THE STATE OF PLAY FOR A-LEAGUE EXPANSION BIDS* TasmaniaStatus: Mega-wealthy former Victory investors Harry Stamoulis and Robert Belteky have already met with FFA, saying theyre ready to go from next year with support from all levels of government.Pros: A cheap stadium deal, as well as plenty of dollars and know-how from Stamoulis and Belteky.Cons: Football is far from the top game in this AFL-mad state, with little infrastructure and growth potential in a limited market.* AucklandStatus: Very early days to quote Auckland Citys chairman Ivan Vuksich. The New Zealand powerhouse is the only realistic option for expansion across the ditch, but would require a leap of faith from FFA.Pros: Successful football pedigree, the chance for a Kiwi derby and weekly A-League content in New Zealand, a strong catchment of 1.5 million.Cons: Questions of commitment. From the club, FFA, NZ Football and potential investors.* CanberraStatus: Up in the air. Governing body Capital Football isnt bidding and previous A-League aspirant investor Ivan Slavich is currently backing Central Coasts two-game deal in the nations capital.Pros: Solid stadium, junior numbers and lack of competition in one of Australias richest, if smaller, cities.Cons: FFA isnt keen. David Gallop pointedly rebuked the citys A-League aspirations around the time it hosted an A-League qualifer last year.* South MelbourneStatus: Ready to go, so they say. The powerhouse NSL club has been working to join the A-League since the day it was overlooked for the league and will mount a solid case.Pros: History and the chance to heal the ongoing rift between new football and old soccer. A solid stadium deal and long-term lease. History of success.Cons: Does Melbourne need another team with Citys attendances so low? Would Victory fight their admission?* GeelongStatus: Interested groups are getting organised but a Geelong bid is still in the embryonic stages.Pros: Theres room in Victoria for another team, and state and local government are likely to offer support. Geelong is a sports town with a record of producing Socceroos.Cons: Simonds Stadium might have narrow boundaries but its ultimately not a venue suitable for football. Questions over support base.* Brisbane StrikersStatus: The former NSL champions have assembled a bid team, headed by the colourful Miron Bleiberg, and will soon submit a formal bid to FFA.Pros: A strong brand, an existing structure, a successful academy and a ready-made rivalry with Brisbane Roar.Cons: Venue. If the Strikers cant find somewhere to play other than Suncorp Stadium, theyll struggle for a point of difference with the Roar.* South SydneyStatus: They were nearly ready to replace Wellington Phoenix last season, and the murmurs are continuing that FFA wants a third team in Sydney.Pros: Sydneys big enough for three teams, right? FFAs number crunchers have determined the south is an untapped market, with a big participation base.Cons: Sydney FC are dead against it, as one third of their members come from the shire, while Wollongong wants a standalone team.* WollongongStatus: The Wolves say they will have a look at FFAs expansion criteria once its released, but they could have some high-powered backers lined up.Pros: The Illawarra, a bit like the Hunter, is a true football region. WIN Stadium would be perfect.Cons: Forces outside of their control seem to prefer a southern Sydney team, based part-time in Wollongong.* AdelaideStatus: Adelaide City and West Adelaide, two former NSL stalwarts, have made noises about an A-League bid.Pros: Both are historic clubs who figure the Reds could do with a derby rival. Wests want Robbie Fowler as their inaugural coach.Cons: Does little old Adelaide really have room for two teams? Whos not supporting Adelaide United in SA?* PerthStatus: Football West is aiming for a second Perth team in the next three to five years in an audacious bid to turbo-charge the game in WA.Pros: Perths a growing city and numbers would suggest not everyone is on board with the Glory, for whatever reason.Cons: The Glory are just getting settled off-field and a rival team would chew into their market at an inopportune time.* Not happeningNorth Queensland: The Northern Fury say they wont be ready for this round of expansion, and the Hong Kong casino mogul backers of Cairns-based FNQ Heat have seemingly moved on.Gold Coast: There is a desire from some parties to revive Gold Coasts A-League presence but no action at this stage. Maybe one day. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys UK . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record. Football Jerseys UK . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. http://www.cheapjerseysuk.com/ . Rinne played two periods in his first game since left hip surgery in early May. Gabriel Bourque scored 3:07 into the second period and Austin Watson tallied 5:15 later for Nashville. Cheap NCAA Jerseys UK . The Clippers were angry about blowing a big lead; the Kings didnt like being in that kind of hole and nearly digging themselves out only to lose. Cheap College Jerseys UK . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Cubs manager Joe Maddon thought Jorge Soler might get a jolt out of returning to the majors after spending two months recovering from a nagging hamstring injury, including a two-week stint in the minors.Boy, was Maddon right.Soler hit a three-run home run in his first at-bat after being activated off the disabled list, Jon Lester pitched seven strong innings, and Chicago beat the Oakland Athletics 7-2 on Friday night.Sometimes a guy just needs to show up and then he gets the adrenaline going on, and that was a big hit, Maddon said. I didnt think it was high enough to go out. It was out so quickly.Dexter Fowler also homered while Javier Baez added a two-run double to help Chicago win its fifth straight. The Cubs also improved to a major league-best 67-41.Lester (12-4) pitched for the As over the final two months of the 2014 season after getting traded from Boston. He returned to the Coliseum for the first time since then and faced a distinctly different Oakland team than the one he left.Any time youve been on the home side and come back as a visitor its different, said Lester, who had eight strikeouts, and allowed two runs on nine hits.I enjoyed pitching here. I wish it turned out a little different but I was with a good team and great fans. Its unbelievable to come here as a home player as opposed to a visitor.Soler, out since June 6 with a hamstring injury, celebrated his return to the majors with his home run in the first inning off As starter Dillon Overton (1-3).That capped a four-run burst by the Cubs that included Fowlers fifth game-opening home run this season.Soler also reached on a fielders choice and scored on Baezs double in the third. Jason Heyward added an RBI single in the inning to help extend Chicagos lead to 7-0.dddddddddddd wasnt feeling any pressure, I just wanted to put a good swing on the ball, Soler said through an interpreter. I was a little bit frustrated being out at least two months but I just wanted to keep the positive attitude and come here and try to do my best.Brett Eibner, called up from the minors earlier in the day, homered against Lester leading off the sixth for Oakland. Marcus Semien added an RBI single.ROOKIE ROUGHED UPOverton allowed seven runs in three innings but suffered his third consecutive loss. The rookie left-hander is winless since beating the Los Angeles Angels in his major league debut June 25. Believe it or not I was actually hitting my spots better tonight, Overton said. They were just hitting everything I threw. Youre going to have days like that You just have to work with it and keep grounded.TRAINERS ROOMCubs: Maddon said the plan is to ease Soler back in and get him some defensive work in the outfield before the team faces another NL team on Aug. 11. ... RHP Joe Nathan was designated for assignment. The 41-year-old was 1-0 in three appearances with the Chicago.Athletics: Jed Lowrie was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a bunion on his left foot. ... RHP Jesse Hahn also went on the DL with a strained right shoulder. ... RHP Andrew Triggs was called back up from Triple-A Nashville along with Eibner.UP NEXTCubs: RHP Jake Arrieta (12-5) pitches the middle game of the series at the Coliseum. The Chicago ace has lost three straight decisions.Athetics: RHP Sonny Gray (5-10) has won only twice in 11 starts since coming off the disabled list. Gray has a 5.57 ERA over that span. 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