Hereford United return to the Football League

Relief for Turner after nine year absence

—- Hereford United return to the Football League after a nine year absence following a thrilling 3-2 win against Halifax Town in the Conference Play-Off Final at Leicester City’s Walkers Stadium.
The Bulls had to come from behind twice to take the game in to extra time before right-back Ryan Green curled home a left-footed beauty.
It was only the fourth goal of the former Cardiff City defender’s career but it was enough to end the Hereford exile.
The return to the big time is especially joyous for Mr Hereford United, Graham Turner.
The delighted Bulls chairman, director football and manager said: “We have been so close on several occasions and I think overall the feeling at the moment is relief. We knew they were a well-organised and highly motivated side and we had to be at our best to beat them.”
Halifax Town were attempting to become the first club to win promotion back to the Football League for a second time.
Manager Chris Wilder tried hard to disguise his disappointment: “We’ve given it a go and there are a lot of things for us to be proud of.
“We said before the game that we needed to play well and I think we did that but we just didn’t get the luck and that’s not to take anything away from Hereford.”

An AFS survey of the official World Cup squad lists has revealed that the London Premiership duo of Chelsea and Arsenal will be the clubs with the most of their currently contracted players representing them in Germany during the summer.

The Premiership champions and Champions League finalists are two of only nine clubs who will have ten or more participants.

We have details of the other seven clubs, and more on English club involvement in the 2006 World Cup finals.

It’s Chelsea who head the list with 16 players while Arsenal just one behind on 15. The Gunners list includes the youngest player (Theo Walcott) and two other teenagers.

The full rundown on clubs with ten or more players on duty in Germany is:

16 - Chelsea
15 - Arsenal
13 - AC Milan
12 - Juventus
12 - Manchester United
11 - Barcelona
11 - Bayern Munich
10 - Dynamo Kiev
10 - Real Madrid

Of the 736 players in the official FIFA squad lists, 105 (or 14.27%) of them are contracted to English clubs at the end of the 2005-06 season.

Furthermore, 27 of the 92 Premiership and Football League clubs (or almost a third) will have at least one of their players involved in the world’s greatest football tournament.

NB The FIFA list shows Manuel Rui Marques of Angola as a Hull City player. Although he ended the season on a month’s loan at Hull, Rui is presently contracted to their Championship rivals Leeds United up to June 2007.

Thierry to end career at Emirates Stadium

QPR mourn loss of talented youth player

—- Two days after losing the Champions League Final, Arsenal icon Thierry Henry lifts the gloom around Highbury as he ends months of speculation by agreeing a new four-year contract with the Gunners.
The 28-year-old had been widely linked with a move to Barcelona but he now publicly declares he wants to end his career at the North London club’s new home at the Emirates Stadium.
The 28 year-old told a press conference: “At one point it crossed my mind to leave but I think with my heart and my heart told me to stay.
“I’ve never played in Spain and never will. This is my last contract.
“This is the best country to play football. It’s the passion I like. Here you can do your job in the right way - people here respect the players.
“In the past year the fans have been more than amazing and after the way we lost on Wednesday, I couldn’t let them down.”
Manager Arsene Wenger adds: “My target at the start of the week was to win the European Cup and then to keep Thierry Henry. I managed only one, but for the future it’s the best one.”

—- Queens Park Rangers are in mourning following the shock news that one of the brightest young talents - 15 year-old youth team striker Kiyan Price - was fatally stabbed outside his school in Edgware yesterday afternoon.
Supporters of the Championship club leave tributes at their Loftus Road ground while QPR’s Head of Youth Joe Gallen says: “He was a great lad, a terrific prospect and it’s a huge setback for everyone who knew him.
“He was an intelligent, smart and good-looking young man with a very bright future in the game and he will be sorely missed.”
Chairman Gianni Paladini adds it was 99% certain that Kiyan would have been offered the chance to become a trainee at the West London club.

