Historic British & German football match

London, April 28: Much has been written about the Christmas Eve armistice of 1914 when feuding British and German soldiers celebrated Xmas together and engaged in a friendly soccer match in the icy mud of No Man’s Land in France.

Now, military historians have dug out the diary of one Regimental Sergeant Major George Beck, who chronicled the remarkable events in his notebook.

His account titled ‘Not a shot fired’ vividly details the events when soldiers of the Kaiser’s army came forward to hand out drinks and cigars to British Tommies and invited them over to a friendly game of soccer.

"Christmas Eve, 1914, and not a shot fired. The Germans ask to play football and hand out drink and cigars. They are eager to swoop almost anything for our bully beef," the 34 year old veteran of the Boer War, who spent Christmas in a trench near the Belgian village of St Yves, near Ypres, writes in his diary.

The much-decorated NCO (Beck won the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Medal and was twice mentioned in dispatches) also writes about how the British and Germans sing together, exchange gifts and play football in no-man`s-land.

“Point 63. Quiet day. Relieved 2 RDF (Royal Dublin Fusiliers) in the trenches in the evening. Germans shout over to us and ask us to play them at football, and also not to fire and they would do likewise,” the entry in his diary for December 24 reads.

He also describes how a German band sing Home Sweet Home and God Save the King, much to the amusement of the British troops who start feeling nostalgic about their home back in England.

“At 2am (25th) a German Band went along their trenches playing Home Sweet Home and God Save the King, which sounded grand and made everyone think of home. The music sounded grand and made everyone think of home,” the Daily Mail quoted his diary as saying.

“During the night, several of our fellows went over "No Man`s Land" to German lines and was given drink and cigars.

“25 December - `Trenches St Yves. Christmas Day. Not one shot was fired. English and German soldiers intermingled and exchanged souvenirs. Germans very eager to exchange almost anything for our "Bully Beef" and jam. Majority of them know French fluently. A few men of the regiment assisted in burying the dead of the Somerset Light Infantry who were killed on 19.12.14. Fine frosty day. Very cold,” the dairy says.

“26 December - Trenches St Yves. Unofficial truce kept up and our own fellows intermingled still with the Germans. No rifle shots fired, but our artillery fired a few rounds on the German 3rd and 4th lines and Germans retaliated with a few rounds on D Coys (Company`s) trenches. 2 wounded. ‘27 December - `Trenches St Yves. No sniping. A few "whiz bangs" on D Coys trenches. 1 wounded.` On December-30, RSM Beck receives a rare treat - a bath and a change of clothes as he and his men move on to La Creche’,” the diary further says.

According to his account, the truce was observed for several days afterwards, with soldiers on both sides showing reluctance to open fire on the men whom they had met face to face only a few days back.

According to the paper, the army also used the ceasefire as an opportunity to retrieve the bodies of some of their fallen soldiers from no man`s land.

According to records, Beck, of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, survived the war and passed on his diary - beautifully handwritten in pencil in a ruled notebook - to his family.

Now, it has finally been made public after his granddaughter decided to loan it to her local history centre.

Celebrities expected for charity football match

Ex-Premiership stars Les Ferdinand and Matt Le Tissier are taking to the field for a charity match at Boreham Wood Football Club next week.

FA Cup winning goalkeeper Dave Beasant and former Manchester United defender Paul Parker are also playing in the match on Sunday, May 6.

The mayor of Hertsmere, Martin Heywood, has organised the game in aid of Diabetes UK, his chosen charity, and said he hoped to raise up to £5,000.

A public team, managed by Mr Heywood and captained by his son Phil, 26, will take on the stars' 11.

The celebrity team is managed by Ferdinand and ex-Watford and England striker Luther Blissett and will also include GMTV host Ben Sheppard, Robbie Williams' best pal, actor Jonathan Wilkes, and Radio 1's DJ Spoony.

Mr Heywood said: "I'm very much excited and looking forward to the day. It's a lovely opportunity for the community to come together.

"The support we've had so far has been fantastic and I thought it was the perfect way to round off my year as mayor.

"My team will also be going out to win."

The match kicks off at 1pm and the day also includes a raffle and auction where prizes include a signed Arsenal football shirt and a football signed by the England team, including former captain David Beckham.

Stars of Holby City and EastEnders are also expected along to sign autographs and pose for pictures with fans.

The public team's second training session takes place at Borehamwood Football Club on Tuesday between 8pm and 10pm.

Anyone is welcome to try out for the side.

Match tickets are £7 adults and £3 children and OAPs.

For more information on sponsorship or donations contact Belinda Troy, at Hertsmere Borough Council, on 0208 207 7477.

Klinsmann is TV commentator

FORMER Germany boss Juergen Klinsmann has accepted a job with German TV, apparently ruling himself out of becoming coach of English Premiership champions Chelsea, a Berlin report said yesterday.

Klinsmann (right) will work for as an analyst and commentator for pay-TV channel Arena for the next two years, Bild newspaper reported.

He will fly to Germany from his home in California for major Bundesliga games, the report said.

'I had many offers after the World Cup to return to Europe, but Arena is the first partner that has really won me over,' Klinsmann said, quoted by Bild.

It has been reported this month that Chelsea's billionaire Russian owner Roman Abramovich had approached Klinsmann with a view to having him replace Jose Mourinho.

But the Portuguese coach appears to have patched up his differences with Abramovich.

Klinsmann, 42, led host nation Germany to the semi-finals of last year's World Cup, moulding a young and relatively unfancied squad into an exciting attacking team.

But he stepped down immediately after the tournament, saying he did not want to uproot his family and his American wife from the United States.

As a player, Klinsmann helped Germany win the 1990 World Cup and played for Bayern Munich, Inter-Milan and Tottenham. -- AFP.

Rap artist Combs and soccer's Beckham release new fragrances

NEW YORK - It's nothing but the best for Sean "Diddy" Combs and his fragrance Unforgivable Multi Platinum.

The new cologne is a limited edition, ramped-up version of Unforgivable, which the rap artist introduced last year. It quickly became the top-selling men's prestige fragrance of 2006.

"In the world of fragrances, perfumes and colognes, the actual products we use are based on 'the juice.' There are different grades of 'juice,' " Combs said during a recent interview. "This is the luxury version."

He compared it to a fine wine: One year might be a great vintage for a particular wine and you love it. Then you taste the wine from one of those once-in-a-decade vintages and you go crazy for it.

Even at $65 for 2.5 ounces, $10 more than the regular version, Unforgivable Multi Platinum is likely to be in short supply.

In addition to Unforgivable Multi Platinum, other new fragrances for men this spring include:

n Attitude by Giorgio Armani. The top notes include Sicilian lemon and coffee bean; the heart cardamom and lavender; and the dry-down China cedar and patchouli.

n CK IN2U by Calvin Klein. This scent includes lime, tangelo and white cedar.

n Instinct by David Beckham. The scent aims to mimic soccer star Beckham's signature style, which tends to throw a contemporary twist into an otherwise classic look. Notes include bergamot, grapefruit and pimento.

n Nautica Island Voyage. Contains the scent of black pepper, honeydew melon, lavender and jasmine.

n Eternity for Men Summer by Calvin Klein. The twist on classic Eternity includes coriander, watermelon and anise.

Dead man puts soccer ace Michael Owen back on his feet

The surgeon who saved the career of England striker Michael Owen has revealed that he rebuilt the footballer's knee using donor body parts.

Owen is expected to play next week for the first time since he collapsed with a terrible knee injury at the World Cup in June last year.

His leg was repaired using ligaments from the knee of a young American man who had died.

Until now, only his family and closest friends knew that donor tissue was used in the operation, performed by U.S. surgeon Dr Richard Steadman.

"The patient doesn't know who the donor is," said Dr Steadman, 69. "I just don't like to make that kind of connection." Owen tore his anterior cruciate ligament just two minutes into England's World Cup match against Sweden.

The ligament is one of four in the knee joint. It runs diagonally across the knee from the thigh bone to the tibia in the lower leg, and prevents the knee from rotating too far.

Dr Steadman said that the donor's ligament was removed from his knee together with parts of the bones to which it was attached.

The pieces of bone were then attached to Owen's own leg bones for the firmest possible connection.

Many patients are patched up with tissue pared from their own ligaments. But Dr Steadman said that by using a complete donor ligament, Owen would have the best chance of a full recovery.

