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Paul Scholes has full faith in Sir Alex Ferguson's ability to build yet another successful Manchester United team as the Scot looks to add to his squad to replace the ageing members of his side.

The former England midfielder retired after United’s 3-1 loss to Barcelona in the Champions League Final and will now take up a coaching role at the Red Devils.

(FILES) A file picture taken o…
Getty Images - May 31, 5:17 am EDT

However the playmaker does not feel that the legendary manager needs to replace him in the midfield and believes the talent in the youth system could sustain United’s title challenges for years to come.

He told the club's official website: "The manager will know what he needs and if he needs to buy players or he’s happy with what he’s already got. Over the last couple of years he’s not really added that much to it, and if he feels the need to do it now, he’ll do it. He’s built three or four teams now and if he needs to do it again, I’m sure he will.

"I don't need replacing. I don't know where the answer lies about a replacement. That is up to the manager and his staff. There is no doubt there is a lot of talent at this club. You only have to look at the youth team this year and what they have done. There are some great players."

The Red Devils have been linked with players such as Wesley Sneijder, Luka Modric and Samir Nasri since the end of the season as they look to bounce back from the disappointment of the Champions League final defeat.

Scholes believes the caliber of individuals linked to the club is exciting and is hopeful that with a few more additions United can again challenge for the European Cup next season.

He said: "The ones we have been linked with are great players as well. I am sure the manager will buy or bring through the right players and will be just as successful and hopefully get towards the Barcelona level as well.

"It’s great. Even when I was a player you see all these top players around the world that you’re linked with, and you’re excited about maybe playing with them. As a fan now, just like my son is, we’re hoping we buy the best players in the world and that they make us even stronger for next year."

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Labels: Again, Goalcom, Manchester, rebuild, Scholes, United

* Scholes to take up coaching role at Old Trafford

* Ferguson hoped midfielder would play another season

Manchester United supporters w…
Getty Images - May 30, 10:04 am EDT

(adds details, quotes, byline)

By Sonia Oxley

MANCHESTER, England, May 31 (Reuters) - Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes retired on Tuesday, with the 36-year-old opting to stay at the Premier League champions in a coaching role rather than extend his playing days.

“This was not a decision that I have taken lightly but I feel now is the right time for me to stop playing,” Scholes said on the club website (www.manutd.com).

“To have been part of the team that helped the club reach that 19th (league) title is a great privilege.”

Scholes will take up a coaching role at the club he spent his entire career and he will make one final appearance in a United shirt for a testimonial in August.

The combative midfielder made 676 appearances for United, picking up 10 Premier League winners’ medals as well as helping his club to three FA Cups and two Champions League titles.

“I am not a man of many words but I can honestly say that playing football is all I have ever wanted to do and to have had such a long and successful career at Manchester United has been a real honour,” Scholes added.

Manager Alex Ferguson had spoken previously about hoping to persuade Scholes to follow in the footsteps of 37-year-old midfielder Ryan Giggs in signing on for another year.

Instead, Scholes follows goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar into retirement and presents Ferguson with another big hole to fill.

“We are going to miss a truly unbelievable player,” Ferguson said.

“Paul has always been fully committed to this club and I am delighted he will be joining the coaching staff from next season.

“Paul has always been inspirational to players of all ages and we know that will continue in his new role.”

(Editing by John O’Brien; To comment on this story: sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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Labels: Manchester, Midfielder, retires, Reuters, Scholes, United

MANCHESTER, England (AP)—Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes announced his retirement from soccer on Tuesday, ending the glittering and trophy-laden career of a player widely regarded as one of the most technically gifted of his generation.

The 36-year-old Scholes made 676 appearances for United after making his debut for the club in 1994 and was the midfield heartbeat of a team that has dominated English soccer for the past two decades.

“To have had such a long and successful career at Manchester United has been a real honor,” said Scholes, who famously eschewed the glamorous lifestyle of many modern day soccer players and rarely gave interviews.

Manchester United supporters w…
Getty Images - May 30, 10:04 am EDT

“This was not a decision that I have taken lightly, but I feel now is the right time for me to stop playing.”

Scholes won 10 Premier League titles with United but was no longer a regular choice in the first team by the end of the recently completed season, leading to growing speculation about his playing future. His last appearance for the northwest power was as a late substitute in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League final at Wembley.

Earlier in the month, he had helped United claim a record 19th English title, overhauling Liverpool as the country’s most successful league team. He made 66 appearances for England before retiring from international soccer in 2004 to concentrate on his club career.

Scholes said he will take up a coaching role at United, starting next season.

“What more can I say about Paul Scholes that I haven’t said before,” United manager Alex Ferguson said. “We are going to miss a truly unbelievable player.

“Paul has always been fully committed to this club and I am delighted he will be joining the coaching staff from next season. Paul has always been inspirational to players of all ages and we know that will continue in his new role.”

Starting out as a deep-lying forward, Scholes eventually dropped back into central midfield where his touch, technique and vision could be more effectively utilized. He never lost his eye for the goal, though, and turned his late runs into the penalty box into an art form.

Scholes had a particularly fierce shot and was always dangerous from outside the box.

Barcelona midfielder Xavi recently said Scholes was “the best central midfielder that I have seen—the most complete.”

He added: “He can play the final pass, he can score, he is strong, he never gets knocked off the ball and he doesn’t give possession away. If he had been Spanish then maybe he would have been valued more.”

The only part of Scholes’ game that let him down was his tackling, which was often late and clumsy. He missed the dramatic win over Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final because of suspension, but started in 2008 when United beat Chelsea on penalties in Moscow to claim its third European Cup.

“It is very sad day for Manchester United fans around the world,” said United chief executive David Gill. “We all know that Paul was one of the players that came through the ranks of the academy system in the 1990s and has established himself as one of the greatest players to ever wear the United shirt.”

After Gary Neville, Scholes is the second member of the batch of young talent to burst into United’s first team during the early 1990s to retire this season.

“Paul Scholes- The Best! Great Player, Person, Friend,” Neville posted on Twitter.

United defender Rio Ferdinand said on Twitter that Scholes was “the BEST player of his generation.”

Scholes retired from the England national team at age 29. Current England coach Fabio Capello tried to tempt him back just a few weeks before last year’s World Cup in South Africa but Scholes declined, saying he hadn’t been given enough time to make the decision.

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Labels: Midfielder, retires, Scholes, United

By ALEX CROOK STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (AP) - West Ham needed a late equalizer from Thomas Hitzlsperger to salvage a 1-1 draw at home to Blackburn on Saturday, but the London club remains rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.

