Blackburn Rovers FC

Full Name: Blackburn Rovers Football Club
Town: Blackburn
Founded: 1875
Stadium: Ewood Park (31,154)
Colors: Blue, White
Nickname: Rovers
Rivals: Burnley
Official Website: rovers.co.uk

Description:

Blackburn Rovers were founded on November 5th, 1875. The club did not have a ground of its own in its first couple of years and played at a number of different locations resulting in the Rovers name. The club were founder members of the Football League, launched in 1888. Blackburn Rovers are still the only club to have won the FA Cup three consecutive times and, as a result, are allowed to display the FA Cup emblem on their corner flags during matches.

Rovers' emblem includes the Lancashire rose (Blackburn is a city in Lancashire county), the year of the club's foundation and the club motto - Arte et Labore (Through Skill and Hard Work). The club's original jerseys were green and white quarters, modeled after that of Malvern College, which several founders attended. Several years later the leadership of the club passed to some former Cambridge University students, who changed the colors to the blue and white of that school. Ewood Park is named for the Ewood area of Blackburn. Previous stadiums - Oozehead (1876-77), Pleasington Cricket Ground (1877-78), Alexandra Meadows (1878-81), Learnington Street (1881-90).

Blackburn Rovers FC History

Blackburn Rovers is an English Premier League football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire.

Blackburn Rovers was established in 1875, and in 1888 became a founder member of the English Football League. In 1890 Rovers moved to its permanent home at Ewood Park.

Until the formation of the Premier League in 1992, the majority of Blackburn Rovers' success was pre-1930 when they won the league and F.A. Cup on several occasions.

In the early 1990s Jack Walker, a local boy and life-long supporter who made millions in the steel industry, invested heavily in the club. He lured former Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish as manager and a number of shrewd player purchases followed, most notably Alan Shearer. This lifted the club back into the Premier League and after finishing runners-up to Manchester United in 1993/1994, Rovers won the championship the following year. A slump followed in the late 1990s, with relegation to League Division One. The team returned to form in 2000 and secured promotion back into the Premier League and in 2002 won the League Cup, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Blackburn Rovers is still the only team to win the F.A. Cup three years in succession, for which they were awarded a special trophy in 1886, and is one of only a handful of clubs to be a founder member of both the Football League and the Premier League.

Early history

The club Blackburn Rovers was the idea of John Lewis and Arthur Constantine during a seventeen-man meeting at the Leger Hotel, Blackburn in November 1875. The make up of its inital members was predominately wealthy well-connected individuals -- a fact that would help it survive and rise beyond the large number of other local teams around at the time.

The first match played by Blackburn Rovers took place in Church, Lancashire on 18 December 1875 -- and was a 1-1 draw. Although the make-up of the team was not recorded it is generally thought to be: Thomas Greenwood (goal), Jack Baldwin, Fred Birtwhistle, (full-backs), Arthur Thomas, J. T. Sycelmore (half-backs), Walter Duckworth, John Lewis, Thomas Dean, Arthur Constantine, Hary Greenwood, Richard Birtwhistle (forwards), in a 2-2-6 formation.

At this time, the club had no ground of its own, and no gate receipts. Its only income was from members' subscriptions -- £2 8s 0d during the first season.

During the 1876-1877 season, Rovers finally gained a ground of its own -- a piece of farmland at Oozehead. Although in reality it was little more than a meadow with a pool in the middle that had to be covered with planks and turf when playing. It did, however, allow the club to begin to collect gate receipts: 6s 6d during that season. Occasional games were also played at Pleasington cricket ground.

Subsequently Blackburn Rovers rented the home of the East Lancashire Cricket Club for their matches: Alexandra Meadows. The inaugural game was played against Partick Thistle, the most prestigious club Rovers had played until then. The result was a 2-1 win for Blackburn.

HONORS

League Titles:

* English Premier League (1995)
* Football League First Division (1912, 14)
* Football League Second Division (1939)
* Football League Third Division (1975)

Cup Titles:

* Charity Shield (1912)
* FA Cup (1884, 85, 86, 90, 91, 1928)
* Football League Cup (2002)

VILLAREAL FC

Full Name: Villarreal Club de Fútbol
City: Villarreal
Founded: 1923
Stadium: Camp El Madrigal (23,000)
Colors: Blue, Yellow
Nickname: Los Submarinos Amarillos
Rival: Valencia
Official Website: villarrealcf.es

Description:

Villarreal Club de Fútbol was founded on October 3, 1923. Villareal (or Villa-Real in Valencian) is a small town in the province of Castellon, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain between Barcelona and Valencia. Villarreal reached the top tier of Spanish football for the first time in 1998 and were promptly relegated. They returned at the first attempt and have remained ever since, even reaching the Champions League semifinals in 2006 and finishing second in La Liga in 2007-08. The submarino amarillo nickname is a tribute to the club's yellow jerseys and of course the classic by The Beatles "Yellow Submarine". El Madrigal Stadium was built in 1923. it was originally named the Campo Villarreal but changed to El Madrigal two years after construction to honor its area of location, at the time a rural outlier of Villarreal but now very much within the city.

Villarreal CF History

Villarreal Club de Futbol, sometimes abbreviated to Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera Division football club based in Villarreal, a small suburb of Castellón de la Plana. They play at the 26,000 seater El Madrigal stadium. Their famous rivals are Valencia CF and their derbies are one of the most exciting in the Primera Liga. They achieved something of a proud moment as they played the semi-final of the UEFA Cup for 2003/2004, however, losing to their more illustrious neighbor who went on to win the Cup. They have been a regular fixture in the Primera Liga for many years and have recently signed Uruguayan striker Diego Forlán. Their squad has also been bolstered with the presence of South American talents like Juan Pablo Sorin, Juan Roman Riquelme as well as former Spain striker José Mari.

Their home uniform is yellow shirt, blue shorts and blue socks. They are nicknamed the los submarinos amarillos (the yellow submarines) because of their yellow shirts. Their mascot is a figure with a submarine head.

FULHAM FC

Full Name: Fulham Football Club
City: London
Founded: 1879
Stadium: Craven Cottage (22,000)
Colors: Black, White
Previous Name: Fulham St Andrew's Church Sunday School FC (1879-88)
Nicknames: The Cottagers
Rivals: Chelsea, QPR, Brentford
Official Website: fulhamfc.com

Description:

Fulham St Andrew's Church Sunday School formed a football club in 1879 for the church parishioners. Ten years later as the scope of the club expanded beyond the church the name changed to simply Fulham FC. Fulham is a neighborhood of West London. The Cottagers are the oldest professional football club in London. Fulham began competitive life in the Southern League in 1898 before moving to the Football League in 1907 after winning two consecutive Southern League titles. The stadium is named for a home on the location, built by William Craven, and used by a variety of 18th and 19th century celebrities. The home had virtually collapsed by the time the stadium construction began and the stadium was effectively built around it. Fulham shared the ground of QPR (Loftus Road) for two seasons from 2002-04 while upgrades were done on Craven Cottage. The nickname Cottagers is of course a reference to the Craven Cottage stadium. Previous stadiums - Star Road (1879-83), Eel Brook Common (1883-84), Lillie Road Recreation Ground (1884-85), Putney Lower Common (1885-86), Ranelagh House (1886-88), Barn Elms Playing Fields (1888-89), Parsons Green (1889-91), Half Moon (1891-95), Cpt James Field (1895-96), Craven Cottage (1896-2002), Loftus Road (2002-04).

Fulham FC History

Fulham Football Club is a football team based in Fulham, London. Founded in 1879, they are celebrating their 125th anniversary in 2004, and they will be playing in the top tier of English football, the FA Premiership. Had it not been for the intervention of millionaire Mohammed Al-Fayed, they would still be languishing in the depths of the lower divisions of professional football.

They spent much time in the Old First Division (=Premiership) through the 60s, but are yet to gain any major honours, their only FA Cup Final appearance being in 1975. They are currently playing at Craven Cottage, a beautiful riverside ground in Fulham, having spent two years at Loftus Road, with a still uncertain future. See more on this topic in the Grounds subsection of this article. They are currently looking for no more than a respectable finish in their 20-team league, although relegation is at the back of their mind.

