Premier League 2014-15: Who will finish where?

Louis van Gaal has arrived at Old Trafford, Luis Suarez has left Anfield, and Manchester City and Chelsea have spent big again - so with the new Premier League season just days away from kick-off, here are my predictions for where each team will finish.

The selection of Chelsea as champions is made with some conviction after manager Jose Mourinho's summer in the transfer market - but choosing who will fill the other Champions League places has never been more difficult.

So much so that the eventual finishing positions of those in contention - assuming champions Manchester City finish in the top two - may well come down to the deals done by Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal before the transfer window closes at the end of August.

At this stage you would hesitate to risk a penny with any confidence on who will finish third, fourth or fifth.

The fight for survival will be a scrap as well. The Premier League will be more competitive than ever.

Use the Twitter hashtag #plpredictions to discuss where you think teams will finish and look out for a series of votes about the Premier League.

CHELSEA (Champions)

Chelsea bought Spain team-mates Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas this summer for a combined £62m

I tipped them for the title last year when Mourinho returned but the lack of a goalscorer - and narrow defeats at places such as Aston Villa and Crystal Palace - ended their hopes.

Now that Diego Costa has arrived from Atletico Madrid and Cesc Fabregas is back in the Premier League I believe they will put that right and Mourinho will be a Premier League champion once more.

Last season: Third

MANCHESTER CITY (Runners-up)

Deserved champions last season despite not being at their superlative best for all of the campaign - an indicator of just how much quality is in manager Manuel Pellegrini's squad.

Yaya Toure seems to have got over his hissy fit about his lack of a birthday cake and Eliaquim Mangala has arrived from Porto in a £32m deal, as well as Bacary Sagna on a free from Arsenal, to strengthen their defence. It will be interesting to see whether Willy Caballero emerges as a serious challenger to Joe Hart in goal and how much Frank Lampard figures.

City will be in the top two once more - but they will face a fierce challenge from Chelsea to hold on to their title.

Last season: Champions

MANCHESTER UNITED (Third)

New Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal made former caretaker boss Ryan Giggs his assistant

The David Moyes experiment was a dismal failure so United have gone for vast experience and a proven track record in Louis van Gaal, fresh from taking the Netherlands to the World Cup semi-final.

Do not expect United to be on the outside looking in at the top-four fight again this season - but it will still be intriguing to see what Van Gaal can get out of a squad that looked in serious need of renewal last season.

Ander Herrera will provide class in midfield and Luke Shaw youthful quality at left-back, but United need to add authority in central defence (would you trust Chris Smalling and Phil Jones against opposition of the highest calibre?) and in central midfield. Van Gaal must also get the attacking partnership of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie moving smoothly.

Not title contenders just yet - there may yet be world-class additions before the transfer deadline that could change that, of course - but do not expect any repeat of the misery Old Trafford suffered under Moyes.

Last season: Seventh

LIVERPOOL (Fourth)

The start of a wonderful new Anfield era or the great missed opportunity? Time will tell how Liverpool's fatal faltering with the Premier League in their own hands last season will eventually be viewed.

There will be no more Luis Suarez, who has taken his magnificent talent but desperately flawed personality to Barcelona, but manager Brendan Rodgers has been investing heavily to ensure a 31-goal void is filled.

This will mean more responsibility for Daniel Sturridge but Rickie Lambert will hope to weigh in with his share of goals if he gets the chance, while another Southampton import Adam Lallana will be a creator when fit, along with £20m winger Lazar Markovic from Benfica.

Liverpool under Brendan Rogers
In Rodgers's first season in charge, Liverpool finished seventh with 61 points, winning 16 league matches, losing nine and scoring 71 goals.
Last season they finished second, with 23 points more, winning 26 matches, losing six and scoring 101 goals.

The most important buy of all, once again from Southampton, may yet be Dejan Lovren, adding authority that has been missing from Liverpool's defence since Jamie Carragher's retirement - not helped by the uncertain efforts of goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

I do not feel Liverpool will be champions and they will be in a real dogfight for a top-four place, but put money on a cup win and a decent showing on their return to the Champions League.

And, it should be added, if Liverpool do finish fourth this should not be regarded as failure after last season. Rodgers was way ahead of schedule with that one.

Last season: Second

ARSENAL (Fifth)

Arsenal beat champions Manchester City 3-0 at Wembley on Sunday in their first Community Shield since 2005

Arsene Wenger looks refreshed after ending his long wait for a trophy with last season's FA Cup success - and the signing of world-class forward Alexis Sanchez and the comprehensive Community Shield win over Manchester City has only increased the new optimism around Emirates Stadium.

Signings such as Calum Chambers and Mathieu Debuchy have fleshed out the squad, but they are still short of that title quality and not yet challenging the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City over a whole season, unless a commanding defender and high-class central midfield can be added before deadline day.

The Gunners are a great bet for another cup though as there is so much talent in the squad even before you get to Sanchez.

I think they will end up battling Liverpool for a top-four place - and business done between now and deadline day could help decide it.

Last season: Fourth

EVERTON (Sixth)

It's been an excellent summer so far for manager Roberto Martinez and chairman Bill Kenwright. They have extended the contracts of outstanding youngsters such as Ross Barkley, Seamus Coleman and John Stones, while breaking their transfer record to sign £28m Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea - the sort of deal designed to end perceptions, occasionally encouraged under David Moyes, of a former giant now only aspiring to punch above its current weight.

Watch out for Muhamed Besic (not least for his tackling). The Toffees need another quality striker but will be fighting in and around the top-four places yet again under the shrewd and positive Martinez.

They will hope Europa League commitments do not debilitate a smallish squad.

Last season: Fifth

TOTTENHAM (Seventh)

Pochettino became Tottenham's 10th manager since 2001 when he was appointed in May

Here we go again. Another season at Spurs and another new manager. Mauricio Pochettino did an outstanding job at Southampton, advocating a high-intensity, pressing, attacking style.

He will surely benefit from time and patience at Spurs. Chairman Daniel Levy's reputation could not survive another short managerial tenure.

Pochettino inherits a highly talented squad and we can expect some big-name signings before the deadline, as is the Spurs way. He may also want to see if he can get a bit more out of the players who under-achieved after the big Gareth Bale spend last season, such as fellow Argentine Erik Lamela, while hoping Dane Christian Eriksen produces more of the same.

I see them around the top six again but not in the title hunt. As usual, it might be worth a punt on a cup.

Last season: Sixth

NEWCASTLE UNITED (Eighth)

There was turmoil on Tyneside (again) last season - a situation not helped by the indiscipline of manager Alan Pardew when he abused Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini and headbutted Hull City's David Meyler. He needs a good start and it is fair to say he has had a decent summer to set the Toon Army up for the new season.

There are high hopes for Remy Cabella, the attacking midfielder signed from Montpellier, as well as well Siem de Jong, the former Ajax captain. Jack Colback will also be keen to impress after making the contentious move from Sunderland.

There's enough talent in this squad to make the top 10 - but since when did any prediction involving Newcastle have logic attached?

Last season: 10th

STOKE (Ninth)

Bojan Krkic (left) is Stoke's second signing from Barcelona in just over a year - joining Marc Muniesa at the club

Mark Hughes achieved an excellent ninth place last season after taking over from Tony Pulis, although a little too much was made about the supposed sea change in style, which was something of an insult to Hughes's predecessor.

