Frank Lampard not going anywhere

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has confirmed that he will not be leaving the club this summer.

The veteran midfielder has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge as a raft of younger midfielders have joined the west London outfit this summer.

Despite a move to the MLS being touted, Lampard has confirmed that he wants to end his career with Chelsea.

“I’m ready to sit down and talk to Chelsea whenever they want to,” The Daily Mail report the England international as saying.

“I’ve had a great time playing for Chelsea and I hope I can prolong it. In an ideal world I’d finish here and keep giving what I have given over the past ten years.

“Though, I wouldn’t want to fade away as a player and be here without performing or producing. I want to always be at a level I know I can play at and give a lot when I play.

“I certainly feel I’ve got more than a year left in me. I feel I’ve got a few more years in terms of top football. I’m fit enough and fresh enough.

“My legs are fine and with experience you can bring something else to the team in terms of off the pitch, helping the young players coming through.

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“I’d love to do that. Chelsea will always be my club regardless of what happens now in terms of my playing days,” he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

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Fergie keeping tabs on £12m Spaniard & United braced for Zenit bid – Best of MUFC

Has Sir Alex Ferguson finally killed off the challenge of his oldest adversary? The signing of Robin Van Persie has all but extinguished the title hopes of North London counterpart Arsene Wenger and significantly boosted his own in the process. Two birds with one stone you might. The £24 million capture of Van Persie has certainly added some extra spice with the new Premier League season rapidly emerging on the horizon. With rivals City yet to make significant inroads in the transfer market the 29-year-old is considered the final piece of the jigsaw for United as they begin the long and arduous battle to wrestle the trophy from the grip of their fiercest rivals. The prospect of Wayne Rooney and Van Persie working in tandem is a mouthwatering prospect and if the Dutchman can steer clear of injury there is no telling what the Red Devil’s could accomplish this term especially with Nemanja Vidic and Tom Cleverley returning from injury.

This week on FFC will does David de Gea need to take the bull by the horns in his second season at United and could Dimitar Berbatov leave the club before the transfer window closes?

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Best of FFC

The Full Premier League Season Preview – Manchester United

What to expect from Ravel Morrison?

FootballFanCast.com interviews Peter Schmeichel LIVE!

Collateral damage or unnecessary casualty at Old Trafford?

Time to grab the bull by the horns at Old Trafford

Why at Old Trafford he must continue where he left off

Is their role in modern football getting out of hand?

Manchester United braced for Zenit bid

Fergie crowing over quartet

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Best of WEB

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Van Persie Signing: “A Touch Of Desperation” – Red Flag Flying High

Is Van the man? – 7Cantonas

Reds approach campaign with no trepidation – United Rant

Does Signing Van Persie Really Change Anything? – Red Flag Flying High

RVP’s Signing Is The Final Nail In The Coffin- The Busby Way

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The Greenhoff Column: Van Persie Is A Fantastic Signing – 7Cantonas

Spurs Or United To Land £12M Rated Sought After Spanish Star? – Transfer Tavern

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Quote of the Week

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“Everyone knows by now that I’m a lover of football. I’m quite principled in that prospect. It’s always difficult to find a perfect match but I do feel this is the perfect match for me. Manchester United

 breathe football. If you look at all players at the club, the stadium and the manager, my choice was made based on those things.  When I have to make hard decisions, I always listen to the little boy inside me and what he wants. That little boy was screaming for Manchester United.” Robin Van Persie believes he and Manchester United are the “perfect match”

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Featured Video

Time for transparency over these transfer deals?

Corruption is rife in football, it’s a sad fact that few can protest and it’s tainted the beautiful game for far too long. The financial documents of each club can no longer be shrouded in mystery; it’s time to untangle this web of lies, deceit and confusion.

FIFA have sought to rectify this growing issue with the introduction of their new transfer matching system. The scheme requires clubs to submit their financial details with FIFA, including individual payments made whenever they complete an international transfer. They hope that this will help eliminate any illegal or questionable payments that are made on behalf of either club during negotiations.