West Ham manager Avram Grant a…
AP - May 1, 12:19 pm EDT

Jason Roberts put Blackburn ahead in the 12th minute, steering home Brett Emerton’s cross, and the visitors looked destined to leave with all three points in their own battle against the drop until Hitzlsperger rifled home a superb drive from the edge of the penalty area in the 78th minute.

Blackburn remains just above the relegation zone, but time is fast running out for the Hammers with two games left to play.

Agences de presses

Labels: Blackburn, Rovers, SportsTicker, United

MICK ROBERTS STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas will lead out his team at Newcastle’s St James’ Park on Saturday despite being at the centre of a major storm.

Fabregas, 23, is alleged to have sworn at referee Lee Mason in the tunnel at half-time earlier this week when Arsenal were losing 1-0 to Everton at the Emirates.

Everton manager David Moyes who team later lost 2-1 made the allegations but there has been no question so far of any disciplinary action against Fabregas.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has backed Fabregas to emerge from the allegations with his reputation unsullied.

Wenger believes his star player is being victimised because of his eminence within the Premier League.

Wenger said: “I have been long enough in the job to know that somebody picks on you for a while and you are in the heat of the moment.

“When Cesc is on the pitch, he tries to play football. I cannot say everyone who plays against him tries to do that.”

Huddersfield players also alleged that after the FA Cup match last weekend World Cup winner Fabregas refused to swap shirts with the League One club’s players.

Fabregas, who had come on as a substitute and scored the winner, based his decision on Huddersfield’s aggressive tactics against him.

Wenger said: “I hope he does not exchange shirts with people who try to kick him for 90 minutes. Cesc did not say anything to the referee against Everton, so the story is over.”

Arsenal have announced that goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is to undergo surgery in Germany on a damaged shoulder and will miss the rest of the season.

The Gunners will also be without the much-improved Samir Nasri who is out for two weeks with injury but Wenger’s problems are nothing compared with those of opponents Newcastle.

Manager Alan Pardew lost star striker Andy Carroll to Liverpool and then replacement Shola Ameobi cracked a cheekbone in the lifeless 1-0 defeat at Fulham in midweek where the lack of a goal-scorer was apparent.

Pardew hopes to have Cheik Tiote available for the visit of the Gunners after completing a three-match ban but loan signing Stephen Ireland will not be ready for at least another two weeks.

Leon Best and Nile Ranger will share the attacking burden against Arsenal but Pardew will be hoping for better from them than against Fulham.

Carroll’s close friend, Kevin Nolan believes Newcastle must move on from the shock of losing Carroll to Liverpool in a 35 million pounds deal.

Nolan said: “We are all sorry Andy has gone. We had hoped he would stay and help the club consolidate in the Premier League.

“These things happen in football, players come and go, and we are going to have to adjust.

“Andy is history now and for the sake of the club and the fans we have to move on and come to terms with his departure.”

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Labels: ArsenalNewcastle, Preview, SportsTicker, United

LONDON (AP)—Javier Hernandez scored twice in a 4-0 victory at Wigan on Saturday, helping first-place Manchester United restore a four-point lead over Arsenal in the Premier League.

The Mexico striker scored off Nani’s low cross after 17 minutes and took a pass from Wayne Rooney in the 74th for his 12th goal of the season. Late goals by Rooney and Fabio da Silva completed the rout.

United now awaits important games against Chelsea and Liverpool.

“To win 4-0 away from home at a place like Wigan is very good. … It’s an acid test going to Chelsea and Liverpool,” United manager Alex Ferguson said.

United has played the same number of games as the rest of the top four. Second-place Arsenal plays in the League Cup final against Birmingham on Sunday when Manchester City hosts Fulham in the league.

Tottenham and Chelsea, who are fourth and fifth, have the weekend off because they were to play the League Cup finalists.

In the race against relegation, Wolverhampton climbed out of last place and the drop zone with a 4-0 victory over Blackpool. The match was overshadowed by the death of former Wolves and Tottenham defender Dean Richards at 36 on Saturday. Richards, who played for the Wolves between 1995 and 2001, died after a long illness.

Victories for Aston Villa and Everton put them five points further ahead of the relegation zone. Villa beat Blackburn 4-1 and Everton defeated Sunderland 2-0. Wigan is now only being kept off the bottom by West Ham, which is two points behind and hosts Liverpool on Sunday.

MADRID (AP)—Lionel Messi scored on a rare header, and Barcelona won 3-0 at Mallorca to open a seven-point lead over second-place Real Madrid in the Spanish league despite missing four regulars.

Barcelona has 68 points and Real Madrid has 61 following a 0-0 draw at Deportivo La Coruna.

Mesi looped the ball over goalkeeper Dudu Aouate in the 38th minute. Messi leads the league with 26 goals, two more than Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Of Messi’s 169 goals for Barcelona, this was just his seventh on a header.

David Villa scored in the 57th and Pedro Rodriguez in the 66th. The three Barcelona forwards have combined for 82 goals this season, with Villa and Pedro scoring 20 apiece.

Barcelona was missing midfielder Xavi Hernandez, defender Carles Puyol and goalkeeper Victor Valdes because of injuries and right back Daniel Alves because of yellow card accumulation.

ROME (AP)—Bologna won 2-0 at Juventus in the Italian league behind goals by Marco Di Vaio in the 49th and 66th minutes.

Bologna is 11th with 35 points, while Juventus is seventh with 41 following its second loss in seven days.

First-place AC Milan, which has 55 points, hosts second-place Napoli, which has 52, on Monday. Third-place Inter (50) is at Sampdoria on Sunday.

BERLIN (AP)—Lukas Podolski scored a late goal, giving Cologne a 1-0 win over Freiburg in the Bundesliga. Cologne has won five in a row at home and moves up to 11th place.

Podolski lifted the ball over Oliver Baumann for his 12th goal of season.

Christian Schulz scored in the last minute for Hannover, which won 1-0 at St. Pauli. Hannover moved into third place, but can be overtaken if Bayern Munich beats first-place Borussia Dortmund in the late game.

Mainz won 2-1 at Hoffenheim, Kaiserslautern drew 1-1 with Hamburger SV, and Raul Gonzalez equalized to earn Schalke a 1-1 draw at home to Nuremberg.

PARIS (AP)—Rennes beat Lens 2-0 for its fourth straight win and moved into first place in the French league.

Razak Boukari put Rennes ahead with a powerful shot into the top corner of the net in the 14th minute. Victor Hugo Montano added a second goal in the 70th, beating the offside trap to collect a pass from Jerome Leroy and score with a low shot.

