The 100th FA (Football Association) Cup Final was played at Wembley Stadium between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City on the 9th May 1981 and a replay was played on the 14th May. It was the replay that will always be remembered as one of the greatest ever FA Cup Finals and certainly be remembered for one of the greatest Cup Final goals.

Both teams had a mediocre league season with Tottenham finishing in 10th position and Manchester City in 12th in the First Division, the teams only being separated by four points. In 1980-81 league seasons league fixtures Manchester City gained 3-1 home victory over Tottenham, while Tottenham were victorious with 2-1 victory in the reverse fixture.

In theory the teams would be evenly matched, and so it proved as the first game ended in a 1-1 draw. The game was significant for Manchester City’s player Tommy Hutchison who had the unenviable accolade of scoring the goals for both teams.

Hutchinson had scored a great header for his own team, Manchester City to give them a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute of the game, but unfortunately he deflected a shot from Tottenham’s Glen Hoddle into the opposite corner of his own goal, eleven minutes before the end of the game, that Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Corrigan would probably easily have saved.

The first game went into extra time but finished 1-1 to set up a replay at Wembley stadium five days later.

The replay was a much better match, with both teams attacking from the start, and Tottenham scored after eight minutes, when Joe Corrigan saved a shot but Ricardo Villa scored an easy goal from the rebound. Three minutes later Manchester City’s Steve MacKenzie scored a fantastic volley to level the scores at 1-1, and the scores remained level at half-time. Glenn Hoddle nearly scored again for Tottenham when his free-kick hit the post, and Joe Corrigan made some good saves for City to keep them in the game.

Four minutes into the second half Manchester City were awarded a penalty, and Kevin Reeves calmly converted the spot kick to give City a 2-1 lead. Tottenham pressed forward in search of an equaliser and had their just rewards after 70 minutes when Garth Crooks slotted home Tottenham’s second goal to level the scores at 2-2.

Six minutes later Ricardo Villa scored the winning goal for Tottenham and possibly one of the best goals ever in an FA Cup Final. Villa collected the ball and glided past three Manchester City defenders in the penalty area as if they weren’t there and he then slotted the ball into the goal passed the out coming goalkeeper. There were six defenders in the penalty area and none could stop Villa scoring the winning goal. Several City players sat on the pitch despondently after the goal, knowing they had been beaten by an outstanding display of football.

The 3-2 victory was the sixth time that Tottenham had won the FA Cup, and it will always be remembered for Ricardo Villa’s outstanding goal.

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Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur entertained Irish Premier League winners Shamrock Rovers in the Europa League group match at White Hart Lane and despite the anticipated gulf in quality between the two teams, Tottenham survived a scare after they fell a goal behind early into the second half, but Spurs regained their composure to secure a comfortable victory in the end, while Rovers dream of recording one of their most memorable victories was shattered.

The visiting fans were jubilant just five minutes into the second half when Shamrock Rovers took the lead, following a free kick which Tottenham goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini could only parry the ball which then fell to Gary Twigg on the edge of the penalty area and his shot was helped into the goal by Stephen Rice.

The prospect of Rovers recording one of their greatest ever results and one of the biggest shocks in European football in recent times lasted for another ten minutes before Tottenham’s Roman Pavlyuchenko, who scored his first goal of the season, and then Jermain Defoe both scored with headers within two minutes of each other, regaining control of the game, Giovani dos Santos then scored a third goal five minutes later to ensure the victory for Spurs.

Tottenham had made ten changes to their team which beat Wigan on Saturday, probably with one eye on their weekend Premier League fixture against North London rivals Arsenal, although Aaron Lennon’s return from injury will have boosted the team. Spurs showed their superiority during a goalless first half and the home team were denied goals, firstly a save from Rovers goalkeeper Richard Brush saw a Jermain Defoe shot hit the crossbar, and then an effort from Danny Rose hit the crossbar as well.

As expected, Brush was kept very busy in the Rovers goal as he also made great saves from Dos Santos and then Pavlyuchenko, who also saw an effort cleared off the goal line, but despite their dominance, Tottenham were unable to secure an advantage.

Despite Spurs dominance, this was an entertaining game with the prospect of a huge European upset. The visiting fans certainly enjoyed their evening as they out shouted and out sung the home fans throughout the game. Former Tottenham player Rohan Ricketts to came on as a Rovers substitute with twenty minutes of the game remaining and he was given a good ovation by the home fans. Tottenham are now in second place in their Europa League group, while Shamrock Rovers await their first points of the campaign.

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Sheffield United

Odds: 5000/1

Last Five Seasons

2005/06 – 2 (Championship, Promoted), 2004/05 – 8 (Championship), 2003/04 – 8 (Championship),

2002/03 – 3 (Championship), 2001/02 – 13 (Championship).

2005/06 Cup Progress

FA Cup Third Round vs Colchester United (h) – lost 2-1.

Carling Cup Third Round vs Reading (a) – lost 2-0.

Top Goal Scorer 2005/06: Neil Shipperley (striker) – 11 goals.

Players In

Claude Davis (Preston North End – £2,500,000), Rob Hulse (Leeds United – £2,200,000), Mikele Leigertwood (Crystal Palace – £600,000), Chris Lucketti (Preston North End – £300,000), David Sommeil (Manchester City – Free), Li Tie (Everton – Free), Christian Nade (Troyes – Free), Ian Bennett (Leeds United – Free).

Players Out

Bruce Dyer (Doncaster Rovers – Free), Simon Francis (Southend United – Free), Luke Beckett (Huddersfield Town – Free), Gary Mulligan (Gillingham – Free), Phil Barnes (Grimsby Town – Free), Jonathan Forte (Doncaster Rovers – Loan), Kevan Hurst (Chesterfield – Loan), Ian Ross (Notts County – Loan), Brian Dean (Released), Gary Flitcroft (Released).

