Football Stadia « billsportsmaps.com

December 9, 2009

UEFA Champions League 2009-10, 1st Knockout Round (16 teams).

Filed under: Football Stadia,UEFA Champions League — admin @ 6:57 pm

From UEFA site: ‘Draw picks Chelsea return for Mourinho’, {click here}.
Here are the 9 clubs that are returning to the 2009-10 edition of the UEFA Champions League Knockout Stage…

Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Internazionale, Lyon, Manchester United, Porto, and Real Madrid.

Thanks to the UEFA site {click here}. Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {click here (set at Champions League page)}. Thanks to http://www.onionbag.com/ , for jerseys. Thanks to Eurosport {click here}, for jerseys. Thanks to FC Girondins de Bordeaux site, for jerseys {click here}. Thanks to http://www.colours-of-football.com for jerseys.

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November 2, 2009

Turkey: 2009-10 Super Lig.

Filed under: Football Stadia,Turkey,Zoom Maps — admin @ 7:06 pm

This is the 52nd season of the competition. Reigning champions are Besiktas JK. SuperLig table {click here (SoccerStats.com)} [note: Ankaraspor was demoted on 15 September, due to conflicts of interest on the club's board with respect to local rivals Ankaragucu, {see this article (from WorldSoccer.com)}; {see this article (from TurkeySuperLigBligspot.com)}.].

On the map, I have included a photo of each club’s stadium. If possible, I selected an exterior shot of the stadium, to give a view of the surroundings of each location. Kayserispor’s Kaydar Has Stadyumu is brand new; the photo I used is from last winter, and shows the now-completed structure about three-quarters finished. Here is a photo of the interior of the stadium {click here (TinyPic.com; photo by Serkam Erdogan)}. The stadium will be one of the main assets in Turkey’s bid for hosting a European Championship in the future.

Also on the map is a list of the largest cities in Turkey, with population figures. The cities with 2009-10 SuperLig representation are shown in bold, with the clubs’ crests displayed alongside. Here is a forum thread with photos, ‘Stadiums in Turkey’ {click here (SkyscraperCity.com)}. Here is an article from http://www.insidefutbol.com , ‘Turkish Super Lig Stadium Report’, by Volkan Agir, from October, 2008 {click here}. This is a English-language blog on the Turkish Super Lig that I just found {click here (TurkeySuperLig.blogspot.com)}.

Below are two galleries. The first shows the top Turkish internationals who are currently plying their trade in their homeland.

The second gallery shows the young Turkish-born players most likely to be future stars.

Thanks to The Stadium Guide {click here}. Thanks to World Stadiums site {click here}. Thanks to www.flickr.com {click here (set at blackbir/dk’s photo of the Ataturk Olimpiyat Stadi)}. Thanks to ImageShak.com {click here (set at photo, unattributed, of Galatasaray’s Ali Sami Yen Stadyumu )}. Thanks to www.panoramio.com . Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {click here (set at Super Lig 2009-10 page).

Thanks to PC Lion FC blog {click here / translated, click here}, and Aceto Balsamico site {click here / translated, click here}, for the many links to posts of mine. Thanks to Ugur at PCLion FC blog for help in selecting the lists of players in the two galleries.

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October 17, 2009

The Netherlands: 2009-10 Eredivisie, with 08/09 average attendances, and stadium photos.

Filed under: Football Stadia,Netherlands,Zoom Maps — admin @ 8:11 am

…

Note: to see my latest post on Dutch football, cluck on the following, category: Netherlands.
…
The reigning Eredivisie champions are AZ . The club is located in Alkmaar, Nord-Holland, which is 33 km. (20 mi.) north-west of Amsterdam. KNVB Cup (Dutch Cup) Holders are SC Heerenveen, from Heerenveen, Friesland.

At the top of the map are the crests of each club, sized to reflect their 2008-09 average attendance in either the Eredivisie or the second division, which is called the Eerste Divisie. At the top left, there is a list of the cities with 09/10 Eredivisie representation. Below is the list I used.

