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West Brom and Stoke - any chance of staying in the Premier League?

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.

Watch West Ham live online

Watch Birmingham live online

Liverpool manager looking to sue Warnock

If you ask most people in football whether they like Neil Warnock, the answer is no. The current Crystal Palace manager seems to find it easier to make enemies rather than friends, which is a shame as he’s actually a very nice bloke when you get to know him. The Guardian reports that Rafael Benitez has consulted his lawyer after the former Sheffield United boss questioned the Liverpool manager’s integrity in a recent newspaper column.

Benítez bristled at a question about Warnock’s comments and said: ‘Somebody told me [about them]. We knew he was bad as a manager and prehistoric, but we didn’t know he was a person like this. I will speak to my lawyer. We don’t need to waste time with him.’

It’s clear that Warnock is still bitter about the Blades’ relegation last season on the final day of the season. One of their relegation rivals was Fulham, who achieved a 1-0 win over a weakened Reds team. However, Benitez was not the first and certainly won’t be the last manager to do this when there are crucial games on the horizon. And anyhow, what exactly constitutes a weakened team when you have two players for every position anyway?

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Warnock Wants Charlton Help On Sinclair Deal

Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock has an eye on taking Chelsea starlet Scott Sinclair on loan to help aid the Eagle’s promotion push.

However, this idea hits a snag. Sinclair is already on loan at play-off chasing rivals Charlton.

Warnock is arguing, as per usual, that Sinclair has hardly played at all at The Valley, making the loan pointless, whereas he says he would have played “every game” at Selhurst Park:

I did speak to him before he went there, told him he could play every game with us, but obviously they thought Charlton was a bigger fish and - I suppose in the position they were in - they were a bigger fish.

But he hasn’t played much has he? And that’s what he went out for - games. It’s a shame when I see that because he could have played every game for us.

Palace have to bank on a favour from London neighbours Charlton to terminate the loan as the month-long deal finishes on March 28th - Championship loan deadline day. That’s something Warnock isn’t getting his hopes up for:

Normally you sign for three months but [Chelsea] can have a 24 hour recall, in case they get an injury, or I think they can mutually call him back after 28 days if all three parties are in agreement. But that’s the only chance we’ve got of having him - so I don’t expect any help before Thursday.

Wednesday’s Transfer Rumours

Wednesday’s piping hot transfer rumours…

Manchester United are ready to bag Sporting Lisbon’s defender Miguel Veloso for £15m. (Daily Mirror)

Portsmouth gaffer ‘Arry Redknapp is after Crystal Palace left-back Lee Hills. (Daily Mirror)
…But Lee Hills himself reckons that he isn’t leaving Selhurst Park anytime soon. (Daily Star)

Sunderland are ready to swoop for Southampton’s 21-year-old midfielder Andrew Surman in the summer transfer window. (The Daily Mail)

Chelsea are sniffing around FC Brno’s Czech midfielder Luboš Kalouda, but will have to beat off interest from CSKA Moscow to sign the 20-year-old. (The Independent)

Coventry’s new boss Chris Coleman is to make his first move in the transfer market by bringing Fulham defender Ian Pearce in on loan. (The Times)

Supreme Goodison baldie, Lee Carsley will be gifted a new contract because of his barnstorming form. (The Sun)

Spurs boss Juande Ramos will recall England’s number 1 (in terms of gaffes) Paul Robinson, for Uefa Cup tie with Slavia Prague. (Daily Mail)

Wednesday’s Transfer Rumour Frenzy! - Part 2

Everton’s ginger supremo David Moyes remains confident that Joleon Lescott will sign a new Everton deal despite being linked in the ‘mee-ja’ with a move to Arsenal or Manchester United. (Various)

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish has managed to nab Aston Villa defender Gary Cahill , beating Boltonto his signature. (Daily Mirror)

…And Bolton could drown their sorrows at missing out on Gary Cahill by stepping up their interest in Real Betis’ Croatian defender Marko Babic; upping their original £2.2m offer. (Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill is desperate to bag Spurs’ recalcitrant full back Pascal Chimbonda before the transfer window slams shut. (Various)

…And Villa boss Martin O’Neill is also after a grab bag of last minute signings including Leicester full back Richard Stearman and Crystal Palace striker Sean Scannell. (Daily Mirror)

Sunderland boss Roy Keane is ready swoop for Charlton midfielder Andy Reid, in a player (Greg Halford) plus cash (£2.5m) deal. (Various)

Middlesbrough Chairman Steve Gibson has slammed Stewart Downing’s agent for his Machiavellian scheming. Gibson - contrary to what agent Elliott thinks - claims that he has offered the winger a sparkling new contract. (Daily Mail)

Watch Birmingham live online

Watch Aston Villa live online

Saturday’s Big Transfer Rumours

A steaming pile of weekend transfer rumours courtesy of Sportingo…

Liverpool’s lanky paperclip of a striker has had enough of the transfer guff being spoken about him and he has reiterated his desire to stay at the club. This will come as a disappointment to Sven Goran Eriksson, who was said to be monitoring events at Anfield. (Various)

