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Every football club has ‘the one that got away.’ The one player whom we all believe held the key to our aspirations and dreams for our football club – if only he had signed on the dotted line.

Harry Redknapp admitted before this weekend’s game that he had decided against bringing Luis Suarez to White Hart Lane after mistakenly thinking he was too like what they already had. Although Suarez had a quiet game yesterday he will has still been a fantastic signing by Liverpool and he looks like being a world-class player in the future. Spurs could regret missing out on the Uruguayan forward for many years to come. This isn’t the first time a mistake has been made and throughout football history there have been players that got away.

These are the signings that could have changed the course of history for your club but instead never happened and if you’re a Sheffield United fan you’ll be forever ruing the day your club let one of the best players of all time slip through the net.

Click on Gazza to see the top 10 transfers that got away

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Compiled by Aidan McCartney

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Welsh International Craig Bellamy has a history at Newcastle United. The 31-year-old was part of the United set-up between 2001-2005 and was lauded and criticised in equal measure during his time at the club. Whilst he often showcased his ability – at the end of his first season with Newcastle he was awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year award – he also showcased a little too much of his tendency towards ill-discipline.

Sir Bobby Robson noted that Bellamy was a “great player wrapped round an unusual and volatile character”. This was evident when in March 2004 Bellamy reportedly threw a chair at then first-team coach John Carver. He also had an all-too-public falling out with Newcastle manager Graeme Souness. This would end up to be his downfall at St. James’ Park. The abusive text messages sent from his phone to club captain Alan Shearer in April 2005 were merely the icing on the cake.

So he can be a hostile, difficult presence. But let’s not forget that Bellamy managed to collate 42 goals from 128 Newcastle appearances. A statistic that’s not too shabby at all.

Now there have been reports in the Press linking Newcastle with a move for Craig Bellamy come the end of the season. Should Newcastle give Bellamy another shot?

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He may not have the pace that he had during his first tenure at Newcastle, but from what I can tell he’s not lacking in sharpness. He’s a natural finisher, gets in good positions and he works hard. He’s one of those players who hates losing, who will spur the rest of the team on and who is capable of single-handedly dragging Newcastle to a couple of decent results over the course of the season.

He may be a muppet off the pitch, but on it he’s a decent player who can add something to Newcastle’s squad. Given his current situation – on loan at Championship side Cardiff City as a result of being surplus to requirements at Manchester City – there’s every chance that he’ll be available on the cheap this summer. The only problem would be matching his wages – though I’m sure he’d be willing to take a pay-cut if it meant regular Premier League football.

Newcastle fans will know what Bellamy is capable of. Though time has marched on since his first spell at St James’, it’s clear that Bellamy can still cut it at this level. He’s no Andy Carroll, but he’ll be available on the cheap and will help Alan Pardew build a squad that can eventually start challenging at the top of the Premier League table.

Though it may only be a rumour for the time being, I wouldn’t be disappointed if I saw this transfer go through.

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Read more of Harry’s articles at the excellent This Is Futbol

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Is Fergie onto a winner this weekend? His horse What a Friend is 11/1 to win the Grand National. Make sure you don’t miss out on the biggest betting event of the year!

A Paul Scholes inspired United victory gave Fergie the perfect start as he looks to regain the Premier League title. Away from the pitch Sir Alex welcomed his new signing Bebe, before confirming that there will be no more new arrivals before the end of the transfer window.

This week at FFC we have seen a mixed bag of Man United blogs which has included…Fergie’s £7m gamble highlights the changing ways; time for United’s supporting cast to share the load and Ozil may live to regret snubbing a move to Old Trafford.

Plus we have taken a look at the best Man United stories on the Web this week

The strikers of Manchester, common are we.

‘Sorry seems to be the hardest word’ as Fergie and MOTD prepare to face off

Why Ozil may live to regret snubbing Manchester United

Ridiculous…you may as well compare Joe Cole and Chris Smalling

Were Sir Alex’s comments a bit rich, considering his own situation?

