FOOTY FAIR

5 Big Name Players Big Sam Brought to Bolton Back in the Day

2016-08-23T09:54:00.001-04:00

While he has often been accused of being a man who favours a robust or long ball approach to the game, new England manager Sam Allardyce actually enjoyed eight good years at Bolton Wanderers in the previous decade, where he was able to combine tough workmanlike players with a surprising collection of skillful internationals.

Big Sam, somehow managed to stretch Bolton's meager budget to convince the following big name players to aid him in his, ultimately successful, quest to keep the Greater Manchester area club in the top flight in the early to mid-2000's:

5.) Bruno N'Gotty

Almost immediately after guiding Bolton into the Premier League in 2001, Big Sam was able to secure a loan deal for Olympique Marseille defender Bruno N'Gotty to help shore up the side's back line. Despite a rocky start to life at the Reebok Stadium, the former French international became a steady fan favourite, who made a permanent switch to the club in 2002 and then went on to five great seasons at the club.

4.) Youri Djorkaeff

In 2002, Allardyce unexpectedly secured the signature of French international Youri Djorkaeff who had played a big role in his country's victory in both the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. The classy forward would grace the Reebok for parts of three seasons before departing for Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 2004.

3.) Jay-Jay Okocha

Certainly Big Sam's biggest coup while in charge of Bolton was his landing the then 28-year old Nigerian international Jay-Jay Okocha on a free transfer from Paris St-Germain in 2002. The talented player quickly showed the adoring Wanderers supporters why he had originally gone to France for £14 million only four years before turning up at the Reebok. With his incredible technique winning over the crowds, t-shirts started to turn up in Bolton with the caption "Jay-Jay Okocha: So Good They Named Him Twice".

2.) Ivan Campo

Despite being a key member of the Real Madrid side who captured the UEFA Champions League in 2000, Spanish international defender Ivan Campo had fallen out of favour at the Bernabeu two seasons later and was loaned out to Bolton in 2002. After a solid first season with the club, he was expected to return to Madrid but instead Big Sam persuaded him to sign a permanent deal to remain at the Reebok. Campo became a hero with the fans with his combative style and occasional wonder strikes, such as his 43-yard pile driver against Tottenham in August 2006. After 141 appearances for the club, he departed for Ipswich Town in 2008.

1.) Gary Speed (And Fernando Hierro - OK... That's 6 players)

The late Welsh international Gary Speed was considered over the hill when he joined Bolton from Newcastle United in 2004, but the ultra-fit and inspirational midfielder went on to form a important part of Bolton's underdog heroes. In 2005 he partnered up in the centre of the park with another surprise signing in former Real Madrid captain Fernando Hierro to help Bolton finish sixth and subsequently qualify for the UEFA Cup for the first time in the club's history.

5 Premier League Players With Something to Prove

2016-08-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

The 2016-2017 English Premier League season kicks off this weekend and the following are five players who have something to prove:

5.) Jamie Vardy

Last season, Jamie Vardy's astonishing 24 goal return helped Leicester City to the most unlikely league title in modern history. But can he, and Leicester, prove that last season wasn't just a one off?

4.) Wayne Rooney

There are few topics as divisive among Manchester United supporters than the current merits of captain Wayne Rooney. He has undoubtedly been a great player for the club, but his form over the past two seasons has been patchy to say the least. With new manager Jose Mourinho preferring to play him back in a forward position, rather than in midfield, it'll be interesting to see if Rooney can recapture his form of past years.

3.) John Stones

With Manchester City completing a £47.5 million deal for the highly rated John Stones, the now former Everton defender will certainly come in for some increased scrutiny this season. Like the rest of his former teammates Stones faded badly in the second half of last season, with many claiming that he tends to attempt risky maneuvers in the box, when a similar option would suffice. It'll be interesting to see how he does under new City boss Pep Guardiola.

2.) Eden Hazard

Chelsea winger Eden Hazard, who had been instrumental in the Blues title winning campaign in 2014-2015, ranged between anonymous and disastrous last season. He'll need to find his form again if he is going to impress new manager Antonio Conte.

1.) Raheem Sterling

It seems staggering now that Manchester City paid £50 million for former Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling a year ago. To say that the England international struggled last season, and again at Euro 2016 with his country, is the football understatement of the decade. Sterling's fee was always much too high, and he'll likely never quite fulfill it, but if he can recapture his Liverpool form he may just become a valuable player once again for club and country.

Rio 2016: Who Would Have Been on Team Great Britain?

2016-08-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

Great Britain, after a fielding a side in the London games of 2012, have opted not to send a football team to the Olympic Games this summer in Brazil.

A lack of support from the Home Nations is the reason that Great Britain will not be competing in the men's or women's football tournaments.

The English FA was hoping to send a team to Brazil to provide valuable tournament experience for younger players, however the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish FA all rejected the proposal of a combined squad. FIFA in turn, stated that a British team could only compete in the games if all four federations were in agreement, so with that Britain is on the outside looking in.

If they had sent a side to Rio though, we here at FootyFair wondered who would have been in it?

In attempting to put together a Team GB for the Olympics, we stuck to the rule that you could only have three players in the side who were older than 23 years of age and also opted to include at least one player from each of the British and Northern Irish associations.

The following is the youthful, attacking and somewhat surprising side that we came up with:

(Age listed in parenthesis.)

GK: David Marshall (31) - Scotland

Having an experienced, and quality, keeper is critical for any successful side so I've opted to use one of Team GB's three overage picks on Cardiff City's David Marshall. Included in many pundits Premier League team of the season, two years ago, Marshall's quality is a bit overlooked because of playing for a less fashionable side, but he is a superb shot stopper who would be a safe pair of hands behind what is a very attacking side.

RB: Calum Chambers (21) - England

With a limited number of quality fullbacks to choose from, I've opted to go for the youthful promise of Calum Chambers at right back. The Arsenal youngster has excelled for England's under-21's and would benefit from playing in a big tournament such as this.

CB: John Stones (22) - England

The most sought after defender in the Premier League, Everton's John Stones might be England's most technically adept centre back since Rio Ferdinand was at his peak.

CB: Jonny Evans (28) - Northern Ireland

Although he had his ups and downs with Manchester United, Jonny Evans has had a resurgence at West Brom and showed the sort of form last season that made some question whether or not he had been sent packing from Old Trafford prematurely. A big part of Northern Ireland's run to the Round of 16 at Euro 2016, Evans would be one of my overage players in the squad.

LB: Ben Davies (23) - Wales

He may be the second string left back for Tottenham at the moment, but at Euro 2016 Ben Davies showed that might only be a temporary thing for the promising left back. In helping his country to the Semi-Finals in France he displayed the impressive form he had shown earlier in his career for Swansea.

MF: Eric Dier (22) - England

One of the few players to emerge from England's disastrous showing at the Euros with any credit, Spurs midfielder Eric Dier would hold down the middle of the park for Team GB.

MF: Dele Alli (20) - England

Although he didn't look his best at the Euros, Dele Alli, is another talented young English player for Spurs who would be a key part of Team GB. A skillful attacker, with a flair for the dramatic, the best is surely yet to come from the former Milton Keynes man.

MF: Ross Barkley (22) - England

Another talented attacker, Everton's Ross Barkley would give Team GB yet more attacking impetus from midfield.

FW: Marcus Rashford (18) - England

Manchester United's young breakout star, Marcus Rashford is as comfortable out wide as he is up top, and would play on the right of the forward line.

FW: Harry Kane (23) - England

Although he stuttered to perform at the Euros, mainly due to looking absolutely exhausted after a long season, a rested and revitalized Harry Kane would be a crucial part of Team GB's attack.

Gareth Bale (27) - Wales

What more can you say about the third overage player I've picked in Gareth Bale? He's been terrific for the last five seasons and this side would provide him with the service to cut opposition teams to ribbons.

5 Surprising Facts About the 1966 World Cup

2016-07-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

Fifty years ago today, England, the nation that had given the world it's most popular sport, defeated West Germany to claim the Jules Rimet Trophy as winners of the eighth FIFA World Cup.

While every English football fan knows that the final score on that sunny day at Wembley Stadium on 30 July 1966 was 4-2, the following are five facts about the 1966 World Cup that you might not be aware of:

5.) Bobby Moore Was Lucky to be Playing

Unbeknownst to the general public and even his teammates for club and country, England captain Bobby Moore was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1964 and had to have a testicle surgically removed. He missed several months of play with a reported "groin injury", but battled back to lead West Ham to victory over 1860 Munich in the final of the 1965 European Cup Winners Cup a year before his heroics with England.

4.) Greyhound Racing Forced France and Uruguay Out of Wembley

With France due to take on Uruguay in an opening group stage match at Wembley Stadium, on a Friday night, a scheduling conflict arose. Wembley typically hosted greyhound racing on Fridays, so with this being England, obviously the World Cup match had to be moved. The eventual venue was London's White City Stadium, an athletics ground that had been built for the 1908 Summer Olympics.

