10. Black Panther – Dida

One of Brazil’s most successful goalkeepers, Dida gained his name for his amazing reflexes.  Unfortunately, Dida is best known in Britain due to his theatrical dive whilst being, well, stroked by an invading Celtic fan.  Still, that cannot detract from an illustrious career that has included winning the Champions League, Serie A and European Super Cups with AC Milan.  The best known Black Panther is the King of Wakanda, T’Challa.  Most famous for his time in the Avengers, plus a classic Jack Kirby title, the Black Panther represented a real change in racial attitudes when he first appeared in the Fantastic Four comics in the 1960s.

9. Invincible – Danny Invincible

Danny Invincible is a striker/winger who first came to attention in the UK whilst playing for Swindon Town.  Following his release, he was then signed by Jim Jefferies at Kilmarnock.  His injuries have blighted his career in Scotland, although there have been some recent impressive performances.  Oh, and he’s got a great name!  Invincible, on the other hand, is a top selling comic from the Image line.  A teen super-hero and son of Omni-Man, Invincible is an attempt to revive the fun of superhero comics, as opposed to the grim’n'gritty period exemplified by the modern Batman.

8. The Cat – Peter Bonetti

Famed for his agility and lightning fast reflexes, Peter Bonetti earned the nickname of the Cat.  Most famous for his career at Chelsea, where he played for almost 19 years, Bonetti was unlucky in only gaining 7 England caps due to playing in an era famed for it’s English goalkeepers.  The Cat was a minor villain in Spider-Man comics but, best known to British readers is probably Billy the Cat (and Katie) from DC Thomson’s Beano comic.

7. Captain Fantastic – Barry Ferguson

This was the nickname that the fans of Glasgow Rangers came up with for their erstwhile captain, Barry Ferguson.  Fergie, however, these days, isn’t having the greatest of times.  Banned from the Scotland team for life, stripped of the Rangers’ captaincy and on his last legs at the club.  Now more Major Disaster than Captain Fantastic!  So who was the good Cap F?  Unfortunately, not the greatest of meta-warriors.  He was, in fact, a comic turn on Do Not Adjust Your Set TV series, where a bowler-hatted David Jason would use his ‘high tech’ umbrella against the devious Mrs Black and her nefarious handbag.

6. Mighty Mouse – Kevin Keegan

Given to him whilst playing for FC Hamburg, two-time winner of European Player of the Year, Kevin Keegan gained the nickname of Mighty Mouse for his energetic style of play.  After being rejected by Jimmy Hill’s Coventry City for reportedly being too small, Keegan proved the Brian Clough adage that only the size of your heart matters.  Mighty Mouse was, of course, most famous as an animated feature for 20th Century Fox as a cartoon version of Superman.  Indeed, the character was first named Supermouse! Mighty Mouse has also achieved fame in the comic books, being published by the likes of Marvel, Dell and Gold Key.

5. The Incredible Hulk – Err.. Hulk

Famed for his likeness to Lou Ferringo in the television series of the Incredible Hulk, Givanildo Vieira de Souza gained his nickname whilst playing in Japan for Tokyo Verdi – a team that played in, you guessed it, green shirts!  Don’t make him angry.  You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry!  Luckily enough, not only is de Souza a big fan of the green skinned behemoth but is actually flattered by the nickname so much that he wears it on the back of his Porto shirt.

4. Captain America – Claudio Reyna

Claudio Reyna was the son of an Argentinian football professional, who moved to the United States in the late 1960s.  Whilst playing for Wolfsburg on loan from Bayern Leverkusen, Reyna became the first American to captain a major European club.  After joining Glasgow Rangers and gaining his superhero nickname of Captain America, Reyna moved to Sunderland, where he suffered a major injury.  Despite some impressive performances for Manchester City and New York Red Bulls, Reyna never really recovered from the injury.  Still, he’s doing better than his superhero namesake.  Despite first appearing in 1941, Captain America was killed off in Marvel’s Civil War in 2007.  His identity has since been assumed by the re-appearance of his World War II sidekick, Bucky Barnes.

3. Spider-Man – Carlton Palmer

Although a bit of a footballing gypsy, Carlton Palmer was mostly famed for his midfield performances for Sheffield Wednesday.  Palmer continued to impress at Leeds United and Southampton, before joining Nottingham Forest then Coventry City.  Palmer gained his unusual nickname due to his long-limbs and awkward style.  Spider-Man is of course the secret identity of Peter Parker – your friendly neighbourhood wall-crawler and all-round web-slinger.