Sheffield United returned to the top flight after a 12 year absence, but manager Neil Warnock will have his work cut out to ensure their arrival lasts longer than just a single season.

The Blades have spent the most money of the three promoted clubs, buying in the best Championship talent money can buy, along with a few shrewd free transfers of players who have experience at Premiership level.

Warnock enjoys having a plethora of strikers to choose from and with five senior forwards already available, Warnock signed another two this summer. Leeds United striker Rob Hulse signed in a deal which could rise from an initial £2.2 million to £3 million. Hulse scored 14 goals for Kevin Blackwell’s side last season. French striker Christian Nade signed a three year deal at the club following spells at Troyes and Le Havre.

Following Preston North End’s almost watertight defence last season, they became the subject of a £2.8 million joint raid for duo Claude Davis and veteran Chris Lucketti, while Manchester City defender David Sommeil joined the club on a free transfer. Sommeil cost City £3.4 million three years ago but was restricted to just 17 appearances last season.

Sheffield United signed China international Li Tie following his release from Everton. After joining the club three years ago on a permanent basis he missed the past two campaigns through injury. Crystal Palace defender Mikele Leigertwood arrived in £600,000 deal.

Verdict

The Blades have invested heavily in new players but it will all be in vain. Back Neil Warnock’s side with confidence to go down at 8/13.

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So with Christmas coming soon and the ever popular birthday presents, many people look to football as good source of gift ideas for their football mad children. This really is a good place to look for gifts as these kinds of gifts can be used regularly and are gift that your children will really love.

Find below what we think are three top gifts that can be bought for children who enjoy playing and watching football.

New Football Boots

If there is one aspect of football that gets children excited it is having the latest football boots and also the football boots that the best players from the team they support are wearing. So if you find out who their favourite player is and buy them the same boots as they are wearing then you are sure to have a sure fired hit of a gift. Try to make sure that you get them the correct size but if you get the wrong one make sure that you keep the receipt to exchange them.

If you want to get a nice stocking filler gift that is related to football boots, then you can get them a football boot cleaning kit with polish as this will encourage them to keep them clean which will make them last longer.

New Football Shirt

There is no better gift than getting your son or daughter a new football shirt of the football team they support. So if they support Tottenham Hotspur’s then you will want to buy them the official Tottenham Hotspur shirt, you just need to make sure that you get the right shirt or they will not be happy.

To make it a bit more personal to them you can also get their surname and lucky number printed on the back of the shirt as this can be a really nice personal touch to a great gift.

Football Match Ticket

A lovely gift that we are a big fan of is to buy two tickets to a football match of the team they support and to accompany them to the game. Traditionally for a father and son this can be a great gift, moreover it is a very good way to bond with your child as well. Live football creates a great atmosphere and it can be remarkable way to inspire your child to train hard in their football.

These are just some simple gift ideas but as long as you get the right team, then they are definitely going to be successful gifts for your children.

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Born in 1961 Clive Allen had an automatic association with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, as his father, Les Allen, was a member of the famous League and FA Cup winning Tottenham side of the same year.

Clive Allen began his football career at Queens Park Rangers, making his debut in 1978, and although playing in a struggling Rangers side, he managed to score 28 goals the following season, form that attracted the attention of the top clubs.

Allen then signed for Arsenal in 1980, and in a bizarre sequence of events, in which he never played a competitive match for Arsenal, he was then sold to Crystal Palace for whom he scored eight goals in 25 games during the 1980-81 season that saw Crystal Palace finish in last place in Division One and they were relegated.

The following season Clive Allen was back at Queens Park Rangers where his prolific goal scoring over the next few seasons helped Rangers win promotion back to the first division and also reach the 1982 FA Cup Final where ironically they played Tottenham, but Rangers lost 1-0 after a replay.

In 1984 Allen signed for Tottenham Hotspur in a £700,000 transfer, and after a fairly inauspicious start to his Spurs career, he finally settled into the first team. During his first two seasons, Allen suffered injuries that restricted him to only 15 appearances during his first season

It was to be the 1986-87 season at Tottenham that Clive Allen will always be remembered, now fully fit and backed by an impressive midfield that included Chris Waddle, Glen Hoddle and Ossie Ardiles, Tottenham challenged for an unprecedented treble. Allen scored an amazing 33 league goals as Tottenham challenged for the league title, but they were ultimately disappointed to finished third in the league.

Allen went onto score another 12 goals in the League Cup, when Tottenham narrowly lost out to rivals Arsenal in the semi-final and 4 goals in the FA Cup when Tottenham reached the final to play Coventry, a game in which Allen scored, although Spurs lost the final 3-2.

A total of 49 goals in all competitions capped a great season for Allen, if not for Tottenham who ended the season without a trophy, but Allen was credited with the Football Player of the Year award. His record breaking goal tally of 49 scored in a single season for Tottenham still stands to this day.

The following season Tottenham finished a disappointing 13th in the League and Allen scored 11 goals, and at the end of the 1988 season he signed for Bordeaux after scoring 112 goals in 173 games for Tottenham, he will always be remembered for his record breaking season.

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Stamford Bridge

Most soccer teams have an emotional link to their home stadium, but the history of few teams and stadiums are as intertwined as that of Chelsea FC and Stamford Bridge, their London home. Built in 1877, Stamford Bridge was an athletics track until 1905 when two brothers (HA and JT Mears) purchased it with the intention of attracting an existing team to play there.  When this plan failed, they decided to take the bull by the horns and create their own team – Chelsea FC.

And so began 100 years of soccer history with many ups and downs along the way.