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP)—Hearts was held to a 0-0 draw at Aberdeen, squandering a chance to take second place in the Scottish Premier League.

Hearts is a point behind Rangers, which plays St. Johnstone on Sunday in the first of three games in hand over the third-place club.

First-place Celtic goes to Motherwell on Sunday, eight points ahead of Rangers. Celetic has played two more matches than its Glasgow rival.

Hibernian beat Inverness 2-0 for its fourth straight league win but remains 10th in the 12-team league.

Agences de presses

Labels: defeats, league, PREMIER, United, Wigan

{ Shades of grey are rife in football and nothing is ever black and white, especially not where transfers are concerned.Even by the standards of Fernando Torres, the speed of my move out of Liverpool 10 years ago takes some beating.

One Monday afternoon, I signed my name to a five-year contract at Anfield, committing myself to the club until 2005.

By Thursday, I'd signed for Leeds United. That sounds as ridiculous to me now as it must have sounded to Liverpool's supporters back then but
I can't think of a better example of how quickly a player's outlook and circumstances can change.

A few weeks ago, Torres made a public pledge to see out his contract at Anfield, apparently killing talk of a move stone-dead.

I can, therefore, understand why comments like that stick in the throat when he submits a transfer request before January is out.

At the risk of defending what many people would say is indefensible, I have to admit that I sympathise with him.

At the start of last month, Torres probably thought he was going to be a Liverpool player for the foreseeable future. He was probably fairly happy about that too.

Then Chelsea came calling, offering serious money, the London lifestyle, Champions League football and trophies – all the things that Liverpool cannot promise him at present – and the mind starts to wonder.
It gets you thinking more carefully about your situation.

Should he, as a £50m striker, be playing in the Europa League and messing about halfway down the Premier League? Or should he aspire to better than that?

As an ex-player, there's only one answer. It's asking a lot for one of the finest players in the world to settle for second best. That's not how lads like Torres work.

In different circumstances, I took the same attitude when I completed my transfer to Leeds. As they read the papers, Liverpool's fans must have thought "he's well out of order, signing a new deal and then moving on" and that's how it appeared in print.

What they didn't know was that I'd been told to prepare myself for a season on the bench – something which, to be perfectly honest, was unacceptable.

At the time, I was in the finest form of my career. I also thought I was well worth a place in Liverpool's starting line-up. The word in my ear was that the number three jersey would be mine.

On the morning when I signed my new deal – lucrative by the standards of the day – I told myself that there'd be no looking back.

So what happened? A couple of days later, I'm sitting in a bar with a few of my friends when my phone rings. It's a message to tell me that Liverpool have signed Christian Ziege and I ought not to expect a starting place for the rest of the season.

I was shocked. As soon as I got my head around it, I knew immediately that it was time to go. In three days, I'd gone from being on top of the world to the thick of the transfer market.

It was truly a blessing that Leeds United made so much effort to sign me and did so despite the fact that I was carrying an injury. I went from one outstanding club to another.

It turned out to be a defining stage of my days as a footballer, a period I took great pride in.

Yet in 2004, it all happened again – I offered to take a pay cut and the board at Leeds said no. Suddenly, and against my wishes, I was looking for another employer.

That's the odd thing about my career – I was pushed into the two most significant transfers I made. Of course I was privileged to sign on elsewhere and grateful for the opportunities that came my way but I've never tried to pretend that I left Liverpool because I wanted to.

Leeds were everything I looked for in a club and I wanted to join them when the offer came. But that's not the same thing by any stretch.

Looking back, if I'd been asked on that Monday morning what the future held, I'd have told the press in all honesty that I wanted to retire as a Liverpool player. By the time Thursday arrived and I was completing my medical with Leeds, I'd have sounded like an idiot. In general, the comments you make are completely honest in the moments when you're making them. And even if you're bluffing, it takes a brave (or extremely stupid) footballer to admit that you're angling for a move elsewhere.

Not so long ago, people were writing off Roman Abramovich as a spent force in English football – someone whose passion for Chelsea was on the slide.

An investment of £50m in one of the world's most complete strikers is a massive shot in the arm. It makes Chelsea seriously attractive again and it's the height of flattery to be told that you're worth the British transfer record plus £20m.

In reality, there's no decision to be taken.

Agences de presses

Labels: Evening, Leeds, Matteo, Second, Torres, United, Yorkshire

* Last-gasp goal gives Bayern the edge

* Stalemate for Marseille and United (adds details, quotes, byline)

By Mike Collett

LONDON, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Bayern Munich struck in the last minute to defeat holders Inter Milan 1-0 at the San Siro while Olympique Marseille and Manchester United drew 0-0 in the first legs of their round of 16 ties on Wednesday.

Bayern, beaten 2-0 by Inter coached by Jose Mourinho in last season’s final, scored at the end of normal time when Inter keeper Julio Cesar failed to hold a long-range shot from Arjen Robben and Mario Gomez pounced on the rebound.

Robben earlier exchanged passes with Gomez before firing against the post midway through the second half and Bayern now have a great chance of avenging last season’s final defeat by eliminating Inter in the second leg on March 15.

“Inter surprised me,” Bayern coach Louis van Gaal told reporters.

“They played to win and that is very beautiful. The whole world has seen a wonderful game and I think both sets of fans could be happy with this game.

“That is what football is about and having enjoyment in football. In the final last year, they attacked less than they today and got a better result. But that’s football.”

UNINSPIRING MATCH

Manchester United and Marseille cancelled each other out in a largely uninspiring match at the Stade Velodrome where Marseille’s passionate fans were left frustrated by their team’s failure to break down United’s defence.

“It was a disappointing game,” United manager Alex Ferguson said.

“They made sure they weren’t going to concede a goal. 0-0 can be a dangerous score but we will be better at home” added Ferguson who will be confident of advancing to the last eight at Old Trafford in three weeks time.

“It is not a bad result for us, in the first game it is very important not to concede a goal,” Marseille coach Didier Deschamps said.

“It was a hard game against a big team and my players have done their best.”

Darren Fletcher went closest for United while Brandao’s weak header was all the home side had to show for their increased effort in the second half.

