Saturday, July 21, 2012

Another smooth pre-season performance from City

 Source: Exeter City

 So on an untypically warm summer's afternoon at the Park, City continue their fine pre-season form with a comfortable 3-1 stroll against fellow supporter-owned club FC United of Manchester in front of 1464 supporters, including a particularly well voiced section from the visitors. City lined up: Krysiak; Woodman, Baldwin, Coles, Tully; Gosling, Oakley, Doherty, Chamberlain; Bauza, Nichols.


Despite City being content to let their opponents enjoy the majority of the early possession, it was City who came closest to opening the scoring with the first attack of the game after five minutes. Bauza's drilled square ball found first year pro Jake Gosling wide on the left who scampered forward unafraid to take on his defender. After working space on the outside, Gosling drilled a low ball across the keeper to the far corner where unfortunately it bounced back off the inside of the post behind the keeper before being cleared.


Ten minutes later though City did score, although it was in somewhat fortuitous circumstances. A stumbling defender in front of the players' tunnel was mugged by the quick thinking Elliott Chamberlain who raced towards goal. With Gosling steaming in unshepherded at the far post, triallist Chamberlain fired a low ball that deflected off a defender and through the keeper on the way to the back of the net to make it 1-0 to City.


Two minutes later City doubled their lead in fine fashion from a very quickly taken free kick from Matt Oakley 25 yards out. He flicked the ball forward to Bauza in a ridiculous amount of space on the edge of the box who in turn forwarded the ball to Nichols for a first time shot that was well blocked. Unfortunately for the visitors it fell straight to Bauza who had plenty of time and space to poke the ball home inside the near post from 10 yards out to make it 2-0.


Nichols almost made it three a further two minutes later after some nifty work inside the box chasing a wonderfully weighted Gosling through ball, but with the goal at his mercy had a rush of blood to the head and blasted over. City did get the ball in the net on the half hour after an electric one touch move from Bauza, Gosling and Nichols, but the linesman's flag ruled out Nichols' classy low finish for offside. Somewhat harshly ruled out, too.


Five minutes later Jacob Cane was introduced at Doherty's expense, then ten minutes after that Gosling's effort from range was easily collected by the FCUM keeper. With seconds of the half remaining Cane sent Gosling away down the left where his chip to the far top corner from 15 yards out was acrobatically tipped over for a corner.

At the start of the second half manager Tisdale sent out a whole new team, so for this half City lined up: Evans; Frear, Moore-Taylor, Amankwaah, Dawson; Davies, Bennett, Keohane, Sercombe; O'Flynn, Gow. It didn't take long for the new line-up to find the net with barely sixty seconds on the clock when O'Flynn expertly collected a long ball over the top before teeing up Gow arriving late. Showing the sort of twinkle-toed movement Fred Astaire would be proud of, Gow danced his way into the box before wrong footing the keeper and nonchalantly chipping the ball over him into the net from close range.


FC finally had something to cheer about five minutes later with a well finished goal. The ball was worked down the left and crossed - via an attacker and two City defenders all of whom failed to control the ball properly - to Matt Wolfenden who showed everyone how it was done by bringing the ball down and lashing it past Evans in the City goal to make it 3-1.


O'Flynn had a chance of an immediate reply latching onto another long ball over the top, but after comfortably beating a poorly worked offside trap contrived to guide the ball onto the base of the post from a one on one with the keeper fifteen yards out.


Midway through the half Keohane's smart ball out to the right found Sercombe who again beat a poorly worked offside trap to race through for another one on one with the keeper, but this time the keeper rushed out to smother Sercombe's shot at his feet. Jordan Tillson replaced Dawson with fifteen minutes to go as City saw out the remainder of the game to run out easy winners.

So well done to all for a decent performance against a hard working side. It's been a good pre-season so far with 7-3 and 4-0 away wins, and that was continued with City's 12th, 13th and 14th goals of the season! But it's not all about the goals, although mention must go to Gosling for his first half performance and Gow for his second half efforts, the defence looked pretty assured with Baldwin and new club captain Coles at the helm, and the tenacious Doherty in midfield. Without getting too carried away, at this rate we might be in danger of having a half decent season if we're not careful!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Commercial cachet to underpin new FC United stadium

Source: Insider Media

The team behind a new football stadium for FC United of Manchester is hoping the commercial cachet of hosting events there will underpin its use as a community facility.

