Club career.

Early career.

Although Richards was born in Birmingham, West Midlands, he grew up in Chapeltown, Leeds. Richards began playing football when he was young and he played for the Leeds United youth system as a striker, but he was released when he was around eight years old. He also represented Leeds Schools FA (Leeds City Boys) at a young age. Richards later moved to playing in either the centre–half or right–back positions.  He later played for the Oldham Athletic youth system, moving to Manchester City as a 14-year-old, with Oldham reputedly having a 20% sell on clause. In July 2001 Manchester City reportedly tried to buy out the clause, but Oldham refused. He also attended the Brazilian Soccer Schools scheme and retains strong links with the programme, with his father Lincoln actually running a Brazilian Soccer School in Chapeltown, Leeds.  Richards progressed through the ranks of Manchester City's Youth Team and Reserve Team. Despite initially struggling to get a YTS contract, he later signed his first professional contract with the club in 2005.

Manchester City.

In the summer of 2005, Richards was called up by the Manchester City’s first team for the Premier League Asia Trophy. He was later promoted to the first team in early October 2005. Richards made his first-team debut on 22 October 2005 against Arsenal, coming on as a substitute for Danny Mills in the 85th minute of a 1–0 defeat at Highbury. After the match, he said it was the most memorable day of his life. It was not until on 1 February 2006 when he made another appearance, again as a late replacement in a 3–0 win over Newcastle United. Eleven days later he made his first start, playing the full 90 minutes in a 3–2 win over Charlton Athletic. His first goal came on 19 February, heading in a last-minute corner to earn a 1–1 draw away to Aston Villa in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Manager Pearce praised his performance after the match. Richards swore on live national television when interviewed after the game, later reflecting that "I won the Premier League and played for England but it seems everyone always remembers me best for swearing live on BBC One on a Sunday afternoon". Following this game, he then received a handful of first team football for the remaining matches of the 2005–06 season. At the end of the 2005–06 season, he went on to make sixteen appearances and scoring once in all competitions.  In July 2006, Manchester City rejected a bid of £5 million for Richards from Tottenham Hotspur. On 25 July 2006, he signed a new four-year contract, quashing rumours of a move away from the City of Manchester Stadium. At the start of the 2006–07 season, Richards helped the side kept two clean sheets between 23 August 2006 and 26 August 2006. However, during a 1–0 loss against Reading on 11 September 2006, he was criticised by Pearce after reacting furiously when he was substituted in the 60th minutes and threw his shirt to the ground and waved his arms in disgust. Despite this, Richards continued to remain in the first team for the side and was praised once again by Manager Pearce for his professionalism. At one point during the 2006–07 season, he played in a central midfield position, due to limit of midfielders. Richards then scored his first goal of the season, in a 1–1 draw against Everton on 30 September 2006. He appeared in every matches until he was dropped in December, due to a leg injury following a 2–1 loss against Tottenham Hotspur on 16 December 2006. But he made his return from injury, starting the whole game, in a 1–0 win over Sheffield United on 26 December 2006. In a follow–up match against West Ham United, Richards kept another clean sheet, in a 1–0 win. Over the next months, he competed with Hatem Trabelsi and Danny Mills over the right–back position. However, Richards suffered a calf injury and had to be substituted during a 2–0 win over Middlesbrough on 17 March 2007, resulting in him sidelined for the remaining matches of the season. Despite this, Richards was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award at the end of the 2006–07 season. Although he lost out to Cristiano Ronaldo, he was nevertheless awarded the Young Player of the Season by the Official Supporters' Club. At the end of the 2006–07 season, he went on to make thirty–five appearances and scoring once in all competitions.  Throughout 2007, Richards was linked with a move away from City, Stuart Pearce said "I am not actively looking to sell Micah because he has a great future here. Whatever offers come in for him, it is going to take a ridiculously big offer to get him out of this football club. I would love to see Micah stay here, captain the club, and maybe be here for 10 years and carry the club on his back if he can. He is good enough to do it. I have not worked with anyone so good and so young." He later responded to the transfer speculation that he reaffirmed his commitment to stay at Manchester City.  In the 2007–08 season, Richards continued to be in the first team, having recovered from a calf injury and played in the pre–season friendly matches. Richards started the season well when he helped Manchester City's defence to keep three clean sheets in the first three league matches, including against rivals, Manchester United. His performance was praised by Manager Sven-Göran Eriksson. As a result, he was named the Barclays player of the month award for August. Richards then captained the team for the first time on 16 September 2007 against Aston Villa in the absence of teammate Richard Dunne, making him the youngest ever City first team captain, beating the 21-year-old Steve Redmond. After the match, he said it was the "proudest moment" of his career. Following a 6–0 loss against Chelsea on 27 October 2007, Richards acknowledged his mistakes for conceding "a couple of goals" on his columns. After missing one match due to an injury, he returned to the starting line-up against Portsmouth on 11 November 2007, and kept a clean sheet, in a 0–0 draw. Since the start of the 2007–08 season, Richards regained his first team place, playing in the right–back position. It was announced on 8 February 2008 that he signed an improved contract to last until June 2013. However, by the end of February, Richards suffered a knee injury that saw him sidelined for six weeks. Although he returned to training in early–April, Richards never played for the side for the rest of the 2007–08 season. During the season, he was involved in heated rows with the opposition teams, which resulted in him getting booked. Despite this, Richards was nominated for a second time for the PFA Young Player of the Year award at the end of the 2007–08 season. At the end of the 2007–08 season, he went on to make twenty–nine appearances in all competitions.  At the start of the 2008–09 season, Richards played his first full match back from injury in the 2–0 win against EB/Streymur in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Cup Qualifying Round on 17 July 2008. However, during a 3–0 win over West Ham United on 24 August 2008, he collided with team-mate Tal Ben Haim after a clash of heads, resulting in him being substituted and taken to hospital with a concussion. But he was released from the hospital after the result in a scan came back was all clear. Richards was able to return to the first team, starting the whole game and keeping a clean sheet, in a 3–0 win over Sunderland on 31 August 2008. He then captained Manchester City for the first time this season, helping the side progress to the UEFA Cup Group Stage after beating Omonia 2–1 on 2 October 2008. Since the start of the 2008–09 season, Richards continued to regain his first team place, playing in the right–back position despite facing competitions from Nedum Onuoha and Pablo Zabaleta. However, his performance received criticism by fans throughout December. On 22 March 2009, he scored his first goal of the 2008–09 season with a header in a man of the match performance giving a 1–0 victory over Sunderland at the City of Manchester Stadium. However, both Richards and Manager Mark Hughes played down training ground bust-up after the British newspapers claimed the pair had argued during the training sessions, insisting it was a minor situation. On the last game of the season against Bolton Wanderers, he set up a goal for Felipe Caicedo to score the only goal of the game. Despite being sidelined on two occa sions later in the 2008–09 season, he went on to make fifty appearances and scoring once in all competitions. During the season, Richards spoke out about the new ownership with the club that it could take four years to reach their potentials.  In July 2009, Richards was diagnosed with swine flu while on holiday in Cyprus, and was kept in isolation after returning from Ayia Napa. But he was able to recover and featured in the club's remaining pre–season matches. At the start of the season, Richards started the season well when he kept three clean sheets in the first three league matches. He then played a vital role against Arsenal on 12 September 2009 when he set up the club's first two goals, in a 4–2 win. Since the start of the 2009–10 season, Richards continued to face competitions with Onuoha and Zabaleta for the right–back position, resulting in him placed on the substitute bench over the season. In spite of this, he would regain his first team place, playing in either in the centre–back and right–back position when there's an absence in the club's defence or Zabaleta moving to a different position. His lack of playing time led the report from England that he was expecting to leave the club, a claim denied by both Richards and Manager Hughes. His first goal of the 2009–10 season came on 12 December 2009, in a 3–3 draw against Bolton Wanderers. His second goal of the season then came on 11 January 2010, in a 4–1 win over Blackburn Rovers. Despite facing his own injury concerns during the 2009–10 season, Richards went on to make twenty–nine appearances and scoring two times in all competitions.  Ahead of the 2010–11 season, Richards said he announced his intention to stay at the club and dismissed suggestions of leaving. Following this, Manager Robert Mancini expected Richards to fight for his first team. He was featured in the starting line-up for the first five league matches of the season. During this, Richards played a role when he set up the club's second goal of the game, in a 3–0 win over Liverpool on 23 August 2010. Since the start of the 2010–11 season, Richards continued to face competitions with Jérôme Boateng and Zabaleta for the right–back position. Despite this, he appeared in the starting line-up, mostly making starts in the club's cup competitions. It was not until on 27 November 2010 when Richards scored his first goal of the season, in a 1–1 draw against Stoke City. Two months later on 30 January 2011, he set up a goal for Edin Džeko, resulting a 1–1 draw in the fourth round of the FA Cup, which saw them earn a replay at the City of Manchester Stadium. In the fourth round of FA Cup replay against Notts County, Richards scored the club's fifth goal of the game, in a 5–0 win to send through to the next round. A month later on 13 March 2011, he scored again in a FA Cup match, in a 1–0 win over Reading. Despite facing his own injury concerns he faced later in the 2010–11 season, Richards started for City as they beat Stoke City 1–0 at Wembley Stadium in the 2011 FA Cup Final. Following the match, ITV, who aired the FA Cup final, apologised after both Richards and Mario Balotelli swore live during post-match interviews on the pitch. At the end of the 2010–11 season, he went on to make thirty–one appearances and scoring three times in all competitions.  At the start of the 2011–12 season, Richards set up the two goals in the first two league matches to give Manchester City a perfect start to the season. By the end of August, he signed a contract extension with the club, keeping him until 2015. Richards made his UEFA Champions League debut, starting the whole game, in a 2–0 loss against Bayern Munich, in what turns out to be his only appearance in the competition. Since the start of the 2011–12 season, he established himself in the starting eleven, playing in the right–back position. But Richards found himself rotated under Mancini's management, which saw him dropped from the first team at times. Richards then set up two goals in two matches between 15 October 2011 and 23 October 2011, including one in a 6–1 win over rivals, Manchester United. This was followed up by making his 200th appearances for Manchester City, in a 3–1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on 29 October 2011. It was not until on 19 November 2011 when he scored his first goal of the season, followed up by setting up the club's third goal of the game, in a 3–1 win over Newcastle United. After the match, his performance was praised by teammate, Joleon Lescott. Between December and February, Richards found himself out of the first team on three occasions, due to injuries. During in which, he captained the side on three occasions as well: twice against Liverpool in both legs in the League Cup and once in the league against Fulham. Towards the end of the 2011–12 season, Richards’ playing time was reduced and found himself placed on the substitute bench, due to the hamstring injury he sustained. Despite this, Manchester City won the Premier League in 2011–12, and Richards was nominated for the club's Player of the Year award. In addition to making thirty–seven appearances and scoring once in all competitions, Richards finished the season with five assists – the most of any defender in the Premier League.  At the start of the 2012–13 season, Richards suffered ankle injury during the Summer Olympics tournament and was sidelined for a month. By mid–September, he returned to full training. It was not until on 6 October 2012, Richards made his first appearance of the season, starting the whole game, in a 3–0 win over Sunderland. He went on to make three more appearances for the side throughout October. However, Richards suffered a knee injury during a 1–0 win over Swansea City and was sidelined for four months. By March, he returned to full training. It was not until on 17 April 2013, Richards made his return to the first team, starting a match before being substituted in the 83rd minutes, in a 1–0 win over Wigan Athletic. However, his return was short–lived when he was dropped by Mancini in the first team, including the FA Cup Final. But Richards made his return to the starting line-up for the remaining three matches of the season, including being a captain against Reading on 14 May 2013. At the end of the 2012–13 season, he went on to make eight appearances in all competitions.  At the start of the 2013–14 season, Richards said he is going to fight his way back to the starting line-up, under the new management of Manuel Pellegrini. Around the same time, Richards dismissed transfer speculation that he is leaving the club after reports claims that clubs from Europe were interested in signing him. However, he suffered a thigh injury that saw him sidelined throughout August. It was not until on 24 September 2013 when Richards made his first appearance of the season, starting as captain, and set up the club's second goal of the game, in a 5–0 win over Wigan Athletic in the third round of the League Cup. A month later on 19 October 2013, he made his first Premier League appearance of the season, starting the whole game, in a 3–1 win over West Ham United. In a 2–0 win over Newcastle United on 30 October 2013 in the round of 16 of League Cup, Richards captained the side for the whole game throughout extra time to send the side through to the next round. Following this, he appeared on the substitute bench, having lost his place in the first team to Zabeleta. However, during a 3–2 win over Bayern Munich in 10 December 2013 in a UEFA Champions League Group Stage match, Richards suffered a hamstring injury and was sidelined for a month. He did not make his return from injury until on 15 January 2014, starting a match, in a 5–0 win over Blackburn Rovers in the third round replay of the FA Cup. Following this, Richards made two more appearances in the FA Cup matches later in the 2013–14 season. Despite this, he continued to have his first team opportunities limited for the remaining matches of the season. As a result, it was reported in March 2014 that Richards turned down a new contract offered by the club, leaving his future uncertain. He later confirmed the news in September 2014. Despite Manchester City winning the league again in 2013–14, he made only two league appearances and missed out on a Premier League winner's medal.  Ahead of the 2014–15 season, Richards was expected to leave Manchester City. It came after when he was linked away from the club, as his contract was expecting to expire at the end of the season. Amid to the transfer speculation, Richards made his only appearance of the season for Manchester City, coming on as a late substitute, in a 3–0 loss against Arsenal in the FA Community Shield.  On 10 June 2015, Richards was released by Manchester City. By the time he departed the club, Richards was described by local newspaper Manchester Evening News as "a true survivor" since the takeover in 2008. Since leaving the club, Richards believed that Manchester City will never use youngsters in the future.

