Pat Rice a fond farewell…

By Tony Alvarez
Despite being well known by Arsenal fans and perhaps fans of a lot of other clubs up and down the country Arsenal yesterday officially announced that Pat Rice the clubs long term assistant manager and even longer servant would step down after Sunday’s clash withWest Brom.

He joined the club as a youth-team player in 1964 before turning professional two years later and went on to make more than 500 appearances for the Gunners, captaining the side to FA Cup victory in 1979.

Rice left Arsenal for a four-year spell withWatford in 1980 before returning to the club as a youth-team coach.

FA Cup Final Preview: Liverpool v Chelsea

By Laurie Fitzgerald

After nine months and 825 clubs battling it out in the oldest cup competition in the world, we have reached the last two to battle it out in this year’s FA Cup Final.

Liverpool and Chelsea will meet at Wembley tomorrow evening to decide the 131st showpiece event for English football’s most famous domestic cup, and these are two sides that have a rich FA Cup tradition.

The Reds have won the trophy on seven occasions and last lifted the cup back in 2006, when a last-gasp equaliser by Steven Gerrard and heroics from Pepe Reina in the penalty shootout saw them overcome West Ham in one of the all-time great finals.

Chelsea’s recent history in the competition is unmatched; while they have won the cup six times, three of those triumphs have come in the last five seasons and are now one win away from four in six.

While Liverpool have stuttered in the Premier League this season, their cup form has been peerless; having won the Carling Cup back in February, Kenny Dalglish’s side are looking to complete a domestic cup double.    

Is too much made of the pre match handshake?

By Tony Alvarez

It is believed that following a meeting between QPR players and staff it has been agreed that certain players would not shake John Terry’s hand. According to reports the FA were informed of this decision and have moved to stop a scene being caused and cancelled the usual pre match ritual.

This is not the first time in the not too distant past that the handshake has been in the press and made back pages, sometimes sadly overshadowing the football that is being played.

FA Cup semi final preview: Tottenham vs Chelsea.

By Tony Alvarez

Today sees the 2nd semi final in this seasons FA Cup with the winner looking forward to a Wembley date with Liverpool in just 20 days time.
We are now at the penultimate stage but for Shouts From The Stands the tournament started way back in the first round proper in November 2011.
I started the tournament following Colchester United with the intention of following them until they got beat and then to follow their conquerors.

Evans’ Rotherham move one of the shocks of the season

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Throughout any football season, there are plenty of shocks, thrills and spills that make the game we love so unpredictable.

However, one of the biggest shocks of this current campaign arrived on Monday morning, when it was announced that Steve Evans had stepped down from his position as Crawley Town manager to take over at fellow League Two side Rotherham United.

The 49 year-old signed a three-year deal with the Millers and replaces Andy Scott with United four points adrift of the play-offs thanks to their last-minute win at home to Cheltenham on Monday.

But Evans leaves a Crawley side that are just two points adrift of the automatic promotion places going into the final weeks of the campaign.

He had taken the Red Devils out of the conference with a record total of 105 points, and had overcome recent departures of key players to help put them in contention for back-to-back promotions.

Evans, who previously guided Boston United to the Football League, clearly believes that he can guide the club into the top six in these final weeks, otherwise he would have waited to take the job until the end of the season.    

Can manager of the month Coyle spur Bolton to safety?

By Tony Alvarez
During the toughest of times for Bolton Wanderers with the cardiac arrest for midfielder Fabrice Muamba during an FA Cup tie with Tottenham manager Owen Coyle has pulled the squad together and produced some spirited to performance to win the Coyle the manager of the month award.
Last time out Coyle’s side won a relegation 6 pointer beating fellow stragglers Wolverhampton Wanderers away to pull them out of the relegation zone.

Should Bolton pull out of the FA Cup?

By Tony Alvarez

Following Fabrice Muamba’s collapse and heart attack on the pitch in Bolton’s FA Cup Quarter final clash at White Heart Lane which saw the fixture correctly abandoned after 41 minutes it has been rumoured that Bolton may pull out of this seasons FA Cup.

Football…….who cares?

By Tony Alvarez
As I write this it has just been reported that Bolton Midfielder Fabrice Muamba is in a stable condition following his collapse on the pitch in his clubs FA Cup quarter final away at Tottenham’s White Heart Lane home.
The midfielder went down off the ball without a player around him and was being resuscitated on the pitch for 10 minutes before leaving on a stretcher to hospital where thankfully he was saved.

FA Cup Quarter-Final Preview: Everton v Sunderland

By Laurie Fitzgerald

With eight teams still dreaming of cup glory this season, the 2011/12 FA Cup has reached the business end of the tournament.

There are some cracking ties in store as the quarter-finalists battle for a place at Wembley next month, and just one team outside the Premier League left in the competition.

That is Leicester City, who have been rewarded with victory over top-flight opposition in Norwich City in the last round with a trip to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea.

Tottenham take on Bolton at White Hart Lane, while Liverpool try and reach a second semi-final of the season as the Carling Cup winners face Stoke at Anfield.

But the main focus of this preview is on the match in the other part of Merseyside, as Everton prepare to battle it out with Sunderland in the last four.    

FA Cup quarter final Preview: Chelsea vs Leicester City

By Tony Alvarez

This weekend sees the FA Cup 6th round fixtures take place with sides hoping to cause upsets up and down the country and reach the semi finals of arguably the Worlds greatest Cup competition.

As regular visitors to the website will know both myself and Laurie chose a side to follow in round one of the competition, should that side lose we follow the side that beat them.

I initially started off with Colchester United who lost out to Swindon who in turn lost to Leicester in round four I followed Leicester through their 5^th round victory vsNorwich and will now look ahead to their real glamour tie away to Champions League quarter finalists, big spending Chelsea.