I am not personally involved with professional football; I work within the leaflet printing, composite doors and DVD authoring sectors; I am however a massive football fan.

No one can argue that Sir Alex Ferguson has performed supremely well since becoming the manager of what many consider to be the best football team in the world, Manchester United. It will be very hard for whoever takes over from Sir Alex to fill his shoes as they say.

There are numerous foreign managers who, as usual, will be in contention for the role. I personally believe that Darren; the son of Alex could have a real chance – he is currently the manager of Preston. You may well be laughing at this suggestion however let me describe why I think he would be a great choice. Both Sir Alex and Darren were not the best of players but did reach a fairly high standard, Darren is likely to have learnt a lot from his father, Darren is doing supremely well with Preston, the team he currently manages.

It has to be stated that at the current time Darren would have odds of around 1000-1 to be the next manager but how short would those odds fall if he were to lead Preston to promotion to the Premier League? Just imagine how much a personal recommendation by Sir Alex for his son would be? Take it from me in a couple years time Darren Ferguson could well be the favourite to take over from his father at Manchester United.

I am not a United supporter, I actually support my local team Birmingham City. Ferguson junior being appointed as the next Manchester manager would certainly be a massive football story.

My vote would be that Darren Ferguson takes over as manager with Paul Ince as his assistant, what a management team that could be!

Everyone has heard of at least one famous sporting rivalry in history.There was Muhammad Ali duking it out with Joe Frazier, Greg Norman taking on Nick Faldo on the golf course and Chris Evert battling Martina Navratilova on the tennis court.  India and Pakistan still have a healthy cricket rivalry going on.Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov have even made competitive chess seem exciting with their ongoing rivalry through the years.

But can any of these admittedly classic face-offs hold a candle to the colossal confrontation that occurs whenever the Red Devils of Manchester United clash with the Liverpool Reds?Let’s have a quick look at why this great football rivalry exists, and why it continues

1. The Northwest Derby – Matchups between the two clubs are often referred to using this moniker.The cities of Manchester and Liverpool have been in competition since industrial times, and that sense of being rivals has permeated into the football world.

2. “The Greatest English Football Club” – Manchester United and Liverpool both lay claim to the title of The Greatest English Football Club.  A similar number of trophies have been won by each club, and they are also the two most successful English teams in European competition.

3. Fans and Money – The two clubs are widely-supported throughout the world and boast some of the most devoted fans in any sport.  They also are two of the biggest earning clubs in the world.

4.  Player Haters – As with a lot of football clubs, the fans can be downright hostile to each other sometimes.  With Liverpool and Man U, though, the hostility spills over to the players too occasionally.Wayne Rooney, United striker, has publicly stated how much he hated Liverpool FC when he was growing up.Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard, on the other hand, once told a television crew that even though he exchanges shirts regularly with opposing players, he would never have a Man U shirt in his house.

5. Transfers? What are Transfers? – No player has been directly transferred between the two clubs since 1964; the few footballers who have played for both clubs always played in a different city in between. As recently as 2007, United left-back Gabriel Heinze expressed a desire to move to Liverpool, and a bid was made, but Man U rejected the bid and stated that Heinze would only join a foreign club if he chose to leave – all due to the age old rivalry.

It’s inspiring, in a way, how these two football clubs can be so passionate about the rivalry between them.  I suppose some people don’t understand and think the whole thing is just silly.So, are you still wondering who’s the best club in football?  That’s easy.  Everyone knows it’s Spurs.

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A legitimate customer reviewing a product doesn’t usually have a reason to post a link to the very product they are reviewing. With today’s email spam blockers becoming more powerful, advertisers rethink their ways of getting their product out there and they have turned to reviews which are favorable to get their product in the public eye. Reviews which do not contain links are more likely to be genuine. Though buying tickets on eBay can often get you cheaper prices, it is probably a good idea to buy tickets from established websites that specialize in tickets alone. Sometimes ticket sellers on eBay ship the ticket too late, and sometimes not even at all. While you can assume that the majority of people who sell on eBay are above board, it’s still in your best interest to read feedback about them so get a sense of how they operate.

Another way to avoid being scammed is to make sure the checkout page is encrypted before you type in ANY purchasing information. The importance of it can not be understated, but this is a feature not many people look for when checking out. How do you know if a website utilizes ecryption? At the beginning of a website address you will usually see “HTTP”. HTTP will change to “HTTPS”, if a web page is encrypted. It is important to make sure the page is encrypted even if the company is completely honest,because sometimes it does not show respect for the customers and the security of their personal information. If you are interested in a ticket vendor, they have good reviews, and their check out page is encrypted, then you can be pretty certain that the vendor is safe to purchase from.

It is probably a good idea to follow these suggestions to avoid being scammed.  It is also a good idea to follow your instincts. You shouldn’t buy anything if you get a funny feeling about the vendor. If something seems off then there is a good chance something is. Doing some research will prove invaluable in fending off scam artists. Now it just comes down to a matter of finding the best price! You will be able to make your next purchase with confidence after reading all the information on this article.

