Html Match Today Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Reserves Text: Fixtures Today Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri HotNews

MUFC.SIMPLENET. COM:  DAILY NEWS
Date: Tue Aug 25 06:01:18 GMT+00:00 1998
Mail: barry@www.red11.org

Daily RED Trivia  Tuesday 25th August:

********************************

1934: George Mutch made his debut against Bradford City. Mutch scored a
Hat-trick in 5 minutes against Barnsley in October 1934, and won a Division
2 Championship medal in 1936, scoring 21 goals. He scored 49 goals in
120 games between 1934-37, and scored the winner for Preston North End in
the 1938 FA Cup Final. He was capped once by Scotland in 1938.

1990: United beat Coventry City 2-0 at Old Trafford in a Division 1 game
watched by 46,715. Steve Bruce and Neil Webb got the goals.
Team was:Sealey, Irwin, Donaghy, Bruce, Phelan, Pallister, Webb, Ince,
McClair, Hughes,Blackmore. 

********************************

Coming Matches Index: http://www.red11.org/mufc/fix9899z.htm
Wed 26/8 LKS Lodz, Polen (A) European Cup
Wed  9/9 Charlton (H) PL
Sat 12/9 Coventry (H) PL

This Issue:
1. Forty Years On" Diary of 40 hours in Manchester 1998: Pt 2/4
2. Ole staying.
3. STAM FIT FOR POLISH TRIP
4. The Lost Art (ET)
5. Police Praise Beckham (D.Mail)

++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++


Munich Testimonial Program


Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 18:35:00 +0200 (CEST)

Subject: "Forty Years On" Diary of 40 hours in Manchester 1998: Pt 2/4

Diary August 16-19 1998:
Pt 2: OT the museum + meet with Paul Busby

Deadline 2pm, I had left Denmark 26 hrs earlier and I was about to enter The
Theatre Of Dreams. Still brilliant sunshine I was able to hook up on the
14.15 OT 1hr Tour + Museum trip. Joe was our tour guide and we set off from
North Stand past Sir Matt, the booking office and on to the South Stand.
Suddenly a famous face outside, Linda was there to greet me. A quick welcome
and a lunch engagement for the Throstles Tuesday at 1pm, great! Nice to see
"Our Salford Lass" face smiling, already! Linda reminded me that I had to
catch up with the group or I would be lost?

On to The South Stand and Joe took us out on the magnificent terracing
overlooking the 4 week old new OT pitch. I looked up to the right upper East
where I would be sitting tomorrow!

Joe, full of info, told us that the pitch had been used twice and was still
perfect, absolutley no divots at all. The pitch had been laid by a Scottish
firm, the grass from Yorkshire and the idea from Australia!
There is NO SOIL! The grass and root is laid out on top of 12 inches of well
compacted sand which lies on a solid gravel base. All the under pitch piping
is still there and there are sprinklers which can pop up and water the pitch
when required! These are supplied bt re-cycled water from OT's 55.000 gallon
tank! Amazing what can be done using technique, who has ever heard of grass
with no soil!! Took a few pics and watched the grass grow for a few minutes,
my only comment "superb conditions". Joe also explained the plastic sheets
on top of South stand are to let the sun rays through to the pitch.   

Next was the Press Room and on to the Old Tunnel and Fergie's dugout. The
Old Tunnel is the only original part of the ground built in 1910. More
pictures, I noted the new Club Logo on the dugout "Manchester United". This
had said "Manchester United Football Club" previously. Next was the Players
Lounge and Dressing Room followed by the Entrance Tunnel. The Lounge is
decorated with fine pics of all previous RED captains and there is a Players
Rosta showing all player records for team and country. The dressing room
includes a spa-pool and warm up room. A video system is on hand for last
minute tactics, a laundry is on site ready for the kit manager to supply the
strip which includes Peter Schmeichels THREE strips for every game! He
always uses a warm up, 1st & 2nd half strip. 

I took plenty of pics on this tour of OT and they will hopefully appear on
the website at  together with
this diary, as soon as they are available! Want more OT trivia? An
incredible 10.000 Manchester United pies are eaten at an average home match
washed down with 2.500 gallons of coke,tea and coffee. Largest crowd was
76,962 at an FA Cup semi in 1939. United did not play - it was Wolves v
Grimsby! The new North stand has the largest cantilevered roof in Europe,
the stand is made of 4000 tons of steel and 4.500 tons of concrete...enough
is enough.

