Blackburn, Middlesbrough and West Brom currently occupy the bottom three of the Premier League, although just eight points separate the bottom-placed Baggies with 10th-placed Fulham. Just who will the relegated teams be this season? And are Tottenham and Newcastle safe from the drop? [Read the rest of this entry »]

The Blues cruised to a 3-0 victory at The Hawthorns on Saturday evening, looking every inch as though they were Premier League champions-elect. However, one of the West Brom players wasn’t best pleased with the Chelsea captain, claiming that he was hurt deliberately by his ‘mad’ opposite number. [Read the rest of this entry »]

This consistently underperforming wide man is trying his best to force his boss to reconsider his possible sale.
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Was it a barnstorming game or a damp squib? Who had a ‘mare’ and who was on the money? You decide with our lovely cut and paste thingy!
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Some have gone as far as to claim that fifteen teams could be relegated from the Premier League this season, especially with West Brom, Hull and Stoke all putting up a decent fight. Clubs seem to be scrambling over each other to avoid sitting in the drop zone, with Tottenham still bottom of the table despite a recent resurgence. [Read the rest of this entry »]

This youngster was all set for a bright future at White Hart Lane, but something seems to have gone horribly wrong, and now he looks set to leave the club!
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While there have been encouraging signs from some of the recent Magpies performances, only Tottenham seperate Newcastle from being rock-bottom of the Premier League, and it’s difficult to see Spurs occupying such a lowly position for the remainder of the season. Therefore, United need to start pulling their socks up, or become embroiled in a relegation dogfight for the second season running, something that several people will insist that ‘the fans don’t deserve’. [Read the rest of this entry »]

A player that Sir Alex has reportedly been interested in bringing to Old Trafford has been told by his West Brom manager that he would not stand in the way of such a move!
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There may have only been seven matches played this season in the Premier League (six if you’re Manchester United or Fulham), but there are some unlikely names assembling in the bottom half dozen of the table. While Newcastle residing in the lower half of the table isn’t a great surprise this term, to see the Magpies joining Tottenham at the very foot of the division is something of a shock. Will they still be there come May? [Read the rest of this entry »]

Not many teams will win at The Emirates this season, although that’s exactly what Hull did on Saturday evening. Nobody could argue that the Tigers weren’t full value for the three points, taking advantage of Arsenal profligacy and notching two second half goals in quick succession. The question is, can they and their fellow top-flight new boys stay in the Premier League? [Read the rest of this entry »]

Looking at the Premier League table, you might be forgiven for assuming that Bolton Wanderers have got off to a decent start this season. Indeed, if they hadn’t missed from the penalty spot at St James’ Park ten days ago, they could have seven points to show from their first three matches. [Read the rest of this entry »]

The Baggies could argue that they got off to a decent start on Saturday by only losing 1-0 at The Emirates. While they have no points to show for their performance, it will have been satisfying for Tony Mowbray to see his troops keep the scoreline down to a minimum against a team who will bag plenty of goals on home turf this campaign. Even more pleasing for Albion fans is the news that they’re set to splash the cash for an exciting talent! [Read the rest of this entry »]

Scott Carson is an ambitious young man. His move from Liverpool might have represented a backward step in his career, yet the keeper is still only 22 and has plenty of time on his side to forge a successful career in the Premier League. Indeed, he still has his sights set on regaining a place, despite joining newly-promoted West Brom. [Read the rest of this entry »]

Rafael Benitez may have originally wanted £10 million for Scott Carson, although it seems that the Reds are only going to pocket a third of that amount after it was confirmed that West Brom had landed the England international. [Read the rest of this entry »]

West Brom midfielder Zoltan Gera has turned his nose up at the club’s latest contract, and instead scampered off to Craven Cottage to sign for Fulham. An interesting move, especially given the fact that Everton were rumoured to be interested and West Brom have been playing some glorious football in the Championship and promise to play some great football in the top flight too. West Brom gaffer Tony Mowbray magnanimously declared:

“Having offered Zoltan the best contract the club could at this time, we could do no more. We wish Zoltan all the best in his future career.” (Independent)

What do Baggies fans think though, is Gera a twerp for jilting his club at the Premier League altar?

The Daily Mirror reckons Liverpool keeper Scott Carson is wanted by West Bromwich Albion.

But the Midlands club aren’t able to cough up the cash, so they’re reportedly in discussions with Liverpool over a possible loan move.

Scott Carson, who spent last season at Aston Villa, has previously said he wants to quit Anfield because it’s so hard to wrestle the Number 1 jersey off Pepe Reina. But Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez invoked Carson’s wrath when he slapped him with a £9million price-tag.

With Premiership experience, as well as a few outings in the Champions League, Carson has proved himself a class keeper. It’s only natural he wants to feature regularly in the first-team; however, surely Rafa should try and persuade him to stay?

Every top club needs two top drawer keepers. Since the departure of Dudek, Liverpool have struggled with cover for Reina and, as Chelsea saw last season, injuries to keepers can play havoc with your title hopes.

Although it’s going to be very hard to oust Pepe “Mr Clean Sheet” Reina, should Rafa encourage Carson to stay or let him go? And if he does let him go, isn’t money a better option than loaning him out?