“We know there is extreme behaviour out there,” said Mark Goddard, general manager of the transfer matching system. “There are still limitations with this system, but we are trying to ensure money is being paid between clubs. We are drawing a line in the sand, that nobody can get in between clubs.”

The report, which does not include transfers from within the same country, revealed that a staggering £82m had been splurged on agents in 2011 and the average payment to an agent during an individual deal worked out at just under £154k. It’s clear that player representatives are making a tidy sum during these deals but I’m struggling to understand how their role justifies such an enormous salary. These figures don’t even take into account the money that’s paid to the agent directly from the player.

The phrase ‘undisclosed fee’ is often the bane of every supporter’s life. The rumour mill continues to churn long after the confirmation of the transfer as the press and fans alike try to uncover the actual fee. The decision not to announce an exact figure usually revolves around a risk of embarrassment, either the buying club want to avoid being mocked for paying over the odds (Johan Elmander to Bolton) or the selling club don’t wish fans to know that the player went for less than his ‘supposed’ valuation (Kaboul to Tottenham).

There is also the stark realisation that no transfers are ever really free. Of course in some instances there will not have been a payment between the two clubs themselves but there will always be the cost of signing on fees, additional add-ons and of course aforementioned agent fees.

In a previous article of mine I eluded to a recent interview in which West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan revealed the intricate details of the move that saw Demba Ba join Newcastle.

“As I say, he was on £35 grand a week and I offered him £45 grand a week to stay, but he went to Newcastle. His agent got £2 million to take him to Newcastle.”

We could easily take these comments with a pinch of salt, the ramblings of a chairman who feels aggrieved by his own mistakes but the truth is we have no idea of the specific implications in any transfer deal that remain undisclosed. Isn’t it about time clubs were more open with their figures, especially when an increasing number of teams are descending into the murky waters of administration.

As a Palace supporter I can fully relate to the trials and tribulations being endured by Portsmouth fans at the moment but it’s difficult to sympathise with a club that has continued to operate outside their means. Trevor Birch, former chief executive of Chelsea and Leeds, who will front the administration for the firm PKF revealed, “I’m used to dealing with clubs in crisis; 30% of the clubs in the Championship are paying wages in excess of 100% of turnover.” A truly worrying statement that highlights the current status and grim outlook of the Football League.

The unyielding pursuit for success is financially crippling clubs. In this past week alone it has been revealed that the cost of the Glazers’ takeover at Manchester United has exceeded £500m. Elsewhere Aston Villa suffered a loss of nearly £54m (for the year ending 31 May 2011) as they struggled to cope with the turmoil following the departure of Martin O’Neill as manager.

In Scotland I don’t think anyone can fully comprehend just how much money Rangers owed the taxman. Every day this summer seemed to deliver another financial blow to Gers fans, who could only sit and watch as the interest on the debt accumulated. The consequence saw the club go out of business and having to start a fresh in the lower reaches of scottish football.

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Is it time for the FA to step in and thrust the account books under a microscope? Perhaps teams should accept the risk of ridicule and be more open with their expenses because one point remains abundantly clear, going out of business is no laughing matter.

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England under-21’s beat Azerbaijan

England under-21’s have beaten their equivalents from Azerbaijan 2-0 on Thursday night in Baku.

Goals from Liverpool’s Jonjo Shelvey and Tottenham’s Steven Caulker secured victory for the visitors, who are now five points clear at the top of their UEFA under-21 championships qualifying group.

With only a fixture against Norway left to play, Stuart Pearce has admitted that he is pleased with the progress made by his team.

“We are pleased to have won the match and hopefully that puts us in a situation that sees us in the play-offs,” The Guardian quotes Pearce as saying.

“We gave our best. We’ve played better, but this was my strongest team available.

“Whenever you play international football, there is an expectation on your team and we knew Norway were putting pressure on us to win the group with their game tonight, in Belgium.