Swindon make Wise move

Walcott is World Cup youngest

—- Cheltenham Town reach the final of the League Two Play-Offs.
Having won the first leg of their semi 2-1 at Wycombe Wanderers, John Ward’s Robins progress to the Millennium Stadium final with Grimsby Town after a goalless draw at Whaddon Road.

—- Former Chelsea midfielder Dennis Wise is set to be named the new manager of Swindon Town after Iffy Onoura is sacked.
The Robins were recently relegated to League Two so, along with Milton Keynes Dons, becoming the first clubs to drop from the Premiership to the basement division.
39 year-old Wise, who ended the season playing for Coventry City in the Championship, has managerial experience at Millwall. In his 18 months in charge at the New Den, he led the Lions to the FA Cup Final against Manchester United in 2004.
It is expected that Wise will be assisted at the County Ground by his ex-Stamford Bridge team mate, Gus Poyet.

—- With the squads now declared, it is confirmed that England’s Theo Walcott will be the youngest player at the summer’s World Cup finals.
The 17 year-old Arsenal flyer will not become the all-time youngest player to appear in the finals. The record is held by Norman Whiteside of Northern Ireland who was 17 years and 42 days old when he played against Yugoslavia in 1982.
Walcott was only two months old when Dwight Yorke - captain of Trinidad & Tobago (one of England’s World Cup opponents) - made his international against the USA in May 1989.
The oldest player in Germany will be Tunisia goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel. The 40-year-old is expected to become the fifth oldest player in World Cup history behind Cameroon striker Roger Milla and fellow keepers Pat Jennings (Northern Ireland), Peter Shilton (England) and Dino Zoff (Italy).
Milla, at 42 years and 39 days, became the oldest record holder when he played, and scored, against Russia in 1994.

—- League One Blackpool are set for a £5million cash injection following exhaustive talks with Latvian businessman Valeri Belokon.
The investment is to be phased in over the next few years, and Mr Belokon is to become club president with Karl Oyston remaining as chairman.

Ten-man Arsenal denied Champions League triumph

Butcher moves to Oz

—- Arsenal, who play most of the game with only ten men, are denied a remarkable victory in the Champions League Final as Barcelona score two late goals.
The Gunners go into the game with a competition record of ten consecutive clean sheets, and their defensive qualities are tested to the full as keeper Jens Lehmann is sent-off after only 18 minutes.
At least referee Terge Hauge doesn’t allow Ludiovic Guily’s goal to stand, so Lehmann remains unbeaten for 763 minutes of play - a Champions League record.
Against the odds, the game takes another unlikely twist on 37 minutes when Sol Campbell heads home Thierry Henry’s free-kick to give Arsenal the lead. It’s the England centre-back’s first in the competition.
For much of the remainder of the Final, Barca set siege to the Gunners goal.
As the rain pours down in Paris, Arsenal finally crack after wave after wave of attack when Samuel Eto’o finds a way past the impressive Manuel Almunia on 76 minutes.
It’s the first Champions League goal Arsenal have conceded in 995 minutes and, in the fine tradition of London buses, predictably it’s not too long before another one comes along.
Four minutes later, Juliano Belletti combines with fellow substitute Henrik Larsson to fire home the winner. It’s the Brazilian right-back’s first-ever goal for Barca.
As a postscript, with former Celtic striker Larsson making a notable difference after he came on on the hour, Barcelona’s win means that Celtic go straight in to the group stages of next season’s Champions League without having to go through the qualifying rounds.

—- With Norwegian official Ole Hermann Borgan replaced as one of the assistant referees before the game after being pictured in a Barcelona shirt, Arsenal captain Thierry Henry - in an uncharacteristic show of frustration - believes referee Terge Hauge may have been guilty of also favouring the new European champions.
Playing in his home city, the French superstar rants: “I’m not usually a troublemaker, but I’ve just seen the television and Eto’o’s goal was offside.
“I was kicked all over the place. I expected the referee to do his job. I don’t think he did. We can be proud, we can be more than proud but, I’m sorry, some of the refereeing today was horrendous.”
Henry’s future remains the subject of much speculation but the widely expected move to Barcelona seems less likely after he makes less than complementary remarks about some of his would-be new team mates.