Despite Jurgen Klinsmann’s declaration that he doesn’t want Daniel Van Buyten to leave Bayern Munich, clubs are still lining up to “have a word” with the defender. The latest club to make a move for the Beligian international is Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle. (The Sun)

A long queue of admirers for midfielder Oliver Kapo is forming outside St Andrews but Portsmouth are trying to leap ahead of frontrunners Sunderland and Wigan with a £3m bid. (Mirror)

Young Manchester United defender Ryan Shawcross has “disappointed” The Lord of the Ferg by signing for Stoke in a package worth £2million. (The Sun)

Tottenham are pondering opening up their massive transfer wallet and pulling out £9m to sign Juventus’ ex-Chelsea midfielder Tiago. (Sun)
…And Tottenham are sniffing around Udinese’s 26 year-old Andrea Dossena who can play at either left-back or left wing. (Times)
…Whilst 23-year-old winger Wayne Routledge thinks that Tottenham want too much dosh for him and that is scaring off potential suitors like QPR, Crystal Palace and Watford. Routledge said: “I’m valued at a price by Spurs and clubs aren’t willing to pay that. I need a compromise.” (The Sun)

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is after Werder Bremen midfielder Leon Andreason, the word on the street is that the Dane has been spied at the Cottagers’ training ground. (Times)
…And Fulham are also trailing Lazio defender Guglielmo Stendardo, but will have to beat away interest from Birmingham. (Daily Mirror)
…But Hodgson’s £5m move for Watford’s Marlon King could be scuppered because of the gnarly state of King’s right knee. (Mirror)

Portsmouth boss ‘Arry Redknapp has moeved to take French defender Lucien Aubrey on loan from Lens with a view to a permanent move. (Express)

Roy Keane has sanctioned the shipping out of Stephen Wright on loan to Hull for six months. (Mirror)

Watch Liverpool live online

Watch Birmingham live online

What was the biggest FA Cup shock of the day?

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

Watch Blackburn live online

Watch Aston Villa live online

From Barnsley to West Brom, via Hull City: BBC to broacast Football League matches

It’s not been a great year for Auntie, what with losing a load of funding, being found out to be dirty rotten cheats ripping of quiz contestants and Gary Lineker still smirking at the camera. So it with a smile on our face that we bring you better news from White City, the Beeb will be broadcasting Football League matches from 2009. Well, it worked for ITV Digital.

So, what are the details?

The BBC will show Football League and Carling Cup matches from the 2009 to 2012 seasons after winning the contract in a joint bid with Sky.

Oh yeah, the Carling Cup too, we forgot that.

It means Championship matches will be screened live on the BBC for the first time, with 10 first-choice games per season exclusively live on the BBC.

And what’s more…

The Carling Cup final will be simulcast live with Sky, and two semi-final legs shown exclusively live on the BBC.

No, we don’t know what that means either. So, is this a step forward for the Championship or just another sign that BBC sport ain’t what it used to be?

Who is the best player outside the Premiership?

For a while it was Kevin Phillips, for ages it was Jason Koumas, there was even some rubbish talked about Robert Earnshaw at some point. But who is currently the best player outside the Premiership? Well, here are some options, but feel free to pick your own?

Kevin Phillips (West Brom) - Is he past it? Probably, but a bit of expeience never hurt anyone.

Darius Henderson (Watford) - Scores a shed load of goal, but is he just a flash in the pan?

Zolton Gera (West Brom) - Top class midfielder, who really should be playing in Premiership soon.

Robbie Fowler (Cardiff) - Stop laughing at the back, he used to be the next Jimmy Greaves, that’s got to be worth something.

Jimbo Beattie (Sheff United) - The only good thing about Bryan Robson’s reign?

Peter Halmosi (Plymouth) - An outsider for the title, this Hungarian winger is leading Ollie’s Argyle revolution.

Any better suggestions?

Peter Taylor is never out of work for long, but then neither is the Grim Reaper

He’s back, the flavour of the month (the month being May 2000), Peter Taylor is to continue spreading the magic that so enamoured Crystal Palace fans to him at… Stevenage. Of the Conference. How the slightly mighty have fallen. So how did you pull this one off, Phil Wallace, chairman of Stevenage?

“I’ve done nothing else for almost a week other than work on the managerial position, but it was worth it to get Peter on board.”

This is a Championship appointment in the Conference and shows our desire to compete for promotion this season and next.”

Indeed Phil, although ideally the Championship appointment didn’t just get sacked from said Championship. But COS is going to put aside it’s natural cynicism to say that in the Conference Peter Taylor might just prove he isn’t rubbish afterall, even though he’s generally failed at everything.