HONORS

League Titles:

* Football League First Division (2001)
* Football League Second Division (1949, 99)
* Football League Third Division - South (1932)
* 1907 - Southern League Champions
* 1907 - Admission to The Football League as Southern League Champions
* 1908 - FA Cup Semi-Finalists
* 1936 - FA Cup Semi-Finalists
* 1958 - FA Cup Semi-Finalists
* 1959 - Promotion From Division Two
* 1962 - FA Cup Semi-Finalists
* 1970 - Promotion From Divison Three
* 1975 - FA Cup Finalists
* 1975 - Anglo-Scottish Cup Finalists
* 1982 - Promotion From Division Three
* 1997 - Promotion From Division Three
* 2002 - FA Cup Semi-Finalists
* 2002 - Intertoto Cup Winners

Portsmouth FC

Full Name: Portsmouth Football Club
City: Portsmouth
Founded: 1898
Stadium: Fratton Park (20,328)
Colors: Blue, White
Nickname: Pompey
Rivals: Southampton
Official Website: portsmouthfc.co.uk

Description:

Portsmouth were formed in April 1898 as a successor to popular local club Royal Artillery who had recently been suspended by the FA. Joined the Football League in 1920 after over twenty years in the Southern League. Portsmouth won two Southern League titles, 1902 and 1920. Pompey is the nickname of the city of Portsmouth. This is likely a reference to the time Portsmouth-based sailors scaled Pompey's Pillar in Alexandria, Egpyt although there are a variety of other explanations floating around. The star and crescent of the club's emblem are also the symbols of the city of Portsmouth. Fratton Park stadium is named for the neighborhood in which it is located.

Portsmouth FC History

Founded in 1898, Portsmouth Football Club are an English association football club, based in the south coast city port of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey, and is currently playing in the Premier League. The club is owned by Serbian-American businessman Milan Mandaric. The best known chant from the Pompey supporters is the "Pompey Chimes" ("Play up Pompey, Pompey play up" sung to the tune of a striking clock).

Former Olympique de Marseille coach Alain Perrin was appointed team manager on April 7, 2005 with a two-year contract.

Portsmouth enjoy a fierce rivalry with Southampton F.C.; despite Southampton being in a superior division for much of the 1980s and 90s, this derby was recently reignited by Portsmouth's promotion to the Premiership in 2003.

The club's biggest recent achievement came on 27 April 2003 when Pompey beat Rotherham 3-2 to clinch the First Division championship with a game in hand, giving the club promotion to the Premier League for the first time in its history.

The 2004/05 season sees Portsmouth playing in the Premier League for the second successive season.

The club was founded in 1898, with John Brickwood as chairman. Frank Brettell was appointed as the club's first manager.

The club's first league match was played at Chatham Town F.C. on 2nd September 1899 (a 1-0 victory), followed three days later by the first match at Fratton Park against local rivals Southampton. That first season was hugely successful, with the club winning 20 out of 28 league matches, earning them runners-up spot in the Southern League. The league was won for the first time in the 1901/1902 season, by which time Brettell had been replaced by club captain Bob Blyth as manager.

The 1906/07 season was highlighted by the visit of giants Manchester United F.C. to Fratton Park in the English Cup, which generated a record attendance of 24,329. A 2-2 draw meant a replay in Manchester, and Portsmouth recorded a famous 2-1 win. However, this record attendance was surpassed two seasons later when Sheffield Wednesday F.C. visited Fratton for the second round of the new FA Cup.

1910/11 saw Portsmouth relegated, but with the recruitment of Bob Brown as manager the team were promted the next season.

Football was suspended during World War I, but following the resumption of matches Portsmouth won the Southern League for the second time. Continuing success saw them in the Third Division for the 1920/21 season. They finished 12th that year, but won the league in the 1923/24 season. The club continued to perform well in the Second Division, winning promotion by finishing 2nd in the 1926/27 season, gaining a record 9-1 win over Notts County F.C. along the way.

Portsmouth's debut season in the First Division was a struggle. The next season they continued to falter, losing 10-0 to Leicester City F.C., still a club record defeat. However, despite their failings in the league that season also saw Portsmouth reach the FA Cup final for the first time, which they lost to Bolton Wanderers F.C..

Portsmouth managed to survive relegation, and their fortunes began to change. In the 1930/31 season the club finished 4th. The 1933/34 season saw Portsmouth again reach the FA Cup final, beating Manchester United, Bolton Wanderers, Leicester and Birmingham City F.C. on the way. Unfortunatly the club was again defeated in the final, this time to Manchester City F.C.

Having established themselves in the top flight, the 1938/39 season saw Portsmouth reach their third FA Cup final. This time the club managed to defeat the favourites, Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., convincingly.

Football was again suspended due to World War II, meaning Pompey hold the dubious distinction of holding the FA Cup for the longest period as the trophy wasn't contested again until the 1945/46 season!

League football resumed for the 1946/47 campaign. In Pompey's Golden Jubilee season of 1948/49, the club were tipped to be the first team of the 20th Century to win the League and Cup double. However, Pompey crashed out of the FA Cup in the semi final against Leicester, but made up for it by claiming the league title in spectacular fashion. That season also saw a record attendance of 51,385, a record which still stands to this day.

The club retained the title the following year, beating Aston Villa F.C. 5-1 on the last day of the season.

Pompey enjoyed a fourth-place finish in 1951/52, but in the summer of 1952 championship-winning manager Bob Jackson left for Hull City F.C. The players who had featured in the club's recent successes were now ageing and the young players coming into the side were not of comparable quality. Although the team finished third in 1954/55, subsequent seasons saw Pompey struggle and they were relegated to the Second Division in 1959. 1961 saw the now cash-strapped club relegated to the Third Division, but Pompey bounced straight back as champions the following year.

A decade of mediocre performances in the Second Division followed, and despite the cash injection that accompanied the arrival of John Deacon as chairman in 1972 Pompey's fortunes failed to improve. With Deacon unable to continue bankrolling the club on the same scale, Pompey were relegated to the Third Division in 1976.

In November 1976 the club found itself needing to raise GBP 25,000 to pay off debts and so avoid bankruptcy. The money was raised from supporter contributions after a campaign led by the local newspaper The News.

With players having to be sold to ease the club's financial situation, and no money available for replacements, Pompey were forced to rely on inexperienced young players and were relegated to the Fourth Division in 1978.

Pompey were promoted two years later, and in the 1982/83 season they won the Third Division championship, gaining promotion back to the Second Division.

Under Alan Ball's management, Pompey narrowly missed winning promotion to the First Division twice before finally succeeding in 1986/87. Unfortunately, by the middle of the 1987/88 season the club was again in grave financial trouble, and Pompey were relegated straight back to the Second Division. The summer of 1988 saw Deacon sell the club to London based businessman Jim Gregory.

Jim Smith's arrival as manager at the start of the 1991/92 season, combined with the emergence of some good young players, sparked a revival in the team's fortunes and that year Pompey reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, losing on penalties to Liverpool F.C. after a replay. The following season, Pompey missed out on promotion to the FA Premier League only by virtue of having scored one less goal than West Ham United F.C.

Chairman Gregory now called in the money he had lent the club over preceding seasons, and so players were sold with little funds available to buy replacements. The team's form declined, and Smith was controversially sacked in 1995 and replaced by Terry Fenwick. Relegation to the Second Division was avoided on the last day of the 1995/96 season when Pompey won away to Huddersfield Town F.C. while other results went the club's way.

In the summer of 1996 Terry Venables arrived at Pompey as a consultant, later taking over as chairman after buying the club for GBP 1. The team enjoyed a run to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in 1996/97, beating FA Premier League side Leeds United F.C. en route, but finished just short of the qualifying places for the play-offs for promotion to the Premier League. The 1997/98 season saw Venables lose his popularity with the club's supporters, as he signed several Australian players, most of whom failed to perform with much distinction, while his role as coach of the Australian national team meant he was frequently absent from Portsmouth; meanwhile, the team's results were poor. Two-thirds of the way through the season he and unpopular manager Fenwick left the club, Venables selling his shareholding back to Martin Gregory, son of former chairman Jim, while Alan Ball returned as manager. Relegation was again avoided on the last day of the season.