3.) Helmut Haller Stole the Match Ball

After the final whistle of the 1966 World Cup Final, the match ball should have by rights gone to England's hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst. However, West Germany's Helmut Haller, who had opened the scoring that day, strode off the pitch with the ball under his arm while England were busy celebrating their historic win. Thirty years later a campaign by writers from the Daily Mirror bought the ball home and it now resides in the National Football Museum in Manchester.

2.) Pickles the Dog Found the Trophy

Just months before the finals, the Jules Rimet trophy went on display at a London stamp exhibition. Despite 24-hour surveillance, thieves somehow manged to steal the trophy from it's display case. An embarrassed English FA was sent a ransom note, but nothing came of it and there was a real danger that another trophy would need to be commissioned. Six days after it's disappearance though a man named David Corbett was pulled over towards some bushes in London's Beulah Hill district by his dog Pickles, where they uncovered the World Cup trophy wrapped in newspaper.

1.) North Korea Benefited From an African Boycott

With only sixteen qualifying places up for grabs, FIFA decided to allocate only a single qualifying spot for the winner of a four-way playoff between three African group winners and the Asian zone winner. An incensed African Federation, who were also angered by apartheid South Africa initially being allowed to participate in World Cup qualifying, withdrew from the World Cup. Asian group winners North Korea were then left to face off against OCEANIA's Australia, who they duly hammered 9-2 across two legs. At the finals, the North Koreans would go on to stun Italy 1-0 at Middlesbrough's old Ayresome Park with a goal by Pak Doo-ik to see themselves through to the Quarter-Finals at the Azzurri's expense.

Euro 2016 Highlights and Low-Lights

2016-07-11T14:01:00.000-04:00

While the champagne continues to flow following Portugal's emotional win in the UEFA European Championship Final on Sunday, these are our highlights and low-lights of Euro 2016 in France:

Player of the Tournament:

Antoine Griezmann. Although he didn't perform in the final, with his missed header late in the second half proving to be particularly costly, France wouldn't have come anywhere near the final without the goals and the inspired play of Griezmann. A honorable mention has to go to Portugal's Pepe, who is normally one of the biggest villains in world football but was absolutely immense in this tournament.

Donkey of the Tournament:

Roy Hodgson. Instead of going for a player, I couldn't look beyond England manager Roy Hodgson who oversaw the Three Lions shambolic campaign in France. He took a fairly talented and young side to the Euros, but couldn't settle on his best formation or starting eleven, and bewildered with his substitutions. He justified the opinion that many observers had, in that he should have been sacked after England's 2014 World Cup group stage exit.

Goal of the Tournament:

Cristiano Ronaldo's flying header vs Wales, Luka Modric's incredible volley vs Turkey, and Xherdan Shaqiri's last ditch wonder strike vs Poland were all terrific, as was Dimitri Payet's long range curling effort against Romania, but the goal of the tournament was scored by Wales' Hal Robson-Kanu. His Cruyff turn and exquisite finish against Belgium in their pulsating quarter-final would have had the old Dutch master himself smiling.

Scandal of the Tournament:

England's supporters won themselves few admirers for their wretched behavior in Marseilles, but they were certainly outdone by the hooliganism of the Russian supporters who dished out some shocking violence on the day of the two sides group match. The stadium security in Marseilles, and the French polices' response outside of the stadium, also contributed to the carnage.

Match of the Tournament:

Italy vs Germany. Although Wales vs Belgium was terrific and a real feel good story with the Welsh winning through to the semi-final of a major tournament for the first time, the best match of Euro 2016 was the pulsating clash between Germany and Italy. In a tournament that was often lacking in quality, this match had an intensity that was reminiscent of a title fight between two seasoned heavy weight prize fighters.

Disappointment of the Tournament:

The expansion from 16 teams to 24 was as disastrous as expected, with a poor group stage leading to several weak sides scraping into the round of 16 lowering the standard of a once great tournament. The Euros didn't feature many epic encounters and defense first seemed to be the order of the day.

Team of the Tournament:

Portugal. Iceland and Wales provided nice stories, Italy went further than expected and France (at times) played the best football, but Portugal were incredibly well organized and fought to the end in all of their matches. They are worthy champions.

5 Players Who Could Be on The Move Following Euro 2016

2016-07-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

The 2016 UEFA European Championships are nearing a close and with that attention will invariably turn to the transfer market. Supporters of clubs in England might just see the following players end up at their clubs in the next month or two:

5) ALVARO MORATA (23, forward) Real Madrid / Spain

Although Spain's Euro 2016 campaign ended in disappointment, it could still prove to be a big summer for striker Alvaro Morata. After leaving Real Madrid for Juventus in 2014 for £16m he had two mixed seasons with the Turin giants he has just returned to Spain as a result Real triggered his £25m buy-back clause. It could prove a short stay as Madrid are rumoured to have just bought Morata back in order to sell him on for a profit. Despite the uncertainty over his future, he is still a strong forward with an eye for goal, who can hold the ball up well and a forward who seems well suited for the English Premier League.

Possible Destinations: Chelsea, Arsenal

4) KAMIL GROSICKI (28, winger) Rennes / Poland

Polish winger Kamil Grosicki turned heads in helping his country to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 and could well be on the move before the 2016-2017 season kicks off. The fleet footed winger is another player who could be on his way to England.

Possible Destinations: Leicester, Everton

3) RAGNAR SIGURDSSON (30, defender) Krasnodar / Iceland

With a name that sounds like it's come out of history book on Viking warriors, Ragnar Sigurdsson has been one of the surprise performers of this summer's Euros with the tough centre-back helping his country to an astonishing run to the quarter-finals. He will almost certainly be on his way to a bigger club in the next month.

Possible Destinations: Leicester, Tottenham.

2) JOHN STONES (22, defender) Everton / England

John Stones did not feature for England at all during the Euros and to be fair that's probably for the best as their camping was a disaster. The ball playing centre-back is highly coveted by several big sides in England and will likely leave Everton if the money is right.

Possible Destinations: Chelsea, Manchester City

1) PAUL POGBA (23, midfielder) Juventus / France

It will take a mountain of cash to pry French midfielder Paul Pogba away from Juventus, and chances are that if Real Madrid gets involved they'll smash the world transfer record again for him, but the two Manchester clubs are in the hunt for his signature. The midfield powerhouse was foolishly allowed to leave Old Trafford in 2012 and now United want him back. Rivals City may have something to say about that though.

Possible Destinations: Manchester United, Manchester City

5 of England's Most Embarrassing Defeats

2016-06-28T12:00:00.000-04:00

To say that it's been a traumatic week for England would be the understatement of the decade.
After the British public voted themselves out of the European Union on Thursday, a clueless rabble masquerading as the English national football team crashed out of Euro 2016 yesterday by virtue of a 2-1 loss to minnows Iceland in the Round of 16.

As England manager Roy Hodgson resigned from his post following this depressing setback this result finds its way into our list of England's greatest ever embarrassments:

5.) Northern Ireland 1-0 England, 2006 World Cup qualifier, September 2005

England appeared to be cruising through to the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany with an unblemished qualifying campaign before manager Sven Goran Eriksson opted to experiment with his tactics against Northern Ireland. Perhaps bowing to pressure from his famous captain, he set his side up with David Beckham in a long passing "quarterback" role. A confused England side crashed to their first defeat to Northern Ireland since 1972, as David Healy's 73rd minute goal sent Windsor Park into raptures.

4.) England 0-1 Republic of Ireland, Euro 1988 group stage, June 1988

After a strong showing at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, England expected to be among the favourites at Euro 88 in West Germany. Their campaign though couldn't have gotten off to a worse start, as the Republic of Ireland under manager Jackie Charlton won their first-ever match at a major finals thanks to a goal from Liverpool's Ray Houghton. England would go on to lose to both the Netherlands and the Soviet Union to return home winless and with their tails between their legs.

3.) Norway 2 England 1, 1982 World Cup qualifier, September 1981

During qualifying for the 1982 World Cup in Spain, England somehow contrived to lose to an awful Norwegian side who would finish rock bottom of their qualifying group. Despite a young Bryan Robson giving England the lead, Tom Lund and Hallvar Thoresen turned the match in favour of the home side. The result was made famous by Norwegian commentator Bjorge Lillelien's amazing outburst after the match:
"Lord Nelson! Lord Beaverbrook! Sir Winston Churchill! Sir Anthony Eden! Clement Attlee! Henry Cooper! Lady Diana! Maggie Thatcher - can you hear me, Maggie Thatcher! Your boys took one hell of a beating! Your boys took one hell of a beating."

2.) England 1-2 Iceland, Euro 2016 Round of 16, June 2016

After Wayne Rooney's fourth minute penalty, English supporters might have been lulled into a feeling that this was going to be a cakewalk. But that feeling was quickly snuffed out when Ragnar Sigurðsson leveled the score in the sixth minute and Kolbeinn Sigþórsson darted through a hapless defense before shooting past a dreadful Joe Hart on 18 minutes. Iceland then proceeded to thoroughly outplay an England side who never looked like getting back into the match.

