billsportsmaps.com

March 4, 2010

England: 2009-10 FA Cup, Sixth Round Proper.

Filed under: 2009-10 FA Cup — admin @ 11:53 am


FA cup news, fixtures, results at BBC.co.uk , FA Cup news.

Just one of the Big 4 (Chelsea) is still alive in the Sixth Round of the 2009-10 FA Cup. And with Aston Villa and Tottenham still standing, represented are two of the three clubs trying to gate-crash the Big 4. Three other clubs here are from the category of Premier League clubs in good form…Fulham, Birmingham City, and Stoke City.
That leaves two unlikely members of this group of 8…2nd Level, and relegation-threatened Reading; and the-just-entered-into-administration Portsmouth, whose very existence has been under threat of late. Portsmouth, of course, were the winners of this competition just two seasons ago, and their overspending on salaries of players who helped them win the 2007-08 FA Cup is part of the reason the club is now in such a mess. Nevertheless, Pompey is but one win away from a return trip to Wembley Stadium, where the two Semi-Finals matches that make up the following round will be played.
On the map for this round, I have added profiles, which include photos of 2009-10 home and away jerseys. Thanks to these sites for the photos… The Onion Bag.com . UK Soccer Shop.com . Subside Sports .

February 12, 2010

England: 2009-10 FA Cup, Fifth Round proper (the 16 clubs).

Filed under: 2009-10 FA Cup — admin @ 1:59 pm

england_2009-10_fa-cup_fifth-round-proper_post.gif


Note…I am having problems with my site’s admin, and half the time I can’t even insert the images or the links I want to insert. I had to switch my server from Internet Explorer to Mozilla Firefox. At the same time (or slighty before that), the WordPress dashboard has changed, and there is no toolbar for inserting images oir links, and writing and illustrating new posts can now only be done via code, and not through a copy-and-paste procedure. If anyone out there has a WordPress platform for their site, or is familiar with WordPress, I would really appreciate some help.

January 21, 2010

2009-10 FA Cup, Fourth Round Proper (32 clubs).

Filed under: 2009-10 FA Cup — admin @ 1:12 pm

england_2009-10_fa-cup_fourth-round-proper_post.gif


Notice how odd the map segment above looks without the usual suspects (ie, no  Manchester United Red Devils and no Liverpool Reds).  And the fact that uber-minnows Accrington Stanley are still alive in the 2009-10 FA Cup makes it even more unusual.

Accrington Stanley are drawing 40 percent higher than last season,  but are still barely above a 2,000 per game average gate.  In this tough economic climate,  it’s good to see a tiny but competeive club like Stanley with increased attendance figures.  The fact is, they deserve it.  Accrington Stanley’s Manager John Coleman,  the current third-longest-tenured Football League manager (behind Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger),  has done a remarkable job with very little..Stanley have the smallest budget and the smallest roster in the League.  Even so,  Accrington Stanley are the only club in England to have improved (or maintained) their league standing every season for the past 10 years.  Here is ASFC’s League History,  from Accrington Stanley-Mad.co.uk {click here}. 

From The Offside,  ‘Accrington Stanley, who are they?’ (14 December, 2009) {click here}.

This season,  Stanley are in 11th place in League Two,  and have won four of their last 6 league matches,  as well as beating League One’s Gillingham 1-0,  on Tuesday,  in their FA Cup Third Round replay.  And there is good news for the club financially,  as they have have avoided last year’s winding up order and have repaid their debts.  And the 67,500 pounds prize money for reaching the Fourth Round is another plus for the little Lancashire club that wouldn’t die. 

Accrington Stanley will host the Premier League’s Fulham FC on Saturday.  This is the first time the modern version of Accrington Stanley has reached the FA Cup Fourth Round;  while Accrington Stanley FC (1891-1963) reached the Fourth Round 3 times,  in 1926-27,  1936-37,  and 1958-59.

accrington-stanley_crown-ground.gif

-

For this round’s map,  over at the far left,  in the average attendance list,  I have added another column…percent change in average attendance from 2008-09.  

Average attendances for each club are 2009-10 season domestic leagues,  to Wednesday,  January 20 inclusive.

FA Cup fixtures {click here (BBC Sport)}.

Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {FA Cup page,  here}.   Thanks to ITV site,  for gate figures {click here}.   Thanks to FourFourTwo magazine,  for information on Accrington Stanley {FourFourTwo site,  here}.   Thanks to Accrington Stanley official site {click here}.   Thanks to Behind the Badges site {click here}.   Thanks to http://www.hyndburn.gov.uk  {The Townships of Hyndburn, Accrington,  here}.