Owen, 27, had to give his consent before donor tissue could be used in the operation, performed in September.

Dr Steadman has reconstructed the knees of many top sportsmen, including footballers Alan Shearer and Ruud van Nistelrooy and England cricket captain Michael Vaughan.

He believes the Newcastle United striker will be a better player than ever when he returns to full match-fitness.

"Players can come back to a better level but it is not because their reconstructed ligament is stronger than the old one," he said. "I think it is because when you recover from a serious injury it makes you a stronger person."

Owen is expected to take to the pitch for Newcastle in their Premiership match against Reading on Monday night.

If he does, his thoughts will doubtless be with the benefactor whose life was cut short - and whose identity he will never know.

The striker is England's fourth-highest scorer, with 36 goals from 80 internationals, and is best remembered for his wonder strike against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, when he was only 18.

With Dr Steadman's prediction of many more years of top-flight football to come, the odds on Owen overtaking Bobby Charlton's record of 49 goals may yet tumble.

Soccer ace Ronaldo to star in Italia Open

Brazilian soccer idol Ronaldo is set to make a shock appearance in next Wednesday's star-studded Pro-Am at the Telecom Italia Open at Castello di Tolcinasco G&CC near Milan.

It's a big day all round for three-times FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldo whose AC Milan club later on host Manchester Utd with a place in the final of the Champions League at stake - Ronaldo is cup-tied having already played in this season's competition for Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Admitted Ronaldo: "Obviously I would love to be playing against Manchester United as it will be a great game and a great occasion at the San Siro, but I am equally looking forward to competing in the Pro-Am.

"I've played golf for a number of years now and I thoroughly enjoy the game and am trying hard to improve. But whatever happens, I will really enjoy testing my own game against the professionals of the European Tour."

It will be fascinating to see how mid-handicapper Ronaldo fares in such a completely alien sporting arena and the same applies to Italian footballing legends Gianluca Vialli, Roberto Donadoni and Daniele Massaro who will also be performing on the big golfing stage in Milan.

Boy assaulted over soccer jersey

A 13-year-old boy was reportedly assaulted for wearing a Brazil soccer shirt.

Council Bluffs police reports indicated the teen was in-line skating in the area of North Broadway and the Kanesville walking bridge at approximately 4 p.m. Thursday. The boy told officers he just crossed over the bridge and there was a group of children walking down the sidewalk.

He said he moved into the grass to let the group walk by, but the group started making fun of his Brazil soccer shirt.

The boy started to cross the Pizza King parking lot and noticed one of the boys from the group chasing him. The boy was caught by the suspect who reportedly asked, "Why are you wearing that shirt when you're in America?"

The boy was able to get away, but was caught again and punched on the left side of the face, causing a chipped tooth. The teen told officers that he did not recognize his assailant. No arrests were made.

Readies Devils in ticket hike

CHEEKY Devils Man United found a good day to sneak out bad news — while fans were celebrating their amazing Champions League semi-final comeback.

They revealed a season ticket price rise the day after their team beat AC Milan 3-2 at Old Trafford with goals from Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.

It also came out while fans and players across Britain were mourning the death of England’s 1966 World Cup winner Alan Ball.

The Red Devils announced season ticket prices will rise by up to 13.5 per cent.

Match tickets which cost between £23 and £39 this season for members will also rise to between £25 and £44. The hikes come in an incredibly lucrative season for United — who could end up winning the Premiership title, Champions League and FA Cup.

It also comes on the back of a huge cash injection from a new TV deal.

The Sun’s Cut the Cost of Footie campaign has seen top Premiership clubs — including Arsenal and Chelsea — drop or freeze next season’s prices. Spurs are the only other top team to announce a rise.

Charles Bogle, of United fans’ website Rednews, said the hike was a kick in the teeth for supporters still angry that US tycoon Malcolm Glazer borrowed heavily to buy the club.

He said: “This comes after they announced steep price rises a year ago. It seems to be made on the back of this season’s success to help feed the large debt the Glazers have bestowed on the club.

“There will come a point when United’s working class support, which built the club, will no longer be able to afford to go, week in, week out.”

The Man United Supporters Trust said: “These inflation-busting price hikes come at the very time officials at the club have been crowing about its rosy financial future, based on the huge new TV windfall and the increased sponsorship deal.

“It is far in excess of what even the Glazers’ own eye-watering business plan initially predicted.”

United tried to soften the blow by freezing junior season tickets in the Family Stand and cutting junior match tickets by almost 50 per cent to £10.

Retail therapy is Alex's cure

WHEN a girl’s feeling nervous, there’s only one thing to do . . . hit the shops.

ALEX CURRAN nipped out for a spot of retail therapy ahead of Liverpool skipper STEVE GERRARD’s big game last night. Alex headed to favourite WAG shop Cricket in Liverpool.

Looks like she’s more into Cricket than footie but then she got a parking ticket on her new Audi Q7, and her fiancé’s team were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea.

On Tuesday COLEEN McLOUGHLIN saw WAYNE ROONEY score two for Man Utd – after turning up in his new Lamborghini.

Blond it like Beckham

DAVID Beckham was dubbed Marilyn yesterday after dyeing his hair blond like movie legend Monroe.

The ex-England skipper tried to hide his white barnet under a blue hat as fans watched Real Madrid training.

But playful stars took turns to try to whip it off.

Brazilian Robinho almost got a grip, but laughing Becks spun away. He later gave onlookers a peek and said he was bored with brown locks.

Becks, 32 on Wednesday, added: “I like to change.” An insider said: “Some are calling him Marilyn.”

A picture of his hair appeared on US website justjared.buzznet.com after being sent anonymously.

BECKS’ locks have become almost as famous as his footie skills since the floppy-haired midfielder burst on to the scene more than ten years ago. These are some of his best — and worst — barnets.

Scouser is the other Stevie G

MERSEYSIDE boasts two incredibly talented men by the name of Stevie G.

One is footie ace STEVEN GERRARD — Liverpool skipper and world-class England midfielder.

The other is fellow Scouser STEPHEN GRAHAM — one of Britain’s most underrated acting talents and star of the brilliant new Brit flick This Is England.

You might be forgiven for not recognising him straight away.

But Stephen boasts an impressive CV and celebrity pals any actor would kill for.

He has worked with some of the world’s best directors including MARTIN SCORSESE and STEVEN SPIELBERG.

And he counts Hollywood actor LEONARDO DiCAPRIO, OASIS rocker NOEL GALLAGHER and ARCTIC MONKEYS as friends.

This week I saw a screening of his latest leading role in director SHANE MEADOWS’ new film about a skinhead gang.

He plays a chilling, volatile character called Combo who has just come out of prison in 1983, and his performance blew me away.

But the married dad-of-two is keeping his feet firmly on the ground. He told me: “I have been lucky enough to work with some big names. But I’ve also been lucky enough to shake Kop legend KENNY DALGLISH’s hand, which takes some beating. Basically, I’m just a lad from Kirby in Liverpool.

“I’d probably swap a BAFTA for a Champions League winners medal — as long as I could score the winning goal.”

Stephen made his name with his standout performance in GUY RITCHIE’s movie Snatch as bungling boxing promoter Tommy.

He also starred in Spielberg’s brilliant Band Of Brothers and Scorsese’s Gangs Of New York. He next stars alongside HELEN MIRREN and JIM BROADBENT in his latest film, Inkheart.

And even though he stood on Helen’s toe in his opening scene, he joked that “The Queen” taught him how to make a proper cuppa.

Stephen revealed: “I put the milk in first and she said, ‘Stephen, darling. This is how one does it.’”

Bizarre readers may know Stephen best for his part in Arctic Monkeys’ When The Sun Goes Down video.

He said: “The Arctic Monkeys loved This Is England. They thought it was really good.

“I heard their new album around the same time, which is superb. It would be good to do a film with an Arctic Monkeys soundtrack.”

Another showbiz pal, Leonardo DiCaprio, has seen a snippet of This Is England too.

He added: “I saw Leo a couple of weeks ago and he was sound.

“I showed him a little bit of the film and he can’t wait to watch it.

“He’s a top man. I phoned him up the other month and told him I was doing a little film over in LA.

“I planned to get a hotel but he invited me to stay so I lived with him for a month and a half in LA.”