Hughes still did an excellent job, however, and there is no reason to suspect anything other than a similar finish this season, especially backed by magnificent support at the Britannia Stadium, intimidating and atmospheric at all times.

Plenty will be keen to see whether Hughes can revive the career of forward Bojan Krkic, still only 23, signed from Barcelona.

Last season: Ninth

SUNDERLAND (10th)

Sunderland's miraculous escape from relegation, with a draw at Manchester City and wins at Chelsea and Manchester United, was one of the stories of last season.

Now manager Gus Poyet can build on that and has invested £10m in midfielder Jack Rodwell, talented but injury-plagued, from Manchester City. He will still need extra firepower, hence his continued pursuit of Liverpool's Fabio Borini, instrumental in that remarkable conclusion to last season.

The air should have cleared on Wearside after the Paolo di Canio farce that began their season and the great escape that ended it, so expect Sunderland to fare much better this season.

Last season: 14th

WEST HAM (11th)

Andy Carroll has returned to London in a "miserable" state according to his manager

What are we to make of the Hammers? Co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold have demanded more attacking football from manager Sam Allardyce and a new attack coach has arrived in Teddy Sheringham.

And Sullivan's belief that West Ham made a mistake in paying £12m for Andy Carroll has only been reinforced by the former Liverpool striker's latest lengthy spell on the sidelines.

In other words, they and Allardyce may need a promising start to stop the storm clouds rolling over Upton Park.

This will dictate much of the shape of their season. Mid-table at best.

Last season: 13th

CRYSTAL PALACE (12th)

A second straight Premier League season at last for Palace
Promoted from Division 1 in 1991-92 - Relegated from Premier League in 1992-93
Promoted from D1 in 1993-94 - Relegated from PL in 1994-95
Promoted from D1 in 1996-97 - Relegated from PL in 1997-98
Promoted from D1 in 2004-05 - Relegated from PL in 2005-06
Promoted from Championship in 2012-13 - Finished 11th

You suspect manager Tony Pulis's major transfer market work is still to come this month, adding to the likes of Fraizer Campbell and Brede Hangeland as he attempts to build on the miracle he pulled off in keeping them up last season.

Whatever happens, the combination of Pulis's proven managerial ability and the atmospheric surroundings of Selhurst Park should mean another season of Premier League survival at a place where watching football is a great experience.

Last season: 11th

HULL (13th)

Manager Steve Bruce did brilliantly to keep Hull City up and reach the FA Cup final last season - and once again he has been working the markets to complete deals for Jake Livermore, on loan last season, and the likes of Robert Snodgrass and Tom Ince.

Once again survival can be considered success and Bruce, too often unsung, has been around the block enough times to ensure this happens.

Last season: 16th

SOUTHAMPTON (14th)

Calum Chambers, Dejan Lovren, Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Luke Shaw have all been sold this summer

Turmoil is hardly a strong enough word to describe the Saints' summer. Manager Mauricio Pochettino departed to Spurs, Lovren, Lallana and Lambert to Liverpool, Shaw to Manchester United and Calum Chambers to Arsenal. Not quite a case of will the last one out switch off the lights, but hardly ideal for new manager Ronald Koeman.

Morgan Schneiderlin claims he is not "mentally or physically" ready to play after being linked with Spurs - a reflection on Saints rather than Spurs, it should be stressed.

So how does Koeman deal with it all? Well, by relying on Saints' brilliant academy and the likes of full-back Matt Targett and midfielder Harrison Reed, alongside new £10m keeper Fraser Forster and the highly rated midfielder Dusan Tadic, brought in for £10.9m from FC Twente.

Ryan Bertrand will add additional experience on the left.

No-one can expect any repeat of last season's excellent finish after such a decimation but do not have Southampton down for automatic relegation either. That said, it is a big job for Koeman over the coming months.

Last season: Eighth

QUEENS PARK RANGERS (15th)

Harry Redknapp is back in the Premier League and has got Rio Ferdinand with him to provide experience and guidance in central defence alongside another new boy, £8m Steven Caulker from Cardiff. He will also expect good things from Jordon Mutch, another who was a shining light in the Bluebirds' relegation season.

There should be enough experience on and off the pitch to see QPR stay up - and it would be a huge bonus for Rangers if no-one was tempted to come in for the excellent Loic Remy after the collapse of his move to Liverpool.

Last season: Fourth in the Championship (play-off winners)

SWANSEA (16th)

Gylfi Sigurdsson played alongside Garry Monk - now his manager - in his first spell at Swansea

Manager Garry Monk has got his feet under the table now after succeeding Michael Laudrup and the return of forward Gylfi Sigurdsson from Spurs will provide a lift.

There have been some key departures, however, with striker Michu leaving on loan to Napoli, and Ben Davies and goalkeeper Michel Vorm making the switch to Spurs.

Monk will be desperate to keep hold of striker Wilfried Bony, but this may prove difficult as the transfer deadline approaches. If he goes, this will ramp up the pressure on Bafetimbi Gomis, who has finally arrived in the Premier League on a free from Lyon after seemingly being linked with a move to England for decades.

I'm not expecting great things from Swansea but not expecting relegation either.

Last season: 12th

ASTON VILLA (17th)

The great success of Villa's summer has been managing expectations - currently there do not seem to be any beyond another season of struggle, perhaps ending in relegation.

Owner Randy Lerner's failure to sell the club has led to stagnation and, even worse, the arrival of the likes of Joe Cole and Philippe Senderos suggests a club in decline unless new owners can be found.

And what of the new managerial team, with Roy Keane as assistant to manager Paul Lambert? An inspired choice or a manager working with his successor?

Either way, barring dramatic events inside the next fortnight, I fear Villa will be battling the drop. A sad state of affairs. They will struggle to stay up at this rate.

Last season: 15th

LEICESTER (18th)

Leicester City won the Championship last season after losing in the play-offs the year before

Another passionate football area returns to the Premier League - and Leicester are another club who will be able to congratulate themselves on a job well done if they stay up.

Manager Nigel Pearson took his team up with something to spare last season and will now need a good return on a club-record investment of £8m in striker Leonardo Ulloa, who arrived from Brighton where he scored 16 goals in all competitions last season. He has already been on the mark in pre-season.

I still feel the Foxes will struggle to survive.

Last season: Champions (Championship)

WEST BROM (19th)

The appointment of Pepe Mel was ill-advised and almost ended in relegation - and his replacement by former Everton academy director Alan Irvine is also a gamble, given his lack of success in managerial roles at Preston and Sheffield Wednesday.

Irvine is a highly regarded coach but he will have a very tough job on his hands with a side that finished just three points off relegation last season.

Joleon Lescott provides experience in defence while forward Brown Ideye is an unknown Premier League quantity at £10m from Dynamo Kiev. Plenty fear for the Baggies this season - and I am among them.

Last season: 17th

20. BURNLEY (20th)

Burnley's first three fixtures
Chelsea (H) 18 Aug
Swansea (A) 23 Aug
Man Utd (H) 30 Aug

Burnley will get used to being tipped for relegation, and I am not about to buck the trend - but if there is one prediction I wish to get hopelessly wrong it is this one.

This is an old club with great tradition, heart and a wonderful atmosphere inside Turf Moor. The night when they marked their return to the Premier League after 33 years with Robbie Blake's winner against Manchester United in 2009 was a spine-tingling occasion. The old place shook - literally.

