Saturday 3 Man Utd beat Arsenal 1-0 in their FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park, Paul Scholes scoring to deny the holders a fourth successive final. “We didn't deserve to lose,” says Arsène, graciously. “I wouldn't bet on them on Tuesday night,” says Sir Alex, employing spare mind games on behalf of Claudio Ranieri. In the league, Chelsea win 1-0 at Spurs to cut Arsenal’s lead to four points. In his first start for six months, Jamie Redknapp needs plastic surgery after being accidentally punched in the mouth by his cousin Frank Lampard. Newcastle take fourth off Liverpool with a 4-2 win over Everton. Wolves lose 4-1 at home to Southampton; Claus Lundekvam scores his first goal in 296 games for the Saints. At the bottom of the First, Derby lose 1-0 to a disputed penalty at home to Walsall. Wimbledon end a run of 11 straight defeats and stave off relegation for a few days by beating Wigan 1-0. In the game of the day in the Second Division, 19,041 see Bristol City beat QPR 1-0 to draw level on points in the automatic promotion race behind Plymouth, who stay seven points clear despite a 1-0 loss at Barnsley. At the bottom Brentford and Chesterfield draw 1-1, both goals in the final minute, but slip below Peterborough, Grimsby and Stockport, who all win. Wycombe stay alive with a 2-1 win at home to Port Vale. “The lads are going through brick walls,” explains Tony Adams. In the Third Doncaster extend their lead with a 3-1 defeat of Bury, while Carlisle narrow the gap at the bottom with a 2-1 win at Swansea. In Scotland Celtic open up a 20-point lead over Rangers, coming from two down to draw with Hearts.
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Stories
Bury are dropping through the leagues and fast. Chris Bainbridge explains why his club are struggling so badly, and how the somehow managed to avoid relegation to the Conference this term
Bury have had a dramatic decline in the past three years or so. What are the main reasons for this?
Money, money and money – a lack of it. Bury’s surge to Division One was bankrolled by millionaire stockbroker Hugh Eaves, but then he got caught up in a scandal. We were forced to sell a raft of good players (such as Dean Kiely, Paul Butler and David Johnson) just to keep going. Two relegations and a spell in administration later, we’re now well on the way to rebuilding ourselves as a community-based club through the “Forever Bury” supporters’ trust. But we now know through bitter experience the dangers of relying on one person. Chelsea beware…
After years of belt-tightening regimes, Cardiff City have been on one long spree lately and Andrew Turton wonders what Sam Hammam's numbers will add up to in the end
Tony Clemo struggled for years to keep it under control. Rick Wright wouldn’t even consider it. Samesh Kumar made sure it never got out of hand and Steve Borley used his own money, rather than risk its effect on the club. Yes, we’re talking about debt; more specifically, Cardiff City’s debt. In years gone by, we used to worry if the club’s borrowings reached a few hundred thousand. Now, after a decade of chair- men keeping a tight grip on the purse strings, Sam Hammam’s policy regarding debt is quite the opposite.
They wanted to stop the club going under; so they try heading down under. Neil Forsyth reports on how the Tynecastle board, not content with just selling their ground, were thwarted
Fans of Heart of Midlothian have grown used to controversy this season, with an attempt by the board to sell their Tynecastle home and become match-day tenants at Murrayfield, the home of Scottish rugby. It is a suggestion prompted by the club’s ludicrous levels of debt, reported to have reached around £18 million, which would be perhaps halved by the sale of the ground.
As the final stage of the absurd reinvention of Wimbledon in Milton Keynes moves closer, Ian Pollock points the finger at those who failed to protect football in south-west London
It’s nearly two years since the Football Association’s infamous three-man commission approved the move of Wimbledon Football Club from south-west London to Milton Keynes. After staggering around like a zombie in a graveyard for most of that time, the club now appear to have overcome the main hurdles to establishing themselves in their new home and springing back to life. The acceptance by creditors on March 18 of a company voluntary arrangement means that WFC may finally come out of administration on April 6, subject to final approval by the Football League.