Stephen reckons the film’s director, Shane, is up there with the best.

“I look at Shane and think the similarities between him and Scorsese are amazing,” he says. “Their enthusiasm and the way they work with actors is incredible.

“And they are both little, fat and funny.”

4 of our 3 Lions wed in 2 days

ENGLAND skipper John Terry will marry his childhood sweetheart the day before THREE team-mates tie the knot.

The Chelsea star, 26, ties the knot with Toni Poole, 24, mum of his two kids, on June 15.

Next day, England vice-captain Stephen Gerrard, 26, and Man United’s Michael Carrick, 25, and Gary Neville, 32, all wed.

The dates are popular as the football season is over and there is time for a long honeymoon before pre-season training.

Terry’s choice allows other England squad members to avoid the potentially awkward decision of snubbing the captain’s wedding in favour of one of the others.

It is thought the reception will be at a stately home near Terry’s £2.5million mansion in Oxshott, Surrey.

Liverpool captain Gerrard marries Alex Curran, 23. Carrick weds Lisa Roughhead, 24, in Leicestershire. Neville and Emma Hadfield, 24, marry at Manchester cathedral.

The weddings have prompted a bidding frenzy from celebrity magazines.

Wembers first game ticket scam

TICKETS for England’s first game at the new Wembley are being sold for four times their value.

Registered fans paid £60 each for 35,000 tickets for the match against Brazil on June 1. But they are now being sold on websites for £225.

Supporters’ chief Malcolm Clarke said: “The vast number of fans will not sell tickets on.”

The FA is getting rogue ticket sites closed.

Look who's In the Blues corner

BLUES boss Jose Mourinho stepped into the ring at a WRESTLING show — and was mauled by the crowd.

He was booed by 14,000 fans at London’s Earls Court when introduced as Chelsea’s “head coach”.

But he smiled through as he and his kids Matilde, nine, and José Jr, six, posed with WWE boss Vince McMahon, hardcore legend Mick Foley and Puerto Rican grappler Carlito.

Pointing at his children, he said: “WWE came to my house because of them. I can't get them to watch football, but wrestling they watch all day!

“For me, it’s great to be with my kids, and to be around the people they admire very much. I think that is very cool.”

Jose also joked how the wrestler Chris Benoit did something that neither Alex Ferguson or Rafael Benítez can – by wiping the arrogant smile off his face.

He said: “I met Chris recently and realised his hand is stronger than my leg.

“So, I don’t want to mess with any of them. I just want to be friends.”

Other celebrities at the Raw event included former Spurs boss Gerry Francis, Coronation Street star Bruce Jones and Radio 1 chart show presenter Joel Ross.

One Mel of a girl hits the town

SOCCER star Theo Walcott’s girlfriend Melanie Slade looked a bit of all-white as she presented a perfume award.

But Melanie, 18, was without Theo at the bash in London.

The Arsenal and England player, 18, had taken his sister Holly to the nearby Spiderman premiere.

A pal said last night: “Mel had a long-standing commitment to present the prize.”

Mourinho is a basket case

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho hid in a LAUNDRY BASKET — to dodge UEFA watchdogs who barred him from his team’s dressing room.

Mourinho, 44 — hit with the ban for criticising a Champions League ref — was smuggled out in the hamper after giving a team talk.

The crafty coach had sneaked into the Stamford Bridge dressing room four hours before kick-off, club sources revealed yesterday.

He watched the game in 2005 on a TV in the dressing room and relayed instructions to players via Chelsea fitness coach Rui Faria, who wore a radio earpiece on the touchline.

Faria raised suspicion by constantly scratching his ear under his woolly hat during the game — but stopped when pressmen alerted UEFA officials.

Later, Chelsea goalkeeping coach Silvinho Lauro made a series of mysterious dashes to the dressing room, returning with scraps of paper suspected to contain notes from Mourinho.

Chelsea won the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich 4-2 — with Mourinho making a clean getaway ten minutes before full time.

UEFA officials had no idea he was in the basket as he was wheeled away buried under players’ kit.

He then found another way to beat the two-game ban on having contact with his players.

At the return leg in Munich he gave his talk via a speaker smuggled into the dressing room. He was speaking from the nearby team hotel.

Sources said Mourinho — whose team face Liverpool in tonight’s Champions League semi-final — later joked about his antics.

Last night UEFA said there was no proof — and it would take no action.

Chelsea insisted: “Both matches were controlled by UEFA and they were more than satisfied on both nights that their ruling was intact.”

World Cup winner dies

ENGLAND legend Alan Ball has died at the age of 61.

The World Cup winner passed away last night after a suspected heart attack.

Hampshire Police have confirmed Ball was trying to tackle a bonfire that had got out of control when he collapsed and died.

Ball won 72 caps for his country during a 10-year international career and lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in 1966.

Sir Geoff Hurst, who scored a hat-trick at Wembley as England beat West Germany 4-2, led the tributes to his former team-mate.

He said: "Alan was the youngest member of the team and man of the match in the 1966 World Cup final.

"Socially he was always a good laugh and the 1966 team mixed a lot after then.

"We are all totally devastated."

Hurst informed other members of the World Cup-winning side this morning and has asked to be left alone.

A box-to-box midfielder, Ball was a key member of manager Sir Alf Ramsey's 'Wingless Wonders' and was awarded an MBE in 2000 for his services to football.

Alan Mullery, another of Ball's former England team-mates, said: "He was such a bouncy and lively, young 61-year-old.

"He was the life and soul of everything. It is shocking news.

"I played with him in Mexico (in the 1970 World Cup). He was a loveable character and had a heart of gold.

"He lived football and loved playing for his country. It is such a shock. At 61, he was a fit little fellow."

Brazilian player booked for kissing ref

RIO DE JANEIRO - A Brazilian defender was booked for kissing the referee during a match at the weekend.

Television pictures on Monday showed Cabofriense defender Cleberson giving referee Ubiraci Damasio a peck on the cheek after having a foul awarded against him during a 3-1 defeat by Botafogo at the Maracana.

The two were initially involved in a friendly exchange but the referee's mood quickly changed as he pulled out a yellow card and could be seen to say: "You can't kiss me."

"I didn't know it was against the rules," said Cleberson afterwards.

Kentridge goalkeepers are soccer's double trouble

Alex Ferguson and Nik Sever share superb goalkeeping skills.

Both are so good, in fact, that Kentridge High School soccer coach Glenn Walrond can't choose between them.

But when it comes to playing rock-paper-scissors, bragging rights clearly belong to Sever.

Before each match, Walrond asks Ferguson and Sever a simple question: Who wants to start?

A quick game of rock-paper-scissors decides it, which usually means Sever gets the nod for the first half. Ferguson typically plays the second half of each match.

Ferguson, a sophomore, might want to choose a different contest. Heading into Friday's match with Kentlake, Sever had made 10 consecutive starts determined by rock-paper-scissors. The junior got his 11th straight start on Tuesday, when Ferguson sat out with a sore groin, and went the distance in a 0-0 tie.

That was the fifth shutout of the season for the Chargers, who were 4-3-2 in South Puget Sound League 4A North Division play at midweek. Sever and Ferguson both had seven shutout halves going into that match, and that bumped Sever's total to nine.

Of nine goals Kentridge had allowed, Ferguson was in the net for five and Sever for four.

Both keepers insist they are comfortable with the unique situation.

"It works," Sever said. "Our defense is solid. Both Alex and I communicate with the team, especially the defense, and keep goals-against minimal. ... If he plays, that's great. If I play, that's great too."

Ferguson agrees, even though he started last year and once was part of the Olympic Development Program, a development program for high-level soccer players. Sever has worked the past two years with a position coach, improving his technique, and Ferguson said he deserves to split time.

Teammate Daniel Hunziker said it's like having the best of both worlds.

"Those two keepers are phenomenal," the senior defender said. "They could start on any team. It's just unfortunate for them they're both at Kentridge. They're both really good guys who look out for the team."

The halftime change often throws off opponents. At 230 pounds, the 6-foot-2 Sever is sturdier than Ferguson (6-1, 185).

"I think it benefits us, because [opponents] have to get used to a different goalie," Sever said.

"We bring something different each time," said Ferguson, a team captain who also is a running back for the football team.