“I think it was the game we expected it to be, a very tight game.

“Azerbaijan are an improving nation. The first two group games were difficult for them, coming to England and Belgium.

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“Since then, their results have been very, very good,” he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

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Paul Lambert hails Villa display

Paul Lambert was delighted after watching his Aston Villa side record their first win of the season thanks to goals from newcomers Matthew Lowton and Christian Benteke.

Right-back Lowton broke the deadlock with a 20-yard first-half volley from the edge of the box, and substitute Benteke wrapped up the points with two minutes left after being put clean through thanks in large part to a poor back header from Swansea defender Ashley Williams. Lambert told Sky Sports:

“I thought it was an exceptional performance. I thought we were absolutely brilliant from the off and I thought we thoroughly deserved to win the game. I know people’s euphoria, with a new manager coming in, but it’ll take time and this is just the start we wanted so we’ve done great. The young lads have done really well against an experienced Swansea side, but on the day I thought we were worthy of the result.”

The Scot was also pleased with the display of full-back Lowton and £7million striker Benteke, and will be hoping the pair can maintain their form heading into this weekend’s tough trip to St. Mary’s to face Southampton.

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United and Liverpool target wants to stay in Spain

Mesut Ozil has insisted that he does not want to leave Real Madrid, despite Manchester United and Liverpool expressing an interest.

The German playmaker has been a long term transfer target for both clubs, and looked likely to make a move to the Premier League before joining Madrid two years previously.

Ozil has come under fire in recent weeks from coach Jose Mourinho, claiming that the German “lacks quality”, adding fuel to the fire regarding an impending transfer.

The midfielder has confirmed that he still will not be considering leaving the Bearnebau.

“When you play for Real Madrid, you cannot think of anything else,” he told the Mirror.

“I know nothing and I have no reason to leave.”

Ozil was dropped for the Champions League clash against Ajax, in which Madrid won 4-1, but was recalled to the starting line of the El Clasico against Barcelona which ended 2-2

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His performances earned rave reviews, but the German international claims he is not motivated by critics.  He has certainly helped to quieten his critics, but finding a regular place in the starting line-up will be hard, considering Luka Modric is also waiting in the wings.

“I don’t have to prove anything to anyone, I do not play football to prove something to someone, but because I enjoy football,” he added.

Are these modern deals in football ingenious or desperate?

Since the birth of the Premier League English football has enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity that has seen clubs treated and indeed traded like commodities. Not a week goes by with the announcement of a unique sponsorship deal, but are they a sign of desperation in the tough economic climate or simply an ingenious way to increase revenue?

Newcastle United’s controversial new sponsorship arrangement with loan company Wonga has attracted a swarm of criticism. The club have even risked upsetting the Muslim quartet of Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse, Cheick Tiote and Hatem Ben Arfa, who may view the partnership as a violation of Sharia law. It seems as though this move has the potential to be even more unpopular than the Sports Direct fiasco.

The decision to revert the stadium back to its former title as St. James’ Park will appease fans, but I can’t see how it will disguise the fact that they’re the prime targets for the companies eye-watering interest rates. Despite the disapproval, the deal is hardly surprising. Bolton, Wolves and Wigan are sponsored by online bookies, Swansea and Aston Villa by casino groups and Everton by a Thai beer brand. The move towards increasingly ‘amoral’ partnerships has been on the cards for a number of years.

Teaming up with the Toon Army is not Wonga’s first foray into the world of football as they already sponsor Championship side Blackpool and Scottish outfit Hearts. However, fronting a Premier League team presents them with an unrivalled level of exposure, which will be reflected in the inflated sum that enters Newcastle’s bank account.

Chris Walker, editor of Blackpool site Up the ‘Pool, indicated that the Tangerine Army have voiced their dissatisfaction on several occasions but admits they have little influence in the commercial ventures of their football club.

Ultimately though, whatever opposition there is, fans of most clubs are powerless to force the owners’ hands.