The Story Of The Blues

Chelsea Football Club was officially formed on March 14 1905 in The Rising Sun public house opposite the main entrance to the current stadium. A few weeks later, the team joined the Second Division of the growing Soccer League, and they played their first game (against Stockport County) on May 29, 1905.

A long, uneventful period followed and it was not until 1955 that Chelsea won their first league title. Initially nicknamed «The Pensioners» after the nearby Royal Hospital (home of army pensioners), an early manager thought it gave the wrong impression – and ever since, Chelsea have been known as «The Blues».

The swinging 60s made Chelsea the fashionable heart of London, but the success of the surrounding area was not duplicated on the field at Stamford Bridge. The team did become known off the pitch for their fashionable clothes, accessories, and

celebrity lifestyles and the club enjoyed a certain celebrity in the media during this period. The trophy cabinet however remained largely empty, and although Chelsea came close with an FA Cup final loss in 1967, the only major success of the decade was winning their first League Cup in 1965.

Things Can Only Get Better

Matters did not improve during the 1970s and 80s, with the team dipping in and out of the Second Division and serious financial difficulties leading to the sale of star players.

At the club’s lowest financial point, the Mears family were forced to sell the club to new owner Ken Bates for a price of $2 USD (yes two dollars!). The passionate supporters of Chelsea stayed loyal however, and some of the players from this

troubled era ranked among the best in England. Notable among the players of this period are the team’s famous goalkeeper Peter Bonetti, who played for the team 729 times between 1959 and 1979, and striker Peter Osgood who scored 150 goals in 380 appearances between 1964 and 1979.

Although Jimmy Greaves became better known for his later career at Tottenham Hotspur, he started playing soccer at Chelsea, scoring in his debut game (a feat he repeated with every team he subsequently played for). In 1960, aged 20, Greaves became

the youngest player ever to score 100 English league goals, and his 1960-61 tally of 41 league goals remains a record at Chelsea to this very day.

Turning Point

The 1990s saw Chelsea slowly but surely establish themselves as a major force in English and European soccer as Ken Bates funded the purchase of several world-class players

including Dutch superstar Ruud Gullit (from Sampdoria) and goal-scoring supremo Mark Hughes (from Manchester United). With Gullit in his first season as player-manager, Chelsea won their first trophy for 26 years when they beat Middlesborough to win the FA Cup in 1997.

The shock departure of Gullit in 1998 led to the appointment of another player-manager, the Italian striker Gianluca Vialli, and the development of the squad continued to bring some success with an FA Cup win in 2000, shortly followed by Vialli’s dismissal. Consequently, his successor, Claudio Ranieri, was in charge of a squad that many commentators felt was of good quality and depth, but under performing, when the turning point in Chelsea’s fortunes occurred.

The new dawn for Chelsea broke when the club was purchased by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2003. He immediately opened his sizeable check book  to the club management, who spent over $150 million on an injection of new talent including

Claude Makélélé, Glen Johnson, Joe Cole and Damien Duff.

Unfortunately, the investment produced no trophies, and new manager José Mourinho was drafted in from Portugal for the 2004 season. Mourinho made an immediate impression, not only on the Chelsea team but on English soccer in general, and his drive and ambition combined with Ambramovich’s fortune have transformed the fortunes of Chelsea.

Chelsea Today

Today, Chelsea boasts an amazing array of top players: Echoing the early popularity of Peter Bonetti, goalkeeper Petr Cech is rated by many as the #1 ‘keeper in the Premiership and one of the best in the world. Still aged only 23, he made his debut in his native Czech Republic when he was only 19. Captain John

Terry is respected as one of the most tenacious defenders in the Premiership and his dedication and consistency earned him the PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) Player of the Year award. At only 24, Chelsea hopes he will be around to carry on the good work for a few years yet.

In the midfield, Frank Lampard is a massive favourite with the fans. A tireless midfielder of great stamina, Lampard plays 90 minutes of end-to-end soccer every game and opposition teams know he can pop up anywhere on the pitch at any time, moving the ball up field from defence one moment, then scoring goals – 13 of them last season – the next. Although Lampard has been with Chelsea since 2001, it is only in the last two seasons

that he has really developed into a world-class player – a change that manager José Mourinho can take credit for. While vice-captain Lampard narrowly missed out on the PFA Player of the Year award, he has had the satisfaction of being

Chelsea’s own Player of the Year for 2004 and 2005.

A Record Breaking Season

Hardly surprising then that 2005 saw Chelsea win only their second-ever League title, a mere 50 years after winning their first! But this was just one element of what was the most successful year in Chelsea’s history, with them also winning the League Cup and breaking a number of records for a 38 game season:

• Highest points total for a Premiership season (95)
• Most wins (29)
• Fewest goals against (15)
• Most games with no goals against (25)

While it will be very difficult for Chelsea – or any other team – to produce a season that can

rival 2004-5 in terms of trophy wins and records, there can be no mistaking the intention of the club’s owners, management team and players to stay at the very top of the English Premiership for as long as possible, and they have started

this year with the kind of passion and success that is likely to lead to another great season for fans of «The Blues».

A Force To Be Reckoned With

No matter how unsuccessful the team has been in the past, Chelsea has always enjoyed the loyal support of local fans, but the recent success of the team means that today Chelsea is an internationally recognized soccer team and a major business with many facets.

The Chelsea FC online megastore now ships Chelsea-related soccer apparel, leisurewear, souvenirs, books and videos around the world. Their multi-lingual ordering hotline is just one indication of how internationally successful the Chelsea

«brand» has become.

The club’s sponsorship deal with Samsung is even bigger than Manchester United’s Vodaphone deal, bringing additional income to a club that is already generously funded by its owner and benefactor. Indeed, some commentators are now expressing concern that perhaps the Chelsea squad is too dominant, that perhaps the team is too well funded. But after so many years in the doldrums, you can be sure that today’s Chelsea fans are delighted they have «The Blues».