Walrond said Sever is surprisingly quick for his size, but speed is Ferguson's forte.

Ferguson, who sometimes plays forward, said the two are competitive with each other, "but in a friendly way" and make each other better.

They could wind up splitting time again next year.

"As long as it works," they say in unison.

One-legged heroes of the soccer field

Former soldiers who lost limbs while fighting Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorists have formed a soccer team in Konya and are learning to restore their self-confidence by playing soccer with the help of crutches, the Anatolia news agency reported.
Neşet Demirbağ, president of the MEDAT Tekmeram Amputee Soccer Team, spoke to the agency and said that they established the team four months ago and have 14 players, most of whom are "Southeast veterans."

Demirbağ noted that they were the eighth soccer team made up of amputee players in Turkey, and that founding such teams was encouraged in other cities. A soccer league of amputee teams will be established when the number of teams reaches 12, he noted.

The team trains three times a week, he said: "These soldiers, whom Turkey takes pride in, have reached the spiritual height of being a war veteran, which is highly praised in Islam. The teams have been established to protect our veterans from bad habits and to help them forget about their disability by doing sports, and most importantly to boost their morale." They have already made important progress in their rehabilitation, Demirbağ stressed. By engaging in such an activity, they adopted a new purpose. Demirbağ also said that garrison commander, Lt. Gen. Uğur Uzal, has been helping them in every way possible since the team was established. "We also hope for help from the businessmen and people in Konya. It's a duty for all of us to win back these people, who risked their lives for this country and everyone living in this country."

They never played before

Hakan Boran, the trainer of the team and himself a veteran, said that the players had never played soccer before, and ironically started playing after losing their limbs. But in spite of that, they made a great headway in a short time, Boran noted. "We naturally had serious problems at the inception, but our friends, who had difficulty even walking with their prosthetic legs at the beginning, have learned to run with crutches," he added. Before the team was established, the players stayed at home doing little, unwilling to go out for fear of attracting strange looks. But playing soccer has helped them restore their faith in that they could do something, he said, and that they were now happy knowing that they were indeed achieving something.

Boran said the Amputee Soccer World Cup will be held in Antalya in November and seven countries will take part. He said that four players from his team were named to the national team during the selection game played in Trabzon.

‘We want to change certain things’

Team member Ramazan Çeliker received a disabling wound in his left leg when they were ambushed by a group of PKK terrorists in the Van district of Geva? in 1994. His leg was later amputated. Çeliker said that he did not want to remember that fateful moment of his life, but forgetting was impossible.

"What I had to live through after becoming a permanently disabled person is extremely stressful. I'm deeply disturbed by people's stares. Lest they should notice my artificial leg, I always wear a baggy tracksuit. However, we have now turned a new page in our lives through soccer. It is really difficult to play soccer like this, but we want to achieve this to change the way people see us."

History

This game began in El Salvador in the late 1970s, when many soldiers and civilians could not afford artificial legs and relied on light crutches for mobility. Eventually some of the amputees began to play soccer using their crutches and the good leg for kicking. News of the new sport spread throughout the world, and reached Europe in the mid-1980s through the influence of FIFA. Amputees who have acquired artificial legs remove them so that all amputees can compete on an equal basis with one leg and crutches. The game is played at considerable speed. To enable long kicks, able-bodied players also take part, but they can only use one leg or arm while playing, and only amputees with one arm are allowed to man the posts.

Property is a piece of Caicos

TIM SHERWOOD the midfield maestro who captained Blackburn Rovers to Premiership success has reinvented himself as property magnate.

The ex-Spurs and England international retired from the game at just 37 and has since invested in a property portfolio with flats in the UK, southern Spain and more recently the Caribbean.

“I had visited the Caribbean islands, like Barbados, but had never thought to invest there,” said Sherwood. “I found the rumours of crime off putting, but didn't know how true they were.

"I had heard of the Turks and Caicos islands but had never visited. It was my accountant who first suggested about investing in Caicos Beach Club, because he said it sounded like a sound investment."

Tim hopped on a plane for a long-haul inspection visit with property brokers Grand Capital and was utterly impressed with what he found.

“The location is paramount. It’s paradise. You can’t help but be sold. There’s no crime, so it’s safe for my family and the kids, without any worries on that score’.

In November 2006, Tim purchased a two one bedroom apartment, paying a deposit of £70,000, on a total cost of $349,000 when completed in 2008.

It guarantees him a return on your investment, from when it’s built. Then you have the free two weeks to use as a holiday.

It left Tim, who lives in Hertfordshire with his family, celebrating another strike on the overseas property market.

Hammers star Anton's strop

FOOTIE star Anton Ferdinand exploded with rage on a packed nightclub dance floor after dropping a diamond ring worth thousands of pounds.

The West Ham ace had to be held back by pals at The Time and Envy club in Romford, Essex.

A clubber said: “It all went off when Anton dropped a ring and accused someone of stealing it. He’d clearly had a few and had a posse of pals around him.”

But Ferdinand’s agent insisted last night there was no scuffle. Geoff Weston said: “Anton was at the club and his ring did fall on the ground. But someone picked it up and handed it back. There was no scuffle and nobody tried to take the ring.”

Defender Ferdinand, 22 — brother of Manchester United and England star Rio — will face trial in November after being arrested outside another nightclub last year. He and another man have been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and violent disorder, which he denies.

Marathon kills runner aged 22

THE 22-year-old who collapsed and died after running the London Marathon was named last night as David Rogers.

David — a fitness instructor who completed the race in an impressive 3hr 50min — collapsed after he crossed the finish line and had to be rushed to hospital.

He died there yesterday morning as organisers faced fury after admitting they ran out of water at some places during London’s hottest-ever marathon.

But David, from Milton Keynes, Bucks, collapsed due to hyponatraemia. The condition, a lack of sodium in his body, can be caused by drinking too much water.

Parents Chris and Sarah told last night how they watched with pride as he raced just hours before his death.

Chris, 52, said: “We saw him coming across Tower Bridge. He saw us and waved and then leapt in the air. He was doing what he wanted to do.”

The couple then saw him again a mile before before the finish. Chris said: “He was labouring a bit, but only like everyone else at that stage.”

He added: “He was a happy-go-lucky lad who brought happiness to everyone.”

David was the ninth person to die in 27 years of the marathon. Sunday’s race in 23°C (73°F) heat also left two others fighting for life.

Desperate runners told how they were forced to drink from discarded bottles on the road or go off-route and BUY some. One said: “There were four or five consecutive miles where water had run out.”

A marathon spokeswoman said 2,600 extra bottles were drafted in to each station on the second half of the course. But she admitted: “Some did run out.”

A total of 57 of the race’s 36,391 starters needed hospital treatment. One who was in a critical condition immediately after the event had recovered enough yesterday to return to a normal ward.

St John Ambulance volunteers treated 5,032 runners, many for heat exhaustion and dehydration. Organisers rejected calls to bring the event forward to February.

£6m mansion is his Neville-land

THIS is footie ace Gary Neville’s huge new home — dubbed Neville-land after Michael Jackson’s infamous Neverland.

Gary, 31, bought an entire 18th century farm hamlet to convert into a mansion.

Now the £6million project is nearing completion, in time for the Man U and England star’s June wedding to Emma Hadfield, 24.

More than 200 workmen have fitted a pool, gym, cinema, private golf course and 12 bedrooms.

But locals in Bradshaw, Greater Manchester, are furious. One said: “It’s tacky. Why does he need 12 bedrooms? Are the Man U team having a sleepover?”

Chelsea ace nicked leaving club

CHELSEA ace Michael Essien was arrested for drink-driving as he left a nightclub at 5am yesterday.

The £24million midfielder was driving his black Range Rover when he was pulled over by police.

He was breathalysed on the spot and arrested when the result proved positive.

The Ghana star now faces a double rollicking — from his manager and his MUM.

Boss Jose Mourinho will be furious at Essien’s arrest, fearing it could disrupt the final crucial games in Chelsea’s historic bid for four trophies in one season.

And the £80,000-a-week hardman, 24, will be in big trouble when he phones home to his strict Christian mum in Ghana.

A Chelsea insider said last night: “This could not have come at a worst time. The last thing we need are any distractions.

“Michael hardly ever drinks alcohol and this was totally out of character for him.

