Football Quotes of the Year 2010

From bedroom antics to boardroom brawls, the beautiful game has had an ugly year

World Cup final referee Howard Webb 'can't even control his kids' according to his wife Kay (David Ashdown)

We've lost hundreds of soldiers (in Iraq), 100,000 people have been killed and nobody in this country gives a toss. Yet John Terry sleeps with some bird and everyone's up in arms

Jimmy Greaves on the Terry-Wayne Bridge story

Where else in the world do you get the scuzzy standards British football has? The players have too much time on their hands and they're surrounded by sycophants

Mark Borkowski, publicist and Chelsea fan, on the Terry case

You've been shite, son, in your daft pink boots

Richard Keys, anchorman for sky, on Theo Walcott when he thought the microphone was switched off

I understand why they would chant Judas at me, but if we're going to get Biblical, then maybe it should be Moses, because we led them from the wilderness

Owen Coyle back at Burnley after defecting to Bolton

Blackpool getting promotion to the Premier League is like reaching the moon without a rocket or a space helmet

Brett Ormerod, Pool's veteran striker speaks for the Tangerine fans

Vuvuzelas are a beautiful noise for the beautiful game

South Africa tourism website before the World Cup kicked off

World Cup 2010: Maradona makes plea for fair play

Headline on BBC sports website

The players can have sex with their wives and girlfriends during the finals. They're not Martians. But it shouldn't be at 2am with champagne and cigars

Donato Vallani, Argentina's team doctor

Reporter: How can Rob Green get over a mistake like that?

USA goalkeeper Tim Howard: A lot of alcohol

He can't even control his kids so I wonder how he can control a game of football

Kay Webb on her husband Howard before he refereed the World Cup final

I know Nigel as a sweet guy. He doesn't want to injure anyone but wants to win every match. Thanks to Nigel we reached the final of the World Cup. Now I hear people calling him a criminal. What a nonsense

Mark van Bommel after his Holland team-mate Nigel de Jong's chest-high foul during the World Cup final

Carlos Tevez's English should be better than what it is

Graham Taylor on the Manchester City striker

The whole problem with football players is they really take themselves seriously. We kick a ball around and we earn 100,000, 200,000 or even 300,000 euros a week. We don't improve the world. It's not like we invented hot water

Spurs' Benoît Assou-Ekotto

I don't think we need foreign managers running the national sides. I've got nothing against foreign managers, they are very nice people. Apart from Arsène Wenger

Stoke manager Tony Pulis

If you ask me if I've lied to the press I must honestly say yes, but I had a clear conscience because it was for a good cause. I speak to the player and say 'This is the story we're going to give'

Arsene Wenger

I wanted to say to Tom Hicks: imagine if it was your family – which is what Liverpool Football Club are to most people – it is like you are raping all of them at once over a long period of time and getting away with it

Ian McCulloch, Echo & the Bunnymen singer

Gareth Bale literally has three lungs

Jamie Redknapp

Retirement is for young people – they can do something else

Sir Alex Ferguson as he approaches his 69th birthday on New Year's Eve

Alternative awards

Steadiest manager of the year Avram Grant, bottom of the Premier League last Christmas with Portsmouth and in the same position now with West Ham.

Flakiest manager of the year Gérard Houllier, whose waves to the Kop and constant references to Liverpool made Aston Villa fans suspect his allegiance.

Folically enhanced player of the year Gareth Bale, whose stellar improvement Tottenham's manager Harry Redknapp attributed to his having "stopped messing about with his barnet".

Folically challenged player of the year Tie between Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney who reportedly had hair-thickening and hair-replacement respectively.

Nostalgic chant of the year "Fergie, Fergie, sign him up!" after David Beckham came on for Milan at Old Trafford.

Cheekiest chant of the year "Fergie, Fergie, sign him up!" when Carlos Tevez scored twice for City against United.

Goalline technology needed moment of the year Frank Lampard's shot beats Germany's Manuel Neuer, hits the bar and goes at least a foot over the line. No goal.

No technology necessary moment of the year Robert Green fumbles an easy drive from USA's Clint Dempsey and the ball bobbles over in instalments. Goal.

Most selfish act of the year Wayne Rooney takes Manchester United to the cleaners, landing an even bigger salary after seeking a transfer.

Most selfless act of the year Paul Gascoigne takes lager, chicken and a dressing-gown to the murderer Raoul Moat, who later takes his own life.