The following season saw the club again dogged by financial trouble, and in December 1998 Pompey went into administration. The club was saved by Mandaric buying it in May 1999, and the new chairman immediately started investing. However, it wasn't until the appointment of Harry Redknapp as manager, with former Pompey manager Jim Smith as his assistant, in early 2002 that the club's fortunes really turned around. In Redknapp's first full season in charge, (2002/03), he brought in experienced Premiership players such as Steve Stone and Paul Merson. Pompey stormed the league, and the club tipped for relegation surprised many by comfortably winning the title.

The following season Pompey were favourites for relegation from the top-flight, but following some inspired signings such as veteran Teddy Sheringham, the club embarked on an impressive run, finally finishing in 13th place in their debut Premiership season. Throughout the season Portsmouth's home form, at Fortress Fratton, was on a par with the top 3 teams, but their poor away form, winning only twice all season, was responsible for their mid-table finish.

This theme continued into the 2004/05 season, with Portsmouth's home form not being matched on their travels. That season also saw the start of construction both on the new stadium, and on the club's first ever youth academy.

However, Mandaric and Redknapp clashed several times during their time together. At the start of the 2004/05 season, it was rumoured that Mandaric was considering replacing some of the club's coaching staff, including Redknapp's assistant Jim Smith. Although no changes took place, the two clashed again more seriously when Mandaric proposed appointing another director in November, with responsibility for the youth set-up at the club. Redknapp made comments to the media showing his disapproval of the proposal, but Mandaric pressed ahead and appointed Velimir Zajec. Redknapp, along with his assistant Jim Smith, subsequently resigned with immediate effect on 23rd November. Zajec took over as manager, initially as caretaker, then on 20th December the club announced that he would manage the team for the remainder of the season. However, after a poor run of results Alain Perrin was appointed team manager on 7 April 2005, with Zajec reverting to his director's role.

HONORS

League Titles:

* Football League First Division (1949, 50, 2003)
* Football League Third Division (1962, 83)
* Football League Third Division - South (1924)

Cup Titles:

* Charity Shield (1939, 49*)
* FA Cup (1939, 2008)

VALENCIA FC

Full Name: Valencia Club de Fútbol
City: Valencia
Founded: 1919
Stadium: Estadio Luis Casanova - Mestalla (55,000)
Colors: Black, White
Previous: Valencia Football Club (1919-40)
Nickname: Los Ches
Rivals: Levante, Villarreal
Official Website: valenciacf.es

Description:

Valencia Football Club was founded in 1919 at the Torino Bar and played their first match later that year against Gimnástico of Valencia. The club changed its name in 1940 as part of an official directive by the Franco regime to remove non-Spanish names from official institutions. Since being promoted in 1931 Valencia have spent only one season outside the top tier of Spanish football, that being the 1986-87 season. Los Ches reached consecutive Champions League finals in 2000 and 2001. The club's logo includes the name, team colors, old-style football and a bat atop it all. The bat also appears in the emblem of the city of Valencia. According to legend when King James of Aragon reconquered Valencia from the Moors in the 13th century a bat landed atop his flag as entered the city. This was interpreted as a good open and incorporated into the emblem of the city. "Che" is a word generally used to describe someone from the Valencia region. The same word "che" is used in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The stadium is officially named for a former club president. It was originally named for a canal (the Mestalla) located next to the stadium and its still popularly known by that name. The club will moved into a new and much larger stadium (the Nou Mestalla) for the 2009-10 season. Previous Stadiums: Algirós (1919-23).

Valencia CF History

Valencia Club de Fútbol (also known as Valencia, CF or just Valencia or Los Ches) is a team in the first division of the Spanish Football League.
Founded in 1919, Valencia CF is based in the city of Valencia, Spain. The team's home stadium is the 53, 000 seater Mestalla, which was opened in 1923.
Valencia CF won the Spanish title for the sixth time in May 2004, their second in three years.

Valencia CF won the UEFA Cup for the third time in 2004, tying four other teams for the most UEFA Cups won. After suffering recent tough losses in Europe in the finals of the UEFA Champions League in 2000 and 2001, the team was finally able to triumph in the finals of European play.

Thanks to good coaching, one of the best defences in world soccer, including the charismatic Italian Carboni and the fiery Argentinian Roberto Ayala, and an imaginative playmaker, young Pablo Aimar (also from Argentina), Valencia has grown into one of the world's great teams.

On June 1, 2004, Rafa Benitez stepped down as coach of Valencia amid rumors that he was headed to Liverpool F.C.; those rumors proved true, as he was hired by Liverpool two weeks later.

On June 8, 2004, Claudio Ranieri was named the new head coach, but following Valencia's failure to advance past the round of 32 in the UEFA Cup he was dismissed on 25 February 2005 and replaced by Antonio López.

Trophy Room:

* La Liga (1942, 44, 47, 71, 2002, 04)
* Copa del Rey (1941, 49, 54, 67, 79, 99, 2008)
* Supercopa de España (1999)
* European Cup Winner's Cup (1980)
* Fairs Cup (1962, 63)
* UEFA Cup (2004)

SEVILLA FC

Full Name: Sevilla Fútbol Club
City: Seville
Founded: 1905
Stadium: Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán (45,500)
Colors: Red, White
Nickname: Rojiblancos, Sevillistas, Palanganas, Nerviónenses
Rival: Real Betis
Official Website: sevillafc.es

Description:

Sevilla Fútbol Club was founded on October 14, 1905 and its first competitive match was played in 1908. The nickname Rojiblancos means The Red and White, Sevillistas means The Sevillians, Nerviónenses refers to the neighborhood of Nervión where the stadium is located. Palanganas also references the club's colors but in a unique way - a palangana is a washbasin in Spanish and in earlier times were always white with red trim, similar to the colors of Sevilla. The stadium is named for a former club president who led the Rojiblancos for over twenty years and was instrumental in the project to create the stadium. It was built in 1958, adjacent to the previous Estadio de Nervión. Nervión is a neighborhood in the east of Seville. The club's logo has been in use since 1922 and includes the club colors of red and white, a old-style football in the center, the original logo (with the letters SFC) and the three patron saints of Seville - San Isidro, San Leandro and San Fernando. The early years of the 21st century have been some of the club's best - 2 UEFA Cups, 1 Copa del Rey, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 1 European Super Cup - quite a haul for a club that hadn't won a major trophy in almost sixty years. Previous Stadiums: Prado de San Sebastián (1905-13), Campo del Mercantil (1913-18), Reina Victoria (1918-28), Estadio de Nervión (1928-58).

Sevilla FC History

Sevilla Football Club is, historically, the best football team in Seville. It was established in 1905. It has won one Liga and three Copa del Generalísimos.

The team wears white for home games and red for away games. Fans of the team are nicknamed sevillistas.

HONORS
League Titles:

* Primera División (1946)

Cup Titles:

* Copa del Rey (1935, 39, 48, 2007)
* Supercopa de España (2007)

International Titles:

* UEFA Cup (2006, 07)
* UEFA Super Cup (2006)

SPORTING LISBON

Full Name: Sporting Clube de Portugal
City: Lisbon
Founded: 1906
Stadium: Estádio José Alvalade XXI (50,466)
Colors: Black, Green, White
Previous: Sport Club de Belas (1902-04), Campo Grande Sporting Club (1904-06)
Nicknames: Os Leões (The Lions), Verde e Brancos (Green-Whites), Lagartos (Lizards)
Rivals: Benfica, FC Porto
Official Website: sporting.pt

Description:

Like many Portuguese clubs, Sporting are a multi-sport club, though football is clearly the most important. Within Portugal, the club are known only as Sporting. Fans are called Sportinguistas. One of the Portuguese Big Three. Hosted the first-ever European match, a 1955 European Cup encounter with Partizan Belgrade.