1.) United States 1 England 0, 1950 World Cup group stage, June 1950

After missing out on the first three World Cup tournaments in the 1930's, due to not being members of FIFA, England had a false sense of their standing in the world game. A talented generation of players that included the likes of Billy Wright, Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortensen, Wilf Mannion and Tom Finney, along with a post-war record of 23 wins, 4 losses and 3 draws had England believing in their own hype and firmly established as one of the favourites heading into the World Cup in Brazil.

After dispatching Chile 2-0 with goals from Mortensen and Mannion, England confidently took on the amateurs from the United States who featured among their ranks dishwashers, a funeral hearse driver, a high school teacher and several general labourers. Even their manager, the Scotsman Bill Jeffrey didn't give them a chance.

The crowd at the Estádio Independência in Belo Horizonte would see England lay siege to the American goal, hitting two posts and seeing several other efforts spectacularly saved by keeper Frank Borghi.

A speculative shot by Walter Bahr in the 37th minute was deflected in off the head of Haitian born striker Joe Gaetjens to give the US an unlikely lead.

Try as they might, England could not find a way past the Americans as they crashed to what is still probably the greatest upset in the history of international football.

5 Thoughts On Euro 2016 So Far

2016-06-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

As the group stage of Euro 2016 comes to a close this week, here are a few thoughts on what we've seen so far:

#5 The Quality Isn't All That

Whether it's the expansion from 16 qualified nations in the finals to 24 and this has led to poor teams setting themselves up with packed defenses, or perhaps it's because players are just tired out after a long season the quality of play so far hasn't been that fantastic. To say that goals have been at a premium is an understatement, as the goals-per-match average is a miserable 1.96, which is lower than any European Championship since 1980 and also lower than any World Cup in history. Several matches have been filled with poor passing and preventable mistakes, and with a few notable exceptions most of the big name stars have failed to perform.

#4 This Tournament Has Been Packed With Late Goals

A staggering 30% of the goals scored at Euro 2016 have come after the 85th minute. So even though this tournament has stuttered at times there has been no lack of last minute heroics.

#3 Everyone (Still) Blames the English Whenever There is Any Trouble

In Japan/South Korea, Portugal, Germany, S. Africa, Poland/Ukraine, and Brazil you had absolutely no problems with the English other than odd acts of drunkenness, but this tournament has seen several clashes between English fans and police, or other supporters.

England had a notorious reputation for violence in the 1970s and 1980s, some firms in Eastern Europe in fact idolized the old English firms. However, advanced policing in Britain largely put a stop to the trouble we used to get at home and abroad from the English support.

The English over there in France this month are just there to drink their faces off, sing songs, act a bit stupid and watch the football. Are they Angels? No, but they aren't there to fight really.

They are seen though, because of their past reputation for trouble as being a prized scalp by the Russians and the locals. A media looking for a simple narrative then jumps all over the story of a return to the dark ages of English football. On top of this we have a seemingly inept French police force that seems to alternate between wading in with a heavy hand (i.e. tear gas) or inadequately segregating rival fans.

#2 Substitutes Are the Difference

There have been an astounding number of goals scored in this tournament so far by substitutes. In fact the percentage of goals scored by subs so far, 23.7%, exceeds any European Championship in history by some distance. The record for the percentage of goals scored by substitutes is 17.2% at Euro 96.

#1 The Matches You Didn't Expect to be That Great Have Been the Most Exciting

Hungary verses Austria as a neutral was a match that I wasn't too bothered about taking in, but it has been one of the more exciting ones so far as the Magyar's celebrated their first appearance in a major championship since 1986 with a spirited 2-0 victory. Their grey track-panted goalkeeper also provided an inspiration for balding and chunky middle-aged men everywhere.

The other match that took me by surprise was Croatia verses Czech Republic, or at least the second half of that match. Croatia, up 2-0, appeared to be cruising and on the verge of wracking up four or five goals before the Czech's got a goal back with a classy header by Milan Skoda in the 76th minute. Then things went nuts as Croatia's fans started fighting each other in the stands, and several threw flares onto the pitch causing the match to be delayed. In injury time, a terrible handball by Domagoj Vida gave the Czech's a penalty that Tomas Necid duly converted. The Czech's also came close to grabbing a winner before settling for a highly creditable 2-2 draw.

5 Things We Learned After the First Round of Play (Euro 2016)

2016-06-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

With the first round of group stage matches complete, we take a look at some interesting things we learned through the first twelve matches both on and off the pitch.

#5 - Goals are at a Premium

With 22 tallies through the first twelve matches, this summer's Euros have recorded an average of 1.83 goals per game through the first round of group play. It is the lowest scoring average in this category since England 1996 when the 16 teams managed to score just 13 goals in the first 8 matches for a lousy average of 1.625 goals per game. In the 20 years between the two tournaments, 2 goals per game has been the lowest average recorded for this stage of the competition.

#4 - Joachim Löw is a Dirty Bastard

Germany's opening match win against the Ukraine has been overshadowed by the German manager's now infamous scratch and sniff which was caught on camera and as a result went viral. This is not the first time Löwhas been caught with his hands up his nose or his pants during practice or a match and for what it's worth, the memes that followed were so much fun, we really hope it is not the last.

#3 - Everyone is a One-Goal Wonder

The 18 goal tally from the first twelve matches came via 18 different scorers, with not a single player managing a brace or better. Perhaps the low goals per game average had something to do with that. Even Republic of Ireland Ciaran Clark's own-goal was his only so far in the competition :)

#2 - Ronaldo is Still a Cry Baby

After Iceland's unlikely draw against Portugal the world has yet again was reminded that despite growing up, Real Madrid and Portugal footballing star Cristiano Ronaldo is still a bloody sore loser. After the 1-1 result Ronaldo said 'I thought they'd won the Euros the way they celebrated at the end, it was unbelievable. 'When they don't try to play and just defend, defend, defend this, in my opinion, shows a small mentality and they are not going to do anything in the competition...'

But Iceland defender Kari Arnason had a response for one of the greatest footballers in the worl '...he can say whatever he wants. He didn't really get a chance today, he got one and he couldn't put it away. What can I say? Sore loser. Tough shit.'

#1 - The Russians are Out of Their Mind

In what seemed like weeklong fighting "between" Russian and English supporters one thing is clear: the Russians are out of their minds. After following reports from various media outlets from across the world it is clear that while English hooligans can get rowdy while drunk, the Russian lot that started the fights in Marseille are a mob that traveled to France for one reason alone; creating as much damage as possible!

Simulating Euro 2016 (QF, Semis & Finals)

2016-06-09T12:00:00.000-04:00

Well, it all kicks-off tomorrow and our simulator has done an incredible job so far. Some results were surprising, while others were as predictable as they come. So before the real tournament begins, how do the last three simulated stages look and who are Europe's champions? You can review the previously simulated matches right here:

Quarter Finals

Ukraine vs. Sweden - Stade Vélodrome, Marseille - June 30, 2016

In the last match of the 2016 Euros for the month of June, Ukraine, who had already won against Poland at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille, take on the team that eliminated defending champions Spain in the round of 16, Sweden. With a total of 7 goals in the match, "entertaining" would prove too light a description for this particular meeting. With no goals in the first-half however, this game seemed to be going the conservative route, that until a Zlatan Ibrahimovic goal in the 59th put the Swedes in the driver seat. But a duo with the same first name would flip the script when Yevhen Seleznyov and Yevhen Konoplyanka scored in the 67th and 78th to give Ukraine the 2-1 lead and for Dynamo Kyiv's Konoplyanka his third goal of the tournament. The Swede's pressed for an equalizer and 5 minutes before the full-time whistle they got it when Kim Källström put the ball in the back of Pyatov's net. The game headed for extra-time.

In the additional 30 minutes, Ukraine utilized their wings as best they could and came out flying, regaining the advantage just 7 minutes into the extra frame with another goal from Konoplyanka. With just a minute to go in extra-time the Ukrainian's would put it out of Sweden's reach when full-back Bohdan Butko scored his first for his country, making Ibrahimovic's goal one minute later irrelevant. Ukraine's opponents in the semi-finals will be the winner between Romania and Belgium.

Final Score: Ukraine 4-3 (AET) Sweden

Romania vs. Belgium - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille - July 1, 2016

After defeating Group B winners Russia in penalty-kicks, Romania took on Belgium who managed to eliminate Austria in the round of 16. With Belgium seen as favorites, the Red Devils lived up to the expectations going 1-0 ahead in just the 10th minute with a corner kick goal from Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen. Looking to settle for the narrow victory, the Belgians sat back and for nearly the rest of the match is sure looked like the 1-0 scoreline would hold. But the strategy to invite the Romanian attackers into their own half nearly proved the demise of the Belgians as despite a visible lack of creativity for the majority of the match the Romanians managed to equalize in the 78th with a goal from Denis Alibec. The Belgians did not panic however, retaking the lead just two minutes later thanks to Eden Hazard's first of the tournament and a goal that proved to be the winner as it was too much for Romania to overcome yet another deficit. Belgium moves on to face the surprising Ukrainians in the semi-finals.