‘List of cities in the Netherlands with over 100,000 people’ {click here (en.wikipedia.org}.

Dutch clubs in UEFA competitions for 2009-10…

AZ, Champions League Group stage-Group H, with Arsenal, Olympiacos (Greece), and Standard Liège (Belgium). AZ travels to north London to play Arsenal on Tuesday, 20th October.

Ajax, Europa League, Group stage-Group A. At home versus Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) on Thursday, 22nd October. Heerenveen, Europa League, Group stage-Group D. Away to FK Venspils (Latvia) on Thursday, 22nd October. Twente, Europa League, Group stage-Group H. Away to Sheriff [Tiraspol] (Moldova) on Thursday, 22nd October. PSV, Europa League, Group stage-Group K. Home versus FC Copenhagen (Denmark) on Thursday, 22nd October.

UEFA site, here.

Thanks to SportingSites.com/netherlands {click here}. Thanks to http://hollandfoci.eufoci.hu/stadionok.php . Thanks to Panoramio.com {I have set the link to a ground-level exterior shot of SC Heerenveen’s Abe Lenstra Stadion, here, by Jelmer Wielema}. Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org {click here (2009-10 Eredivisie page)}. Thanks to E-F-S site for attendance figures {click here}.

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June 23, 2009

Italy: the 3 promoted clubs at the end of the 2008-’09 season, from Serie B to Serie A.

Filed under: Football Stadia,Italy — admin @ 4:40 am

The map shows the three clubs which have won promotion from Italy’s Serie B to the Serie A, for the 2009-2010 season.

Serie B winners in 08/09 were AS Bari, the biggest club from the province of Apulia [Italian: Puglia ], which is located in the “boot-heel” of the Italian peninsula, on the Adriatic Sea. Bari has spent 28 seasons in Serie A, and are back in the top flight after an eight year absence. The club’s last four-season spell in the top tier ended in 2000-’01; they drew 26,415 per game in 97/98, their first season back up. Bari saw a 300 percent increase at the gate in 08/09 (15,345 per game) versus 07/08 (3,773 per game). The club plays at the Stadio San Nicola, which was built for the 1990 FIFA World Cup. The city of Bari has a population of 320,676 (2008 figure), and is 220 kilometers (137 miles) east of Naples.

Second place in Serie B in 08/09 were Parma FC, who bounce straight back up to Serie A. The club has had difficuties ever since their former owning company collapsed in the wake of the Parmalat scandal of late 2003. But from the early 1990′s through to the early 2000′s, the club amassed an impressive trophy haul, with 3 Coppa Italia Titles (1992, 1999, and 2002); 2 UEFA Cup Titles (1995 and 1999); and the 1993 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup Title. Parma also finished in 2nd place, just 1 point behind Juventus, in the 1996-’97 Seria A season. During this time period their turnstile count peaked at 25,364 per game in 1993-’94. Parma’s average attendance their last season in Serie A (07/08) was 15,427 per game. The city of Parma is in the region of Emilia-Romagna, 115 km. (72 mi.) southeast of Milan, and has a population of 178,000 (2007 figure).

The third and final promotion place in Serie B in 08/09 was decided by promotion playoffs. AS Livorno, Brescia, Empoli FC, and US Grosseto competed for the qualification. Livorno survived a 0-2 first leg deficit away to second division upstarts Grosseto, going on to win 4-1 in the second leg. Then the club from the Tuscan port city took a 2-2 aggregate v. Brescia and trounced them at their Stadio Armando Picchi, 3-0 last Saturday to win promotion straight back to Serie A. Here are the highlights of Livorno 3-0 Brescia (20 June, 2009) {click here (Youtube)}.