Burnley will need more of that this season and they will look to the goals of Sam Vokes and Danny Ings as well as the inspirational leadership of one of the best emerging young managers in Sean Dyche.

Survival will be their equivalent of winning the title - and Dyche will have them believing it can be done against all the odds. Two nice opening home games against Chelsea and Manchester United.

Last season: Second (Championship)

Source : bbc[dot]com

FA Cup: Chris Waddle's son, World Cup winners & £15 kit bags

By Gary Rose BBC Sport

The FA Cup final might be one of football's most glamorous occasions, but what is the competition really like in its earliest stages?

From a team that lays claim to being the first World Cup winner to a side featuring Chris Waddle's son, the qualifying rounds are full of interesting stories.

The long journey to the FA Cup final begins on Friday, with 368 teams competing in the extra preliminary round.

BBC Sport takes a look at some of the more intriguing stories surrounding those qualifying games.

World Cup winners v Real Madrid conquerors

With a long history and a famous tradition, the FA Cup is widely regarded as the most prestigious domestic cup competition in the world.

West Auckland Town have reached the first round proper of the competition on three previous occasions, but supporters speak most fondly about their biggest claim to fame - being the first winners of the World Cup.

The team from the small County Durham village were invited to participate in the inaugural Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy in 1909. It was one of the first international tournaments in world football and, consequently, was considered by some as the first World Cup.

West Auckland Town won the tournament, and repeated that feat two years later, beating Juventus 6-1.

With their stadium nicknamed "Little Wembley" for having the same dimensions as the old Wembley pitch, the Nelson staff and players were invited to the national stadium before their qualifying game

"There was nothing about it in the English press at the time, but it was massive news in Italy and all over the newspapers," says the club's general manager Stuart Alderson.

"We got to keep the trophy and we had it on display until 1994, when it was stolen. We have a replica now, and people still come from all over the world to see it."

West Auckland begin their pursuit of FA Cup glory at Lancashire-based side Nelson, a team which also boasts a proud history, having been the first English side to beat Real Madrid in Spain.

A family affair and other FA Cup facts
Hanwell Town played Cockfosters at this stage of the competition last year with Ray Duffy as manager. His sons Tom Duffy, Oliver Duffy, Connor Duffy and Callum Duffy were in the team	There were some big scorelines in the extra preliminary round last year, with Ashington beating Pontefract Collieries 9-0, Bristol Manor Farm getting the better of ldland Abbotonians 9-3 and Chichester City suffering an 8-1 defeat at home to Chessington & Hook United
Last season's extra preliminary round had 221 matches, 822 goals and 20,631 fans. The smallest gate was just 15, for Abingdon Town's game against Highmoor Ibis	Brislington (Western League), Hartley Wintney (Combined Counties) and Marske United (Northern League) progressed from the extra preliminary round to the the fourth round of qualifying last season - one game away from the first round proper

They were a league side during the 1920s, rising to the old Second Division - now the Championship - in 1923, beating the likes of Leeds and Manchester United.

In preparation for their first campaign at that level, they opted for a pre-season tour of Spain, where they beat Real Oviedo 2-1 and Real Madrid 4-2.

"Everybody is well aware of the team's history in Nelson," manager Mark Fell said. "The story of beating Real Madrid has been passed from generation to generation.

"This club has a rich history and it is our job to make this generation proud of their team."

Like father, like son

Jack Waddle and father Chris, right, both represented Worksop Town

When the teams are read out for Staveley Miners Welfare's tie against Worksop Town on Friday night, there could be a very familiar name among them.

Jack Waddle, the 20-year-old son of former England winger Chris, recently signed for Worksop, the side his father played for 15 years ago.

"Jack is very much following in his father's footsteps," Worksop secretary Paul Stacey said. "He missed our first two games through injury, however I believe he is in the squad for the FA Cup game."

Chris Waddle played in two FA Cup finals at Wembley - losing one with Spurs in 1987 and another with Sheffield Wednesday in 1993.

FC Romania and the former international

With a World Cup winner and the son of an England winger involved, there is already an international feel to the FA Cup, but that is heightened by the inclusion of FC Romania. It is not the country, of course, but a team named after it.

Formed by Romanian Ion Vintila and his friends eight years ago, Hertfordshire-based FC Romania have progressed a great deal since playing their first competitive fixture against a team called Beating Chastards.

FC Romania proudly boast on their website they are in this season's FA Cup - their target since forming in 2006

They shot up seven leagues in eight seasons, turned semi-professional this year and have even had a former international footballer on their books.

Claudiu Raducanu, capped twice by Romania, previously played for Espanyol in Spain and Romanian side Steaua Bucharest, for whom he scored against Southampton in the 2004-05 Uefa Cup.

He left in the summer but Vintila has not ruled out the possibility of him returning. The prospect of an FA Cup appearance may prove a tempting proposition.

"The FA Cup is the oldest competition in football, and it was always our goal to play in it," says Vintila. "We usually get around 80 to 100 people at games, but hopefully 500 will come down for this game."

FC Romania, making their FA Cup debut, play Haverhill Rovers in the extra preliminary round this weekend.

'I learned my trade on Championship Manager'

James Phillips dreamed of being a manager while playing Championship Manager on his computer

As a child, James Phillips used to dream of guiding a non-league side to FA Cup glory as he played Championship Manager on his computer. On Saturday, the 22-year-old Romsey Town boss will not only get to live out his dream, but he'll also be making history as the youngest manager in the competition's history.

"I was one of those sad people after school who was sat there for hours playing Championship Manager," Phillips told BBC Sport. "I always used to try to take a really small club up through the leagues. From a really young age that got my interest going. Now I'm doing it in real life."

What a load of...

Perhaps winning the award for the most unusual name, and statistic, is Billingham Synthonia - the only team in England named after an agricultural fertiliser.

Brian Clough, league and European championship-winning manager with Nottingham Forest, began his playing career at Billingham Synthonia

The Synners most famous player is Brian Clough. The former Derby County and Nottingham Forest manager made four appearances for them, scoring three goals in the 1952-53 season before he went on national service.

On Saturday, the team named after fertiliser host Durham City. It could make for an interesting tie if they progress and are drawn against West Allotment Celtic in the preliminary round...

Winning incentive - £15 kit bag

Never mind dreaming of a Wembley final appearance, the players at one club have their eye on another prize for doing well in the FA Cup - £15 kit bags.

Sporting Khalsa host Pegasus Juniors and, if they win to progress to the preliminary round, a bag sporting the club's emblem is all theirs.

"That's the joys of the FA Cup at grassroots level," Sporting Khalsa manager Ian Rowe told the FA. 

"The pros are fortunate enough to get to the quarter finals, semi-final and final - we are just looking to win one game so I can splash the cash and buy the lads a £15 bag each."

The last team in the hat

Ellesmere Rangers have been involved in the FA Cup every year since 2008-09, but they got into this season's edition by the skin of their teeth.

The Shropshire-based team compete in the West Midlands League Premier Division - the 10th level of English football - and qualified under the FA's points per game system, which rewards those clubs who miss out on automatic qualification with a place in the competition based on their form across the previous season.

Ellesmere qualified in the final slot, effectively making them entry number 736 - the last team in the hat.

"We finished 11th last season so we didn't expect to get in this year," says club secretary John Edge. "It really is a big boost for the club because the prize money can help you through a whole season."