Final Score: Romania 1-2 Belgium

Germany vs. Italy - Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux - July 2, 2016

In what was probably the most anticipated match of the quarter-finals, Group C winners Germany who had so far won every one of their matches, was taking on Group E winner, Italy. But in a meeting which was supposed to be a close encounter, the defending champions were dominating from the start and were a much better side throughout. After going ahead in the 32nd with a goal from Arsenal's Mesut Özil, the Italians showed some life as they leveled the score just two minutes later thanks to a quick goal from Thiago Motta. But after the Italian goal, the German domination continued and two second-half tallies, another from Özil and Thomas Müller's fourth of the tournament sealed the deal as the defending world champions moved on to face the winner of Czech Republic and England.

Final Score: Germany 3-1 Italy

Czech Republic vs. England - Stade de France, Saint-Denis - July 3, 2016

With Germany waiting after their victory over the Italians, the final quarter-finals match between England and the Czechs has a throwback feeling of the 1996 Euros where a win for England would recreate a similar semi-final meeting between them and the Germans while a victory for Czech Republic would see the two finalists from that year competing in an elimination match once again. With the semis on the line, both sides played a conservative match, with neither squad willing to expose their own defense with overly attacking football. After a scoreless first half, the lone goal and the match-winner came just a minute after the restart when youngster Eric Dier scored his second of the tournament to see his side through to the next round.

Final Score: Czech Rep. 0-1 England

Semi-Finals

Ukraine vs. Belgium - Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Lyon - July 6, 2016

Surprising their own fans and Euro spectators as a whole, Ukraine managed to advance to the semi-finals and face Belgium in Lyon where both sides played out scoreless draws in the group stages; with Ukraine picking up a point against Northern Ireland, while the Belgians played to an identical result against Italy. A similar outcome looked to be in the stars for the two on this day as well, but with 5 minutes remaining in regulation, the Belgians would snatch a winner thanks to a goal from Romelu Lukaku to send the Belgians through to their first Euro final since 1980 when they lost to West Germany.

Final Score: Ukraine 0-1 Belgium

Germany vs. England - Stade Vélodrome, Marseille - July 7, 2016

A rematch of the 1996 Euro semi-final, where England lost out to the Germans in penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw at Wembley Stadium, the stage was set for the two to renew their long-lasting rivalry. While England was returning to the Stade Vélodrome where they were held to a scoreless draw against Russia in the group stages, the Three Lions would not be held off the scoresheet this time around. With chances at both ends, England managed to put one past Manuel Neuer in the 27th minute, going 1-0 up with a goal from Jamie Vardy. As the match moved along with English keeper Joe Hart keeping the Germans at bay with a few spectacular saves, memories of 1996 were quickly coming back when Thomas Müller equalized in the 87th minute; sending the match into extra-time. In the extra frame it was Müller again, giving his side the lead in the 94th. But just two minutes after Müller's second of the match, it was Vardy once again, as his spectacular shot into the German top corner that would send the match into penalty kicks; a deciding feature that has been less than friendly for the English in the past.

As expected, it was another penalty disaster for the English who were unable to capitalize on Germany's miss on the very first shot. Missing three of their own, the Three Lions were again eliminated from a major tournament via the spot kicks.

Final Score: *Germany 2-2 (AET) England (Germany wins 3-2 on penalty kicks)

FINAL

Germany vs. Belgium - Stade de France, Saint-Denis - July 10, 2016

In another rematch of a previous European Championship meeting, the Germans (West Germany then) face-off against Belgium, a rematch of the 1980 Euro final in Italy, which West Germany won by a final score of 2-1.

National stadium Stade de France favored the Germans once already in this tournament when Joachim Löw's side defeated Poland by a score of 1-0 in the group stages and so would be the case on the day. With an identical score and even the same goal-scorer as the match against the Polish, Mesut Özil's lone tally was enough for Die Mannschaft to overcome a resilient Belgium side to claim their record fourth European title.

Final Score: Germany 1-0 Belgium

Throwback Thursdays: Euro '96 - The Year Football Came Home

2016-06-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

Growing up in Canada as a displaced in Brit in the 1980's meant hiding my accent, while also taking special care to not slip up and utter any of the slangs my family still used. Because being different in small town Ontario at that time meant being teased or beaten up.

Besides small town prejudice, the biggest sport in Canada, hockey, had characters like Harold Ballard and Don Cherry mocking Europeans on TV or in print with not even thinly veiled racism about their supposed weak willed character. Simply put, on the school yards and likely elsewhere it wasn't always the most tolerant society back then.

Even though some of us played football, or soccer rather, in the school playground or with local recreational teams no one followed the professional game. I would get funny looks whenever I would wear a English club kit to school and people would poke fun at "that foreign sport with the sponsor's name on the front's of the jerseys".

Besides the World Cup, coverage of football over here was minimal with the FA Cup Final being the only club match broadcast in its entirety. Even that wasn't always shown live, but rather on tape delay.

In high school I met a guy who had just moved over from Scotland and finally I had someone to talk to about football, along with a buddy to swap issues of Shoot, Match and 90 Minutes with.

On a larger scale though, culturally things began to change around that time. Soccer Saturday launched on TSN in Canada and it started exposing more people to the game. Some pubs, which became my Saturday morning havens, started showing full matches on satellite.

Then one day I saw a video on Much Music called "Boys and Girls" by Blur.

Unlike most bands from the UK that appeared in videos over here or on our airwaves at that time, Blur didn't try to disguise their Englishness. They both celebrated it and poked fun at aspects of it. Other British bands with similar attitudes began to break at that time, and then along came the most English band of them all: Oasis.

Suddenly, for the first time in my life it was cool to be English. And I fucking liked being cool for once.

I spent the summer of 1995 in England and you could feel a vibe of optimism in the air that had seemed lacking when I had visited during the 1980's. The Conservatives looked like they were on the way out, British music ruled and the Premier League was on the cusp of becoming the greatest show on earth.

As for the national side, after England's failure to qualify for the 1994 World Cup in America there wasn't the expectation that they would do anything that special at the 1996 UEFA European Championships, even though they were hosting the tournament.

But during the long two and half years of friendlies before the tournament, manager Terry Venables had figured out a system to get the best out of the players he had available. He had devised a continental setup utilizing wing backs, as well a deep lying striker in Teddy Sheringham who would brilliantly play off of goalscorer supreme Alan Shearer.

Although none of us knew what to expect, at the height of Britpop anything seemed possible.

A few weeks prior to the tournament, comedians Frank Skinner and David Baddiel, in collaboration with indie pop group The Lightning Seeds, released an official single for the English national side entitled "Three Lions". Not only did the song cheerily mix pessimistic British humour with flashbacks to a glorious past and a dash of optimism for good measure, it was incredibly catchy and it ended up rocketing to number one on the British music charts. It was that sort of summer.

Although England's campaign got off to a slow start with a 1-1 draw with Switzerland, a 2-0 victory over the Auld Enemy (Scotland) seemed to send the hype machine into overdrive.

The match, which featured a penalty save by David Seaman and a goal for the ages from Paul Gascoigne, was capped off by Gazza's cheeky 'dentist chair' celebration which poked fun at the squad's drunken hi-jinks in the Far East prior to the tournament.

But up next came the Netherlands, a real test considering the quality of a squad largely made up of Ajax players who had won the UEFA Champions League a year earlier.

Venables side didn't just beat the Netherlands though, they destroyed them. In brushing aside the Dutch 4-1, they played arguably the best football in a competitive fixture in my lifetime and I'm including the 5-1 win in 2001 in Germany in that assessment.

A quarterfinal win over Spain on penalty kick's setup a meeting with Germany in the semi finals, and of course it would all end in tears when poor Gareth Southgate missed England's final penalty in another shootout.

Germany would go on to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in the final.

It had been a wonderful tournament for England though, as they had earned back some respect and had gotten an often divided country behind them.

Unfortunately, we didn't realize at the time that Euro 96 was the end of an era.

England, to date, would never again make it as far as a semi finals in a major tournament, Britpop would destroy itself with cocaine fueled overindulgence, New Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair would turn out to be a fraud for the ages who would toss aside the core values of the labour movement while also plunging Britain into the quagmire of Iraq, the economy would hit the skids, social issues that had probably always existed got a hell of a lot worse, and now Britain stands on the verge of leaving the European Union.

It's an uncertain time, and I guess I can't be blamed for thinking back with rose tinted nostalgia to that warm summer of 1996 when the Three Lions were briefly great and it was cool to be English.

5 Must-See Group Stage Matches at Euro 2016

2016-06-07T10:22:00.000-04:00

The 2016 UEFA European Championship, more commonly known as Euro 2016, kicks off in France on Friday, June 10.

The fifteenth edition of this tournament will feature 24 nations for the first time, with five teams (Albania, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Slovakia and Wales) qualifying for their first-ever UEFA European Championship finals.

The sides have been divided into six groups with the top two sides from each group and the four best third places finishers, making up the teams in the Round of 16.

Although there has been a considerable amount of criticism, some of it valid, over the number of teams at this year's Euros and the resulting structure of the tournament, there are still some eye catching match-ups that will take place in the first round.