(Editing by Ed Osmond, To comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Agences de presses

Labels: Advantage, Bayern, Marseille, Reuters, United

{ Manchester United Official Web Site - Papers: What next Nev? home?????????English??????EMAILPASSWORDSign upPassword hintWELCOME BACKOne United Exclusiveshave you checked your details?LogoutEdit my DetailsSend to a friendAllPlayers & StaffNews & FeaturesClub NewsExclusive InterviewsFeaturesFootball NewsTransfer SpeculationWhat The Papers Say
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JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSeptOctNovDec 20112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998   ASSOCIATED LINKSGary NevilleProfile, pics, wallpapers, videos and moreToday at Old TraffordFollow us as we cover United from the insideUnited on FacebookConnect with the club on our official Facebook page WHAT THE PAPERS SAY  WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

The extracts on this page are taken from selected national newspapers. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of Manchester United.

Papers: What next Nev? 03/02/2011 10:32 

The Times’ James Ducker writes...

United will offer coaching role to Neville
Gary Neville will be offered the chance to become a coach at Manchester United after the club captain brought the curtain down on a glittering career last night by formally announcing his retirement with immediate effect. Neville, who will celebrate his 36th birthday a fortnight tomorrow, was widely expected to retire at the end of the season but the defender opted to bring the decision forward after finally accepting defeat in a running four-year battle with injury. David Gill, the United chief executive, confirmed last night that Neville will be asked to remain at Old Trafford “whether on the coaching or the commercial side”, although, given the misgivings he has expressed about pursuing a career in management, there are no guarantees that the player Sir Alex Ferguson described as “the best English right back of his generation” will take the club up on their offer.

The Daily Mail’s Matt Lawton describes Neville as a “true fighter who bristled with attitude”, while the Daily Star speculates that Neville could one day be United boss. The Daily Telegraph says Neville will consider roles coaching at United and with Sky. Henry Winter adds: “The greatest compliment that can be paid to Gary Neville is this: England have never been able to replace him.”

Richard Williams in The Guardian adds that Gary was “combative, old-fashioned, outspoken” and that “he’ll be remembered for controversy as well as brilliance”.

More: Neville calls it quits | Becks pays tribute | Fans hail a legend | Ex-Reds' respect

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Labels: Manchester, Papers, United

{ Uefa Champions League : Didier Deschamps (Olympique de Marseille) - (Gettyimages)Marseille boss Didier Deschamps insists that his charges will take the game to Manchester United, when the two sides meet in the first leg of the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday night.

The French outfit are the underdogs for the encounter, but the former Monaco boss believes his charges can knock the Red Devils out of the tournament.

"We're not going to wait for them of course," Deschamps told The Sun.

"We will take the game to them. They have a lot of quality up front but our chance is to create them problems at the back.

"The victory against Chelsea earlier this season, although we were both qualified, was a massive boost for my players. Chelsea played their best side in order to reverse the bad period they were going through.

"In a double header it's more difficult than one game of course. But only in football can you see the smaller team win — it doesn't happen in any other team sport.

"In rugby, basketball, handball the big team always wins. Manchester is not Marseille but we will play our chance even if it's a small one."

The 42-year-old also revealed that he intends to exploit a chink in United's armour, as he has spotted a defensive frailty.

But Deschamps was quick to point out that the Red Devils still remain a strong defensive unit despite the undisclosed "weakness".

He said: "I've spotted their weaknesses at the back of course. I won't tell you those now for sure, but it's certain we will not be content with just defending in the two matches.

"But United do defend very well, they have enormous talent. What interests me more is the different shapes they use. They have different types of organisation and what interests me particularly is how they apply it by the different use of players.

"They sometimes play one striker or two strikers although mostly in Europe they play only one with a reinforced midfield. That's what Sir Alex Ferguson has done every time."

if (typeof hideMashLogic == 'undefined' || (!hideMashLogic)){ document.write(''); document.write(''); }


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Labels: Deschamps, Didier, Goalcom, Manchester, Marseille, United

{

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson made light of his injury problems and said he was expecting to meet a powerful and athletic Olympique Marseille team in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs is the latest United casualty and although he is set to be fit for the weekend and defender Rio Ferdinand is also close to a return, the Premier League leaders are depleted for the last-16 first-leg trip to France.

"You are working through a really difficult month in December in terms of the number of games, and then through January we have had a few games too, and it's just the strain of it all," Ferguson told a news conference on Tuesday.

"But you know, we have got a strong squad with us and we carry on.

"I think they are a very powerful team, very athletic, strong defenders. They, like us, have a few injuries."

Ferguson is also wary of the raucous reception inside the Stade Velodrome, where fans create the biggest roar in French football.

"We know from being here before, and also having been to many games here, that it's a fantastic atmosphere here, and that helps Marseille," he said.

Marseille boss Didier Deschamps waxed lyrical about the Premier League leaders.

"They have won lots of games and lots of titles nationally and internationally, and evidently this is symbolised by their manager Alex Ferguson, who is on his 24th season as manager, which is something very exceptional," he said.

"There's this culture of winning, which you find in big clubs, they can change players and can lose good players, but they're replaced by others, and there's always a message passed on by the older players and the guarantee is the manager."

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Labels: Eurosport, Injuryhit, Marseille, powerful, prepared, United, Yahoo

MARSEILLE, France, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Marseille forward Mathieu Valbuena has made a rapid recovery from a knee problem and could face Manchester United in Wednesday’s Champions League last 16 first leg (1945 GMT) in southern France.

The France international had looked set to miss the game after sustaining an injury on Jan. 22 which the French champions described as “pretty serious”.

However, the club said in a statement he was back training fully with the group and media reports are speculating he could make an immediate return.

His involvement could provide a major boost to Didier Deschamps and his team after striker Andre-Pierre Gignac was ruled out of the game with a groin problem.

Fellow forwards Loic Remy and Brandao also suffered injuries in Saturday’s 2-1 Ligue 1 win over St Etienne but are both set to be available on Wednesday having rested on Monday.

(Reporting by Francois Revilla; Writing by Mark Meadows; Editing by John O’Brien; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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Labels: after, Marseilles, quick, Recovery, Reuters, United, Valbuena

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Wayne Rooney's brace against Aston Villa has put him on track to reach ten goals for the season - the tally Sir Alex Ferguson envisages for him.

In his column for last night's match programme, the United boss insisted he wasn't concerned by the forward's goal return which, at the time of writing, was three from 18 appearances. Now Rooney has five strikes to his name and, fitness permitting, nearly four full months to double that number.

"Some of our critics are making a meal out of the fact that Wayne is lagging behind in the goal stakes," said Sir Alex in United Review.

"He is (behind), compared with the bucketload he scored last year, but I am not worried.

"It's the scoring partnership that matters and the combination between our two front men has improved beyond all recognition. Last season Wayne benefited from Dimitar's work but this year it is Berbatov who is enjoying the last touch."