AS Livorno are known for their considerable contingent of left-wing supporters {see this}. Livorno have spent 16 seasons in Serie A, with their best season being a second place finish in 1942-’43 (when they lost the title to Torino by 1 point). The club’s high at the turnstiles was in 2004-’05, when in their first season back in Serie A for 55 years, they averaged 15,334 per game. But by 07/08, when they were relegated, Livorno were only averaging 9,901 per game. The city of Livorno has a population of 160,000 (2007 figure), and is 145 km. (90 mi.) southeast of Genoa.

[Note: on the map I have shown the 6 largest metropolitan ares in Italy {see this (Mongabay.com)}.

Thanks to CityDistance Tool @ Geobytes.com {click here}. Thanks to the E-F-S site, for gate figures {click here }. Thanks to WorldStadiums site {click here (set at Stadiums in Europe)}. Thanks to Stadium.Football.co.uk {click here (set at European Stadiums)}. Thanks to the contributors to the pages at Wikipedia {click here (set at Serie A 2009-10)}.

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June 13, 2009

Spain: the 3 promoted clubs in the 2008-09 season, from the Segunda Division to La Liga.

Filed under: Football Stadia,Spain — admin @ 4:02 pm

…

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One more weekend remains in Spain’s Segunda Division, but all 3 clubs at the top have clinched promotion…CD Tenerife, Xerez CD, and Real Zaragoza.

CD Tenerife are the most successful football club from the Canary Islands. The club plays in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the second-most populous city in the autonomous community of the Canary Islands. Its metro-area has a population of 399,000 (2008 estimate). CD Tenerife count a significant amount of English expatriates as supporters; see this site { http://www.armadasur.com/cd-tenerife-football-supporters-club/ }. CD Tenerife have spent 12 seasons in La Liga. Tenerife’s second-to-last spell in La Liga included two impressive UEFA Cup runs (making it to the round of 16 in 1992, and to the semi-finals in 1995), but they were relegated in 1999. Tenerife gained promotion two seasons later, but were relegated the next year. They drew 16,684 in 2001-02, their last season in La Liga. Tenerife will probably surpass that figure in 2009-10, seeing as how they drew in the high 15,000′s this season in the 2nd division.

Xerez CD are from Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia, 57 miles from Gibraltar. The region got an early start in football, in the late nineteenth century (owing to the sherry production in the area, which drew an English presence), and Xerez Fútbol Club was founded in 1909. This club merged with Club Deportivo Jerez in 1947 to create Xerez Club Deportivo. The club has never been in the first division. Xerez drew 9,110 per game in 2008-09.

Real Zaragoza bounces straight back to La Liga after one season in the Segunda Division. The club is from the city of Zaragoza, which is in the autonomous community and former kingdom of Aragon. The city is the fifth largest in Spain, with a population of 682,000, and a metropolitan population of 783,000 (2006 estimates). The club has spent 54 seasons in the first division, and the La Liga all-time table has Real Zaragoza in the 9th position {see this}. The club could be described as cup specialists, as they have never really challenged for the La Liga title (with just one second place finish), but have won the Copa del Rey 6 times (most recently in 2004). Zaragoza play at La Romareda, which has a capacity of 34,596. The club drew 30,711 in 2007-08, their last season in La Liga.

Thanks to WorldFootball.net, for Segunda Division attendance figures {click here}. Thanks to the contributors to the pages at Wikimedia {click here (2009-2010 La Liga page)}.

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June 5, 2009

Germany: the 3 clubs promoted at the end of the 2008-’09 season, from 2.Fussball-Bundesliga to Fussball-Bundesliga.

Filed under: Football Stadia,Germany — admin @ 5:47 pm

The map shows the three clubs to win promotion to the German Bundesliga-1 for the 2009-2010 season.

Bundesliga -2 winners in 08/09 were SC Freiburg, a yo-yo club from the foothills of the Black Forest, in far south-western Germany, in the state of Baden-Würtemburg. Freiburg has spent 10 seasons in the top tier in Germany, their last in 2005-’06.

