Net closes in on Phil Brown
He was given a stay of execution by his new chairman but I still fear Phil Brown’s days are numbered.Adam Pearson returned to the club two years after his departure, replacing Paul Duffen, who saw the club join the Premier League under his tenure but also accrue alarming levels of debt at the same time.Pearson immediately backed Brown ahead of a crucial clash with Stoke next Sunday but refused to confirm whether he would stay on further, saying: "Phil will be manager on Sunday but there's no point me saying he's got a job for life, that's not the case. We need results, quickly, and that puts pressure on everyone at the club." Damnin

Rolling back the years?
Yesterday's 2-2 draw against Fulham felt more like a capitulation than a draw. Walking away from Eastlands on a cold, wet Sunday evening, the first questions that came to mind were as follows. Was this an aberration? Or have we just taken a massive step back into last season? I try not to be a pessimist, nor the fan who has a short memory. Our start to the season has been excellent. But the manner of this draw brought back some unwanted memories. The bloke on my left summed it up. At 2-2, with Fulham looking decent value for the winner, he turned to hi

Fragility and greatness: the return of Michael Johnson
The first quarter of the season has brought many positives for Manchester City, perhaps none more satisfying than the return of academy product Michael Johnson. The young midfielder made a substitute appearance in the 3-1 win against West Ham and was then on the bench for the visits to Aston Villa and Wigan Athletic. If he keeps his fitness and continues along his current path, a regular place in the first team squad must beckon. This represents a fantastic achievement for the lad from Urmston. Flashes of greatness: a new talent emergesSince breaking into the City first

Is the dream turning into a nightmare for Notts County?
A few months ago I wrote a blog comparing the fortunes of England’s two Magpies – Newcastle and Notts County.Back then Newcastle were in despair, mourning the loss of their Premier League status. Meanwhile, County were sky high, revelling in their new found wealth.Their takeover in July, by the mysterious Munto Finance group, promised a bright future and lofty ambitions included Premier League football once more for the oldest league club in the world.It got better. Sven Goran Eriksson was dramatically introduced as director of football; the glamorous fi

Tickets Punched - USA On Its Way To South Africa 2010
The USA Men's National Team defeated Honduras last night in CONCACAF qualifying 3-2, to cap off a thrilling second half of end-to-end football that saw both five goals scored as the Americans "made the cut" for their 6th straight World Cup.This was a crazy match, surrounded by upheaval before it even began, as Honduras is suffering through an internal political crisis that added extra angst to the proceedings along with the fact that (bizarrely) US soccer fans were left with no way to watch the game on TV. FIFA, in their infinite wisdom (you'll note my sarcasm), gifts the hosting country of WC qualifiers the broadcasting rights of their matches to sell on the open-market. Unfort