www.red11.org DAILY NEWS
Date: Mon Oct 25 05:59:26 GMT+00:00 1999
Mail: barry@www.red11.org
This Issue:
1. Trains and Boats and Planes - Personal report by RED KELLY
2. FERGIE STUNNED BY DEFEAT
3. Foreign boss for Manchester United?
4. Blomqvist close to comeback
5. Reds sent spinning in the rain
6. Fergie - he's no Freund of mine
7. Deja vu by Dr Who - or - How to cheer you up by Dr Rennie
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
MANCHESTER UNITED DAILY NEWS Monday 25th Oct 1999:
Barry Comment:
Fergie said "It was one of those games that was difficult to aanaylse but fotune
plays a part of footballk and sometimes you have to accept that some days it goes
your way and some days it doesn't.
ECL Group D ** Manchester United **
Olympique de Marseille * NK Croatia Zagreb * SK Sturm Graz
Manchester United FC Champions League Squad List
1 Mark John Bosnich 2 Gary Alexander Neville 3 Dennis Joseph Irwin
4 David May 6 Jakob Stam 7 David Robert J Beckham
8 Nicholas Butt 9 Andrew Alex. Cole 10 Edward Sheringham
11 Ryan Joseph Giggs 12 Philip Neville 14 Johan Jordi Cruyff
15 Lars Jesper Blomqvist 16 Roy Keane 17 Raimond RJH Van der Gouw
18 Paul Scholes 19 Dwight Yorke 20 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
21 Henning Berg 23 Michael Jamie Clegg 25 José Quinton Fortune
26 Massimo Taibi 31 Nicholas James Culkin 33 Mark Antony Wilson
34 Jonathan Greening
Group D P W D L F A PTS
Marseille 4 3 0 1 6 3 9
Manchester Utd 4 2 1 1 5 2 7
Croatia Zagreb 4 1 1 2 4 3 4
SK Sturm Graz 4 1 0 3 1 8 3
Fixtures/results
Tue Sep 14 Manchester United 0-0 Croatia Zagreb
Tue Sep 14 Marseille 2-0 SK Sturm Graz
Wed Sep 22 Croatia Zagreb 1-2 Marseille
Wed Sep 22 SK Sturm Graz 0-3 Manchester United
Wed Sep 29 Manchester United 2-1 Marseille
Wed Sep 29 Croatia Zagreb 3-0 SK Sturm Graz
Tue Oct 19 Marseille 1-0 Manchester United
Tue Oct 19 SK Sturm Graz 1-0 Croatia Zagreb
Wed Oct 27 7:45 NK Croatia v Man Utd
Wed Oct 27 7:45 Sturm Graz v Marseille
Tue Nov 2 7:45 Manchester United v SK Sturm Graz
Tue Nov 2 7:45 Marseille v Croatia Zagreb
Real Audio - Last weeks Daily News Sound Archive:
Click on INDEX at http://www.red11.org/sound
************************
99/2000 fixtures/match reports are at
http://www.red11.org/mufc/992000.htm
Mark Bosnich's Personal Details
http://www.red11.org/mufc/bosnich.htm
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
MANCHESTER UNITED STATS v ALL teams on the Web
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats.htm
Previous News:
BSKYB Takeover news/pics at http://www.red11.org/mufc/bskyb.htm
Brian Kidd Press conference, pic, real audio
http://www.iol.ie/~redcafe/kidd.htm
Peter Schmeichel's last Season at United!
http://www.red11.org/mufc/news/schmeichel.htm
*** RESULTS AND ATTENDANCES ON 23/10/99 ***
Aston Villa 1-1 Wimbledon 27,160
Bradford City 3-1 Leicester City 17,655
Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal 34,958
Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Coventry City 23,296
Southampton 1-1 Liverpool 15,241
Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Manchester United 36,072
*** FIXTURES ON 24/10/99 ***
Everton v Leeds United
Watford v Middlesbrough
West Ham United v Sunderland
*** FULL LEAGUE TABLE AS AT 23/10/99 ***
Pos Team P W D L F A W D L F A GD Pts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Leeds United 11 4 1 1 10 5 4 0 1 11 7 9 25
2 Arsenal 12 5 0 1 13 5 3 1 2 7 7 8 25
3 Manchester United 12 4 2 0 19 6 3 1 2 9 13 9 24
4 Sunderland 11 4 2 0 8 2 3 0 2 12 7 11 23
5 Tottenham Hotspur 11 4 0 2 15 11 2 2 1 5 4 5 20
6 Leicester City 12 4 2 0 11 6 2 0 4 9 11 3 20
7 Chelsea 10 4 0 1 13 3 2 1 2 4 4 10 19
8 Aston Villa 12 3 3 0 8 3 2 0 4 5 9 1 18
9 Everton 11 3 2 0 11 3 2 0 4 6 11 3 17
10 West Ham United 9 4 0 0 6 2 1 1 3 5 6 3 16
11 Liverpool 11 2 0 3 5 5 2 3 1 7 6 1 15
12 Middlesbrough 11 3 0 3 6 7 2 0 3 7 8 -2 15
13 Coventry City 12 3 0 3 11 8 0 4 2 5 7 1 13
14 Southampton 11 2 2 2 10 10 1 1 3 8 12 -4 12
15 Wimbledon 12 1 3 2 9 10 1 3 2 9 16 -8 12
16 Bradford City 11 1 2 2 5 10 2 0 4 4 7 -8 11
17 Watford 11 2 0 3 5 6 1 0 5 2 9 -8 9
18 Derby County 11 1 0 5 3 12 1 3 1 7 7 -9 9
19 Newcastle United 11 2 1 2 14 7 0 0 6 7 20 -6 7
20 Sheffield Wednesday 12 1 1 4 7 9 0 1 5 1 18 -19 5
NEXT MATCHES
---------------------------------------------------------------
27-OCT-1999 [19:45] Manchester Utd. vs NK Croatia (UEFA Champions League, AWAY)
30-OCT-1999 [15:00] Manchester Utd. vs Aston Villa (FA Premier League, HOME)
02-NOV-1999 [19:45] Manchester Utd. vs Sturm Graz (UEFA Champions League, HOME)
06-NOV-1999 [15:00] Manchester Utd. vs Leicester C (FA Premier League, HOME)
*** TEAM RESULTS - MANCHESTER UNITED -
UNITED Stats v All teams:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/
ALL FIXTURES at: http://www.red11.org/mufc/fix992000.htm
First Team Fixtures 1999/2000
All dates/times subject to change
Dates of possible cup ties also shown
Date Opposition Score Pos. Attend.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
15/07/99 Melbourne Australia pre-season W 2-0 - 60,000
18/07/99 Sydney Australia pre-season W 1-0 - 78,000
21/07/99 Shanghai Shenhua pre-season W 2-0 - 80,000
24/07/99 Hong Kong South China pre-season W 2-0 - 40,000
1/08/99 Arsenal Wembley Charity Shield L 1-2 - 70,185
3/08/99 Omagh Town Omagh Bomb Fund W 9-0 - 7,000
4/08/99 Wigan Athletic friendly W 2-0 - 15,000
08/08/99 Everton Away PL D 1-1 10 39,141
11/08/99 Sheffield Wednesday Home PL W 4-0 3 54,941
14/08/99 Leeds United Home PL W 2-0 1 55,187
22/08/99 Arsenal Away PL W 2-1 1 38,147
25/08/99 Coventry City Away PL W 2-1 1 22,024
27/08/99 Monaco - Lazio ESC L 0-1 - 15,223
30/08/99 Newcastle United Home W 5-1 1 55,190
11/09/99 Liverpool Away W 3-2 1 44,929
14/09/99 Croatia Zagreb Home EC D 0-0 - 53,250
18/09/99 Wimbledon Home D 1-1 1 55,189
22/09/99 Sturm Graz Away EC W 3-0 - 16,480
25/09/99 Southampton Home D 3-3 1 55,249
29/09/99 Marseille Home EC W 2-1 - 54,276
3/10/99 Chelsea Away PL L 0-5 2 34,909
11/10/99 Sir Alex Testimonial Home F L 2-4 LEGENDS 54,842
13/10/99 Aston Villa Away WC3 L 0-3 - 33,815
16/10/99 Watford Home PL W 4-1 2 55,188
19/10/99 Marseille Away EC L 0-1 - 57,745
23/10/99 Tottenham Hotspur Away L 1-3 3 36,072
27/10/99 Croatia Zagreb Away EC 19.45
30/10/99 Aston Villa home PL 15.00
2/11/99 Sturm Graz Home EC 19.45
6/11/99 Leicester City Home PL 15.00
20/11/99 Derby County Away PL 15.00
24/11/99 ? EC
27/11/99 Sheffield Wednesday Away PL 15.00
30/11/99 Tokyo Palmeiras WCC 20.00
