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| | ==Premier League teams== | | ==Premier League teams== |
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| − | *'''[[Arsenal F.C.]]''' is based in north [[London]]. The team is managed by [[Arsene Wenger]]. Finishing fourth in the [[English Premier League]] in the 2006/7 season, the team features major international stars of football. Former star [[Thierry Henry]] has recently left the team after eight years of huge success, departing to [[Barcelona]] in the summer of 2007. In 2006 the team moved from their old stadium, ''Arsenal Stadium'', located in, and more commonly known as ''Highbury''. The team's new stadium is named after the [[Dubai]] airline and sponsor, [[Emirates Airlines|Emirates]]. | + | *'''[[Arsenal F.C.]]''' |
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| − | *'''[[Aston Villa F.C.]]''' is based in [[Aston]], [[Birmingham]], in the English [[Midlands]]. One of the 12 founder members of the Football League. Currently coached by Gérard Houllier. They finished the 2006/7 season in 11th position in the [[English Premier League]]. | + | *'''[[Aston Villa F.C.]]''' |
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| | *'''[[Birmingham City F.C.]]''' | | *'''[[Birmingham City F.C.]]''' |
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| − | *'''[[Blackburn Rovers F.C.]]''' is an [[England|English]] [[football]] team that play in the [[English Premier League|Premiership]] . The club hails from the town of [[Blackburn]] in [[Lancashire]]. Formed in 1875, Rovers were one of the 12 founding members of the Football League. They have won the league championship a total of 3 times and were 1994-5 Premiership champions, in addition they have won the F.A. Cup 6 times and the League Cup once. Blackburn's current manager is Steve Kean. Their home stadium is Ewood Park.<ref>[http://www.rovers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Home/ Blackburn Rovers FC Homepage]</ref> | + | *'''[[Blackburn Rovers F.C.]]''' |
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| | *'''[[Blackpool F.C.]]''' | | *'''[[Blackpool F.C.]]''' |
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| − | *'''[[Bolton Wanderers F.C.]]''', one of the 12 founder members of the Football League, play in the town of [[Bolton]], north-east of Manchester. Historically, they have played in either of the top two divisions of the League. They have won the F.A. Cup several times but have never been League champions. | + | *'''[[Bolton Wanderers F.C.]]''' |
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| − | *'''[[Chelsea F.C.]]''' play at Stamford Bridge, in west [[London]]. The club is owned by [[Russia]]n billionaire [[Roman Abramovich]] was managed by [[Avram Grant]] for most of the 2007-08 season. In 2007-08 the side finished second in the Premier League. | + | *'''[[Chelsea F.C.]]''' |
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| − | *'''[[Everton F.C.]]''' is based in [[Liverpool]]. Founded in 1878 as a church sports side they were became of the 12 founder members of the [[Football League]] in 1888. However, owing to a rent dispute in 1892 they left their home ground of [[Anfield]] and moved to a new site at [[Goodison Park]], where they have played ever since. There are plans under discussion to move outside the city of Liverpool and establish a new ground over a Tesco supermarket in nearby Knowsley. The club's nickname is ''The Toffees''; although there are several hypotheses about how the name arose it is likely that it derives from the black and white striped, toffee filled, candy known as an ''Everton Mint''. Everton's biggest rivals are [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] who were formed in 1892 to utilise the abandoned Anfield ground. Despite Everton's successes over the years they have been overshadowed by their illustrious neighbours who hold the records for the most top flight championships as well as European trophies won in the English game. | + | *'''[[Everton F.C.]]''' |
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| − | *'''[[Fulham F.C.]]''' is based in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Their nickname is The Cottagers, after their home ground of Craven Cottage alongside the [[River Thames]], which can usually be seen during the Oxford and Cambridge boat-race. The club was founded in 1879 and are the oldest professional soccer team in London. The club strip comprises white shirts and socks with black shorts. Despite their long history they have never won any major honors. The club is currently owned by the Egyptian millionaire and owner of Harrods, Mohamed Al-Fayed who took control in 1997. [http://www.fulhamfc.com Official site] [http://www.premierleague.com/page/fulham Premier League - Fulham] | + | *'''[[Fulham F.C.]]''' |
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| − | *'''[[Liverpool F.C.]]''' was founded in 1892. It is based in Anfield stadium, although is expected to relocate to Stanley Park in 2011. The club has become the most successful club in English league history, winning eighteen League titles as well as five European cups. The current manager is Kenny Dalglish. The Club's most bitter rivalries are with Everton, Manchester United and Chelsea. The club was founded after a dispute between the owner of the Anfield Road Ground, John Houlding, and the team that was the tenant, Everton FC. Everton built and occupied their own ground, Goodison Park, leaving Houlding with an unproductive and vacant Anfield. Houlding began Liverpool F.C. to utilize his asset. The Club's first ever manager was an Irishman, John Mckenna. McKenna brought in a lot of players to the club, many of them from Scotland. Under his supervision it was promoted twice: first from the [[Lancaster]] League to the Second division, and then from the second to first divisions. He also worked with Houlding to develop Anfield and expand its capacity. The club won its first League title in 1900-01. | + | *'''[[Liverpool F.C.]]''' |