—- Former England captain Terry Butcher is the new boss of Sydney FC in Australia’s A-League.
The Motherwell manger leaves Fir Park with a two-year contract. He is replaced by his assistant, Maurice Malpas.
Ironically, Butcher made his England debut in 1980 in a 2-1 win over Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

—- Yeovil Town announce that manager Steve Thompson is to revert to his role as first team coach.
He took over from Gary Johnson in September and kept the Somerset club in League One.

—- Fulham resign from Nationwide Women’s Premier League and disband their once all-conquering ladies team. They had become Europe’s first professional team in April 2000, and won the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup in 2003.
The decision was made because the team is no longer financially viable.
An official statement laments: “With little media profile and poor league crowds the structure is not sustainable.”

Shepherd blasts LMA

Mariners through to Play-Off Final

— As expected, Glenn Roeder is confirmed as Newcastle United manager with a two-year contract.
It completes a remarkable recovery by the former Toon skipper after being struck down by a life-threatening brain tumour in April 2003.
The ex-West Ham United boss was in charge of Newcastle’s youth academy when took over as caretaker manager in February following the dismissal of Graeme Souness.
United’s form improved immediately. They took 32 points from 15 Premiership games and secured a place in next season’s Intertoto Cup with a victory over champions Chelsea on the last day of the campaign.
50 year-old Roeder commented: “If you work hard and fight for the dream it proves that anything in life is possible, and when the opportunity comes along you have to be ready for it.”
It had been rumoured that the newly-retired Alan Shearer would assist Roeder, however the Toon legend is appointed to the new post of the club’s sporting ambassador.
Chairman Freddie Shepherd explains: “His role is exactly what is says on the tin. He will be our ambassador around the world.”

— As Roeder’s sudden illness meant he wasn’t able to complete his UEFA Pro Licence course, the Premier League had to grant Newcastle United special dispensation before his appointment could be confirmed.
The League Manager’s Association (LMA) voiced their concerns that the FIFA directive was overlooked or, as LMA chief executive John Barnwell put it: “The UEFA Pro Licence stops those people who make the appointments from appointing the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker.
“Prospective managers are now looking at it and thinking, ‘If I want to manage in the top league, I don’t need to bother to get qualifications, do I? What am I bothering for?’.
“The Professional Footballers’ Association have blown their lid as well. All their guys will think they don’t need to bother now. So I’m absolutely furious.”
Newcastle United chairman Freddie Shepherd isn’t particularly chuffed either: “I think it’s a disgrace he [Barnwell] said that, and shame on him.
“For a union leader to try to stop someone getting a job I think is incredible. I can’t believe he said this remark.”

— In the 100th meeting with their Lincolnshire rivals, Grimsby Town beat Lincoln City 2-1 at Blundell Park to go through 3-1 on aggregate to the League Two Play-Off Final.
The Imps drew level with Marvin Robinson’s opener but the Mariners restored their one goal advantage from the first leg through substitute and former Lincoln centre-back Ben Futcher.
Leading scorer Gary Jones clinched the victory with a 81st minute header but he was sent-off in added time and, subject to an appeal, will miss the final.
At the 11th attempt, this is the first of this season’s Play-Off games to be won by the home team.

Three-goal Tykes stun Terriers

Football League add gloss to Trophy

— The first big money move of the summer sees Michael Ballack complete his ‘free transfer’ from Bayern Munich to Chelsea.
Although the German midfielder was out-of-contract, so will not command a transfer fee, his reported £18million contract over three years suggests it is not exactly a free.
Manchester United had also expressed their interest in the 29 year-old, and his reasoning for choosing a switch to Stamford Bridge is unlikely to go down well at Old Trafford: “United came in quite early for me but I saw the possibilities at Chelsea as being much greater. They’re a much stronger team.”
Bayern won the Bundesliga title in three of his four years at club but fans jeered the three times German Footballer of the Year during his final appearance against Borussia Dortmund having turned down Bayern’s final offer.
Speculation strongly suggests that AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko will soon be following Ballack to the Premiership champions.