About The Author

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Imagine with me, if you will, the image of football’s future at a restaurant. Worry not, we are not looking at a fast food joint during a major tournament, the gaudy images of Disney characters doing scissor kicks is not welcome here. I am, of course, speaking metaphorically. Within our scene we see a top table, reserved for the best, the more sizeable contingent. Here we see our Real Madrid’s and Barcelona’s, our Manchester United’s and Chelsea’s, our Milanese giants. We look on as they stuff more into there already full mouths, chairs buckling beneath weighty posteriors, crumbs and excess falling to the ground around their feet. As we look down we see a sight that is unpleasant for anyone to view. The once great powers of Paris St Germain, Ajax and Celtic are scrambling to claim what they can from the slurry, enough maybe to see out starvation for just one more season. Is this the way our game is headed?

There is a gulf beginning to open; an expanse which will seemingly become harder and harder to bridge. The divide of which I speak is that between the various leagues under the weighty jurisdiction of the UEFA. As the big guns get fatter, those of lower stature become increasingly separated. The football associations of leagues such as Scotland, Belgium and Holland can only look on in awe as their bulkier neighbours enjoy increased sponsorship revenue, an influx of the cream of players from around the globe and as a result, greater worldwide coverage.

When the news of the English Premiership last week agreeing a television rights deal that will result in even the side finishing last at the end of the season pocketing £30 million, an equal sum to that which Chelsea received for their Championship winning term last year, the emphasis on the increasing gulf became all the more clear. So what does the future hold for side’s in leagues aside from the ‘Big 3’ of England, Italy and Spain?

Scottish football has now reached a juncture at which the league championship has become increasingly insignificant. Without doubt there will be fireworks, champagne and Tenants Super a-plenty at Parkhead when the inevitable occurs, but by many Bhoys supporters will concede that the ease at which their side continually win the championship does diminish the achievement to an extent. It now seems that Celtic and Rangers now focus their attentions more upon European competition than domestic.

This in itself creates a vicious circle. A cyclone that reduces the worthiness a various country’s domestic programmes, the upshot of this will ultimately render the teams effected occupying the unenviable position of having their finances, potential purchases and competitiveness marginalised. The effects of this, which many may argue we are already experiencing, could be catastrophic.

The richer the ‘big three’ leagues of England, Spain and Italy become, the harder it will become for those following to keep pace. Over the past decade this effect has become prevalent. Using the Champions League as an example, only twice in the past ten years have sides away from the ‘elite’ brought home the famous trophy. Taking this into consideration looking forwards, surely the chasm that divides will only widen, possibly to the extent to which long established leagues from countries like the Netherlands, Scandinavia and possibly even France become little more than feeder leagues to those who have established financial superiority.

The question that must be addressed is what can be done about this issue? Having recently succeeded UEFA stalwart Lennart Johansson, former France captain Michel Platini has many difficult tasks in his new role as president of the organisation, but I foresee this issue to be of huge importance in keeping the sport in the possession of the people.

The issue has been previously debated heavily in the Netherlands. At some point over the past ten years, all of the nations three most successful clubs (Ajax Amsterdam, Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven have voiced their desire to potentially leave the Dutch Championship as, similarly to in with the Old Firm sides of Scotland, they feel that they can gain nothing more from this competition.

Although this has not yet materialised, talk has been apparent of a merger between such leagues. Using the working title of a ‘Northern European Superleague’ it was voiced that an alliance as the title confers could give teams in this predicament a new lease of life. The new league could theoretically be as strong as any other whilst simultaneously enabling the clubs involved to fulfil the potential they posses, a potential really only denied previously due to a geographical misfortune.

The Ajax’s, Celtic’s and Anderlecht’s from across the continent would welcome this with open arms. It would instantly grant the prospective clubs money making opportunities that they had never experienced before. It has long been the argument of many Old Firm supporters that their beloved clubs would be as big as any south of the border if the competition so allowed, this could be the chance to prove this bold claim to be true.

Overall, bigger games week-in-week-out would produce more media interest, in turn gate receipts could improve, sponsorship deals fatten, and those who are now forced to sell to survive could begin to buy into a galactico class of player. Basically, everybody’s happy.

Or so you would think.

On the other side of the fence, the side where the grass is lush and the lawnmower is shiny. The side of the fence onto which the ball has been kicked, on this side we will find that the current occupants would rather the status quo remains.

For starters, we must appreciate that the power in football is held by the mighty. UEFA remain the organising and decision making entity, but the English FA, the Spanish LFP and Italian FIGC and the recently formed G14 conglomerate of clubs hold many of the Aces.

If we look at the situation from this perspective, we can easily see why the fattest diners at the table would not wish for someone to cut in on the cake. A rival league such as the one mooted could claim a portion of what is essentially a market share that is currently held by the biggest leagues. With football clubs run today more with financial gain in mind than ever before, the big hitters will doubtlessly not wish to see what they perceive as being their money (money that is often already accounted for in these days of projective finances), as such it is unlikely that any such league will be formed without much protestation.

Also, and the key deciding factor from the perspective of the governing body, is the impact that a pan-European league could have upon the Champions League. The jewel in UEFA’s crown can justly proclaim itself as being (aside from the World Cup) amongst the finest competitions in football today. A league combining different nations could potentially throw the famous tournament into disarray, with qualification processes requiring instant and dramatic overhaul.

As highly unlikely as the idea is to get off the ground is, the thinking behind the theory is the key factor that we must acknowledge. Quite simply, the divide between rich and poor in football today is widening to an extent to which I fear that domestic leagues outside of our decided elite will serve as little more than to develop and groom players for their ‘superiors’.