The following are five must-see first round matches:
(*Local times listed)

France v Romania (8pm Friday 10 June)

France have been tipped as one of the favourites for this year's tournament and the hosts will be looking to get off to a winning start against Romania. Romania made it to the finals at the expensive of Greece and Finland, finishing second to Northern Ireland in a fairly tricky qualifying group. Although Romania are never an easy side to play against it's hard to see France experiencing anything like their shock defeat to Senegal in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup. Unless of course nerves set in.

Turkey v Croatia (8pm Sunday 12 June)

In 2008, Croatia and Turkey staged an unforgettable Quarter-Final tie that saw Ivan Klasnić put the Croatians ahead in the 119th minute, seemingly winning the match in extra-time, before Semih Şentürk equalized for the Turks two minutes later sending the match to penalty-kicks. Turkey would emerge victorious from the spot and eight years later Croatia are certainly ready for a bit of payback. In a group also containing Spain and Czech Republic, it very much seems that everyone will be scrapping for second place behind reigning European champions Spain. So this match is crucial for both sides.

Belgium v Italy (8pm Monday 13 June)

With Belgium, Italy, Republic of Ireland and Sweden making up Group E, it's fair to say that this is going to be one of the more competitive groups in the tournament. The clash between Belgium and Italy may cast a bit of light on whether or not this is in fact a golden generation of Belgian players or if they've been simply over-hyped. Against the perennially strong Italians, it will be a massive test for The Red Devils.

England v Wales (2pm Thursday 16 June)

This one is a bit of a local derby at international level, as old rivals Wales and England battle it out in the second round of matches for these Group B sides. The key for England will, of course, be stopping Wales' high-flying winger Gareth Bale.

Germany v Poland (8pm Thursday 16 June)

Germany and Poland renew their rivalry in Group C after a closely run qualifying group that saw the Germans just edge out their rivals by a solitary point. Both sides won their respective home matches against each other and there's no reason to doubt if this will be another exciting encounter.

5 Players That Are Surprisingly Missing Out on Euro 2016

2016-06-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

Not all of the biggest stars or in-form players in Europe will be taking part in Euro 2016.

Here are five surprising omissions from the final squads submitted for this summer's tournament in France:

Marco Reus (Germany)

After netting 23 goals in 43 matches this season for Borussia Dortmund, Marco Reus would have seemed to be a lock to make the German squad for Euro 2016. However, after battling a groin injury in the latter part of the season German national side manager Joachim Löw decided that Reus' fitness was too much of a concern and opted not to select him as part of his 23 man squad for France.

Isco (Spain)

Real Madrid's 24-year old midfielder Isco appears to have missed the cut due to being in and out of Zinedine Zidane's squad in the second half of the season. The talented attacking playmaker would have been a certain selection a year ago, but he will need to lock down a starting spot at Madrid or perhaps another club if he is going to get back into the Spanish side.

Danny Drinkwater (England)

Despite a fine season for champions Leicester City, Danny Drinkwater has essentially seen his spot taken in the England squad by the serially injured Jack Wilshere. Hopefully this isn't another case of an England player picked on reputation than on form as it appears to be.

Karim Benzema (France)

After scoring 24 goals in 27 La Liga matches, while being the focal point of France's attack throughout Euro 2016 qualifying, it's a surprise to see Karim Benzema left out of Didier Deschamps' side. But after a season plagued with personal problems it's likely off the pitch matters that see him missing out on playing for his country this summer.

Hatem Ben Arfa (France)

Despite scoring 17 goals in 34 appearances for Nice this season, and reports that several bigger clubs are chasing the talented winger's signature, there was no room on the French side for former Newcastle United player Hatem Ben Arfa.

5 Players to Watch at Euro 2016

2016-06-03T12:00:00.000-04:00

UEFA Euro 2016 kicks off in France on June 10 as 24 sides set their sights on landing the Henri Delaunay Trophy.

The following are five players to look out for this summer:

Gareth Bale (Wales)

As Wales make their first appearance in a major tournament in over 50 years, the player they will be counting on more than any other is the fleet footed Gareth Bale. Coming off of a second Champions League title with Real Madrid this season, Bale will be motivated to show that he can perform on one of international footballs biggest stages.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

After making his tournament debut for Portugal at Euro 2004, Bale's club teammate Cristiano Ronaldo has at times seemed to be one man attacking force for his country. Whether or not he has the supporting cast to help him land an elusive title at international level remains to be seen, but one thing for certain it's that Ronaldo will be one of the biggest scoring threats in France this summer.

Paul Pogba (France)

The hosts have high expectations heading into the European Championships, and with one of their strongest squads in years it's easy to see why. But if there is one player who could really influence their progress this summer more than anyone it's Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba. Still only 23 years old, the quick and powerful Frenchman has been the subject of several lucrative transfer rumours over the past few months and you can probably increase his price tag by at least 10% if he leads his country to glory.

Harry Kane (England)

A classic centre forward in the mold of Alan Shearer, Tottenham's Harry Kane will be key to England's chances in France. Strong in possession, good in the air and with a terrific eye for goal, Kane is the type of natural finisher that the Three Lions have lacked for some time.

Robert Lewandowski (Poland)

Scorer of over 160 goals in all competitions for his club sides in Germany over the past five seasons, there is no doubt that Robert Lewandowski is one of the best strikers in the world. The Polish striker supreme led all goalscorers in Euro 2016 qualifying with 13 goals and will be relied upon again to provide his country's firepower in the tournament proper.

How Well Do You Know the England National Side? (Quiz)

2016-06-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

This Tuesday, England manager Roy Hodgson selected his final 23 man squad for UEFA Euro 2016 and the hope's of a nation rest on his (mostly) young charges as they head to France in pursuit of the Henri Delaunay Trophy.

The Three Lions have had mixed results, to say the least, in international tournaments over the years, but for all of the crushing disappointments there have been several highlights as well.

Test your knowledge on the England national side with this challenging, but hopefully fun, quiz:

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Simulating Euro 2016 (Group B)

2016-05-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

Here we go with the second group of this summer's European Championships in France. Yesterday we saw France claim the top of Group A despite a loss to minnows Albania, so what's in store for group B which includes England, Russia, Wales and Slovakia?

Wales vs. Slovakia - Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux- June 11, 2016

With high hopes in only their second major tournament (first since participating in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden) the Welsh got off to a great start with Gareth Bale scoring in the 20th minute, to secure a 1-0 lead for Wales; a lead the side would take into half-time. But it seemed that the Welsh had fallen asleep to start the second, with Slovakia picking up two goals in rapid fire, with Lokomotiv Moscow defender Ján Ďurica and Napoli midfielder Marek Hamšík scoring in the 45th and 46th minutes respectively. Despite the setback, the Welsh controlled the game once more, as Bale got on the scoresheet for a second time in the 74th to score the final goal of the match.

Final Score: Wales 2-2 Slovakia

England vs. Russia - Stade Vélodrome, Marseille - June 11, 2016

With all the hype of Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy joining the Three Lions for the first time in a major tournament, England's opener sure disappointed as neither side was able to get on the scoreboard. Joe Hart and Igor Akinfeev were the winners on the day and Roy Hodgson seems content that the Russian's weren't able to expose his side's often questionable defense.

Final Score: England 0-0 Russia

Russia vs. Slovakia - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille - June 15, 2016

After draws across the board in the first set of matches, it was time to pick up some meaningful points. The Russians managed to take a lead in the 17th minute with a goal from Aleksandr Kokorin; a one goal lead the Russian enjoyed at the half. The Slovak's came back in the second as they did against the Welsh, with midfielder Róbert Mak leveling the score. But a full comeback was not in the stars for Slovakia on this day as the Russians proved to be too strong with striker Artyom Dzyuba regaining the lead for his side in the 72nd to give Russia the full 3 points.

Final Score: Russia 2-1 Slovakia

England vs. Wales - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens - June 16, 2016

The highly anticipated match between neighbours Wales and England meant more frustration for England supporters as their side were once more unable to put the ball in their opponent's net. Despite their ability to record a second consecutive clean-sheet, Hodgson's strikers Kane, Vardy and Rooney are shooting blanks. England and Wales are now tied on 2 points with the Welsh having to play group leaders Russia while England is taking on Slovakia on the last day of Group B matches.

Final Score: England 0-0 Wales

Slovakia vs. England - Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne- June 20, 2016

222 minutes is how long it took England to get on the scoreboard at the Euro 2016 tournament as Harry Kane put the ball in the back of the net in the 42nd minute of the match. With Slovakia not testing the English defence or goal all that often Eric Dier's screamer in the 65th minute sealed the deal for the Three Lions as they picked up their first win, and their third consecutive clean-sheet.

Final Score:Slovakia 0-2 England

Russia vs. Wales - Stadium Municipal, Toulouse - June 20, 2016

Wales' shot of qualifying to the next stage took a huge blow as they conceded the first goal of the match in the 38th minute to Artyom Dzyuba's second of the tournament while four minutes later the Welsh fans heard of England's goal in their match with Slovakia. In the 55th however, chances seemed to pick up as Aaron Ramsey put one in the back of the Russian net. But Leonid Slutsky's side proved to be too strong, with defender Sergei Ignashevich and midfielder Igor Denisov handing Wales a loss that is likely to see them out of the tournament.

