn saw Stuart Armstrong on the edge of the box. However, his shot went just wide of the post. Ryan Christie and Lyndon Dykes also went close as Spain struggled to make their mark against Steve Clarke's side that looked a different level to the side that missed out on qualification to the World Cup. 🏁 HALF TIME AT HAMPDEN PARK!! @SEFutbol goes to the l

Two huge derby matches and a meeting of English football giants are headlining Women's Football Weekend The event sees the women's club game become the focal point of the domestic football schedule in England during the international break in the men's game.  Birmingham City v Aston Villa Aston Villa and Birmingham City Women continue their league campaign as they face each other in the Second City derby. The match gives Villa an opportunity to open up a 10-point gap between themselves and 12th-placed Leicester City, a gap which would go a long way to seeing them secure Women's Super League status so early on in the season. 🎙️ @cwardy7 spoke to the media this morning to discuss Sunday's #SecondCityDerby ... pic.twitter.com/26dvfgOTkj — Aston Villa Women (@AVWFCOfficial) November 12, 2021 Everton v Manchester United Manchester United Women make the short trip to Everton. They are unbeaten in their last three WSL games. In October, they beat Birmingham 2-0 at S

Gareth Barry (remember him) has signed for a new club Former England midfielder Gareth Barry, who holds the record for the most Premier League appearances, has now signed up to play village football in Mid Sussex. At 43 years old, Barry has joined Hurstpierpoint, a team competing in the second tier of the Mid Sussex Football League - which is the 11th tier of the English football pyramid. During his professional career, Barry played 653 matches in the top tier for Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton, and West Bromwich Albion , spanning an impressive 22 years. He earned 53 caps for England, scoring three goals, and was part of the squads for Euro 2000 and the 2010 World Cup. In the 2011-12 season, Barry made 34 league appearances for Manchester City, contributing to their Premier League title win. He also lifted the FA Cup with the club. His new club posted on X The club said: "We are beyond delighted to announce that former-England international and all-time Premier League

Here we go again New plans for a revamped European Super League (ESL) have been unveiled following a significant court decision.  Picture from a banner protesting the European Super League in 2021 This latest court ruling declared it illegal to prevent clubs from joining an alternative league. The proposed league features 64 men's teams and 32 women's teams, posing a direct challenge to current UEFA competitions. Manchester United, initially a key player in the original ESL concept  but later withdrew amidst heavy criticism, has confirmed their ongoing commitment to UEFA tournaments.  Despite the controversy, United's stance remains unchanged, emphasizing their dedication to working constructively with UEFA, the Premier League, and other clubs through the European Clubs Association for the betterment of European football. Previous Super News articles on the European Super League Clubs Announce New Super League Competition (greatermanchesterfootball.blogspot.com) Rememb

Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, commonly known as Ronaldo, is our latest football icon.  He played for some of the world's biggest clubs and was a huge icon during the 1990's and 2000's. A brief introduction to 'The Phenomenon'. Nicknamed The Phenomenon and R9, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players ever. As a multi-functional striker who brought a new dimension to the position, Ronaldo had a huge impact on a generation of forwards and attacking players that followed him. His individual accolades include being named FIFA World Player of the Year three times and winning the Ballon d'Or twice. <More football icons> The start of his career. He started at Cruzeiro and moved to PSV in 1994. He joined Barcelona in 1996 for a then-world record transfer fee, and at 20 years old, he was named the 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year, making him the youngest recipient of the award. Despite being a fan favourite and developing an affinity with the clu

Now for something a little different. A look at some reaction as Bangor 1876 beat Gwalchmai by six goals to nil. ⚽🔵🔴 FULL TIME | LLAWN AMSER 1876 record a league victory in cloudy Treborth @Bangor1876 6 #CPDGwalchmai 0 1⃣8⃣7⃣6⃣ #EinDinasEinClwb #OurCityOurClub pic.twitter.com/O2PNAH7cpk — CPD Bangor 1876 FC (@Bangor1876) October 9, 2021   There were several chances early on and Luke Steele came close to opening the scoring inside the first five minutes but side-footed narrowly wide following a Joe Culshaw cross. The midfielder tried a short from 20 yards not long afterwards but his effort cleared the crossbar. However, the deadlock was broken in the eighteenth minute. Following a corner kick on the right, the ball fell to Les Davies on the edge of the area. After taking a touch to control the ball, he unleashed a powerful shot to put 1876 a goal up. Cameron Barry also had a chance inside the first ten minutes after he broke into the right side of the penalty area but hi