HONORS

League Titles:

* Portuguese Championship (1923, 34, 36, 38)
* Portuguese League (1941, 44, 47, 48, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 58, 62, 66, 70, 74, 80, 82, 2000, 02)

Cup Titles:

* Portuguese Cup (1941, 45, 46, 48, 54, 63, 71, 73, 74, 78, 82, 95, 2002, 07, 08)
* Portuguese Super Cup (1982, 87, 95, 2000, 02, 07, 08)

International Titles:

* European Cup Winner's Cup (1964)

BENFICA FC

Full Name: Sport Lisboa e Benfica
City: Lisbon
Founded: 1904
Stadium: Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica - Estádio da Luz (65,400)
Colors: Red, White
Previous: Sport Lisboa (1904-08)
Nicknames: SLB, O Glorioso (The Glorious Ones), Águias (The Eagles), Encarnados (The Reds), Lampiões
(The Lamps)
Rivals: Sporting Lisbon, Porto
Official Website: slbenfica.pt


Description:

Benfica is a neighborhood of Lisbon. Formed as Sport Lisboa, merged with Sport Clube de Benfica in 1908 to take their present name. Luz is actually the neighborhood of Lisbon in which the stadium is located. It also means 'light' in Portuguese, giving rising to the common translation as Stadium of Light. Benfica are Portugal's most popular club. Fans are known as Benfiquistas. Lampiões is a derogatory nickname used by supporters of rival clubs. The bicycle wheel within the club's emblem is a legacy of the emblem of Sport Clube de Benfica. The club has an actual eagle as a mascot, which flies from one side of the stadium to the other before each match.

Trophy Room:

* Portuguese Championship (1930, 31, 35)
* Portuguese League (1942, 43, 45, 50, 55, 57, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 67, 68, 69, 71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 77, 81, 83, 84, 87, 89, 91, 94, 2005)
* Portuguese Cup (1940, 43, 44, 49, 51, 52, 53, 55, 57, 59, 62, 64, 69, 70, 72, 80, 81, 83, 85, 86, 87, 93, 96, 04)
* Portuguese League Cup (2009)
* Portuguese Super Cup (1980, 85, 89, 2005)
* European Cup (1961, 62)

Olympique Marseille

Full Name: Olympique de Marseille
City: Marseille
Founded: 1899
Stadium: Stade Vélodrome (60,031)
Colors: Blue, White
Nicknames: OM, Les Olympiens, l'Équipe Phocéenne (The Phocean Team)
Rival: Paris Saint-Germain
Official Website: om.net

Description:

Club motto is 'Droit au But' (Straight to Goal). l'équipe Phocéenne is a reference to Phocea, an ancient Greek city from which Marseille's founders hailed. The Stade Vélodrome is so named because it was initially the location of cycling races. The cycling track was later replaced by terraces.

Olympique de Marseille History

Olympique de Marseille is a football team that plays in Ligue 1, the top level of the French Football League, based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, Marseille has won 9 French championships and 10 French Cups. The club also won the Champions League in 1993, defeating AC Milan in the final, only to be stripped of the domestic title that they had won in the same season following a match
fixing scandal involving then president Bernard Tapie. In 1994, they suffered forced relegation to the second division due to financial irregularities. By 1996, backed by Adidas boss Robert Louis-Dreyfus, the club had worked their way back to the top flight. The team regularly fills their imposing home of the Stade Vélodrome, which seats 60,000.

Trophy Room:

* French League (1937, 48, 71, 72, 89, 90, 91, 92)
* Coupe de France (1924, 26, 27, 35, 38, 43, 69, 72, 76, 89)
* Champions League (1993)
* Trophée des Champions (1971 - shared)

LILLE OSC

Full Name: Lille Olympique Sporting Club Métropole
City: Lille
Founded: 1944
Stadium: Stade Lille-Metropole (18,185)
Colors: Black, Red
Previous: Stade Lillois (1944)
Nicknames: LOSC, Les Dogues (The Hounds), Les Mastifs
Rival: Lens
Official Website: losc.fr

Description:

Formed from the merger of SC Fives and Olympique Lillois. Lille supporters are traditionally middle-class as opposed to those of arch-rival Lens, who tend to be working class (and often miners). Olympique Lillois won one French league title. The club is currently playing in the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve d'Ascq while the Grimonprez Jooris is replaced. Previous

Lille OSC History

Lille Olympique Sporting Club are a French football club, based in the northern city of Lille.

Honors

League Titles:
* Ligue 1 (1946, 54)

Cup Titles:
* Coupe de France (1946, 47, 48, 53, 55)

EVERTON FC

Full Name: Everton Football Club
City: Liverpool
Founded: 1878
Stadium: Goodison Park (40,394)
Colors: Blue, White
Previous Name: St Domingo's (1878-79)
Nicknames: The Toffees, The Toffeemen, The Blues
Rivals: Liverpool
Official Website: evertonfc.com

Description:

The St Domingo's football eleven was formed in 1878 by members of the St Domingo Methodist Church in Liverpool. Many neighbors who were not members of the church soon wanted to join. The following year the club's name was changed to Everton, the district of the city of Liverpool where the church was located. Everton were founder members of the Football League in 1888 and have played more seasons in the top flight of English football than any other club, being absent only four times in 110 years. In the 1927-28 season, Dixie Dean scored 60 goals, still the English record for most goals in a season.

The tower in the club emblem is Prince Rupert's Tower, a single-tower prison built in Everton Brow in 1877. The emblem also includes the club's motto Nils Satis Nisi Optimum - Nothing But the Best is Good Enough, and a pair of wreaths, symbolic of success. The club's nickname - The Toffees - has several possible origins, the most likely being the house where many early club meetings were held - Ye Anciente Everton Toffee House. The stadium is located in Goodison Park, a part of the larger Stanley Park, of which Liverpool's Anfield Road ground is also a part. Previous Stadiums - Stanley Park (1878-82), Priory Road (1882-84), Anfield Road (1884-92)

Everton FC History

Everton F.C. is an English football club from the city of Liverpool and was founded in 1878. The club's nickname is the Toffees and their home ground, known as Goodison Park, has a capacity of 40,260.

Origins

The club's roots lie in an English Methodist congregation called New Connexion, which decided to build a new chapel in the Liverpool area in 1868. The following year, the church bought some land on Breckfield Road North, between St. Domingo Vale and St. Domingo Grove. This was located near the district of Everton, which had become part of the City of Liverpool in 1835.

St. Domingo Methodist Church's new chapel was opened in 1871 and six years later, Rev B.S. Chambers was appointed Minister. He was responsible for starting a cricket team for the youngsters in the parish. Because cricket can only be played in the summer, they had to find something to play during the other seasons as well. So a football club called St. Domingo F.C. was formed in 1878. A lot of people outside the parish were interested in joining the football club so it was decided that the name should be changed. In November 1879 at a meeting in the Queen's Head Hotel, the team name was changed to Everton Football Club, after the surrounding district.

Recent Events

The 1990s were a difficult time for the Toffeemen, with financial difficulties and several end of season near-escapes from relegation. However, since the appointment in March 2002 of a new manager, David Moyes, they improved greatly and finished the 2002-2003 season in seventh place, narrowly missing qualification for the UEFA Cup. However in the 2003-2004 season they finished 4th from bottom, the lowest league position to avoid relegation, with the lowest season points total in the club's history.

Another key factor in Everton's recent revival was the emergence of a rising young star, Wayne Rooney. In one of his first games for the club, in October 2002, he entered football folklore by scoring a sensational last-minute winner against the then League champions Arsenal, consigning them to their first league defeat for almost a year. He has also figured prominently in recent England international matches, after having become the youngest ever player to play for England, in a friendly against Australia, in February 2003. Rooney went on to establish himself as a true superstar at Euro 2004. Rooney requested a transfer on August 27 giving the reason that he wanted to play European football on a regular basis, which wasn't happening at Everton; on August 31, 2004, he moved to Manchester United in a deal that may eventually be worth between £20 million and £27 million (the final amount will depend on both United and Rooney's success).

Everton have started the 2004-2005 season in surprisingly good form, having been tipped by many in the media to be relegated this year. After an opening game 4-1 loss to champions Arsenal they have embarked on a remarkable run and are challenging for a Champions League spot. In fact with just six games left in the season they are above their rivals Liverpool and are in a Champions League spot.