It's a long way to Wembley…

The trophy begins its nine-month journey to Wembley on Saturday at Fairford Town

On 30 May, 2015, the FA Cup trophy will stand on a pedestal at a packed Wembley, but its journey begins in more humble surroundings.

The trophy will travel to Gloucestershire on Saturday, to the town of Fairford, whose team begin their FA Cup journey with a home tie against Knaphill.

"It is a huge day for the club," said committee member Chris Tanner. "Everyone at Fairford is looking forward to the game and to have the FA Cup coming to town is quite special.

"The FA Cup generates tremendous interest for clubs both in the professional game and non-league and Saturday will be no different.

"Perhaps some won't have realised the FA Cup starts in August."

From decoded messages to instant text alerts

The Football Association has quite a job on its hands to make sure all extra preliminary round results are accurate, and that teams do not field ineligible players.

In previous years, the home club would report results by voicemail message, which would then have to be decoded by the FA and Press Association before the result could be confirmed and later published. These days the system is set up to be more efficient.

The FA sends out an automated text message to each club 15 minutes after kick-off, which explains how the result needs to be reported by text simply by replying to the message. The result and attendance is then published automatically on receipt by The FA of the incoming text message.

The Road to Wembley
Round	Ties	Clubs
Extra preliminary	184	368
Preliminary	160	320
First qualifying	116	232
Second qualifying	80	160
Third qualifying	40	80
Fourth qualifying	32	64
First round	40	80
Second round	20	40
Third round	32	64
Fourth round	16	32
Fifth round	8	16
Quarter-finals	4	8
Semi-finals	2	4
Final	1	2

In order to avoid clubs fielding ineligible players, both teams are required to complete an official team sheet, which is then inspected by a match official, prior to a tie taking place.

#myfacupstory

The above are just a few of the unique tales to come from this year's FA Cup, but we want to hear your FA Cup story.

Do you have an interesting tale to tell about your team's exploits and do you have any pictures that best sum up the magic of the cup? Tweet your stories and photos to #myfacupstory 

Additional reporting by BBC Sport's Nabil Hassan.

Source : bbc[dot]com

FA Cup: The manager who built his team's stadium

By Gary Rose BBC Sport

When the first steps on the long road towards the FA Cup final are taken this weekend, there will be few people busier than Richie McLoughlin.

The larger-than-life character from England's north east will take his place in the Jarrow Roofing Boldon Community Association FC dugout on Saturday as his side take on Eccleshill United in the FA Cup extra preliminary round.

It is a familiar dugout, and not just because McLoughlin has leaned against it for the last 27 years.

It is familiar because he built it. He also built the stands, the clubhouse and the dressing rooms.

For McLoughlin is not just Jarrow Roofing's manager, but also the club's founder.

He is the chairman, too, as well as treasurer, main sponsor, groundsman, chief scout and general repairman.

McLoughlin used left over material from a mining pit and his own roofing company to build the stadium

In fact, there is very little he doesn't do.

"My wife, Jan, runs the tea hut and does all the painting," says McLoughlin. "But otherwise anything that needs doing, I'll do it. I really enjoy it still, even after all these years.

"And the good thing is I can't be sacked, because I don't have anyone to sack me."

McLoughlin jokes, but it is clear Jarrow Roofing is a labour of love.

The club's story began in 1987, when McLoughlin - whose time as a Sunday League footballer was coming to an end - and close friend Brian Marshall mulled over the possibility of embarking on a project: building a new club from the ground up and steering them through the leagues.

An abandoned bowling green, overgrown with bushes and wild grass, at the local community sports club caught the eye and McLoughlin set about turning it into a useable football pitch.

The Bolden C.A ground has a capacity of 2,000 but Jarrow Roofing average around 100 fans

"The mining pits in South Shields had just finished being used and we got quite a bit of scrap from them," recalls McLaughlin.

"We put up fences around what would be the pitch and then, one Easter Bank Holiday, I hired a digger and a big wagon and ripped all the ground up where it had all become overgrown.

"I had my own roofing company so when I stripped old roofs for jobs, the steelwork was still in pretty good shape and I would use all that to build the stands."

Those were the easy bits. Floodlights, necessary for Jarrow Roofing to be able to compete in the local leagues, proved a little trickier.

"There were some big poles in the pits and we used them," McLoughlin says.

"But it was tough work getting them out of there because they were so long, and then trying to put things up at height was not an easy task."

Jarrow Roofing's stadium boasts floodlights built from poles used in the South Shields mining pits

Since entering the South Tyne Senior League for the 1987-88 season, Jarrow Roofing's rise through the leagues has been impressive.

In less than 10 years, they climbed from the very bottom of English football to the Northern League First Division - five divisions below the Football League.

In 2005, they came within touching distance of an appearance in the FA Vase final, losing 2-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals against eventual winners Didcot Town.

The home leg of that tie was watched by 1,100 spectators - the most to have packed into Jarrow Roofing's 2,000-capacity ground and a far cry from the handful of friends and family who would watch in 1987.

It was a historic moment for McLoughlin, who already had a claim on another record: he believes he is the oldest footballer to play in the FA Cup.

We're on the way to Wembley... via Mars

Jarrow Roofing media manager Andy Hudson: Our FA Cup journey last year began with a group of players and committee members huddled in the car park of a social club. A trip down the A1, a stop at Wetherby Services and we were in Yorkshire for our game against Glasshoughton Welfare. Roofing won 3-1 and, after a couple of pints, man-of-the-match Ian Dixon shirked his media duties by dodging out of the ground and returning just as the players were boarding the bus - with a massive Chinese takeaway. A quick stop at a local shop for a few beers and we were on our way, with one player's dance music blasting out, making it seem like we were travelling to Mars. Not because of any 'freak-on' but more because it makes the journey up the A1 more like an endurance test. "We really need to find somewhere, to stop for a toilet break," comes a voice from the back. "Hey, I'm not going by the side of a road," shouts female physiotherapist Shaunagh Lillie. "We wait until Scotch Corner services."

"I would have been nearly 50, so I reckon that makes me the oldest," he says of his appearance in the preliminary round against Bootle in 1999.

"I played the full 90 minutes, but most of the time I'd just go on when everybody was tired and make myself look good."

His boots have since been hung up but McLoughlin, who keeps his exact age a closely guarded secret, shows no sign of slowing down when it comes to matters off the pitch.

"I get up and seed the pitch at half past four in the morning for a couple of hours and get a bit of fertilizer down, before heading off to pick up a couple of the lads and get into work for seven," he says.

"Once I'm finished for the day - around seven in the evening - I'll get back down to the ground and finish off a couple of jobs.

"There is always something to be done, a little repair work, a bit of scouting or preparing for an upcoming game."

Tending to the pitch is as vital a part of McLoughlin's work as picking the team

At least match days offer McLoughlin the chance of a lie in. He gets up at seven.

"I'll get down to the ground first thing to see if the pitch is OK and have a wander around and check the stands.

"Then I'll go back home and sort out the team - what formation we will be playing and that sort of thing - while my wife gets things ready for the tea hut."

After that it is back to the club, where he greets the first of the arriving fans and officials from the other team, before focusing on his own side.

"All the chairmen from the other clubs know me now, but I'll pop into the bar and have a chat before going off to the dressing room," he says.

"I don't do it as much now, but at half-time I'd pop to the bar and make sure everyone was sorted for a cup of tea.

