Manchester United news and links

DARREN Hamilton went off to sea after coaches at Stoke, Crewe and Stockport gave him the same heartbreaking news: “Sorry son, you’re too small to be a pro.”


But life on an ocean waves aboard HMS Coventry didn’t work out and now Glossop North End talisman Darren has returned to dry land, hoping to emulate the football success of his former Fletcher Moss under-15s team-mate Wes Brown.

Wayne Rooney is named England player of the year for 2008 after a vote by fans.

Manchester United defender Gary Neville moves a step closer to full fitness after completing an hour for the reserves against Newcastle United on Monday.

John Terry strikes late on to secure victory for England over Ukraine and maintain their 100% record in their World Cup 2010 qualifying campaign.

FC UNITED boss Karl Marginson backed his resolute Rebels to squeeze into the UniBond premier play-offs after seeing them step up their dramatic late promotion push by winning a see-saw battle at Marine.


Two Carl Lomax goals proved decisive in giving Marginson’s men a hard-fought 3-2 victory after they’d allowed the mid-table Mariners to storm back from trailing to Simon Carden’s 32nd minute opener to briefly lead 2-1. The win in Crosby takes FC up to sixth and to within a point of a play-off place with just five games remaining.


Said Marginson: “We had to dig deep, but we’ve got players who can do that and, when we perform, I feel we can get a positive result every time.”

FC UNITED boss Karl Marginson backed his resolute Rebels to squeeze into the UniBond premier play-offs after seeing them step up their dramatic late promotion push by winning a see-saw battle at Marine.


Two Carl Lomax goals proved decisive in giving Marginson’s men a hard-fought 3-2 victory after they’d allowed the mid-table Mariners to storm back from trailing to Simon Carden’s 32nd minute opener to briefly lead 2-1. The win in Crosby takes FC up to sixth and to within a point of a play-off place with just five games remaining.


Said Marginson: “We had to dig deep, but we’ve got players who can do that and, when we perform, I feel we can get a positive result every time.”

GLOSSOP North End boss Steve Young praised his teams tenacity after they came from 3-1 down in Saturday’s FA Vase semi-final 1st leg to snatch a draw and set up a grandstand return fixture next Saturday.


“We showed great mental strength.” said Young.


“The team just don’t know how to lose. We’ve not played that well today, to be fair, but we’ll be too good for them next week.”

GLOSSOP North End boss Steve Young praised his teams tenacity after they came from 3-1 down in Saturday’s FA Vase semi-final 1st leg to snatch a draw and set up a grandstand return fixture next Saturday.


“We showed great mental strength.” said Young.


“The team just don’t know how to lose. We’ve not played that well today, to be fair, but we’ll be too good for them next week.”

GLOSSOP North End manager Steve Young says his Wembley hopefuls will be going for the kill in the first-leg of their FA Carlsberg Vase semi-final at Chalfont St Peter on Saturday.


Young believes the Hillmen can make the return leg at Surrey Street little more than a formality by soundly beating South Midlands League high-fliers Chalfont in their own Buckinghamshire backyard.


Having seen Glossop plunder no fewer than 28 goals in eight ties en route to the semis, Young is adamant Glossop’s best chance of reaching the May 10 Wembley final is to play to win straight from the off.

GLOSSOP North End manager Steve Young says his Wembley hopefuls will be going for the kill in the first-leg of their FA Carlsberg Vase semi-final at Chalfont St Peter on Saturday.


Young believes the Hillmen can make the return leg at Surrey Street little more than a formality by soundly beating South Midlands League high-fliers Chalfont in their own Buckinghamshire backyard.


Having seen Glossop plunder no fewer than 28 goals in eight ties en route to the semis, Young is adamant Glossop’s best chance of reaching the May 10 Wembley final is to play to win straight from the off.

FC UNITED are on a roll as they head to Merseyside for Saturday’s all-ticket game with Marine.


The Rebels blitzed Ashton United 4-0 in midweek to move within three points of the play-off places, and manager Karl Marginson believes the four teams directly above them in the Unibond premier table will be casting a few anxious glances over their shoulders.

Doncaster Rovers sign Newcastle’s Kazenga LuaLua on loan and Manchester United keeper Gary Woods on a permanent contract.