Sir Alex believes the better synchronised Berbatov-Rooney axis is now similar to a celebrated pairing from the club's Treble-winning season.

"If we finish the season with Berbatov scoring 30 and Wayne on 10 - and those are the targets I have in mind - I will be more than happy. That's what I call a successful strike partnership, reminiscent of Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke, and you know what we won when they were hot!"

More: Papers - Rooney's awesome | Rooney eyes goal rush

 Agences de presses

Labels: halfway, Manchester, there, United, Wayne

MANCHESTER, England (AP)—Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has a signed a contract extension through the 2013-14 season.

The 29-year-old Frenchman has made 226 appearances since joining United in January 2006, winning three Premier League titles and the Champions League.

“Patrice is unquestionably one of the world’s best left backs,” United manager Alex Ferguson said Monday. “He has developed into a key character in the dressing room and it is great that he has committed himself to the club.

“His experience and skill will be increasingly important to us.”

The former Monaco player said he chose to stay at Old Trafford to win more titles.

“The fans, the players, the manager and the staff all work hard to make this club the best in the world,” Evra said on United’s website. “I have won a lot in the last five years, but I want to win more.”

Agences de presses

Labels: Defender, signs, United, until

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes England should follow the German model and implement a winter break.

The Scot believes a month's break in January is the way forward for the Premier League and sees nothing wrong with the season ending later in the summer.

Ferguson wrote in Saturday's match programme: "What is worth looking at is the German model of a month's break in January and then launching the second half of the season with their Cup competition.

"I know this would mean spilling over into the summer season but I see nothing wrong with that and playing league fixtures beyond the end of May.

"We are playing internationals in June and we could accommodate a league extension."

Manchester United controversially withdrew from the FA Cup in 2000 when European success saw them compete in the World Club Championship.

As a result of Wembley hosting the Champions League final, this year’s FA Cup final will be played two weeks before the end of the season, timing which Ferguson believes could be improved.

He added: "What I'd like to see preserved is the timing of the FA Cup final to fall on the last day of the season, with the big day at Wembley a natural climax."

Follow Goal.com on to get the latest soccer news directly. Check out Goal.com's

Agences de presses

Labels: believes, break, England, Ferguson, Follow, German, Goalcom, Implementing, Manchester, Model, Should, United, winter

{ Manchester United fans asking former Basingstoke Town star Sergio Torres for his autograph. Maybe they think it's Fernando. Welcome to live coverage of Manchester United's bye into the quarter finals of the FA Cup. It's United's third easy draw in a row, after a fourth-round tie at third-division Southampton, and a third-round match against a team selected by Roy Hodgson. This time they play Crawley Town of the Blue Square Premier League, and understandably confident of victory, so much so this time that they've picked Bebe.

Having said all this, United did draw 0-0 at Old Trafford with non-league Exeter City in 2005, and Wes Brown was on the pitch that day as well. So you never know. Except we do sort of know.

Manchester United: Lindegaard, Rafael, O'Shea, Brown, Fabio, Gibson, Carrick, Anderson, Bebe, Hernandez, Obertan.
Subs: Rooney, Smalling, Fletcher, Kuszczak, King, Pogba, Tunnicliffe.

Crawley Town: Kuipers, Hunt, Mills, McFadzean, Howell, Gibson, Smith, Bulman, Torres, Tubbs, McAllister.
Subs: Shearer, Rusk, Rents, Wilson, Cook, Napper, Brodie.

Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire)

Kick off: 5.15pm.

The teams are out. Not a peep of that preposterous new anthem featuring Richie. That's got to be good news, yes? United are in their red shirts and white shorts, you knew this, while Crawley are in their white shirts and red shorts. There's nice. There are 9,000 Crawley fans in the crowd, 8,985 more than their usual away support.

And we're off! And it's a really confident start by the away side, McAllister tearing down the left and sending in a cross that skims off the top of Gibson's head. Let's hope that's not them shot their bolt already.

2 min: A couple of corners to United down the right. The first is hacked away by Hunt, the second sees Obertan fly a low ball right across the face of the six-yard box from the right-hand edge of the area. Any touch of that, by either attacker or defender, and we'd have seen the opener. A nice open start, but then did anybody expect anything else?

5 min: No other scares for Crawley yet, though. United are knocking it around at the back a lot, Crawley chasing after shadows. Eventually a long ball's pumped down the inside-left channel, catching Hernandez offside. "By all accounts the best advice to Crawley Town's players is simply to go out there and enjoy themselves," says Gary Naylor, who has scraped himself off the ceiling after Everton's win at Chelsea. "So will they take out some comfy chairs, plenty of beers, get some takeaways delivered to the centre-circle, try out Call of Duty Black Ops, perhaps a few hands of poker, before settling down with some racy DVDs on the wide screen TV towards the end of the evening?" Yes, this is what you've got planned tonight, isn't it? Shamelessly transparent.

8 min: Obertan flies down the left wing, looking extremely dangerous until he knocks the ball a wee bit too far ahead of him. McFadzean is over quickly from a central position to whip the ball off his toe and high into the stands. Great anticipation. "Hope Bebe doesn't embarrass us," writes United fan Gerry Nicholson. "I am very relaxed, so much so that I don't mind if Crawley win (mmm not sure I mean that), the FA Cup should supply some romance. Or Bebe gets a hatrick, ha ha I am in the groove today." A Bebe hat-trick? That's not so much in the groove as being lead trumpeter in the Count Basie Orchestra horn section.

11 min: A fantastic effort by Crawley's Gibson, who volleys towards the top-right corner of the United net from 25 yards out on the left! His dipping effort isn't too far away, either, floating just wide right, though Lindegaard had it covered were it on target.

14 min: Anderson slips Hernandez clear down the inside-right channel, but the striker's offside by inches. That's a slice of luck for Crawley, doubly so because McFadzean was all over Hernandez like a bad suit.

17 min: Crawley are looking to knock it around when they can. Smith, Torres and Gibson ping a couple of pretty triangles near the centre circle, but the cream rises, Carrick gliding in and making off with the ball. Gibson slides in and upends the Manchester United man in unceremonious fashion, and is probably lucky to escape a booking, showing studs as he was.