That’s the question that many people will be asking after the Tigers landed promotion on Saturday afternoon, thanks to an amazing strike from Dean Windass. The 39-year-old has been an influential figure for City this season, yet it’s hard to imagine him or many of his team-mates cutting it in the Premier League.

Not that Hull are too bothered right now, with the BBC reporting that chairman Paul Duffen is experiencing a ‘life-changing’ moment, having seen the club go from relegation fodder to promotion contenders in the space of a season.

Duffen, who took over last year, told BBC Look North: “I’ll have a chance to reflect properly in the summer.

“It is life changing for the city and for all sorts of people. It’s something that needs a bit of sober reflection.”

Will Hull ‘do a Derby’ next season and accrue only a handful of points or will some sound investment, allied to a good working relationship between board and manager, ensure that the Tigers finish seventeenth or better? They are already at a disadvantage due to the fact that they have less time to sign new players compared to West Brom, Stoke and every other club in the Premier League. It’s going to be a long hard season for the promoted trio but the fans must be in dreamland right now.

They’ll be dancing in the streets of Hanley and Newcastle-under-Lyme after Stoke City bagged themselves the second automatic promotion spot on Sunday. The Potters have done magnificently this season, coming from behind on several occasions to land wins or draws against Championship opponents and it’s hard to argue that they don’t deserve their place in the Premier League next season.

Quite whether they’ll stay there for longer than a season is another matter. Many have commented that this season’s Championship has been bereft of quality, with West Brom winning the league with the lowest points total for over two decades. Not that the Baggies or Stoke care at this particular moment in time, with the BBC reporting Tony Pulis, the manager of the latter, in a bullish mood.

“I have to say a special ‘thank you’ to the chairman. Peter showed a lot of character to buy this club and spent a lot of money on it.

“This is a great day for this club and an opportunity for us to build and push on for next year.”

However, the fun starts next week when Pulis and Coates have to start planning for next season. With just eleven points on the board this season, Derby County have demonstrated how promotion to the top flight can go terribly wrong and while the Rams will be much richer for their season in the big time, it’s obvious that the promoted three will be desperate not to disgrace themselves in such a manner.

The new boys will take heart from Sunderland’s efforts this season, a team who were floundering in mid-table of the Championship when Roy Keane took over and have now completed a successful season of consolidation in the Premier League. Birmingham too have shown that the gulf between the teams at the bottom of the top flight and the top of the second division isn’t that great, while the Baggies and Potters will also be confident of finishing above at least one other team – the one who is promoted through the play-offs and has less time to prepare for the new campaign.

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John “Once Worth £7m” Hartson has today revealed that he rejected the chance to play for Celtic’s fierce rivals Glasgow Rangers only 15 months ago.

After failing a medical for Dick Advocaat’s Rangers, Harton headed for Celtic Park and had a successful 5-year spell, reaching the UEFA Cup Final before moving on to West Brom. And it was when he was at this club , and during Paul Le guen’s awful tenture, that Rangers chairman Sir David Murray contacted the ginger hardnut about a possible move back North.

There was no way that I could ever pull on a Rangers shirt after all that I achieved in five years at Celtic.

Mr Murray tried to convince me it would work but it was a no-brainer as far as I was concerned.

Hartson also went on to cement his Swansea roots as he dismissed another club, should they have any intention on trying to sign him:

There are two clubs in the world that I could never contemplate playing for now – Cardiff City and Rangers.

Who knows. Perhaps now he has no club and couldn’t get a game at The Hawthorns, maybe he thinks it would have been a good idea to get one nice last payday.

Upsets left right and centre in today’s FA Cup action. But what was the biggest shock?Coventry somehow managed to obliterate Blackburn 4-1, whilst League One Huddersfield beat Birmingham 2-1. Special mention should also go to Sheffield United who booted out Bolton with a 1-0 win lowly and injury ravaged Oldham, who beat Everton 1-0 at Goodison Park.

So what was your upset of the day?

Here are today’s 3rd round results in full:

Barnsley 2-1 Blackpool
Blackburn 1-4 Coventry
Bolton 0-1 Sheff Utd
Brighton 1-2 Mansfield
Bristol City 1-2 Middlesbrough
Charlton 1-1 West Brom
Chasetown 1-3 Cardiff
Chelsea 1-0 QPR
Colchester 1-3 Peterborough
Everton 0-1 Oldham
Huddersfield 2-1 Birmingham
Ipswich 0-1 Portsmouth
Norwich 1-1 Bury
Plymouth 3-2 Hull
Preston 1-0 Scunthorpe
Southampton 2-0 Leicester
Southend 5-2 Dag & Red
Sunderland 0-3 Wigan
Swansea 1-1 Havant and W
Swindon 1-1 Barnet
Tottenham 2-2 Reading
Tranmere 2-2 Hereford
Walsall 0-0 Millwall
Watford 2-0 Crystal Palace
West Ham 0-0 Man City
Wolverhampton 2-1 Cambridge Utd
Manchester United LATE KICK OFF Aston Villa

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