Fergie’s £7m gamble highlights the game’s changing ways

Scholes must not let praise risk his place at football’s top table

Time for Man United’s support cast to start sharing the load

Five things we learnt from Man United’s victory

A Manchester United manager in waiting?

Last minute dealings at Old Trafford?

Top 10 Premier League ‘scallywags’ who forced their transfer moves

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Best of Web

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Anderson returns but in what shape? – United Rant

Blacking Out – The andersred blog

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Cleverley is spearheading Fergie’s plan to bow out with legacy of youth – Mirror

Is it time to face a sad truth about United star?- The Busby Way

Why The Guardian Writers Are Wrong To Predict Third Place Finish… Again – RoM

“Before Christmas everybody will know his name” – United Rant

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Click on image below to see the gallery of Mario Balotelli’s stunning girlfriend

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has stated that referee Chris Foy got a few major decisions wrong in his side’s 2-1 defeat against Stoke on Sunday, which ultimately led to the home team’s win.

A Matthew Etherington brace gave The Potters a 2-0 half-time lead, before Emmanuel Adebayor pulled one back for Spurs from the penalty spot.

There were a number of contentious decisions during the game; Peter Crouch appeared to handle the ball for the Britannia Stadium outfit’s opener, Adebayor had a goal ruled out for offside in the second half when he was clearly onside, and Ryan Shawcross cleared a Spurs effort off the goal-line with his elbow.

Younes Kaboul was also sent off for two questionable yellow cards in the fixture; Redknapp was not happy with Foy’s performance.

“Adebayor was a yard, two yards onside,” the visiting manager told Sky Sports.

“Younes Kaboul got a yellow for saying to the referee he had handballed it and he didn’t deserve a yellow for the second.

“We certainly deserved to get something from the game.

“When you see the replays, how the referee gave Adebayor offside and how he didn’t see the handball – in fact there were two handballs – I don’t know.

“I told him. I never go and talk to referees after a game, I accept defeat. I never complain about referees’ decisions – I have not done it in 30 years of management, never. But today, I’m afraid, he got some badly wrong.

“He hadn’t seen them, but when he goes home tonight and watches them, he’ll realise he got a couple badly wrong, and the linesman…

“When someone’s two yards onside, like Adebayor was, how’s the linesman not seen it?

“To be honest, from the start of the game, I felt like Chris Foy wasn’t going to give us much today. I just felt like he was quite enjoying not giving us anything.

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“He’s not made mistakes because he meant to, he is an honest guy, but today I just felt he had a bad day, and so did the linesman who missed Adebayor being two yards onside,” he concluded.

The defeat ends the White Hart Lane team’s run of 11 undefeated games, and Spurs must pick themselves up as they play Sunderland at home next weekend.

By Gareth McKnight

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Wayne Rooney has been the focal point of the attack for the England team for some time, but the big debate is who should partner him? Several players have had a go – but it’s fair to say that no one has really made the position their own. Of course it’s not necessarily the case that there is one man for every occasion. However, let’s assume for now that we will be looking for one player to play with Rooney in the majority of the games.

I have always held the view that players should be picked on form and not reputation and I always prefer to see a striker who has a strong goal scoring record. I know this is not true of all managers, hence why we saw Emile Heskey playing at the 2010 World Cup.

The Contenders

Peter Crouch has been around the England set-up for some time and tends to always play well when selected; he has a very impressive England record scoring 22 goals in 42 caps. However, his Premier League form has been poor this season and he has only scored 2 league goals.

Andy Carroll has recently made that £35 million transfer from Newcastle to Liverpool and is still settling in at his new club and is also fighting back to full fitness following injury. Carroll has settled into life in the Premier League well and has scored 11 league goals. However, he is relatively new as an international player – but he did manage to score his first goal in the recent game against Ghana. His England record to date is 1 goal from 2 caps.

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Jermain Defoe has been another player that has been around the England set-up for some time and made a number of international appearances. His record for England is currently 15 goals from 45 appearances. In common with his Spurs teammate Peter Crouch, Defoe has also only scored 2 Premier League goals this season.