The only way for supporters to get a message across is to withhold money in the form of season tickets and merchandise, but for the many the emotional ties to their club prevent this. (Telegraph)

According to The Secret Footballer, supporters on average contribute to around 30% of their club’s wage bill which although significant, dismantles the general consensus that the game wouldn’t survive without the fans. As the wages of Premier League stars continue to soar, it’s only natural that clubs will seek out new exclusive sources of income.

[post_link url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/2012/06/football-blogs/english-clubs-to-adopt-u-s-sponsorship-model,https://www.footballfancast.com/2012/10/premiership/newcastle-united/pardew-wonga-can-propel-us-into-the-champions-league,https://www.footballfancast.com/2012/10/football-blogs/the-15-funniest-shirt-sponsors-of-all-time” target=”_blank” type=”tower”]

Last year Manchester United unveiled a new deal that saw logistics company DHL become the club’s first training kit sponsor. The four-year contract is apparently worth an incredible £40m and exemplifies how valuable a mere whiff of publicity can be at the summit of the game. Chelsea have also been constructing intriguing sponsorship deals, which has seen them branch out into the advertising haven of Formula One with Sauber. The club has also recently announced a deal with a Burmese whisky firm, a move that has taken advantage of the easing of sanctions that had previously meant the country was effectively off-limits.

At the start the season it was revealed that the shirt sponsorship income of the Premier League’s 20 clubs had ballooned 25 per cent to £147million (Daily Mail). This figure doesn’t even include any recent developments, United’s DHL deal or the fact that Tottenham also receive an additional £5m a year from Investec as a sponsor for all cup games.

Sunderland’s new deal with Invest in Africa will now mean they pull in the same £20m annual sum as the likes of Manchester City and although Arsenal currently only acquire a modest £5.5m, their deal with Fly Emirates expires this season, with chief executive Ivan Gazidis declaring that the new arrangement will “propel us forward as a club in terms of revenue.” (Telegraph)

However, there is a contrasting situation outside the top flight as the Football League faces an uncertain future with npower’s three-year deal soon to expire. The exclusive renewal negotiation period for the energy giants ended this week and there is a fear that prospective partners will struggle to match the current £21million asking price. With the collapse of ITV Digital still the subject of nightmares, clubs will hope a resolution is reached sooner rather than later.

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Football may have sold its soul in the eyes of many, but only to ensure it stays alive. Even Barcelona, a club once revered for its stance on commercial sponsorship, have succumbed to lure of significant financial investment and ended up on the opposite end of the scale.

Michel Platini’s impending Financial Fair Play regulations mean that the level of revenue ultimately determines how much money graces the transfer budget. With this in mind, sponsorship is no longer important, but an essential aspect of the beautiful game.

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Could Andre Villas-Boas grand euro designs prove toxic?

Andre Villas-Boas’ grand Europa League designs for Tottenham Hotspur look more than logical on paper. Since his arrival in White Hart Lane, the Portuguese has been on the charm offensive for Uefa’s secondary cup competition and in the process, he’s looked to have won many fans over.

The vision of making a march through the competition, sending an army of Spurs fans to the final in Amsterdam and looking to emulate the heroes of 1984, seems to have resonated well with supporters. A fresh approach to the Europa League has been welcomed and for the most part, it’s been warmly embraced.

Putting that into practice, however, has been a little more difficult.

Spurs have stuttered through three draws in their opening three games in Group J, despite fielding what has usually been the bulk of available first team players. For all Villas-Boas’ good intentions, Tottenham simply haven’t clicked in Europe so far. The positive intentions have certainly appeared a lot more transient with the players, than with the fans.

A series of lackadaisical performances from Tottenham in the Europa League doesn’t necessarily transcend into apathy, but you can’t shake the impression sometimes that Villas-Boas’ players might not be entirely convinced about plying their efforts into a European tour this year.

