Round One of pool play is in the books along with the opening game of Round Two and one statistic that is standing out for me is the success rate of the South American teams.

Ever since the now defunct Chester City met their demise in the Football League their small group of loyal fans have been working hard to get their beloved club back into action and playing as a bona fide business concept again. They may have hit the big time if their latest offing is fully accepted by the Football Association.

Now that the domestic season is over I thought it would be a good time to take a look at the World Cup qualifying groups from the European theatre. Here we look at all nine groups and try to determine who will be representing our continent in the biggest sporting on the face of the earth next year.

I have been involved with the beautiful game in so many different aspects – player, manager/coach, tournament director, fan and even as a referee. In all of those positions the same feeling of complete fairness has always been close, if not at the top, of my priorities.

Newcastle make their point

Before you all start to laugh at this article let me preface this by saying that the Magpies will have to play much better over their last six matches than they did against Stoke if they would like to be 1/20th of the Premier League next season.

That said, they have one jewel in their squad that, if allowed to play the season out, could be the one to pull them from the mire. That jewel is 20 year old Andy Carroll. He has certain attributes that suit the #9 shirt at Newcastle, namely the willingness to work hard, an understanding of his position in the penalty area, a forward’s thinking process when a shot is there to be taken and, most importantly of all, the

United still on track for quintuple trophies … thanks to an iPod!

Congratulations to Manchester United on lifting the Carling Cup after a penalty shootout against Spurs on Sunday. Love them or loathe them, you have to admire their success.

Liverpool 1 Man City 1

Liverpool drop two more crucial points at home and in the process almost handing the title to Man United who are now odds on favourites to raise the championship trophy again this season.

It’s Madchester sans the twisting melons. OK. So I realise that everyone and their Mother has an opinion on Manchester City and their search for new talent to wear the Sky Blue in the near future. Here’s my twopennorth! Manchester City fans were delirious when the club was bought out by Sheikh Mansour and his [...]

A quick guide to what the Premier League clubs are hoping for in the New Year

Arsenal: A Lifeline

The Gunners are hanging onto slim hopes of a championship. Many believe that they have already lost any chance of taking the title this year but, with 20 games left, Arsenal are looking for that lifeline to help save them and pull them through by the end of the season.

Q: What do you get if you have two bad defences and two offences that are spoiling to explode?

A: Bolton v Portsmouth

No sooner had I plonked my backside on our comfy, oversized couch than Bolton had taken a 1-0 lead with a nicely taken goal by Matt Taylor. Two minutes later and the lead was doubled as Ricardo Gardner pumped the ball into the Portsmouth goal (even though there was a player in a blatantly offside position).