2. Captain Marvel – Bryan Robson

At one time, the most expensive footballer in Britain, Bryan Robson was a stalwart of the Manchester United and England set-up.  Signed by Ron Atkinson after his move from West Bromwich Albion to Manchester United, Robson captained the team throughout Atkinson’s tenure and in to Alex Ferguson’s.  Captain Marvel, perhaps surprisingly, is the most popular superhero ever published.  Following his appearance in Whiz Comics along with Marvel Family members, Captain Marvel jr. and Mary Marvel, Fawcett Comics were continually litigated against by Superman publishers’, DC Comics until, eventually, DC bought out Fawcett.  All little Billy Batson needed was to shout SHAZAM! to turn in to the mighty Captain Marvel and be blessed with speed, courage and invulnerability.  The latter quality something the injury-prone Robson could have used!

1. Roy of the Rovers

Well, there is only one “real” football superhero in Britain and that’s got to be Melchester Rovers‘ Roy Race – best known to all unsundry as Roy of the Rovers.  Roy played for his beloved Melchester from 1955 to 1993, winning 8 European titles, before losing his foot in a helicopter crash.  Roy was then succeeded in the team by his son Rocky -  a product of his marriage to his deceased wife, Penny.  Roy also played for England a number of times during his career and even took over as caretaker manager for a while.  But nothing got in the way of his Rovers, even if did leave them for a brief time for Italian team AC Monza.

And here’s some even better news!  Roy of the Rovers is being rereleased for the first time since 1995!

Glasgow Celtic

Gordon Strachan Soccer News Topics has had an amazing run of victories over the last few years, including three Championships in a row, plus getting beyond the Champions League group stages. All with a far reduced budget than his predecessor, the celebrated Martin O’Neill Soccer News Topics.  This year, Wee Gordon has already taken the first piece of silverware in the CIS Cup from deadly rivals, Rangers.

Still, the Green’n'White faithful has never taken to WGS. Failure to strengthen, particualrly up front, in the New Year has put what seemed an unassailable lead in to question. The board are unlikely to sack Strachan but will Gordon decide he’s had enough?

Sack or Back: Back but I expect Gordon to call time and move back to England at the end of the season.

Glasgow Rangers

What a topsy-turvy world Walter Smith Walter SmithSoccer News Topics lives in. At the end of last season, Smitty was living the glory of the UEFA Cup Final and putting in a decent title challenge on Celtic. Earlier this season, an astonishing loss in the preliminary stages of the Champions League and falling way behind Celtic in the title race led to calls from the dubious ‘We Deserve Better’ brigade. Now? Rangers are once again in the title race, battling all the way. There are still questions over finances and just where the goals will come from besides Kris Boyd.  But just as it looks as though Walter Smith has turned the corner, along comes an embarrassing home defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle followed by a loss to Celtic in the CIS Cup.

Sack or Back: Smith won’t be sacked but will move upstairs soon, with Ally McCoist taking over. The Rangers/Smith dynasty is just starting…unless chairman Murray manages to sell his share in the club and then all bets are off.

Heart of Midlothian

Csaba Laszlo must have the most difficult job in Scottish football. After a multitude of sackings with successful and non-successful coaches it seemed impossible that Mad Vlad could butt out. However, it seems that Vladimir Romanov has tired of day-to-day Hearts allowing Laszlo the opportunity to create his own team. Hearts are now battling it out for third place despite lacking a decent striker.

Sack or Back: It should be back but who knows with this regime.

Dundee United

Craig Levein recently declared his desire, not to just push for the UEFA Cup third place, but to split the Old Firm and take that all-important second.  Fine words at the time but now United are around 20 points behind second-place Rangers and are struggling for third place.  Levein has also a history of ‘speaking his mind’, which is newspaper talk for criticising referees, clubs and his fellow managers.  Craig has also revealed a desire to return to England, where he failed so badly with Leicester.

Sack or Back:The late Eddie Thompson did everything he could to make sure Levein had all he needed to finish the job at taking United back to a respectable position.  Nevertheless, it would appear that Levein has got itchy feet, despite being only at the beginning of his mission.  The Board will back but I fear Levein will be offski soon enough.