“He is a very quiet young man who reads the Bible and spends more than an hour a day on the phone to his mum at home.”

Essien has said of his mum: “She often talks to me of the Bible. She knows certain Africans forget their basic values once they become rich and famous. She would be unhappy if I went the same way.”

Essien, who joined from French side Lyon in 2005, hit the town on Sunday night after playing in Chelsea’s 0-0 draw at Newcastle. Essien flew back to London with the squad, but did NOT join team-mates at the glitzy PFA Player of the Year awards.

Instead he went clubbing with pals in Peckham, South London, ending up at the Prince of Wales pub for an R&B night.

He left just before 5am yesterday with two men and two women in his Range Rover with blacked-out windows.

A witness said: “They’d only driven a short distance on the Old Kent Road when a police car pulled them over.”

After the breath test, the millionaire player was taken to a nearby police station where he gave a blood sample. He was found to be over the legal limit of 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. He was held for about four hours — during which time a custody photo was taken.

He also provided fingerprints and a DNA sample. Essien was freed on bail at 10am and must report back to police in July.

Essien had Chelsea’s permission for a late night out because he is suspended from tomorrow’s Champions League semi-final with Liverpool.

The Blues, who won the Carling Cup last month, also face an FA Cup final and a nail-biting Premiership race — both against Manchester United — in the next few weeks.

The Prince of Wales, tucked away behind a KFC shop, is a popular haunt for the Premiership’s African stars including Essien’s Chelsea pal Didier Drogba. It has a “no cameras” policy to ensure stars’ privacy and the paparazzi are banned from outside. An insider said Essien was waved straight through without paying the £10 entrance fee.

The source added: “He went straight to the VIP area and soon had women all over him. There were six of them in short skirts, hugging him and kissing him on the cheek.

“He ordered about six bottles of Dom Perignon champagne and one bottle of Cristal. They cost about £150 a bottle.”

Essien’s spokeswoman said: “The police allowed Michael to drive home in his own car. He is very upset and does not believe he was over the limit. Michael is a responsible person who would never drive if he thought he would be impaired by alcohol.”

'Sex tale' fears for Rooney

SOCCER ace Wayne Rooney is set to face a legal row over a sensational new book promising to blow the lid on his seedy past of “rough sex” with vice girls.

His advisers have alerted lawyers, claiming Roo Unzipped could damage Wayne’s reputation.

The Sun understands author John Sweeney has quizzed hookers about Wayne, 21, who slept with a 48-year-old known as the Auld Slapper at a brothel in 2005. The book, which also examines Man United striker Wayne’s relationship with fiancee Coleen McLoughlin, is due out next August.

A source close to Wayne said: “It could be their worst nightmare. He thought the stuff about prostitutes was long forgotten.”

His spokesman Ian Monk said: “We’ve not co-operated with any book.” Wayne’s boss at Everton, David Moyes, is suing him for £300,000 over comments in his autobiography My Story So Far.

SWP: I'm having ride of my life

SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS is enjoying the ride of his life as the Premiership title race reaches a thrilling climax.

The Chelsea star’s midweek double in the 4-1 demolition of West Ham had table-toppers Manchester United looking over their shoulders.

And the winger himself turns a few more heads every time he hits the London streets on his Harley-Davidson ‘Trike’, with dad Ian Wright aboard his own Harley ‘Street Bob’.

The bare-knuckle American classic street machines would have cost more than £12,000 each and are capable of going from 0-60mph in around five seconds.

That’s just a tad quicker than Wright-Phillips flies down the wing when he is going at full throttle for Quadruple-chasing Chelsea!

Wright-Phillips has ignored his dad’s advice to quit Stamford Bridge and kickstart his career elsewhere.

But Wright-Phillips has been used in a bit-part role by manager Jose Mourinho since his mega £21million move from Manchester City in 2005.

Wrighty snr said: “I told Shaun to think about a move in January but he said ‘No’ straightaway.

“He wanted to stay at Stamford Bridge and fight hard for a place so he could prove everyone wrong.”

England wideman Wright-Phillips, 25, said: “I really don’t believe I have anything to prove to anyone — except myself — that I am good enough.

“My mum and dad have helped keep me going and have stressed that, if you want something that bad, then you should never give up.

“There has been a lot of talk about me leaving Chelsea but you will find that it has never come from me.

“I am not one to give up. I went to Chelsea to achieve something and will carry on until I succeed.

“Right from the first day I went to Chelsea, I knew it was not going to be easy and that I wouldn’t play all the time.

“It’s up to me to change the manager’s mind about his selection with my performances. That is the same mentality most professional footballers have.”

Wright-Phillips opened up as he played Nintendo’s new game Mario Striker’s Charged Football with his dad.

He added: “I genuinely feel that, while I have been at Chelsea — even though my first-team opportunities have been restricted — that I have improved as a player.”

Mario Striker’s Charged Football is released on Wii on May 25. Visit www.nintendo-europe.com for details.

Simpsons visit from Ronaldoh!

AY, carumba! Brazil footie ace Ronaldo meets Homer in The Simpsons.

But, doh! The AC Milan player is in ex-club Real Madrid’s kit. The episode is screened later this year.

Sven's son a flop like his dad

SVEN Goran Eriksson’s son Johan is a footie flop just like his dad.

Johan, 28, has quit his first coaching job in Nigeria and fled the country amid death threats from fans.

Kwara United suffered disastrous results after Johan was appointed by manager Roger Palmgren, a close pal of ex-England boss Sven.

Johan said: “It’s best I leave the country as there’s a big possibility I may be kidnapped.”

Former player Johan — who admits “I was hopeless at football, like my dad” — spent five years studying sports psychology before getting the job.

His dad has been out of work since England’s 2006 World Cup flop, but is still paid £6,500 a day by the FA.

Sign up Premier League mentors

ENGLAND star Rio Ferdinand joined Tony Blair yesterday in a crusade against teenage gun and knife crime.

The pair met in Downing Street and agreed to launch a scheme in which Premiership footballers will warn kids of the perils of getting involved in gangs.

Man United defender Rio, 28, and other players will tour schools. PM Mr Blair wants all 20 Premiership clubs to provide at least one superstar to become an “ambassador”.

They would also visit youth clubs to help organise sports activities. A source said: “Our football stars could be a prize asset in tackling the root cause of gun culture.”

Mr Blair invited Rio to Number 10 when they met during a visit to gun-plagued Manchester in February.

An insider said: “They chatted about what could be done to halt the spread of weapons culture. Rio had some good ideas about how he and other footballers could get involved.”

A wave of fatal shootings and stabbings has seen seven teens killed in London this year.

Pete's Abbey with foot spa

WAG Abbey Clancy picks up a gift for her lanky footballer fella Peter Crouch yesterday — a soothing foot spa.

But the BIG question was whether the 6ft 7in Liverpool striker’s giant Size 12 plates of meat would ever fit inside it.

In any case, it gave a whole new slant to the Kop’s favourite chant for Crouchy: “He’s big, he’s red, his feet stick out the bed, Peter Crouch, Peter Crouch.”

Model Abbey, 21, spent hours trawling Liverpool looking for the perfect prezzie for the towering England international, whom she has been dating for 18 months.

Then she hopped on a train to spend the weekend with his sister in London.

Goal ace Peter, 26, has been spotted eyeing up rings — sparking rumours of an engagement.

He was seen in a posh Manchester boutique earlier this month.

Abbey clearly feels the pair have a bright footure toe-gether.

You could almost say they’re sole-mates.

LA team nets £6m for Becks

DAVID Beckham’s multi-million pound move to the US has already paid for itself — without him even kicking a ball.

Additional revenue of £6.6million — $13.3million — has poured in to his new team Los Angeles Galaxy due to rocketing sales of shirts, season tickets and other Becks-related memorabilia.

The extra cash is already more than enough to cover the ex-England skipper’s salary for the next TWO years, soccer chiefs revealed last night.

Becks, 31, currently at Real Madrid, makes his LA debut in July.

He signed a five-year contract worth £2.75million-a-year plus a merchandise deal. It has been estimated he could walk away with £124million.

BECKS has been voted the world’s sexiest dad in a new poll. Hollywood babe Kate Hudson is the sexiest mum.

Footie boss Moyes sues Rooney

WAYNE Rooney is being sued by his ex-manager David Moyes over his autobiography, it was confirmed yesterday.