Second in Bundesliga-2 were FSV Mainz 05, a club from Mainz, which is 32 kilometers (19 miles) west of Frankfurt, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Mainz had never been in the first division before 2003-’04, and were relegated in ’07. Next season will be only the club’s fourth in Bundesliga-1.

The winner of the promotion/relegation playoff, over Energie Cottbus, was FC Nürnburg, a club with a storied past. Nürnburg won 6 German Titles in the era between the two World Wars; they won another national title in 1948, and they won one in 1961. Nurnburg has won one championship since the Bundesliga began in 1963-’64…in 1968. That is a total 9 German titles. Nürnburg has also won 4 DFB-Pokal [German Cup] Titles, their first two in the 1930′s, one in 1962, and their most recent in 2007. Nürnburg plays in the 47,000-capacity Frankenstadion, which was renovated for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In their last season in Bundesliga-1 (07/08), Nürnburg drew 43,033 per game. Nürnburg bounces straight back to Bundesliga-1 for the 2009-2010 season, which will be the northern Bavarian club’s 18th season in the German top flight.

In a side note, with Energie Cottbus’ relegation, Bundesliga-1 will be without a club from the former East Germany for only the second season since German re-unification. East and West Germany were united in 1990, and for football clubs, the best two clubs from the 1990-’91 DDR-Oberliga season were accomadated to Bundesliga-1 for 1991-’92 {see this}. These were Hansa Rostock (who have now spent 12 seasons in Bundesliga-1) and Dynamo Dresden (who have now spent 4 seasons in Bundesliga-1). The other season with no former-East German club-representation was in 2005-’06…Hansa Rostock had been relegated in 04/05, and Energie Cottbus would gain promotion in the spring of ’06.

[Note: I didn't use a blank map for the base map on this post, because I found a nice map that showed German cities with their metropolitan areas. Here is a list of the largest cities/ urban areas, from the CityMayors site (they don't list year of population estimate, but it's probably 2003, like the list for France that I linked in my last Promotions map) {click here}.]

Thanks to the Maps of Germany site, for the base map {click here}. Thanks to Subside Sports, for kit photos {click here}. Thanks to FanSport24.d, for kit photos {click here}. Thanks to Jako.co.uk, for a generic white jersey for me to slap togather a rendition of the elusive 08/09 SC Freiburg away jersey {click here}. Thanks to http://www.colours-of-football.co.uk . Thanks to the contributors to the pages at Wikipedia {click here (set at Fussball-Bundesliga, 2009-2010 season)}. Thanks to Bobby McMahon {click here} for pointing out the no-East German clubs-for-the-second-time angle.

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June 1, 2009

France: the 3 clubs promoted at the end of the 2008-’09 season, from Ligue 2 to Ligue 1.

Filed under: Football Stadia,France — admin @ 4:41 am

Two of the clubs promoted from Ligue 2 are from the northern France department of Pas-des-Calais…tiny first-division-newcomers US Boulogne and the well-supported RC Lens.

Racing Club de Lens are from Lens, a town of 36,000 (2006 estimate) 28 km (17 miles) south-west of Lille, which is the fourth largest urban area in France. The town of Lens and the region were historically centered on the coal mining industry, and RC Lens traditionally draws a more working class fan base than their local rivals Lille OSC. Lens bounces straight back to Ligue 1 in 2009-2010, for what will be their 56th season in top flight French football. The club won the 1998 Ligue 1 Title, and have been French Cup runners-up 4 times, the last in 1998. Lens also have won 2 French League Cup Titles, in 1994 and 1999. The club drew 34,654 per game in 06/07 (their last season in the top tier).

US Boulogne, formed in 1898, play in a tiny stadium (7,300 capacity) and drew just 5,767 per game this season.

