Football Shorts 2

Gah. I was full on enthusiasm for going to a match this afternoon but, when push came to shove, an hour and a half up to Middlesex to see AFC Wimbledon play there and the same journey back was just too much for me after so many weekends away already this year was just a bit too far for me to travel. I've stencilled in their home match against the divisional whipping boys, Leyton, as a definite for next weekend, though. So, here I am, sitting on the sofa, watching Chris Kamara trying desperately to get as excited as Sky evidently feel that we should all be about Sunderland vs Wigan Athletic. Time enough, I think, to round up a few bits and pieces that having building up under my fingernails over the last week or so.

Ch-ch-ch-changes You may have noticed a new list of links on the right hand side of this page. I have decided to try and round up the very best of the independent club blogs and sites, so that you can find out what's going on anywhere at the touch of a button. If there are any independent club sites or blogs that you feel are worthy of our attention, let me know with a comment and I'll have a look at them. I've also had a clear out of the normal links section on here and have got rid of some sites that hadn't been updated in a while and added a couple which have grabbed my attention, so I'd suggest taking a gander at Dave's Football Blog (which covers every code of football), From A Left Wing, Midfield Dynamo and Soccerlens if you get a spare five minutes.

Vote For Me! (Part 136) I promised you constant reminders to vote for me in the Soccerlens football blogs poll, so here is another reminder. You can, should you be so inclined (and not have done so yet) vote for me here and here. Just close your eyes and think of how happy my little face would be. On second thoughts, don't do that.

To The Manor Reborn We touched on the subject of Ruislip Manor and the bleak outlook for their future way down at the bottom of the football pyramid here last week, and things have been moving on there apace ever since. The club, as you may remember, had reached such a state that, with their entire back-room staff having resigned, but a couple of developments there over the last few days seem to have offered them a temporary reprieve, after it looked as if their fate had finally been sealed. As this report in The Londonist confirms, the club were initially bailed out by their President, John Barnett, who had offered to fund them until the end of the season. Having been allowed to restart their fixtures, they played one match before Barnett offered the Spartan South Midland League the club's resignation. Fortunately, though, another new chairman has stepped in and taken over, and the club has confirmed that they can start their fixtures again. They're by no means out of trouble (another meeting has been arranged to discuss the thorny issue of funding), but their condition can probably be described as "stable but poorly" rather than "critical" now.

Is Adidas Having A Creative Nervous Breakdown? Take a moment, if you will, to take a moment and peruse this photograph. Quite asides from the ball being used (this is the ball that will be used at Euro 2008, and appears to be covered in the same small dimples that those footballs they used to give you to use at school were) looks like is has been exceptionally badly superimposed onto the pictures, take a look at those kits. That's a photo, believe it or not, from Wednesday night's match between France and Spain, with France in the red and Spain in yellow. We'll be rounding up all of the kits that you'll be able to see in Switzerland and Austria on here before the start of the summer (and, I have to say, there will be some absolute shockers on display), but I will say this - if these two monstrosities are anything to go by, you might be best off buying a second hand black and white television before it all starts.

And Finally... This is what Manchester United will be wearing for the match against Manchester City tomorrow in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster. Kind of makes you wonder why they can't keep football kits that simple all the time, doesn't it?