Aberdeen

The knives are certainly out for Aberdeen boss, Jimmy Calderwood.  After having to sell or release some of his most important players in the summer, resulting in a settling-in period for the new boys, Calderwood has taken the Dons to a battle for third place and a further chance of Euro-glory.  Still, that’s not good enough for the Red Army.  They point to cup disasters, notably last season against Queen of the South and this against Dunfermline.  JC can quite rightly point out that, before he took over, the Dons had been in relegation trouble for years and only the big spenders of the Old Firm and Hearts have won trophies in recent times.

Sack or Back: To sack Calderwood would be a risk.  He’s taken a poor team to beyond the UEFA Cup group stages with no real money but failed badly in the cups.  Willie Miller wants to support the chairman but I expect Jimmy to decide enough is enough as soon as a Dutch or English team offers a contract.

Hibernian

It’s difficult not to feel a little sorry for Hibernian managers in recent times.  Despite bringing in fortunes selling the likes of Scott Brown, Kevin Thomson, Steven Whittaker etc etc, the managers have had very little to spend.  Mixu Paatelainen has managed to assemble (and partially inherit) a team that looks promising on paper, with talent to burn.  Unfortunately, on grass, the team has often failed to deliver.  Hibs have neither entertained not gotten result when asked.  Calls for Mixu’s head have grown louder as the season has progressed, with the team appearing to lack the fight to save Paatelainen’s head.

Sack or Back: Mixu must make the top six if he is to save his job.  If he does, I expect him to be given another season to turn it around.  A bottom six finish may result in the big Finn looking for another position in football.

Motherwell

Last year, Mark McGhee was hailed as a sensation, being touted for both the Scotland and Celtic jobs.  The first half of 2008/09 saw the ‘Well flirt with relegation before finally turning in some decent perfomances and results – all this on possibly the worst pitch in British football.  Now, McGhee is again flirting with the top six but will his castigating of fans be the undoing of him?

Sack or Back: There’s no way McGhee will be sacked but if there’s a better opportunity, I doubt Mark will even pause for breath.  If Strachan does indeed leave Celtic at the end of the season, expect McGhee to submit an application quicker than is decent.

Hamilton Academicals

After being promoted surprisingly to the SPL, it was no surprise to see the Accies at the bottom of the table, destined for a quick First Division return.  Billy Reid decided a change was required and instituted a form of anti-football.  This produced incredible results, with the talents of James McCarthy and McArthur, along with Richard Offiong providing some attacking nouse.

Sack or Back: Done absolute wonders.  Expect Reid to be offered a contract as long as he would like.

Kilmarnock

Killie have had a terrible run of form that has seen them drop into the relegation mire.  Jim Jefferies has long had to cope with large debts and plummeting wages, yet has achieved multiple top six finishes.  Since losing the likes of Nish, Boyd and Naismith, Killie have struggled with a goalscorer.  Kyle has looked a decent prospect but can he get the goals to save Killie?

Sack or Back: With a team good enough to finish top six, I doubt Killie will be in the relegation mire much longer.  Keeping Jefferies is the only sensible option.  A sacking is extremely doubtful.

St. Mirren

Since selling their ground at Love Street and moving in to a purpose-built stadium, the Saints have cleared all their debt and look well-placed for the future.  Under no way are they safe from relegation but with enough attacking players to make up the difference, they will fight all the way.

Sack or Back: Gus MacPherson is appreciated by both the supporters and the board.  Only relegation could threaten his position, so he will be backed until at least the end of the season, and probably further.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

ICT are the only team in the SPL to have already sacked their manager.  Under Brewster, an awful away record, plus an even worse home form, seemed to suggest that Inverness were dead and buried.  Since arriving though, Terry Butcher has produced decent performances, including a draw at home with Celtic and a wonderful away win at Rangers’ Ibrox Stadium!  And then…a 4-0 loss to bottom team Falkirk brings ICT back down to Earth.  With little time to experiment, Butcher must get it right.

Sack or Back: He’s only just arrived so Butcher will be backed.  Should relegation actually result, expect Butcher to ship out and John Robertson to come back.  Having said that, Butcher and Malpas have every chance of turning it around.

Falkirk

Last season, John ‘Yogi’ Hughes was a contender for manager of the year.  And now?  Bottom of the table with a support largely turned against him.  Yogi has brought in a number of experienced players but it just hasn’t worked out.  An astonishing 4-0 victory against Inverness gives the Bairns’ fans some hope of survival but they need to get some more results soon.

Sack or Back: The board has come out in support for Hughes.  Expect him to be backed but multiple rumours abound that John Hughes has already agreed a deal with Blackpool at the end of the season.

