Sometimes it’s hard to believe because they monopolize the Premier League so much, but the Big Four in England have not always been the big four. Chelsea only joined the ranks in 2003. Prior to that, the league was topped by the Big Three or Big Two depending on Liverpool’s inconsistent form.
To understand how the biggest teams in English football compare, <a href="http://billsportsmaps.com/" target="_blank">Bill Sports Maps</a> has created an <a href="http://billsportsmaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/english_trophies_chart_p.gif" target="_blank">image showing the most successful clubs</a>. Here are the top 10 most successful (click the image to see the top 26 and complete image):
<a href="http://billsportsmaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/english_trophies_chart_p.gif" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img src="/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/top-english-football-clubs.jpg" alt="top-english-football-clubs.jpg"></figure></div></a>
Over the entire history of English football, you can see how the top clubs compare. The Big Four, over a period of 120 years, are Liverpool, Man United, Arsenal and Aston Villa. Chelsea are in ninth place just ahead of Wolverhampton. Number five through eight are Everton, Spurs, Newcastle and Blackburn.
As well as <a href="http://billsportsmaps.com/" target="_blank">Bill Sport Maps</a>, another fantastic resource is an applet which features the <a href="http://alexharm.googlepages.com/tables.html" target="_blank">tables of all of the professional football leagues in England from 1889 to present</a>. It’s an amazing tool that’s easy to use and provides a fascinating glimpse at the highs and lows of all of the English teams.

The History Of English Football Before The Big Four

The History Of English Football Before The Big Four - World Soccer Talk

<div><figure class="external-image"><img src="/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/new-newcastle-away-shirt.gif" alt="new-newcastle-away-shirt.gif"></figure></div>
Newcastle United has unveiled their new away shirt for the 2008/2009 season. Modeled by Michael Owen, the blue shirt is designed in the new Adidas template.
While the new Newcastle United kit looks attractive, it looks similar to Chelsea’s new home shirt although the blues are definitely different shades. Thanks to <a href="http://football-shirts.co.uk/fans/" target="_blank">Football Shirts</a> for the tip about the new shirt.
What do you think about the new Newcastle away kit? Share your thoughts below.

New 08/09 Newcastle United Away Shirt

New 08/09 Newcastle United Away Shirt - World Soccer Talk

<div><figure class="external-image"><img src="/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/man-utd-football-club-website.jpg" alt="Man United web site" align="right" vspace="15" hspace="15"></figure></div>Manchester United is not just European champions as well as Premier League title holders. The team’s web site is also the number one most visited English football club by visitors from the United States. Here’s the top 10 list for the week ending May 17, 2008 (source: <a href="http://www.hitwise.com" target="_blank">Hitwise</a>).
<ol>
<li>Manchester United</li>
<li>Arsenal</li>
<li>Chelsea</li>
<li>Liverpool</li>
<li>Leeds United</li>
<li>West Ham United</li>
<li>Newcastle United</li>
<li>Manchester City</li>
<li>Fulham</li>
<li>Wigan Athletic</li>
</ol>
There are quite a few observations that can be made. First, the number one most visited website in the UK is Liverpool’s web site. However, it’s only number four in the U.S. Second, it’s surprising that Tottenham Hotspur’s web site isn’t in the top ten and that Wigan’s web site gets even more traffic than theirs from U.S. visitors. Third, Leeds United shows yet again how much of a massive fan base they have around the world (and, in this case, in the USA). Fourth, it’s nice to see West Ham’s web site so high in the top 10.
Despite Chelsea marketing itself to Americans in recent years, the west London club is only in third place. Arsenal, who hasn’t landed on U.S. shores in years, sit comfortably in second place.
What are some interesting observations that you can make based on the above chart? Click the comments link and let us know.

