A background of Grizzlies and Stompers may prove the right preparation for Portsmouth, says Mike Woitalla
In the USA, Milan Mandaric owned teams called the Earthquakes, Stompers, Storm, Grizzlies and Thundercats between 1974 and 1999.They were outdoor and indoor teams, and covered three different states in four different leagues. They’re all dead. But one made a major impact on the American soccer landscape and another led to his investment in Portsmouth.
Portsmouth have been bought by a Serbian-American electronics magnate. Steven Morgan is chuffed, so far
The sight of grown men behaving like kids has not been confined purely to footballers on holiday this summer. Serbian tycoon Milan Mandaric’s £5 million takeover of Portsmouth has seen long-suffering supporters on the south coast spend the close season pinching themselves in disbelief.
Tuesday 1 Joe Kinnear is to step down as Wimbledon manager, apparently because he wants to work at a bigger club. "I believe he will go like hot cakes," says Sam Hammam. He will be replaced by former Norway coach Egil Olsen. Sam again: "His way is the Wimbledon way. He is also the complete master both tactically and technically." Someone's been watching re-runs of Kung Fu.
Wednesday 2 Having missed out on Edwin van der Sar and Fabien Barthez, Man Utd finally sign Mark Bosnich, who seems to have turned into a character from a Barbara Cartland book: "I could have gone abroad and lived like a king, but I followed my heart." Ireland's Euro 2000 match with Yugoslavia is unlikely to go ahead after the Irish government withdraw entry visas for the Yugoslav squad. "The decision was taken by a government. We are not in a position to condone or condemn it," says an FAI spokesman. Dundee Utd supporters group United For Change are backing an attempt by a local businessman to buy out Jim McLean's controlling stake in the club. Steve Parkin resigns as manager of Mansfield.
Peter Ridsdale quietly rose to the position of chairman at Leeds United in 1996. Nick Varley gives us the lowdown of the lifelong fan who appears all to happy to mix it with the supporters
Distinguishing features First publicly spotted in the mid-1980s, he resembled a chipper, well-dressed geography teacher, ie tweedy sports jackets, but without leather elbow patches. The suits have stayed sensible, but the boyish parted hair has turned white so that he now looks like an avuncular Swedish diplomat.
Keiran Robson explains how the FA have moved the goalposts after the newly formed Barrow AFC (1999) were refused permission to take over the status of the existing Barow AFC (1901) from next season after their exclusion from the Nationwide Conference
On Saturday June 5th, Barrow were excluded from the Nationwide Conference for next season. The club has 14 days to appeal but, if that fails, the best they can hope for is to be playing in the North West Trains League – three levels below the Conference – next season. There is a chance, however, that the club may go out of existence altogether. The new board say they will not be able to afford to maintain the club’s current ground, Holker Street, on the income generated in the North West Trains League, whose clubs are allowed to charge a maximum entrance fee of only £2.