Conclusion

Not surprisingly, the team that gets relegated will be the most under-pressure to sack the manager.  Strangely, there’s not a bad manager amongst them.  Jefferies and Hughes have proven themselves in the past (although it would appear that Yogi wants to move on), whilst Butcher worked wonders at Motherwell and appears to be doing much the same thing at Inverness.  Gus MacPherson is another solid manager who has kept a rather journeyman team in the top echelon of Scottish football.  I don’t see any teams benefitting long-term from a change, so it will really be a fall-on-one’s-sword moment for the relegated club.

In the top half, Mixu Paateleinen needs a good run to save his job.  Hibs, with that talented team, won’t be content to merely wait around.  Jimmy Calderwood took the first bus out of previous club Dunfermline as they didn’t appreciate him enough for a Euro-adventure plus keeping the club out of the relegation mire.  The same thing is happening at Aberdeen with English and Dutch clubs sniffing around.  I don’t expect Calderwood to last into next season, one way or another.  What is strange is that for a less-than-glorious first half of the season (although with a second half UEFA Cup place rally), plus early cup exit, Dons fans want Calderwood out and Mark McGhee called up.  McGhee who led Motherwell to a less-than-glorious first half of the season (although with a second half UEFA Cup place rally), plus early cup exit.

Strachan probably cannot do any more for Celtic and to win over the Celtic fans if he takes the league title, so expect a Premiership club to come calling, whilst Rangers are in such a financial mess that only a takeover will stop business as usual next season at Ibrox.

7. In the Red Corner: Rafael Benitez

Rafa is the latest manager to go head-to-head with Alex.  Liverpool, had begun 2008/09 with a serious challenge to the Premiership title for the first time in years.  Fergie ‘just happened’ to comment that he felt the fixtures were favouring the Merseysiders.  Cue a full-bloodied attack from Benitez.  Rafa first disputed the fixture claim, announcing that Liverpool had been discriminated in the past stating “two years ago we were playing a lot of early kick-offs away on Saturdays when United were playing on Sundays. And we didn’t say anything.”

Benitez then accused the FA of letting Sir Alex walk all over them.  In particular, he claimed that Sir Alex was not being prosecuted for improper conduct against referees, when every other manager would and this in the midst of a Respect campaign.  The referees were also supposedly also in cahoots with the Red Devils, ignoring controversial incidents where Man U may have been negatively impacted.  The following game saw Liverpool held to a no-scoring draw against Stoke with claims that Rafa’s comments had distracted the team from the job.  Sir Alex patronisingly responded that he felt pleased Liverpool had made a good start but that he does not expect them to be challenging for the title in the last month.  “Chelsea have experience and have been our main rivals for the past five years.“, Alex said.  Since the rant, there has been a 17 point swing between Liverpool and Man United.

Result: A good opening bout from the Spanish boy but he’s gone too soon and is fading fast.  Fergie the odds on favourite to win.

6. The Defensive Rock: Jaap Stam

If you believe the hype, nothing happened here.  Sir Alex just thought Staam had lost a little bit of pace after an injury.  A good offer came in and the Red Devils were duty bound to accept it.  Only…

Staam was a key player in the three seasons under Sir Alex.  If a decline in his playing level was the main factor, then how come the ageing and, quite frankly, past it mid-30s defender of Laurent Blanc was his replacement?  And how come after Manchester, this supposedly finished player then went on to play for Lazio, AC Milan and Ajax?  And crucially, how come all this happened in the immediate aftermath of Jaap publishing an autobiography claiming he had been tapped up by Manchester United, whilst at PSV Eindhoven?

Result: Alex Ferguson leaves the big defender reeling after a series of punches to the solar plexus with lightning fast speed.  A hands down win that Jaap, despite success elsewhere, has still expressed regret about.

5. The Right-Hand Man: Brian Kidd

Alex Ferguson and Brian Kidd were an awesome duo.  Having replaced his former assistant, Archie Knox, Kidd joined Fergie for an astonishing run of success, including four titles.  Sir Alex deemed Brian so crucial to the club, that he persuaded Kidd not to take over as boss at his beloved Everton but to remain at Old Trafford.  So it was surprising that Sir Alex made some derogatory comments about his management ability when Kidd left to take over at Blackburn, in his autobiography ‘Managing My Life’.  Kidd responded that Walt Disney wanted the book for his sequel to Fantasia.  Manchester United went on to win the game that relegated Kidd’s team from England’s top division.  When asked how he felt, Sir Alex merely shrugged and said “Oh well“.