21 min: Smith, eight yards out, nearly gets his outstretched leg to a long throw from the left. United break through Obertan, but he's eventually harried in midfield and his pass out right to Hernandez removes all momentum from the attack. Crawley will be very pleased with themselves so far. Here's Linda Howard, who was in a wee bit of a hot funk at the state of Everton's stripy socks earlier this afternoon. "I'm still fixated on the darned socks," she begins, quipping furiously. "Crawley's red and white striped ones strike me as very Where's Waldo, which of course would indicate a tendency to disappear in a crowd. Or are they candy canes which means - wait for it - they will get licked? I need to get a life."

24 min: United, on the other hand, won't be particularly pleased. Crawley are getting decent ball time, McAllister in particular enjoying plenty of it. At one point he evades three challenges down the left, albeit heading in the wrong direction. Then he heads goalwards from ten yards, without much power, but still.

26 min: A corner from United's Gibson down the left. He can't clear the first man, for goodness sake, but gets another chance to deliver as the ball's shuttled back to him. This time he knocks in a dangerous ball to the far post, forcing Mills to turn the ball straight behind for another corner. This one's wasted, though there's a sense United have suddenly turned up the gas.

28 min: GOAL!!! Manchester United 1-0- Crawley Town. A beautiful ball from Darron Gibson, down the inside-left channel, frees Hernandez in the area. The striker pauses, the ball clanking between his feet, and allows McFadzean to poke behind for a corner. From which comes the first goal: after a bit of faffing around down the left, Gibson sends an inswinger into the heart of the box, Brown gently flicking the ball on, into the bottom-right corner, keeper Kuipers rooted to the spot. Well done, plucky United!

32 min: Old Trafford is very quiet, despite the breakthrough. "Shall we sing a song for you?" chant the away support. A fair point, made confidently in the knowledge that criticising the single-figure crowd Crawley took to Wrexham recently isn't as easily done via the medium of popular song.

34 min: Darron Gibson has been United's best player by a distance. Now he curls a lovely low pass down the inside-left channel to release Fabio. The full-back really should score, but clumsily flicks an effort well wide left.

37 min: Fabio's barged over in the area by McFadzean, who really is no nonsense. The referee's having none of it. A minute or so later, Fabio scoots down the left, his low cross poked wide by the lunging Hernandez. United are given a corner for free, and waste it.

38 min: Obertan bombs down the left, cuts inside, and belabours a shot straight at Kuipers. It's parried well. Then Darron Gibson has another dig from long range; the keeper's behind that one too.

40 min: Hernandez is caught 20 yards offside. Dear Lord. But he makes up for it a minute later with a lovely figure-of-eight spin down the left, his fizzing cross evading everyone in the middle. The ball breaks on the other side to Gibson, who sends the ball back in for Obertan to miscontrol while six yards out. "I for one think Bebe has done remarkably well for Man United if that picture of him is anything to go by," writes Sean Moore. "Give the lad a break - he's only got one foot, for heaven's sake."

43 min: Run of the match for Crawley by Howell, who zips down the left and sends a decent-ish cross into the centre. If McAllister was nine feet tall, he'd have got a head on that. Has Howell been watching Bebe?

44 min: Crawley are finishing the half strongly. First Torres steals the ball in midfield and feeds Gibson, who has half a chance to shoot from the edge of the United D but hesitates and lays a momentum-extracting pass out to the right. Then Smith isn't far away at all from clipping a reverse ball down the inside-right channel to set Tubbs free. Some nice football there.

HALF TIME: Manchester United 1-0 Crawley Town. Well, Crawley have done pretty well there, you would have to say. They're not out of the cup yet! Well, they sort of are, but you know what I mean.

And we're off again! A change by Manchester United, and one that's very flattering to the non-league side: Anderson is replaced by Wayne Rooney. The home side set the ball rolling again.

46 min: Rooney immediately bales down the right and lumps a cross into the side netting. A statement of intent.

47 min: This has started in end-to-end fashion. A couple of positive sorties by Crawley, Bulman and Smith causing some bother down the left, then a long throw into the box that O'Shea has to deal with using base skills. Then, up the other end, Obertan zips down the left and hits a low cross into the centre. Mills hacks clear before Rooney can get close.

49 min: The ball drops from the sky on the edge of the United area. Smith has time to hit a volley - though not much time, as Brown is right by him to block what looked a goalbound effort.

51 min: Gibson and Hunt combine well down the right, the cross swung in only just evading Tubbs in the centre. Then O'Shea and Tubbs come together in the United box as they chase a ball down the inside-left channel. A lot of cries from the away section, but that's never a penalty.

54 min: Torres steams down the middle of the park but lets the ball run too far ahead of him and clatters into Rafael as he lunges. He's in the book. It's the last act of the day for Rafael - he's not injured, he was going off anyway - as he's replaced by Smalling.

56 min: Fabio shoots from 25 yards, cutting in from the left. Kuipers is well behind it.

57 min: "You're supposed to be at home," crow the Crawley support, baiting an otherwise silent Old Trafford.

59 min: Bebe is still on the pitch, let's remember. Here he hits one of his special crosses, clubbing a dismal effort in the vague direction of the box. Kuipers wanders off his line to claim with no Manchester United player anywhere near.

61 min: Rooney drops a shoulder, 25 yards from goal, nudges the ball to the right and goes for the top-left corner. The effort's miles over the bar. United haven't done very much in the second half so far.

63 min: Richard Brodie, who cost Crawley £300,000, comes on for McAllister.

65 min: The Crawley crowd are really enjoying themselves now. Their team string a five-pass move together. It's not quite Leeds v Southampton from 1972, but the travelling 9,000 don't give a flying one, and start up with the '¡Olé!s. A slightly embarrassed home crowd spark up a chant of "Red army", but you can sense their heart's not really in it today.

69 min: Fabio goes off, Fletcher comes on. Meanwhile Willie Gibson departs, to be replaced by Jamie Cook - an ex-professional golfer.

71 min: Crawley's best move of the match. Tubbs creates space with a brilliant turn down the left. He sends Brodie away along the wing. When the big man reaches the byline, he sends a superb cross into the centre, where Hunt, standing on the penalty spot, steers a poor volley wide left. Finish apart, that was lovely football from the non-leaguers.

74 min: CRAWLEY OPPORTUNITY SPURNED! Cook twists and turns O'Shea down the right. That's very embarrassing for the United defender. He stands the ball up to the far post, where Brodie half-wins a header. The ball flies back into the centre, Tubbs bicycle-kicking over the bar from six yards. For a nanosecond, that looked for all the world like an equaliser. This is all Crawley at the moment!

77 min: FC Barcelona Crawley Town spend the best part of a minute stroking it around in the United half, the home side sitting - or are they being pushed? - back. Eventually Brodie finds space down the right, though his cross is too close to Lindegaard. They're enjoying themselves here.