Late in 2004, the club was in talks with Liverpool regarding sharing that club's proposed new stadium at Stanley Park. Among the more contentious terms in the negotiations was ownership of the new facility - Liverpool wanted to retain ownership of Stanley Park while Everton wanted an even share. Historically it has appeared that Everton would be more willing to groundshare than Liverpool, although both sets of fans are fiercely opposed to the idea. On January 11, 2005, the clubs announced that they were abandoning the groundshare plan.

HONORS

* Football League (1891)
* Football League First Division (1915, 28, 32, 39, 63, 70, 85, 87)
* Football League Second Division (1931)
* Charity Shield (1928, 32, 63, 70, 84, 85, 86*, 87, 95)
* FA Cup (1906, 33, 66, 84, 95)
* European Cup Winner's Cup (1985)

VFL WOLFSBURG

Full Name: Verein für Leibesübungen Wolfsburg
City: Wolfsburg
Founded: 1945
Stadium: Volkswagenarena (30,000)
Colors: Green, White
Nickname: die Wölfe (The Wolves)
Rivals: Eintracht Braunschweig, Hannover 96
Official Website: vfl-wolfsburg.de


Description:

Officially reformed in 2001 as VfL Wolfsburg-Fußball GmbH. Sponsor/Owner is the Volkswagen automobile company.

VfL Wolfsburg History

VfL Wolfsburg is a football club based in Wolfsburg, Germany. The club was formed in 1945 and currently plays in 1. Bundesliga. The team's colors are green and white.


Trophy Room:

* Bundesliga (2009)

CSKA MOSCOW

Russian Name: CSK moscow
City: Moscow
Founded: 1911
Stadium: Luzhniki Stadium (87,000)
Colors: Blue, Red
Previous: OLLS (1911-23), OPPV (1923-27), CDKA (1928-50), CDSA (1950-54), CSK MO (1954-59)
Nickname: Koni (Horses)
Rival: Spartak Moscow
Official Website: cska-football.ru


Description:
A football section was added to the OLLS (Charter of the Ski Sport Amateurs Society) in 1911. Twelve years later the club came under the wing of the Soviet Army and changed its name to OPPV (Experimental and demonstration grounds of Vsevobuch). For the remainder of the Soviet era it would be linked to the military and its Koni nickname is derived from the early players being assigned to cavalry units. In 1928, OPPV was merged into a new club, CDKA (Central House of Red Army). In 1950, as the Red Army was officially renamed to the Soviet Army, so was the club renamed to CDSA (Central House of the Soviet Army). The name changed again in 1955 to reflect Soviet political restructuring, this time to CSK MO (Central Sport Club of the Ministry of Defence). Another final change, in 1960, brought the club to its current name - CSKA (Central Sports Club of the Army). CSKA are the first Russian club to win a European trophy, that being the 2005 UEFA Cup.

CSKA are currently building a new stadium which should be ready for the 2009 season.

CSKA moscow honors and trophy

* Russian League (2003, 05, 06)
* Russian Cup (2002, 05, 06, 08, 09)
* Russian Super Cup (2004, 06, 07, 09)
* UEFA Cup (2005)
* Soviet League (1946, 47, 48, 50, 51, 70, 91)
* Soviet Cup (1945, 48, 51, 55, 91)

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur


Full Name: Tottenham Hotspur Football Club
City: London
Founded: 1882
Stadium: White Hart Lane (36,237)
Colors: Dark Blue, White
Previous Name: Hotspur FC (1882-84)
Nicknames: Spurs, Lillywhites, Yids
Rivals: Arsenal
Stadium: White Hart Lane
Official Website: tottenhamhotspur.com

Description:

Tottenham Hotspur were formed as Hotspur FC in 1882 by members of a Tottenham-area grammar school and cricket club. The name is taken from Harry Hostpur, an English nobleman of the 14th century, and later a major character in Shakespeare's Henry IV. Two years later they added Tottenham to their name, Tottenham being the neighborhood of North London where they are based. In 1896 Spurs joined the Southern League where they stayed for 12 years before entering the Football League in 1908. Spurs won the Southern League title in 1900.The Lilywhites nickname is a reference to their all-white uniforms. The Yids nicknames is a reference to Yiddish, the language theoretically spoken by the rather large Jewish fan base of Spurs. Yids was used as an insult by rival Arsenal fans but has been turned on its head and used as a badge of pride by Spurs fans. In 1961 Tottenham Hotspur became the first English club in the twentieth century to win the League and FA cup double. Their rivalry with Arsenal is known as the North London derby - the two clubs' stadiums are located just a few miles apart in North London. The cockerel on the club's emblem is a reference to their Spurs name - the cockerel bird was often used in cock fights and fitted with spurs. The stadium is located on White Hart Lane in Tottenham.


Tottenham Hotspur FC History

Tottenham Hotspur F.C. is a North London association football team, also known by the nickname Spurs. Their home ground is White Hart Lane in Tottenham.
Their motto is Audere Est Facere (To Dare Is To Do).The club was formed in 1882 by boys from Hotspur cricket club and from the local grammar school. Originally the club was known as Hotspur FC. In 1884 the club was renamed Tottenham Hotspur Football and Athletic Club.

The club has a long standing rivalry with its North London neighbours Arsenal (formerly Woolwich Arsenal - originally from South East London).In the 1960-61 season, Spurs became the first team to achieve the league and FA Cup double in the 20th century.They are one of only three teams to win the FA Cup in consecutive years since the end of the 19th century, the others being Arsenal and Newcastle United and the only team to have done so on two occasions. Tottenham Hotspur were the first and so far only team to win the FA Cup as a non-league club; this was in 1901 when Spurs were in the Southern League. Tottenham were the first British club to win a European trophy - the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1963.

Tottenham Hotspur have traditionally been one of the biggest clubs in England.Daniel Levy became chairman of the club in February 2001. Frank Arnesen was appointed Sports Director in May 2004, and in June it was announced that French national team coach Jacques Santini would join Tottenham Hotspur as head coach following Euro 2004, with Martin Jol taking up a post as his assistant. On November 5th 2004 however, Santini resigned for 'personal reasons'. Jol was confirmed as his successor on November 8.

The most successful manager in Tottenham's history is Bill Nicholson, who guided the club to major trophy success three seasons in a row during the early 1960's - the League Championship/F.A Cup double in 1961, F.A Cup in 1962 and European Cup Winners Cup in 1963. Key players in the early 1960's Tottenham side included Danny Blanchflower, John White, David Mackay and Jimmy Greaves. Blanchflower, the club captain, later had a spell as Chelsea team manager and was later a football writer until his death in 1993 at the age of 67. Greaves also turned out for AC Milan and Chelsea and is the third highest goalscorer of all time for the England team with 44 goals. White died at the age of 27 after being hit by lightning on a golf course. Mackay later enjoyed success in management when he guided Derby County to the League Championship in 1975.Tottenham still enjoyed some success in the early part of the 1980's, winning the F.A Cup in 1981 and 1982 and the UEFA Cup in 1984 under Keith Burkinshaw. The early 1980's team included Argentinian players Osvaldo Ardiles and Ricardo Villa.

The club's next trophy success came in 1991 when they won the F.A Cup for a then record eighth time under Terry Venables. Stars of the 1991 F.A Cup winning side included Gary Lineker, Paul Gascoigne and Vinny Samways. After winning the F.A Cup, Venables went into partnership with Alan Sugar to take over the club (which was £20million in debt) and became chief executive. In 1991-92, Peter Shreeves took charge of team affairs (having previously been in charge from 1984 to 1986) but quit after one season to make way for the partnership of Doug Livermore and Ray Clemence. In the inaugural 1992-93 Premier League, Livermore and Clemence failed to establish themselves as top class managers and quit after just one season. Soon after that, Venables was controversially dismissed by the club's board and in came former player Osvaldo Ardiles as his replacement. Ardiles had just won the Division Two playoffs with West Bromwich Albion and was hopeful of bringing the glory days back to White Hart Lane.