4/12/99 Everton Home PL 15.00
8/12/99 ? EC
18/12/99 West Ham United Away PL 15.00
26/12/99 Bradford City Home PL 15.00
28/12/99 Sunderland Away PL 20.00 "live on sky"
3/01/2000 Middlesborough Home PL 20.00
****************************************************
JAN 05-14 Brazil WTC [3-4 games]
----------------------------------------------------
06/01/2000 Necaxa (Mexico) Neut WTC 16.00
08/01/2000 Vasco da Gama (Brazil) Away WTC 16.00
11/01/2000 South Melbourne (Australia) N WTC 16.00
****************************************************
22/01/2000 Arsenal Home PL 15.00
5/02/2000 Coventry City Home PL 15.00
12/02/2000 Newcastle United Away PL 15.00
26/02/2000 Wimbledon Away PL 15.00
1/03/2000 ? EC
4/03/2000 Liverpool Home PL 15.00
8/03/2000 ? EC
11/03/2000 Derby County Home PL 15.00
15/03/2000 ? EC
18/03/2000 Leicester City Away PL 15.00
22/03/2000 ? EC
25/03/2000 Bradford City Away PL 15.00
1/04/2000 West Ham United Home PL 15.00
5/04/2000 ? EC qf i
8/04/2000 Middlesborough Away PL 15.00
15/04/2000 Sunderland Home PL 15.00
19/04/2000 ? EC qf ii
22/04/2000 Southampton Away PL 15.00
24/04/2000 Chelsea Home PL 15.00
29/04/2000 West Ham United Away PL 15.00
3/05/2000 ? EC sf i
6/05/2000 Tottenham Hotspur Home PL 15.00
10/05/2000 ? EC sf ii
14/05/2000 Aston Villa Away PL 15.00
24/05/2000 ? EC Final
http://www.red11.org/mufc/match.htm
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Subject: Trains and Boats and Planes - Personal report by RED KELLY
Sometimes you've just got to turn your back on a game and
say "it wasn't our day" but at times yesterday it made you
wonder what the hell was going on and for a second
successive visit to the capital we came away with
absolutely nothing. Trouble was, this time I was there to
see it happen.
I was due to get a lift down to London from the Mastman but
after a late Friday night phone call from a surprisingly
cool Nasher I was assured this would not be possible due to
the fact that his car was now a heap of twisted metal
rather than the whole one he had been driving earlier on. It
begged the question, why did he have to go that far in
order to avoid a couple of hours in the car with me taking
the piss out of his knowledge about telecommunications
masts - had we gone too far last time, I wondered? So it
was Chiltern Railways for me.
I can't remember the last time I went to a game on the
train - it's got to be getting on for thirty years ago
though, so I was in nostalgic mood as I wandered down to
the station, even the air seemed to smell the same as it
had all those years ago! It's true I tell you. Having
phoned the doc and arranged to meet both him and smashy
Mastman at Marylebone station I stood on the platform
waiting for the London train to arrive, but to my surprise
it was a diesel - don't they do steam anymore then?
I suppose it's not a bad way to travel, but the journey was
a great deal less interesting than the last one I'd
undertaken while on my way back from the MMC meeting in
Manchester last year when a couple on the opposite side of
the aisle had been indulging in acts better suited to the
privacy of the bedroom. And I was trying to concentrate on
my book while wincing at the sight of the girl's brace on
her teeth. The things that go on in trains these days - the
mind boggles.
This journey was interesting for one second as we passed
over the motorway and saw that it was jammed. Phew, I
thought, I could have been in that, but as we got nearer to
London the rain clouds gathered overhead and it was
beginning to look as though the travelling hordes had
brought some of the Marseilles weather back with them. Hope
my jacket holds out this time or my ticket will be returned
to the pulp from whence it came just as it was at Wimbledon
a couple of seasons ago. And the rain fell.