Darren Bent has consistently scored goals in the Premier League, but his appearances for the England team has been few and far between. To date his record for England reads 3 goals from 7 caps and in the Premier League this season, Bent has scored 11 goals.

The Verdict

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I am quite clear in my mind that all of the four players mentioned are natural strikers and can be clinical in front of goal. However, I mentioned at the top of this piece that players should be picked on form and not reputation; therefore I think Darren Bent and Andy Carroll should currently be ahead of the other two. If the next England game was tomorrow I would pick Darren Bent, because he has been playing Premier League football longer and has been very consistent. However, I would like to see Carroll given opportunities as well. Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe should get themselves back in Premier League form in order to put themselves back in contention for a starting place with England.

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Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque has called on his players to carry on their good form and win Sunday's World Cup final.

After losing 1-0 to Switzerland in their first group game in South Africa, Spain went on to qualify for the last 16 by beating Honduras and Chile.

Since then they have edged past Portugal and Paraguay by a single goal before reaching the final with a 1-0 victory against Germany on Wednesday thanks to Carles Puyel's header.

Del Bosque is looking forward to Sunday's final against the Netherlands, saying:"All of our players were extraordinary – but we still have a match to play. We know Dutch football and it will be very tough in the final.

"From defence through to attack I think we played a great game.

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"We've got another game in front of us, let's see if we are able to control the ball. We're in good shape physically, so let's see if we can win."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

The FA have charged Liverpool striker Luis Suarez after investigating claims that he racially abused Manchester United defender Patrice Evra in the 1-1 draw between the sides at Anfield back in October.

The Uruguay international has pleaded his innocence since the French full backk made the claims over a month ago, and the English governing body have been reviewing the evidence.

The FA have revealed that Suarez has a case to answer, with a disciplinary sanction set to be handed down.

“The FA has today charged Liverpool’s Luis Suarez following an incident that occurred during the Liverpool versus Manchester United fixture at Anfield on 15 October 2011,” an official statement reads.

“It is alleged that Suarez used abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards Manchester United’s Patrice Evra contrary to FA rules.

“It is further alleged that this included a reference to the ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race of Patrice Evra.

“The FA will issue no further comment at this time,” it states.

Liverpool have been quick to issue a statement of acknowledgment on behalf of the South American, who is currently returning from international duty.

“The club this afternoon received notification from the Football Association of their decision to charge Luis Suarez and will take time to properly review the documentation which has been sent to us,” reads a statement from Anfield.

“We will discuss the matter fully with him when he returns from international duty, but he will plead not guilty to the charge and we expect him to request a personal hearing.

“Luis remains determined to clear his name of the allegation made against him by Patrice Evra. The club remain fully supportive of Luis in this matter,” it concludes.

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Suarez’s incident was the first claim of racism in a month where a number of other cases in Premier League football have arose.

By Gareth McKnight

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Real Madrid cut Barcelona’s lead in La Liga to four points with a 2-0 win over Hercules, while Valencia were stunned by Real Zaragoza.A brace to France international Karim Benzema ensured Real kept pace with the league leaders, who will look to restore their seven-point lead when they visit Sevilla on Sunday.Benzema’s brace was the perfect warm-up for an impending visit from former club Lyon, who carry a 1-1 aggregate into the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.Real, playing without injured superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, went ahead in the 24th minute when Alvaro Arbeloa pulled back his pass on the right for the waiting Benzema, who coolly disposed of the ball beyond Hercules goalkeeper Calatayud.The hosts had plenty of opportunities to extend their advantage before Benzema finally did so in the 56th minute, the Frenchman picked out by Angel Di Maria’s cross for his ninth goal of the season.Elsewhere, Valencia’s hopes of a top-three finish took a dent when they were humbled 4-0 at Real Zaragoza.Czech midfielder Jiri Jarosik put the hosts ahead in just the fifth minute, and Ander’s first goal since September put Zaragoza 2-0 up in the 40th minute.Things only got worse for Valencia after the break, beginning with a second caution to Lithuanian defender Marius Stankevicius in the 65th minute.Gabi converted from the penalty spot following that infraction, and the Spaniard added a second penalty 11 minutes later after Valencia substitute Albelda fouled in the area.Valencia are safe in third for the time being, but fourth-placed Villarreal can move within a point of them with victory over Sporting Gijon on Sunday.Finally, Atletico Madrid were held to a 2-2 draw at lowly Almeria, despite a brace to prolific Argentinean Sergio Castillo.Crusat and Henok Goitom nabbed goals for Almeria to deny Atletico, who provisionally move up to eighth with the point.

Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer has wasted little time in beginning the war of words with a "stupid" England ahead of their World Cup last 16 clash.

Beckenbauer, who was rebuked last week after claiming England had 'returned to the bad old days of kick and rush' under head coach Fabio Capello, has again made headlines with his outspoken comments.

He has labelled England "stupid" for failing to win Group C and therefore setting up a last 16 clash with their old foes in Bloemfontein on Sunday.

The Three Lions booked their place in the knockout round with a 1-0 victory over Slovenia on Wednesday, but the narrow margin of victory allowed the United States to nip in and win the group.

"A game like this should be a semi-final, not a last 16 game," he told Bild

"Stupidly, the English have slipped up a little by finishing second in their group."

Meanwhile, Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup as a player and manager with West Germany, has questioned the fitness of the England players following a long Premier League season.

He continued:"The English look a little tired. There is a good reason for that: the Premier League players have got to play far more games than their Bundesliga colleagues, including two national cup competitions.

"Therefore, when it comes to a World Cup or a European Championships, they are burnt out.

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"Our players, on the other hand, seem to be in a physically better condition.

"Of course we respect them, but we certainly don't fear them.

"England's first two appearances at the World Cup were paltry, but they improved against Slovenia."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Sky Sports commented recently on Newcastle United’s occupation of 4th place in the Premier League and belittled the unbeaten North East side along with the majority of the top-flight, by suggesting the Magpies had not really played anybody yet. Nice to know, what Sky Sports thinks of Tottenham  and Arsenal, who both have travelled to St James’ Park this season and returned to the capital, with just a point apiece.

Now if I work on the same premise as Sky, then surely it is Chelsea, who have flattered to deceive this term. The Blues only having played the one somebody in their eyes in Manchester United. A game the Stamford Bridge outfit lost! Level on points with Newcastle, Chelsea have had wins against newly-promoted Swansea and Norwich along with West Brom, Sunderland, Bolton and Everton. Drawn against Stoke and lost to Queens Park Rangers in last Sunday’s ill-disciplined affair. A performance, which sees Andre Villas-Boas’ team stranded at the bottom of the Fair-Play League or as I prefer to see it, firm favourites for the Foul-Play League.

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It is no secret, that integral parts of the Chelsea team are starting to get on a bit. Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba probably being the two most noticeable in terms of age. However, Frank is the Blues’ top scorer in the league and Drogba gets my vote over Fernando Torres on any day that ends in Y. Summer signing Juan Mata looks a quality player and Ramires has been outstanding this season. Daniel Sturridge is showing real promise, while January arrival David Luiz is a central defender I really like the look of.

Chelsea have not become a bad team, but I can’t help thinking, that based on Sky’s definition of a nobody team, AVB’s boys have much sterner tests to come. Starting with their next fixture against a confident and rejuvenated Arsenal this weekend, who they will face without their tormenter-in-chief against the Gunners, Drogba. Jose Boswinga, will miss the Arsenal clash also, while Ashley Cole is already just a booking away from suspension and could quite probably miss the game with Liverpool should he see yellow in the near future.

A defeat to Arsenal and any sort of slip up against Kenny Daglish’s men could see Chelsea falling right off the pace at the summit of the Premier League. So what I would say to Sky is just perhaps reserve your judgement on Newcastle and we might all have a better idea of who are the pretenders and impostors come December 3rd, when Chelsea travel North to have a go at Alan Pardew’s side. On a final note, it’s strange how Sky, who have almost complete saturation of a league they describe as the best in the world, can dismiss the majority of it as rubbish. The fans pay your wages you imbeciles!!!!

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