In 1993-94, Tottenham finished a disappointing 15th in the Premiership after 14-goal striker Teddy Sheringham played just 19 games through injury. Soon after the end of the season the club was investigated over illegal payments made to players during the late 1980's and it was feared that they could be demoted to Division One as punishment. When Tottenham admitted financial irregularities, the club received the most severe punishment ever handed out in English football - a £600,000 fine, 12 league points deducted and a 1-year ban from the F.A Cup. On appeal, the fine was increased to £1.5million but the number of points deducted was cut to six, while the F.A Cup ban remained in place. But the deducted points and F.A Cup ban were eventually quashed in a second appeal.

By the start of the 1994-95 season, Osvaldo Ardiles had added three foreign stars to the Tottenham squad - German striker Jurgen Klinsmann and Romanian midfielders Gheorghe Popescu and Ilie Dumistrescu. Despite these additions to the squad, and the consistency of striker Teddy Sheringham, Tottenham struggled in the early stages of the season and Ardiles was sacked to make way for QPR manager Gerry Francis.Francis guided Tottenham to the F.A Cup semi finals and to a seventh-place finish in the Premiership - still their highest league finish since 1990. He remainedin charge until November 1997, by which time Tottenham were bottom of the Premiership. Swiss coach Christian Gross, who had won two Swiss league championships with Grasshoppers Zurich, was appointed as the club's new manager and guided them to safety, but soon after the start of the 1998-99 season he was sacked with Tottenham battling relegation again. The club's directors made surprise decision when appointing Leeds United manager George Graham as the new manager at White Hart Lane - Graham was the man who had delivered 6 major trophies to Tottenham's deadly rivals Arsenal between 1986 and 1994.

Graham had a reasonable effect on Tottenham's fortunes. They won the League Cup in his first season in charge and thus qualified for the 1999-2000 UEFA Cup. But this improvement was inconsistent and by the time he was sacked for breach of contract in March 2001, the club was once again hovering above the relegation zone.

George Graham's replacement was Glenn Hoddle, who had been a key player at the club during the 1980's and had enjoyed moderate success as a manager with Swindon Town, Chelsea, the England team and more recently Southampton. He was full of ambition on his arrival at Tottenham, intent on re-establishing them as one of England's best teams. But a League Cup final losing appearance in the 2001-02 season was as good as it got for Tottenham under Hoddle, and he was sacked in September 2003 after two-and-a-half years in charge.
Director of Football David Pleat remained in charge until the end of the 2003-04 season, when former France national coach Jacques Santini was named as Hoddle's permanent replacement.

The 2004-05 Premiership campaign started well for Santini, who was working under sporting director Frank Arnesen. But he suddenly quit the club in November 2004, citing personal reasons, and was replaced by assistant manager Martin Jol.Tottenham are currently mid table in the Premiership - their regular league position for most of the last 15 years - and it remains to be seen whether Martin Jol is the right man to restore this famous club's fortunes.

Tottenham Hotspur FC Honours, Trophies & Awards

* Football League First Division (1951, 61)
* Football League Second Division (1920, 50)

Cup Titles:

* Charity Shield (1921, 51, 61, 62, 67, 81, 91)
* FA Cup (1901, 21, 61, 62, 67, 81, 82, 91)
* Football League Cup (1971, 73, 99, 2008)

International Titles:

* European Cup Winner's Cup (1963)
* UEFA Cup (1972, 84)

Aston Villa Football Club

Aston Villa Football Club

Full Name: Aston Villa Football Club
City: Birmingham
Founded: 1872
Stadium: Villa Park (43,275)
Colors: Claret, Blue
Nicknames: Villa, Villans
Rivals: West Bromwich Albion, Birmingham City
Official Website: avfc.co.uk

Description:

Aston Villa were formed by members of the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel cricket team, who were looking for a sport to play during the winter months. Villa Cross was a road junction in the Birmingham neighborhood of Aston. Villa were founder members and the of the Football League in 1888 and early giants of English football, although they were later eclipsed by Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool. Matches with arch-rival Birmingham City are known as the Second City Derby, Birmingham being England's second-largest city. West Bromwich Albion is also a significant rivalry. Villa famously came out of nowhere to win the League title in 1981 (the first time in 71 years) and then compounded the surprise by defeating Bayern Munich in the European Cup final the following season.

The rampant lion of the club's emblem was supposedly suggested by early vice-president William McGregor to remind him of his Scottish roots, the lion also being present in the Scottish emblem. The club's colors are supposed to have similar origins, being claret (for Hearts) and blue (for Rangers). Prepared (also featured on the emblem) is the club's motto. Villa Park was originally known as Aston Lower Grounds. Previous stadiums - Wilson Road and Aston Park (1872-78), Perry Barr (1878-97).

Aston Villa FC History

Aston Villa Football Club play at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. They currently play in the Premier League. Aston Villa were founding members of the Football League in 1888 and of the Premier League in 1992. It is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in England.Aston Villa Football Club was formed in March 1874 by members of the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel in Aston, Birmingham. Members of the Aston Villa cricket team were looking for a way to stay fit during the winter months and decided to adopt the new sport of football. The 'Four Founding Fathers' were Jack Hughes, Frederick Matthews, Walter Price and William Scattergood. Little did they know that the team they formed would go on to become the most famous and admired football club in the world by the end of Queen Victoria's reign.

Aston Villa's first match was against the local Aston Brook St Mary's Rugby team and as a condition of the match, the Villa side had to agree to play the first half under rugby rules and the second half under football rules! Amazingly Villa managed to hold St Mary's to a pointless draw up to half time and in the second half won the historic affair by one goal, scored by Jack Hughes. Villa won their first honour, the Birmingham Challenge Cup in 1880, under the captaincy of Scotsman George Ramsay. The club won its first FA Cup in 1887, by which time football had become professional. However, the Scottish draper and director of Aston Villa, William McGregor had become frustrated with one-sided friendly matches and low attendances for all games but FA Cup ties. He saw that in order to keep interest in the game alive the top teams needed to play each other in a league much like American baseball teams did. So he wrote to the 12 leading clubs in England proposing the formation of a league. The reason the Football League was never called the English League is because McGregor intended Scottish and Welsh teams to join eventually. Naturally, Aston Villa were one of the dozen teams that competed in the inaugural Football League in 1888 finishing runners-up.

It didn't take long for Villa to lift their first League Championship trophy, and this was achieved in 1893/94. This would signal the start of Aston Villa's 'Golden Age' and by the start of the First World War the club had won the League Championship six times and the FA Cup five times, including in 1896/97, a League and Cup Double, a feat which would not be repeated for more than 60 years.Although they remained a major force after the war, winning their sixth FA Cup in 1920, the club began a slow decline. This can be attributed in large part to a complacency which culminated in the unthinkable, the most famous and successful football club in world being relegated to the Second Division in 1936. However, throughout the 1920's and into the 1930's the club had many fine international players (in 1933/34 Villa had no fewer than 14 full internationals) and continued to challenge for honours, Villa were FA Cup runners-up in 1924 and second in the League in 1931 and 1933. Throughout this period the Villa Park crowds were entertained with attacking football and goals galore, in season 1930/31 Tom 'Pongo' Waring scored 49 of Aston Villa's 128 league goals, however Villa were denied the title by the sensational Arsenal team of the 30's.

The club's decision to appoint their first manager coincided with relegation for the first time in 1935/36. This was largely due a dismal defensive record, they conceded 110 goals, 7 of them coming from Arsenal's Ted Drake in the infamous defeat at Highbury. However 'The Grand Old Man' of football was crowned Second Division Champions in 1937/38 under the guidance of Jimmy Hogan, Aston Villa were back where they belonged by the outbreak of The Second World War. Seven seasons were lost and many careers were finished due to the conflict and Aston Villa went about rebuilding the team under the guidance of formerplayer, Alex Massie. The remainder of the 1940s and the 1950s saw Villa try to re-establish themselves as a top team. However, Villa could only be described as mediocre during this period, although they had some good players and attendances were high. Season 1956/57 saw Villa go on an unexpected FA Cup run that would culminate in them defeating the 'Busby Babes' of Manchester United in the final. It was Aston Villa's first trophy for 37 years.