Top 10 Most Visited English Soccer Club Websites By U.S. Visitors

Top 10 Most Visited English Soccer Club Websites By U.S. Visitors - World Soccer Talk

<div><figure class="external-image"><img src="/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/baptiste.jpg" alt="Ricky Baptiste" align="left"></figure></div>Blue Square Conference South club Havant and Waterlooville beat League One leaders Swansea 4-2 to book a dream trip to Anfield in the fourth round of the FA Cup on January 26.
Richard Paquette, Jamie Collins and Rocky Baptiste gave the Hampshire side a three-goal lead, before Guillem Bauza pulled a goal back for the League One leaders in the 39th minute. Jason Scotland made it 3-2 – but Tom Jordan’s 65th-minute goal sealed the victory for Havant and Waterlooville.
I absolutely love the story behind Havant and Waterlooville and, in particular, their striker Ricky Baptiste. Baptiste, as well as preparing for his role as a potential giantkiller, is doing the Knowledge in a bid to become a London cabbie. Baptiste explained to The Sun: “To complete the Knowledge you have to know all of London’s streets within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross. It’s very hard work and I go to bed dreaming of London streets. I want to be a cabbie so that when I finish playing football I have something to fall back on. ”
The other upset of the day came from League Two club Hereford United, who set up a fourth round tie at home to Cardiff with a 1-0 victory over League One side Tranmere Rovers. Winger Simon Johnson scored in the 72nd minute to push his club through. Tranmere will feel hard done by as the match reports all say that they dominated most of the game.
Newcastle beat Stoke 4-1 at St James’ Park to set up a fourth-round trip to Arsenal. Newcastle played over an hour with just 10 men as Emre was shown the red card at the half-hour mark for a bad tackle on Stoke’s John Eustace. Micheal Owen, Claudio Cacapa, James Milner and Damien Duff scored for the Magpies before Stoke’s Liam Lawrence notched a consolation goal.
Manchester City will face Sheffield United in the fourth round after beating West Ham with a 73rd-minute goal from Brazilian midfielder Elano. City’s striker problems will continue in the new year as on-loan Mexican Nery Castillo fell awkwardly under a challenge from Lucas Neill and was stretchered off with a dislocated shoulder in the second half of the match.

FA Cup: More Third Round replay shocks

FA Cup: More Third Round replay shocks - World Soccer Talk

<div><figure class="external-image"><img src="/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/keegan2.jpg" alt="keegan2.jpg" align="right"></figure></div> A news flash on the Newcastle United homepage tipped me off to this. It is official, Kevin Keegan is returning to Newcastle United as manager. It will be Kevin’s third stint at St. James’ Park.
He arrived as a player in 1982 and led the team back to the top-flight before hanging up his boots in the summer of 1984.
He returned as manager in 1992, saving the club from relegation to the old Third Division that year before leading the Magpies to the Premier League the following season.
From that point, the attacking brand of football he had the team playing saw Newcastle dubbed ‘The Entertainers’. Keegan was a hugely popular figure during that spell as Magpies boss but was initially viewed by many as an outside candidate to replace Sam Allardyce. Keegan has been out of football management since 2005 after a largely unsuccessful spell as Manchester City boss. As recently as October of 2007, Keegan had <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/7044692.stm">told the BBC’s Inside Sport</a> that he would not get into management again as he was content in running his interactive football attraction Soccer Circus, which is based in Glasgow.
Gerard Houllier and Didier Deschamps were the names being linked with the position in the last two days but the club unexpectedly announced Keegan as the club’s new manager on <a href="http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/" title="Newcastle United website">their website</a> this afternoon.
We’ll be post more on this as news emerges.

Breaking News: Kevin Keegan is Newcastle manager &#8211; again !

Breaking News: Kevin Keegan is Newcastle manager - again ! - World Soccer Talk

Breaking News: Kevin Keegan is Newcastle manager – again !