Final Score: Russia 3-1 Wales

Final Table

		Wins	Draws	Losses	Gls For	Gls Against	Goal Dif.	Pts
1	Russia	2	1	0	5	2	3	7
2	England	1	2	0	2	0	2	5
3	Wales	0	2	1	3	5	-2	2
4	Slovakia	0	1	2	3	6	-3	1

Review:

Russia's energy on the pitch proved to be good enough for first place in the group, but England's lack of creativity up front didn't knock Roy Hodgson's side out of the competition mainly due to Wales' and Slovakia's poor performances. With just 2 points from their three matches, the Welsh are now long-shots for the quarter-finals as they would need two of the remaining five 3rd placed teams to have a worse record than them.

How Well Do You Know the FA Cup Final (Quiz)

2016-05-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

Later today at Wembley Stadium in North London, Crystal Palace will take on Manchester United in the 135th FA Cup Final.

While some may argue that the FA Cup has lost a bit of it's lustre in recent seasons, due to the twin money making juggernauts of the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League, the FA Cup Final is still a special day on the football calendar and a showpiece end to the English domestic football season.

The oldest cup competition in the world has served up its share of magical moments and stunning upsets over the years, but how well do you know your FA Cup Final history?

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EPL Team of the Year (Iain's Picks)

2016-05-16T08:00:00.000-04:00

As a surprising EPL Season drew to a close this past weekend, our FootyFair contributors got together to list their team's of the year.

Here are Iain's picks:

GK: David de Gea - As another poor Manchester United season, in the post-Alex Ferguson era, drew to a close some reflected on how worse it could have been without David de Gea. Thanks to Real Madrid's busted fax machine, the Spanish keeper was still around to save United's bacon on numerous occasions and keep them at least close to Champions League qualification until the final week of the season.

DF: Héctor Bellerín - A product of Barcelona's famed youth setup, Héctor Bellerín shone for Arsenal in his first full season. The quick right back provided an effective overlapping attacking threat for the Gunners while also proving himself to be a solid defender.

DF: Wes Morgan - The captain of Premier League Champions, Leicester City, Wes Morgan was a rock at the back for the most unlikely English title winners in decades.

DF: Toby Alderweireld - Although Tottenham's season ended a decidedly sour note as they went into a bit of a spin in the last month and ended up losing the second spot in the final league table to rivals Arsenal, you can't lay any of the blame for that on the impressive Toby Alderweireld. The big Belgian international has been imperious for Spurs this season.

DF: Ryan Bertrand - It might be forgotten by some that Ryan Bertrand started the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final for Chelsea playing in left midfield, but he never was able to quite lock down a place in the starting eleven of the West London club for long. Southampton snapped him up in 2015 after a successful loan spell and Bertrand has gone on to become one of the best left backs in the league.

MF: Riyad Mahrez - Three years ago, Algerian international Riyad Mahrez was playing in Le Harve's reserve side, now he is the creative dynamo who led Leicester City to the title. Mahrez has been nothing short of brilliant this season and will likely be on everyone's team of the year.

MF: N'Golo Kanté - Another relatively unknown player that the Foxes brought over from France who has paid off in a big way is N'Golo Kanté. While Mahrez was responsible for the side's inspiration, Kanté provided the perspiration as he zipped across the pitch snuffing out danger wherever it presented itself. The defensive midfield lynchpin that all modern sides need.

MF: Dele Alli - Although he still has a few aspects of his game that need to be developed, Tottenham's Dele Alli is perhaps the most naturally gifted English playmaker since Paul Gascoigne. Alli is a quick, inventive and has a real eye for goal.

MF: Dimitri Payet - West Ham's Dimitri Payet provided several terrific memories for Hammers fans in this last season at the Boleyn Ground as his inspired play, and David Beckham-like freekicks, helped the side finish in the top half of the table.

FW: Jamie Vardy - What more can you say about Jamie Vardy? Like his club Leicester City, Vardy has dominated headlines all season as the unlikely striker, who was playing the semi-professional Conference four years ago, has bagged 24 league goals in 35 appearances in firing his team to the title.

FW: Harry Kane - Edging out Vardy by one goal in the scoring charts with 25 league goals in 36 appearances is Tottenham striker Harry Kane. Proving that the previous season's breakout wasn't a fluke, England international Kane is now an incredibly important player for both club and country.

Throwback Thursdays: Bert Trautmann's Neck Breaking Heroics

2016-05-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

On 5 May 1956, sixty years ago today, Manchester City won the third FA Cup Final in the club's history by defeating Birmingham City 3-1 at Wembley Stadium.

This particular final is remembered most for the exploits of City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann, a German former POW who had opted to remain in England after the war.

Heading into the final, Trautmann had recently been named Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers' Association, a rare feat for a goalkeeper, but Birmingham were very much the favourites after steamrolling their way to Wembley.

After thrashing Torquay 7-1 in the 3rd round proper, Birmingham then smashed Leyton Orient 4-0, West Bromwich Albion 1-0 and Arsenal 3-1, before easily seeing off Sunderland 3-0 at Hillsborough in the Semi-Final.

The Blues had played every match in their cup run away from home and had scored an impressive 18 goals, while only conceding twice.

Although Manchester City had only edged their way to the final with a succession of one goal victories, they had gotten past Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham on their way to Wembley and were returning to the final after a narrow loss to Newcastle the previous year.

The 100,000 strong crowd in North London for the final saw Manchester City attack Birmingham straight from the kickoff and were quickly rewarded with a goal through Joe Hayes in the third minute.

Deploying forward Don Revie in a withdrawn role that mimicked the tactics of the great Hungarian side that had destroyed England three years before, Man City threatened to further expose the confused Birmingham defense and put the match out of reach in the early going.

Unbowed, the Midlands club dug in and leveled through Noel Kinsey in the 15th minute. Despite chances for either side, the score would stay locked at 1-1 until the hour mark.

As the match edged into the final half hour, some disastrous defending by Birmingham in the 62nd and 64th minute saw Manchester City score through Bobby Johnstone and Jack Dyson.

With Birmingham scrambling to get back into the match, in the 73rd minute a desperate lunge by forward Peter Murphy in the penalty area saw his knee ram straight into Trautmann's neck.

The big German was temporarily knocked unconscious and after being revived by the trainer he was in quite serious pain.

Despite the keeper being unsteady on his feet and clearly dazed, the match was still very much in the days before substitutions so he had no choice but to either leave his side a man short or continue on.

In the final nervy seventeen minutes, Trautmann's defenders did their best to keep Birmingham at bay, but he still had to make a few key saves to maintain his side's lead.

Even with a late aerial collision leaving him prone on the turf for several minutes in agony, Trautmann hung on to see his side through to victory.

After trundling up old Wembley's 39 famous steps to the Royal Box to collect his winner's medal, a concerned Prince Phillip told Trautmann that his neck looked crooked.

Three days later, an x-Ray revealed it turned out that he had dislodged five vertebrae, one of which was broken in two.

It would take almost a year for him to recover, but the brave keeper would play on for City until 1964 and firmly establish himself as a club legend.

One & Done - Football Clubs That Won Their League Just Once

2016-05-04T08:02:00.000-04:00

With Leicester City miraculously clinching their first ever English league title and after what has already been labeled as one of the most incredible surprises in the history of football, we here at FootyFair would like to take a look at some other clubs from around the biggest leagues in Europe that have captured their domestic title just once. Of course, it is not a guarantee that The Foxes will not repeat this feat once again, but let's face it, the chances are fairly slim.

England

Perhaps Blackburn's 1994-95 performance was the most recent shocker as far as title runs in England are concerned, but as interesting as that was, the Rovers' title that year was their 3rd in the club's history having claimed the honor of best club in England in 1912 and once more in 1914.

To find the most recent "one-off" league winner in England we will have to look back as far as the 1977-78 season when Brian Clough's infamous Nottingham Forest side shocked the English football world as they brushed aside the likes of Liverpool, Everton, Manchester City, Arsenal and the rest of the First Division to claim the league title without a single home loss on the season. Winning the European Cup the following year cemented Clough's Forest into the history books of football forever.

Before Forest, it was Ipswich Town who claimed the Football League First Division title during the 1961-62 season after being lead by Ray Crawford's league-matching best 33 goals on the year. Managed by Alf Ramsey, who later went on to manage the English National Team to their only FIFA World Cup victory in 1966, The Tractor Boys finished atop the league 3 points ahead of Burnley to claim their one and only English top tier title to-date.

Other clubs to win 1 title in England to-date: Sheffield United & West Bromwich Albion

Spain

The La Liga is definitely a tough league to compete for a championship in unless you are one of either Barcelona or Real Madrid. As a matter of fact, only 7 other clubs have ever claimed the domestic title, with 3 of those winning it just once.

Most recently, it was Deportivo La Coruña that shocked the Spanish footballing scene when they were able to come ahead of defending champions Barcelona and Real Madrid (who finished 5th that seasons) during the 1999-2000 campaign. La Coruña's home form was a major part in the title race as shocking 2-0 & 3-0 defeats to Numancia and Racing Santander were the club's only losses at home the entire season. With a 2-2 against Zaragoza being the only other blemish for Deportivo La Coruña at the Estadio Municipal de Riazor, the club managed to collect 16 wins on home soil and finish 5 points ahead of Barcelona to claim the La Liga title. Dutchman Roy Makaay's 22 goals on the year were the club's best and good for 4th overall in the league.