Fiorentina (loan).

On 1 September 2014, Richards signed for Fiorentina on a season-long loan. The loan fee was £3.5m rising to £4.7m should the transfer had made permanent at the end.  Seventeen days after signing on 18 September 2014, Richards made his Fiorentina debut in a UEFA Europa League match against Guingamp, coming on as a substitute for former City teammate Stefan Savić, and set up the club's third goal of the game, in a 3–0 win. Three days later on 21 September 2015, he made his league debut for the club, coming on as a late substitute, in a 1–0 win over Atalanta. On 28 September 2014, Richards made his first Serie A start for Fiorentina against Torino. Richards chose not to remain at Fiorentina; he only made 10 appearances in the league and a further seven in European competitions as manager Vincenzo Montella switched to a 3–5–2 formation after Richards had arrived. He also faced his own injury concern along the way.

Aston Villa.

On 17 June 2015, Richards signed for Aston Villa on a free transfer after agreeing a four-year contract. Upon joining the club, he was given a number four shirt ahead of the new season.  Richards was named their on-field captain for the upcoming Premier League season on 5 August, and on his debut three days later, Villa won 1–0 away to AFC Bournemouth. During a 2–1 loss against Swansea City on 24 October 2015, he was involved in alteration with Federico Fernández. Following this, Richards served a three match suspension after being involved in an incident at the tunnel during the match. On 28 November 2015, he scored his first goal for Villa, heading an equaliser in a 2–3 home loss to Watford. However, Richards suffered a knee injury that saw him missed four matches. His absence was commented on by pundit Stan Collymore following the club's run of three draws in four matches. It was not until on 26 December 2015 when Richards made his return to the starting line-up, in a 2–0 loss against Norwich City. After the match, he took to his Twitter account and criticised pundit Ian Wright’s comment about the club’s performance. Richards then scored his second goal for the club, in a 1–1 draw against Wycombe Wanderers in the third round of the FA Cup. After the match, Richards was praised by Manager Remi Garde when he dealt with the situation with the club’s supporters. Having started out playing in the centre–back position, he then played in the right–back position. As captain, Richards found themselves fighting for survival from relegation following a poor start since the start of the season. Towards the end of the 2015–16 season, Richards was featured in and out of the first team, as the club were relegated to Championship. At the end of the 2015–16 season, he went on to make twenty–eight appearances and scoring two times in all competitions.  Following the club’s relegation, Richards’ release clause was activated, with several clubs were interested signing him. But he stayed at the club in the end. His first appearance of the 2016–17 season came on 10 August 2016 against Luton Town, captaining the side for the whole game, in a 3–1 loss in the first round of the League Cup. He made his first start of the 2016–17 Championship season in a 1–1 draw at home to Wolves on 15 October 2016, which was also Steve Bruce's first match in charge of the club, but was sidelined with a knee injury until the new year. Since returning from injury in January, Richards placed on the substitute bench for the remaining matches for the 2016–17 season. At the end of the 2016–17 season, he went on to make three appearances in all competitions.  He did not make a single appearance in 2017–18, with Bruce attributing that to consistent lack of fitness. Despite speculation that Richards would leave Aston Villa before the transfer deadline for the 2018–19 season, he remained at the club, although he was not considered for first team selection and spent another season without making an appearance. His knee issues continued to keep him out the team, and he alleged that fans abused him during this injury.  Richards was released by Aston Villa at the end of the 2018–19 season. He announced his retirement from playing on 26 July 2019, at the age of 31.

International career.

England youth team.

Richards made two appearances for the England under-16 side. For the next two years, he was called up to England U18 and England U19.

England under-21 team.

On 16 August 2006, Richards made his England U21 debut, starting the whole game, in a 2–2 draw against Moldova U21. During a 2–0 win over German under-21s on 10 October 2006, opposition player Aaron Hunt racially abused both Richards and Anton Ferdinand, leading Hunt to be banned for two matches. This led the German Football Association successfully overturned the suspension.  For most of his exile from the senior team, Richards was still young enough to be eligible for the under-21s, and played regularly. He was called up for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship held in Sweden, where he scored the winning goal against Finland as England went through the group stages undefeated. England reached the final of the competition, but lost 4–0 to Germany. Richards played in four of England's five matches, including the final. He captained England U21 on three occasions between late–2009 and once in his only appearance of 2010. During qualifying for the 2011 tournament, Richards captained the team. However, he had to withdraw from the squad for the finals due to injury.

England senior team.

In November 2006, Richards received a call-up to the England squad for a friendly against the Netherlands after playing only 28 professional club matches. He had previously won three caps for the England under-21 team, and was chosen to start the match on 15 November 2006 against the Netherlands after regular right back Gary Neville withdrew through injury. It made him England's youngest-ever defender, breaking the record previously held by Rio Ferdinand. After the game finished in a 1–1 draw, pundit Alan Hansen and Alan Shearer both praised Richards’ performance.  He scored his first international goal in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Israel on 8 September 2007 at Wembley Stadium. Richards reflected on his BBC Sport column, saying that it was a great day for him and England, as well as, made it something to remember. Richards played regularly during Steve McClaren's time as England manager, making 11 appearances.  However, following McClaren's sacking in November 2007, Richards fell out of favour. In Fabio Capello's four years in charge of the England team, Richards played only once, as a substitute against France in November 2010. Upon Capello's resignation in February 2012, Richards spoke of his frustration: "To be frozen out of your international side is hard to take sometimes. Everyone wants to play for their international team, especially when you're playing in a team that's doing so well. I didn't get a chance under Capello. I don't know why. I always asked the question, but I never got an answer."  Following Capello's resignation in February 2012, Richards gained an immediate recall to the England team. Caretaker coach Stuart Pearce had coached Richards at both Manchester City and for the under-21s, and selected him to play against the Netherlands. However, when new coach Roy Hodgson named his squad for UEFA Euro 2012, Richards was omitted. Hodgson explained his decision by saying "It was going to be one of Phil Jones or Micah Richards and I chose Jones."

Great Britain Olympic football team.

On 28 June 2012, Richards was confirmed as one of the three over-aged players selected by manager Stuart Pearce for Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics, alongside Craig Bellamy and Ryan Giggs. He said it was an honour to be called up for the squad.  Richards played the full match in the tournament's opening fixture against Senegal; which ended 1–1. He started all the remaining matches of the tournament, as Great Britain were eliminated by South Korea U23 on penalties.

Personal life.