The Everton boss is reportedly seeking more than £300,000 libel damages after Wayne suggested in My Story So Far that Moyes leaked details of a private conversation, which led him to quit for Manchester United.

In the writ issued at London’s High Court, Moyes says the claim “injured his reputation and caused serious embarrassment and distress”.

He is also suing ghostwriter Hunter Davies and publisher Harper Collins.

Last night 21-year-old Rooney’s spokesman refused to comment.

Chelsea star is Snoop Drog

CHELSEA’S DIDIER DROGBA looks set to be a hit-man off the pitch — with his own rap album.

The Premiership’s top scorer will release the SNOOP DOGG-style tracks under the alias DROGBACITE.

Didier, 29, said: “Drogbacite is about me and my success. There’s even a Drogbacite compilation CD.

“I need my music, especially before a game. I use it in the dressing room.”

The Ivory Coast star sang the team’s World Cup song last year. And Chelsea released an album of players’ favourite songs.

Agassi gaffe makes tennis a contact sport

Steffi Graf required three stitches yesterday after husband Andre Agassi inadvertently hit her in the face with his racket during a fundraiser that followed the final of the U.S. Clay Court Championships in Houston.

Graf and Agassi were holding hands while rallying with a couple of youngsters when Agassi's follow-through struck his wife in the face.

After she was hit, Graf lifted her left hand to her mouth and walked off to the side of the court with Agassi following closely behind her to check on her well-being. She wiped her mouth with a towel before leaving the stadium for an on-site doctor to administer three stitches to her lip, officials said.

Agassi and Graf were in Houston because Agassi is part of a reality show called The Big Give, an upcoming Oprah Winfrey production. An auction benefiting a Houston-area elementary school chosen for the show raised at least $225,000 yesterday.

A doctor who paid $70,000 for a trip to play tennis with the couple stitched up Graf.

Agassi retired last year at the U.S. Open, having won eight Grand Slam titles, while Graf retired in 1999 with 22 Grand Slam titles.

Pele scandal rocks African soccer

The African soccer world has been rocked by news reports that former Ghana football star and South Africa 2010 Ambassador Abedi Pele, was involved in match-fixing.

Reports about the alleged match-fixing surfaced after Pele’s team, FC Nania, beat Okwahu United 31-0 last month in a league game.

Pele, together with former Bafana Bafana stalwarts Mark Fish and Lucas Radebe and Cameroon legend Roger Milla, were ambassadors for South Africa when they were bidding for the 2010 World Cup.

At the monthly host city forum meeting at Safa house, the SA 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chief Executive Officer Danny Jordaan, advised on the LOC’s stance regarding the allegations.

"We (Saloc) have sent a letter to the Ghana Football Association enquiring about this incident regarding Abedi," Jordaan said.

"It is a matter for the Ghana Football Association to investigate as it happened there. We will wait for a response from them before we can take any action."

Jordaan stressed that the allegations of the kind surrounding Pele right now will not be tolerated by the LOC.

"We will not condone such actions by anyone involved with the LOC or by ambassadors for the 2010 World Cup. However, before we make any decisions we need factual information from the Ghana FA.

"I have spoken to Abedi but I won’t say much of what he told me, we can only make our decision once the tribunal is held in Ghana," he stressed.

Pele is a three-time African Footballer of the Year and in March 2004, the legendary Pele of Brazil, named his African namesake in his list of 125 greatest living footballers.

Sapa

It's Time to Stop Playing NFL Football on the Iraqi Soccer Field

This is a tale of two withdrawals. One is the possible confrontation between the Democrats in Congress and the President. The other is that of several members of the Iraqi Parliament in response to orders from cleric Muqtada Sadr.

Taken together these withdrawals present the US and Iraq with the best opportunity for a good outcome in the ongoing set of interlocking defensive and offensive insurgencies (defined in an earlier post). Whether the Administration wants to admit reality or not, the combination of American Democrats and Iraqi Sunnis have given it a lifeline. W and company had best grab it.

At least both SecDef Gates and Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki see the opportunity for what it is--a chance, a slim chance admittedly, but a real one nonetheless to change the course of the war. Neither man has specifically mentioned the impact of the parliamentarians' withdrawal as weakening the al-Maliki government, but the PM has acknowledged reaching out to insurgent groups including supporters of Saddam's regime.

Also it should be underscored that Gates rejected the idea of a timetable for US force drawdown. This is expectable. He is the Secretary of Defense afterall. Also, a cabinet member would be ill-advised to support a policy option in public that runs counter to that of his boss.

SecDef Gates is correct in bringing an old term from the intelligence racket when he characterised Sadr's motives as not being a "secret" but being a "mystery." The motivation of al-Maliki in exploring power sharing with insurgent groups is neither. He is perfectly well aware that his political base and his country are dissolving under his feet.

A few weeks ago a faction of his ruling Shiite majority decamped. Sadr's influence has been shown to be far from inconsiderable. The Mahdi militia remains a potent force in being. The level of violence in Iraq has not been damped by the "surge" of US forces. Iraqis are fleeing the country at a rate in excess of one thousand per day creating a major refugee problem for neighboring countries.

PM al-Maliki cannot be blind to the possibilty that the Democratic majority will ultimately prevail and some sort of timetable for withdrawal will be passed.

Even the Administration must be worried about the political future given that active duty Army tours in Iraq have had to be extended and rumbles of discontent grow louder as more and more National Guard and Reserve units are tabbed for rapid turnaround and redeployment to the theater. (Remember folks, LBJ and the Democrats decided back in 1965 to fight the Vietnam War with draftees rather than run the political risks of hacking off National Guardsmen, Reservists and their families.)

The Iraqi PM might even have come to realize that the American way of war is not the right way to go if there is going to be both an end to the war in Iraq and an Iraq at the end of the war. He may have come to recognize that while our approach can defeat conventional forces, it isn't so successful dealing with unconventional opponents.

Again, history provides a guide. Back in 1965 the new South Vietnamese President, a military man and native Southerner tried and failed to persuade the Americans not to send combat units, but dispatch only Special Forces, logistic support units and some air assets. He knew the disasterously negative potental in the American approach to war. As he told me years later, long after the fall of Saigon, his biggest mistake was not keeping the firepower heavy US units out of his country. "They meant well. But, they defeated us."

How can that be? How can we defeat the side we came to help?

In a very real sense we had lost the war before the first American boot hit Iraqi sand. Leaving aside several reasons for making this statement such as a failure to appreciate the nature and character of the Iraqi human terrain, let's take a look at the American approach to war--our basic theory of victory.

US military doctrine can be summerized in three words: find, fix, destroy! Use superior technology to find the enemy. Use superior air and ground delivered firepower to fix him in place and destroy him. It is presumed that technological superiority in shooting, communicating and moving will assure victory. The former Secretary of Defense, Rumsfield, stated this approach to war as, "Shock and awe."

Apparently, Rumfield believed that the truly impressive capacity of US forces to deliver incredible amounts of high lethality munitions on an enemy would kill many and leave the rest shocked to the state of gibbering idiots rushing to surrender and embrace democracy, capitalism and social pluralism.

As the First Iraqi War and the conventional force aspects of the Second demonstrated, the American approach works very well as long as the opponent follows our playbook. What happens when he doesn't, when the opponent has his own playbook?

We saw what happened in that case in Vietnam. We are seeing it now in both Iraq and Afghanistan. We are suited up, good to go, playbook in hand. We are the National Football League Champions of the Universe! (Make appropriate male grunts while grasping gonads.)

We run onto the field. Line up. Glower downfield. Paw the ground. And, then we discover something.

The other side is playing soccer--on a rugby field! He ain't playing the game we're ready to. He ain't playing the game we want to. The underhanded little guy is being unfair. Unfair I say! He's playing his game. On his field. The way he wants to.

Now there is a chance to call time out. There's an opportunity to stop the bloody game. Take advantage of the two withdrawals. If Congress takes a real stand, comfortable that it's on the side of the angels (or at least the latest poll showing that a bare majority of Americans feels we can't win in Iraq). And, the biggest "if" of all, if the Administration realizes that it's only chance for something other than a worst case outcome is withdrawal in a way that puts extra pressure on the al-Maliki government to continue with moves to real power sharing. If all these "ifs" come together, there is a very real light at the end of this tunnel.