January 1, 2010

2009-10 FA Cup, Third Round Proper (64 clubs).

Filed under: 2009-10 FA Cup — admin @ 8:47 am

england_2009-10_fa-cup_third-round-proper_post.gif


2009-10 FA Cup Third Round,  Sunday, 3 January- Manchester United 0-1 Leeds United.  Beckford (19th minute).  Old Trafford,  attendance: 74,546 (capacity: 76,212).

From Two Hundred Percent.net, ‘Match of the week 2, Manchester United 0-1 Leeds United’ by Ian King {click here}.

 leeds-united-beats-manchester-united_2009-10_fa-cup-third-round_3-january2010_jerrmaine-beckford_jonny-howson.gif


The biggest rivalry in this weekend’s FA Cup Third Round matches is Manchester United v. Leeds United,  on Sunday.  About 57 kilometers (36 miles),  and the Pennine Chain,  separate the two cities.  The rivalry between Leeds United and Manchester United is part of larger rivalry between regions that has gone on since at least the 15th century, {see this ‘Leeds United AFC and Manchester United FC rivalry’, from en.wikipedia.org}.  

It is appropriate that the two combatants today wear colors which echo those of the two warring houses of Lancaster and York,  with the red rose of Lancashire represented in the Manchester United jerseys,  and the white rose of Yorkshire represented in the all-white kit of Leeds United. 

Manchester United have worn red jerseys since the club changed it’s name in 1902,  from Newton Heath Lancashire & Yorkshire Railways FC to Manchester United FC…{see this (a small chart of NHL&YRFC/early Manchester United kits);  MUFC full kit history here (Historical Football Kits.co.uk)}.

For the FA Cup final of 1909,  Manchester United wore a change strip that featured a red rose of Lancashire (as well as a large red chevron under the collar…a design feature also in the club’s 2009-10 kit).  You can see that 1909 FA Cup final jersey {here (Toffs.com)}  One hundred years ago,  Manchester was still considered part of Lancashire (the concept of Greater Manchester didn’t exist then). 

Leeds United started out in 1919 in royal blue and white vertical stripes until 1934,  when the club introduced yellow to form blue and yellow halves on their jerseys,  circa 1934 to 1948…{see this “Leeds United FC, Colors and Badge’}.

By 1956,  Leeds United began wearing blue with yellow trim on their jerseys.  This lasted until 1961,  when coach Don Revie chose to have the squad wear all-white gear,  in emulation of Real Madrid,  who were of course the most successful club in the world then.  Leeds have kept the all-white look ever since 1961.  In 1984,  the club began sporting a badge that had the white rose of Yorkshire,  with a yellow and white football inside {here}.  They kept this crest until 1998,  when their current badge was introduced,  which includes the white rose at the top of the sheild. 

Thanks to the FA site {click here}.   Thanks to ITV.com,  for attendance figures and percent capacity figures {click here}.   Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {click here}.   Thanks to http://www.mapcrow.info .

November 25, 2009

2009-10 FA Cup, Second Round. The 40 clubs, with league attendances.

Filed under: 2009-10 FA Cup — admin @ 6:34 pm

england_2009-10_fa-cup_second-round_post_b.gif


On the map this round I have added another column on the far left…percent change in average attendance from 2008-09.

Here are the clubs in the 2009-10 FA  Cup Second Round that also made it to the 2008-09 FA Cup Second Round…Aldershot,  Barrow,  AFC Bournemouth,  Brentford,  Forest Green Rovers,  Gillingham,  Kettering Town,  Leeds United,  Luton Town,  Millwall,  Notts County,  Oxford United,  Port Vale,  Stockport County,  Torquay United,  Tranmere Rovers.  That’s 16 returning clubs.    

“ITV to show Kettering v Leeds & Northwich v Lincoln FA Cup second round ties”,  {click here (ITV.com/The FA Cup}. 

From the FA.com,  ”Vics target Imps”,  by Michael Ruffles,  {click here}. 

From StainesNews.co.uk,  ”Residents’ fears over Staines v Millwall clash”,  {click here}.   

The FA Cup Trophy Tour“… the inaugural epiosode of EPL Talk’s new video series,  by Laurence McKenna and Max Bell.  First stop:  Millwall’s New Den,  featuring Millwall all-time leading scorer and captain Neil Harris  {click here}.  EPL Talk {here}. 