Richards is of Kittitian descent through his father who moved from Basseterre to England in 1960s. He later credited his father for being a biggest influence of his career and keeping him grounded growing up. Along with his father, Richards also credited his former teammate Richard Dunne for being a biggest influence on his early career as well. His first cousin, Anita Harris is also a professional footballer and long time captain of the Saint Kitts and Nevis national football team. Richards has two brothers, who used to be footballers but never made it as a professional. Although Richards like Leeds United, he supported Arsenal because of Ian Wright, due to his great character and "made him smile with his goal celebrations". Richards said that he did alright at school and got Cs in GCSEs Maths, English and Science.  In November 2006, Richards was involved in a legal battle with Team Associates, who sued him for £1 million over a breach of contract after changing his agent the previous June. For the 2007–08 season, he became a columnist for BBC Sport.  During his playing career, Richards has been involved with Kick It Out, football's anti-racism campaign. However, in October 2012, he was among several footballers to wear a Kick It Out anti-racism T-shirt, due to protest against the lack of action by the organisation in the wake of high-profile cases of footballers racially abusing their opponents during matches. Richards was a Twitter user until he quit using the social network site in February 2012 following a victim of racial abuse. Richards made a cameo appearance in T2’s music video called "Heartbroken", featuring Jodie Aysha.  In December 2007, News of the World published an article about Richards when he was caught in an incident in a disabled toilet. Although Sven-Goran Eriksson was ticked off over the incident, Richards faced no disciplinary action by the club and left the manager to deal with the incident. In February 2009, Richards was arrested for alleged assault of a man outside of a nightclub in Hale, Greater Manchester, at around 12.30am. Two months later, he faced no charges and the case was dropped. In April 2013, Richards received a six-month driving ban, resulting in his disqualification.

Honours.

Manchester City  Individual

Micah Lincoln Richards (born 24 June 1988) is an English former professional footballer who played as a right back. He played in the Premier League and English Football League for Manchester City and Aston Villa, and in Serie A for Fiorentina.

Micah Richards (* 24. června 1988, Birmingham, Anglie, Spojené království) je anglický fotbalový obránce a bývalý reprezentant, od roku 2015 působí v klubu Aston Villa FC. Hraje na postu středního obránce.


Club career.

Early career.

Yakubu was born in Benin City, Edo State. He started his career with Julius Berger in Lagos as a teenager in the Nigerian Premier League. He was later loaned to Portuguese club Gil Vicente.

Maccabi Haifa.

Israeli side Maccabi Haifa paid Julius Berger $300,000 for his signature. Yakubu's highest scoring season at Haifa was 2001–02, when he scored 13 times in 22 games (League season was 33 matches). He came to England and trained with Derby County but could not obtain a work permit at the time. He scored seven goals in eight European Cup appearances in the 2002–03 season UEFA Champions League, (including a hat-trick against Olympiakos and a penalty in the 3–0 win over Manchester United).

Portsmouth.

Yakubu moved to English club Portsmouth of the First Division (now the Championship) on loan on 6 January 2003. Signed by Harry Redknapp, Yakubu helped Portsmouth win the 2002–03 First Division title, scoring at a rate of one goal every two games (7 in 14 matches). He made his debut as a 57th-minute substitute for Vincent Péricard in a 1–1 away match versus Brighton & Hove Albion on 18 January. On 1 February he started for the first time and scored after 4 minutes at home to Grimsby Town. The match ended 3–0 with Yakubu substituted for Péricard after 89 minutes. Seven days later, Yakubu scored a goal in each half of a 6–2 victory over Derby County for his first brace in English football. He gained his second brace of the season with two first-half goals in a 5–0 away victory at Millwall on 1 March.  Yakubu made his loan spell at Portsmouth permanent in May 2003 for a fee of £4 million. He played 37 of Portsmouth's 38 Premier League matches in 2003–04, starting all but two. Yakubu's 16 goals made him the club's leading goal-scorer, and joint-sixth highest scorer in the entire league.  Yakubu scored his first Premier League goal in his second match, opening a 1–1 draw versus Manchester City on 23 August 2003. After eight consecutive league matches without a goal, he scored a brace in a League Cup match away to Nottingham Forest on 29 October, one of which was in extra time of the 4–2 win. Yakubu scored the final goal of a 6–1 home win over Leeds United on 8 November. On 3 January 2004, he scored an 89th-minute winner in the FA Cup third round match at home to Blackpool. Three days later he scored an equaliser in the Premier League as Portsmouth lost 2–1 away to Aston Villa. On 10 January he scored his first Premier League brace with two goals in the second half of a 4–2 home win over Manchester City. He played at the 2004 African Cup of Nations.  Yakubu ended the season with 11 goals in his last 10 Premier League matches, starting with one each in four straight games, the first being the only goal in the South Coast derby versus Southampton on 21 March. This was followed by a late winner against Blackburn Rovers in a 2–1 away victory, and an equaliser away to Charlton Athletic. On the final day of the season, he scored four goals as Portsmouth defeated Middlesbrough 5–1.  In the 2004–05 season he scored 13 goals. His final goal for Portsmouth in May 2005 before he left the club – the equaliser in a 1–1 home draw to Bolton Wanderers in the penultimate league game of the season – was the goal that ensured Portsmouth would not be relegated from Premiership in the 2004–05 season.  Yakubu's 28 Premier League goals between his two seasons make him Portsmouth's highest ever scorer in the Premier League, with nine more than their second-highest scorer Benjani Mwaruwari.

Middlesbrough.

After the 2004–05 season, he transferred from Portsmouth to Middlesbrough for a £7.5 million record fee, the highest for a Nigerian ever. Yakubu scored the only goal of the game with a penalty in the first leg of the UEFA Cup last 16 round at home against Roma, giving Middlesbrough a 1–0 victory, who later went through on away goals. His performances were rewarded, as he helped Middlesbrough reach the 2006 UEFA Cup Final against Sevilla, in which they lost 4–0.  His transfer from Portsmouth to Middlesbrough in July 2005 is one of those about which the Stevens inquiry report in June 2007 expressed concerns because of the lack of co-operation from agents Pinhas Zahavi and Barry Silkman.

Everton.

Yakubu was transferred to Everton in August 2007 for a fee of £11.25 million on a five-year contract, which was at the time the most the club had ever paid for a player. Shunning the traditional centre-forwards' number 9, Yakubu asked to be assigned number 22, setting this number as a goal-scoring target for his first season, a feat he fell one goal short of achieving. He scored 11 minutes into his debut for the club, the first goal in a 2–1 win against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium in September 2007. His first hat-trick for the club came against Fulham in a 3–0 home league win in December 2007.  Yakubu travelled to Ghana in early 2008 to compete in the Cup of Nations. Following Nigeria's exit from the competition, he was late in returning to his club, and as a result was dropped by manager David Moyes once back in England. His double against Newcastle United in a 3–1 win at Goodison Park on the last day of the 2007–08 season helped the "Toffees" clinch fifth place and a place in the 2008–09 UEFA Cup competition. He finished his first season with 15 Premier League goals to his name, and 21 goals in all competitions for Everton. Yakubu achieved his highest goal tally for a single season, and also became the first Everton player since Peter Beardsley to net 20 goals in a season.  Yakubu scored his 100th goal in English football in a league game at West Bromwich Albion early in the Premier League 2008–09 season. He scored a goal against Standard Liège in the UEFA Cup and got back on the scoresheet with a goal against Middlesbrough, his first goal in 10 games. He ruptured his achilles tendon in the 1–0 away win at Tottenham Hotspur on 30 November, ruling him out for the rest of the season. Yakubu played his first competitive game after the Achilles tendon injury against Burnley Reserves, and in his first start for the first team in almost a year, he scored within 11 minutes against Hull City in the League Cup. He came on for Jô in first-half injury time and scored an equaliser with his first touch to bring Everton level at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea. He later scored the winning goal against Stoke.

Leicester City.

Yakubu joined Leicester City on loan until the end of the season on 13 January 2011, with the possibility of a permanent transfer. He made his debut and scored in a 1–1 draw against Preston North End on 15 January 2011, followed by another goal in a 4–2 win over Millwall on 22 January.  On 12 February 2011 he scored a left footed volley in their 2–0 win over local rivals Derby County. On 2 April 2011, he scored his first hat-trick against his former club Middlesbrough. He then scored a double in Leicester's 4–2 win over Watford.

Blackburn Rovers.

On 31 August 2011, Yakubu signed a three-year contract with Blackburn Rovers for an undisclosed fee and was assigned the number 24 shirt by manager Steve Kean. He scored his first and second goals for Blackburn Rovers on 17 September on his Premier League debut against Arsenal in which Blackburn won 4–3. He was voted Man of the Match as he helped Blackburn to their first win of the season, with Blackburn fans chanting "Feed the Yak and he will score!" by the time the final whistle blew. He scored his third goal in the league in the 3–3 away draw against Norwich City. Yakubu's fourth and fifth goals of the league season came in an away 3–3 draw at Wigan Athletic on 19 November 2011. He opened the scoring from long range after 65 seconds and equalised with an injury-time penalty. He had earlier been behind an incident when Blackburn were 2–1 down, by dummying a short corner to allow team-mate Morten Gamst Pedersen to dribble the ball from the corner and cross for Junior Hoilett to equalise the game 2–2. At the end of the game, Yakubu admitted that he did not touch the ball and that the goal should not have stood.  On 3 December 2011, Yakubu scored all four goals for Blackburn in a 4–2 home win over Swansea City. He scored two in each half, finishing with a penalty. It was his first Blackburn hat-trick and his first four-goal game since the last day of the 2003–04 season, for Portsmouth against Middlesbrough. He scored 2 goals, one being a penalty, in his side's shock 2–3 victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford on 31 December 2011 which left him on 13 goals for the season in all competitions. On 15 January 2012, in a match against Fulham, Yakubu was sent off for the first time in the Premier League for a straight red. On his return from suspension, he scored against QPR. On 10 April 2012, Yakubu scored twice, while missing one penalty and scoring a second, in Blackburn's 2–3 loss at home to Liverpool. In his first season at Blackburn, he scored 18 goals, but the club were relegated to the Championship by the end of the season after a 1–0 home loss to in-form Wigan Athletic. After relegation was confirmed, Yakubu stated that he did not want to play Championship football and wanted to leave Blackburn.