Even in last night’s 2-1 defeat at the hands of Norwich City in the Capital One Cup, several Spurs players seemed to mince around the pitch at times in a similar manner to what we have seen in Europe, with all the enthusiasm of a testimonial. Of course, Villas-Boas himself can hardly be blame-free in Spurs’ fate in the cup competitions so far. The perpetual pressure-inviting substitution that he’s wheeled out several times since his arrival in N17 has found a happy home in the cup games, too.

But perhaps the difference is that come Saturday, it’s hard to imagine the side exuding such lethargy in their Premier League game at home to Wigan. Of course, Spurs’ slightly fractured style of play – especially at home – in which they continue to look to find a real flow to proceedings, hasn’t exactly produced a barrage of stand out performers.

Yet the side have worked harder, ran longer and battled stronger for Villas-Boas in the league than in any of their European outings so far. Yes, they were unlucky to not win against Lazio at home, but they didn’t play with anywhere near as much verve as they did the four days previous away to Reading. Again, bar the additions of Lloris, Caulker and Dempsey for the game at home to the Italians – which arguably made them stronger – they simply couldn’t seem to find that extra gear.

[post_link url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/tottenham/avb-confident-thats-spurs-are-still-on-track-in-the-europa-league,https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/tottenham/are-tottenham-taking-a-risk-in-the-europa-league,https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/tottenham/villas-boas-cannot-understand-english-attitude-to-europa-league” target=”_blank” type=”tower”]

Some could well accuse an element of over analysis in this instance, but given the manager’s intentions and the ability of this squad, it seems bizarre to see them look so sluggish. Is the motivation to take the Europa League seriously, after Harry Redknapp’s cultivated an air of insignificance around the competition, a potential issue here? Would the players simply rather focus their bodies and minds into the weekend’s league games? Or have they just been unlucky?

You can take your pick from the above, but for whatever reason it may be, the Europa League now has the capacity to prove a toxic entity for Andre Villas-Boas. Fielding an exceedingly strong XI in the competition is all very well if the side are picking up the results they should be. But they’re not. And considering the somewhat urban myth that is the depth of this Tottenham Hotspur squad side, the credentials of fielding a first choice team that simply don’t look to have clicked with the competition, begin to look dubious.

Tottenham are of course, missing not just several players to injury, but several first teamers, as well. Scott Parker, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Younes Kaboul, Mousa Dembele and Emmanuel Adebayor have all succumbed to the treatment table. But past the side that Villas-Boas has been fielding in recent weeks, the cupboard is a lot more threadbare than what it may seem.

As we saw last night in the League Cup tie against Norwich, with Adebayor out on the sidelines, Spurs only have one recognised striker in Jermain Defoe. Forget missed penalties and however many league goals he got last year, Clint Dempsey is not an out-and-out frontman. Certainly not one who can on his own up front in this system.

At right-back, Kyle Walker has played in all of Spurs’ 14 games so far this season, despite experiencing a difficult run of form. He could have done with a night off last night, but his deputy, Kyle Naughton, had to play at left-back. Why? Because beyond first choice Benoit Assou-Ekotto, the stock room is empty. Villas-Boas has consequently had to field his first-choice centre-half in Jan Vertonghen, in his place so far this season.

Every team goes through injury crises and Spurs are no different. But despite boasting a gloriously talented first XI, there is something of a myth depicting this perceived reserve of depth and talent.

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Many fans, including myself, have been well behind Andre Villas-Boas’ clamour for Europa League glory. The sentiments of Danny Blanchflower hold far more gravitas than Arsene Wenger’s. The game is about glory and silverware. Not just fourth place and bank balances.

But it may just be that Spurs need to think very carefully about their European forays this year. The squad isn’t as strong as what many may have initially thought and although they’re suffering from injuries, it’s by no means the worse list we’ve ever seen. Yet they’re only one or two more away from some real trouble indeed. Putting everything into a competition that just doesn’t seem to be clicking, feels not necessarily reckless, but an educated gamble.