There was the Mastman waiting at the station, but where was
Dr Mark? I phoned him and he told me he'd left a message
earlier saying he'd be at Liverpool Street station instead.
I don't know who he'd left a message with but it wasn't me!
So we met up at Liverpool Street and called into the
station pub for a quick one and to meet up with another
couple of Mark's mates one of whom would give our own
masterfan a run for his money as he recalled events from
the past. He could even recite the names of the Burnley
team which reached the semi final of the European Cup in
the early sixties. Incredible isn't it? "What that he could
recite the names of the team?" "No that Burnley reached the
semi final of the European Cup" Can't say as I remember it,
but he assured us it happened - they were a good team then.
We were on our way again and this time it was a mainline
trip to Bruce Grove and not an Aussie in sight. Into
another pub in the heart of Spurs land where I paid a visit
to the toilet while a man was standing there relieving
himself singing "come on you yids!" I was shaking my head
as he was shaking his - well anyway, he was. Then it was a
ten minute walk to the ground when the Mastman true to form
pointed out a handy tele mast - true to form. By the time
we got down to the ground it was getting late and we were
greeted by a long line of police, three ticket checks and a
body search - nothing out of the ordinary there then.
By the time I got to my seat which was next to Paul Scully,
they'd already kicked off. The expected rain hadn't really
materialised and after a couple of minutes United were
bossing the game and everything looked extremely rosey in
the garden. We were all relaxed singing our songs and
content in the knowledge that it all seemed to be going
according to plan. The rest of the ground was completely
silent as United were camped down at their end of the
pitch. So it was no surprise when Giggs scored. Well
actually it was a surprise because it was a second or two
before we realised he'd actually scored and only tuned in
as we saw him wheeling away triumphantly.
We celebrated rather belatedly and so did many others who
were not in our end of the ground. "Reds are here, Reds are
there, Reds are every f***ing where," we sang and "Giggs
will tear you apart again." No worries we thought and
continued with "Oobladee oobladaa Man United European
Champions." We're in for an easy ride here today.
That's what we thought and you know when you think that
sort of thought - yes - old mother irony comes along and
slaps you in the face. To be perfectly honest I'm getting
sick of this irony business, I wish she'd leave us alone
for a while. But she was having a field day yesterday and
when an incongruous ball came looping over the top of the
United defence she saw her opportunity. Bosnich came out to
collect but didn't think to tell Silvestre - confusion at
Bruce Grove. Silvestre nodded the ball back and we looked
on open mouthed as it drifted past the hapless Aussie and
agonisingly just past the post. God that was close.
At that moment we knew there was a change due. I don't know
how but we knew they'd score - it was that irony moment.
You could feel it in the air hanging like one of those
Tyldsley golden goals. From then on the game turned
farcical and as the corner came over to the far post, hit
Iverson on the hand and found itself nestling in the back
of the net. To be fair the ref couldn't possibly have seen
it but we all did when the replay was shown on the big
screen.
While I'm on this big screen business - they really piss me
off, not quite as much as the music that some PA's play
these days when the home sides score, just as they did
yesterday at Muppet junction, but it pisses me off
nevertheless. If that ever happens at Old
Trafford.............I'll ...........but back to the
screen. All the way through the game you are distracted by
this huge neon monstrosity which shows the game along with a
rolling display of various adverts. Why bother going to
watch this stuff live when they're showing it on a
television in the very ground you're watching it and I'm
not going to even mention what they were advertising as it
pissed me off that much that I remember what they were.
So there I was getting wound up by the screen, the PA
blasting out music and the fact they scored from a blatant
hand ball when what do they do - they bloody well go and
score again and this time it's even more farcical. Hang on
a minute isn't it supposed to be us who score and then
score just afterwards, not you lot? There was another
corner, again the ball was put out by Silvestre, but at
least this time he had no real choice. The ball came over
and with one Spurs man in the box and seventeen United
defenders, the Spurs man missed it, the ball hit Scholesey
on the head and there it was in the back of the net again.
By now it was like feeding time at the zoo as the whole
ground, apart from our bit, danced around waving their arms
about like a bunch of demented chimpanzees.