Once proud leagues like Le Championat in France, the Scottish Premier Division, possibly even the German Bundesliga find themselves further and further behind and the struggle to keep up is not getting any easier. Surely the greed of the biggest will not destroy that which grants the stature initially? Without healthy competition at all levels, football will be an elitist pastime, further separating itself from the people. The fans who supply the fuel that powers our beautiful game could become yet further separated.

A pan-European league may not be the answer, but surely something should be done to prevent the bloated sides at the top table ultimately crushing the hand that feeds them.

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Portsmouth

Odds: 1000/1

Last Five Seasons

2005/06 – 17 (Premiership), 2004/05 – 16 (Premiership), 2003/04 – 13 (Premiership), 2002/03 – 1
(Championship, Promoted), 2001/02 – 17 (Championship).

2005/06 Cup Progress

FA Cup Fourth Round vs Liverpool (h) – lost 2-1.

Carling Cup Second Round vs Gillingham (a) – lost 3-2 after extra time.

Top Goal Scorer 2005/06: Lomano Lua Lua (striker) and Gary O’Neill – 7 goals each.

Players In

David Thompson (Wigan Athletic – Free), Glen Johnson (Chelsea – Loan).

Players Out

John Viafara (Southampton – Undisclosed), Brian Priske (FC Bruges – Free), Gregory Vignal (Lens – Free), Vincent Pericard (Stoke City – Free), Gary Silk (Notts County – Free), Andrea Guatelli (Released), Aliou Cisse (Released), Collins Mbesuma (Released), Sander Westerveld (Released).

Portsmouth survived the drop last season after languishing in the bottom three for much of the campaign. The rescue act was down to former manager Harry Redknapp, who returned to the Fratton Park hot seat just a year after leaving for bitter rivals Southampton.

A six game unbeaten run between March and April saw Pompey scramble together enough points to beat relegation with four points to spare but Redknapp will have his work cut out again this season.

With plenty of money to spend, he has been thwarted in the transfer market this summer. Celtic’s Bulgaria captain Stilian Petrov was high on the wanted list but he failed with a £5 million bid, despite the player wanting a move to the Premier League. Aston Villa turned down Redknapp’s offer of £4.5 million for midfielder Gareth Barry and Real Betis rejected a bid for Brazilian striker Edu, who netted 11 goals in 31 matches last season.

Portsmouth were on the verge of breaking the transfer record fee with the £10 million capture of Benfica midfielder Manuel Fernandes but the youngster, who was not selected for Portugal’s World Cup squad, but that transfer also failed.

Redknapp has managed to sign Arsenal centre back Sol Campbell on a free transfer following five years, five major trophies and 197 appearances for the North London side. Wigan Athletic midfielder David Thompson, a former England international, also arrived on a free transfer, following spells at Blackburn Rovers, Coventry City and Liverpool.

Chelsea defender Glen Johnson, who has fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge following a £6 million switch from West Ham United in the summer of 2003, has joined the club on a season long loan.

Verdict

The arrival of Sol Campbell will provide some much needed defensive stability and Redknapp is slowly shipping out the dead wood, but survival will be the number one priority next season above everything else.

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Blackpool Football Club bosses pulled off a master stroke on transfer window deadline day for British football.

For many months, there’s been speculation surrounding Mr Adams and the keen interest being express by clubs such as Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea. OK, there’s been ‘speculation’ and that’s very different from a genuine offer being made to Blackpool FC to secure Mr Adams’ services. On a day when Fernando Torres left struggling Liverpool to join Chelsea FC (who are also struggling but still in the top 5 league positions) for an astounding £50 million fee, youngster Andy Carroll leaves Newcastle FC to join Liverpool for a staggering £30 million – remember that Mr Carroll has played less than 45 minutes for the England national side and his transfer fee is only £10 million less than that paid for master footballer Zinezine Zidane over a decade ago, don’t you just wonder where, in an environment of austerity and cutbacks, how much does one club have to pay for a player from a competitor?

The master stroke from Blackpool FC? It’s a wonderfully simple, if not perhaps unethical approach to retaining the services of a very influential player. What did they do? Well, Sky News reported that an offer for Adams had been received from high-flying Tottenham Hotspur (remember, it’s deadline day and more ‘last minute’ deals get done on this day than at any other time during the transfer window), but a deal was not able to be done due to the fact that several Blackpool FC shareholders weren’t available to sign documents which would have approved the deal before the 11pm transfer deadline.

Isn’t this a fantastic strategy? A well established negotiation tool is to ‘refer to a higher authority’ if you want to get something done more quickly and easily. But Blackpool FC turned this approach on its head. They appear to have ensured that the ‘higher authorities’ were unavailable, whether they be in different locations or just not contactable by phone. Well done Mr Holloway, you’ve kept the player you never wanted to sell and let other clubs know what challenges they’ll face in future when you don’t want to sell one of your players.

Can’t we all learn something from this that relates to the world of business?

A key tool when influencing another person or group is the element of scarcity. Whether it’s a scarcity of funds, resources or time, creating the illusion of something or someone not being available for long tends to create an element of urgency in the other party. Look at how Ian Holloway played out this drama. And he did it fantastically well! He started with the approach of ‘Don’t ask us to sell our player as he’s not for sale.’ In an interview a few weeks later he stated that in his opinion, his player could be worth up to £48 million. How crazy is that valuation? and that’s possibly what he wanted his intended audience (other Premiership managers) to think. And are you guessing what’s next? Even though £48 million is ridiculous as a transfer fee, if you do want to buy the player and you get him for £20 million – doesn’t it then look like more of a bargain?