Guangzhou R&F.

Yakubu confirmed on 28 June 2012 that he had left Blackburn and had signed for Chinese side Guangzhou R&F, on an initial three-year contract. On 15 July, Yakubu made his Chinese Super League debut in a Guangzhou Derby match which Guangzhou R&F played against Guangzhou Evergrande at Tianhe Stadium. He scored the winning goal of the match in the 87th minute, ending Guangzhou Evergrande's 34-league-home-match unbeaten run.

Reading.

On 2 February 2015, Reading signed free agent Yakubu on a contract until the end of the 2014–15 season. On 14 February, Yakubu scored his first goal for the "Royals" with the winner in a 2–1 defeat of Derby County at Pride Park to put the club into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Yakubu was released by Reading on 21 May 2015.

Kayserispor.

On 31 August 2015, Yakubu signed a one-year contract, with the option of an additional year, with Süper Lig side Kayserispor.

Coventry City.

On 13 February 2017, Yakubu signed for Coventry City until the end of the 2016–17 season. On 5 April 2017, having featured only three times due to suffering a hamstring injury, Yakubu's Coventry City contract was terminated by mutual consent. He announced his retirement from football on 22 November 2017.

International career.

Yakubu has scored 21 goals in his 57 appearances for Nigeria since his 2000 debut. He is currently the third highest ever international goalscorer for Nigeria.

2000 Summer Olympics.

In September 2000, Yakubu featured in Nigeria's squad for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Australia. Nigeria were the holders for the tournament. Then of Maccabi Haifa, the 17-year-old Yakubu wore the number 9 shirt. He scored the injury-time equaliser in Nigeria's first match, a 3–3 draw with Honduras on 13 September in Adelaide. He also played against the hosts Australia on 16 September in Sydney as his side won 3–2 but did not play on 19 September as they drew with Italy in Adelaide. He featured in the quarter-finals as Nigeria lost 4–1 to Chile in Melbourne on 23 September.

2002 African Cup of Nations and 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Yakubu made his full international debut on 22 April 2000 in a 4–0 home win in Lagos against Eritrea in qualification for the 2002 African Cup of Nations. He scored his first international goal in an away win against Namibia on 16 June 2001 in the same qualification campaign. On 1 July 2001, he scored his first international brace, with the second and fourth goals in a 4–0 away win over Sudan in the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification stage. He was named in the squad for the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations in Mali and was given the number 8 shirt by manager Shuaibu Amodu. On 9 February 2002, Yakubu scored the only goal of the third-place play-off against Mali after 29 minutes. However, Yakubu was not named later in the year in the squad selected by new manager Festus Onigbinde for the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

2004 African Cup of Nations.

On 7 June 2003, Yakubu scored Nigeria's first two goals as they came from behind to beat Malawi 4–1 in a qualifier for the 2004 African Cup of Nations. He retained the number 8 shirt in the squad named for the finals in Tunisia by manager Christian Chukwu but did not score. Alongside Celestine Babayaro and Victor Agali, he was sent home from the tournament for indiscipline. His then manager at Portsmouth, Harry Redknapp said he cared less about the tournament and was glad to have Yakubu back.

2006 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Yakubu scored the final goal in an away 3–0 victory over Zimbabwe and an equaliser in an away 1–1 draw against Gabon as Nigeria were beaten to the qualification place by Angola and missed the finals for the first time since 1994. Despite having a goal difference superior by +14 to +8, Nigeria did not qualify as the tie-break was on head-to-head between Nigeria and Angola.

Decision against 2006 African Cup of Nations.

Although Nigeria gained a place at the tournament due to their performance in World Cup qualification, Yakubu decided not to play at the 2006 African Cup of Nations to concentrate on his form at Middlesbrough instead. He was praised for his decision as the club defeated defending champions and league leaders Chelsea 3–0.

2010 FIFA World Cup.

At the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Yakubu notably missed an open goal from three yards against South Korea in the last Group game but later went on to score a penalty. Yakubu's penalty made sure that Nigeria earned a 2–2 draw, but this was not enough for his side to progress out of the group stages.

Personal life.

In 2008, Yakubu married Yvonne Lameen Ikhana, the daughter of former Nigerian international footballer Kadiri Ikhana, who is also the father-in-law to former Nigerian international footballer Patrick Ovie. Yakubu and Ikhana have 2 daughters named Kayla and Katriel. He used to play barefoot on the streets of Benin, Nigeria, until his brother gave him a pair of boots aged 12.

Honors.

Maccabi Haifa  Portsmouth  Nigeria

Yakubu Ayegbeni (born 22 November 1982), known as Yakubu, is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a striker. His nickname is "The Yak".

Yakubu Aiyegbeni (* 22. listopadu 1982, Benin City, Nigérie) je nigerijský fotbalový útočník a bývalý reprezentant, od července 2016 je bez angažmá.


Early life.

On January 7, 1996, Fu was born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. She is the only daughter to her parents Fu Chunsheng (傅春昇) and Shen Ying (沈英).  Fu started swimming at the age of 5.

Swimming career.

2012 Summer Olympics.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, she competed in the Women's 100 metre backstroke, finishing in 8th place in the final.

2013 World Championships.

At the 2013 World Aquatics Championship in Barcelona, Fu placed second in the 50 metre backstroke, losing to her teammate Zhao Jing with a time of 27.39s.

2014 Asian Games.

At the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, Fu won two gold medals in the 50 m and 100 m backstroke.

2015 World Championships.

She won the 50 metre backstroke at the World Aquatics Championship in 2015 and helped China win the 4x100 metre medley. In the interview, Fu complained her swimsuit was too tight.

2016 Summer Olympics.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Fu gained popularity and became a swimming icon nationwide.  Fu won a bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke by tying for third place with Canadian swimmer Kylie Masse. She finished in a national record time of 58.76. Throughout the Olympics, her cheerful interviews and goofy demeanor made her very popular. Mark Dreyer, a Beijing-based sports writer, noted that Fu exemplified "a positive trend in Chinese sports whereby athletics was undergoing a transition away from "manufactured Olympic champions" from the state-run sports system who were effective at bringing home medals but had cardboard personalities and inspired little devotion among fans'. Her series of facial expressions spread widely in the Internet, and her sayings such as "I've already spent my supernatural energy!"(Chinese: 我已使出了洪荒之力!)become very popular catchwords.  A few days later, after her lackluster performance in the 4×100-meter medley relay where the team placed fourth, she told an interviewer that she was on her period; many commended her decision to speak about this, menstruation being considered a taboo topic in sports.

2016 Asian Swimming Championships.

At the 2016 Asian Swimming Championships in Tokyo, Fu won gold medals for the first time. She won two gold medals in the 50 m and 100 m backstroke and a silver medal in the 4 × 100 m medley relay. Fu was very happy to show her medals on her Weibo.

Personal life.

Since 2016, Fu has been one of the most popular athletes in China. She takes part in some TV talk shows and charity activities. Fu also makes friends with many other swimmers such as Sun Yang and Ye Shiwen.

Fu Yuanhui (; born January 7, 1996) is a Chinese competitive female swimmer who specializes in backstroke. She won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 100-meter backstroke. She is also known for her exuberant personality and infectious happiness.

Fu Jüan-chuej (; * 7. ledna 1996 Chang-čou, ČLR) je čínská soutěžní plavkyně se specializací na znak, držitelka jedné olympijské medaile.


Biography.

Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson was a mine owner and a nobleman from the Bergslag of Norberg in the historic Swedish province of Dalarna. His family originally came from Germany, having migrated to Sweden in the 1360s. The family coat of arms shows three half-lilies formed into a triangle.  Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson was dissatisfied by the numerous offenses of the Danish local bailiffs and heavy taxation. In 1434 he started a rebellion with the support of mine workers and peasants from his home area. Engelbrekt set against the king's bailiff in Västerås,, who was blamed for the distress that mining men suffered under his rule. The rebellion grew into a massive force sweeping the country.  In 1435 Engelbrekt was appointed, Commander in chief, at a "Riksdag" in Arboga that is often considered the first "Riksdag" in Sweden. However, he was not able to withstand the Swedish nobility, who wanted to exploit the rebellion. He was somewhat forced into the background. The nobility and clergy decided to support Karl Knutsson Bonde, who in 1436 supplanted Engelbrekt as Rikshövitsman.  On 4 May 1436 Engelbrekt was assassinated at, an islet in Lake Hjälmaren, by the aristocrat, who lived in the nearby Göksholm Castle. Engelbrekt was buried in Örebro church. Måns Bengtsson was a Swedish knight and chief judge in the traditional Swedish province of Närke. He was a member of the family Natt och Dag, a family from Östergötland which belongs to the Swedish noble class.

Legacy.

Over the next few decades Engelbrekt became a national hero, depicted as a public protector and an opponent of the Kalmar Union. His rebellion came to be seen as the start of the Swedish national awakening, which would triumph in the following century with the victory of King Gustav Vasa (reigned 1523–1560). Engelbrekt himself had no such ideas, which must have been anachronistic at the time; however his rebellion gave peasants a voice in Swedish politics which they never lost afterwards. The Engelbrekt rebellion caused the unity of the Kalmar Union to erode, leading to the expulsion of Danish forces from Sweden. Although later Danish kings regained influence over Sweden, the rebellion had set a precedent for Swedish claims to sovereignty.  A bronze statue representing Engelbrekt by Swedish sculptor Carl Gustaf Qvarnström (1810–1867) was unveiled in Örebro in 1865. Statues of Engelbrekt are also found in Stockholm, Arboga and Falun. There is no known contemporary image of Engelbrekt.  Engelbrekt became the subject of "Engelbrekt" (1928), an opera by the Swedish composer Natanael Berg (1879–1957). "Engelbrekts församling" (parish) and church in the Church of Sweden Diocese of Stockholm take their name from the hero.

Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson (1390s – 4 May 1436) was a Swedish nationalist rebel leader and statesman. He was the leader of the Engelbrekt rebellion in 1434 against Eric of Pomerania, king of the Kalmar Union.

Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson (kolem 1390 – 4. květen 1436) byl švédský šlechtic, vůdce povstání z roku 1434, vedeného proti králi Eriku VII. Pomořanskému, který stál v čele Kalmarské unie, jež spojovala do jednoho celku dnešní Švédsko, Norsko a Dánsko, a to pod převážně dánským vlivem.


Description.

"New Mexico" was long overall and had a beam of and a draft of. She displaced as designed and up to at full combat load. Unlike the other members of her class, "New Mexico" was powered by four-shaft General Electric steam turbines fitted with turbo-electric transmission and nine oil-fired Babcock & Wilcox boilers rated at, generating a top speed of. The ship had a cruising range of at a speed of. Her crew numbered 1,084 officers and enlisted men. As built, she was fitted with two lattice masts with spotting tops for the main gun battery. The main armored belt was thick, while the main armored deck was up to thick. The main battery gun turrets had thick faces on barbettes. The conning tower had thick sides.  The ship was armed with a main battery of twelve /50 caliber guns in four, three-gun turrets on the centerline, placed in two superfiring pairs forward and aft of the superstructure. Unlike earlier American battleships with triple turrets, these mounts were true three-gun barrels, in that each barrel could elevate independently. The secondary battery consisted of fourteen /51 caliber guns mounted in individual casemates clustered in the superstructure amidships. Initially, the ship was fitted with twenty-two of the guns, but experiences in the North Sea during World War I demonstrated that the additional guns, which were placed in the hull, would have been unusable in anything but calm seas. As a result, these guns were removed and the casemates were plated over to prevent flooding. The secondary battery was augmented with four /50 caliber guns. In addition to her gun armament, "New Mexico" was also fitted with two torpedo tubes, mounted submerged in the hull, one on each broadside.

Service history.

On 30 June 1914, "New Mexico" was authorized by the United States Congress. Initially, "New Mexico" was to have been named "California", but she was renamed while under construction. Work on the new ship began on 14 October 1915, with her keel laying at the New York Navy Yard. She was launched on 13 April 1917, and commissioned into the fleet on 20 May 1918. Captain Ashley Herman Robertson was her first commanding officer. The ship thereafter began sea trials and a shakedown cruise before formally joining the Atlantic Fleet. In September, she was transferred to Boston. She was present during a naval review held on 26 December in New York City. She escorted the passenger ship as she carried President Woodrow Wilson to France for the Versailles Peace Conference, departing the United States on 15 January 1919. On 22 February, "New Mexico" encountered a foundering schooner; after taking off the sinking ship's crew, "New Mexico"s secondary battery used the vessel for target practice. On 27 February, the ship reached New York, and in mid-July, she had moved to Hampton Roads, Virginia. On 16 July, she became the flagship of the Pacific Fleet. Three days later, she left for California, passing through the Panama Canal and arriving in San Pedro on 9 August.  Two of her 5-inch/51 caliber guns were removed in a later overhaul, in 1922.  The next twelve years consisted of training exercises and maneuvers in the Pacific and the Caribbean, with the Pacific and the Atlantic Fleets. She also took several cruises to South American ports and was used for the early development of PID controllers. Invented by the Russian-American engineer Nicolas Minorsky for the automated steering of ships, the devices have since become widespread in control engineering. After that, in 1925, she took a cruise to Australia and New Zealand.  After her training exercises in the Atlantic and the Pacific were finished, "New Mexico" was overhauled and modernized at the Philadelphia Harbor by the Navy from March 1931 to January 1933. The overhaul included the replacement of her turbo-electric drive with more conventional geared turbines, which were made by Curtis. In addition, "New Mexico" received eight 5-inch/25 caliber anti-aircraft guns, replacing the four 3-inch/50 caliber guns that had been previously installed. After the overhaul, she returned the Pacific to continue training exercises and the development of tactical operations.  Even in 1936 during Fleet Problem XVII, she was one of the fastest battleships in the Navy, having a maximum speed of, higher than most U.S. battleships, but only faster than Japan's slowest battleships. This led to the development of the and "South Dakota"-class battleship. In 1937, she arrived in Hawaii to sail to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, where she and several other ships were sent to help the Navy evaluate fighting in sub-arctic conditions.

World War II.

1940–43.

As the prospect of war grew, "New Mexico" was based at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, from 6 December 1940 to 20 May 1941. She then left Pearl Harbor to join the Atlantic fleet at Norfolk on 16 June for neutrality patrol duty along the Atlantic coast. In the Atlantic, she served on three 7- to 14-day "shifts" following destroyers to escort convoys across the Atlantic. On 10 December, while headed to Hampton Roads (en route to the west coast after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor), she accidentally rammed and sank the U.S. freighter "Oregon" south of the Nantucket Lightship off Boston Harbor. She managed to reach the Panama Canal by 17 January 1942.  During an overhaul in May 1942, at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, she had her remaining secondary battery of twelve 5–inch/51 guns removed to make space for more anti-aircraft guns. After the overhaul, which was completed on 1 August, she departed San Francisco to Hawaii to prepare for action. From 6 December to 22 March 1943, she escorted convoys and transports to the Fiji Islands. After that, she patrolled the southwestern Pacific, before returning to Pearl Harbor to get ready for the Aleutian Islands Campaign. After her training, on 17 May, she steamed to Adak, which would be her base for the attack on Attu. She later participated in the shelling of Kiska on 21 July, which preceded the Japanese evacuation of the island a week later.  After the Aleutian Islands Campaign, a refit was undertaken at the Puget Sound Navy Yard. On 25 October, "New Mexico" returned to Pearl Harbor to practice for the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. On 20 November, while the invasion was under way, she shelled Makin Atoll. During the fighting on the islands the ship was tasked with guarding transports at night when they retreated from the islands, providing anti-aircraft fire for the unloading of supplies and troops, and providing screening fire for the aircraft carriers. After U.S. troops captured the Gilbert Islands on 5 December, "New Mexico" returned to Pearl Harbor.

1944.

"New Mexico" was part of the Marshall Islands invasion force on 12 January 1944. She shelled Kwajalein and Ebeye from 31 January to 1 February. Replenishing at Majuro, on 20 February the ship shelled Wotje, and then the following month also shelled New Ireland and Kavieng. After that, she sailed to the Solomon Islands to practice the attack on the Mariana Islands, stopping at Sydney, in Australia, on the way.  In mid-June, "New Mexico" joined the shelling of Tinian, and also bombarded Saipan and Guam. On 18 June, she helped drive away two air attacks. Later, on 20 June, she escorted transports off the Mariana Islands. Meanwhile, the carrier task force destroyed the Japanese carrier force at the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Later, she escorted troop transports to the naval base of Eniwetok. On 9 July, she sailed to guard escort carriers until 12 July. Her guns later hit Guam on 21 July and kept on shelling the island until 30 July.  After the invasion of the Mariana Islands, she received an overhaul at Bremerton, Washington, from October to November. After the overhaul, she arrived in Leyte Gulf to escort reinforcement and supply transports and convoys. She dealt with daily air attacks, as the Japanese put up heavy resistance to the liberation of the Philippines. She departed Leyte Gulf on 2 December to the Palaus, where she later joined a Mindoro-bound convoy. She provided anti-aircraft fire for the convoy and provided cover fire for invading forces. She provided cover for two more days before retiring to the Palaus.

1945.

"New Mexico"s next task in the Philippines was the liberation of Luzon. She took part in the pre-invasion shelling of Lingayen Gulf on 6 January. During the bombardment she came under heavy attack by "kamikazes", one of which hit her bridge, killing her commanding officer, Captain Robert Walton Fleming, and 29 others. The dead included Lieutenant General Herbert Lumsden, the British representative to General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. A further 87 of her crew were wounded. Bruce Fraser, the commander of the British Pacific Fleet, narrowly escaped death while on her bridge, although his secretary was killed. The guns remained in action as the ship's crew repaired the damage while the invasion troops were landing on the beaches.  More extensive repairs were completed at Pearl Harbor, after which "New Mexico" sailed to the island of Ulithi, where she was assigned to Task Force 54 (TF 54), the fire-support group for the invasion of Okinawa. Her heavy guns opened up on Okinawa on 26 March, and for the next month she continued to support the US troops ashore. On 11 May, she destroyed eight "Shinyo" suicide boats.  While she was approaching her berth in the Hagushi anchorage, just after sunset on 12 May, she was attacked by two "kamikazes". One of them plunged into her, the other managed to hit her with its bomb. She was set on fire and 54 members of "New Mexico"s crew were killed, while a further 119 were wounded. Swift action led to the fires being extinguished within 30 minutes. On 28 May, she departed for repairs at Leyte, followed by rehearsals for the planned invasion of the Japan. Word of the war's end reached her when she was at Saipan on 15 August. The next day she sailed for Okinawa to join the occupation force. She entered Sagami Wan on 27 August to support the airborne occupation of Atsugi Airfield. The next day "New Mexico" passed into Tokyo Bay to witness the Japanese surrender, which took place on 2 September. She departed Tokyo Bay on 6 September, passing Okinawa, Hawaii, and the Panama Canal, before arriving at Boston on 17 October.

Postwar.