We couldn't wait for half time so that we could take a
break from this absurdity, 2-1 down and we're in the middle
of a performance which would be more appropriate in Billy
Smart's Circus. Down below stairs several away regulars
chatted and once the shock of seeing only one half of
"joined at the hip" had subsided, we all agreed, except the
harbinger Dr Mark of course, that we'd still win as we'd
been so much on top. So I returned to my spot high up
looking down at the corner flag where it had all started,
with renewed optimism, only to find the heavens had opened.
By this time it was obvious something supernatural was
going on and you know who was in on the act and it wasn't
Eric. The sheer amount of wet stuff pouring out of the sky
made passing football almost impossible and if it hadn't
already turned into a farce it was now surely a lottery. You
could hardly see the opposite corner it was pissing down
that hard and the lads frustrations began to grow and not
least because Freund was an absolute disgrace and should
have been sent off ages before he was booked - he's not a
Bayern fan by any chance is he? So someone up there was
obviously sampling the free Holsten Pils (oh s..t now I've
said it - bloody advertising) by the bucket load and
pissing it out all over us.
So when United are having no luck at all with what seemed
like a blatant penalty denied which turned out to be a
great tackle by a Spurs player I'd never heard of and I
doubt even the locals knew, and so many attacks breaking
down because the ball would stick in a puddle when it would
normally have found it's man, they go and score again. This
time an absolute scorcher from Stephen Carr. I mean what
the hell is Stephen bloody Carr doing hitting a shot from
thirty yards into the top corner of the net? It's got to be
divine intervention, half time genuflection, drunkeness in
heaven - anything but reality. Surely this cannot be
happening.
The PA announcer can't believe it either as he awards the
goal to Ruel Fox. What! I know the almighty piss is falling
but surely there's a fundamental difference between Carr
and Fox that even the most stupid of PA announcers can
spot. It's that Black/white thing, a fairly distinctive
difference I'd have thought. It mattered little to the
locals of course, they were 3-1 up in a match they should
at best be losing 2-1.
So with the conditions so appalling it was impossible to
play anything remotely resembling the beautiful game, we
more or less resigned ourselves to defeat. It would have
been more appropriate to be playing in boats out there it
was that bad. Paul muttered something about never having
lost for ages after scoring first and it turns out it was
nearly ten years ago this last happened. Suddenly we lose
records by the bucketload in a week and maybe now old
mother irony will leave us alone for a while and let us
rebuild and get on with the rest of our lives with some
semblance of normality returning.
As you know, the miracle recovery didn't happen yesterday.
Ole came on to his usual ovation, but with the divine being
on the toilet he wasn't around to hear the call and the ref
blew his whistle to save us any more agony. We trudged out
of the ground trying our best to ignore the circus going on
all around us. Back at Bruce Grove we chew over the game
and spit it out with the conclusion that it would have been
nice to have had more of the rub of the green at least. I
suppose it will keep that sad lot happy for another year -
a big club - you must be joking, they are as small time as
all the others. There's only one big club left in this
country and we all know which one it is.
It all left me wondering though, with 27 quid for a ticket,
19 for the train, 4 for the tube fare I could have flown to
Paris with Easyjet (s..t there's that bloody advertising
working again). There's another 10 or 12 quid on food and
drink and I could have been in Lisbon. It's worth thinking
about though isn't it?
Copyright RED KELLY 1999
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Subject: FERGIE STUNNED BY DEFEAT
Sir Alex Ferguson blamed a combination of misfortune, a refereeing error
and the rain on his side's 3-1 defeat at Tottenham - but refused to point
the finger at his players.
"It was one of those games that was difficult to aanaylse but fotune palys
a part of footballk and sometimes you have to accept that some days it goes
your way and some days it doesn't.
"I thought my players played very well, and I'm asking myself, 'Where can I
fault my players?' From the corner for their first goal there was a clear
handball, obviously, and with the second goal being an own goal you can't
put that down to bad defending.
"At 1-0 up we were marvellous and in complete control. If we had got a
second it would have been all over. So I don't know what happened. We were
looking strong.
"It all came in the shape of their two goals before half-time which
obviously changed the whole pattern, and with the rain coming in the second
half it didn't suit our passing game at all.
"By then Tottenham had something to hold on to and, to be fair, they did it
very well. But I still say we played very well and I'm proud of them. In
the second half the ball just kept sticking in the water on the pitch and
that suited Tottenham.
