Wednesday 13 August 2008

Michael Boulding was a pretty good tennis player back in the day.

A young Michael Boulding playing tennis.

Bradford City's Sheffield-born striker Michael Boulding is probably best known for either his two successful stints at Mansfield Town or his decidedly less auspicious abode at Aston Villa where he was denied the chance to impress with his only outings coming in the Intertoto cup.

Less well known is the fact that before turning his hand (or, more accurately, feet) to a career in association football, Boulding was a promising tennis player who reached a career-high ranking of 1119. Not quite world champion material but respectable enough none the less.

Realising that his heart (and his wallet) would be better served by ditching the racket he called time on his tennis career at the age of 23 and began his first stint with the Staggs in Division Three. He subsequently went on to play for (deeeeeeeeep breath) Grimsby, Aston Villa (I mentioned that before, remember?), Sheffield United, Barnsley and Cardiff City before deciding to hang up his boots at the age of 29. And then changing his mind and un-retiring to join Rotheram. And then leaving four months later without making a first team appearance to rejoin Mansfield. This time he brought along his brother too. Fast forward two years and a bunch of goals and we're up to the present day with the Fabulous Boulding Boys signing for Bradford City.

Will MB be a success for the Bantams? Well I guess the ball is in his court.

Oh god, just kill me now. Seriously, can you believe that's how I'm ending this article? I cannot be serious!

Alright, I'm just making things worse now aren't I?

Tuesday 5 August 2008

Alex Ferguson is a very angry (and succesful) man.

Alex Ferguson talks to Patrice Evra

Love him or hate him, you can't deny that Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has won a frightening amount of medals. In fact you could say that the only thing more intimidating than the size of his trophy cabinet is his notoriously short temper.

Indeed the Grizzly Glasweigan's outbursts and overreactions have become a matter of routine over the years. Some of the more bizarre (and most infamous) include kicking a boot at David Beckham, gatecrashing Ryan Giggs and Lee Sharpe's house party,branding Paul Ince a "big time charlie", refusing to speak to the BBC after they questioned his son's business dealings and even going as far as boycotting Manchester United's in house television channel MUTV after they criticised his tactics.

However perhaps strangest of all was when the then-Aberdeen manager fined his star striker John Hewitt for overtaking him in his car. As in they were both driving on a road. And John Hewitt overtook the car in front. And Alex Ferguson was driving that car. And that apparently merits a club fine.

Most would agree it would've been fair for Ferguson to at least seek an explanation from Hewitt before issuing the fine. After all he might just have really needed to go to the toilet!