Mogul owners dip sides in the mire of finances

The European Club Footballing Landscape study that looked at the 2007-08 accounts (yes they work two seasons backwards) of all 732 clubs licensed by UEFA reported that Premier League clubs owe more money than all the others in the continent put together.

Yet, the report also remarked that the debt in the English game is linked mostly to the takeovers of Manchester United by the Glazer family, and Liverpool, by American businessmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

The situation is not healthy and the English FA and the Premier League have only to look at Portsmouth's demise before starting to give such takeovers more serious concern.

The total debt of the top English clubs two seasons ago was €3.8 billion, 56% of the total across Europe.

Other soccer items of interest for February:

In the FA Cup fourth round replays, Premier League clubs are eliminated by lesser sides... Crystal Palace-Wolves 3-1, Wigan-Notts County 0-2.

At Hampden, St Mirren reach the Scottish League Cup final with a 1-0 win over Hearts. Rangers join them following 2-0 victory over St Johnstone.

Chelsea have their transfer ban lifted after reaching an agreement with Lens over the signing of Gael Kakuta.

Everton's David Moyes and Wayne Rooney, of Manchester United, are voted Manager and Player of the month, respectively.

Former England and Birmingham City goalkeeper Gil Merrick dies, aged 88.

After Chelsea's John Terry is stripped from England's captaincy role due to allegations about his private life, Rio Ferdinand, of Manchester United, takes over the responsibility.

Wolves do the double on Tottenham with the identical score of 1-0 at Molineux and White Hart Lane − their first double in the top-flight since season 1980-81.

Scottish Premier side Falkirk part company with Eddie May and appoint Steven Pressley.

Sven-Goran Eriksson walks out of Notts County.

A new initiative could see the Premier League introduce an end-of-season play-off for a Champions League position for teams finishing fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh.

In the Champions League second round knock-out first leg ties, Manchester United claim their first win at Milan 3-2. Other results: Porto-Arsenal 2-1, Inter-Chelsea 2-1.

In the third round, first leg ties of the Europa League, Everton topple Sporting Lisbon 2-1 at Goodison Park. Other results: Fulham-Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1, Liverpool-Unirea Urziceni 1-0.

Scottish Premier League side Aberdeen are knocked out of the Scottish Cup fifth round by lower side Raith Rovers at Pittodrie in a replay.

Wolves get a suspended £25,000 fine for fielding a weakened team in a Premier League match at Manchester United.

The Premier League rejects Portsmouth's request for permission to sell players outside the transfer window.

Scotland will lose one of its two Champions League places from 2011-12 for their erratic Europa League results.

Manchester United's Old Trafford, the 'Theatre of Dreams', opened its doors on February 19, 1910 − 100 years ago.

Fulham knock out Europa League Cup holders Shakhtar Donetsk, of Ukraine, after their 1-1 draw away for a 2-1 aggregate. Liverpool join Fulham in the last 16 of the tournament after their two-legged win over Unirea Urziceni 4-1 (1-0, 3-1). Everton bow out after a 0-3 loss in Lisbon against Sporting, having only won 2-1 at Goodison Park in the first leg.

Manchester City's defender Wayne Bridge announces that he prefers not to play for England anymore.

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard becomes the top British goalscorer in Europe, taking his total to 33 after his netting against Romanian side Urziceni. Gerrard has passed Alan Shearer's record of 32.

Debt-laden Portsmouth become the first Premier League club to go into administration.

Chelsea's 2-4 loss to Manchester City at Stamford Bridge is their first home upset in 38 consecutive league and cup matches.

Manchester United beat Aston Villa 2-1 at Wembley to lift the League Cup for the fourth time in their history.

Leading marksmen

Premier League
23 − Rooney (Manchester United)
19 − Drogba (Chelsea)
16 − Defoe (Tottenham)
15 − Tevez (Manchester City), Bent (Sunderland).

The Championship
16 − Whittingham (Cardiff)
14 − Chopra (Cardiff)
12 − Ambrose (Crystal Palace), Hooper (Scunthorpe), Sharp (Doncaster), Henderson (Sheffield United), Adam (Blackpool).

Scottish Premier
21 − Boyd (Rangers)
16 − Stokes (Hibernian)
13 − Miller (Rangers)

Average Attendances
01. Man. United 74,729
02. Arsenal 59,879
03. Man. City 45,292
04. Liverpool 43,367
05. Chelsea 41,438
06. Sunderland 39,912
07. Aston Villa 38,182
08. Everton 36,774
09. Tottenham 35,779
10. West Ham 33,452
11. Wolves 28,191
12. Stoke City 27,036
13. Blackburn 25,047
14. Birmingham 24,845
15. Hull City 24,290
16. Fulham 23,968
17. Bolton 21,889
18. Burnley 20,465
19. Portsmouth 18,543
20. Wigan 17,948