World Soccer News

THERE were brief flashbacks to the late nineties as Michael Owen's career drifted towards completion and Robert Miles' Children blasted from the tannoy, but not as far as Saints were concerned.

Ernie Merrick's appointment as coach of Wellington Phoenix offers a fascinating challenge and a perfect test of the coaching skills of a man who won it all when the A-League was in its development phase.

Liverpool footballer Raheem Sterling has had a common assault charge against him dropped after a witness failed to turn up to court.

Villas-Boas and his daughter joined players and staff in a lap of the pitch after the full time whistle Andre Villas-Boas was left fuming with referee Andre Marriner and believes the official's failure to award his side two stonewall penalties against Sunderland could have cost Tottenham a place in next season's Champions League.

Sir Alex Ferguson was denied a winning send off into retirement as West Brom roared back from three goals down to snatch a 5-5 draw in a quite staggering 10-goal thriller against Manchester United at The Hawthorns.

A splendid Clement Grenier goal helped 10-man Olympique Lyon to snatch a 1-1 draw in their delayed Ligue 1 match at Nice as the seven-times French champions took a giant step towards a Champions League spot on Sunday.

Brentford's hopes of winning promotion to the Championship were dashed as they lost 2-1 to Yeovil Town in the League One play-off final at Wembley on Sunday.

United looked like they were coasting, but the on-loan Chelsea forward turned it on to score a dramatic leveller Sir Alex Ferguson was denied a winning send off into retirement as West Brom roared back from three goals down to snatch a draw in a quite staggering 10-goal thriller at The Hawthorns.

Brentford manager Uwe Rosler does not want his players to treat tomorrow's play-off final against Yeovil Town as a normal game.

Sunderland's Italian manager Paolo Di Canio says that he is seeking respect rather than devotion from his players.

TENS of thousands of Manchester United fans lined the streets of Trafford and Manchester on Monday for a victory parade to mark the club's 20th league title.

The ex-Liverpool, Hamburg and Newcastle legend entertained hundreds of guests at Crystal Palace football club's end of season Sporting Dinner.

Never a stranger to the big stage, David Beckham went out in a burst of fireworks and adulation Saturday in his final home game for Paris Saint-Germain before retirement.

Stoke have promised to launch an internal investigation after suggestions a pig's head was placed in the locker of Kenwyne Jones on Friday.

Atletico Madrid ended a 14-year winless run against Real Madrid to capture the Copa del Rey title on Friday, coming from behind to win 2-1 in extra time after its city rivals' Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho were sent off.

Stoke have launched "a full internal investigation" into reports of an incident at their training ground today, the club announced.

It was claimed a banana was thrown at one young black player, while racist comments were also alleged to have been made One of the allegations was that one coach, Brett Adams, had thrown a banana - with "f*** off" written on it - to a black youth player and then said: "F*** off and eat it." It was also claimed that Lead Foundation coach Lee Broster ... (more)

Kevin O'Connor has been striving to get Brentford back to the second tier of English football for so long that success this Sunday will finally be mission completed.

RICKY Holmes is determined to stay in the Football League next season and would consider a switch to Southend United.

Veteran striker Didier Drogba was again left out of the Ivory Coast squad when coach Sabri Lamouchi unveiled his 26 players for next month's World Cup qualifiers against Gambia and Tanzania.