User talk:Patrickburke1980

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Arsenal F.C.
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Arsenal Football Club (nicknamed 'the Gunners') are based in north London. Arsenal is widely recognized as one of the most successful clubs in English soccer. Arsenal has won thirteen First Division and Premier League titles which is 3rd in the history of the Premiership behind Liverpool and Manchester United. Arsenal has a large and loyal fanbase, both inside and out of England. Arsenal fans call themselves "Gooners", coming from the team's nickname, "The Gunners". One of the funnier things about the "Gooners" is that they have created a fanzine called 'Up the Arse" (www.upthearse.net) devoted to bashing their cross town rival, the Tottenham Hotspur. Other main rivals are Chelsea and West Ham United, but none are as intense as the derbies (matches between local rivals) with Tottenham. It should be noted that in recent years Arsenal has developed a strong rivalry with Manchester United with both clubs vying for the Premiership title annually.  Arsenal's most recognizable player currently on the roster is French born star Thierry Henry.  Their last Premiership title came in 2004.

Aston Villa F.C.
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Aston Villa Football Club (nickednamed 'the Villans') play at Villa Park in Birmingham, West Midlands, England. AVFC is one of the oldest and most successful football clubs in England. Aston Villa's arch-rivals are Birmingham City, games between the two clubs are known as the Second City Derby. Villa also have a less heated rivalry with local neighbours, West Bromwich Albion. Other nearby clubs include Wolverhampton Wanderers and Walsall. As of season 2006/07 Villa will be the only Premiership club in the Midlands. The club's nearest Premiership rivals will be Sheffield United. Their last Premiership title was in 1981. They won the European Cup the following season, but have not maintained that peak since. Martin Laursen is their top defender, and Gareth Barry is their best midfielder. Laursen has been injured for a couple of seasons, but is fit to play this year. The players are currently in the process of a protest against the chairman, (i.e. the GM), who is not willing to spend much money on the club. As a result, they could be in a relegation battle this year. Alex Holowczak supports Aston Villa.

Blackburn Rovers F.C.
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Blackburn Rovers Football Club (nicknamed 'the Rovers') is an English Premier League football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The club plays it's home games in Ewood Park. BRFC 's story is an interesting one. The team was promoted to the inaugural year of the Premiership in 1992 following 26 years outside the top flight. In 1994, the team finished 2nd overall and came through win a hard fought championship in 1995, nearly beating out Manchester United in on eof the most exciting league seasons ever. However, just four years later they became the first Premier League champions to suffer relegation from the league in 1999. Their 1995 win is their only Premiership title. I do not recognize anyone on their roster, but there are two Americans on the team: Brad Friedel and Jemal Johnson. Another American, Roy Wegerle, was a key member of the Rovers 1992 club. They lost talisman Craig Bellamy to Liverpool last year, so a repeat of last year's success seems unlikely.

Bolton
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Bolton Wanderers F.C.(nicknamed 'the Trotters') are an English professional football club based in Horwich, Bolton. The Trotters have yet to win a Premiership title and to be honest, I have not found many interesting things about this club, except for the fact that their fans hate Manchester United. The team is captain by young standout Kevin Nolan. There are no Americans on the team. The team is known by some as "The United Nations of British Football," mainly due to the fact that so many different countries have players in the Bolton team. Sam Allardyce has been successful in charge of Bolton, and narrowly missed out on taking over the England job this year after Sven-Goran Eriksson stood down after the World Cup.

Charlton
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Charlton Athletic Football Club (nicknamed 'the Addicks') are a football club from southeast London. The club was founded in 1905 and currently plays at The Valley in Charlton. The team currently has one American on the roster in Corey Gibbs, but may not be able to join due to a problem in obtaining a work permit.

An interesting fact on Charleton is that each year they let a season-ticket holder have a seat on their board of directors. This person is allowed to have input on any of the club's doings, including 'transfer' talks, which is the equivalent of a trade. The club's main rival is Tottenham Hotspur. Charleton has yet to win a Premiership title.

Chelsea F.C.
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Chelsea F.C. (nicknamed 'The Blues' and previously 'the Pensioners') of South London are a powerhouse in English socccer. The club has won three league titles and are the reigning league champions for the second year in a row (2005 and 2006). Obviously, this has been the team to beat in the Premiership over the past few seasons.