"It is so easy on a match day to forget to sort someone's tea out when you have to be watching the game as well."

It is a routine McLoughlin will repeat for this weekend's FA Cup tie.

The competition, the oldest of its type in football, is sometimes said to have lost its magic, but that is far from the case for Jarrow Roofing and the 367 other teams taking part in the first stage of the this year's tournament.

"It is massive for clubs at our level and helps us out a lot," McLoughlin says.

Jarrow average crowds of around 100 fans for home games

"One year, we got through a couple of rounds and got £10,000. It sorted us out for the season. It can be a chance to make a name for yourself if you do something special, even at this stage."

It can be easy to dismiss clubs at Jarrow Roofing's level as being amateur in all aspects - overweight and middle-aged players who head straight to the bar after the final whistle. But Jarrow Roofing's set-up is impressively professional.

McLoughlin has recently employed a media team, which includes a reporter and club photographer. They have a website  that would not look out of place in the Football League, their own online television channel  and a dedicated Twitter feed. 

It is all impressively slick, but there is one stereotype that remains.

"The number one thing post-match, the most important thing, is for us to get straight in the bar and have a few pints," says McLoughlin. "After a game I am ready for a drink."

Does your club have an interesting FA Cup story to tell? Let us know on social media using #myfacupstory 

Richie McLoughlin does not do everything at Jarrow Roofing. His wife, Jan, operates the tea hut

After the exertions of a tough match, heading to the bar is an important part of the Jarrow routine

The club recently employed a photographer to capture all those memorable moments

A series of promotions after their formation has left Jarrow five divisions below the Football League

Source : bbc[dot]com

Manager ins and outs - August 2014

BBC Sport tracks all the manager ins and outs as well as listing all the current bosses in the Premier League, Scottish Premiership, Football League and Conference Premier.

To read July's list, visit last month's ins and outs page.

All of the managerial movements for August 2014 will appear below, followed by the full list of each club, league-by-league.

	Outs	Ins
10 August	Huddersfield - Mark Robins (mutual consent)	TBC

Premier League
Club	Manager	Appointed	Predecessor
Arsenal	Arsene Wenger	30 Sep 1996	Bruce Rioch
Aston Villa	Paul Lambert	2 June 2012	Alex McLeish
Burnley	Sean Dyche	30 Oct 2012	Eddie Howe
Chelsea	Jose Mourinho	3 June 2013	Rafael Benitez
Crystal Palace	Tony Pulis	23 Nov 2013	Ian Holloway
Everton	Roberto Martinez	5 June 2013	David Moyes
Hull City	Steve Bruce	8 June 2012	Nick Barmby
Leicester City	Nigel Pearson	15 Nov 2011	Sven-Goran Eriksson
Liverpool	Brendan Rodgers	30 May 2012	Kenny Dalglish
Manchester City	Manuel Pellegrini	14 June 2013	Roberto Mancini
Manchester United	Louis van Gaal	19 May 2014	David Moyes
Newcastle United	Alan Pardew	9 Dec 2010	Chris Hughton
Queens Park Rangers	Harry Redknapp	24 Nov 2012	Mark Hughes
Southampton	Ronald Koeman	16 June 2014	Mauricio Pochettino
Stoke City	Mark Hughes	30 May 2013	Tony Pulis
Sunderland	Gus Poyet	8 Oct 2013	Paolo Di Canio
Swansea City	Garry Monk	7 May 2014	Michael Laudrup
Tottenham Hotspur	Mauricio Pochettino	27 May 2014	Tim Sherwood
West Bromwich Albion	Alan Irvine	15 June 2014	Pepe Mel
West Ham United	Sam Allardyce	1 June 2011	Avram Grant

Scottish Premiership
Club	Manager	Appointed	Predecessor
Aberdeen	Derek McInnes	6 Apr 2013	Craig Brown
Celtic	Ronny Deila	6 June 2014	Neil Lennon
Dundee	Paul Hartley	5 February 2014	John Brown
Dundee United	Jackie McNamara	30 Jan 2013	Peter Houston
Hamilton	Alex Neil	24 May 2013	Billy Reid
Inverness	John Hughes	4 Dec 2013	Terry Butcher
Kilmarnock	Allan Johnston	25 June 2013	Kenny Shiels
Motherwell	Stuart McCall	30 Dec 2010	Craig Brown
Partick Thistle	Alan Archibald	22 Mar 2013	Jackie McNamara
Ross County	Derek Adams	19 May 2011	Jimmy Calderwood
St Johnstone	Tommy Wright	10 June 2013	Steve Lomas
St Mirren	Tommy Craig	13 May 2014	Danny Lennon

Championship
Club	Manager	Appointed	Predecessor
Birmingham City	Lee Clark	26 June 2012	Chris Hughton
Blackburn Rovers	Gary Bowyer	14 May 2013	Michael Appleton
Blackpool	Jose Riga	11 June 2014	Paul Ince
Bolton Wanderers	Dougie Freedman	25 Oct 2012	Owen Coyle
Bournemouth	Eddie Howe	12 Oct 2012	Paul Groves
Brentford	Mark Warburton	10 Dec 2013	Uwe Rosler
Brighton & Hove Albion	Sami Hyypia	6 June 2014	Oscar Garcia
Cardiff	Ole Gunnar Solskjaer	2 January 2014	Malky Mackay
Charlton Athletic	Bob Peeters	27 May 2014	Jose Riga
Derby County	Steve McClaren	30 Sep 2013	Nigel Clough
Fulham	Felix Magath	14 February 2014	Rene Meulensteen
Huddersfield Town	TBC		Mark Robins
Ipswich Town	Mick McCarthy	1 Nov 2012	Paul Jewell
Leeds United	Dave Hockaday	19 June 2014	Brian McDermott
Middlesbrough	Aitor Karanka	13 Nov 2013	Tony Mowbray
Millwall	Ian Holloway	6 Jan 2014	Steve Lomas
Norwich	Neil Adams	6 April 2014	Chris Hughton
Nottingham Forest	Stuart Pearce	1 July 2014	Billy Davies
Reading	Nigel Adkins	25 Mar 2013	Brian McDermott
Rotherham United	Steve Evans	9 Apr 2012	Andy Scott
Sheffield Wednesday	Stuart Gray	25 Jan 2014	David Jones
Watford	Beppe Sannino	18 Dec 2013	Gianfranco Zola
Wigan Athletic	Uwe Rosler	7 Dec 2013	Owen Coyle
Wolves	Kenny Jackett	1 June 2013	Dean Saunders