The third promoted club is Montpellier HSC, a club that has played 17 seasons of first division football, which is a small figure for a club that was a founding member of France’s first division, back in 1932-33. Montpellier is in the Languedoc region in the south of France. Montpellier has 2 Coupe de France titles, the first won in 1929, and the second won in 1990, when Eric Cantona, Laurent Blanc, and Carlos Valderrama were in the squad. The club’s stadium was entirely rebuilt for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, which explains why the club plays in a ground that is much too large for their smallish fan base (Montpellier averaged 9,402 per game in 08/09).

The population figures at this link {click here (CityMayors.com)} were used in determining what cities, the 7 largest metropolitan areas in France, were put on the map.

While on the subject of French football, here is an article on newly-crowned champions Girondions de Bordeaux, from the Ligue 1 site, {click here}.

Thanks to the excellent Ligue 1 site, for the kits and gate figures {click here}. Thanks to the contributors to the pages at wikipedia {click here (set at Ligue 1, 2009-2020)}.

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May 13, 2009

England: League One, 2008-’09 season. The 2 Promoted Clubs, and the 4 Playoff Clubs.

Filed under: 2008-09 English Football,Eng-3rd Level/League One,Engl. Promotion Candidates,Football Stadia — admin @ 6:12 pm

The top 6 clubs in the 2008-2009 English Football League One season are shown on the map. On the right are the two automatically promoted clubs, Leicester City FC and Peterborough United FC. On the left are the four playoff clubs competing for the third promotion spot. At the top right are the average attendances of the clubs on the map, listed numerically in context of the league averages…2008-’09 League One average attendances {click here (Tony’s English Football site)}.

Here are the match-ups for the playoff semi-finals…

Scunthorpe United v. MK Dons, Friday 8 May; MK Dons v. Scunthorpe United, Friday 15 May. Result, 1st Leg: Scunthorpe 1-1 MK Dons.

Millwall v. Leeds United, Saturday 9 May; Leeds United v. Millwall, Thursday, 14 May. Result, 1st Leg: Millwall 1-1 Leeds.

Thanks to Colours of Football site, for the kits {click here (set and England)}.

Thanks to Tony’s English Football Site, for gate figures {click here}.

Thanks to WebbAviation.co.uk {click here (set at Aerial photographs of Leicester)}. Thanks to the Stadium Guide.com {click here}. Thanks to remarkablepeople.co.uk {click here (set at “…all the place we have been [sic]“)}. Thanks to soccervoice.com {click here}.

Thanks to Extreme Groundhopping Blogspot {click here}. Thanks to http://www.theposh.com . Thanks to Miss Gas at the FootballStadiumGuide.co.uk {click here}.

Thanks to http://www.worldstadia.com . Thanks to blueandwhite1867 @ Flickr.com {click here}. Thanks to MKDons.com {click here}.

Thanks to the Tim’s92 site {Although I couldn’t fit this photo in to the map (it’s the second photo, the one with the bobbies next to the New Den’s club shop. Note the barbed wire. To keep out skint Millwall fans, I guess.)}. Thanks to daejin @ Flickr.com {click here}. Thanks to http://www.geocities.com/londonfootball/Clubs/millwall.htm . Thanks to Les Bailey @ Flickr.com {click here}.

Thanks to LeedsUnited.com {click here (set at Club history)}. Thanks to Rivals.net {click here}. Thanks to Ray Nimmo’s North Lincolnshire page {click here}. Thanks to Brad- @ Flickr.com {click here}. Thanks to JJ Willow @ Flickr.com {click here}.

Thanks to the contributors to the pages at Wikipedia {click here (set at League One page)}.

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May 10, 2009

England: League Championship, 2008-’09 season. The 2 Promoted Clubs, and the 4 Playoff Clubs.

Filed under: 2008-09 English Football,Eng-2nd Level/Champ'ship,Engl. Promotion Candidates,Football Stadia — admin @ 1:36 pm

Wolves clinched a spot for the 2008-’09 Premier League on 18th April. The club from the West Midlands returns to the top flight for the first time since their one-season stint in 2003-’04.