Chelsea fans have a strong rivalry with various clubs. Historically, the clubs main rivals have been Fulham (whom they play in the West London derby) and Leeds United. Apparently, there is no love lost between Chelsea fans and those of Tottenham Hotspur. It can't be much of a rivalry though as they haven't lost to the Spurs in 16 years. I'm starting to be amused by how many teams intensely dislike Tottenham. Does anyone actually like that team?

More recently Chelsea has developed rivalries with Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal as these four teams tend to duke it out for the title. The club's standout players are Frank Lampard and Joe Cole (who reportedly has been banging Keeley Hazell. If you don't know who she is, look her up immediately).

Everton
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Fulham
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Liverpool
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Manchester City
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Manchester United
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Middlesbrough
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Newcastle United
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Newcastle United Football Club (nicknamed 'the Magpies') is based in Newcastle upon Tyne. Newcastle United supporters are known as the "Toon Army" or the "Geordies" due to the area the team is based in. Newcastle's arch-rival is with Sunderland, also known as "The Mackems" (with the name supposed to have come about as that's the way Sunderlands people pronounce the words "make them", although recent research suggests there is no proof of this). Matches between the two are known as the Yyne and Wear derby. The team has 4 Premiership championships, but are were prior to 1930 when the Premiership was known as the First Division. The team's big name is Michael Owen, who unfortunately is out on injury this season.

Side note, this is my team of choice as I studied in Newcastle for a year and lived a couple blocks from the Stadium. I can tell you first hand these fans are crazy. On any game day the whole city stops and everyone is wearing the black and white striped jersey's of the team. Then again, I'd bet that happens in just about any major soccer city in Britain.

Portsmouth
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Reading
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Sheffield United
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Tottenham
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Watford
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West Ham
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Wigan Athletic
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The League Competition
1. Each Club shall play 2 League Matches against each other Club each Season, being the Home Club in respect of one such League Match and the Visiting Club in respect of the other.

2. The winner of a League Match shall score three points. Each Club participating in a League Match which is drawn shall score one point.

3. The results of League Matches shall be recorded by the Secretary in a table containing in respect of each Club the following information:

3.1 the number of League Matches played in that Season;

3.2 the number of League Matches won, drawn and lost as a Home Club in that Season;

3.3 the number of League Matches won, drawn and lost as a Visiting Club in that Season;

3.4 the number of goals scored in League Matches by and against that Club in that Season;

3.5 the number of points scored in that Season.

4. The position of Clubs in the table shall be determined by the number of points scored in that Season, the Club having scored the highest number of points being at the top of the table and the Club having scored the lowest number of points being at the bottom.

5. If any 2 or more Clubs have scored the same number of points their position in the table shall be determined on goal difference, that is to say, the difference between the total number of goals scored by and against a Club in League Matches in that Season, and the higher or highest placed Club shall be the Club with the larger or largest goal difference.

6. If any 2 or more Clubs have scored the same number of points and have the same goal difference the higher or highest placed Club shall be the Club having scored the most goals in League Matches in that Season.

7. Subject to Rule B.29, if any 2 or more Clubs have scored the same number of points, have the same goal difference and have scored the same number of goals in League Matches in that Season they shall be deemed to occupy the same position in the table.

The League Championship
8. The Club which is at the top of the table at the end of the Season shall be the League Champions.

9. The League Champions shall receive a trophy which it shall return to the Secretary in good order and condition not later than 3 weeks before the final League Matches of the next Season.

10. The League Champions shall further receive 21 commemorative medals to be presented by the Club to its Manager and to such of its Players and Officials as it thinks fit provided, in the case of a Player, that he has that Season played in a minimum of 10 of its League Matches. Additional medals may be presented with the consent of the Board.

Relegation
11. Subject to Rule B.27, the bottom 3 Clubs in the table at the end of the Season shall be relegated to the Football League.

12. If any Club ceases during the Season to be a member of the League, the record of the League Matches in which it has participated that Season shall be expunged from the table and the number of Clubs to be relegated at the end of that Season shall be reduced so as to maintain at 20 (or, if less, as near thereto as may be) the number of Clubs in membership of the League at the beginning of the next Season.