"I feel disappointed, but when fortune plays its hand there's not much you
can do. There was a lot of good play today, a lot of decent football mainly
by us, though they did play some good stuff in the second half.
"Tottenham fans would have been disappointed with the behaviour of Freund.
It was terrible, a disgrace the way he ran around trying to get players
booked and sent off. To the referee's credit he refused to fall for the
diving, but I'm still looking at where we lost the game."
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Subject: Foreign boss for Manchester United?
By Peter Fitton
Manchester United are prepared to appoint a big-name foreign coach as Sir
Alex Ferguson's successor when he retires in two years' time.
The management revolution at Britain's most powerful club has been placed
under serious discussion at the highest level. It is already accepted that
the days of an all-powerful manager in the Ferguson mould are over.
United's directors will now consider such high-profile candidates as Louis
van Gaal, the Dutchman responsible for the rise of Ajax and Barcelona, and
master tactician Marcello Lippi, formerly of Juventus and now at Inter Milan.
Ferguson's long-term fate was placed back on the public agenda last week
when chairman Martin Edwards firmly hinted that the most successful manager
in United's history would be unlikely to stay on after his contract ends in
the summer of 2002.
Such a move was hardly the most guarded secret and long ago Sir Alex
realised that a club as globally important as United could never again be
operated by a one-man band.
In recent years, the Treble winners have quietly adopted a more Continental
approach, with Ferguson concentrating on the football side while Edwards
assumed chief executive responsibility for major financial decisions,
including transfers.
That two-tier system of control will be underlined in the future.
United's hierarchy accept they cannot get the critical appointment of
Ferguson's successor wrong after a decade of unprecedented glory. And that
is why they are opening the job market to the major names from abroad, even
if they have to double any contract to at least £2million a year.
The champions will not be lacking applicants as Italy's most respected
coaches reacted to the change of approach at United.
Legendary boss Giovanni Trappatoni, currently in charge of Fiorentina and
boasting a winning track record at Juventus, Inter and Bayern Munich, said:
'The English game is the future for us. Italian coaches have made a
contribution across the world, but we all understand that your football
could be a new paradise now.'
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Subject: Blomqvist close to comeback ««
Jesper Blomqvist has revealed he is two to three weeks away from making a
return to action for United after a knee injury.
The Swedish winger has missed the season so far after picking up the injury
while on United's pre-season tour of Australia and the Far East.
But he has been training for the last couple of weeks and now sees light at
the end of the tunnel.
He said: "It's difficult to say if it will be two weeks or three weeks but
I'm not setting myself a target."
Meanwhile, Teddy Sheringham will be back in training next week after a calf
injury and may travel to Croatia for the Champions' League crunch.
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| Click On pic - for latest interviews from OT |
Subject: Reds sent spinning in the rain
By Malcolm Folley
Tottenham 3 Man Utd 1
As the rain fell over north London, Spurs and United conspired to produce a
game of football that was stamped: Made in Britain.
In an age when there is such a preoccupation with securing success on
foreign fields, Spurs manager George Graham will have gained enormous
satisfaction from his team's performance in a red-blooded game of old.
Indeed, Graham risked his finely cut suit by standing away from his dugout
for stretches of the second half to assume command of his troops.
He probably never noticed the weather.
For United, it was another depressing afternoon in the capital.
On their previous visit, they had surrendered five goals to Chelsea, and
yesterday they would have to assume responsibility as the architects of
their own downfall.
Sir Alex Ferguson will be beginning to feel a little dissatisfied with his
players as this was their fourth defeat in their past five games in all
competitions.
United could hardly have begun more inspirationally. They were sharp, they
were incisive and they were making the game so hard for Spurs. The home
side's defenders were stuck in one gear - reverse.
United enterprise brought them just reward in the 23rd minute. Andy Cole
played the ball to the feet of Ryan Giggs, standing just inside the Spurs
penalty area with his back to goal. Behind him was Tottenham's England
defender Sol Campbell.
To Giggs, Campbell might well have been the invisible man. The Welshman
deceived the £15million-rated England international with a swift turn, and
skipping inside the covering Luke Young, Giggs scored with a delicate shot
with his left foot.