Result: A hammer blow early on left the young manager reeling with no clue how to mount a defence.  No contest!

4. The Living Fusebox: Gordon Strachan

On the face of it WGS (Wee Gordon Strachan) and Big Alex Ferguson couldn’t be more different.  One a decent, but not great, forward with a dour manner, who turned down a move to England to stay with a lower league team in his homeland.  The other a fiery but mischevious world-class attacking midfielder, who has represented his country at the highest level and played for some of England’s greatest clubs as a more than integral part.  And that’s where the differences end!  Both will hate this, but as managers they are astoundingly similar.  Ferocious tempers, disciplinarians but also highly supportive of their players and desperate for youth to succeed.

Fergie fell out with his progeny when, as Aberdeen manager, Strachan had gone behind his back to negotiate a contract with Cologne.  Sir Alex wrote in his autobiography that he “decided this man could not be trusted an inch“.  As it was, Strachan had had enough of Fergie’s bile and decided to move to Manchester United…and was less than pleased to be followed only months later by Sir Alex!  After confronting Ferguson over his constant criticism, Gordon was transferred to Leeds United and a glittering career.  But it didn’t end there.   So great, Strachan felt, was Ferguson’s hatred that he accused the Manchester United manager of fielding a weakened team to get Strachan’s Coventry City relegated.  Both now claim the feud is over.

Result: Without guiding him, would Strachan be the young player he was?  By transferring him from Manchester United, did this not actually revitalise Gordon’s career?  Would Strachan have won so many titles with Celtic without the experience of relegation with Coventry?  Ferguson has landed some huge blows but the plucky ginger-nut is a master of deflection.  A draw!

3. The Prodigy: David Beckham

England’s biggest star in a generation versus the Scottish general.  If there’s one thing Ferguson wants, it’s to win.  And that becomes even more important when it’s against Wenger’s Arsenal!  When Sir Alex blamed Becks for losing a goal against Arsenal in a cup final, Fergie lost his temper and kicked a boot into Beckham’s face, making a cut.  Already wound up by the criticism, David saw red and tried to physically attack his manager, only being restrained by Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Ruud van Nistelrooy.  The following season saw Ole Gunnar Solskjær keep Becks wide right position, apparently as a display to those above that Man Utd could progress without Beckham.  A few months later, Becks joined Real Madrid in a multi-million pound deal.

Result: Becks successfully stood up to Fergie and has had a glittering career.  Alex however also proved his point that no player was bigger than the team.  No losers there.  A draw!

2. The Young Pretender: Kevin Keegan

Now here’s a battle of unlike minds.  Kevin Keegan, an overly-enthusiastic England hero with a penchant for wearing his heart on his sleeve versus the wily old fox that makes sure his comments are heard only when to his advantage.  After a tough battle with Leeds United, Sir Alex suggested that Leeds didn’t try so hard against teams other than Manchester United.  As the challengers at the time, Newcastle United, were still to face Leeds, this infuriated manager Keegan leading to the now famous rant that ended with “I will love it if we beat them – LOVE IT!”

Needless to say, Manchester United won the title after a very erratic end for Newcastle.

Result: A plucky challenge from the high-energy fighter but never recovered from that well-timed knockout punch.  Fergie hands down!

1. The Old Rival: Arsene Wenger

Here’s about with some history!  Unusually, ‘gentleman’ Wenger started it all!  In his first season with Arsenal, Wenger claimed the FA and the other clubs were letting Man U win the title by extending the season.  Rather dismissively, Ferguson replied that Arsene should “keep his opinions to Japanese football“.  However, Wenger was laughing at the end of the season when Arsenal collected the title, even though Sir Alex maintained his were “the better team“.

The following season a spat with Ruud van Nisteltrooy saw a number of Arsenal players suspended and Ruud described as a cheat, plus “Pizzagate“, when a piece of pizza was supposedly thrown by a Gunners player at Ferguson.  Sir Alex claimed that “what the Arsenal players did was the worst I have witnessed in sport“.  Recently, both Fergie and Wenger have found a new respect for each other, however, it only takes one little word for it all to explode again.

Result: Two great fighters and a hugely entertaining bout.  Fergie just takes it on points but the fat lady is still warming up.

Of course, these are far from the only confrontations with Sir Alex Ferguson.  People like Ruud van Nistelrooy and Graeme Souness spring to mind.  Over to you to decide which is the greatest battle Fergie has ever faced.