Remember, in business, whether you’re a leader, manager, sales person or customer service agent, you are ALWAYS negotiating. And if you’re not using effective negotiation and influencing tools and techniques, you could lose out. And, with great respect for Mr Holloway, if you don’t want to sell out, make it amazingly difficult for the other party to access the relevant resources (in his case, the shareholders) to approve such a deal.

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When Arsene Wenger took charge of the Arsenal Football Club in October 2006 he was relatively unknown in the English football community. Since his arrival, however, Wenger has transformed Arsenal into a successful, multi-national side with a strong emphasis on stylish, attacking football.

As a passionate supporter of Arsenal for the past ten years I have had the privilege to witness Wenger’s entire tenure as manager of the club. In that time I have watched the club win the Premier League title three times (1998, 2002 & 2004), the FA Cup four times (1998, 2002, 2003 & 2005) and reached both the UEFA Cup Final and Champions League Final once each (2000 & 2006 respectively). I have seen many great players come and go from the club from all over the world and been spoilt by some scintillating attacking football.

So without further ado I am happy to present, playing in Wenger’s favoured 4-4-2 formation, the Arsenal Team of the Decade.

Goalkeeper of the Decade: Jens Lehmann

German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann joined Arsenal in July 2003 as a replacement for long-serving Englishman David Seaman. Whilst many supporters will no doubt question Lehmann’s selection in this side over his predecessor I think it is hard to argue with Lehmann’s outstanding performances for Arsenal. In his first season with the club Lehmann went the entire Premiership season without losing a game – an astonishing tribute to his consistency and ability in goals.

His next season was less spectacular but he put in a significant man-of-the-match performance in Arsenal’s FA Cup Final win over bitter rivals Manchester United. Lehmann’s stepped up another level in the 2005/06 season when going unbeaten throughout his entire Champions League campaign with Arsenal until being unfortunately sent off in the final. He was subsequently awarded with the Champions League Goalkeeper of the Year.

An astonishing save from Real Madrid’s Raul in the quarter-final second-leg and an important late save from Juan Riquelme’s penalty-kick in the semi-final second-leg against Villareal were the highlights of his campaign. Lehmann has always been a fine shot-stopper and despite a tendency to be hot-headed deserves his place as Arsenal’s Goalkeeper of the Decade.

Best Moment: With Arsenal 1-0 ahead of Villareal on aggregate and on the brink of their first Champions League Final their opponents was awarded a late penalty to give Riquelme the opportunity to send the tie into extra-time. But up stepped Jens Lehmann who dived to his left and kept out Riquelme’s penalty to spark delirium in the Arsenal camp and put them through to their first Champions League final.

Right Back of the Decade: Lauren

Cameroonian midfielder Lauren joined Arsenal from Real Mallorca in 2000 and was converted to Arsenal’s first-choice right back for the 2001/02 season. He was an integral part of the Arsenal defence that won the double in that season, equally adept at defending and attacking and forming a vital partnership with Freddie Ljungberg down the right flank.

Lauren was an incredibly gifted player with exceptional technical ability. He combined this technique with great speed and aggression to make the ideal attacking right-back. He was a member of the Arsenal side that went through the Premiership season in 2003-2004 undefeated but was suspended for four matches for confronting Ruud van Nistelrooij after the Manchester United striker’s penalty miss against Arsenal at Old Trafford.

Despite leaving to the club and joining in January, 2007, Lauren will go down as one of Arsenal’s best wing-backs of all time and gets his place as Arsenal’s Right-Back of the Decade.

Best Moment: With six games to go in the 2001/02 season Arsenal were locked in a tight battle with Manchester United for the Premiership title. The Gunners met London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a crucial game which was poised at 1-1 late in the second half. When Thierry Henry won a penalty for Arsenal in the 85th minute it was – surpisingly – Lauren who took responsibility for the kick. With all the confidence in the world he poked his penalty down the middle of the goal to seal crucial win for the club and set them on their way to the Premiership title.

Central Defender of the Decade: Tony Adams (Captain)

It is impossible to leave the man nicknamed «Mr Arsenal» out of this side. Although previously suffering from alcoholism during the 1990s Tony Adams was revitalised by the arrival of Arsene Wenger and the implementation of the club’s reformed dietary practices and went on to captain the club to two league-and-cup doubles, in 1997/98 & 2001/02.

Adams was the ultimate English central-defender; tall, strong and an excellent in the air. He excelled at organising the defence but was also a ferocious man-marker. Adams is the most successful captain in the club’s history and is the only English football player to captain a league-winning team in three separate decades.

As such, Adams not only makes it into the Arsenal Team of the Decade as one of the central defenders but is also handed the captain’s armband as a tribute to his leadership and loyalty to the Arsenal Football Club over his eighteen-year career.

Best Moment: Tony Adams capped his and Arsenal’s exceptional Premiership campaign in 1997/98 with the final goal of the season. When central defensive partner Steve Bould collected the ball on halfway Adams tore off towards the goal and Bould chipped the ball into his path. With only the goalkeeper to beat he smashed the ball past the Everton goalkeeper to round off Arsenal’s brilliant season.

Central Defender of the Decade: Kolo Toure

Arsene Wenger signed Kolo Toure from Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas for the tiny sum of £150,000 in 2002 and turned him into a superstar. Originally thought to be a midfield utility player, Toure was converted to central defence by Wenger and formed a strong partnership with Sol Campbell that saw the club go undefeated in the Premiership in the 2003/04 season.

Toure’s success at converting to central defence is made all the more remarkable by a style of play more attributed to a winger. His blinding speed, natural agility and strength on the ball have proved more than enough compensation for his modest height of 1.83m. Like Adams, Toure is a natural leader on the pitch and has become a fans’ favourite at Arsenal. He was part of the Arsenal defence that went 10 games without conceding a goal in the Champions League and continues to be touted as a future captain of the club.