78 min: A free kick for Crawley, 25 yards out on the right. Howell is charged with taking a potshot at goal, but sends his big chance of glory high into the stand behind. He even slips over as he kicks, sliding along the turf on his buttocks, a student of the John Terry school of dead-ball striking. Oh dear.

81 min: One last change for Crawley, Simon Rusk for Ben Smith. "This United performance is the equivalent of petrol station flowers on Valentine's Day," writes Niall Mullen, at the end of what may have been a bad week for him. "Just doing the bare minimum to get through a day of forced and ersatz romance."

83 min: Brown suffers the humiliation of slipping over with the ball at his feet, then being forced to handle the ball as he's on the floor, Brodie lurking with a view to running off towards goal. He's booked for his trouble. Tubbs hits the free kick like a thunderbolt, nearly 30 yards out, but can't keep it down. The ball's still rising.

85 min: United can hardly get hold of the ball here! I'd be interested to see the possession stats for the last 20 minutes or so.

86 min: Bebe breaks free down the inside-right channel and into the area. He rounds Kuipers on the outside, but misses the empty net, rolling the ball wide left. Luckily for everyone concerned, he was miles offside anyway.

88 min: Rooney is booked for a thoroughly frustrated shove in the small of McFadzean's back, one that sends the big defender tumbling.

90 min: There will be four added minutes of this.

90 min +2: CRAWLEY HIT THE BAR!!! Cook tears down the left. Smalling blocks the ball out for a throw. From the long throw, a McFadzean prod is deflected out for a corner. And from that, sent in from the left, Brodie loops a slow-motion header onto the bar from six yards with Lindegaard flapping! What a finish! The striker's shoulders fall, he knows what a chance has been spurned there.

90 min +3: Hunt curls a deep cross into the United area from the right. McFadzean gets his head on it, 12 yards out, but the effort is well high and wide right.

FULL TIME: Manchester United 1-0 Crawley Town. Well, United are through, but look at that scoreline. Everyone's happy, sort of, to some extent at least, except Steve Evans, who is dancing up and down the touchline in the hottest of funks, pointing at his watch. Who's he picked that up from?

Agences de presses

Labels: Crawley, Guardian, Manchester, United

* First half Brown goal the difference for United

* Crawley almost save tie in stoppage time (adds details, quotes)

By Mike Collett

LONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Crawley Town came close to achieving one of the most memorable FA Cup results for years before losing 1-0 to Manchester United in a surprisingly even fifth-round tie at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Although Wes Brown’s 28th minute header ended their dream of becoming the first non-League side for 97 years to reach the last eight, Crawley left behind a performance that would not have disgraced teams much higher up the ladder.

Crawley, whose main claim to fame is being the nearest town to Gatwick Airport, almost equalised in stoppage time at the end of the match when Richard Brodie’s looping header hit the top of United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard’s crossbar.

A goal then would have been just reward for the way the non-League outfit from Sussex battled against the Premier League leaders and 11-times record FA Cup winners in front of almost 75,000 fans at United’s ‘Theatre of Dreams’.

About nine thousand of those supporters were from Crawley, whose average home attendance is 1,800 but who won themselves a lot more admirers with their battling performance.

Forward Sergio Torres typified their approach with a hard-running game and left with a clump of Old Trafford grass in his sock as a memento of the night.

They gained in confidence after being overawed at the start and could have equalised when David Hunt volleyed wide after 72 minutes when the ball fell on his less accurate left foot.

They also dominated for a long spell in the second half and maintained pressure on United’s goal with the post-match statistics revealing they enjoyed 53 percent of possession.

RARE CHANCE

A measure of Crawley’s resistance was that United manager Alex Ferguson, who described them before kickoff as “the best non-League side for quite a while”, brought on Wayne Rooney as a halftime substitute.

Ferguson, who went to watch Crawley play in midweek, made nine changes from the side that beat Manchester City in the Premier League at Old Trafford last week.

But many of the players given a rare chance to start fluffed their lines and were outrun and outfought by the visitors who could well gain promotion from the Conference (fifth division) to League Two of the Football League at the end of the season.

Rooney, and his illustrious team mates, were all outshone for once, with the England striker having little impact against a rugged back line of defenders. Apart from a shot just before the end, he never looked like scoring.

Crawley captain Pablo Mills, named Man of the Match, told ITV: “I thought we could have made their keeper work a bit more.

“The lads put a great shift in. If you have to go out, this is probably the best place. But we have lost to one of the best teams in the world so we can’t complain. It has been a week we will never forget.”

Striker Matt Tubbs, who went close himself with an overhead kick after 74 minutes, added: “Perhaps we gave them a little bit too much respect in the first half.”

Regarding Brodie’s header that hit the bar, he said: “It was just unlucky, on another day they can drop in and we’ve got an equaliser.”

Crawley were applauded off the pitch by fans of both teams at the end with the home side’s signature tune ‘Glory Glory Man United’ sounding rather hollow in the circumstances.

(Editing by Ken Ferris)

To comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Agences de presses

Labels: Crawley, Manchester, Reuters, United

MANCHESTER, England (AP)—Manchester United advanced to the sixth round of the FA Cup but only after a narrow 1-0 win over minnows Crawley Town at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Wes Brown’s first-half header ensured there was no upset against a team that sits 93 places below them on the league ladder in the fifth tier.

However, the 11-time FA Cup winners struggled to impose themselves and Crawley almost snatched an equalizer in stoppage time when substitute Richard Brodie’s header came back off the bar.

Manchester United's Wes Br…
AP - Feb 19, 1:28 pm EST

Crawley will make over one million pounds ($1.6 million) from the tie via television rights and gate receipts from a sellout 75,000 crowd at Old Trafford.

The game amply illustrated the romance of the FA Cup: Alex Ferguson’s Premier League leaders hosting a team that was seeking to become the first non-League club to reach the quarterfinals of the FA Cup since World War II.

While United’s quest for a sixth triumph in the competition under Ferguson’s reign started last month, Crawley’s adventure started in October with a qualifying win in Wales against Newport County.

Victories over Football League clubs Swindon, Derby and Torquay have since followed but Crawley’s journey ended in a gutsy defeat in front of 9,000 traveling fans, almost twice the capacity of the club’s tiny Broadfield Stadium home.

United manager Ferguson must have done a double take when he saw the Crawley team sheet and seen the names Torres and Shearer staring back at him.

But instead of Spanish international Fernando and former England international Alan, it was Sergio Torres and Scott Shearer.