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When you read a review of a product, if it has a link to the product, then you are probably reading a review which has been paid for. With today’s email spam blockers becoming more powerful, advertisers rethink their ways of getting their product out there and they have turned to reviews which are favorable to get their product in the public eye. There is a bigger chance for a review to be legit if a review is link free. Although tickets available on eBay are cheaper, buying from a website which specializes only in tickets is always a better idea. Sometimes ticket sellers on eBay ship the ticket too late, and sometimes not even at all. Most people you do business with on eBay are honest but if you decide to purchase this way make sure you read their feedback to get a better idea of how professional they are.

Before you type in ANY purchasing information is the another way to avoid being scammed is to make sure the checkout page is encrypted. This is a feature not many people look for when checking out, but the importance of it can not be understated. So how do you tell if a web page is encrypted or not? At the beginning of a website address you will usually see “HTTP”. Web pages which are encrypted contain “HTTPS” in their address, not the usual “HTTP”. It is important to make sure the page is encrypted even if the company is completely honest,because sometimes it does not show respect for the customers and the security of their personal information. If you find an online ticket vendor that uses encryption and has good reviews, then this must be a site worth buying from.

These guidelines are important to follow in order to avoid being scammed, but it is also important to go with your gut. If something about a vendor does not seem quite right, do not purchase anything from them. If something doesn’t sit right with you, then there is most likely something wrong with it. A little scrutiny goes a long way when it comes to avoiding a scam artist. Your job now is to find a price that is the best! You can buy with confidence the next time you shop on the web if you remember the information presented in this article.

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The fact that Ryan Giggs is beginning to age, and the fact that veteran midfielder Paul Scholes will only have his name on soccer memorabilia soon has surely brought to Alex Fergusons attention that some expensive midfielders are required to boost the team.

With interest from Liverpool and Chelsea as well, the signing of Hamsik would add attacking ability to Manchester United’s midfield. Snapped up by Brescia after proving his skill with Slovan Bratislava. He shone in Italy with Brescia scoring a hugely impressive ten goals from midfield and it wasn’t too long before Napoli paid over 5.5m Euros to take the player to the Sao Paolo.

Since 2007, Hamsik’s efforts in Serie A have established him as one of the best midfielders in the world. Managing to score 25 goals in 81 games Hamsik’s form has been some of the best in the league. The Slovakian midfielder has quickly been named the best midfielder in Serie A by experts throughout Italy after his two goals against Juventus.

Hamsik’s form for Slovakia has been equally impressive. Expected to be one of the major stars of the upcoming World Cup his efforts might put him down into soccer history forever.

Despite interest in the player from Manchester United and Chelsea in recent weeks, Napoli have refused to sanction any idea that the player will be sold. This has been reiterated in recent weeks by sporting director Riccardo Bigon who stated:

“Manchester United are after Hamsik? If we rejected the rumours regarding a friend like [Carlo] Ancelotti and his Chelsea, it is obvious we also reject these rumours.”

comments from Napoli chairman seem to support the claim that Hamsik is not on the market.

“Many clubs have requested Hamsik, it’s true, but he will stay with us for the long-term”

Whether this stance will soften in the summer, when United hope to make their move, remains to be seen. Napoli are not a particularly wealthy club and despite the chairman’s insistence that Hamsik is not for sale, it remains to be seen that if a firm offer was on the table that matched their valuation, whether they would be tempted into selling.

Chelsea’s current situation however might put a stop to any dealings between Napoli and Manchester United. With Carlo Ancelotti given the go ahead to spend £25m on a player by Roman Abramovich in January they might beat Manchester United to the punch

  Apart from 8 years after it was bombed out during WWII, Manchester United tickets for home games at Old Trafford have been bought by fans since 1910.

One of the Club’s most beloved and famous players, Bobby Charlton nicknamed the stadium the Field of Dreams.   

Best known for his midfield attacks Sir Robert “Bobby” Charlton also had a deadly long-range shot which helped him win the World Cup and get names the European Footballer of the Year in 1966.

Able to seat 76,212 Manchester United ticket buying supporters, Old Trafford is the second-largest of any English football stadiums, and it is one of two stadia in  England to have been given a  “UEFA elite stadium” five-star rating by UEFA.

As a neutral venue, Old Trafford has hosted many FA Cup semi-final matches and a number of  “English national football team” England international fixtures.

During the  “1966 FIFA World Cup”   and  “UEFA Euro 1996″  and the  “2003 UEFA Champions League Final”  matches were also played at Old Trafford.

The Old Trafford playing field is surrounded by stands, officially known as the North, East, South and West Stands.

Each stand has at least two tiers, with the exception of the South Stand, which only has one tier because of construction restrictions.

The lower tier of each stand is split into Lower and Upper sections, the Lower sections having been converted from standing room only terraces in the early 1990s.