"New Mexico" was decommissioned in Boston on 19 July 1946, and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 25 February 1947. On 9 November 1947, she was sold for scrapping to the Lipsett Division of Luria Bros, for $381,600.  Lipsett decided to tow "New Mexico" for scrapping at Newark, New Jersey. The proximity of Newark to rail lines made it an ideal location for dismantling the ship and hauling away the steel. In early November 1947 "New Mexico" departed Boston, towed by two tugs. On 12 November, while off the coast of New York, the tugs pulling the battleship encountered heavy weather and were forced to cut the tow lines. Running lights were kept on aboard "New Mexico" along with three crewmembers, but the tugs eventually lost sight of the battleship. "New Mexico" then drifted as a derelict until spotted by a Coast Guard plane the next day, 35 miles off the coast. The two tugs then secured tow lines and continued the journey to the scrapyard.  Newark city officials decided they did not want any more ships scrapped along the city's waterfront. Newark was implementing a beautification plan for the waterfront, and had allocated $70 million for improvements. As such, the city declared that any attempt to bring "New Mexico" to Newark would be blocked. Two city fireboats, "Michael P. Duffy" and "William T. Brennan", were dispatched and were prepared to use their fire hoses and chemical sprayers to halt Lipsett and "New Mexico". In response, Lipsett organized its own force of four tugs, and the United States Coast Guard declared it would guarantee safe passage of "New Mexico", provided legal entry was permitted. This showdown was dubbed by the press as the "Battle of Newark Bay", while the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce announced it would protest Newark's "slur" of "New Mexico's" namesake, through its refusal to admit the battleship.  As "New Mexico" awaited suitable tidal conditions to make the final tow into Newark, the Navy Department sent Under Secretary W. John Kenney to negotiate. After several sessions, he arranged a tenuous agreement between the City of Newark and Lipsett. Newark would allow "New Mexico" and two other battleships, and, to be scrapped at Newark, but there would be no permanent ship dismantling facility. Lipsett had nine months to dispose of the three ships, or would be subjected to a fine of $1,000 per day after the deadline.  "New Mexico" finally entered Newark Channel on 19 November, and was greeted by the same Newark fireboats that had earlier been sent to oppose the ship. Newark also arranged to have school children honor the old battleship dockside, with a marching band. "New Mexico" was subsequently joined by "Idaho" and "Wyoming", where all three were finally dismantled. Scrapping of "New Mexico" began on 24 November and was completed by July 1948.  Two ship's bells from the battleship were donated to the state of New Mexico. The larger bell was on display at the Santa Fe Plaza from 1948 until the early 1970s and is now part of the New Mexico History Museum collection. The smaller bell was sent to the University of New Mexico, where it hung in Scholes Hall from 1948 to 1964 and subsequently in its own freestanding tower near Smith Plaza.

USS "New Mexico" (BB-40) was a battleship in service with the United States Navy from 1918 to 1946. She was the lead ship of a class of three battleships, and the first ship to be named for the state of New Mexico. Her keel was laid down on 14 October 1915 at the New York Navy Yard, she was launched on 23 April 1917, and was commissioned on 20 May 1918. She was the first ship with a turbo-electric transmission, which helped her reach a cruising speed of. Shortly after completing initial training, "New Mexico" escorted the ship that carried President Woodrow Wilson to Brest, France to sign the Treaty of Versailles. The interwar period was marked with repeated exercises with the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets, use as a trial ship for PID controllers, and a major modernization between March 1931 and January 1933.

USS New Mexico byla první lodí třídy New Mexico. Pojmenována byla v souladu s doktrínou USA po jednom z amerických států, konkrétně po 47 státě – Nové Mexiko. Měla dvě sesterské lodě Mississippi a Idaho.


Current members.

Current.

Since 2018, the president and the members are:

President.

In addition to his legislative role, the President of the Governatorate of Vatican City State, who since 1 October 2011 has been Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, has been delegated executive authority for the Vatican City State as the President of the Governorate of Vatican City State by the pope. As a senior member of the Roman Curia, the President is normally a cardinal of the Catholic Church.  During a sede vacante, the term of the president ends, as do most other offices in the Curia. However, the holder of the office prior to the death or resignation of the pope becomes a member of the Commission that handles some of the functions of the head of state until a new pope can be chosen, along with the former Cardinal Secretary of State and the Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church.

Governorate of Vatican City State.

The President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State also serves as the head of government of Vatican City, the President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, an office which is distinct from the former title of Governor of Vatican City. In addition to his legislative role, the President is delegated executive authority for Vatican City by the Pope. Administrations and departments of Vatican City's government, including the Corpo della Gendarmeria, the Vatican Observatory, the Vatican Museums, and the Department of Pontifical Villas, which administers Castel Gandolfo, report to the Governorate.  The functions of the Governorate include:

The Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City (Italian: Pontificia Commissione per lo Stato della Città del Vaticano, Latin: Pontificia Commissio pro Civitate Vaticana) is the legislative body of Vatican City. It consists of the President of the Pontifical Commission, who is also the President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, and six other cardinals appointed by the pope for five-year terms.

Papežská komise pro Městský stát Vatikán je úřad, který má v zastoupení papeže nejvyšší legislativní moc v Městském státu Vatikán. V jeho čele stojí kardinál prezident, který je zároveň prezidentem governatorátu, a má tak i nejvyšší moc exekutivní. Jeho bezprostředními spolupracovníky jsou generální sekretář a generální podsekretář. Komise byla ustanovena základním zákonem státu Vatikán z roku 2000.


Personal life.

Misenga was born on 25 February 1992. He is from the Bukavu area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an area severely affected by the Second Congo War. After his mother was murdered when he was six years old, he fled to a nearby rainforest and wandered for a week, before being rescued and taken to a home in Kinshasa.  He sought political asylum in Brazil after travelling there to compete in the 2013 World Judo Championships along with fellow judoka Yolande Mabika. The pair claimed that their coaches confined them in their hotel room while leaving with their money, passports and meal tickets. After two days barely eating, Mabika escaped, and Misenga waited more days only for the staff to arrive on the day of the competition, smelling of alcohol. The following day, Mabika returned to the hotel and convinced Misenga to desert, and both were taken by an Angolan to the African immigrant-heavy neighborhood of Brás de Pina. They also stated that back in Africa, their judo coaches deprived them of food and locked them in cages when they did not perform well. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) officially granted him refugee status in September 2014.  He is now married to a Brazilian woman and has a son born in the country.

Judo.

Misenga first took up judo at a centre for displaced children in Kinshasa. In 2010 he won a bronze medal at the African under-20 Judo Championships.  At the 2013 World Judo Championships held in Brazil he was eliminated in the first round of his competition after losing to Islam Bozbayev of Kazakhstan. Following this tournament he sought asylum in Brazil and remained in the country. In Brazil he started training at the Instituto Reação, a judo school founded by Olympic bronze medallist Flávio Canto, and now trains under coach Geraldo Bernardes in Rio de Janeiro. Before being taken by Reação, Misenga had odd jobs at truck crews. He received support and funding from the IOC's Olympic Solidarity programme.  On 3 June 2016 the IOC announced that Misenga would be part of a team of ten athletes selected to compete as part of a Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In the men's 90 kg event, Misenga won his first bout against Avtar Singh of India, but lost against South Korea's Gwak Dong-han.

Popole Misenga (born 25 February 1992) is a judoka originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who has been selected by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to compete for the Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Popole (Popol) Misenga, (* 25. února 1992 Bukavu, Zair) je původem konžský zápasník–judista. Pochází z města Bukavu nedaleko rwandských hranic. Během druhé války v Kongu přišel o rodiče a později byl jako sirotek transportován do hlavního města Kinshasy. V Kinshase se v rámci humanitárních projektů seznámil s judem a od roku 2010 reprezentoval svojí vlast na mezinárodním poli. V roce 2013 během mistrovství světa v Riu požádal v Brazílii o azyl společně s krajankou Yolande Mabikavou. V Brazílii se věnuje judu pod vedením Geralda Bernardese. V roce 2016 se dostal do programu Mezinárodního olympijského výboru na celosvětovou podporu uprchlíků. Na olympijských hrách v Riu startoval pod olympijskou vlajkou jako člen Uprchlického olympijského týmu. V úvodním kole zaznamenal dílčí úspěch vítezstvím nad Indem Avtarem Singhem na yuko, v dalším kole však nestačil na mistra světa Korejce Kwak Tong-hana.


Development and production history.

In July 1941, the U.S. Army Ordnance Department initiated the development of a new fast tank destroyer to replace the M6 37 mm gun motor carriage, which was essentially a 3⁄4-ton truck with a 37 mm gun installed in the rear bed. The requirement was for a 6×4 wheeled vehicle armed with a 37 mm gun, a coaxial machine gun mounted in a turret, and a machine gun in the front hull. Its glacis armor was supposed to withstand fire from a machine gun and side armor from a machine gun. Prototypes were submitted by Studebaker (designated T21), Ford (T22) and Chrysler (T23), all of them quite similar in design and appearance.  In April 1942, the T22 was selected, despite complaints about deficiencies, due to the need for vehicles. By then, it was clear that the 37 mm gun would not be effective against the front armor of German tanks; so, the new armored car, now designated the M8, took on a reconnaissance role instead. Contract issues and minor design improvements delayed serial production until March 1943. Production ended in June 1945. A total of 8,523 M8 and 3,791 M20 armored cars were built, The M8 and M20 were manufactured at Ford Motor Company plants in Chicago, Illinois and Saint Paul, Minnesota; the St. Paul plant built 6,397 M8s to Chicago's 2,126; the 3,791 M20s were produced at the Chicago plant only.  In May 1942, having viewed the prototype, the British Tank Mission turned down the offer to acquire the M8 through Lend-Lease. It was named "Greyhound" in keeping with other U.S. armored cars already ordered by the British, such as the (cancelled) T18 Boarhound, the T17 Deerhound, the T17E1 Staghound and the (also cancelled) M38 Wolfhound.

Mission and operational performance.

The cavalry reconnaissance troops (equivalent to companies and assigned to infantry divisions) and squadrons (equivalent to battalions and assigned to armored divisions or independent and used at the direction of a division or corps commander) used by the US Army served as advance "eyes and ears." This mission demanded an emphasis on speed and agility, rather than firepower and armor. When on the march, the cavalry's mission was to make contact with enemy forces at the earliest practical moment and maintain it thereafter. In this role, the recon troops identified hostile units and reported their strength, composition, disposition and movement. During withdrawals, the cavalry often served as a screening force for the main units.  The M8 performed this function with distinction. Each M8 armored car was equipped with a long-range radio set to assist in the exercise of command, or for the purpose of relaying information received from subordinate elements to higher headquarters. Another short-range radio set served to communicate within a cavalry reconnaissance platoon, reconnaissance team, or with headquarters. The M8 weighed fully loaded with equipment and crew, and was capable of cruising cross country or on highways without refueling. On normal roads, it was capable of a sustained speed of, hence its nickname.  The M8 was not designed for offensive combat, and its firepower was adequate only against similar lightly armored enemy vehicles and infantry. The vehicle's armor provided a fair degree of protection against small-arms fire but nothing more. With a meager of floor armor, the M8 was particularly vulnerable to German mines.  The vehicle's other drawback was limited mobility in heavily wooded areas and on broken terrain; armored cavalry units preferred using the 1⁄4-ton reconnaissance car (Jeep) in these environments. A large turning radius, limited wheel travel, and open differentials limited its cross-country mobility and made the M8 susceptible to immobilization off-road in off-camber terrain and defiles. This led operators to using the vehicle mostly on existing roads and paths, where it became vulnerable to ambush. The use of wheels, rather than continuous tracks like a tank, gave it a higher ground pressure which hampered its off-road performance in soft or loose terrain such as mud and snow. Conversely, the performance of the M8 on hard surfaces was exceptional, with the vehicle having a long range and able to consistently maintain its top speed of 55 mph. Also, as a wheeled vehicle, the M8 was generally more reliable than tracked vehicles of similar size, requiring far less maintenance and logistics support.