— The away teams continue to hold sway in the Play-Offs as a storming second half performance from Barnsley gives them a 3-1 win at Huddersfield Town to go through to the League One Final 3-2 on aggregate.
With Town still holding their one goal advantage from the first leg at half-time, the Tykes struck in spectacular fashion after the interval with goals from Paul Hayes (penalty), Paul Reid and Daniel Nardiello. Jonathan Worthington replied for the Terriers.

— The Football League Trophy - the cup competition for League One, League Two and leading Conference clubs formerly known as the LDV Vans Trophy - is re-named the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy from next season following the announcement of a three-year seven-figure deal.
We’ll get used to it. Eventually.

— Tottenham Hotspur announce a four-year shirt sponsorship deal, said to be worth £34million, with Mansion.
Manchester United had earlier been linked with a similar deal reported to be worth £70million with the internet casino group until it fell through.
United subsequently secured a contract with insurer American International Group worth £56.5million.

— The landmark Belgian court case that is considering whether compensation should be paid to clubs by FIFA when a player is injured on international duty is referred to the European Court of Justice.
The case concerns Abdelmajid Oulmers of Charleroi who was injured while playing for Morocco against Burkina Faso two years ago. He was sidelined for eight months and Charleroi insist the loss of the player hindered their chances of success in the Belgian league and cup.
The G14 group of leading football clubs say they are ‘very happy’ with the referral.
Coincidently on the day that Michael Ballack joins Chelsea on a six-figure weekly wage, the last major case in football to be referred to the European Union’s highest court also started in Belgium.
The Bosman ruling gave out-of-contract players the choice to move freely between clubs.

Juve retain Serie A title under darkening cloud

Grays retain FA Trophy

— Two first half goals from Leon Knight take Swansea City through to the League One Play-Off Final at Cardiff.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion striker’s brace at Griffin Park means that Brentford have lost at this stage of the season for the second season in a row and have yet to be successful in six Play-Off campaigns.
The Swans go through on a 3-1 aggregate having brought an end to a run of 14 games without a win at the west London ground since 1977.
They now hope to complete a Millennium Stadium double having beaten Carlisle United in the final of the Football League Trophy in April.

— Juventus clinch the Serie A championship for the second year in a row with a 2-0 win at Reggina but their 29th Scudetto is increasingly tainted by the growing match-fixing allegations.
The latest twist sees Luciano Moggi, the Juve general manager who is at the centre of an investigation into the alleged corruption, quit his post: “From Monday I will have resigned. From this day the world of football is no longer my world.”
The scandal surrounds telephone taps from last season regarding discussions about refereeing appointments between Moggi and Italian football federation officials.
AC Milan finish as runners-up for the second season in a row and owner Silvio Berlusconi wants answers: “We demand they give us back the two league titles that are our due. We’re tired of suffering injustice.”
If found guilty, Juve could be stripped of the title and demoted to Serie B.
As things stand, they will be joined in next season’s Champions League by Milan, Inter and Fiorentina.
Roma, Lazio and Chievo have qualified for the UEFA Cup while Treviso, Lecce and Messina have been relegated.

— Grays Athletic retain the FA Trophy with goals late in the first half from Dennis Oli and Glenn Poole to beat Woking 2-0 at Upton Park.
It’s a timely consolation for the Essex club having missed the chance of going up into the Football League following the midweek Play-Off defeat by Halifax Town.