I am now thirsty after my hour long trip which ran over by 15mins due to all
the questions! Up to the museum and RED Cafe for a beer! WHAT? no beer is
served if you do not dine? I immediatley ordered a Red chicken-burger and
chips just to enjoy a pint of draught :) Escorted to my table there were RED
videos and plenty of people to chat with. NO-ONE on the tour or in the cafe
had tickets  for tomorrow. I felt great, THANKS Linda! Spoke to Alan Dobbo
and Richard on the mobile, hoped to meet up pre-match at Throstles. A voice
2 tables away sounded South African? Do you know Ethel Sleith "I called",
YES was the reply! I eventually wrote a private note on the back of my card
to Ethel who will duly receive the message personally in SA, written by me
the day before Eric+Munich Testimonial. The message was on the lines of "I
know you are here in spirit if not in person" Barry Leeming Red Cafe, 17th
Aug 1998. I also met Andy (Fernabache, Turkey) who works as assistant
manager in the Red Cafe. You can recognise him by his long flowing hair.
Thanks Andy for the beer :)

The museum was waiting and although the time was now 4pm the New Museum
opens from 9.30-21.00pm from Apr-Oct. (Nov-March opening is 9.30-1700pm)
Admission 4 pounds 50p. Now the NEW museum is about 100 times bigger than
before and is on THREE floors. All memorbilia is there as usual plus many
extra electronic highlights. There is a tremdous hall called "Manchester
NET" where there are 20-30 RED touch on screens which can show you
everything from Duncan Edwards and Gerge Best to the latest David Beckham
action! I pressed Charlton Best Law and enjoyed goals galore on video. Then
slightly disapointed when pressing Edwarrds found only 2 movie clips of the
great man. Players from today had up to 40-50 video clips each! 

Whilst in the Munich section one thing stuck in my mind as I read those
awfull headlines "again". Survivor lists including big Dunc :(
He eventually became the only survivor to die and this was a kidney failure.
Today he would of course have been saved using a temp kidney machine. Very sad.

Back to my room change of clothes in a hot sticky Manchester, then on to The
Throstles to meet Paul Busby at 8pm. Arriving at the pub I first met Kieron
and Hilary who made me feel most welcome. We chatted about the net and the
Listpics, Kieron had noticed the influx of REDS from all over the world esp
those arriving with Pete and Hal Hargreaves. He particularly remembered the
crowd from South Africa + the Eskimoes! The last named had been running
round in only thin t-shirts on a cold Manchester night!!

The Throstles are most appreciative for all our custom and you are ALL most
welcome when you are in Manchester. Just contact Kieron behind the bar, he
will serve you with an extra smile :)) Kieron is on the www now at this
address if you need to recognise him: 
       
         http://www.red11.org/mufc/listpics/throstles.htm

Paul came in and found Barry propping up the bar well away from the big
screen showing Arse/Boro "live". After our initial welcome Paul settled down
on shandy due to driving responsibilties, Barry drank draught Boddies Gold,
taxi or on foot! Paul, Kieron and Barry had a good chat and then subject RED
started. Paul is the original WWW RED and folks like me have learned much
from his prototype website, probably still the best info available. We
exchanged ideas and had a great evening chatting and occasionally glancing
at the big screen whenever someone scored. We jumped up and down when Boro
equalised only to scream "jammy f.....s" when a minute later scored the
winner :(

To cut a long story short Paul had to work so promised to meet up before the
game tomorrow. Farewell and see you soon. Barry? he found his way back by
taxi and fell into a deep RED sleep ready for the 18th August and "Le Dieu"

PS Need to check Paul's Website? Here it is:  http://www.pitman.u-net.com/index.htm

More to come...
Pt 3 Day 3 Match Day,lunch with Linda, Simplenet meet with Paul Hinson
Pt 4 Day 4 Hal & May + long trek home

***************************************************************

REQUEST TO ALL LIST MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED THE MUNICH TESTIMONIAL:
To be used on the website as a multi media story of Munich/Eric's farewell.
        http://www.red11.org/mufc/40years.htm
Please write 100-200 words about your experiences that day.

Mail them to me at barrylee@post3.tele.dk
If you have any photos even better! (Alan)
  Thanks in advance
   Barry
Munich Testimonial Program



Subject:  Ole staying.
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 23:55:26 +0200

ALEX Ferguson wants Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to stay at Manchester United.

And the Norwegian striker, who has become a transfer target for Premiership
strugglers Spurs and Everton, is reluctant to leave Old Trafford.

Despite the Reds accepting a £5.5m bid from Tottenham, Fergie is anxious
that Solskjaer remains in the fold.