While many supporters will believe that Sol Campbell should get the second centre-back position on this team I think Toure pips him due to his superior technique on the ball. As such, Toure partners Tony Adams as the second central defender in the Arsenal Team of the Decade.

Best Moment: Arsenal played Villareal off the park in the first half of the Champions League semi-final first-leg match at Highbury but were unable to find the goal their play deserved. But right at the death of the half Toure popped up to turn home Alexander Hleb’s cross and score his first ever Champions League goal. It would turn out to be the crucial goal in the tie which finished 1-0 to Arsenal after a 0-0 draw in the return leg made famous by Jens Lehmann’s penalty save.

Left Back of the Decade: Ashley Cole

It pains me to say it after his recent disloyalty to the club, but Ashley Cole gets the position of left-back in the Arsenal Team of the Decade ahead of Nigel Winterburn and Silvinho. While at the club Cole was an integral part of Arsenal’s attacking double-winning sides of 2001/02 and 2003/04.

Always willing to get forward and support with his exhilarating pace, Cole is blessed with excellent technical skills and is a solid crosser of the ball. He is an excellent tackler and has often dominated in games against Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo, a credit to his man-marking ability.

It is a shame that Cole’s career at Arsenal ended the way it did and he will always be remembered for that rather than his fabulous performances that he gave in the seven years he spent with the club. For these consistent performances and Cole gets a spot in the team as the Left-Back of the Decade.

Best Moment: Cole’s performance against Manchester United when marking Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2005 FA Cup was one of the best in his Arsenal career. He nullified Ronaldo’s dribbling time and time again to enable Arsenal cling on to a 0-0 draw until the end of extra-time. Then, in the penalty shoot-out Cole calmly converted his spot-kick as Arsenal went on to win the trophy for the third time in four years.

Right Midfielder of the Decade: Fredrik Ljungberg

Fredrik Ljungberg joined Arsenal in 1998 for £3 million from Swedish side Halmstads BK following an outstanding performance for his national team against England in a World Cup Qualification match. Wenger took a considerable risk in signing the player without seeing him play live but his faith was rewarded in part when Ljungberg scored on debut as a substitute in a 3-0 win over Manchester United.

He ended the 2000/01 season in fine form with a run of goals before scoring in Arsenal’s FA Cup Final loss to Liverpool in Cardiff. Ljungberg hit his best run of form for the club a year later in the closing rounds of the 2001/02 season where he netted in five consecutive matches before providing the assist for Sylvain Wiltord to wrap up the title for Arsenal at Old Trafford. He scored a marvellous solo goal against Chelsea in the FA Cup Final to become the first player to score in two consecutive FA Cup Finals in 50 years.

Ljungberg’s defining characteristics have always been his speed, tenacity and ability to make late, surging runs into the box to create goalscoring chances. Few are able to do this as well as Ljungberg and as such, he gets the right midfield position in the Arsenal Team of the Decade.

Best Moment: In the final matches of the 2001/02 Premiership-winning year Ljungberg scored vital goals on an almost ridiculously consistent basis. But it was one of his goals, scored earlier in the season against Liverpool at Anfield that defined Arsenal’s title-winning side. With Arsenal down to ten men after Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s harsh dismissal the side were well and truly up against it. But Ljungberg proceeded to decide the game by first winning a penalty for Thierry Henry to open the scoring before firing in the sealer after a fine bit of Robert Pires trickery. That goal and Ljungberg’s celebration remain a personal favourite memory of mine and define the fighting characteristics of the 2001/02 Arsenal side.

Central Midfielder of the Decade: Patrick Vieira (Vice-Captain)

Arsene Wenger’s purchase of the Senegalese-born French international from AC Milan in September 1996 for £3.5 million is widely regarded as one of his best pieces of transfer business. After joining the club, Wenger developed Vieira into a composed and technically proficient midfielder to compliment his endless stamina and physical strength.

Vieira made a habit of scoring a number of long-range goals early in his time at Arsenal but became more and more defensive as his career progressed. His defensive nature provided stability for the defence and allowed the likes of Cole and Lauren to push forward and assist Ljungberg and Pires in forward attacks. Nevertheless, Vieira still had a knack of bobbing up in big matches and slotting home a goal or two.

He was captain of the Arsenal sides that won the double in 2001-2002 and went unbeaten in the Premiership in 2003-2004 before winning the 2005 FA Cup Final with his final kick for the club before joining Italian side Juventus. He will remain a true Arsenal legend and there can be no arguments about Vieira’s place in the Team of the Decade as the premier central midfielder.

Best Moment: It was a fitting end to his Arsenal career when Patrick Vieira lined up to take the fifth and final kick against Manchester United in 2005 and scored to win the FA Cup for the club. Vieira had many great moments as captain of Arsenal but to win the the trophy with his final kick for the club was a fairytale end to an outstanding career.

Central Midfielder of the Decade: Gilberto Silva

The Brazilian midfielder joined Arsenal for £4.5 million in August 2002 following outstanding performances for his country at the World Cup in Korea & Japan. He brought with him a reputation for simple, effective football – something not normally attributed to a Brazilian player – with his favoured position as a holding midfielder, sitting just in front of the defence.

Gilberto made an immediate mark in his first match for Arsenal, scoring the winning goal in the 2002 Community Shield against Liverpool. His first season with the club was looked on with mixed reviews and a tendency for him to appear invisible during games frustrated supporters. But in his second season, any frustrations vanished. He formed a skilful and physical central pairing with club captain Patrick Vieira and helped Arsenal go through the entire Premier League season unbeaten.