The best-known stand at Old Trafford is the West Stand, more famously, or infamously known as the Stretford End.

The Stretford End stand was designed to hold 20,000 fans,  it was the last stand to be covered and also the last remaining all-terraced stand at the ground before the early 1990s ushered in seating only rules.

Stretford End is home to Manchester United’s most die-hard supporters, known as The Red Army.

Most of the noise and atmosphere at Old Trafford emanates from Stretford End, and once the roar from the Red Army there was measured as louder than that of a jumbo jet lifting off.

There is practically no chance for anyone new to get a set in the Stretford End as the fans that fill this stand resubscribe to their Manchester United season tickets every year.

Manchester United’s fan’s, better known as the Red Army was once the biggest and most notorious group of followers British football has ever seen.

When the Red Army followed Manchester United to an away game, the town would fall into chaos: large numbers of fhe Red Army would travel en-mass by train, coach, car or even by foot if necessary, doing whatever it took to get to the game.  

During the mid-seventies when Manchester United had been relegated from the top flight of English football and played in the  “Football League Second Division” Second Division for one season, the Red Army caused such chaos at games around the country when visiting stadiums where they would often outnumber the home fans, that it led to the introduction of segregation and fencing between of home and away fans at football grounds throughout England.

These days, the Red Army is nothing like it was in the 1970’s & 80’s.

This Manchester United supporters club, now has a fan base of over 300 million fans across the world.

The huge number of Manchester United supporters, all of whom would like to visit Old Trafford, both to see a live game and to experience the atmosphere there, result in it almost always being difficult to buy Manchester United Tickets.

For many fans being able to purchase a ticket to even a single game at Old Trafford is so difficult that the thought of ever scoring a season ticket to see Manchester United play seems unbelievable.

However, if one looks more closely, the obvious advantages season ticket holders have of being guaranteed a seat for all home games and priority for away games, might be outweighed by the disadvantages.

Such as:
If the seat the season ticket holder scores in not in his area of choice, there is no way of getting it changed except by proving extreme medical hardship.

Because of this, there are those who choose not to renew their tickets at the end of the season, preferring to take their chances in the search for single tickets that may be in a more choice area of Old Trafford.

There is a Manchester United Club policy called the Automatic Ticket Scheme which ensures that every season ticket holder is guaranteed a ticket for all Champions League and FA cup home games.

Although this might appear to be a good thing, further examination shows that the season ticket holder is charged for each of these tickets even if he has no intention of attending one or any of those  games.

In  the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 seasons, there were 10 of these extra games – and with a single game ticket starting at almost 50 pounds, this is a huge extra cost on top of the already very significant price paid for the season ticket.

Those Manchester United fans who buy a season ticket thinking they can sell the games they don’t intend to  see to might find that that is not as easy to do these days as it was once.

Manchester United has an official ticket exchange where season ticket holders can post their unwanted tickets for sale at face-value, but tickets cannot be listed for sale there until the club announces that the game in question has been sold out.

There is no guarantee that the tickets put up for sale will sell, and the prospective seller then not only loses the ticket he is unable to use, he is out the substantial listing and handling fee it cost him to try to sell the seat.

One cannot deny that the price of a season’s 16 single tickets is more expensive than a season ticket, but when the other costs – at least 500 extra pounds for the Cup games; the possibility of getting a seat in an undesirable part of Old Trafford; and the lack of guarantee of being able to sell any unwanted game tickets are added up, investing in season Manchester United tickets might not be worth it to even the most loyal fans.

The team gives priority to its One United fan club members for home games by letting them apply for tickets in a lottery. Fans who enter the lottery must enter 4-6 weeks before game day and will receive their tickets in the mail (fans in some countries might have to pick up their tickets at the box office on game day). For games such as Champions League matches, the application period might be closer to game day. The easiest way to know when deadlines to apply for tickets are getting near, is to subscribe to the One United newsletter. Home game tickets are very rarely available to the general public, so becoming a member of One United and entering the lottery are your best bet to get tickets for a particular game.

Season ticket holders get priority for Manchester United away games. The allocation that Manchester United receives from the host team is usually only several thousand tickets and demand is generally much greater so One United members and the general public generally don’t have an chance to buy these tickets. Another option is to purchase tickets directly from the host team, but the downside to this is that you will be sitting with the home team fans. Tickets for games at Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, or for the local derby at Manchester City will be especially hard to get, but your chances of getting tickets improve when Manchester United plays at some of the less popular Premier League teams. The Group Stage of the Champions League might offer your best chance to see Manchester United play an away game. Because ticket sales dates vary from team to team, in order to get correct information you’ll need to check on the respective team’s website.

Manchester United is one of the most popular teams playing today so getting tickets for most games will be a challenge. Although careful planning is essential, it is still no guarantee that you will be able to get tickets. If you have not managed to obtain tickets by other methods there are many brokers who have Manchester United tickets for sale, but you will have to pay a much higher price than their face value.

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