Three Things You Learned From Midweek Championship Action? Charlton, West Brom, Queens Park Rangers, Crystal Palace and more

While many people may have been distracted by Arsenal and their showing off at the Emirates, the Championship continued to show itself to be as unpredictable as Rafa Benitez’s substitution policy last night (Zing! An oldie, but a goodie). Charlton were leapfrogged by Plymouth, who beat them 2-1 at The Valley. Sheffield United won for the first time in 184 games against Leicester, while their former manager lost his first home game in charge of Crystal Palace against the ugly-but-effective Stoke.

So just like those bastards following the Premier League we ask you to tell everyone the three things you learned from the midweek results, it’s a chance to share your thoughts and see what others felt as well. Here are the results as a refresher:

Burnley 2-1 Norwich

Charlton 1-2 Plymouth

Coventry 0-3 Watford

Palace 1-3 Stoke

Ipswich 3-1 Colchester

Leicester 0-1 Sheff Utd

Preston 0-0 QPR

Sheff Wed 1-2 Scunthorpe

West Brom 2-1 Blackpool

Three Things You Learned From The Weekend’s Championship Matches?

It was back to the rat-race for Championship players at the weekend and they looked more than happy about it; turning in some great performances.

Sheffield Wednesday continued to get their season back on track with a impressive win at Stoke while Watford continued to steamroll their way to the Premiership as Marlon King grabbed another goal against Hull. Meanwhile, Neil Warnock almost got off to a winning start before Palace returned to their usual form and Man Utd’s Lee Martin proved to be a wise loan signing for Plymouth with a man of the match performance.

But here’s your chance to tell everyone what you learned from the weekend’s Championship results, and to see what others thought as well. Sort of a lower-league love-in, only not quit as disgusting.

Barnsley 1-1 Burnley

Blackpool 1-1 Palace

Colchester 3-2 West Brom

Norwich 1-3 Bristol City

Plymouth 1-0 Coventry

Queens Park Rangers 1-1 Ipswich

Scunthorpe 0-0 Leicester

Sheffield United 1-1 Preston North End

Stoke 2-4 Sheffield Wednesday

Watford 1-0 Hull

Wolves 2-0 Charlton

Championship Prediction Mania

Like the first day back at school after half-term, domestic football returns tomorrow and it doesn’t look too appealing. But wait, don’t run off to MFI to buy that decking for garden just yet, their are some appealing fixtures in the Championship. How about Neil warnock’s first game in charge of Crystal Palace? Then, of course, there is the battle of the B-ley teams at Oakwell (ok, we’re stretching it here). What will happen is anyone’s guess, but why not show your guess is better than ours by challenging our predictions, below:

Cut and paste into the comments with your own predictions, or just put down a few thoughts:

Barnsley v Burnley - away win

Blackpool v Crystal Palace - draw

Colchester v West Brom - home win

Norwich v Bristol City - home win

Plymouth v Coventry - draw

QPR v Ipswich - home win

Scunthorpe v Leicester - away win

Sheff Utd v Preston - draw

Stoke v Sheff Wed - home win

Watford v Hull - home win

Wolves v Charlton - draw

Southampton v Cardiff - away win

Championship Gossip and Rumours: Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Stoke and Leeds

Scared of writing four posts each packed less exciting content than Keira Knightley’s fridge, today’s Championship news comes in one healthy slap-up meal.

- Manchester United’s not-quite-good-enough full-back Phil Bardsley has joined Sheffield United on loan, where he’ll link up with not-quite-good-enough manager Bryan Robson.

- Kit Symons has left his role as first-team coach at Crystal Palace after the arrival of Neil Warnock. And we thought Manchester United were the only club that replaced their kit half-way through the season. Get it? “Kit?” Haha!

- Stoke’s Mamady Sidibe (and Sevilla’s Freddi Kanoute) was attacked by angry Togo while representing Mali on Friday. Not very funny this one, but he’ll be fine so don’t worry.

- Former Leeds striker Michael Bridges won’t be joining Carlisle according to wonderfully named owner Fred Story. Nothing funny about this either, Bridges is playing Sydney FC, what disaster for the kid. (Yes, Leeds aren’t in the Championship but we have a soft spot for em)

Crystal Palace Now Have Two Complete Nutters In Charge

Simon Jordan has wasted little time in replacing Peter Taylor, bringing in tabloid favourite Neil ’soundbite’ Warnock. But it isn’t all good news Warnock fans, for he told a ‘packed’ press-conference:

“This will be my last job.”

Say it ain’t so Neil, how will we cope?

Simon Jordan then outlined how their relationship would work:

“If Neil needs something and he has a good reason for it, he will get it. If he does not have a good reason for it, then he won’t.

“But I know Neil is determined to do a good job. I always used to benchmark our progress I at Palace by the results we had against Neil Warnock’s Sheffield United.

“I know I have the right man. It is the dream ticket. We both say what we mean and we mean what we say.”

Is that a dream ticket, or just an argument waiting to happen?

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