However this success proved to be a false dawn with the team finishing 14th in the league the following season. Eric Houghton was sacked (after refusing to resign) when relegation loomed in 1958/59. His successor Joe Mercer was unable to prevent the club being relegated for the second time in 1959. Again a complacency had set in at the club, the famous Aston Villa had won the FA Cup for a record seventh time, this only served to fuel the belief that Villa were too good to go down. A return to the top flight was assured however in 1960 when Villa were crowned Second Division Champions. Season 1960/61 saw Villa win the inaugural League Cup and finish repectably in the league, this was achieved with an exciting nucleus of youth players who became known as 'Mercer's Minors'.

The slow decline continued throughout the 1960s due to a deep seated malaise; the club had failed to adapt to the new football reality, they had a non-existent scouting network, coaching was conducted in the same way as it had been 40 years earlier and the 5 man board contained 3 members over the age of 70. It was the board who decided that they couldn't refuse offers for their two most reliable goalscorers, Phil Woosnam and Tony Hateley. Without their goals Villa were in real trouble and were relegated for the third time, under manager Dick Taylor in 1967. The fans' calls for the board to resign became more and more urgent when Villa finished 16th in the Second Division in 1968. In a desperate attempt to avert total disaster, relegation to the Third Division, the manager, Tommy Cummings was given £200,000 to spend on new players, and with supporters boycotting Villa's home games in protest at the board, debts mounted. Events on the pitch came to a head in November 1968, with Villa lying at the bottom of Division Two; the board sacked Cummings and within weeks the entire board resigned due to overwhelming pressure from fans. After much speculation, control of the club was bought by London financier Pat Matthews, he also brought in Doug Ellis as chairman and Tommy Docherty as manager.

However, despite breathing new life into the club and initial success, Docherty was unable to lift the team out of the danger zone and he was sacked after just a year in charge. His successor Vic Crowe, was unable to prevent Aston Villa from being relegated to the Third Division for the first time its history. Amazingly the following season Villa reached the League Cup final after beating Manchester United in the semi-final. They were eventually defeated in the final by two late Tottenham goals. The only way was up for Villa and in 1971/72 they finished top of the league with a team that was simply too good for Division Three.

The team narrowly missed out on successive promotions when they finished third on their return to Second Division football in 1972/73. However the following season Villa struggled and Doug Ellis sacked Crowe replacing him with Ron Saunders.
Aston Villa's centenary season provided the double success of a League Cup final victory over Norwich and promotion to the First Division after an absence of eight seasons in 1974/75. Villa were back and due to their League Cup success were in Europe for the first time. Although Villa were knocked out in the first round by Antwerp, Saunders was assembling a team that would go on to win the European Cup seven years later. Villa won the League Cup again in 1977 by beating Everton after two final replays. The following season saw Villa reach the quarter-final of the UEFA Cup where they held their own against Spanish giants, Barcelona. That night at the Nou Camp finally laid to rest the nightmare of the previous 10 years; Aston Villa were finally back amongst the footballing elite.The ups and downs of the 1980's

The 1980's was another mixed era in the history of Aston Villa football club. Villa won the Football League Championship, fighting off competition from Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, in 1981 under the managership of Ron Saunders. Saunders quit halfway through the following season (1981-82) and was replaced by his assistant manager Tony Barton. In May 1982, just three months after being appointed manager, Barton guided Villa to a 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich in the European Cup final. Key players in this side included Des Bremner, Peter Withe and Gordon Cowans. Barton remained in charge until the summer of 1984, when he was sacked after a disappointing season which had seen the club finish 10th in the First Division. His successor was Graham Turner who had taken Shrewsbury Town from being Fourth Division strugglers into being an established Second Division side. Turner was sacked in September 1986 and his successor Billy McNeill was unable to save the club from finishing bottom of the First Division and being relegated - just five years after Villa had been champions of Europe.

McNeill left in the summer of 1987 to become manager of Glasgow Celtic. Villa chairman Doug Ellis gave the manager's job to Graham Taylor, who had transformed the fortunes of Watford in 10 years of management. A significant addition to the Villa squad was attacking midfielder David Platt, a 21-year-old signing from Crewe Alexandra for £200,000. Platt was instrumental in getting Villa back into the top flight at the first time of asking as they finished Second Division runners-up in 1988.

Villa narrowly avoided relegation from the First Division in 1989 but in 1990 they surprised everyone by finishing runners-up to Liverpool in the First Division.Taylor left shortly afterwards to replace Bobby Robson as England manager, but Taylor would eventually be villified by the British press for his failures as national coach. Villa meanwhile appointed Czech coach Jozef Venglos as their new manager - the first time that a foreign manager had taken charge of a top division club.

The 1990's: more mixed fortunes

Jozef Venglos spent one season as manager of Aston Villa (1990-91). He stepped down after they finished just two places above the First Division relegation zone and David Platt was sold to Italian side Bari for £5 million. Aston Villa's new manager was Ron Atkinson, who had achieved considerable success with West Bromwich Albion, Manchester United and more recently Sheffield Wednesday. He spent heavily, making expensive additions to the squad including Earl Barrett, Dean Saunders, Dalian Atkinson, Kevin Richardson, Ray Houghton and Shaun Teale. The policy nearly paid off in 1993 when Aston Villa finished runners-up to Manchester United (Atkinson's old club) in the inaugural Premier League. Villa gained their revenge over United with a 3-1 League Cup final victory the following season (which prevented United from winning a unique domestic treble) but Villa's league form slipped and they finished tenth in 1994.

Atkinson was sacked in November 1994 with Villa battling relegation, just 18 months after they had almost won the league. His successor Brian Little did well to keep a demoralised team in the Premiership and in the summer of 1995 reshaped the squad by selling most of the club's older players and buying in many younger players. New arrivals included Alan Wright, Gary Charles, Ian Taylor, Mark Draper, Savo Milosevic, Gareth Southgate and Tommy Johnson. Several home grown players were also progressing well, especially striker Dwight Yorke and defender Ugo Ehiogu.

Aston Villa made huge progress in 1995-96 under Brian Little. They won the League Cup, reached the F.A Cup semi finals and finished fourth in the Premiership. Dwight Yorke was now established as a world class striker and other players like Ugo Ehiogu and Gareth Southgate were already gaining international recognition. Villa qualified for the UEFA Cup in 1996 and again in 1997, without making any real progress, and Little resigned in February 1998 with Villa 15th in the Premiership and with relegation looking a real possibility.

Little's successor John Gregory, a former Aston Villa coach who had left to take charge of Wycombe Wanderers 18 months earlier, revitalised the club's fortunes and they finished seventh in the Premiership and qualified for the UEFA Cup - due to the progress of other teams in the top seven it was the only time that a seventh placed club has automatically qualified for the UEFA Cup.
Despite the £12.6million sale of Dwight Yorke to Manchester United in August 1998, John Gregory had guided Aston Villa to the top of the Premiership by the middle of the 1998-99 season. New signings Paul Merson and Dion Dublin were proving to be worth the money, while 18-year-old defender Gareth Barry was easily the most competent young player in the Premiership that season. But Villa's form slipped during the final weeks and they finished sixth - not even enough for a UEFA Cup place.

The New Millennium

So far, the new Millennium has brought more 'average' performances for Aston Villa. They did reach the F.A Cup final in 2000 (for the first time since 1957), but lost 1-0 to Chelsea. Gregory quit the club in January 2002 and chairman Doug Ellis made a surprise decision on appointed Graham Taylor as manager for the second time. Villa finished the 2001-02 season in eighth place, which was similar to most of their other Premiership finishes. But a 16th place finish in the 2002-03 Premiership campaign saw Taylor quit as manager and make way for ex-Leeds United manager David O'Leary.

After a poor start to the season, O'Leary transformed the team's fortunes and by Spring 2004 they were in contention for a Champions League place. But a 2-0 home defeat against Manchester United saw them finish sixth in the Premiership and narrowly miss out on a UEFA Cup place. Nevertheless, such an improvement in league form reflected well on how David O'Leary had rejuvenated the club's fortunes. By February 2005, they were mid table in the Premiership but there is still time for an improvement which could see Villa qualify for European competition in the 2005-06 season.