``The boy doesn't want to go and I am happy with that. I don't want him to
leave either,'' the United manager said today. Potential buyers moved in
following the arrival last week of £12.6m United record buy Dwight Yorke.
Spurs immediately lodged their bid and I understand Everton have made their
interest known. However, Leeds United have denied reports that they want
the 25-year-old and Spurs were today linked with a £7m move for Villa's
Gareth Southgate.

Solskjaer only signed a new seven-year United deal a year ago and while the
Andy Cole-Yorke partnership was Fergie's first combination on Saturday in
the 0-0 draw with West Ham United , the Reds' manager's strike-force isn't
cast in stone.

``I am still formulating in my mind my strike partnership. I will be
playing one or two combinations and see how things develop. Ole's an option
and Teddy Sheringham again did well for us when he came on,'' said Fergie.

``I gave a little break to Paul Scholes because of his involvement in the
World Cup but he's another option.''

With Yorke ineligible for United's Champions League second leg qualifier in
Poland on Wednesday against LKS Lodz Solskjaer could get his chance for his
first start of the season.

United, who trained as usual yesterday in preparation for the midweek
European tie, will be without Gary Neville for the next three or four weeks
after he picked up a hamstring injury on Saturday. David Beckham suffered a
calf injury at West Ham but will travel with United when they fly out to
Poland in the morning.

 
 
Munich Testimonial Program



Subject: STAM FIT FOR POLISH TRIP
  
       STAM FIT FOR POLISH TRIP

               Manchester United's Jaap Stam has recovered from a slight
               thigh strain and is fit to face LKS Lodz in Wednesday's
               Champions' League match.

               The Dutch defender missed Saturday's game at West Ham
               but trained this morning and will be part of the United squad
               which flies out to Poland tomorrow.

               But Gary Neville is out for a month after straining a
               hamstring at Upton Park. He will miss England's European
               Championship qualifier against Sweden on September 5.

               Neville's younger brother Philip is set to start for United in
               Poland with Denis Irwin switching from left-back to right.

               © PA Sporting Life 

Munich Testimonial Program



Date:         Tue, 25 Aug 1998 12:21:28 +0800

Subject:    The Lost Art (ET)

United buck trend by favouring raiders of the lost art

MANCHESTER United fly to Poland on European Cup duty this morning,
representing not only themselves but all those with a love of width, that
special ingredient that allows teams to breathe and supporters' pulses to
quicken, writes Henry Winter.

The modern era's obsession with the percentage game, the fear of gambling
with possession as wingers inevitably do, has meant flank play becoming less
prevalent, a trend witnessed most alarmingly at the World Cup, where the
finalists, France and Brazil, achieved their width primarily through
full-backs. FIFA's many technical gurus may ponder that the most enjoyable
team to watch at France 98 were Holland, the only side who consistently used
wingers.

Football seems to have moved into a world where centre-forwards run wide, so
losing markers and creating space for attacking central midfielders. This
strategy inevitably negates the need for wingers. Alan Shearer and Michael
Owen, England's attack against Sweden next week, will doubtless deliver some
of the best crosses, short or long, in Stockholm.

United still use raiders of the lost art. The right-sided David Beckham is
not a natural winger, often preferring to move inside, but he does fulfil
Alex Ferguson's criterion of stretching opponents by supplying accurate
balls from the flank. In Saturday's game against West Ham, Beckham
occasionally combined well with Gary and then Phil Neville.

On the left, a flowing Ryan Giggs is one of football's finest sights, the
Welshman unveiling the full range of his talents in the first leg against
LKS Lodz, tomorrow's hosts. Like Beckham, Giggs enjoys cutting inside but he
does it through the winger's code of dribbling. Back on the touchline, Giggs
can go outside a full-back in time-honoured fashion.

For most generations, Giggs would be a showstopper. Nowadays he borders on
the unique. Many modern managers distrust wingers, preferring wing-backs or
orthodox midfielders out wide. Arsenal employ Marc Overmars, a marvellous
raider down the flank, while Leicester have Steve Guppy. Others exist but
are the exception rather than the rule.

United remain the wingers' sanctuary. "The way opposing teams sit in at Old
Trafford, width is so important," said Ferguson, a former centre-forward who
relied on wingers' service. "I've always tried to have width. When I came
here, I worked with Jesper Olsen, who was a great little player but
frustrated you, and Gordon Strachan, who had been a great player, but I
never really got the Strachan who was at Aberdeen. There was that
consistency factor. When they left, I thought, 'I don't have the wingers'. I
kept searching and searching.

"Then we got a wee break. We got young Lee Sharpe from Torquay. Then we got
Andrei Kanchelskis and Giggs came through and then Keith Gillespie. Beckham
balances his width and [movement into the] middle of the park quite well.
Ben Thornley would have been a terrific player if only he hadn't got his
cruciate injury. Philip Mulryne came here as an outside-left but is most
definitely a central midfield player. By our signing Jesper Blomqvist, we
are telling our supporters we still believe in wingers."