One of the ties is a West Country derby between Conference side Forest Green Rovers and Conference-South club Bath City.  Forest Green won their First Round replay v. Mansfield Town in Nottinghamshire on Tuesday the 17th;  while Bath City had one of the 3 biggest upsets in the First Round,  defeating League Two club Grimsby Town up in Lincolnshire.   [The other two big upsets in the First Round were Staines Town over Shrewsbury Town,  and Northwich Victoria over Charlton Athletic.  Other notable upsets were Kettering Town over Hartlepool United,  and York City over Crewe Alexandra.  In the asterisk department for upsets would be Oxford United over Yeovil Town,  and Luton Town over Rochdale.  I say this because although Oxford and Luton are in a league that is below Yeovil Town (League One) and Rochdale (League Two),  both Oxford and Luton are historically more successful clubs which have far larger fan bases than Yeovil and Rochdale.]   

Here are highlights of the First Round match:  Grimsby Town 0-2 Bath City,  with Bath City’s Darren Edwards scoring a fine goal at around 0:50 in the video {click here (YouTube via AOL.com)}. 

The Bath City v. Forest Green tie,  along with the Cambridge United v. York City tie and the Oxford United v. Barrow tie,  assures that at least three Non-League clubs will make it to the Third Round in January 2010.  Last season a record 8 Non-League clubs made it to the FA Cup Third Round.  Right now,  there are 12 Non-League clubs still alive in the 2009-10 FA Cup.

From Nedved’s Notes,  a  Bath City fansite,  an article on Bath City’s opponents Forest Green Rovers,  and their supporters,  “The Shiny Happy People from Gloucestershire” {click here}.   From ThisIsBath.co.uk,  [Bath City manager Adie] ”Britton:  City can be the best in the West”,  {click here}.  

 bath_fc_twerton-park_e.gif

Thanks to Bath City FC unofficial website {click here}.   Thanks to The Amber Terrace {at Flickr.com,  click here}.   Thanks to yuffie city {at Flickr.com,  click here}.   Thanks to BBC Sport/Football/FA Cup {click here}.   Thanks to Bing.com/maps {click here}.

Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {click here}.   Thanks to King’s Lynn FC-”The Linnets”site,  for Non-League clubs’attendance figures {click here}.   Thanks to ESPN SoccerNet,  for League One and League Two clubs’ attendance figures {click here}.

November 5, 2009

2009-10 FA Cup, First Round Proper. The 80 clubs, with attendances.

Filed under: 2009-10 FA Cup — admin @ 6:10 pm

 england_2009-10_fa-cup_1st-round_post_e.gif


‘Vics cause shock of first round’,  from ESPN Soccernet {click here}.    ‘Northwich barman leaves Charlton feeling punch-drunk’,  by John Ashdown at Victoria Stadium {click here}. 

northwich-victoria_victoria-stadium_wayne-riley_2009-10-fa-cup-first-round_b.gif

FA Cup round-up A-F {click here (Sky Sports.com)}.  FA Cup round-up G-O {click here}.  FA Cup round-up P-Y {click here}.

FA Cup fixtures {click here (BBC/sport)}. 
  staines-town_wheatsheaf-park_ali-chaaban_fa-cup-09-10_c.gif

Thanks to Pyramid Passion.co.uk {click here}.

From The Guardian.co.uk  {click here (‘Paulton Rovers live the dream as Norwich and TV come calling in FA Cup’,  by Stuart James,  on 6 November ’09)}.

paultom-rovers_2009-10_fa-cup_1st-round-proper_s1.gif

 Thanks to the Paulton Rovers site {click here}.   Thanks to Matthew Bissex Architectural Design Limited {click here}.    Thanks to This Is Somerset.co.uk  {click here (set at ‘Lacey living Cup dream’,  from 5 November,’09)}.   Thanks to Ilkeston Town FC site {click here}.   Thanks to Staines Town site {click here}.   Thanks to the Zamaretto League site {click here}.   Thanks to Norwich Evening News 24.co.uk {click here (set at Sport)}. 

Thanks to ESPN Soccernet, for League One,  League Two,  and Conference attendance figures {click here}. 

Thanks to the King’s Lynn FC (“The Linnets”) site, for attendance figures {click here}.

Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {click here (2009-10 FA Cup/First Round Proper)}.

Thanks to Bing maps {click here}.

Powered by WordPress