http://www.maplelions.com Canadian Passion for English Football Fri, 12 Jan 2007 01:31:14 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Just go here. Damian P. http://www.maplelions.com/2007/01/11/joke-of-the-day-possibly-the-week/ Leo McKinstry of the Telegraph doubts Lord Stevens can do it with his report: Contrary to what socialists often claim, the wealth is now trickling down to all levels of the game. Non-league football, especially the Conference, has infinitely more resources than in the past. As the writer Ian Ridley showed ... http://www.maplelions.com/2006/12/21/can-the-tarnish-be-taken-off-the-beautiful-game/ Someone finally captures the essence of our favourite Croxteth denizen: Paul Canniff http://www.maplelions.com/2006/12/20/meet-the-roonstones/ The Beeb publishes its list of the top ten terrace chants of 2006. But the best I've encountered comes courtesy of my good friend Neal Elliott, who is currently touring England: "All bling and Burberry, High teenage pregnancy, No father on the scene, All robbing cash machines!" As sung by Sittingbourne supporters to their ... http://www.maplelions.com/2006/12/20/cracker-chants/ Lord Stevens has issued a report on illegal payments in football transfers, citing 17 incidents, but has not yet named names: "This is no witch hunt. This is no whitewash," said Stevens, whose Quest team looked at 362 transfers between January 2004-06. "The reason why we are not naming names is ... http://www.maplelions.com/2006/12/20/silent-bunging/ The Beeb gives the lowdown on the draw for the next phase of the Champions League. Paul Canniff http://www.maplelions.com/2006/12/15/a-punters-guide-to-the-cl-knockout-draw/ Alan Curbishley prepares to feast on Upton Park's new Icelandic riches... with some fava beans and a nice chianti. Some have claimed that he was a bargain since he wasn't tied to another club. To lightly paraphrase Dennis Miller, five lime-green leisure suits for the price of one is neither a ... http://www.maplelions.com/2006/12/13/the-silence-of-the-hammers/ The hills around Upton Park are alive with the sound of a thud as Alan Pardew's career with the Hammer crashes, in no small part due to his acquisition of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano: Hammers legend Frank Lampard Snr believes the arrival of the Argentine duo at the end of ... http://www.maplelions.com/2006/12/11/adieu-adieu-to-you-alan-pardew/ The Special One takes a page from Michael Corleone in defending his uneasy striker: "Sheva is not untouchable because of the way he is playing. I play the best players at the time." The Ukraine striker has scored just three Premiership goals since his move from AC Milan in the summer. Mourinho ... http://www.maplelions.com/2006/12/08/sheva-hes-not-fredo-right/ Somewhere in here is the actual excuse for la Légion's sleep-inducing draw with Porto: "Porto played well," he said. "But we were a bit flat physically and maybe over-cautious when we won the ball. "It was a nervous performance because we knew to go out would have been a massive disappointment. "We didn't ... http://www.maplelions.com/2006/12/07/the-emirates-sphynx/