After Saturday’s shocks, more David-v-Goliath matchups were on tap for Sunday. We start with Luton Town, who ignored the fact that they are 60 league places below Liverpool and forced a very deserved replay at Anfield. This was one of the games I checked out on Sunday and I felt it was an entertaining 1-1 draw. The football on display was not always the most fluid but there was plenty of hustle and passion from Luton. Both goals came off of defensive errors as John Arne Riise scored an own goal just three minutes after Peter Crouch’s 74th-minute opening goal. It was Chris Perry’s misplaced header that gave Andriy Voronin a breakaway. The Stoke goalkeeper parried the Ukrainian’s shot but the ball fell right at Crouch’s feet and he rolled it into the net.
Drew Talbot was my man of the match in this one. It was his dangerous cross that Riise turned into his own goal and he kept the Liverpool defence on their heels most of the afternoon.
The replay at Anfield on January 15th will bring in £250,000 to the Luton Town coffers as the club fights for its future. The League One outfit are currently in administration and struggling to pay the wages of their staff. They will be forced to sell off their best players should a buyer not be found.
The other game I checked out on Sunday was the Stoke City – Newcastle United tie. Stoke City forced a replay against after holding the struggling Premier League side to a draw. The game lacked quality and only came to life for spells of the second half. There were a couple of close calls either way but the defenders and goalkeepers on both sides were determined to keep the ball out of their net. Stoke will now travel to St James’ Park next Wednesday.
The draw sees more criticism and pressure heaped on Newcastle gaffer Sam Allardyce. Stoke are among the Championship promotion places, but for all their size and energy, they should not have posed such a serious threat to a mid-table Premier League team that aspires to be amongst the “big” clubs. Newcastle face an away fixture to Manchester United and then a replay with Stoke next Wednesday. It’s shaping up to be another pressurized week for Newcastle.
Fulham had to come from behind twice to force a replay with League One strugglers Bristol Rovers. Rovers, near the foot of the League One table, defended resiliently and capitalized on Fulham’s nervous start. Fulham did look better in the second half and could have won the game on a few occasions. I expect they will win the replay but will not be pleased to have an extra match on their plate.
In a less shocking result, Premier League strugglers Derby County were held to a 2-2 draw by Sheffield Wednesday. Wednesday side went two up within the first 23 minutes. Mark Beevers’ (linked in the press with a move to Everton) speculative shot was woefully mishandled by Derby keeper Lewis Price as he spilled it into the goal to gift a 1-0 lead to the visitors. 24-year-old striker Marcus Tudgay, sold to Sheffield Wednesday two years ago after five years at Pride Park, drilled home the Championship side’s second as they thrilled the 5,500 fans that had travelled with the team. Tudgay pounced on Darren Moore’s awful attempted header to his own keeper and put Wednesday up 2-0.
Cue the comeback! More poor defending, this time from Wednesday, as Kenny Miller outmaneuvered three defenders to colect a cross into the area and fire low into the corner past another former Derby man, Lee Grant. Giles Barnes drew Derby level with a lovely left-foot volley just before the interval. The second half was unremarkable by comparison to the first. Derby’s finishing was poor and Grant was a solid presence in goal. He made one particularly good stop to keep out a Gary Teale volley. Another former Ram, Deon Burton, had a goal disallowed late on. The replay of this tie will be at Hillsborough next Wednesday.
The only non-shock was Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Burnley. Arsenal largely played their “B” team though recent first-team regulars such as Eduardo, Justin Hoyte and Bacary Sagna featured for the Premier League leaders. Burnley did not roll over and capitulate, giving Arsenal a run for their money with a performance that evoked memories of their shock third-round win over Liverpool in 2005.
Kyle Lafferty’s header hit the bar for the hosts before Eduardo slotted home in the 9th minute. Robbie Blake and Chris McCann both spurned chances in front of goal in the first half. Lafferty’s afternoon came to an abrupt end in the second half. On the hour he was deemed to have made a dangerous challenge on Gilberto and referee Alan Wiley pulled out the red card without hesitation. Wiley’s angle on the play was not great and the replays showed that he got the decision wrong. It may have been beneficial for Wiley to have consulted the assistant on the opposite side for his opinion. In any event, a red was very harsh and did change the face of the game. To their credit, Burnley poured forward with even more purpose and tried to find an equalizer. However, Eduardo was at the heart of the second goal as well, playing a perfectly weighted through ball for Bendtner. He rounded Kiraly and finished the game off as a contest with 15 minutes left on the clock.

Road to Wembley: FA Cup 3rd Round Sunday Recap

Road to Wembley: FA Cup 3rd Round Sunday Recap - World Soccer Talk

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