Soccer legend coins in the cash

TOTTENHAM Hotspur legend Steve Perryman received a cheque for £300 from members of Combe St Nicholas FC last week.

The money is a donation to Exeter FC's School of Excellence where he is the club's director of football.

The money was raised at a gentleman's evening at Combe St Nicholas FC where he was guest speaker. Keith Roberts, landlord of the Poulett Arms, Lopenhead, organised the event.

Ten-year-old Paul Roberts, captain of Combe's under-11 side, is pictured presenting the cheque to Steve Perryman with Keith Roberts, Jim Boyland and Clive Stoodley, of Combe St Nicholas FC, and Keith Benton, of Courage South West brewers.

Steve Perryman made his league debut at the age of 17 and became captain at the age of 20. He holds the Spurs record for most appearances.

Angry soccer mom ditches daughter, gets ticket

LINCOLN, Neb. -- An angry soccer mom who left her teenage daughter alongside an interstate was ticketed for neglect, Lincoln police said Tuesday. Police spokeswoman Katherine Finnell confirmed this account from police reports:

The 42-year-old Lincoln mom was miffed about her daughter's poor play on Saturday.

On their drive home the girl flubbed the lines her mom had drilled into her on how to improve her game, so the mother slapped her daughter.

The girl told her mom to pull over. The mom did, near the downtown Lincoln exit off Interstate 80.

The mom yelled at the girl to get out. When she did, her mom drove off.

A teammate's parent spotted the girl alongside the interstate, stopped to pick her up, then took her to their home and called police.

BECKS SPLASHES £40K ON POSH TREAT

SOME of us have to make do with a wilting bunch of forecourt flowers and lingerie three sizes too big.

But not Victoria Beckham. She had an altogether Posher experience on her 33rd birthday yesterday.

Doting hubby David, proudly flaunting his now heavily tattooed arms, whisked the mum-of-three off on a surprise £40,000 trip to Paris - with no detail left to chance...
We hear that the Real Madrid ace meticulously planned the overnight trip - first filling his wife's bag with new outfits, then organising private fittings with her favourite dress and shoe designers in the French capital. Are you taking notes, fellas?

Our spy reveals: "Victoria thought that she'd have a really low-key birthday, just going for a Chinese meal with David and their boys.

"But when she woke up, David asked her to get in the car - he'd already packed a bag full of clothes he'd bought for her.

"She was overwhelmed to see he'd even managed to get a pair of skinny white jeans from her new collection - she hadn't even had a production sample in yet so she had no idea how he'd have managed it."

David then whisked his missus off to Paris in a private jet, which would have set him back a princely £25,000.

Once there, the midfield star took the chance to don a white T-shirt and flaunt his new body art. The additions to his upper arm took six hours to do and are based on tattoos worn by Wentworth Miller in the TV series Prison Break.

But if that was David's present to himself, he had more treats in store for Victoria... "David had spent weeks organising private sessions at the showroom of Christian Louboutin, where Victoria snapped up a pair of £1,500 made-to-measure heels.

"Then he took her to the studio of one of her all-time favourite designers Azzedine Alaia to select a custom-made £7,000 dress and she was almost overcome."

The couple then retired to a £6,000-anight suite once favoured by Posh idol Audrey Hepburn at the Paris Ritz. There, LA Galaxy-bound David had filled the room with champagne and flowers.

It's not the first time the 31-year-old midfield ace has given Cupid a run for his money in the romance stakes.

He jetted Posh to the French capital for her 31st birthday in 2005.

After all this, we're sure that Vic will agree that her hubby's Becks appeal has just gone off the scale...

Birthday Bill

Flights £25,000

Dress £7,00

Shoes £1,500

Hotel £6,000

TOTAL £39,500

Sven still 4th in boss pay league

FOOTIE flop Sven Goran Eriksson is still one of Europe’s best-paid bosses — even though he is UNEMPLOYED.

The failed England coach pocketed £3.5million in 2006, and is still being paid a whopping £6,500 a day by the FA while he looks for a job.

That puts him fourth in the managers’ pay league, despite not working since England’s World Cup disaster last summer.

No club has yet offered Eriksson, 59, a job. Newcastle United — the last club to be linked with the slippery Swede — recently laughed off reports that they wanted to sign him.

Top earning boss is Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho on £6.8million a year — way ahead of his closest challenger Sir Alex Ferguson, on £4.1million at Man United.

Real Madrid boss Fabio Capello comes just ahead of Eriksson in third place, with £3.9million.

Get an Eiffel of Becks' new tats

HERE’S BECKS showing off his new arm tattoo as he takes VICTORIA on a surprise trip to Paris for her 33rd birthday yesterday.

Victoria woke up in their Madrid home and was presented with handmade cards from her boys Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz.

Then Golden Balls — displaying his sleeve-effect body art in a tight T-shirt — whisked her off for a first-class flight to Paris, where the couple were booked in at their favourite hotel, The Ritz.

As if it couldn’t get any more sickeningly perfect, David then took Posh on a shopping trip to buy an outfit, which she wore when they went out for dinner last night.

A pal said: “Victoria knew nothing about it.

“David arranged for her clothes to be packed and ready but didn’t say where they were going until the very last minute.

“They arrived in Paris at 2pm so they had plenty of time to go shopping before dinner.

“David had arranged for a group of friends and family to join them for the evening.

“He is so thoughtful and she had a great day.”

I’m not surprised – what a lucky lady . . .

Mexican rock act Kinky lands sweet soccer spots

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Genre-busting Mexican band Kinky has earned critical acclaim and a following among hipsters on both sides of the border.

Now that base stands to gain millions of soccer fanatics from the United States to the tip of South America.

The group's rock anthem "Solo un Paso" is the theme song for Fox Sports en Espanol's 2007 broadcasts of Major League Soccer (MLS).

At the start of every match, a montage will mix the song, clips of the band playing and footage of the teams set to compete. The band's video for the song premiered during the USA-Toronto FC match on the season's kickoff on April 7.

Kinky has also recorded match-specific promos and teaser spots leading up to the premiere.

Kinky will also play gigs at MLS games, starting June 2 with the Los Angeles Galaxy home match. The Galaxy relationship also extends to in-game uses of "Solo un Paso" and appearances with the team on local Spanish-language TV.

Kinky's music has been widely used on TV, from "Nip/Tuck" to MTV's "Dancelife," and three different Pontiac campaigns.

But with Fox Sports en Espanol, the band will reach 33 million homes in the United States and Latin America.

"The music of Kinky is going to be attracting people from their teens to the 25-30 (age range), which is the market where we're looking to position Major League Soccer here in the U.S.," says Fausto Ceballos, VP of creative services for Fox Sports en Espanol.

Tottenham accuse Spanish police of setting upon stewards and disabled fan in wheelchair

Tottenham yesterday accused the Spanish police of hitting a disabled fan and knocking him out of his wheelchair during Thursday night's chaotic Uefa Cup quarter-final here which erupted in violence.

In a strongly worded statement the Premiership club also claimed that two of their own stewards - and Spurs' disability co-ordinator - were also set upon by police and security staff and that the incident only calmed down when the Spanish authorities were persuaded to remove their officers after half-time. However, the Spanish government's representative in Seville claimed later that drunken Spurs fans were to blame for the fighting.

The violence erupted during Spurs' 2-1 first-leg defeat at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium with some of the 4,000 visiting fans claiming they were beaten by police as they attempted to go to the toilets, that the segregation of supporters was insufficient and the ticketing arrangements dangerous. Some responded by ripping up seats and hurling them at the police.

The violence, in which six fans and two police officers were injured and seven arrests made, came 24 hours after police clashed with Manchester United supporters in Rome. Local Italian media claimed yesterday that three British fans, who have been released on bail, will face trial in November for their part in those disturbances, while the authorities went on the offensive declaring that United fans were to blame.

Italy's Minister of Justice, Clemente Mastella said: "At the [Stadio] Olimpico, I have seen only one thing - English fans who are not the best example of how to support the team they love who provoked police. I have seen the police maintain their position. You cannot accuse our law enforcement officials of brutality."

Italian politicians also reacted angrily to criticism from the British media while Rome's police issued a statement yesterday urging everyone to wait for an investigation. Television footage had previously focused on Italian police launching themselves at United fans.

