The Archive

Hard as it is to believe, some players may actually be in the wrong when it comes to officiating, just don't try to tell them that

Arsene Wenger made a piece of personal history during the recent 1-1 draw at Southampton, by acknowledging that one of his players, Robin van Persie, was at fault for being sent off: “He knows he should not have done what he did. I could not support him.” Earlier in the match, the home side’s David Prutton had to restrained by Harry Redknapp when seemingly intent on thumping the assistant referee having also got a second yellow card. “I was really upset because we are in a relegation battle and it is not about kicking people up in the air,” said Redknapp.

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Geoff Wallis recalls the 1993-94 Division Two season when Reading cruised to the title

The long-term significance
Reading became the first side to win the championships of the Second, Third, Third (South) and Fourth Divisions (a feat Brighton would later match). The momentum continued almost throughout 1994-95, when they would finish just behind First Division champions Middlesbrough, but fail to be promoted because the Premiership was cutting its size. An extra-time 4-3 play-off final defeat by Bolton would rub further salt in their wounds. Chairman John Madejski would soon move the team to its new Madejstic stadium. This was also the last season when all Football League sides wore shirts numbered up to 11, as squad numbering became permissible for the following season. 

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Tuesday 1 “I think Arsenal are out of the title race,” says Sir Alex after a Cristiano Ronaldo double spurs Man Utd to a 4-2 Highbury win. Another vindictive encounter starts in the tunnel with Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira squaring up to each other; later Wayne Rooney breaks the UK all-comers record for swear words yelled in under a minute during a disagreement with referee Graham Poll and Mikaël Silvestre is sent off for butting Freddie Ljungberg. Fernando Morientes gets his first goal for fifth-placed Liverpool as they prevent Charlton moving ahead of them by winning 2-1 at The Valley. Middlesbrough are still without a league win in 2005 after a 2-1 defeat at Portsmouth. There’s a dramatic end to West Brom’s match against Palace, with the home side taking a 2-1 lead in injury time only for Aki Riihilahti to equalise; Iain Dowie’s side had played with ten men for 80 minutes following the dismissal of defender Gonzalo Sorondo. Fredi Kanouté is sent off at Bolton, after which Spurs concede two late goals to lose 3-1, their third defeat in a row. Motherwell reach the Scottish League Cup final for the first time in 50 years after a 3-2 extra-time win over Hearts.

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Tom Davies gives us our regular update on clubs in crisis

A huge debt to the Inland Revenue is hanging over the future of Grimsby Town, a now wearily familiar legacy of the ITV Digital collapse and some profligate spending in the late 1990s. The Mariners owe the taxman £700,000 and, as WSC went to press, the club were in final negotiations with the Revenue in a bid to find an acceptable repayment schedule. The League Two club have already had two such offers turned down this season, with Town chairman John Fenty complaining that the terms the IR were putting forward were unaffordable. Failure to reach agreement this time could land the club in administration.

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It's not just PSG's play that's foul, writes Dave Winter, it's their crowds as well

When the International Olympic Committee’s representatives visit Paris early this month to assess the city’s bid for the 2012 Games, you can be sure their hosts will keep them well away from a home match featuring the main Paris football team. It’s not just that PSG have been dire this season, finishing bottom of their Champions League group and struggling in the bottom half of Ligue 1. One whiff of the poisonous atmosphere at the Parc des Princes this season and the IOC would be straight on the blower to Seb Coe with some good news.

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