The cheetah-like Giggs remains the gem. "Ryan represents the history of the
club. We have always been famous for producing a player who is different
from everybody else, like Best, Charlton and Edwards. Ryan can penetrate
with the ball and without it. He can unbalance defenders. He is so
exciting."

Yet Ferguson envisages a time when Giggs will be released through the middle
(a plan that explains the Blomqvist purchase). "The sudden acceleration and
ability to beat a man is why Ronaldo is the best in the world," he said.

"Giggs, played in the right area, can become that type of player, somebody
who can win the game by himself. He doesn't need service to produce a goal.
As I see Giggs mature, the central areas of the pitch are going to suit him
better. I just wish we had got Blomqvist last season."

Ferguson dismisses the suggestion that the arrival of Brian Laudrup at
Chelsea, for instance, signals a greater national commitment to wingers.

"There are not a lot. Huckerby could play outside-right for Coventry.
There's Gillespie at Newcastle. We were interested in Overmars before he got
his bad injury. Arsenal took a gamble and it has worked for them.

"You see the World Cup and only one country played wingers and that was
Holland. That's sad. It's because of fear. The last three World Cups have
been won by teams with the best defenders. You have to stop that trend. You
have to produce players with vision."
Munich Testimonial Program



X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.2106.4
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4
Date:         Tue, 25 Aug 1998 12:15:08 +0800

Subject:  Police Praise Beckham (D.Mail)

Police chief is full of praise for Beckham's response to the hate mob

Tuesday, August 25, 1998

David Beckham has received a police commendation for his mature and
professional behaviour which the local force believes drew some of the
poison from the often hate-filled reception he received at West Ham on
Saturday.

Chief Superintendent John Boylin has praised the Manchester United
midfielder for the very self-restraint Glenn Hoddle accused Beckham of
lacking after the World Cup sending-off against Argentina which sparked the
whole furore.

Plaistow police believe that violence and criminally unruly actions were
avoided, within the ground at least, because Beckham acceded to their
request to tone down his on-pitch reactions to the crowd and their taunting.

Boylin told Sportsmail: 'There have been enough stories willing to knock
David Beckham, and it's time he got some praise.

'The professionalism of his reaction at West Ham on Saturday took the sting
out of a potentially nasty situation.

'We asked him to be very careful and restrained in his reactions to the
crowd and it was good to see him get on with his job.

'Even when he was sent flying by a tackle he didn't make a fuss and his
approach was just as we would have wished.

'In fact, because of his actions, I think the stick he received was
relatively gentle ð I have certainly heard much worse.

'I personally thanked him at the end of the match and we will be sending an
official letter to Manchester United to make the point in writing.'

The news charts the high point of an extremely steep learning curve for the
23-year-old, who was initially pinpointed by Hoddle as having contributed to
England's elimination from France 98.

The England coach repeatedly chided the player for his often churlish
on-field behaviour last season - Beckham regularly replied to abusive fans
with aggressive goal celebrations and he was involved in a childish spat
with Chelsea's Frank Leboeuf during and after last season's FA Cup
third-round victory.

But United manager Alex Ferguson has always stood squarely behind his
talented but sometimes temperamental discovery.

Not only was Beckham Manchester United's best player against West Ham,
despite the inevitable temptation to respond to the baiting of thousands,
but Hoddle was there to watch him lay the ghost of St Etienne.

Munich Testimonial Program



To receive this Daily News by email each day
Mail using subject line "DAILY NEWS SUBSCRIBE"
             
 
 E-mail: barry@www.red11.org  Webmasters: Barry Leeming
                                         Bill McArthur 

 Theatre Of Dreams:    Url: www.red11.org 
      
   " If ever they are playing in your town
     You must get to that football ground
     Take a lesson come to see
     Football taught by Matt Busby

     Manchester, Manchester United
     A bunch of bouncing Busby Babes
     They deserve to be knighted "

Keep The Faith -- Red Til We're Dead --  "RED sky at night UNITED delight"
        --- Manchester United for life not just for Christmas ---

To receive this Daily News by email each day
Mail us using subject line "DAILY NEWS SUBSCRIBE"
e-mail: barry@www.red11.org


Calypso available here: mp3

"RED HOT" News-wire NOW!


Manchester United FC: Theatre Of Dreams Website Click Index:
Results  News  WhosWho  Archive  Pics  Statistics
Reserves  Team  Trophy's  History  Munich  Webring