[kurtsimonw]

Former EPL Champions
92/93 Manchester United
93/94 Manchester United
94/95 Blackburn Rovers
95/96 Manchester United
96/97 Manchester United
97/98 Arsenal
98/99 Manchester United
99/00 Manchester United
00/01 Manchester United
01/02 Arsenal
02/03 Manchester United
03/04 Arsenal
04/05 Chelsea
05/06 Chelsea
06/07 Manchester United
07/08 Manchester United
08/09 Manchester United
09/10 Chelsea

Holders
Premier League: Chelsea
FA Cup: Chelsea
League Cup: Manchester United
Charity Shield: Chelsea

European Entries

Champions League
Chelsea
Manchester United
Arsenal
Tottenham

Europa League
Man City
Villa
Liverpool

EPL 20010/11 team list
Arsenal, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United Stoke City, Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur, West Bromwhich Albion, West Ham United, Wigan Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Hopefully this season can be as good as last years. Title decided on the last day, final relegation place decided on last day and most of the European places too. I'll refrain from pointing out that we were robbed of the double and just hope and pray that Phil Dowd, Howard Webb and Mark Halsey never step foot in Villa Park ever again.

Been quiet on the transfer front again with only Man City (surprise, surprise) making big signings in the form of David Silva, Yaya Toure and Jerome Boateng.

Season just 4 weeks away..

[Habitant]

MONTREAL -- A Canadian-based Syrian businessman leading a consortium to buy the storied Liverpool soccer team says he is looking to not only build the troubled club but the British city as well.

Yahya Kirdi, who was born in Syria but came to Canada eight years ago, told The Canadian Press he has ambitious plans if he takes over the Premier League club.

"I want to build Liverpool," he said Wednesday from his home near Montreal.

The economic impact for the port city best known for spawning the Beatles in the 1960s would likely be most strongly felt because of a proposed stadium that is a key part of the deal being negotiated by Kirdi and his group.

"I have a new plan which I have given (Liverpool co-owner) George Gillett," Kirdi said of the stadium.

"This one is not only a stadium but also a stadium and hotel, five star, and shopping centre."

The facility would also include a solarium to generate solar power, which would be provided to Liverpudlians.

He said he has already been in contact with French and Swiss companies that have built stadiums in the Middle East.

"Everybody who wants to come into Liverpool wants to take the money and go outside," Kirdi said, adding he wants to help the community.

Tom Hicks and former Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett Jr. put the soccer club on the auction block in April after being squeezed by banks over the team's debt of C$386.5 million (237 million pounds).

Kirdi was born in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo in 1966 and played soccer for hometown clubs Al-Itihad and Al-Oruba in the 1980s as well as the national youth team.

He represents a group of investors from the Middle East and Canada and says he has been trying to secure the deal for the last five months.

The consortium could face competition from Chinese investor Kenny Huang, chairman of the Hong Kong-based investment company QSL Sports, who issued a statement Wednesday expressing his interest in the club.

"Mr. Huang would like to emphasize that he has registered interest in investing in Liverpool FC but has made no formal bid," his Hong Kong representatives said.

Huang is co-chairman of both the National Basketball League of China and the Chinese Baseball League.

Martin Broughton, who was brought in as Liverpool chairman to oversee the sale process, said he hopes a buyer for the club can be found before the transfer window closes Aug. 31.

Kirdi announced in a statement Wednesday that his group is in "advanced negotiations" with Hicks and Gillett to buy them out.

"Agreement has been reached on all major terms including the purchase price, repayment of the existing bank debt from RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) and Wells Fargo and financing of a new stadium in Liverpool's Stanley Park," the statement said. "A formal purchase agreement between the parties is in the final stage of negotiation."

But according to the Guardian newspaper, Kirdi made similar claims earlier this year and had previously been dismissed as a serious bidder by the club.

Kirdi, who also oversees investments in Europe and North America, pledged to invest in the squad, which dropped from Premier League runner-up to seventh place last season -- denying them a spot in this season's Champions League.

"Liverpool is a massive football club with passionate and proud fans in Merseyside and in every part of the world," Kirdi said. "With additional money to improve the squad and financing in place to build the new stadium, LFC will be on a solid foundation to compete in the Premiership and in Europe for years to come."

He was reluctant to criticize the current owners in the interview, calling them "friends." But he allowed they may not have understood soccer that well, adding he believes it may have hurt that the owners weren't more involved.

"The owners, you have to follow the team every day," he said.

While Liverpool's Premier League campaign begins against Arsenal on Aug. 15, the five-time European champions host Rabotnicki on Thursday in the Europa League's third qualifying round, leading 2-0 from the first leg.

"I can only hope if the club changes hands it goes to a group of people who have the club's fortune and future at heart and that they will do the right thing by the club," Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson said. "If a new owner comes in it is very important he makes clear to the supporters of this club, a worldwide institution, that they are buying it for the right reasons."

Kirdi, who says he has worked as a senior consultant with AIG in the Middle East, is still active in soccer as a coach and has many contacts through his playing days and work with FIFA, the sport's governing board.

He declined to discuss many other personal details, particularly about his family, citing privacy, but he has been active on the business front, recently negotiating to buy six CRJ1000 aircraft from Bombardier.

The list price for each of the 100-passenger jets is $43.95 million.

Kirdi says his efforts to generate business is his way of giving back to his adopted country.

"I want to give something good for Canada, to return what they give me -- good health, good security. They give me everything."

He says he chose Canada because he felt at home here.

"I've visited all the world, believe me. North, south, Africa, Europe, the United States, Middle East -- I like Canada in general and Quebec especially.

"When my airplane arrived at the Montreal airport, I opened my heart because this is my country."

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-TSN