Aston Villa FC Honours, Trophies & Awards

* European Cup
o 1982
* European Super Cup
o 1983
* Inter-Toto Cup
o 2001
* FA Cup
o 1887, 1895, 1897, 1905, 1913, 1920, 1957
* League Cup
o 1961, 1975, 1977, 1994, 1996
* First Division Champions
o 1893-1894, 1895-1896, 1896-1897, 1898-1899, 1899-1900, 1909-1910, 1980-1981
* Second Division Champions
o 1937-1938, 1959-1960
* Third Division Champions
o 1971-1972
* FA Youth Cup
o 1972, 1980, 2002
* Charity Shield (1981*)

Celtic Football Club

Celtic Football Club


Full Name: The Celtic Football Club
City: Glasgow
Founded: 1888
Stadium: Celtic Park (60,355)
Colors: Green, White
Nicknames: The Bhoys, The Hoops
Rival: Rangers
Official Website: celticfc.net

Description:

Formed on November 6, 1887 in East Glasgow, where the club is still based. The first match was against eternal rival Rangers. The Glasgow derby between Celtic and Rangers, known as the Old Firm, is one of the fiercest in the world. Celtic are traditionally the club of Catholic Scotland and of its Irish community. Bhoys is the traditional Irish spelling of Boys. Hoops is a reference to the "hoops" on the jerseys. Celtic were the first British (and still only Scottish) club to win the European Cup.

Honors

League Titles:

* Scottish Football League (1893)
* Scottish Football League First Division (1894, 96, 98, 1905, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 22, 26, 36, 38, 54, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
* Scottish Football League Premier Division (1977, 79, 81, 82, 86, 88, 98)
* Scottish Premier League (2001, 02, 04, 06, 07, 08)
* Scottish Cup (1894, 99, 1900, 04, 07, 08, 11, 12, 14, 23, 25, 27, 31, 33, 37, 51, 54, 65, 67, 69, 71, 72, 74, 75, 77, 80, 85, 88, 89, 95, 2001, 04, 05, 07)
* Scottish League Cup (1957, 58, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 75, 83, 98, 2000, 01, 06, 09
* Drybrough Cup: 1974.
* Coronation Cup: 1953.

International Titles:

* European Cup (1967)

Porto FC

Porto FC

Full Name: Futebol Clube do Porto
City: Porto
Founded: 1906
Stadium: Estádio do Dragão (50,948)
Colors: Blue, White
Nicknames: Os Dragões (The Dragons), FCP, Tripeiros, Azuis e Brancos (Blue and White)
Rivals: Benfica, Boavista, Sporting Lisbon
Official Website: fcporto.pt

Description:

Founded in 1893, but football action was suspended until 1906. Have been the most successful Portuguese club over the last 25 years, one of the Portuguese Big Three. The colors were chosen to represent an earlier incarnation of the Portuguese flag. The emblem includes the city shield of Oporto. The Dragões nickname is a reference to the Dragon atop the club's emblem. Tripeiros = resident of the city of Oporto. The stadium name = Stadium of the Dragons. Previous stadiums - Campo da Rainha (1906-12), Campo da Constitucão (1912-52), Das Antas (1952-2004).

HONORS

League Titles:

* Portuguese Championship (1922, 25, 32, 37)
* Portuguese League (1939, 40, 56, 59, 78, 79, 85, 86, 88, 90, 92, 93, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2003, 04, 06, 07, 08, 09)

Cup Titles:

* Portuguese Cup (1956, 58, 68, 77, 84, 88, 91, 94, 98, 2000, 01, 03, 06, 09)
* Portuguese Super Cup (1981, 83, 84, 86, 90, 91, 93, 94, 96, 98, 99, 2001, 03, 04, 06, 09)

International Titles:

* European Cup (1987)
* Champions League (2004)
* UEFA Cup (2003)
* Intercontinental Cup (1987, 2004)

Ajax Amsterdamsche Football Club

Ajax Amsterdamsche Football Club


Full Name: Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax
City: Amsterdam
Founded: 1900
Stadium: Amsterdam ArenA (51,859)
Colors: Red, White
Nicknames: De Godenzonen, Superjoden
Rivals: Feyenoord, PSV
Official Website: ajax.nl

Description:

Ajax were founded at the Café Oost Indie on Kalverstraat on March 18, 1900. They are named in honor of the Ancient Greek warrior of the same name.Famous for playing attractive, attacking football and for being the birthplace of 'total football'.They also have traditionally had one of the world's best youth programs, known simply as De Toekomst - The Future. The supporters have a curious reputation as being Jewish,though few actually are. Anti-semitic chants are sung by opposing fans, and Israeli flags are regularly seen at Ajax matches. The nickname Superjoden meansSuper Jews while De Godenzonen means Sons of the Gods. Ajax are the symbol of the city of Amsterdam and that of the artistic/creative class of Holland. Their arch-rivals are Feyenoord,their matches are called 'De klassieker' - the classic one. The club adopted their now trademark uniforms of white shirts with vertical red stripe in1911 to avoid conflict with already established Sparta Rotterdam. Previous stadiums - Het Houten (1900-28), Olympic Stadium (1928-34), De Meer (1934-96).

Ajax Amsterdam History

Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax, also referred to as Ajax Amsterdam, AFC Ajax, or simply Ajax (pronounced i-yax), is a football club from Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Ajax is one of the top football clubs in the world. It is one of the "big three" clubs in the Netherlands that dominate the Dutch football scene. The other "bigthree" clubs are Feyenoord Rotterdam and PSV Eindhoven. Ajax is also one of only four clubs to have won all three major European trophies.
The club was founded in March 18, 1900 by the brothers Han and Johan Dade and based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
The club is probably well-known by all football fans around the world with its recognizable white with a single red stripe home jersey. The club is also famous for its respectable youth program and has introduced to the world many great professional footballers such as Johan Cruijff and Marco van Basten. Its satellite club is the Ajax Cape Town of South Africa where youth players were drafted in the first team squad at some point of the seasonal campaign of the Eredivisie such as Steven Pienaar and Aaron Mokoena. In 1995, the year that they won the European Champions' League, the first team was best remembered as the team that could best represent the Dutch national team in all departments, with Edwin van der Sar in goalkeeping position, players such as Michael Reiziger, Frank de Boer, Danny Blind in defense, Ronald de Boer, Edgar Davids and Clarence Seedorf in midfield, as well as Patrick Kluivert and Marc Overmars in attack. The team was coached by Louis van Gaal. Its current fortunes are mostly domestic-based notwithstanding some minor successes in the 2002-2003 Champions League campaign although its youth team continues to develop talented individuals like Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder, Nigel de Jong and Johnny Heitinga who regularly represented their nation.

Ajax’s first stadium was built in 1911 out of wood and was simply called The Stadium. Ajax later played in the stadium that was build for the 1928 Olympic games of Amsterdam. This stadium designed by Jan Wils is know as the Olympic Stadium. Ajax also played in stadium called De Meer from 1934on. In 1996,Ajax changed from the Olympic stadium and De Meer to a new home ground known as the Amsterdam ArenA that was built at the cost of $134 million. The stadium is capable of holding up to approximately 52 000 people. Amsterdam Arena, also written in camel case: ArenA (Amsterdam southeast). The Arena has a retractable roof and was the example for other modern stadiums that were build in the EU in the following years. In the Netherlands the Arena has earned a reputation for having a terrible grassfield. The condition of the field is caused by the roof that, even when open, takes away to much sunlight and ventilation of the field.

Ajax Amsterdam Honours, Trophies & Awards

League Titles:

* Dutch Championship (1918, 19, 31, 32, 34, 37, 39, 47)
* Eredivisie (1957, 60, 66, 67, 68, 70, 72, 73, 77, 79, 80, 82, 83, 85, 90, 94, 95, 96, 98, 2002, 04)

Cup Titles:

* Dutch Cup (1917, 43, 61, 67, 70, 71, 72, 79, 83, 86, 87, 93, 98, 99, 2002, 06, 07)
* Dutch Super Cup (1993, 94, 95)
* Johan Cruyff Shield (2002, 05, 06, 07)

International Titles:

* European Cup (1971, 72, 73)
* Champions League (1995)
* European Cup Winner's Cup (1987)
* UEFA Cup (1992)
* Intercontinental Cup (1972, 95)