FC UNITED are on a roll as they head to Merseyside for Saturday’s all-ticket game with Marine.


The Rebels blitzed Ashton United 4-0 in midweek to move within three points of the play-off places, and manager Karl Marginson believes the four teams directly above them in the Unibond premier table will be casting a few anxious glances over their shoulders.

CARLOS Roca’s hat-trick fired FC United back into Unibond Premier League play-off contention last night.


The nippy striker was too hot for Ashton United to handle, and another goal for co-striker Carl Lomax secured a 4-0 win for the Rebels, their biggest home win of the season.


Roca began the rout after just two minutes, pouncing on the ball after Danny Warrender’s free kick into the box had caused havoc, and firing home a well-struck shot.

CARLOS Roca’s hat-trick fired FC United back into Unibond Premier League play-off contention last night.


The nippy striker was too hot for Ashton United to handle, and another goal for co-striker Carl Lomax secured a 4-0 win for the Rebels, their biggest home win of the season.


Roca began the rout after just two minutes, pouncing on the ball after Danny Warrender’s free kick into the box had caused havoc, and firing home a well-struck shot.

Emile Heskey will miss England’s match against Ukraine on Wednesday after withdrawing from the squad because of injury.

Goalkeeper Ben Foster says he has no plans to leave Manchester United, but admits staying could harm his England prospects.

GLOSSOP North End will be backed by an army of fans when they step out for the first leg of their FA Carlsberg Vase semi-final at Chalfont St Peter on Saturday.


As many as 400 Hillmen supporters - twice the club’s average home attendance - are expected to make the trip to Buckinghamshire to cheer on Steve Young’s side as they strive to book a Wembley final date with Whitley Bay or Lowestoft on Sunday, May 10.

GLOSSOP North End will be backed by an army of fans when they step out for the first leg of their FA Carlsberg Vase semi-final at Chalfont St Peter on Saturday.


As many as 400 Hillmen supporters - twice the club’s average home attendance - are expected to make the trip to Buckinghamshire to cheer on Steve Young’s side as they strive to book a Wembley final date with Whitley Bay or Lowestoft on Sunday, May 10.

Rio Ferdinand backs fellow Manchester United centre-back Nemanja Vidic for this season’s PFA Player of the Year award.

NEW Leigh boss Garry Flitcroft was given an instant lift as Genesis hoisted themselves off the foot of the UniBond premier division with a gutsy goalless draw at Frickley Athletic.


The point earned at Westfield Lane in the former City and Blackburn star’s first game in charge does little to enhance ailing Leigh’s seemingly hopeless bid to avoid relegation.

NEW Leigh boss Garry Flitcroft was given an instant lift as Genesis hoisted themselves off the foot of the UniBond premier division with a gutsy goalless draw at Frickley Athletic.


The point earned at Westfield Lane in the former City and Blackburn star’s first game in charge does little to enhance ailing Leigh’s seemingly hopeless bid to avoid relegation.

NEW Leigh boss Garry Flitcroft was given an instant lift as Genesis hoisted themselves off the foot of the UniBond Premier Division with a gutsy goalless draw at Frickley Athletic.


The point earned at Westfield Lane in the former City and Blackburn star’s first game in charge does little to enhance ailing Leigh’s seemingly hopeless bid to avoid relegation.

NEW Leigh boss Garry Flitcroft was given an instant lift as Genesis hoisted themselves off the foot of the UniBond Premier Division with a gutsy goalless draw at Frickley Athletic.


The point earned at Westfield Lane in the former City and Blackburn star’s first game in charge does little to enhance ailing Leigh’s seemingly hopeless bid to avoid relegation.

Leicester will not find out how long on-loan Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley will be sidelined for until later this week.

Wayne Rooney will miss the visit of Aston Villa after his red card at Fulham on Saturday.

ALTRINCHAM looked set to end any lingering fears of relegation by felling Forest Green when star striker Colin Little put them two-up in 21 minutes.


They still led 2-0 at the break, but the visiting Gloucestershire strugglers then came roaring back with goals by Paul Lloyd and David Brown putting them back on terms before Alty’s James Smith was sent off.


Forest Green seized on the advantage that gave them to sink Alty with three further goals, leaving Graham Heathcote’s men to chew over their fifth defeat in six games as they continue to look ever more nervously over their shoulders at the teams below them.