13. If any Club ceases to be a member of the League other than by reason of relegation after the end of the Season but before the Board has fixed the dates of League Matches for the next Season, the Board may invite the relegated club which attained the highest position in the table referred to in Rule B.18 at the end of the previous Season to rejoin the League.

Playoffs
14. If at the end of the Season either the League Champions or the Clubs to be relegated or the question of qualification for other competitions cannot be determined because 2 or more Clubs are equal on points, goal difference and goals scored, the Clubs concerned shall play off one or more deciding League Matches on neutral grounds, the format, timing and venue of which shall be determined by the Board.

Other competitions
Other than the Premier League, the FA Cup is a knockout tournament, that is arguably the best Cup competition in the world. The Premiership teams will enter in Round Three, which is traditionally played on the first weekend after Christmas. There is no seeding format, so there is nothing stopping two teams from the Premiership playing at any stage of the competition. Also, there is a replay in the event of a draw, with the return match played at the other team's ground. Only after this second match can their be extra-time and penalties. The Cup is famous for it's upsets, where the teams from lower leagues play teams from higher up. The most famous of these is probably Ronnie Radford, when he scored two goals for the bottom of the league (i.e. Division Four as it was then) beat Premier League team Newcastle United 2-1. There is generally one upset each year. The highlight last year was probably Burton Albion's 0-0 draw at home to Manchester United. Burton were placed over 200 positions below them in the "Football League Pyramid." In the return at Old Trafford, Manchester United won 4-0 however, to advance. The Final is the only stage of the competition to not have replays, and is the traditional end to the season. It will be played at Wembley Stadium for the first time since it's redevelopment this season. The wniner is guaranteed a UEFA Cup place the following season.

The League Cup is played in midweek, whenever the UEFA Champions' League is not being played. This is a lower quality competition, as many of the big teams rest players to give them rest time for League matches. There are no replays, but some rounds are played over two legs, once at each teams stadium. The buffer of a UEFA Cup place for the winner has done little to attract the big teams to risk their star players.

Pee in Coke
Don't make me laugh at work, man! --DNL 09:09, 23 May 2006 (EST)

Premier League
Alex Holowczak 07:15, 15 July 2006 (EST) Did you look at www.premierleague.com? I recommend it. I also recommend signing up for the Fantasy Football (Soccer), it would be a good way to increase your interest in all the games. If you do play it, let me know and you can join an ArmchairGM League (currently only occupied by three people). It isn't a draft, BTW. You need to know a code, which I will give you if you play.
 * On a side note, tomorrow is Round Three of the Sports Quiz based on German sporting stuff over the last week or so. You asked to be reminded, so I am reminding you (although you didn't enter last week...), but anyway, there was the reminder.

Fantasy Soccer
You need to go to the website ^ and click the link advertising it. Then you need to pick a squad of 15 for under 100.0 in cost. The idea is to pick players that are good (they are sorted in terms of a how they did last year), but cost little. Then click Manage League, and then Join Private League with the code 132877-26509. Then you will be in the League. I'm being forced off now, so I won't be able to respond for a while. Alex Holowczak 08:23, 15 July 2006 (EST)
 * Oh, one thing I forgot, call your team PatrickBurke1980 XI, so we know who you are (this may not tie in with some users' real names. Alex Holowczak 09:27, 15 July 2006 (EST)


 * I made one or two changes. Perhaps you write what about the things you find, and then I pad them out a bit with who the best players are, and other stuff. Your call though. I also added a bit about other competitions during the season. And I changed the Mackam thing slightly, there was a TV programme over here about the dictionary trying to find word origins, and Mackam had no proof to it's origin, whilst the explanation you gave is quite likely (indeed they thought it came from "We make 'em, we pack 'em" - an advertising campaign for something... I forget what...), the Oxford English Dictionary people couldn't find any proof. Anyway, let me know what you think of the changes. Alex Holowczak 00:58, 16 July 2006 (EST)

hey cool. i probably won't be able to contribute anything until monday though..not sure when you are planning on releasing the article. Pean 16:03, 15 July 2006 (EST)

i am heavily leaning towards picking Arsenal, soley because the fans call themselves "Gooners". I want to be considered a "Gooner". However, it looks like they are always really good. I want to pick a team that has never won anything, but still has an outside shot of winning...I guess you are going with Newcastle? Pean 21:15, 15 July 2006 (EST)