Description.

The M8's armor was thin, but it provided protection for the crew from small-arms fire and shrapnel, enough so that the vehicle could carry out its main mission of reconnaissance. The frontal, sloped hull armor varied in thickness from 0.5 inches to 0.75 inches (15.8 to 19 mm) The side and rear hull armor, also sloped but slightly less so than the front, was 0.375 inches (9.5 mm) thick. The top armor was 0.25 inches (6.4 mm) thick, as was the floor. The turret was comparatively better protected than the hull, being 0.75 inches (19 mm) thick all around, with an 0.25-inch (6.4 mm) partial roof. The cast, rounded gun shield was uniformly 1 inch (25.4 mm) thick.  The M8 was fitted with a 37 mm M6 gun (aimed by an M70D telescopic sight) and a coaxially mounted Browning machine gun in a one-piece, cast mantlet, mounted in an open-topped, welded turret. The M8 was initially fitted without any kind of anti-aircraft defense; as a stopgap solution, a.50 caliber Browning M2HB machine gun on a ring mount was retrofitted to nearly all vehicles already in service. A purposefully-designed pintle was mounted on all late-production vehicles, but it saw comparatively little action due to a troubled development process.  The crew of four comprised a commander (who doubled as the loader), gunner, driver, and radio operator (who could also act as a driver). The driver and radio operator were seated in the forward section of the hull, while the commander and gunner sat in the turret, with the commander seated on the right, and the gunner on the left,  The vehicle carried 80 37 mm rounds (16 in the turret and 64 in an ammunition rack in the right sponson) when fitted with a single radio. Vehicles with a second radio installed only carried 16 main gun rounds. Some units solved this problem by cutting up the removed main ammunition rack and stowing 18 rounds in each sponson, under the radios. This raised the number of main gun rounds able to be carried to 52. Another modification (the most common one) involved fabricating (again from the discarded main ammunition rack) a 43-round bin to be placed behind the driver's seat, and a 20-round bin attached to the framing of the turret basket. This raised the ammunition capacity up to 79 rounds. Machine gun ammunition consisted of 1,500.30 caliber rounds and 400.50 caliber rounds. In addition, the vehicle carried a mix of 16 smoke and hand grenades, four smoke pots, six M1 anti-tank mines and four M1 carbines for the crew.  The M8 was powered by a Hercules Model JXD in-line six-cylinder 320 in3 gasoline engine giving it a top speed of 55 mph (88 km/h) on-road, and off-road. With a 59 U.S. gallon (210 litre) fuel tank and an average fuel consumption of 7.5 mpg, it could manage an average road range of 200–400 miles (320–640 km) The Hercules JXD ran more quietly than other engines of comparable power, which helped the M8 maintain an element of surprise and reduce the chance of being heard by the enemy. Because of this, the M8 armored cars in Patton's Third Army were known as "Patton's ghosts", since they were almost never detected by the Germans until it was too late.

Service history.

World War II.

The M8 light armored car, the "Greyhound", entered combat service with the Allies in 1943. It was purpose designed to serve as the primary basic command and communication combat vehicle of the U.S. Cavalry Reconnaissance Troops.  The M8 first saw action in Sicily in 1943 and was subsequently used by the U.S. Army in Italy, Europe, and the Pacific. In the latter theater, it was used mostly on Okinawa and the Philippines, and was even employed in its original tank destroyer role as most Japanese tanks had armor that was vulnerable to its 37 mm gun.  Over 1,000 were supplied via lend-lease channels to US allies; United Kingdom, Free France and Brazil. The vehicle was considered fast, sufficiently reliable (after some technical problems were solved) and armed and armored well enough for reconnaissance missions. However, cavalry units criticized its off-road performance, which was even worse than the M3A1 scout car it replaced. In the mountainous terrain of Italy and in the deep mud and snow of North European winter, the M8 was more or less restricted to roads, which greatly reduced its value as a reconnaissance vehicle. It was also very vulnerable to landmines. An add-on armor kit was designed to provide an extra quarter-inch of belly armor to reduce landmine vulnerability. Some crews placed sandbags on the floor to make up for the thin belly armor.  Another problem was that commanders often used their reconnaissance squadrons for fire support missions, for which the thinly-armored M8 was ill-suited. When it encountered German armored reconnaissance units, the M8 could easily penetrate their armor with its 37 mm gun. Conversely, its own thin armor was vulnerable to the 20 mm autocannons that German scout cars were equipped with.  There is a story that during the Battle of St. Vith in the Battle of the Bulge, an M8 of Troop B, 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron was able to destroy a German King Tiger heavy tank after getting in behind one on the Schonberg Road. According to the story, the commander tried to traverse his turret to engage the M8. The M8 fired three 37 mm rounds through the 80 mm thick rear armor of the Tiger from only, setting it on fire. According to Antony Beevor: "There was a muffled explosion, followed by flames which billowed out of the turret and engine port." On the face of it, this story seems unlikely, as a 37mm M6 gun could only penetrate 61mm of armour, much less than the 80mm-thick rear armour of a Tiger tank. However, it was reported as fact by the US Army, on the authority of a Major Donald P. Boyer, Jr., who claimed to have witnessed the engagement.  Due to mobility problems with the M8, namely with regards to its suspension, the US Army's Special Armored Vehicle Board recommended the development of a new six-wheeled armored car which matched the M8's dimensions and size but was equipped with articulated, independently sprung suspension system. Two prototypes, the Studebaker T27 and Chevrolet T28 were trialled by the US and also reviewed by the British Armed Forces. The new armored car program was shelved and then permanently cancelled due to the end of the war, as impetus and funding for new military development projects had plummeted. The fleet of preexisting M8 and M20 armored cars was then considered more than adequate for the postwar US Army, which was demobilizing thousands of personnel and already had large stockpiles of equipment surplus to its requirements.

Post-war.

After the war, many of the US Army's M8 and M20 armored cars were marked off as surplus and donated or sold to various countries, especially under the Foreign Military Assistance Program (MAP). Most of the remaining vehicles remained in service with the United States Constabulary in various Western European nations. M8s were also used by American occupation forces in Korea, which later donated them to the fledgling Republic of Korea Army's first armored cavalry regiment.  Most M8s and M20s remaining in US service had been allocated to one of five reorganized armored cavalry regiments by the early 1950s. The others were utilized by the Military Police Corps, which deployed them during the Korean War for guarding static installations and escorting prisoners. A small number of M20s were modified by US or South Korean forces as assault vehicles equipped with ring-mounted flamethrowers during that conflict. All the US Army M8s and M20s were retired from active duty due to age and increasing obsolescence shortly after the Korean War. The majority of decommissioned vehicles were then shipped abroad as aid to various armies, especially the French Far East Expeditionary Corps, save for a small number which were retained by Army National Guard units. When the Army National Guard retired its own armored cars a few years later, an undisclosed number were purchased by domestic police departments and modified for riot control purposes.  France was the largest postwar operator of the M8/M20 series after the United States, having received hundreds of the vehicles as American aid between 1945 and 1954. During the First Indochina War, many second-hand examples were shipped directly from the US to French Indochina, where they were deployed for rural patrols and road reconnaissance. These remained in service in Indochina until the end of the war, when they were donated to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). The French Foreign Legion also utilized the M8 during the Algerian War, where it was superseded first by the Panhard EBR and subsequently by the Panhard AML in counter-insurgency operations. The EBR was accepted as a generic replacement for all remaining M8s by the French military in 1956. Between 1956 and 1964 the remaining M8s and M20s were donated to the Mobile Gendarmerie, as well as the armies of several former French colonies.  ARVN M8s and M20s saw considerable action during the Vietnam War; however, by 1962 the US noted the attrition rate of the fleet was becoming high due to age. This resulted in a proposal to fund the design and production of a new purpose built armored car for the South Vietnamese government: the Cadillac Gage Commando. The Commando series began to replace the M8 and M20 in ARVN service from the mid-1960s onward. A small number of the older armored cars were still held by the ARVN reserves as late as 1975; these were inherited by the People's Army of Vietnam after the war.  Another country which received a substantial number of ex-American M8s following the war was Belgium, which presumably received them as part of a NATO military assistance program. These M8s were adopted primarily by the Belgian Air Component, which issued them to base security units, and the Force Publique in the Belgian Congo. Following Congolese independence several of the Force Publique M8s fell into the hands of Katangese separatists, while others were repurposed for peacekeeping operations by the United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC).  The continued proliferation of M8s and M20s during the late 1960s and 1970s resulted in American and French defense contractors offering several commercial upgrade kits to extend their service life. At least ten countries, Cameroon, Cyprus, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Morocco, Venezuela, and Zaire, modernized their M8/M20 fleets with diesel engines and new transmissions during this time. The National Army of Colombia also invested heavily in upgrading the M8's turret armament, having it replaced by a single.50 caliber machine gun and a launcher for BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missiles. In the late 1960s Brazil developed an upgraded M8 with an articulated suspension, new gearbox, and new engine built with parts that could be sourced locally. This project spawned a series of indigenous prototypes, including a bizarre four-wheeled variant of the M8 chassis known as the "VBB", and another more conventional six-wheeled design known as the "VBR-2". The latter subsequently evolved into the first Brazilian manufactured armored car, the EE-9 Cascavel.