Gilberto has remained a vital member of the starting team and became vice-captain after Vieira’s departure from the club. He was widely regarded as the club’s best player in the 2006/07 season which brought out the best in Gilberto as both a leader and goalscorer. His versatility and quiet consistency over his time with Arsenal makes Gilberto the perfect central midfield partner for Patrick Vieira in the Team of the Decade.

Best Moment: Although he missed a penalty, the thrill of captaining Arsenal for the first time to a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford will live long in the memory for Gilberto. He was a commanding, dominating presence in midfield and allowed the more skilful Cesc Fabregas the freedom to trouble the Manchester United defence. If ever there was a game that signalled Gilberto’s transition from team player to team leader then this was it.

Left Midfielder of the Decade: Robert Pires

The French dynamo joined Arsenal from Marseille in 2000 for £6 million and left the club for Spanish side Villareal six years later in the summer of 2006. The impact that Robert Pires had on the success of Arsenal between those two dates was remarkable. Pires scored 62 goals and provided 43 assists in 189 Premiership appearances to make his mark as a player of astonishing effectiveness.

Pires’ two peaks of form as an Arsenal player came in the 2001/02 season when he was voted PFA Player of the Season after dominating the midfield for Arsenal, and the 2003/04 season in which he scored 14 goals to help the club go unbeaten in the Premiership for an entire season. Pires’ biggest attributes were his flawless control, blistering pace and technical creativity. Importantly, he was equally adept at scoring beautiful or ugly goals at crucial moments for the club.

He formed a formidable attacking relationship with the likes of Fredrik Ljungberg, Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry and is an obvious choice as the Left Midfielder of the Decade for Arsenal.

Best Moment: The pinnacle of Pires’ Arsenal career came in his second season at the club when he was voted PFA Player of the Year despite missing the last two months of the season with a knee injury. His finest moment of that season came in a match against Aston Villa where Pires scored an outrageous individual goal to seal a 2-0 victory. Receiving a long ball from Ljungberg, Pires flicked the ball over Aston Villa defender George Boateng’s head before chipping Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeicel. It was a moment of pure class from a class player.

Forward of the Decade: Thierry Henry

When Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger signed Thierry Henry from Juventus in August 1999 for £10.5 million it was seen by most observers to be a strange decision. At his spell in Italy, Henry was used mainly on the wing and scored just three goals in 16 appearances for Juventus – generally struggling with the defensive discipline in the Serie A. Upon arrival at Arsenal he was immediately converted into a striker by Wenger and since that day the club and Henry have never looked back. Although he failed to score in his first ten matches with Arsenal, Henry ended his first season with 26 and a star was born.

Henry is now the highest goalscorer in Arsenal history with 174 goals from 254 games. But his performances have always been about so much more than just scoring goals. He is an amazing athlete, one of the fastest players with the ball at his feet in the history of the game and has an inventiveness and imagination that has thrilled the football world. Highlights include his amazing self-made volley against Manchester United, his hat-trick away to Roma in the Champions League, a stunning individual running goal at home to London rivals Tottenham and a late header to win last season’s Premiership match at home against Manchester United.

There are no words that can accurately describe the impact that Thierry Henry has had on the success of Arsenal since he signed in 1999. His promotion to captain after Patrick Vieira’s departure was a reward for his loyalty and influence at the club and a sign of the great respect that his fellow teammates and the Arsenal community have for him. As such, Henry not only makes it into the Team of the Decade but is also named the Arsenal Player of the Decade.

Best Moment: In the middle of the historic 2003/04 season Arsenal faced Liverpool at Highbury after being knocked out of both the Champions League and the FA Cup in consecutive matches. The performance that Henry produced on that day was truly astonishing as he single-handedly turned a 2-1 half-time deficit into a stunning 4-2 victory. His second goal of the match – to grab the lead for Arsenal for the first time – was one of his best ever for the club. After dribbling halfway past three Liverpool defenders he coolly slotted past Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek to get Arsenal’s Premiership season back on track.

Forward of the Decade: Dennis Bergkamp

Dennis Bergkamp signed for Arsenal for in June 1995 for £7.5million after two disappointing seasons with Inter Milan in the Serie A. The Dutchman hit his best form after the arrival of Arsene Wenger in 1996 and was voted as the PFA Player of the Year for the 1997/98 season when Arsenal won the league and cup double. Bergkamp’s best attributes were always his impeccable control and intelligence when on the ball. He would rarely waste a touch and was just as able to set up a teammate for a goal with a brilliant pass or flick as he was to finish chances for himself.

The quality of the goals that Bergkamp scored is something to cherish as an Arsenal supporter. This is best illustrated in a 3-3 draw with Leicester City where Bergkamp scored a hat-trick of such brilliance that his three goals took up all three spots in the Premier League Goal of the Month award – the first and only time a single player has achieved this. There was also a monumental goal he scored against Newcastle where he bamboozled his marker to score the Goal of the Season in 2002. Goals became less frequent as his career progressed but until his retirement at the end of the 2005/06 season Bergkamp remained a valuable member of Wenger’s team.

Dennis Bergkamp will always be remembered as a great team player and one of the most influential Arsenal players in the club’s history. Thierry Henry has previously called him the «perfect» strike partner because of his unselfishness and ability to read the game. This unselfishness is illustrated by the fact that as well as scoring 121 goals for Arsenal he has also provided 166 assists for the club. This makes him the ideal partner for Henry in the Arsenal Team of the Decade.

Best Moment: The 2-0 victory that Arsenal recorded away to Newcastle in the 2001-2002 Premiership season will forever be remembered for Bergkamp’s amazing piece of skill in opening the scoring for the Gunners. There is conjecture over whether his touch was intentional but in flicking the ball past Newcastle defender Nicos Dabizas and slotting past Shay Given he is credited with scoring one of the best goals in the history of the game.

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