League One
Club	Manager	Appointed	Predecessor
Barnsley	Danny Wilson	17 Dec 2013	David Flitcroft
Bradford City	Phil Parkinson	29 Aug 2011	Peter Jackson
Bristol City	Steve Cotterill	3 Dec 2013	Sean O'Driscoll
Chesterfield	Paul Cook	25 Oct 2012	John Sheridan
Colchester United	Joe Dunne	27 Sep 2012	John Ward
Coventry City	Steven Pressley	8 Mar 2013	Mark Robins
Crawley Town	John Gregory	3 Dec 2013	Richie Barker
Crewe Alexandra	Steve Davis	14 Nov 2011	Dario Gradi
Doncaster Rovers	Paul Dickov	20 May 2013	Brian Flynn
Fleetwood Town	Graham Alexander	6 Dec 2012	Micky Mellon
Gillingham	Peter Taylor	11 Nov 2013	Martin Allen
Leyton Orient	Russell Slade	5 Apr 2010	Geraint Williams
Milton Keynes Dons	Karl Robinson	10 May 2012	Paul Ince
Notts County	Shaun Derry	6 Nov 2013	Chris Kiwomya
Oldham Athletic	Lee Johnson	18 Mar 2013	Paul Dickov
Peterborough United	Darren Ferguson	12 Dec 2011	Gary Johnson
Port Vale	Micky Adams	13 May 2011	Jim Gannon
Preston North End	Simon Grayson	18 Feb 2013	Graham Westley
Rochdale	Keith Hill	22 Jan 2013	John Coleman
Scunthorpe United	Russ Wilcox	24 Dec 2013	Brian Laws
Sheffield United	Nigel Clough	23 Oct 2013	David Weir
Swindon Town	Mark Cooper	20 Aug 2013	Kevin MacDonald
Walsall	Dean Smith	21 Jan 2011	Chris Hutchings
Yeovil Town	Gary Johnson	9 Jan 2012	Terry Skiverton

League Two
Club	Manager	Appointed	Predecessor
Accrington Stanley	James Beattie	13 May 2013	Leam Richardson
Burton Albion	Gary Rowett	10 May 2012	Paul Peschisolido
Bury	David Flitcroft	9 Dec 2013	Kevin Blackwell
Cambridge United	Richard Money	4 Oct 2012	Jez George
Carlisle United	Graham Kavanagh	30 Sep 2013	Greg Abbott
Cheltenham Town	Mark Yates	22 Dec 2009	Martin Allen
Dagenham & Redbridge	Wayne Burnett	2 May 2013	John Still
Exeter City	Paul Tisdale	26 June 2006	Alex Inglethorpe
Hartlepool United	Colin Cooper	24 May 2013	John Hughes
Luton Town	John Still	26 Feb 2013	Paul Buckle
Mansfield Town	Paul Cox	19 May 2011	Duncan Russell
Morecambe	Jim Bentley	13 May 2011	Sammy McIlroy
Newport County	Justin Edinburgh	4 Oct 2011	Anthony Hudson
Northampton Town	Chris Wilder	27 Jan 2014	Aidy Boothroyd
Oxford United	Michael Appleton	4 July 2014	Gary Waddock
Plymouth Argyle	John Sheridan	6 Jan 2013	Carl Fletcher
Portsmouth	Andy Awford	1 May 2014	Richie Barker
Shrewsbury Town	Micky Mellon	12 May 2014	Mike Jackson
Southend United	Phil Brown	25 Mar 2013	Paul Sturrock
Stevenage	Graham Westley	30 Mar 2013	Gary Smith
Tranmere Rovers	Rob Edwards	27 May 2014	Ronnie Moore
AFC Wimbledon	Neal Ardley	10 Oct 2012	Terry Brown
Wycombe Wanderers	Gareth Ainsworth	8 Nov 2012	Gary Waddock
York City	Nigel Worthington	4 Mar 2013	Gary Mills

Conference Premier
Club	Manager	Appointed	Predecessor
AFC Telford	Liam Watson	3 May 2013	Graham Hyde
Aldershot Town	Andy Scott	22 Feb 2013	Dean Holdsworth
Alfreton Town	Nicky Law	14 May 2007	Marcus Ebdon
Altrincham	Lee Sinnott	May 2011	Ken McKenna
Barnet	Martin Allen	19 Mar 2014	Ulrich Landvreugd/Dick Schreuder
Braintree Town	Alan Devonshire	23 May 2011	Rod Stringer
Bristol Rovers	Darrell Clarke	28 March 2014	John Ward
Chester	Steve Burr	18 Jan 2014	Neil Young
Dartford	Tony Burman	26 Jan 2005	Tommy Sampson
Dover Athletic	Chris Kinnear	19 Jan 2013	Nicky Forster
Forest Green Rovers	Adrian Pennock	12 Nov 2013	Dave Hockaday
Gateshead	Gary Mills	3 Sep 2013	Anth Smith
Grimsby Town	Paul Hurst	6 Sep 2013	Paul Hurst/Rob Scott
FC Halifax Town	Neil Aspin	28 Apr 2009	Jim Vince
Kidderminster Harriers	Gary Whild	5 March 2014	Andy Thorn
Lincoln City	Gary Simpson	27 Feb 2013	David Holdsworth
Macclesfield Town	John Askey	4 June 2013	Steve King
Nuneaton Town	Brian Read	17 April 2014	Kevin Wilkin
Southport	Martin Foyle	4 May 2014	John Coleman
Torquay United	Chris Hargreaves	6 Jan 2014	Alan Knill
Welling United	Jamie Day	4 Nov 2009	Andy Ford
Woking	Garry Hill	20 Jan 2011	Graham Baker
Wrexham	Kevin Wilkin	20 March 2014	Andy Morrell

Source : bbc[dot]com

World War One: Sporting stories of bravery recalled 100 years on

They were the sporting stars of yesteryear. Captains, team-mates, local heroes.

Many of them went from the playing field to the battlefields of World War One, never to return.

Monday marks the 100th anniversary of Britain's declaration of war on Germany.

It was at 23:00 on 4 August 1914 that Britain entered into one of the costliest conflicts in history, and the fighting continued until 11 November 1918.

Here, BBC Sport recalls some notable stories - from whole teams who joined the armed forces to a modern-day international inspired by his ancestors' wartime deeds.

Hearts and minds - the Tynecastle team spirit

A memorial plaque on a stand at the Tynecastle home of Heart of Midlothian Football Club remembers those who died in the First World War.

Seven Hearts first-team players were killed in action during World War One

Time may have ticked on, but the example set by the Hearts team has never been forgotten - players who put their lives on the line.

In the 1914-15 season, the club topped the Scottish League and were on track for the title, but pressure was growing on footballers to volunteer for the wartime effort. Some players, despite being bound by contracts to their clubs, were accused of cowardice by not fighting for their country.

On Wednesday, 25 November 2014, 11 Hearts players signed up en masse - volunteering for the new 16th Royal Scots Battalion, unofficially known as McCrae's Own after its founder and chief recruiter Sir George McCrae.

A total of 16 Hearts players enlisted, the catalyst for others to join from clubs including Raith Rovers, Falkirk, Dunfermline, East Fife and Hibernian. Hundreds of supporters followed.

In England, players from Clapton Orient - the club which later became Leyton Orient - also signed up together.

Comfort parcel
In 1916, as the horror of war set in, Hearts officials sent out a parcel to McCrae's Battalion. It contained 240 pairs of socks, 5,000 cigarettes, 20 cases of soap, 100 boxes of Edinburgh rock, 14 pairs of football boots, three balls and a pump.

Three Orient footballers lost their lives and seven Hearts first-team players were killed in action. Few of the remaining survivors ever wore the Scottish side's maroon jersey again, but their actions are still remembered.

"The bravery of these men is something we have always been proud of," Hearts historian David Speed told Britain's Great War programme earlier this year.

"Seven first-team players died during the war, including centre-forward Tom Gracie who hid a diagnosis of leukaemia so he could continue training for battle.

"The team took over two decades to recover, both emotionally and in terms of strength."

Mobbs & Tull - Northampton's finest

When Northampton rugby club take on the Barbarians in the annual Mobbs match, the players are honouring one of the town's most famous sons.