Spokesman Andy Walker told Insider the club would be a focal point for community use while also functioning as commercial hub for meetings, functions and events.

His comments came as the club signed specific agreements with Manchester City Council relating to its future use by the local community meaning construction work can start this autumn.

Walker said: "The new stadium will have function rooms, offices and a medical room. These will be available for community use and we would look to hire these out for commercial use but there won't be any corporate boxes.

"We hope they will become a hub for community events but that also there is a cachet in hosting events and meetings at a football ground."

Planning permission for the new 5,000-seater stadium in Moston had previously been granted subject to finalising these new deals, known as Section 106 Agreements, before construction work can start.

FC United of Manchester is a supporter-owned club formed by Manchester United fans following the takeover of the latter by the Glazer family in 2005.

The stadium project is expected to cost in the region of £4.6m with just under half to come from donations and shares costing £200 each.

All shareholders in the club will receive one vote in decisions and elections regardless of how much money they have invested.

Further funding is expected to come via grants from bodies such as Sport England and the Football Foundation and the club are hoping to start the 2013/14 season in their new home.

Sunday, July 08, 2012

Los Fénix de allá...

 Source: Ole (Argentina). Google translation.

 La historia no tiene que ver con el viejo club palermitano que ascendió a la C y que juega en Pilar... Se habla de los “Phoenix Clubs”, como se llama en Gran Bretaña a aquellas instituciones que como el Ave, o como el Rangers, en este caso, se proponen renacer de las cenizas...

Contando Inglaterra, Gales, Escocia, Irlanda del Norte y la República de Irlanda el del gigante de Glasgow es el 34° caso y, quizás, el más resonante. Pero hay otros que merecen ser contados. Uno es el del Wimbledon FC. Declarado en quiebra en 2002, el club fue reubicado por sus nuevos dueños en Milton Keynes, lejos de su lugar original y tras renombrarse como MK Dons (utilizaba la última sílaba del nombre original) nunca tuvo el apoyo de los hinchas del club, que meses más tarde fundaron el AFC Wimbledon. Por entonces, el club de la gente arrancó en la amateurísima Novena División del fútbol inglés, pero tras meter cinco ascensos en nueve temporadas, hoy juega en la League Two (4ª categoría), sólo un nivel abajo de los impopulares MK Dons...

Crease o no, con el Manchester United pasó algo parecido. Aunque está lejos de desaparecer, en 2005, cuando el yanqui Malcolm Glazer compró la mayoría de las acciones, muchos hinchas de los Diablos Rojos abandonaron el club y fundaron el FC United of Manchester. Actualmente está en la 7ª categoría y acarició su gran sueño hace dos años: en la FA Cup, llegaron a forzar un replay ante el Brighton que, de ganar, los podría haber puesto ante el United, nada menos. Pero fue 0-4. Y a seguir esperando...

Wednesday, July 04, 2012

Councils and National Archives preserve local digital histories

 Source: Public Service

 Local information held across millions of web pages has been 'captured forever', after being permanently stored on the UK Government Web Archive.

The move was part of a wider pilot programme designed to help local authorities preserve the digital history of their communities.

The National Archives said it had been working with councils to share the expertise it had developed in archiving central government websites and to help authorities consider ways to archive important local online information for future generations.

Staff from participating local record offices were trained in how to develop a curated web archive. And the National Archives and the Internet Memory Foundation are now working to create guidance and service model options for local authorities.

Oliver Morley, chief executive and keeper of The National Archives, said: "This project has enabled us to share our innovation and expertise beyond central government and to make a real difference by working alongside local authorities across the country to capture and preserve the digital history of their communities."

Through the pilot more than 3 million new online documents have been permanently preserved, including the websites of Nick Clegg, FC United of Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent Pottery and Ceramics, and much more.

El front popular del gol

 Source: Culturas (Spain) - not online.