What happened in Rome and in Seville will now be investigated by Uefa. All four clubs involved could face sanctions although as with the events in the Italian capital, in which 14 British and four Italian fans were hurt, the Spurs supporters were adamant that they were the victims of police heavy-handedness. The club backed up their claims and insisted that none of the fighting involved rival fans. In a long and detailed statement the Spurs club secretary John Alexander demanded that the Spanish authorities provided answers for what prompted the disturbances.

"There seemed to be no reason why our supporters should have been pushed and crowded into a section of the stadium," Alexander said. "It was a police decision and we're trying to find out who made that decision and why.

"We really need to get to the bottom of just what the police were trying to do when they entered those segregation lines. We have been distressed to hear about incidents involving our supporters at a time when they were showing no aggression whatsoever and also in respect of our disabled supporters being set upon by the Spanish riot police. We need to understand how we are in a position whereby we have two clearly identifiable Spurs stewards assaulted by the Spanish police, along with our disability co-ordinator being injured, too. There was one disabled fan who we know was hit with a baton with such force that it knocked him out of his wheelchair."

Spurs said that they had worked "very hard to try and respect what was happening in Seville over the Easter period". There have been suggestions that the eagerness of the police to suppress the fans was over concern that they could disrupt the important Holy Week celebrations in the Andalusian capital. However, Alexander claimed that the police went too far. "As soon as the police were removed from that section there was no more trouble."

The Haringey police chief Simon O'Brien, at the match as an observer, also questioned the police's approach. Chief Superintendent O'Brien said: "I was able to witness first-hand the events in Seville. The Spurs fans' behaviour was excellent throughout the day and the Spurs stewards did what I can only describe as a remarkable and commendable job at the match ... The introduction of the police during the match in one particular section of the crowd undoubtedly contributed to the disturbances that we saw."

The Spanish authorities took an aggressive line yesterday with a government official, Faustino Valdes, claiming: "We have two police who have suffered some serious blows and we also have arrested [seven] Tottenham fans who should be now appearing in court. Some Tottenham fans under the influence of alcohol attacked the private security officers and police, there were some incidents as security tried to overcome the fans and nothing more. It was an incident surrounding a few people who behaved badly, probably because they had drunk too much."

Email threat to NZ tennis tournament

Security will be beefed up for the Fed Cup tennis tournament in Christchurch this month after an international security threat against one of the teams.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has received an email from an unknown source making a security threat towards the event and one of the teams competing in the women's international teams tournament at Wilding Park.

The Press understands the threat was made three weeks ago against Syria, which will play in the same group as New Zealand in the Asia-Oceania event starting April 18.

Authorities are secretive about the exact nature of the threats but are taking measures to beef up security for players and spectators.

British and New Zealand police were alerted along with the tournament hosts, Canterbury Tennis, and a decision was made last week to inform the 11 participating teams of the threat made.

Canterbury Tennis executive director David Blackwell said he was confident the tournament would go ahead as scheduled.

He said there would be a "significant police and security presence" during the four days of competition.

Blackwell said he had not heard of any teams wanting to withdraw from the cup competition because of the threat. They start arriving in Christchurch on April 15.

He said cancelling the tournament had "not been an option".

"The ITF in their correspondence to the competing countries assured them that all the relevant authorities were taking every precaution to ensure the safe running of the event."

But he said the threat had been a "bolt out of the blue" to him.

"I've lost a little bit of sleep over the last few weeks although when the police outlined their (security) plan to me, you see the detail they've gone into and it makes you feel very secure."

Detective Sergeant Earle Borrell, of the Christchurch police, said they were confident protection systems were in place to ensure there was a "safe tournament".

It is not the first time a sporting event in New Zealand has come under threat, however, with a security scare at the New Zealand Golf Open in 2002.

A letter containing cyanide poison was sent to the United States Embassy in Wellington threatening to disrupt the tournament which had attracted world champion Tiger Woods.

The cyanide had accompanied a general threat against the Open.

Tennis New Zealand chief executive Don Turner said it was the first time an international tennis event in New Zealand had been threatened.

"We have to take anything like this seriously," Turner said, "but the main thing for us is that it's in good hands."

Blackwell did not think the threat would stop the public from attending the Fed Cup tournament.

"I think that New Zealanders appreciate that these sorts of things are pretty unheard of in our country," he said. "We can assure people that there will be a significant security plan in place. I would suggest it might be one of the most secure events that anyone could attend."

Soccer Player Seeks $267,000 in Compensation After a Sausage is Named After Him

22-year-old German international Bastian Schweinsteiger is seeking $267,000 in compensation from a butcher in Aichach-Friedberg who breached his individual rights by using his nickname as the name for a sausage. The butcher claims that he used "Schweini" on it's literal meaning - piggy, arguing that it was fair use considering the sausages were made of pork. Schweinsteiger had previously registered his nickname "Schweini" as a brand name. The butcher has been ordered by the court to provide details of how profitable the sausage was so that the amount of compensation due the Bayern Munich midfielder can be calculated.

New racing series hopes to score big with soccer fans

LONDON: A new motor racing series combining fast cars and soccer could bring in extra millions for clubs like AC Milan and Barcelona if it kicks off as planned next year.

'Superleague Formula' organizers went public with their plans on Tuesday, proposing an initial six race season from August 2008 with some 20 single-seater cars competing in the colours of leading soccer clubs.

They aim to expand eventually to a maximum of 17 races, mostly in Europe and at circuits familiar to followers of Formula One and MotoGP.

Four clubs - European soccer giants AC Milan, Porto, PSV Eindhoven and Greece's Olympiakos - have signed up already to a project that offers them revenue through licensing agreements, sponsorship and TV rights.

"An average top club could raise between 14 to 18 million euros in the five years of the contract that we are aiming for," Spanish sports marketing specialist Alex Andreu, who has developed the idea with Briton Robin Webb, told reporters.

Superleague said others currently in talks included Barcelona, Real Madrid, Valencia, Inter Milan, Argentina's Boca Juniors, Brazil's Flamengo, Mexico's America, South Korea's Suwon Bluewings and China's Shanghai Shenhua.

Manchester United and other British clubs have been approached.

Turkey's Galatasaray, Germany's Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund, Gothenburg of Sweden, Belgium's Anderlecht, France's Olympique Marseille and Lyon are also on the list of candidates along with Lokomotiv Moscow.

"We think that by combining these two large sports we could become a real potential big event in the years to come," continued Andreu.

"What motor racing brings is obvious; it's technology, cars, noise, glamor. What football brings is the heart, the passion and the emotions."

Past problems

The idea is to appeal to a younger, crossover audience who can support their clubs in a different way.

Milan captain Paolo Maldini gave his blessing: "The idea of uniting football fans' passion with motorsport is a winning combination that will definitely have the following of millions of people worldwide," Superleague organizers quoted him as saying.

"We obviously enjoy the chance to play against our major rivals throughout Europe and I am certain our fans will look forward to seeing the PSV Superleague Formula car race against some of these same teams," added PSV coach Ronald Koeman.

There is still some way to go before the idea becomes reality, however.

Webb was also a leading light in a similar project, Premier1, which made plans for a debut in 2002 but failed to get to the starting grid. He said that Superleague Formula should not be seen in the same light.

"This is a new product," he said.

"They (Premier1) perhaps didn't understand the base that had to be built, but we have. I think that's fundamentally the difference between why this is going to be successful and that didn't get off the starting blocks.

"In terms of sophistication and reality, this is a different league."

Future gain

Andreu and Webb said their main partners were Spanish businessmen, including the son of former International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Juan Antonio Samaranch, and the Havas Media group.

They expect to make a loss initially, with a profit forecast from year three.

They plan to use 750bhp Elan/Panoz cars built by Elan Motorsport technologies in the United States and with 4.2 litre V12 engines provided by Menard and made at the former Arrows Formula One factory at Leafield in England.

All cars will be identical and there will be two races per event weekend, with the grid for the second reversed from the first to liven up the action.

Organisers say the overall prize purse will be one million euros per weekend and there will also be plenty of off-track entertainment.

"We want to attract families, young people and a female audience, too, and for that you need to have lots of different activities at the circuit," said Andreu.

"We will have an open paddock for all fans, the rear of the garages will be open for viewing by spectators and our teams and drivers will be very focused on providing access to the paying public."