The other two Spanish sides to win the league championship just ones were Sevilla and Real Betis, with the former coming 1 point ahead of Barcelona in 1946, while the latter completing the feat in similar fashion at the end of the 1934-35 season as they finished one point clear of Real Madrid to finish the year.

Portugal

In a league dominated by just three clubs in its 82 year history, only two clubs outside of SL Benfica, FC Porto and Sporting CP have been able to capture the league title; both claiming the Portuguese championship just ones. In 1946 it was Belenenses who managed to win the league, finishing one point ahead of SL Benfica during the 1940's era which saw Sporting win the majority of titles.

Most recently however, it was the unlikely run of Boavista during the 2000-01 season, who despite not having a goal-scorer in the top 10 in the league managed to clear FC Porto by a single point to win the Portuguese title. A remarkable season in which the club lost just three times in their 34 match schedule gave The Panthers their one and only domestic championship trophy.

France

The French top tier had seen nineteen different title holders over the history of the league, with seven clubs having won the title just once to-date. In most recent years Montpellier, RC Lens and AJ Auxerre have managed to capture the French championships. Montpellier's title came in 2011-12 who were led by the goal-scoring prowess of now Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud to finish atop the table, 3 points clear of PSG.

In 1997-98 it was the unlikely success of club RC Lens from Northern France, who finished ahead of FC Metz on goal differential after finishing the season tied on 68 points. And two years earlier, during the 1995-96 season it was club Auxerre who captured their only French title to-date coming in 4 points clear of both AS Monaco and PSG.

Other clubs to win 1 title in France to-date: Club Français, CA Paris, US Tourcoing, Strasbourg, Gallia Club Paris, Saint-Raphaël, Stade Français, Roubaix-Tourcoing.

Germany

Over its long and colorful history, German top tier football has been mostly dominated by a single club. FC Bayern has claimed the title a record 25 times thus far, while no other club in the country has ever reached double digits. That said, there have been numerous other clubs that have claimed the status of best side in Germany, albeit not for a very long stretch of time.

But despite Bayern's domination of football in "Deutschland", a total of 13 clubs have managed to win the league on just one ocassion, with one club now a very succesful side in another country. The club I'm talking about is Austrian Sportklub Rapid Wien, who won the German championship in 140-41 after Austria's annexation to Germany.

More recently however it was VfL Wolfsburg during the 2008-09 season who captured the first place in the Bundesliga with 8 matches to go in the season and would not let it go until the final day to win the club's first and only title so far. The secret behind Wolfsburg's success was the striking partnership between Brazilian "one year wonder" Grafite with his league best 28 goal tally and Bosnia's talented striker and future Manchester City and AS Roma goal-scorer Edin Džeko with his 26 goals. Managed by the always odd bench-boss Felix Magath, the club shocked German football by coming 2 points ahead of the always dominant Bayern Munich.

Other clubs to win 1 title in Germanye to-date: Karlsruher FV, Holstein Kiel, 1860 München, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Eintracht Frankfurt, SpVgg Blau-Weiß 1890 Berlin, Eintracht Braunschweig, Rot-Weiss Essen, Freiburger FC, Karlsruher SC, VfR Mannheim

Italy

The most recent first-time winner in Italy was well-known club UC Sampdoria who captured their first and only Italian title to-date at the conclusion of the 1990-91 season. With defending champions Napoli having a sub-par season, "Doria" who were led by the striking power of Roberto Mancini and league scoring leader Gianluca Vialli, pounced on the opportunity to take advantage of everyone else's mediocrity in the league on the year. With a record of 20-11-3 Sampdoria was able to come in first place, 5 points clear of both Inter and AC Milan to capture their first domestic title.

Hellas Verona who were recently confirmed as the first of three clubs to be relegated to Serie B for next season also won one Italian title to date, that in the 1980's. Cagliari, who will be switching places with Hellas Verona having all but secured promotion to Serie A for next season also won but one title in the club's 95 year history, coming 4 points ahead of Internazionale to claim the 1969-70 Italian championship.

Other clubs to win 1 title in Italy to-date: Novese & Casale

Bashley FC: A Season Without a Single Win

2016-05-01T10:00:00.001-04:00

It doesn't really matter if you're a footballer playing in one of Europe's finest professional leagues or a part of a Sunday league side, no competitive individual likes to finish a season in embarassing fashion. If you were a part of the 2015-16 Bashley FC squad for instance, you would probably want to stick your head in the ground just about now, because this club's record this season was nothing short of abissmal.

Playing out of England's 8th footballing tier the Southern Football League Division One South and West, the club from the small town of Bashley in South East England has had their place in the "spotlight" when they reached the first round of the FA Cup and played host to Swansea City during the 1994-95 season; a tie they narrowly lost to the Welsh side by a final score of 1-0. But this season was all but one anyone associated with the club will reminice about in the future.

After completing the 42 match schedule Bashley finished the season without a single victory. "Embarassing, but they probably had a lot of draws" one might think...which was not quite the case. The club finished the year on just two points, with their best results being two 0-0 ties, both of which were gained playing at home. As you could imagine, the club's goal-differential on the season was not one to brag about either. Having scored only 13 goals all season (just 4 goals on the road), the club let in a whopping 201 goals into the back of their net for a -188 goal differential at the end of competition.

On the road Bashley FC's record was absolutely abismal. Aside from having lost every match, the side conceded 5 or more goals in 17 of their 21 away matches, with two 9-0 losses and their worst result on the season, an 11-0 loss at Taunton Town FC.

Needless to say Bashley's club has been relegated and will be playing in the 9th tier next season. We'd like to wish Bashley FC better luck next season.

Missed Connections: Sides That Surprisingly Haven't Played Each Other More Often

2016-04-06T09:23:00.000-04:00

Some club and international sides just seem to be made to play one another as they dominate competitions such as the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA World Cup or other "inter-nations" title. Nonetheless, as unlikely as it may seem, this list is about sides that you would swear have played one another a lot more often than they actually have.

Liverpool v Manchester United (European Competition)

Until their recent Europa League meeting, Liverpool and Manchester United have never met in Europe before. The two English football rivals have made it to the same UEFA competitions on numerous ocassions, but 2016 would mark their first ever showdown, with Liverpool knocking The Red Devils out of the tournament over a two-leg battle.

Brazil v Germany (World Cup)

With 9 FIFA World Cup titles between them and at least one of them qualifying to the semi-finals of the tournament in each of the World Cup editions since 1934 (2nd World Cup), it's hard to believe that the two have not played each other even once until 2002 when Brazil beat the Germans in that year's World Cup final match. Brazil did play an East German side in 1974, but West Germany is considered as modern Germany when football statistics are tallied.

Benfica v Real Madrid

Despite both clubs being extremely successful in their domestic leagues, Spanish side Real Madrid and Portuguese club Benfica haven't played a competitive match against one another since 1965. A bit hard to believe as it seems we see the two compete in the Champions League every single season. The last time the two met, Benfica knocked Real Madrid out of the 1964-65 European Cup competition with a 6-3 aggregate win in the quarter-finals.

England v Scotland

In 1870, the first international football match in history was one played between Scotland and England. The two rivals have played each other many times since, but in recent years the two have not been able to "lock horns" in any competitive match. Aside from a couple friendlies, England and Sctoland haven't played against each other in a competitive match since 1999; that's 17 years for those that lost track of time. That is all about to change however, as the two were drawn into the same group in the qualifying stages for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Barcelona v Bayern Munich v Real Madrid (Champions League Final)

Real Madrid's first European Cup title came in 1952, FC Bayern's in 1974 and Barcelona's first Champions League trophy in 1992. But despite the incredible 20 titles and 11 runner-up achievements between the three clubs, they have never faced each other in the final. A little hard to believe, considering they seem like the only 3 sides we ever watch in the latter stages of the competition (at least in the last decade or so).

If you have more impressive missed connections you'd like to tell us about, comment below!

Cheating and Corruption in Football - Part 2 of 5: The Hand of God

2016-04-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

Ask any English football fan in their mid-30's or older for their thoughts on the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and chances are they will immediately blurt out something about "The Hand of God".

It has been said that the World Cup has only been won single handedly twice, Garrincha for Brazil in 1962 and Diego Maradona for Argentina in 1986.

In Maradona's case the word singlehandedly takes on a more literal meaning though as England find out to their great cost.

The relationship between the United Kingdom, or England specifically, and Argentina has historically been a strained one. The conflict between the two nations, that are separated by thousands of miles, stems from a disputed claim over the British territory of the Falklands Islands which is only 300 miles off of the coast of Argentina.

In 1982, Argentina's military regime seized the Falklands, that they refer to as Malvinas, under the ludicrous assumption that the British would not respond militarily.

The UK did of course respond, and the resulting ten week war left nearly seven hundred Argentine's dead and scores more injured. The resulting fallout would see Argentina's government fall the following year.