Standing at more than 6ft tall, Edgar Mobbs was the Saints skipper for six seasons. He showed his leadership qualities on the war front too.

Mobbs formed his own special corps and 400 men volunteered to join him for what became known as the Sportsman's Battalion, which formed part of the Northamptonshire Regiment.

Amid the chaotic mix of bullets, dust, smoke, and adrenaline, Lt Col Mobbs paid the ultimate price at the Battle of Passchendaele as he personally attacked a machine gun post.

He had already been wounded three times in the war, and finally went down after being shot through the neck. As he lay dying, he passed the map reference of the enemy to a runner.

The pipes of peace
In December 1914, the "Christmas truce" football game took place where the war came to a temporary halt for a match between German and Allied troops.

Less than a mile from the rugby stronghold of Franklin's Gardens is Northampton Town's Sixfields football stadium, which has Walter Tull Way running behind it.

Walter Tull, who played inside forward for Tottenham before joining the Cobblers, was the first black outfield footballer in England's top flight - and he made history in wartime too.

"His Dad was from Barbados and his mum was from Kent. When war was declared, he signed up for the footballers' battalion of the Middlesex Regiment and served on the Western Front," said Tony Collins, a professor of sport history at Leicester's De Montfort University.

Walter Tull made history as both a footballer and Army officer

"In 1917, he was commissioned as an officer, which was extraordinarily unusual. He was the first black officer in the British Army."

It was a remarkable rise for Tull - the grandson of a slave - who was brought up in an orphanage after his parents died and was subjected to racists taunts at football matches.

Tull suffered shell shock in the Somme, and died aged 29 when struck by a single bullet as he led an attack on the Western Front.

Some of his men made several attempts to bring Tull back to the British trenches, but his body was never recovered.

Football pioneers - the female munition workers

While Britain's men fought in France and elsewhere, the women stepped into crucial roles at home. Thousands took dangerous jobs in munition factories and sport offered a diversion and some healthy activity.

They worked long hours, often in poor conditions and with dangerous chemicals. The so-called 'canaries' were women who worked with TNT, which gave them toxic jaundice and turned their skin yellow.

Against this background, women's football sides sprang up, with the Munitionettes Cup' attracting 30 teams in the North East of England.

One player stood out. Bella Reay scored 133 goals in a season for Blyth Spartans Ladies FC, who went unbeaten for two years after being taught to play by navy lads on the beach.

Bella Reay averaged better than three goals a game, and scored a cup final hat-trick

Reay scored a hat-trick in the cup final when her side beat Bolckow-Vaughan of Middlesbrough before a 22,000 crowd at Ayresome Park in 1918.

"From 17 to 20, she played football, including for England. She scored 101 goals from 32 games, which was the best ever," recalled her grand-daughter Yvonne Crawford.

"She played at Newcastle United and Wembley. I think if it had been this day and age, she'd have been worth a fortune."

Such was the enthusiasm for the game that on one occasion, Blyth winger Jennie Morgan is reputed to have gone straight from her wedding to play in a match - and scored twice.

But when hostilities ended in 1918, the munition factories closed and the teams folded.

In 1921, the Football Association issued an edict which said "the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged" and for 50 years, all-women sides were effectively banned.

A captain's calling

Lewis Moody was nicknamed 'Mad Dog' as a player, won the Rugby World Cup with England in 2003 and went on to captain his country.

But the former Leicester Tigers and Bath flanker admits he struggled for motivation at times later in his career - until he remembered his great grandfather of the same name.

Lewis Moody won the World Cup with England in 2003

Moody, like his father, is named after Lewis Walton Moody, who fought with the Royal Sussex Infantry during World War One and survived.

"When you play a sport, you have no concept of what it would have been like back in 1914," Moody, who was capped 71 times, tells a BBC Radio 5 live documentary, First World War and Sport, on Monday.

"In the last couple of years of my career, I found it quite hard to get up for some games when we weren't playing internationals in terms of getting mentally prepared to get the same sort of emotional level that I'd had in previous years.

"I actually used to take my great grandfather's Star and Victory medal and hold them in my hand prior to a game and use them as a way of mentally focusing myself and trying to get myself ready for a game."

Rugby's casualties of war
Sixty players represented London Scottish in their four teams' final matches before the war - 45 of them died in action. Scotland lost 30 full internationals in the conflict.

Moody has long harboured an interest in military history and was particularly moved by a visit to wartime graves during the 2007 World Cup in France.

He said the "harrowing" book Somme Mud, written by an Australian private, holds particular resonance for him.

"My great grandfather was wounded and able to return, but so many didn't. They paid the ultimate sacrifice," said Moody.

"So many like Edgar Mobbs and Walter Tull weren't found and their graves cannot be visited. They are just a name on a memorial. They gave so much of themselves so we can enjoy the lives we lead now."

Listen to BBC Radio 5 live's First World War and Sport.

Source : bbc[dot]com

Southampton: How stability was replaced by doubt and uncertainty

By Ben Smith BBC Sport

Ronald Koeman did not see the irony until later.

The new Southampton manager tweeted a photograph  of a training field at the club's Marchwood complex this week - cones out, balls ready. "Ready for training," it read. But the pitch was deserted.

Southampton fans have learnt to smile at such things this summer - it is better to laugh than cry. In the space of eight incredible weeks, the club has lost a highly rated young manager, along with five of its best players. More are likely to follow.

For the past five years, Southampton fans have known only success and stability. But that has given way to players publicly questioning the newly installed hierarchy, demanding moves, undermining those who run the club. The question now is why?

Rumours of instability and unhappiness had been rumbling for some time. In April, Les Reed, Southampton's new executive director, attempted to clarify the situation.

"No club has been given permission to talk to any of our players and that will remain so," he said.

"We want to retain the players we've got. Any enquiries will probably be met with a 'no, not for sale.' Our intention is to keep this very good team together," he added.

"Probably" was the key word. As a statement it was paper thin. A few weeks later boss Mauricio Pochettino joined Spurs. A week after that, striker Rickie Lambert was gone.

Southampton's summer sales
	To	Fee
Luke Shaw	Manchester United	£27m
Adam Lallana	Liverpool	£25m
Dejan Lovren	Liverpool	£20m
Calum Chambers	Arsenal	£16m
Rickie Lambert	Liverpool	£4m
	Total	£92m

It had all began to unravel on the final day of the season. A few hours after the draw with Manchester United, the players, staff and families gathered for an end-of-season dinner. It was there that Luke Shaw told the club's hierarchy that he wanted to join Manchester United. A £27m bid had, by that stage, been made.

Adam Lallana also told the club he wanted to move on. He had been made aware of Liverpool's interest by then. The club, perhaps understandably, responded with a wall of silence. Phone calls were not returned, attempts to arrange talks, ignored.

Southampton were in denial and both players left for the World Cup frustrated and disillusioned. Both said they had no intention of going back to the south coast.

There was no attempt to persuade Lallana or Shaw to stay. Not once did a club official hold talks with the players to ask them to reconsider, to delay their moves.

Lallana had been the glue which had held the team together. In the dressing room, he was the most popular, a leader who demanded respect and admiration. He joined the club as a 12-year-old and was a key figure as Southampton fought their way back from League One. When word spread that Lallana wanted out, that he was angered by his treatment, others began to question their own futures.