Hammers do spirit of Greenwood and Lyall proud

Hearts break Gretna hearts

— Liverpool re-visit the spirit of their unforgettable Champions League Final comeback in Istanbul against AC Milan last year as they create a classic FA Cup Final with brave West Ham United in the last final due to be played at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.
Having fought back from two down, Liverpool went behind again before - in the 90th minute - one of the great FA Cup Final goals took the tie into extra time.
The Millennium pitch appeared to have acquired the same energy-sapping qualities of Wembley of old as tired limbs failed to produce another goal in the additional 30 minutes.
Compared to Istanbul, for Jerzy Dudek read Jose Reina as Liverpool held aloft the FA Cup for the seventh time after they came out on top of the dreaded penalty shoot-out.
It seemed it was a date with destiny for West Ham United as it appeared to be in the stars that they, as the underdogs, would pull off a surprise win. In the last three months, both the managers of their three previous FA Cup Final wins - Ron Greenwood and John Lyall - had passed away.
It wasn’t to be, but only just. The Hammers produce an enthralling performance in the finest traditions of the club that would surely have gained the knowledgeable approval of their past masters.
United got off to the sort of start they could only have dreamed about. An own goal from Jamie Carragher and a poacher’s strike from Dean Ashton putting them two clear in the opening half-hour.
A terrific volley from the much-maligned Djibril Cisse soon threw Liverpool a timely lifeline and they were level before the hour as captain Steven Gerrard took centre stage with a superb finish.
It seemed the Reds would now take control and ease to victory, but West Ham clearly hadn’t read the script. Paul Konchesky - a life-long Hammers fan - stormed forward from his left-back berth and sent in a high cross that found its way into the top corner of the Liverpool net.
It looked like the unlikely winner but, with the four minutes of added time being announced over the PA, cometh the hour, cometh the hero.
From fully 35 yards out, Steven Gerrard’s first-time shot fizzed past keeper Shaka Hislop and smacked into the corner of the net for a goal that is certain to go down as one of the greatest in the competition’s entire history.
It was of no consolation to United boss Alan Pardew that he played in the last FA Cup Final to produce six goals when he was in the Crystal Palace team that held Manchester United to a 3-3 draw in 1990.
With many players struggling to complete the extra time period, the Hammers had one more outstanding chance to win the Cup.
Jose Riena, who had been at fault for two of the goals, pulled off a fantastic save to push Nigel Reo-Coker’s header on to the post. The rebound fell to Marlon Harewood but, with the Hammers striker feeing the pain more than most, a simple chance was spurned.
So to the penalty shoot-out and it was Riena who completed the heroics with three saves as Liverpool ran out 3-1 winners.
Keeper Reina proved that Liverpool are definitely not a one man team, but would they be anywhere near as effective without Steven Gerrard? Even without his two stunning goals, the Reds’ skipper gave the sort of performance in front of a worldwide television audience that will give England’s World Cup opponents plenty to think about.
This was the Gerrard Cup Final. As Cardiff might say, follow that Wembley!

— Tiny Gretna reaching the final of the Scottish FA Cup was a fairytale story in itself but the Second Division champions almost complete one of the greatest cup shocks of all time as they take SPL runners-up Heart of Midlothian to penalities at Hampden Park.
Despite having a population of only 2,800, some 12,000 fans follow Gretna to the Glasgow finale but it seemed like it was going to be the expected straight-forward victory for Hearts after Rudi Skacel gave the Edinburgh club the lead just before the interval.
Rowan Alexander’s men had other ideas though and it was Ryan McGuffie who came up with a 76th minute equaliser after his penalty was saved.
With no more goals after extra time, Hearts held their nerve in the penalty shoot-out to run out 4-2 winners.
It was close in the end but Hearts seventh Scottish Cup Final win is further proof that, despite some unorthodox methods at times, 2005-06 has seen them break the Celtic -Rangers duopoly.