And it’s one that Spurs maybe need not take for the moment. Rome wasn’t built in a day. If three points aren’t forthcoming against Maribor next Thursday, then there’s nothing wrong with putting Villas-Boas’ grand designs on ice.

What do you think about both Spurs’ Europa League fate and the strength of AVB’s squad? Let me know on Twitter: follow @samuel_antrobus to talk Tottenham. 

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Joe Hart – from Shrewsbury to the Santiago Bernabeu

In addition to its long-standing reputation as one of English football’s premier cup competitions, the League Cup’s record of showcasing the talents of football’s brightest young things has increasingly become its trademark. As we look forward to the next round of the Capital One Cup, FootballFanCast is taking a look at just some of the famous faces to have cut their teeth in the competition.

Charles Joseph John Hart, or Joe, as he’s better known, is today England’s established and undisputed number one, as well as the custodian of choice for Roberto Mancini’s Premier League champions, Manchester City. It’s been a steep rise in fortunes for the 25-year-old, who began his career in the Conference with Shrewsbury Town and first made an impact on the radars of Premier League clubs in 2005-6, as an ever-present for Shrewsbury.

He conceded more than a goal per game in League Two, but the 55 goals Shrewsbury conceded in their 46-game season were by no means abnormally high for the division. Hart also made two appearances in the League Cup that year, helping the Shrews to overcome Brighton, who were two divisions above them, and keeping Championship title contenders Sheffield United goalless throughout the second round before the Blades knocked Shrewsbury out on penalties. At the end of the season, partly because of this strong form against higher-level opposition, as well as his displays for the England under-19s, Hart sealed a move to Manchester City.

Since then, it’s been one season of growth for another. Hart had to bide his time in his first year with City, making one appearance in the Premier League as the third-choice goalkeeper behind Andreas Isaksson and Nicky Weaver, and spending large portions of his season on loan, with Tranmere Rovers and later Blackpool. It then took a full-season loan at Birmingham to not only assure new City boss Mancini of the young Hart’s development, but also earn him a place in Fabio Capello’s England World Cup squad.

With former rival Shay Given having left the Etihad Stadium, Hart is now firmly installed as City’s goalkeeper of the future, and with an FA Cup and Premier League under his gloves, the West Country boy is sure to be hungry for more. He has continued to show his incredible shot-stopping and distribution qualities as City have developed into a continental force over the past two seasons, something which only builds on his standing as England’s undisputed number one.

Playing behind the Manchester City and England defences, of course, is a sure way for a goalkeeper to gain in confidence and ability. The relationship between centre-backs and goalkeepers is always touted as one of the most important on the football pitch, and in the likes of Vincent Kompany, Joleon Lescott, Kolo Toure, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Cahill, Hart is working with some of the best. He’s also publicly expanded his leadership role at the Etihad this season, calling out his teammates in an ITV interview after their Champions’ League defeat to Real Madrid.

To develop into a truly world-class keeper, Hart may one day need to have some threat to his place in the team; the competition certainly seems to be doing Brad Friedel some good at Tottenham, as the veteran American fends off Heurelho Gomes, Carlo Cudicini and now Hugo Lloris between the sticks.

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That, of course, is not for Hart to worry about. He needs only to focus on his own development – and anyone who follows English football will know how well that is going so far.

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The 20 great Premier League ‘mingers’ of all time

They call it the beautiful game, however this motley crew prove that football is not always worthy of its title. During times of physical exertion nobody ever looks their best, however these men look far worse than most.

It’s been a tough process to narrow this list to just 20, with many, many players down the years having faces that resemble an un-made bed, or dropped pie.

Luckily for some their footballing ability serves as a distraction from their appearance, yet some don’t possess that luxury, being ugly to watch as well as just plain unattractive, aside from their bank accounts. As Peter Crouch once said in response to the question: if you weren’t a footballer what would you be? “A Virgin!”

So without further a do, here is my list of the 20 ugliest players in Premier League history. Brace yourself, it isn’t a pretty site.

Click on Luke Chadwick to get the ball rolling

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