Crawley’s veteran keeper Michel Kuipers once served in the Dutch Marine Corps but if the 36-year-old was expecting to find himself in the firing line then he was pleasantly mistaken as United struggled to stamp their authority.

Former Arsenal trainee Ben Smith set the tone for what was to come when his speculative 25-yard effort in the 11th minute narrowly sailed wide of the target.

United were not at full strength. The likes of Edwin van der Sar, Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Dimitar Berbatov were not involved.

But neither was this a weak team. Wayne Rooney started on the substitutes bench before coming on at the start of the second half while Michael Carrick and John O’Shea were also on duty.

Republic of Ireland international Darron Gibson delivered the cross for Brown to head the hosts into a 28th-minute lead—their first serious threat.

Fabio da Silva failed to kill the game off after the Brazilian fullback was sent clear by Gibson. Crawley’s players were expected to tire the longer the match continued, yet they seemed to get stronger.

After David Hunt had spurned one opportunity to equalise, Matt Tubbs, Crawley’s leading scorer with 28 goals, sent an overhead kick from four yards (meters) narrowly over the bar.

Finally, Brodie was denied by the woodwork on a day Crawley will never forget.

Agences de presses

Labels: Crawley, edges, nonleague, United

* Gignac and Remy could be doubtful for United game

* Lucho Gonzalez and Remy goals seal victory

(adds details, byline)

By Mark Meadows

PARIS, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Olympique Marseille beat St Etienne 2-1 on Saturday but their preparations for the midweek Champions League clash with Manchester United were hit by injuries to forwards Andre-Pierre Gignac and Loic Remy.

The win sent Didier Deschamps’s side up to second in Ligue 1, three points behind leaders Lille who visit Montpellier on Sunday (1600 GMT).

Lucho Gonzalez finally broke the deadlock for the frustrated champions on 68 minutes when he slotted in Gignac’s pull back and Remy netted the second 10 minutes later from close range.

Christophe Landrin grabbed a goal back for Les Verts in stoppage time.

France striker Gignac, who scored twice in last weekend’s 2-1 win at Sochaux, hobbled off on 74 minutes and the grimace on his face suggested he could be doubtful for Wednesday’s last-16 first leg at home to United.

Remy followed him down the tunnel with what appeared to be an ankle knock soon after scoring his goal.

A third forward, Brandao, was substituted midway through the second half and media reports said he may also be injured.

St Etienne, beaten 4-1 by Olympique Lyon last weekend, had started the brighter at the Stade Velodrome with Gabriel Heinze almost scoring an own goal before the visitors had the ball in the net on 13 minutes only to be thwarted by the offside flag.

Marseille then had two shots cleared off the line straight after each other before finding the breakthrough.

MONACO LOSE

Lyon, who take on Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, are third in the table after defeating AS Nancy 4-0 on Friday but could be overtaken on Sunday when Stade Rennes and Paris St Germain travel to Toulouse and Nice respectively.

Monaco’s hopes of a revival after last Saturday’s win over FC Lorient proved shortlived as they lost 2-0 at Stade Brest to remain third from bottom and in the relegation zone.

Racing Lens are a place below them after a 3-2 home defeat by Sochaux which featured a red card apiece.

Auxerre, in 16th position, and bottom side AC Arles-Avignon did nothing to ease their drop fears by sharing a 1-1 draw while Caen were held 2-2 at home by Valenciennes.

Girondins Bordeaux were playing at Lorient at 2000 GMT with the pressure still on coach Jean Tigana given the 2009 champions’s mid-table malaise.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Agences de presses

Labels: Before, clash, injured, Marseille, Reuters, United

{ Crawley Town captain, Pablo Mills, leads his players in applauding the fans after their 1-0 FA Cup defeat at Manchester United. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

What a week. There has never been anything like it in those 24 years: being asked to talk to a radio station in New Zealand, nonstop work, and by the time I had finished yesterday's match preview, about 10,000 words written on Crawley in seven days.

When the fifth-round draw was made, there were supporters in the club bar who had followed the club through thin and thinner for more than 30 years. There was more elation at the pairing with Manchester United than there had been 24 hours earlier after the fourth-round win at Torquay United.

It really has been nonstop. My paper, the Argus, is based in Brighton and has had the home-town club's exploits to report, too. We did a 20-page "FA Cup Fever" special on Saturday, covering both Sussex sides (it's the first time two from the county have made it this far) and we could easily have filled a 40-page supplement. It is strangely gratifying when you go into Tesco and see people devouring every word. It is a story that gathers its own momentum very quickly, though it can still upset some readers. The front-page splash the day after the draw was all about Crawley's £2m game, yet a few Brighton fans rang up to complain about unbalanced coverage.

This week was always going to be busy, but there was also a league game at Wrexham on Tuesday to fit in. The match ended 0-0 and fortunately there were no "injury heartache" stories – just a nice line instead about Sir Alex Ferguson being there on a spying mission. "A lot of people are talking about these boys – I thought I'd take a look for myself," he said.

We got back to Crawley at 2.30am on Wednesday and later in the day it was time to field a dozen or so calls from journalists from the national press asking for information and phone numbers. Then the news desk needed help tracking down fans from New Zealand, Hong Kong, the US and Canada who were coming over for the game.

Thursday was the club's press day and nearly 60 journalists, radio and TV crews, and photographers turned up. The players looked overwhelmed and who can blame them? Normally there are three of us covering the club home and away. But they seemed to revel in it, especially Ben Smith when he was asked to compare the cars the Crawley players drove with those of their United counterparts. The club organised it well and have coped with the past three weeks superbly, selling 9,000 tickets, shedloads of merchandise, organising 27 supporters' coaches and dealing with worldwide media interest. All with a full-time staff of four.

The Sun have their name on the shirts and enjoyed more access to the team as a result, but speaking to Steve Evans and the players throughout the past couple of weeks has never been a problem. When all the fuss is over, it will be back to the usual suspects watching Southport at home on Tuesday night.

And so to the big day. I get there way too early and feel a bit like a tourist wandering around Old Trafford for an hour before we can get into the ground. It is surreal watching players I am used to seeing perform in far more humble surroundings on one of the biggest stages in world football and playing with more belief than a few Premier League teams have at Old Trafford this season. The final whistle blows and reality bites: six pages to fill. Next away trip: Kidderminster two weeks on Tuesday.

Bruce Talbot is the Crawley Town correspondent for the Argus, Brighton

Agences de presses

Labels: after, Crawley, Guardian, Manchester, Southport, United