On Sunday, 3rd May, yo-yo club Birmingham City snapped out of their poor late-season form and won the second automatic promotion spot on the last day of the season, with a 2-1 win over Reading, with their eventual winning goal coming from veteran striker Kevin Phillips.

Meanwhile, Preston North End, the club that had put BCFC in that must-win situation with a late winning goal the week before, continued their late-season surge and wrested the final playoff spot, via a 2-1 win over QPR, and courtesy of the late-season collapse of Cardiff City, who finished with 3 straight defeats. Defender Sean St. Ledger headed in the winner for Preston, with 15 minutes to go.

With that goal, Preston North End edged Cardiff City on total goals, the second tie-breaker after their equal goal difference (of plus-12). Preston had 54 goals, Cardiff had 53 goals.

This set up playoff match-ups of…

Preston v. Sheffield United, Friday 8 May; Shefield United v. Preston, Monday 11 May. First leg: Preston 1-1 Sheffield United.

Burnley v. Reading, Saturday, 9 May; Reading v. Burnley, Tuesday, 12 May. First leg: Burnley 1-0 Reading.

Thanks to Colours of football site {click here}.

Thanks to Tony’s English Football site, for the gate figures {click here}.

Thanks to Wolverhampton City Council Home Page {click here}. Thanks to MolineuxMix.co.uk {click here}.

Thanks to pparry @ Photobucket.com {click here}; and chocotiger66 @ Photobucket.com {click here}. Thanks to http://www.sufc.com . Thanks to isriya @ Flickr.com {click here}.

Thanks to The Sun.co.uk {click here}. Thanks to PremierFootballBooks.co.uk {click here (set at St. Andrews- Birmingham City Football Club)}.

Thanks to Chris J. Wood / http://www.geograph.org . Thanks to football-league.co.uk {click here (set at page/Championship)}. Thanks to btinternet.com/ 1871-the Ultimate Reading FC website; Madejski Stadium Gallery {click here}. Thanks to webbaviation.co.uk {click here (set at Reading)}.

Thanks to the Daily Mail site {click here}. Thanks to www.LateMeetings.co.uk. Thanks to TheStadiumGuide.co.uk {click here (set at Turf Moor)}. Thanks to StewieD @ Flickr.com {click here}. Thanks to clarette_and_blue @ Flickr.com {click here}.

Thanks to Skyscrapercity.com, Preston/ deepdale redevelopment thread {click here}.

Thanks to SiMar1 @Flickr.com {click here}. Thanks to extremegroundhopping.blogspot.com {click here (set at Preston national football museum; Morecambe; Deepdale [Feb. '05]). {click here /extremegroundhopping.blogspot.com / home}}.

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May 7, 2009

England: League Two, 2008-’09 season. The 3 Promoted Clubs, and the 4 Playoff Clubs.

Filed under: 2008-09 English Football,Eng-4th Level/League Two,Engl. Promotion Candidates,Football Stadia — admin @ 8:00 am

Football League play-off predictions, from the Guardian.co.uk {click here}.

The top 7 clubs in the 2008-2009 English Football League Two season are shown on the map. The three promoted clubs, Brentford FC, Exeter City FC, and Wycombe Wanderers FC, are shown on the right. The four playoff clubs competing for the fourth promotion spot are shown on the left.

On the upper right, there is a list of the 7 clubs’ average attendance this season.

League Two champions Brentford had the third highest average attendance in the league, at 5,707 [for the full list of League Two attendances, {click here}]. This club, from the London Borough of Hounslow, had it’s heyday in the 1930′s, when the Bees reached the First Division (in 1933) and two years later finished in 5th place (in 1935-’36). Brentford ended up having a 5-season run in the English top flight, and had a peak average attendance of 25,768 in 1946-’47 (this was the first English Football League season following World War II, and there were dramatic attendance increases throughout the country). But by 1962, Brentford had dropped to the old Fourth Division. Since then, the club has largely stayed in the 3rd and 4th Levels. In the last 20 seasons, the Bees have spent 3 seasons in the 4th Level, 16 seasons in the 3rd Level, and 1 season in the 2nd Level. That was in 1992-’93, when Brentford drew 8,456 per game. Griffin Park is Brentford’s home. It is a compact ground with a pub on each corner.