— There’s also success for Scotland’s national team as they win the Kirin Cup in Japan after holding the hosts to a goalless draw in Saitama.
The below-strength Scots lift the trophy after their 5-1 mauling of Bulgaria.
Manager Walter Smith reflects on an encouraging tournament: “We perhaps didn’t play as well as we did to beat Bulgaria on Thursday but the players dug in and showed some welcome consistency.”

—- The away teams hold the upper hand after the first legs of the League Two Play-Off semi-finals.
In the Lincolnshire derby, Gary Jones gives Grimsby Town a 1-0 win at Lincoln City.
Goals from John Finnigan and Steve Guinan give Cheltenham Town a 2-1 advantage after their trip to Wycombe Wanderers.

— Trinidad & Tobago - one of England’s opponents - name their final 23-man squad for the World Cup.
As well as former Manchester United and Aston Villa striker Dwight Yorke, coach Leo Beenhakker’s selection includes 15 UK-based players:
Goalkeepers
Kelvin Jack (Dundee), Shaka Hislop (West Ham United), Clayton Ince (Coventry City).
Defenders
Dennis Lawrence (Wrexham) Cyd Gray (San Juan Jabloteh), Marvin Andrews (Rangers), Brent Sancho (Gillingham), Ian Cox (Gillingham), Atiba Charles (W Connection), Avery John (New England Revolution).
Midfielders
Silvio Spann (unattached), Chris Birchall (Port Vale), Aurtis Whitley (San Juan Jabloteh), Anthony Wolfe (San Juan Jabloteh), Densill Theobald (Falkirk), Carlos Edwards (Luton Town), Dwight Yorke (Sydney FC), Russell Latapy (Falkirk).
Forwards
Stern John (Coventry City), Kenwyne Jones (Southampton), Collin Samuel (Dundee United), Jason Scotland (St Johnstone), Cornell Glen (LA Galaxy).

Champions-elect Juventus under suspicion

Leeds accused of dressing room damage

— Italian football is hit by a match-fixing scandal as it is revealed that over 40 people are currently under investigation.
Prosecutors are talking to two senior officials from Juventus while others associated with AC Milan and Lazio are also being probed.
The investigation extends to Rome where police have searched the national football federation (FIGC) and referee association’s offices. Massimo De Santis, who is due to referee in the World Cup in Germany, is thought to have been questioned.
News of the scandal revives bitter memories of the disgrace that rocked Italy in 1980 when AC Milan and Lazio were demoted to Serie B following a match-fixing and illegal gambling scam.
Juventus seemed set to clinch their 29th Serie A title on Sunday’s but, should they be found guilty of sporting fraud, it is possible that they could be stripped of the title and demoted. Yesterday, the Juve board of directors resigned ahead of a shareholders’ meeting on 29 June.
FIGC president Franco Carraro, who is also under investigation by magistrates in Naples, resigned on Monday although he pleaded his innocence: “Over the years I have featured in many investigations from magistrates and I have always been cleared or acquitted.”

— Leeds United are to hold an internal investigation into reports that their players trashed the visitors dressing room at Deepdale following this week’s Championship Play-Off semi-final win at Preston North End.
Photographs have been published that allegedly show grafitti defacing the walls while doors and sinks are also thought to have been damaged.
North End are unlikely to seek compensation as chief executive Steve Jackson explained: “We decided it was best not to bring it to the attention of the media because it could look like sour grapes and that’s not the sort of people we are. Our thoughts are to let sleeping dogs lie with this one.”
During the game, United had Stephen Crainey and Richard Cresswell sent off and six other players booked.

— The Football League confirm that Rotherham United are set to start next season with a ten point deduction after a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA) was reached with creditors on Tuesday.
FL Head of Communications John Nagle comments: “Having agreed a CVA enabling it to reduce its debts to creditors, Rotherham United have been served with a Sporting Sanction.”
The Millers have the option of seven days to lodge an appeal but, to secure the unlikely outcome of a successful appeal, it would mean they would have to prove their use of insolvency procedures was due unforeseeable and unavoidable circumstances.