yyys123
Joined: 08 Jul 2019
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 Posted: 22.02.2009 Post subject: enuine world class abili |
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| It’s 20 years since Sheffield Wednesday topped the Premier League and 16 years since they were even in the top flight. But one player from that period is still lacing up his boots and PFA chairman Ritchie Humphreys is wondering where the time’s gone for the Owls… People always remember that first day of the 1996/97 season because David Beckham scored from the halfway line, Ritchie Humphreys tells Sky Sports. Thats a really iconic moment in Premier League history. But thats not why Humphreys remembers it.I also scored that day for Wednesday, he says. Its funny the way its coming around. When it gets to August, itll be 20 years since I first came on the scene. After winning those first four games, we were top of the Premier League. We did well that year. Humphreys in action against West Hams Scott Minto in January 1999 In the end, they finished seventh. Not that it was considered particularly out of the ordinary at the time. The Owls had won the League Cup in 1991, finished third in the top division in 1992 and then went to Wembley four times in a month the following year.Both cup finals were narrowly lost to Arsenal, the FA Cup after a replay, but the memory of a semi-final win over Sheffield United after extra-time has lingered long - particularly for a boyhood Blade in Humphreys.It was kind of weird for me because I had been released by Sheffield United, the team Id supported as a boy, he says. But to go to an FA Cup final at 15 was amazing. We got the opportunity to go down as part of the centre of excellence.Three years later, he was Wednesdays bright young thing, scoring in wins over Aston Villa and Leeds before netting a memorable Monday Night Football goal against Leicester - chipping Kasey Keller from long range.Absolutely brilliant, said former Owls boss Trevor Francis on co-commentary for Sky Sports. Absolute arrogance, replied Alan Parry in delight. Seen by some as the natural successor to Chris Waddle, Humphreys had arrived. It all started back then, he says. It will never leave me. I got an England Under-21 cap straight away off the back of those performances.He might not have hit the same heights since but its been a successful career spanning more than 700 appearances for seven clubs. At 38, hes looking to sign a new contract at Chesterfield and extend his stint as the PFAs chairman.I played in Chesterfields last reserve game, he recalls. We won 3-2 and I scored the first goal. Somebody pointed out that the first goalscorer - me - was older than the other two goalscorers put together. That did make me feel old. PFA chairman Humphreys is still playing for Chesterfield at the age of 38 Many of the Humphreys team-mates at Sheffield Wednesday are now in their fifties. They were seasoned internationals well before some of his current colleagues were born. They are the best players Ive played with, he admits.Chris Waddle, John Sheridan, Des Walker, Chris Woods, Dan Petrescu, Paolo Di Canio… What an upbringing for me? When we were YTS lads, pretty much the whole team were internationals. So you couldnt help but learn.There were also guys like Regi Blinker, Marc Degryse, Benito Carbone, Steve Nicol at the back end of his career. It doesnt seem that long ago but when you think of everything thats happened since… The richest game in football Sheffield Wednesday and Hull can expect an instant cash boost if they clinch promotion on Saturday. For Wednesday supporters if not Humphreys, much of whats followed has been a disappointment. Relegated from the Premier League in 2000 - top players had to leave because of the wages and stuff - the club dropped into the third tier by 2003.Id left by the time they went to League One but weve seen it happened to a few clubs in Yorkshire with Leeds and Bradford too, he adds. There was a play-off promotion in 2005 - against Humphreys Hartlepool - but the low point was yet to come.After dropping into League One again in 2010, the following season saw the lowest average attendance of the past 30 years - a still respectable 17,817 - as the team finished outside of the top 60 in the country. Now theyre one game away from returning to the games elite. Its been a long time. I hope they do it for the city. Ritchie Humphreys The prize is huge, worth an estimated £170m to the club. But its significance to Sheffield is more than mere money. Ive got friends in the city who are all Sheffield Wednesday and theyll all be there on Saturday, says Humphreys. Its a tremendous day.For a club of that size to be out of the top flight for as long as they have is a big deal. Its been a long time. I hope they do it for the city. Its got the fan base and its got the history. Hopefully theyll find their way back. Also See: The richest game in football How to win a play-off final Roquan Smith Jersey . -- Atlanta Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson is being checked for a possible concussion after blowing a tire on his way to the first workout of spring training. Richard Dent Bears Jersey . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Watch the 2014 NBA Draft on TSN, Thursday at 7pm et/4pm pt. http://www.chicagobearfootballauthentic.com/authentic-devin-hester-bears-jersey/ . The best round belonged to Pat Perez. Tiger Woods didnt come close to claiming either Thursday in the Farmers Insurance Open, where the seven-time champion failed to break par in the opening round for first time in his career. Riley Ridley Jersey . Last July, F1 teams held in-season testing sessions at Silverstone to assess new tires provided by Pirelli after several blowouts on the same circuit at the British Grand Prix in June prompted a furious response from drivers and even a boycott threat the following week. Walter Payton Jersey . It was a day that saw England slump off a World Cup field once again battered and bruised. This time there was no red card to wonder about, no goalkeeping error or individual mistake. They were thoroughly beaten by something they have nothing of – genuine world class ability.MIAMI - Lance Stephensons ear-blowing antics are over. That was the order the Indiana guard got from Pacers president Larry Bird, who took issue with Stephensons antics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat. Stephenson was caught by television cameras blowing into the ear of Heat star LeBron James. That led to a conversation between Stephenson and Bird. "He said, Dont do it again," Stephenson said Friday, recalling his talk with Bird. "So Im not going to do it again." Stephensons non-play-related words and stunts have largely become the story of the East finals, starting from when he talked about the health of Dwyane Wades knees before the series. In Game 5, not only did he blow into James ear, but also walked into a Heat huddle while Miami coach Erik Spoelstra was talking things over with a couple players. And on Thursday, Stephenson was quoted in NBA-provided transcripts referring to Heat guard "Cole Norris," instead of the players actual name, Norris Cole. "Itd be good just to play basketball," Pacers guard Paul George said. "When youve got antics and stuff being bigger than the game, then of course its going to raise some eyebrows. But here, we just want to play basketball. Its the conference finals. Everything else can just kind of sit on the side." Stephenson has created some Heat-related storylines in each of the last three postseasons, starting when he directed a "choke" sign toward James during the 2012 East semifinals. Earlier in this series, Stephenson said that when James talks to him during a game, the four-time MVP is showing signs of "weakness.dddddddddddd" But Friday, hours before the Heat and Pacers were to play Game 6 of the series, Stephenson said, "I dont think I can get into his head. Hes the best player in the league. He knows how to play through that stuff." Wade and fellow Heat star Chris Bosh said they wouldnt stand for one of their teammates creating such a stir. "If theyre focused on that," Stephenson said, "thats good." The Heat were taking a 3-2 series lead into Friday night, and were one win away from ousting Indiana for a third straight season. And given that its now win-or-else time for the Pacers, Indiana forward David West said hed encourage Stephenson to do whatever it takes in Game 6. "Thats a part of who Lance is," West said. "I didnt even know (what he did) until after the game. Obviously, were in a must-win situation. So everything is a go in my opinion. Weve got to try to win this game. Weve got to try to do whatever we can to get whatever type of advantage we can get to try to win the game." Stephenson said multiple times Friday that hes simply trying to have fun and help the Pacers win. But when asked by a reporter after Indianas shootaround practice "How does blowing in the ear contribute to winning?," he didnt respond for several seconds. With that, a member of the Pacers media-relations staff told Stephenson to go shoot, and he walked away. ' ' ' |
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