It was under this politically charged climate that Argentina would face England in the Quarter-Finals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

With the match evenly poised, Argentina's genius would turn cheating villain, when a mis-hit back pass towards Peter Shilton was punched over the keeper's outstretched hands and into the net by Maradona.

As Argentina's number ten wheeled away in celebration, England's players surrounded the referee like they'd just collectively had their wallets stolen.

The inexperienced referee from Tunisia, Ali Bennaceur, who FIFA really shouldn't have placed in charge of such a massive occasion, waved the English players away and allowed the goal to stand.

Maradona would shortly after dribble through a dazed English midfield and backline to score one of the greatest goals in tournament history. Argentina would win the match 2-1 on their way to being crowned World Cup champions a week later.

Although his second goal has been shown on highlight reels for the past three decades, and is rightly lauded for its brilliance, in England many still remember his first goal a bit more and view Maradona as a cheat who conned them out of the World Cup.

Whether or not England would have beaten Argentina without Diego's bit of trickery is open to question.

Following the match when Argentina's captain was questioned about his handball he responded that the goal was a little bit of Maradona, a little bit of the hand of god.

Throwback Thursdays: David "Rocky" Rocastle

2016-03-31T08:00:00.000-04:00

In the early hours of March 31, 2001 former Arsenal hero and England international David "Rocky" Rocastle lost his brave battle with cancer, succumbing to Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma at 33 years of age.

Although there have been more talented and decorated players for Arsenal, there have been few who were as beloved as Rocky.

Born in Lewisham, London to Caribbean parents, Rocastle started his youth career with Arsenal as a 15 year old in 1982. A smooth dribbling but hard working midfielder with an eye for goal, by 1984 he had debuted for the first team squad before eventually becoming a regular during the 1985-1986 season.

In 1987 he forever endeared himself to the Arsenal faithful by scoring a late winner against rivals Tottenham at White Hart Lane in the League Cup semi-final, a competition the Gunners would ultimately win. Believe it or not, Arsenal didn't have the best of records at the Lane during that period, so this was a massive result for the club.

In September of 1988, Rocky made his debut for England which little did he know at the time would kick off a memorable season.

Playing in every match for the Gunners during a memorable 1988-1989 campaign, he would be at the heart of a side involved in one of the greatest title races ever.

Fighting all season long for the league championship with the dominant team of the era, Liverpool, Rocastle and his Arsenal teammates went into a season ending crunch match at Anfield that the Gunners had to win to tie the Merseyside outfit on points at the top of the table.

But a win alone wouldn't be enough, as they had to do it by two clear goals to snatch the title by virtue of more goals scored, as they would also be tied on goals difference if Arsenal won by a two goal margin.

After a scoreless first half, Arsenal took the lead through Alan Smith seven minutes after the break to edge the Gunners close to the title. Liverpool dug in though, and it looked like Arsenal were going to fall agonizingly short before Michael Thomas scored a last gasp goal in injury time to send the title to Highbury for the first time in 18 years.

Rocky and his teammates that he emerged from the youth side with, like Paul Merson and Tony Adams, would lead the Gunners to another title in 1990-1991.

Departing for Leeds in 1992, he spent a lone season at Elland Road before stints with Manchester City and Chelsea. Injury hampered much of his later career, so these clubs never quite saw the best of him.

In total, Rocastle played 14 times for England over a career where he was as popular with fans for his warm personality off the pitch as he was for his skillful play on it.

Retiring at age 31 through injury, within two years he had lost a short but terrible battle with cancer leaving a wife, two young daughters and a son behind.

His passing came just before a North London derby, and despite fears that a moment of silence for Rocky would be interrupted, Spurs fans remained dignified as their tearful rivals paid tribute to one of their departed heroes.

Football's Greatest Sides - Part 3 of 5: Liverpool FC (1977 to 1984)

2016-03-29T11:14:00.000-04:00

Despite not having won a domestic league title since 1990 and a European trophy since 2005, Liverpool Football Club was, at one point, one of the most feared club sides in all of Europe. The late 1970's and a good portion of the 80's solidified (at least for a long while) Liverpool's spot as the most successful club in England and a European club competition powerhouse.

The 1974 hiring of manager and former Liverpool footballer Bob Paisley would pave the way to 6 First Division titles (5 between 1977 and '84), 3 League Cup trophies, 3 European Cups, a UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.

In his first season in charge, Paisley's side managed to capture the FA Charity Shield, but it wouldn't be until the 1976-77 season when Liverpool would put themselves on the map as true contenders for every competition they participated in.

The signings of Kenny Dalglish in 1977 from Scottish side Celtic and one Graeme Souness the following year proved crucial to Liverpool's success in the coming seasons. With the likes of Kevin Keegan and Phil Neal already in the squad Liverpool's teamwas exciting and very hard to defeat on any given match-day.

In 1976 and '77 Liverpool captured the league title, both seasons coming in just 1 point ahead of the runner-ups. But 1977 also brought silver-wear to Merseyside that The Reds have never laid hands on before; for the first time in the club's history Liverpool would make it all the way to the European Cup final, capturing the coveted title with a 3-1 win over German side Borussia Mönchengladbach in the final match at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

The following year Liverpool missed out on the league title, coming second to Nottingham Forrest. But their European play did not suffer as a result, with the club capturing a second European Cup title in consecutive years. In the final against Belgian side Club Brugge played in front of a 92,000 strong crowd at Wembley Stadium in London, Kenny Dalglish's lone goal off of a pass from fellow Scotsman Graeme Souness was enough to crown Liverpool as Europe's best club once more.

The following two seasons The Reds were unable to capture the European Cup, as Forest surprised the footballing world by winning the cup two years in a row. But the impressive Liverpool side led by scoring leaders Kenny Dalglish and David Johnson would not let the first-round let downs in Europe discourage the side from other major achievement. The 1978-79 season saw Liverpool claim the league title once more, coming in an impressive 8 points ahead Nottingham Forest. The following year they successfully defended their place as England's best with a 2 point finish ahead of bitter rivals Manchester United.

Over the next three seasons, Paisley's last as the bench-boss for the side, Liverpool would go on to win an additional 2 league titles and their third European Cup, a tournament in which The Reds went undefeated and won the trophy with a 1-0 final win against Europe's most successful side, Spanish club Real Madrid.

It was immediately after Paisley's departure as manager however, that Liverpool would have their year to remember. Now under the management of Paisley's former assistant Joe Fagan, Liverpool could (almost) do no wrong during the 1983-84 football season. A fourth round defeat in the FA Cup would be the club's only blemish on the season, a tournament Liverpool could not win in the aforementioned years of glory.

But despite yet another FA Cup upset, Liverpool would complete the most successful season in the club's history. In March of 1984 Liverpool qualified to the League Cup Final and a date with city rivals Everton for the first trophy of the year. The initial final at Wembley finished with a 0-0 draw despite extra-time being played and the replay match was scheduled for three days later at Manchester City's former ground Maine Road. In Manchester extra-time would not be necessary as Graeme Souness' 21st minute goal would hand the League Cup to the red side of Merseyside.

As May of 1984 came around, Liverpool's history would change for ever. On May 12th, 1984, Liverpool would clinch their third consecutive First Division title with a match to spare, becoming only the 3rd club to accomplish this achievement. Eighteen days later The Reds would have to take on AS Roma in the European Cup final, at the Stadio Olimpico nonetheless. A win in Rome would engrave Liverpool FC's name as the first English club to win a "treble".

As was the case in the First Division, Liverpool's Welsh striker Ian Rush would also be the club's top scoring forward in this competition. Despite not scoring in Liverpool's first round of play against Danish side Odense Boldklub or in the final versus AS Roma, Rush would go on to score match-winning goals in all three rounds leading up to the final match. Brushing Athletic Bilbao, SL Benfica and Dinamo Bucharest aside, LFC were now one match away from recording English football history.

In Rome, where Liverpool have won the European Cup final once already in 1977, The Reds did not waste much time as fullback Phil Neal pounced on an odd bounce off of Roma's keeper Franco Tancredi's head to put the ball in the back of the net. Roma fought back however and were level just minutes before the half time as a header from Roberto Pruzzo was too much for Liverpool shot-stopper Bruce Grobbelaar to handle. Scoreless after the two initial goals, the match would be decided in the penalty-shootouts.

Liverpool's first shot from youngster Steve Nicol went over the bar and the "home" side had immediate advantage. But with Roma's legendary winger Bruno Conti and talented striker
Francesco Graziani both putting their shots over the goal as well, the calm and cool of Liverpool's stars Phil Neal, Graeme Souness, Ian Rush and Alan Kennedy would prove crucial as all four slotted their shot into the back of Franco Tancredi's net to become the first ever English side to win three major titles in one season and their 4th European Cup title in 7 years; success of proportions the club has yet to see since.

After the 1983-84 season Liverpool's success rate would plummet. The club would go on to win three more league titles, including their last to-date in 1990 and a UEFA Champions League title in 2005; with the side from the mid 1970's to mid 1980's still regarded not only as Liverpool's best, but also as one of the most impressive club eras in Europe.