Tottenham's equaliser arrived initially from the confusion that existed
between goalkeeper Mark Bosnich and centre-back Mickael Silvestre.
Without a white-shirted player in the vicinity, Bosnich was walking to
collect the ball bouncing outside the six yard area when Silvestre decided
to intervene with his head and missed an own goal by a couple of feet.
But there was to be no escape for United. From a corner struck to the near
post by Oyvind Leonhardsen, Tim Sherwood deflected the ball across the
goalmouth to where Steffen Iversen was arriving with extra-sensory
perception.
However, with the ball skidding off the turf Iversen spread himself to try
to keep the ball from going out of play and appeared to handle in the
process.
His misdemeanour went unnoticed and, when his first shot rebounded from the
foot of the post, the Spurs striker had wonderful presence of mind to scoop
the ball into the far corner of the net as he fell backwards to the ground.
If that 35th-minute strike stunned United, there was worse to follow four
minutes later.
David Ginola took possession of the ball from a short corner on the left to
deliver a cross at a good height into the far post. Young, the promising
young Tottenham defender, ran to meet the ball, but failed to make contact.
Yet his movement was to prove costly as the unsighted Paul Scholes
calamitously headed the ball into his own net. Scholes was a portrait of
desolation. His hopes of making amends six minutes after the interval
vanished when Young made a wonderful covering tackle.
Cole was soon to be denied by Tottenham goalkeeper Ian Walker, sparing the
blushes of his team-mate Steffen Freund, who had been caught in possession
deep in his own territory.
With the pitch becoming increasingly more treacherous under the weight of
the rain, tempers became excitable. But the only major flare-up came near
the end when Freund behaved with gross stupidity to try to incite Roy Keane.
The game was well balanced too - until Stephen Carr intervened in the 71st
minute that is.
Just a month after scoring his first goal in the Premiership, Carr
delivered a strike that would have brought a smile to the Gallic face of
Ginola. Bosnich could never have dreamt the consequences when the Irishman
moved on to the ball 30 yards out.
Instinctively, Carr looked up, took aim and drove the ball into the far
corner of the net, way beyond the diving figure of the Australian
goalkeeper, still seeking to impose his personality on the team, on
Ferguson and on the No 1 jersey.
David Beckham had already been booked, then substituted and Keane was
correctly cautioned for his 80th-minute foul on defender Mauricio Taricco.
But Freund behaved unforgivably when he ran across the pitch towards the
United player, still on the floor, only to wheel away at the last moment.
Referee Jeff Winter properly booked the German and predictably Keane took
his retribution with a challenge that went unpunished before the end.
But losing is one habit Ferguson will want Keane and Co to kick before the
season gets much older.
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Subject: Fergie - he's no Freund of mine ««
Sir Alex Ferguson was last night involved in a tunnel bust-up with Spurs'
Steffen Freund before slamming the German for his inflammatory antics.
An ugly scene developed as the players left the pitch after Spurs' 3-1 win
yesterday at White Hart Lane.
Ferguson and Roy Keane confronted Freund over his behaviour and, according
to reports, a scuffle broke out.
United were incensed by Freund's niggly play, diving and his recation to
Keane's booking late in the game.
The United skipper tripped Mauricio Taricco and, as he received the yellow
card, Freund ran 30 yards across the pitch to celebrate his 'moral victory'
in Keane's face.
Keane restrained himself but the German was chased down the pitch by United
players, led by Dwight Yorke.
Ferguson later told reporters he was disappointed by the German's display
but praised the referee for clamping down on diving in the match.
When asked if anything could be done about Freund's antics, Sir Alex said:
"If he were my player, something would be done."
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Subject: Deja vu by Dr Who - or - How to cheer you up by Dr Rennie
From: Barry Leeming
After reading Paul's excellent match report today
words like *irony *feeding time at the zoo *Muppet junction
I just could not resist this - "flashback time" 11 months ago
It was also the first ever Webmaster Simplenet meet
1998 http://www.red11.org/miva/matchreports.mv?19981212
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
by Barry Leeming
Mon 14th Dec 1998, 2100hrs Denmark/18hrs after arriving back from London.
"The Sugar Plum Fairy"
I will now try to explain the happenings of the ballet show
in North London on Sat. afternoon.