 ‘Contra el futbol modern, espectacular, mediàtic i capitalista’ i a favor de l’entusiasme, la fidelitat no negociada i els valors socials

Hi ha motius per a l’optimisme ran de l’abisme: cada vegada hi ha menys gent disposada a deixar-se estafar per l’empresariat, la violència retòrica dels brunetistes mediàtics, el neofeudalisme i els mercats. Guillem Martínez ho anomenaria un “canvi de paradigma”. Si aquest canvi s’està produint en àmbits laborals i culturals, per què no en l’àmbit esportiu? La tendència natural és cap a allò petit i pur imanejable: menys concerts en places de toros, menys multinacionals, menys macrofestivals, menys megaestors; més disqueries petites, ultramarins de barri, concerts en bars, editorials independents.

El futbol modern no és una excepció, i s’estén l’embafament cap a l’esport-mercaderia. “Jo he vingut aquí a vendre un producte anomenat futbol”, com va dir Joâo Havelange, president de la FIFA.

Doncs quina decepció, Joâo; de producte precisament ens en sobra. El que falta és esperit, codis d’honor, fraternitat i passió autèntica. I aquí és on entra en escena la UC Ceares. 2. Sembla tret d’una pel·lícula de Ken Loach: un club de Gijón de tercera divisió amb més de seixanta anys d’història està a punt de fer fallida. Uns quants fans s’uneixen i creen un cooperativa per rescatarlo. El rescat es du a terme partint dels ideals del futbol associatiu de tota la vida: accionariat popular (un soci, un vot) i la fi de la directiva d’empresaris.

La inspiració arriba per via del FC United of Manchester: 5.000 aficionats del club es van revoltar asme, la fidelitat no negociada i els valors socials. Afavor de la comunitat, en resum, no de la junta. Reclama el futbol de barri, el partit de carrer amb motxilles en lloc de pals i l’alegria per la victòria a 5a regional.

En un recent número de Diagonal, Iñigo Arza, un dels impulsors de l’assumpte, declarava: “Parlo del futbol humil, d’aquest que mai no desapareixerà perquè el mou la l’any 2005 contra la compra del seu equip per uns magnats americans, i es van escindir en un nou club organitzat com a Public Company. Un vot per accionista, sense afany de lucre ni mitjancers... Avui dia elFC United suma 4.000 accionistes, ha pujat quatre categories i està a punt de construir el seu propi estadi.

Seguint el seu exemple, la nova directiva (obrera) del Ceares es posiciona fermament “contra el futbol modern, mediàtic, espectacular i capitalista” i a favor de l’entusipassió i no els diners. En el futbol professional d’elit, el que reflecteix les estructures capitalistes, no hi pot haver res de tot això. La visió social s’esfuma perquè desapareix l’atmosfera futbolística, la cultura de grada, la música futbolística és substituïda pel waka-waka de torn, els fanzines per revistes publicitàries, i al lloc del teu veí hi ha un turista que sí que pot pagar els 60 euros de l’entrada”. El Ceares no està sol: altres clubs com el Ciutat de Múrcia funcionen partint de la mateixa idea.

N’hi ha més? Sí. Poc temps després de renéixer, els socis del Ceares van plantificar una colossal pintada al mur exterior de l’estadi: AGAINST MODERN FOOTBALL. Perquè a més, a la UC Ceares són anglòfils: als descansos sona reggae, punk rock britànic, ska i Dexy’s Midnight Runners. Les seves bufandes llueixen anagrames de northern soul amb el lema Keep the faith (Mantingues la fe), i una de les seves pancartes declara –en gest de complicitat a Trainspotting– Lust for life (set de vida).

L’afiliació política del Ceares tampoc no deixa lloc per a la confusió: seguint la línia d’equips com el St. Pauli, el Werder Bremen o el South Winners de Marsella, els habitants de Gijón es declaren antifeixistes i antiracistes. A la grada no hi ha lloc per a l’insult homòfob ni la violència: només bon rotllo, càntics incessants, mareig de bufandes i cervesa en llauna.

I ara es troben embrancats en la preparació d’un llibre recopilatori de relats futbolístics, per al qual el mateix Irvine Welsh ha escrit un panegíric.

Sisplau, no em digueu que va ser un somni.