Southampton's rise
Season	League	Final position
2010-11	League One	2nd
2011-12	Championship	2nd
2012-13	Premier League	14th
2013-14	Premier League	8th

The bond between the Southampton players had been key to the club's rise from the depths of League One to the cusp of European football. Nicola Cortese, the former executive chairman, had encouraged it. For example, Lallana and Lambert had persuaded Shaw to stay for another season amid strong interest from Chelsea. As did Cortese.

Cortese's sheer ambition was, of course, a factor as was the respect the squad had for Pochettino. The promise from Cortese was that he would do his all to progress the club, give the players the best tools to succeed. In turn, he expected the same back from the players.

It was a pact that brought huge success, but a pact that had now been broken.

Shaw and Lallana went in the space of 24 hours after they returned from the World Cup. Lovren threatened to go on to strike to force a move to Liverpool. In the end it was not necessary and he too moved on. Calum Chambers was next, a £16m move to Arsenal.

France midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin has told the club he wants to be allowed to move on. An outline agreement is in place with Spurs, but Arsenal are also interested. Jay Rodriguez is also hopeful of joining Tottenham, despite chairman Ralph Krueger saying neither will be sold before the new season. That could yet be another hollow statement.

"We see them as a part of our core group players," he said. "I met Spurs officials in Toronto but not a word was exchanged about (Rodriguez or Schneiderlin). They hosted me for a MLS match as we look to grow the brand. I did not have one single word of a conversation with them about players of Southampton."

Portuguese defender Jose Fonte is known to be unsettled, having been offered a new contract by letter. Full-back Nathaniel Clyne is considering his options, with interest building. Midfielder Jack Cork is another player whose future is uncertain, while Dutch defender Jos Hooiveld has had an offer to move to Germany.

Lambert and Lallana played in each season of Southampton's rise back to the top flight

Perhaps most worrying of all, is the fear the discontent might spread to the club's highly regarded academy. The parents of one 15-year-old player have already decided they no longer want their son to stay on at the club amid the uncertainty. The question now, is where will it all end? When will it all stop?

Southampton did not have to sell the players. The club appears in good financial shape, in the context of modern top flight football, posting a net loss of £7.1m in March. They entered the summer window owing £27m in outstanding transfer fees, although the total is being paid in instalments. In March Hans Hofstetter, a Southampton director, said: "The most important point is that we are in a position where we do not need to sell any player Mauricio [Pochettino] wants to keep." It could not have been clearer.

And yet when big offers come in from big clubs, Southampton said yes. In isolation each deal makes sense. Shaw was sold for £27m, a record for a teenager. Lallana at the age of 26 went for £25m. Lovren was sold for £20m, £12m more than Saints paid last year. Chambers, who made just 25 first-team appearances, raised £16m.

Each sale is logical. But when viewed together, it has the feel of an exodus and Southampton have the feel of a lost club, desperately scrambling to find its way again. The selling may continue but Southampton are now struggling to spend the £92m, and counting, they have in the bank. They are being quoted inflated transfer fees for all of their potential targets.

Krueger has not been in Southampton for the past eight weeks, having spent the summer abroad. Reed is in charge of all football affairs after being promoted from the academy role he held under the previous regime.

The owner, Katharina Liebherr, has been silent this summer. She has ended her association with a leading London PR company in recent months, perhaps a sign of trust in those who are now running the club. There is no question that, in the past, she has seriously considered selling the club. Few really know her intentions now.

Liebherr's father Markus died in 2010, a year after paying £14m to rescue the club from administration

And what of Koeman? The man who has walked into this maelstrom. Those around him say that while it would be wrong to describe him as relaxed, he does know what he has to do.

When he took the club job he knew Lallana, Shaw and Lambert had either gone or were going. He was also aware of Lovren's feelings and is known to view the sale of Chambers for £16m as a 'present' - given the player may not have featured in his starting XI, anyway.

He is a manager who has rebuilt teams before, most notably at Feyenoord, with a core of young players. There he put faith in emerging talents such as Jordy Clasie and Bruno Martins Indi, both of who were in the Netherlands World Cup squad.

In pre-season he has used a host of Saints' academy players. But by signing three players, Graziano Pelle, Dusan Tadic and Ryan Bertrand, for a combined potential outlay of £30m, the hope is he will not have to rely on them. The fans are not yet convinced they have replaced the lost talent.

This is, arguably, a bigger challenge than anything Koeman has faced elsewhere. No other non-relegated club has sold off as many key players in one fell swoop before with a new manager, a new chairman and a new chief executive in charge. Where once there was stability, now there is doubt and uncertainty. Having finished eighth last season, the sights have been lowered.

"The fans have been willing to give the club the benefit of the doubt," said Nick Illingsworth, editor of 'The Ugly Inside' Saints fanzine. "A lot of basic mistakes have been made and I think the current hierarchy have underestimated the fact that they needed a strong leader.

"The fans are upset, of course they are. This is unprecedented. When you lose five players as we have there is bound to be uproar. What happens next is vital."

Source : bbc[dot]com

Sports Activities on iOS and Android with interesting applications

Life grows increasingly people are also taking care of their health than to enjoy a long life. Sports is one of the best ways to protect human health and prevent the potential risk of disease. From very early on, the application supports the practice of sports has been released on two operating systems are Android and iOS mobile smartphone to help you become an effective tool for serving the sport practice every days.

 

Bike Doctor 2  

For those who prefer biking, the Bike Doctor 2 is one of the indispensable applications. Docter Bike provides 29 useful guidance for users when encountering emergency situations during cycling. For example, when fixing leaky wheel, the instructions are carried out step by step in a simple easy to understand and most anyone can do it. Besides, Bike Doctor also provides operations for safety checks as well as the failure of the bike before departure.

 

Calorie Tracker - Livestrong

With the sport practice, the results of the training process may only become evident over a long period of health and that his toughness achieved. However, people also like to know the amount of energy they consume during exercise to train measures more appropriate, as well as the ability to evaluate themselves. Calorie Tracker - Livestrong is an app to do the calories consumed during exercise precise and professional, and the app also provides the best daily diet to improve their health as well as for energy episode. This is a very useful application for those who want long-term training and science.

 

 

Sports Tracker

Sports Tracker is a very useful application for those who jog or exercise on a long distance, this app turns your smartphone into a GPS device GPS, store and analyze data that way the user moves through. Sports Tracker also supports shared on the social networking site are in the process of training materials as well as images, diagrams evaluated with friends around. Especially, Sports Tracker is a free application and can be downloaded on both iOS and Android.

 

RunKeeper

RunKeeper is seen as supporting applications exercise the most compelling sports on Android and iOS. With user-friendly interface and easy to use, RunKeeper provides users many different types of exercise such as swimming, biking, jogging and walking. In each form of exercise, RunKeeper will set up a graph to measure the distance and pace of user training, calorie consumption over time.Besides, RunKeeper has a sound system signaling results in each workout so attractive about time that users only need to use ear phones to listen to during practice. Because of the convenience that RunKeeper Free and always have the most number of downloads of the app sports.

 

Rendezvous  

What could be more exciting when there are many companions done with your biking trip, the effectiveness of exercise will increase significantly. Rendezvous is an application that helps connect people with common interests to professional cycling, it helps users to set up a group scheduled move and invite everyone to participate. In particular, this application also provides the location of the team members during the migration process, supporting transfer messages between team members quickly and easily. The free version of the Rendezvous was having some small errors but also pretty perfect to use effectively.