Exeter City has won promotion two straight seasons now. The club, from the League football-deficient West Country, have never risen higher than the 3rd Level, so the Grecians return to this level next season makes for some heady times in this corner of Devon. I can’t be certain, due to the lack of lower league attendance figures prior to 1990, but the club seems to have had their best season ever at the turnstiles, with a 4,939 average gate. Exeter’s best gate figures from 1989-’90 to 2007-’08 was when they won the Fourth Division in 1989-’90, drawing 4,859 per game.

Wycombe‘s form dipped in the last third of the season, and the Wanderers backed into their promotion, but that didn’t stop 9,625 from attending their final home match last Saturday (a 1-2 loss to basement-dwelling Notts County).

Gillingham‘s drop in gate figures (to 5,307 per game) can be attributed to their relegation from League One in 07/08, but it must be noted that the club drew 9,600 last Saturday. Shrewsbury Town had only a small increase at the turnstiles (to 5,664 per game) despite their good season, because their gate figures from 07/08 had shot up, as the club had just moved in to New Meadow.

Bury and Rochdale are two clubs from neighboring towns in the northern part of Greater Manchester {see this map of Greater Manchester, here}. Rochdale has spent 35 straight seasons in the 4th Level. The Dale made it to the League two playoff final last season, losing to Stockport County. Bury, known as the Shakers, were in the 2nd Level as recently as 1999 (when it was called the Nationwide League Division One). The club drew 6,179 in 1997-’98. But for years, both these clubs’ fan bases have dwindled, overshadowed as they are by the hugely successful and well-supported Manchester United, and the hapless yet still decently supported Manchester City. Two interesting things about Bury are that their Gigg Lane ground is also home to the 6th Level Non-League club FC United of Manchester; and the fact that Phil and Gary Neville’s father Neville Neville was a fomer chairman of Bury FC, and still works for the club as a non-paid jack-of-all trades, at Gigg Lane.

Here are the match-ups for the playoff semi-finals…

Rochdale v. Gillingham, Thursday 7 May; Gillingham v. Rochdale, Sunday 10th May. Both these matches are on Setanta. (!).

Shrewsbury Town v. Bury, Thursday 7 May; Bury v. Shrewsbury Town, Sunday 10 May.

Thanks to Colours of Football site {click here}.

Thanks to Tony’s English Football Site for the gate figures{click here}. Thanks to EFS site, for older gate figues {click here}. Thanks to the Footy-Mad sites, for their invaluable league history sections on each club {click here (set at Bury FC League history)}.

Thanks to the Colours of Football site, for the kits {click here}.

Thanks to the Brentford FC site {click here}. Thanks to Sky Sports {click here}. Thanks to www.TeamTalk.com . Thanks to www.Stadiums.Football.co.uk . Thanks to www.VisitBuckinghamshire.org . Thanks to www.ExeterCity.co.uk . Thanks to MattyGTFC @ Panoramio.com {click here}. . Thanks to www.BuryFCyouth.co.uk .

Thanks to Mike Serieys @ Flickr.com {click here}. . Thanks to shanandphil @ Flickr {click here}. Thanks to http://www.football-league.co.uk/ . Thanks to Rutger Kuipers @ Panoramio.com {click here}. Thanks to http://www.thegroundhog.wordpress.com . Thanks to Chris Brookes @ Flicker.com {click here}.

Thanks to the contributors to the pages at Wikipedia {click here (set at Brentford FC page)}.

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