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| − | *'''[[Manchester City F.C.]]''' is one of two major [[English Premier League]] teams in the city of [[Manchester]], together with their [[derby]] rivals, [[Manchester United]], City is managed by Pep Guardiola. The team plays at the City of Manchester Stadium, built as the main stadium for the 2002 [[Commonwealth Games]]. The stadium hosted the [[UEFA Cup]] Final 2008. They won the 2011 [[FA Cup]], beating Stoke City 1-0 in the final and became champions in 1937, 1968, 2012 and 2014. | + | *'''[[Manchester City F.C.]]''' |
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| − | *'''[[Manchester United F.C.]]''' Manchester United play in red shirts, white shorts and black socks. They were the first English club to win the European Cup, in 1968, winning again in 1999 and 2008. The club joined the Football League in 1892 under the name Newton Heath. Their official nickname is the "Red Devils" and the club badge features a small black devil holding a trident. They are known to their fans either as Man U, Man United or just United. In 2005 the club was taken over by the [[America]]n billionaire, Malcolm Glazer. After two seasons with little success by their standards they won the Barclays Premier League again in 2007 and 2008.The club is noted for the exceptionally cosmopolitan nature of its support, regularly drawing large numbers of fans from all over the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[Republic of Ireland]]. As a result, it is consistently the most supported team in England. The Club maintains bitter rivalries with Manchester City, Liverpool Leeds United and Arsenal | + | *'''[[Manchester United F.C.]]''' |
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| | *'''[[Newcastle United F.C.]]''' | | *'''[[Newcastle United F.C.]]''' |
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| − | *'''[[Stoke City F.C.]]''', based in the Midlands city of [[Stoke on Trent]], were newly promoted to the Premier League in 2008. Stoke was one of the 12 founder members of the Football League. | + | *'''[[Stoke City F.C.]]''' |
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| − | *'''[[Sunderland A.F.C.]]''' are based in the north-eastern city of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, where they play in the Stadium of Light. The club's nickname is The Black Cats, or the Mackems, and the club's crest depicts two black lions support a heraldic shield. The club strip comprises red and white striped shirts with black shorts and socks. The club was founded in [[1879]] and joined the Football League in 1890 (replacing Stoke City). They remained continuously in the top division until 1958. Since then they have been promoted to and relegated from the top flight several times and are one of the 2007-8 season's Premier League new boys. Sunderland were successful in their early years, being League Champions five times between 1892 and 1913, with the addition of a sixth title in 1936. They won the [[FA Cup]] in 1937 and then again in 1973, which has been their only notable honor since [[World War II]]. The club is currently managed by Steve Bruce. [http://www.safc.com Official site] [http://www.premierleague.com/page/sunderland Premier League - Sunderland] | + | *'''[[Sunderland A.F.C.]]''' |
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| − | *'''[[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.]]''' ('Spurs' to their supporters) are a north London team, Arsenal's long-standing rival. They are based at White Hart Lane Stadium. | + | *'''[[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.]]''' |
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| | *'''[[West Bromwich Albion F.C.]]''' | | *'''[[West Bromwich Albion F.C.]]''' |
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| − | *'''[[West Ham United F.C.]]'''<ref>http://www.whufc.com/</ref> ('The Hammers', colloquially) are a [[London]] team, managed by [[Avram Grant]], and with their home ground in [[Upton Park]]. | + | *'''[[West Ham United F.C.]]''' |
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| − | *'''[[Wigan Athletic F.C.]]''' is based in the northwestern town of Wigan, Lancashire (now part of [[Greater Manchester]]). The club's nickname is ''The Latics''. The club was founded in 1932 after several unsuccessful attempts to run a soccer club in a town where Rugby League is the most popular sport. After playing in the minor leagues for many years, Wigan gained entry to the old Fourth Division of the Football League in 1978 and promoted to the Third Division in 1982. In 1993 they were relegated to the lower league and were bought in 1995 by David Whelan, an ambitious local millionaire who had made his fortune selling sportswear. Two years later, in 1997, they were promoted back to third-tier football and within six years had secured a further step up the second tier. It took only a further two years for them to complete a remarkable progression from fourth-tier to top-tier, when they were promoted to the Premier League in 2005. The club play at the JJB Stadium which they share with Rugby League club Wigan Warriors (also owned by Devid Whelan). The stadium was built in 1999 and named after Whelan's sportswear chain ''JJB Sports''. The club continues to struggle for support and its highest ever home attendance is 25,000 for visitors [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] in February 2006. After raising ticket prices in 2006 Wigan had to cut them in response to falling attendances and have kept them low at a time when almost all other Premier League clubs were making significant increases. After a poor 2006-7 season in which they just managed to avoid relegation, their manager Paul Jewell resigned and was replaced by Chris Hutchings. Hutchings was sacked after a poor start to the 2007-8 season. Roberto Martinez is the current manager. [http://www.wiganlatics.co.uk Official site] [http://www.premierleague.com/page/wigan-athletic Premier League - Wigan Athletic] | + | *'''[[Wigan Athletic F.C.]]''' |
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| | *'''[[Wolverhampton Wanderers FC]]''' One of the founder members of the League. | | *'''[[Wolverhampton Wanderers FC]]''' One of the founder members of the League. |