ALTRINCHAM looked set to end any lingering fears of relegation by felling Forest Green when star striker Colin Little put them two-up in 21 minutes.


They still led 2-0 at the break, but the visiting Gloucestershire strugglers then came roaring back with goals by Paul Lloyd and David Brown putting them back on terms before Alty’s James Smith was sent off.


Forest Green seized on the advantage that gave them to sink Alty with three further goals, leaving Graham Heathcote’s men to chew over their fifth defeat in six games as they continue to look ever more nervously over their shoulders at the teams below them.

Tottenham centre-back Ledley King and Everton left-back Leighton Baines are handed surprise England call-ups for the upcoming internationals.

Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson accepts his side deserved to lose at Fulham, but is angry at the decision to send off Wayne Rooney.

Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson expects Liverpool rival Rafa Benitez to go on spending spree now he has signed a new contract.

Liverpool will face Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, while holders Manchester United play Porto and Arsenal take on Villarreal.

Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal are set to find out their Champions League quarter-final opponents, with Man City in the the Uefa Cup draw later.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd will find out their Champions League quarter-final opponents when the draw is made on Friday.

FC UNITED have given their promotion hopes a major fillip by signing former Manchester United starlet Phil Marsh.


The Rebels tried to sign the 22-year-old from Leigh Genesis last month, but the St Helens-born player - who has one United first-team appearance to his name - elected to stay with the Unibond League strugglers.

FC UNITED have given their promotion hopes a major fillip by signing former Manchester United starlet Phil Marsh.


The Rebels tried to sign the 22-year-old from Leigh Genesis last month, but the St Helens-born player - who has one United first-team appearance to his name - elected to stay with the Unibond League strugglers.

Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney are sent off as Manchester United’s title hopes take another crushing blow with defeat at Fulham.

FC UNITED are hoping for a double play-off boost in the space of two days.


The Rebels travel to promotion rivals Hednesford on Saturday, a win which could lift them back into the top five, with only one automatic promotion place and one play-off spot to be contested.

FC UNITED are hoping for a double play-off boost in the space of two days.


The Rebels travel to promotion rivals Hednesford on Saturday, a win which could lift them back into the top five, with only one automatic promotion place and one play-off spot to be contested.

Manchester United keeper Edwin van der Sar turns down a request from Dutch manager Bert van Marwijk to come out of international retirement.

FC UNITED moved to within two points of the Unibond premier division play-offs with a 2-0 win at promotion rivals North Ferriby United last night.


The Rebels, backed by 350 travelling fans, who made the long journey to Humberside, leapfrogged their opponents and also also benefited from Guiseley’s shock home defeat by Frickley.

FC UNITED moved to within two points of the Unibond premier division play-offs with a 2-0 win at promotion rivals North Ferriby United last night.


The Rebels, backed by 350 travelling fans, who made the long journey to Humberside, leapfrogged their opponents and also also benefited from Guiseley’s shock home defeat by Frickley.

ALTRINCHAM assistant-boss Graham Barrow stood by the ruthless Robins after they’d shown crisis-torn Weymouth no mercy in ending a run of four successive Blue Square Premier defeats with a resounding triumph over the visiting Dorset strugglers, writes TONY GLENNON.


Alty looked set for a cricket score after rattling in three goals inside the first 14 minutes but were ultimately content to settle for a 4-0 win over a team made up of emergency loanees and academy players to move to within touching distance of manager Graham Heathcote’s 50-point safety target.

ALTRINCHAM assistant-boss Graham Barrow stood by the ruthless Robins after they’d shown crisis-torn Weymouth no mercy in ending a run of four successive Blue Square Premier defeats with a resounding triumph over the visiting Dorset strugglers, writes TONY GLENNON.


Alty looked set for a cricket score after rattling in three goals inside the first 14 minutes but were ultimately content to settle for a 4-0 win over a team made up of emergency loanees and academy players to move to within touching distance of manager Graham Heathcote’s 50-point safety target.

“Manchester United are still title favourites - but Liverpool will have made them think”

Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic is banned for two matches following his dismissal in Saturday’s 4-1 Premier League defeat by Liverpool.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson joins Everton counterpart David Moyes in criticising the decision to play their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson calls on his side to respond positively to their loss to Liverpool.