No mention of the packed train in Denmark or the boat for
18hrs or singing the "Busby Boys" in the disco non stop for
30 mins, or the tardy bus arriving at White Hart Lane as
the last minutes of our arranged pub meet ticked by.
A phone call to Footy Queen offering a last minute ticket
was to no avail as Lisa was working Saturday and the long
trip impossible. Arriving at the Orchid Branch at 14.15 the
crowd was there, Bill McArthur and Jack (my father)
mingling with Jon Leigh, Mike Dobbin, Dave Menashe, Dr Mark
and others. The world was a lttle smaller today UK, Canada,
Denmark and Usa were all meeting up for the first time
ever! Quick hello's, I explained to Dr Mark that we had an
extra with the 40 or so Danes in East Upper.
More hello's, goodbye's to Jon Leigh & brother who had made
to the pub especially to greet us travelling REDS :) Jon
you pleased my Dad enormously when you went up and asked
him at the bar if he was Barry Leeming!! Thanks Jon for
coming, Bill and I will now take special notice of your
emails!
Dr Mark and I rushed up and down amongst the mounted police
to try and sell the extra to a fellow RED. Eventually the
34 quid ticket went cheap to a lucky red. I made my way in
buying the "Great UNITED Songs" book at the Gate of the South
Lower, one pound! Made my way up to the high position
behind the goal with all the REDS and Dave from California.
The match had already started and I quickly noticed the
unusual faces Phil Neville and Teddy on the pitch from the
kick off. No Cole no Dwight up front, this was going to be
an unusual day?
The REDS were already in good voice the pitch looked good
and the play was fast. I admit at this point in time that I
commented that todays ref was ok and very commanding type.
I had also predicted 3-2 to us. Great to see Ole up and
front and by the end of 15mins we were to be 2 up! Cracking
goals and great play. Becks on form crossed for both goals.
The first had been built by Giggsy who ran through the
middle passed to David and Ryan managed to head the cross
against the goalkeepr for Ole to tap/chip in. Spurs have
a big screen high over the North Stand, very useful?? -not
to watch repeats of shots/goals. Blimey its almost like
watching at home on TV!!! Ole could easily have scored
3 but it was not to be.
Little did we know that this match was to be taken over by
the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Gary challenged
him/her/it out on the left wing and both times Sugar flew
through the air with the greatest of ease.
If you don't believe me check out
http://www.red11.org/mufc/images/sugarplum.jpg
Rennie "for headaches" Ref was gullable, he continued to
book players left right and center. Nicky Butt, David,
Teddy for talkng too much, Ronny and for good measure Phil
Neville! (Phil actually deserved his)
Back to Sugar Plum, he could be a great player, he left
players for dead esp in the 2nd half running through and
shooting on target. I called him cheat as all REDS sang out
loud, he must have received the message loud and clear.
More songs "the Referee's a wa...r" . Soon afterwards
Sol Cambell scored from Andertons free kick with 20 mins to
go, rising above Jaap, who had a magnificent match otherwise!
Becks had been booked (who hadn't) for a tackle on Sinton
previously. Five mins later RETALIATION by Sinton on Becks
only gave yellow. From where I was this was a Red card
offence. Nothing happened United's 10 men were pressed
against the 12 men or cockrels. We nearly made it but still
went top with the draw!
The best song of all, it was at 2-1, nearing the end of the
2nd half was "The 12 Days Of Eric". I think EVERY SINGLE
RED joined in by the last verse. The noise was deafening
and hairs raised on the back of the neck.
What happened at the end of this match was just an
unbelievable let down. Cambell's soup scored a carbon copy
2nd goal from an Anderton free kick, in the last minute of
the allocated 2 mins injury time. No discussion, our back 4
just did not keep it out.
The real reason for the 2-2 draw, in a match where
Manchester United dominated, was Act-1 scene-3 when Rennie
had orchestrated the Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy.
Barry reporting from London.
I will not then tell you any more, about being locked in
the ground by the police for ages, getting soaked picking
up family christmas presents in the bus, free mince pies
down the pub, being breathalised by a copper in Central
London or the excellent meal with Mike Dobbin and Bill
McArthur in Leicester Square. Mick Meade and Richard Martin
were nowhere to be seen??
A RED Day Was Had By All!
--------------------------
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