The M8 Light Armored Car is a 6×6 armored car produced by the Ford Motor Company during World War II. It was used from 1943 by the United States and British troops in Europe and the Far East until the end of the war. The vehicle was widely exported and still remained in service with some countries.

M8 Greyhound je šestikolový lehce pancéřovaný obrněný automobil, který byl přijat do výzbroje Armády Spojených států amerických s oficiálním označením "Car Armored Light M8" v roce 1942. První sériové vozy začaly sjíždět z výrobní linky firmy Ford počátkem roku 1943. Ve stejném roce bylo do výzbroje přijato velitelské a spojovací vozidlo s označením "Car Armored Utility M10", které bylo odvozeno z typu M8. Protože označení M10 již bylo použito pro stíhač tanků M10 Wolverine, bylo označení změněno na M20. Kromě americké armády používala M8 a M20 britská armáda a vojska svobodných Francouzů generála de Gaulla.


Plot.

Cable Hogue is isolated in the desert, awaiting his partners, Taggart and Bowen, who are scouting for water. The two plot to seize what little water remains to save themselves. Cable, who hesitates to defend himself, is disarmed and abandoned to almost certain death.  Confronted with sandstorms and other desert elements, Cable bargains with God. Four days later, about to perish, he stumbles upon a muddy pit. He digs and discovers an abundant supply of water.  After discovering that his well is the only source of water between two towns on a stagecoach route, he decides to live there and build a business. Cable's first paying customer is the Rev. Joshua Duncan Sloane, a wandering minister of a church of his own revelation. Joshua doubts the legitimacy of Cable's claim to the spring, prompting Cable to race into town to file at the land office.  Cable faces the mockery of everyone he tells about his discovery. That does not deter him from buying surrounding his spring. He immediately goes to the stage office to drum up business but is thrown out by the skeptical owner. He pitches his business plan to a bank president, who is dubious about the claim. Cable impresses the banker with his attitude and he is staked to $100.  Cable, who hasn’t bathed since his desert wanderings, decides to treat himself to a night with Hildy, a prostitute in the town saloon. They quickly develop a jovial understanding but before they can consummate the transaction, Cable remembers that he has still not set up his boundary markers and rushes out, much to Hildy's chagrin. She chases him out of the saloon in a sequence that wreaks havoc on the town.  Back at the spring, Cable and Joshua get to work, dubbing the claim Cable Springs. The two decide to go into town and are drunk by the time they arrive. Cable makes up with Hildy and spends the night with her, leaving Joshua to pursue his passion: the seduction of emotionally vulnerable women.  Cable and Joshua continue to run the robust business, delighting in shocking the often genteel travelers with the realities of frontier life. In moments of solitude, Cable and Joshua philosophize on the nature of love and the passing of their era. Joshua decides that he must return to town. Hildy arrives at Cable Springs having been "asked" to leave by the modernizing townfolk, who can no longer abide open prostitution in their midst. She tells Cable that she will leave for San Francisco in the morning but winds up staying with him for three weeks. This time elapses during a tender, romantic montage.  Then one day, Taggart and Bowen arrive on the stagecoach. Cable lets them believe that he bears them no ill will, and he alludes to a huge stash of cash that he has hoarded, knowing that the two men will return to steal it. When they do, Cable outwits them, by throwing rattlesnakes into the pit they have dug. When they surrender, he orders them to strip to their underwear to venture into the desert, just as he had been forced to do. Taggart, believing Cable will once again hesitate to defend himself, reaches for his gun but Hogue shoots him dead.  A motor car appears, driving right past Cable Springs with no need or interest in stopping for water. The drivers laugh at the archaic scene of western violence as they race past. "Went right on by," says Cable in amazement. "Well, that's gonna be the next fella's worry."  Cable takes mercy on the grovelling Bowen. He even gives him Cable Springs, having decided to go to San Francisco to find Hildy. The stagecoach arrives and Cable gets ready to pack up when suddenly another motorcar appears. This one does stop and Hildy emerges, opulently dressed. She has become prosperous and, now on her way to New Orleans, has come to see if Cable is ready to join her. He agrees but while he loads the motorcar he accidentally trips its brake. The car runs over him as he pushes Bowen out of the way.  Joshua, who arrives by a black motorcycle with a sidecar, gives a eulogy for Cable as he dies. This segues into a funeral with the cast standing mournfully over Cable's grave. They are grieving not only the death of the man but the era he represents. The stagecoach and motorcar drive off in opposite directions. A coyote wanders into the abandoned Cable Springs. But the coyote has a collar – possibly symbolising the taming of the wilderness.

Production.

Sam Peckinpah followed his violent, critically acclaimed 1969 film "The Wild Bunch" with this mostly non-violent Western. Utilizing many of the same cast (L.Q. Jones, Strother Martin) and crew members of "The Wild Bunch", Peckinpah shot on location in the desert of Nevada and Apacheland Movie Ranch located in Apache Junction, Arizona. The production was plagued by poor weather, Peckinpah's renewed alcohol consumption and his brusque firing of 36 crew members. When unable to shoot due to weather conditions, the cast and crew would go to a local bar, eventually running up a tab of $70,000. The chaotic filming wrapped 19 days over schedule and $3 million over budget, terminating his tenure with Warner Bros.-Seven Arts. In retrospect, it was a damaging career move. The critical and box office hits "Deliverance" (1972) and "Jeremiah Johnson" (1972) were in development at the time and Peckinpah was considered the first choice to direct them. His alienation of Warner Brothers left him with a limited number of directing jobs. Peckinpah was forced to do a 180-degree turn from "The Ballad of Cable Hogue" and traveled to England to direct "Straw Dogs" (1971), one of his darkest and most psychologically disturbing films.

Soundtrack.

"The Ballad of Cable Hogue" has an original score by Jerry Goldsmith and songs by Richard Gillis. Each of the main characters has a theme: Hogue's "Tomorrow is the Song I Sing", Hildy's "Butterfly Morning", and Joshua's "Wait for Me, Sunrise." The soundtrack was eventually released in 2001, by Varèse Sarabande in a limited edition album of only 3000 copies.

Reception.

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 93% based on reviews from 14 critics.  Roger Ebert of the "Chicago Sun-Times" gave the film three-and-a-half stars out of four and called it "a splendid example of the New Western. It's also a fine movie, a wonderfully comic tale we didn't quite expect from a director who seems more at home with violence than with humor." Roger Greenspun of "The New York Times" called it "Peckinpah's gentlest, boldest, and perhaps most likable film to date. It is also thematically his most ambitious." Gene Siskel of the "Chicago Tribune" gave the film three stars out of four and wrote that there were "many things to cherish in 'Cable Hogue,' especially Jason Robards' flawless performance. Robards is able to be both as tough and as compassionate as his character." Siskel's main complaints was during the second act when "one of two things happened. Either my needs require a quicker-moving film or gunplay, or Peckinpah did not have enough of a story." Arthur D. Murphy of "Variety" called it "a Damon Runyon-esque oater" that was "[l]oaded with bawdy, lusty and gritty elements, plus genuine tenderness and feeling, as well as too much length... This is a notable, but not substantial, flaw in an otherwise excellent film." Charles Champlin of the "Los Angeles Times" stated that the film "gets away to a shocking and immensely cinematic start. The trail, I'm afraid, winds down from there, but even at his most heavy-handed, simplistic and protracted, Peckinpah remains just about the most genuinely individualistic American director of his generation." Gary Arnold of "The Washington Post" called it "a mood piece in which the right mood—a laconic fairy tale, rather like William Wyler's 'The Westerner' with Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan—is only fitfully achieved and sustained. There are nice moments, nice feelings, but the film has a jerky rhythm and uneven tone. It feels rather absent-minded, as if Peckinpah were distracted during the shooting (as indeed, he was—be editing 'The Wild Bunch') and never found a consistent style for this material."  Largely ignored upon its release, "The Ballad of Cable Hogue" has been rediscovered and is often held by critics as an example of the breadth of Peckinpah's talent. They claim that the film proves Peckinpah's ability to make unconventional and original work without resorting to explicit violence. Over the years, Peckinpah cited the film as a favorite. All the town scenes were filmed on location at Apacheland Movie Ranch in Apache Junction, Arizona. The desert scenes at Cable Springs and elsewhere were filmed in Nevada at Valley of Fire State Park.  Critics have called "The Ballad of Cable Hogue" a "Death of the West" film, depicting the transition from old to modern civilization. Other films of this category include "Once Upon a Time in the West" (1968), "Paint Your Wagon" (1969), "Monte Walsh" (1970), "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean" (1972), "The Shootist" (1976), "Unforgiven" (1992) and Peckinpah's "Ride the High Country" (1962), "The Wild Bunch" (1969) and "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" (1973).

Box office.

"The Ballad of Cable Hogue" had an operating budget of $3,716,946. The film earned $5,000,000 worldwide, with $3,500,000 in box office sales in the United States, and an additional $1,500,000 internationally.

Popular culture.

Welsh musician John Cale wrote and recorded a song titled "Cable Hogue" for his 1975 album "Helen of Troy."  Tucson band Calexico wrote a song called "Ballad Of Cable Hogue" on their 2000 album Hot Rail, which shares similar lyrical themes to the plot of the film.

The Ballad of Cable Hogue is a 1970 American Technicolor Western film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Jason Robards, Stella Stevens and David Warner. Set in the Arizona desert during a period when the frontier was closing, the film follows three years in the life of a failed prospector. While unmistakably a Western, the movie is unconventional for the genre and for the director. It contains only a few brief scenes of violence and gunplay, relying more on a subtly crafted story that could better be characterized as comedic in nature.

Balada o Cable Hogueovi (v originále "") je americký western z roku 1970. Natočil jej režisér Sam Peckinpah podle scénáře, jehož autory byli John Crawford a Edmund Penney. Ve snímku hráli Jason Robards, Stella Stevens, David Warner a další. Odehrává se v arizonské poušti v době, kdy byly uzavřeny hranice. Snímek sleduje tři roky v životě neúspěšného prospektora. Autorem hudby k filmu je Jerry Goldsmith. Velšský hudebník a skladatel John Cale se filmem inspiroval ve své písni „Cable Hogue“ z alba "Helen of Troy".