Albion Road | a guide to world football clubs

At one time it looked as if Hong Kong-based Kenny Huang was the front runner to take over the club.   He offered the prospect of developing its fan base in the growing Asian market and above all in China.   However, there was always a lack of clarity about where his backing came from, as he did not seem to have sufficient funds to close the deal himself.

One of the problems with the transfer window is that it remains open even after the first balls have been kicked in anger in the SPL.

So two games into the season we have fresh speculation - mainly surrounding the ins and outs at Rangers and Celtic - on an almost daily basis.

It's difficult to get a real handle on the early league skirmishes when we still don't know the exact make-up of a number of squads.

Despite this the Old Firm - along with an apparently rejuvenated Aberdeen - have taken maximum points from the opening games. I'm finding it hard to predict much about the league this season. But that Celtic and Rangers will finish in the top two is boringly beyond doubt.

It's time once again to take the pulse of American soccer, and this month "State of the States" is all about "F" words. Lest you get the wrong idea, I'm not going to engage in any obscenity-laced criticism of my poor DC United's front office. Instead, we're going to talk Friendlies and Flagship Franchises.

Coming To America

On the heels of the World Cup, the "summer of soccer" continued with a series of friendlies on American soil involving big clubs from across the pond, often against MLS opposition. And the American clubs have held up pretty well against the likes of Manchester City, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and Manchester United. Sadly, in the one match that had the most domestic media attention, the All Star game, the best of MLS were drubbed 5-2 by the very same Manchester United that had been pegged back by the Wizards just days earlier.

Full Name: Málaga Club de Fútbol
City: Málaga
Country: Spain
League: Primera División
Founded: 1948
Stadium: Estadio La Rosaleda (28,936)
Colors: Blue, White
Previous: Atlético Malagueño (1948-94)

Nickname: Boquerones, Malaguistas, Blanquiazules

Atlético Malagueño was created in 1948 when CD Málaga created a reserve team by taking over CD Santo Tomás. In the 1959-60 season after CD Málaga's relegation the two clubs found themselves in the same division, impossible under Spanish League rules. At this point Atlético Malagueño became technically a separate club, although the de facto reserve team status remained. This came in handy when CD Málaga went bankrupt in 1992. Atlético Malagueño became the primary club of the city and two years later changed their name to Málaga Club de Fútbol.

Joe Cole's comment that Liverpool is the biggest club in the country provoked quite a debate.   There is no one criterion that determines whether a club is big or not.   Attendances and the size of the stadium are certainly part of the picture and honours are also a criterion.   But supposing most of them were won a long time ago?   Does the fact that Nottingham Forest won the European Cup twice make it a big club?   Is Liverpool's claim based largely on the fact that it has won the European competition five times and can claim its own replica trophy?

Simon Chadwick from Coventry University was interviewed about this topic on Radio 5 and he brought in the criterion of global recognition.   On that basis the two biggest clubs in England are Manchester United and Liverpool.   Arsenal and Chelsea are some way behind in the global recognition stakes.