The current months stories, in reverse order (latest news at the top) For archived news check the archives from the menu left - for the latest from Kjetil Vold's predictions on the English Premiership title race, click here Alveley and Gunners make first share buy backs. 30th September 2008 - News from the Premiership Alveley Wolves and Gunners XI today took their first steps to clearing their debts. Gunners have amassed just over £100 million and will purchase back 43 of the 70 outstanding shares. Chief Exec Rat Pice said “Many will be aware of our plight and the fact that we have had to spend big in order to get where we are today. We are still sore over the financial mismanagement of the previous owners but this is a huge step in the right direction and the debt is down to £60 million after this transaction” “We will be receiving a lot of money based on our achievements but this is a double edged sword as every win increases our share price which is why we have decided to clear what we can now.” “Our main source of income is players sales and we will continue to trim all unnecessary staff before the deadline.” “What is certain is that we can avoid the wholesale sell off of the core of the team that some people were expecting (and hoping for). All being well we will retain the back bone that has seen us move to the top of the table – Rimmer, Freeman, Teddy and Croxford.” The plight of Alveley Wolves is similar but less serious. Finance Director Mez Joxey explained “The debt is £59 million and we have raised £50 million of that so there is easily enough time to raise the remaining cash. No one will leave the club as a consequence of the deadline.” “We have a good, settled side and I am hopeful that we can build next year. I know the manager has been hit hard by the loss of his first choice centre halves but we still have a chance of a Champions League spot and we will do what we can to finish as high as possible.” The share deadline could hurt other clubs with outfits such as Raging Horn, AC Valencia and Opel FC struggling to raise the funds due to their lack of saleable assets. English Premiership still on a knife edge as club's take a break for World Cup qualifying 13th September 2008 - Gunners win easily - Bears given a scare at Wearvalley - Barefoot all but relegated (Steve Delaney) It's the worst time of the season for the league clubs. With only 6 matches left to play and a whole load of permutations on what the final tables might look like, FIFASTEVE's diary has the two remaining World Cup qualification games scheduled for the next fortnight, with only those teams left in the Elite Cups, able to see any domestic action. In the Premiership and as expected Gunners XI maintained their lead over defending Champions Mighty Bears after a 6-1 drubbing of Addicks Athletic, Croxford bagging four goals to take over at the top of the goalscoring charts for the division. It was routine apart from getting going, with only a slender 1-0 lead at half time but the performance from the whole team was very encouraging at this stage of the season. Polling an average 53 performance when the top player on the day (Freeman L) gets just 63, means a well balanced side throughout. Meanwhile Mighty Bears were given a huge scare by Wearvalley, when they saw a two goal lead wiped away (the first a penalty that seemed to then unsettle the side) and had to rely on Hughes S to net the winner ten minutes from time in a 3-2 win. Bears have had their difficulties away to Wearvalley previously. Last season they drew on the same week of the season although that ultimately proved to make no difference to the outcome of the title race, something that could be said to be the case here. Indeed during 2004 and 2005 Bears couldn't beat Wearvalley in a competitive game so they'll be glad to see the back of them for another season. So where does that leave us? With six games remaining the following fixtures remain.... Gunners XI IXWORTH IRONS v GUNNERS XI GUNNERS XI v BURNDEAN BERSERKS ARSENBALL v GUNNERS XI GUNNERS XI v BAREFOOT BARBARIANS NORWEGIAN VIKINGS v GUNNERS XI GUNNERS XI v KINGSBURY WOLVES Mighty Bears F.C. MIGHTY BEARS F.C. v POELEANS MIGHTY BEARS F.C. v TRINITY HEATH HARBOUR F.C. v MIGHTY BEARS F.C. MIGHTY BEARS F.C. v NORWEGIAN VIKINGS BAREFOOT BARBARIANS v MIGHTY BEARS F.C. MIGHTY BEARS F.C. v ARSENBALL Undoubtably Mighty Bears have much the better final two games with a likely 6 points coming from Barefoot Barbarians and Arsenball but it's my belief that the title will be won by Gunners XI by then. In the time before the final two matches Bears have tricky home fixtures against Poeleans and the form team of the moment Trinity Heath and then fixtures against Harbour (away) and Norwegian Vikings (home). In the meantime Gunners will be playing Ixworth (away), a potentially tricky Burndean Berserks (home), Arsenball (away) and the doomed Barefoot Barbarians (home), before they engage Norwegian Vikings (away) and finish with a home match against Kingsbury Wolves. The meeting between the two teams a fortnight ago (1-1) served to prove that Gunners XI were up for the title and that Mighty Bears were just as serious about retaining it. Of course there could be an upset in several of these fixtures but when the reckoning comes at the end of the season the remaining fixtures show that there should be a new Champion's name on the Premier League trophy. Gunners XI manager Andy Pierce said after the game.... "Very much as you were for us this week. We expected to win the game and as long as we keep a fit side, and more specifically Freeman, Teddy and Croxford we expect to win the title but I have half the squad for sale due to our financial problems and we won’t be able to cope with any serious injuries. We also have an Elite cup game against Wearvalley but its to our advantage that this is our only other distraction. I think we can now consider Harbour to be out of it. For them to overhaul us we would have to drop points in 3 of our last 6 games and I don’t expect that to happen so it’s a straight fight between us and Bears and we saw how they wobbled this week. All in all confidence is very high at the club." Elsewhere Harbour F.C. and Kingsbury Wolves drew so neither could take advantage of the other. Those results though still make it likely that Harbour will finish in 3rd place. It could be argued there are points to gain on the top two and they are in a terrific vein of form but it's still likely that 3rd is the best they can hope for. It's Kingsbury Wolves that will be looking over their shoulders. Four league matches without a win has seen them overtaken by and now well behind Harbour and they'll be casting a worried eye on Alveley Wolves, who beat Five Oak this week 5-3 and esepcially Norwegian Vikings. Who knows what Alveley will turn up each week though so maybe it it's likely that Vikings are a form favourite, if not a firm favourite, to grab that 4th Champions League place. Alveley Wolves manager Andy Pierce said after their game.... Obviously we are delighted with the win and it moves us up to 5th place. The fact of the matter is since kardell broke his leg we have struggled and will do until we can replace him or he returns. Apart from that, we are very happy – a season that started with such promise has fallen apart badly only to be given new life with the reshaping of the side. I let Convey go this week as he is quality but just is not getting games for us, in Belis J I have a player well known for his creative side and I really hope he can give my front two plenty of chances. It will be tough to get 4th spot but we still believe the kittens are rubbish and we can catch them. Bebe continues to work wonders for the club, against Palace he created 3 and got a performance rating of 104 – fantastic – we are also delighted with Hetfield J who got 103!! A mention has to go out to Trinity Heath, who notched their 7th straight win in the league this week as they dismantled Poeleans (away 3-1). Once again the deadly partnership of Ray Suarez and Besty provided a goal apiece with Crown and Dyomin O superb at the back. New 'keeper De los Santos was superlative in his distribution and loaned players McGarvey and Nash F played their part. It's likely that Heath will seal a deal for Nash F this week from FC Porto to complete a very fluid looking midfield. But it is the defence that is gaining the plaudits. In weather and pitch conditions that always provide goals from the level of strikers around the world, Trinity Heath have been comparatively tight since the 5-7 defeat at Harbour in July. At the bottom Arsenball only need a point to make sure that Barefoot Barbarians are relegated this season. View site map Contact us for info News Headlines: