Addicks break away hoodoo

Rams on top

—– In Rafa Benitez’s 100th league game in charge, Liverpool dent Chelsea’s title hopes with an impressive 2-0 win at Anfield.
Without first choice centre-back’s John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho, the champions look a pale shadow of the team that dominated the Premiership over the last couple of seasons.
Liverpool are now only five points behind them with genuine hopes of taking second place.
Charlton Athletic give their survival hopes a boost. Their 1-0 win at Portsmouth is the Addicks first away win since October 2005.
West Ham United also come close to a vital away win but let a two-goal lead slip to draw 2-2 at Newcastle United.
Free-scoring Middlesbrough continue their fine New Year form as they take their tally to 12 goals in three games in the last week as they stun Bolton Wanderers 5-1 at the Riverside.
Reading beat Sheffield United 3-1 in a controversial clash at the Madejski Stadium.
Blades sub Keith Gillespie is sent off after only ten seconds of coming on and before the ball is back in play for striking Stephen Hunt. Then United boss Neil Warnock and Reading coach Wally Downes are also dismissed after a touchline melee.

—– With the weather forcing Birmingham City to be inactive for the second Saturday in a row (their game at Leicester City is postponed due to wind damage in the vicinity of the Walkers Stadium), Derby County take advantage to become the new leaders of the Championship.
The Rams 1-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Southend United takes them to the top of the table for the first time in 12 years.
Preston North End are now level on points with Blues after coming from two down to beat Stoke City 3-2 at Deepdale.
West Bromwich Albion and Southampton also maintain the pressure with away wins at strugglers Leeds United (3-2) and Queens Park Rangers (2-0), respectively.
The first Anglia derby at Portman Road since October 1956 sees Ipswich Town beat Colchester United 3-2.
Cardiff City win 2-1 at Wolverhampton Wanderers, but it is witnessed by none of their supporters.
In a decision that had Football League backing, Wolves refuse to sell tickets to Bluebirds fans after trouble on their two previous visits to Molineux. That is despite subsequent charges of failing to control supporters made against City but were dismissed by the Football Association of Wales.
In a Fans United Day protest, around a hundred Cardiff supporters join followers of other clubs for a rally on the steps of Wolverhampton’s civic centre.

—– There’s a three way tie on 52-points at the top of League One.
Scunthorpe United still lead the way after a 2-2 draw in the local derby at Doncaster Rovers.
Bristol City move up to second after a brilliant 3-0 win at fellow promotion chasers Oldham Athletic.
Nottingham Forest’s goalless draw at Swansea City leaves them in third place.
Neil Harris becomes Millwall’s all-time record league goalscorer with the opener in a 4-0 win against Rotherham United at the New Den. He goes past the previous Lions record of 93 goals held by Teddy Sheringham.

—– Walsall lose 1-2 at Mansfield Town, and their lead at the top of League Two is cut to three points after Swindon Town win 3-1 at Boston United.
Milton Keynes Dons are a point further back after a 3-1 win against nine-man Barnet at the National Hockey Stadium.
With a 3-0 win against Hereford United at Moss Rose, Macclesfield Town move out of the bottom two for the first time this season and move up to 20th.
Darren Ferguson - the 34 year-old son of Sir Alex Ferguson - begins his own managerial career after being named player / manager of Peterborough United. Caretaker manager Tommy Taylor oversees Posh’s 0-3 home defeat by Stockport County.

Belgravia end Toon interest

Call for All-Ireland team

—– UEFA throw Feyenoord out of this season’s UEFA Cup competition after crowd trouble during their match in France against Nancy on 30 November.
The game in the group stage was stopped for half an hour because of trouble in the stands as the Dutch club trailed 3-0.
Financial director Onno Jacobs says: “Our true supporters are the real victims of this decision. They are paying the price for the faults of individuals who have nothing to do with the club and from whom Feyenoord has always distanced itself.”
They were due to play Tottenham Hotspur in the last 32 knockout stage in February.
It appears that Spurs will either receive a bye or face Wisla Krakow, the fourth placed team in Feyenoord’s group.

—– The Belgravia Group says it no longer intends to make an offer for Newcastle United.
The Jersey-based investment fund say that, despite lengthy negotiations with the Premiership club, they had been “unable to agree a price and transaction structure”.
They are the second interested party to pull out of takeover talks with the Magpies this month after the American Polygon hedge fund also withdrew.
Former Toon chairman Sir John Hall has said he is willing to sell his majority 28.8% stake in the club.

—– The Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern calls for football’s governing bodies in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to be merged.
Speaking to the Soccer Writers Association of Ireland in Dundalk, he says an all-Ireland league would generate more income for clubs and provide more talented players for a re-constituted national team.
Mr Ahern explained much has changed since the Football Association of Ireland was formed: “In 1921, the south had emerged from the war of independence, while a majority in the north viewed with increasing fear developments in the new state. Eighty-six years later, we enjoy a dramatically changed Ireland.”

Axe falls on Adams

The richer get a whole lot richer

—– Newcastle United’s injury-ravaged team is taken one game too far as they are sent crashing out of the FA Cup by Championship leaders Birmingham City at St James’ Park.
The 1-5 humbling is the Toon’s heaviest home defeat in the FA Cup since they lost 0-5 to Sheffield United in January 1914.
While United manager Glenn Roeder apologises for their performance, Blues’ success leaves City boss Steve Bruce - a boyhood Newcastle fan - with a tricky conundrum: “Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think the team could come here and beat Newcastle in their own back-yard 5-1. I am a Geordie, and so are my mam and dad, my mother and father-in-law…I will be in for a tough time over the next couple of days.”
Leicester City look to be on their way to a giantkilling as they lead Fulham 3-1 at Craven Cottage but the Premiership team fight back to win 4-3 with a last minute goal from Wayne Routledge.
Tottenham Hotspur have little trouble seeing off the challenge from Cardiff City with a 4-0 win at White Hart Lane.

—– Following last night’s FA Cup exit at the hands of Bristol City, Coventry City sack manager Micky Adams. He had been in charge of the Sky Blues for a week short of two years.
After a run of one point from their last six Championship games, Adams says: “I’m devastated and bitterly disappointed. It’s not been a disastrous tenure and that’s what I can’t understand. I felt I could have turned it around.”
An official club statement reads: “This is a decision that the board of Coventry City Football Club has not taken lightly.
“Everyone at the club has supported Micky 100%, but unfortunately, results have not gone as well as we all anticipated given the substantial investment in the team.
“We are committed to our three-year quest to get Coventry City back into the Premiership and believe that tough decisions like this will sometimes be needed to fulfil that aim as is sadly the case today.”
Adrian Heath is placed in caretaker charge following the departure of the club’s sixth manager since 2001.

—– Just in case Premiership clubs have concerns as to how they are going to make ends meet, they’ll be relieved to hear the news that the Premier League have agreed a new £625million deal for overseas television rights.
It means the team finishing bottom of the Premiership next season will claim £30million - about the same amount that current title holders Chelsea won last season.
The domestic TV rights auction generated a staggering £1.7billion.
With the vastly increased income, the Premier League make no comment about the possibility of reducing match admission prices.

Tiger scare for Boro

Iron back on top

—– League One promotion chasers Bristol City provide the shock of the FA Cup Third Round replays with a 2-0 win at Coventry City.
It’s the Sky Blues’ eighth game without a win as the pressure mounts on manager Micky Adams. After 99 games in charge, his future will be discussed at a board meeting tomorrow.
Bristol City will now welcome Premiership Middlesbrough to Ashton Gate in Round Four. Boro appeared to be moving smoothly through to the next stage when leading Hull City 3-0 at the Riverside until a brave fightback by the Tigers saw the home team sneak through by a 4-3 margin.
Chester City achieve the rare feat of losing two FA Cup ties in the same season. Knocked out by Bury in the Second Round, they were re-instated when it was found that the Shakers fielded an ineligible player. Despite a dogged display at Portman Road, their FA Cup run finally ends in a 0-1 defeat at Ipswich Town.
Barnsley hopes of a morale boost for their league form backfire as fellow Championship relegation candidates Southend United win 2-0 at Oakwell.
Manchester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Plymouth Argyle avoid potential upsets with wins against Sheffield Wednesday (2-1), Oldham Athletic (2-0) and Peterborough United (2-1) respectively.

—– Scunthorpe United move back to the top of League One with a 1-1 draw at Cheltenham Town. The Iron’s Billy Sharp nets his 20th goal of the season.
Tranmere Rovers move back in to the Play-Off places with a 1-0 win against Crewe Alexandra at Prenton Park.

—– In League Two, Accrington Stanley win their first home game since September (3-2 against Mansfield Town) but the attendance of 1,234 at the Fraser Eagle Stadium is the lowest in the Football League since March 2002.
Mid-table Bury and Darlington draw 1-1 ay Gigg Lane.

Posh push Alexander

Butler does it for Saddlers

—– The Scottish Football Association avoid a long drawn-out legal battle by accepting Rangers offer of £400,000 compensation for the services of new manager Walter Smith.
The SFA threatened to sue Smith and the Ibrox club after rejecting an initial offer when Smith left his post of national team coach to commence his second spell in charge of the Glasgow giants last week with 18 months of his contract still to run.
They have now compiled a list of candidates to replace Smith and former Rangers boss Alex McLeish is believed to be their favoured option.
Meanwhile, the most recent former Rangers boss Paul Le Guen is named the new manager of Paris St Germain.
Guy Lacombe was sacked on Saturday after PSG slumped to 17th place in Ligue 1.

—– After less than eight months in charge at London Road, Peterborough United part company with manager Keith Alexander following six consecutive League Two defeats.
Ambitious Irish businessman Darragh MacAnthony took over from previous chairman Barry Fry in October and has already sanctioned eight incoming transfers during the current January Transfer Window,
Assistant coach Tommy Taylor will be in charge for tomorrow’s FA Cup replay against Plymouth Argyle.

—– Elsewhere in League Two, Walsall extend their lead at the top to six points after a Martin Butler brace in their comfortable 2-0 home victory against Grimsby Town at the Bescot Stadium.

Injury-hit Toon stun Spurs

Pressley makes winning return

—– Hollywood comes to Goodison Park as Sylvester Stallone - in the UK to promote his new Rocky Balboa movie - is in the crowd to see the 1-1 draw with Reading.
Everton don’t escape with a victory after Andrew Johnson levels a first-half Joleon Lescott own goal.

—– Injury-hit Newcastle United pull off a tremendous 3-2 win at Tottenham Hotspur.
With a team of first-teamers unavailable, United survive a first-half battering at White Hart Lane.
The winner comes from Nicky Butt who had spent most of the week in his sick bed.

—– There’s a happy return to Heart of Midlothian for Steven Pressley who captains Celtic for the first time on his return to Tynecastle following his controversial departure last month.
Jiri Jarosik hits a superb winner as Celtic come from behind to stretch their lead in the Scottish Premier League to 17 points.

More gloom for Addicks and Hammers

Rams pitch in

—– It’s as you were in the Premiership as there’s no changes to the top 12 as all of the top four win.
Aston Villa have now gone 11 league games without a win as they lose at leaders Manchester United (1-3) for the second Saturday in a row.
Despite the continuing speculation about the future of manager Jose Mourinho, Chelsea sweep away Wigan Athletic (4-0) at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool end their dreadful week with a comfortable 3-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Watford.
Arsenal continue their fine form with a 2-0 win at Blackburn Rovers despite having Gilberto Silva sent-off after only 13 minutes.
Charlton Athletic’s struggles continue as Middlesbrough record their first away win of the season (3-1).
West Ham United also remain in the bottom three after a last minute equaliser from Phillipe Christanval earns Fulham a 3-3 draw at Upton Park.
The meeting of two of the games most experienced managers ends in a 1-1 stalemate at Bramall Lane. Sheffield United’s Neil Warnock and Portsmouth’s Harry Redknapp both have managerial careers spanning more than 1,000 games.

—– With Birmingham City’s match with Leeds United postponed due to the newly-laid St Andrews’ pitch being unfit for play, Derby County draw level with the Championship leaders after David Jones’ last minute free-kick clinches all three points against Sheffield Wednesday at Pride Park.
Preston North End are only three points behind after a 1-0 win at Barnsley.
Early pacesetters Cardiff City continue to lose ground as bottom club Southend United win 1-0 at Ninian Park.
Hull City’s revival under Phil Brown continues as two goals in the last five minutes from Stuart Elliott seals a dramatic 2-1 win against fellow strugglers Queens Park Rangers at the KC Stadium.

—– In the battle of the top two at Glanford Park, a last ditch equaliser from Gary McDonald saves a point for Oldham Athletic as Scunthorpe United play with only nine men for the last third of the game.
Grant Holt’s only goal of the game at the City Ground against Yeovil Town sees Nottingham Forest move back to the top.
Bristol City remain in fourth place after a tremendous comeback against Tranmere Rovers at Ashton Gate. They trail 0-2 at the interval but fight back to run out 3-2 winners.

—– With League Two leaders Walsall inactive, Swindon Town take advantage as they move in to second with a 2-1 win against Wrexham at the County Ground.
Lincoln City are held to a 1-1 at Sincil Bank by Shrewsbury Town while Milton Keynes Dons go down to a 0-1 defeat at Hartlepool United.

—– Walter Smith’s second spell in charge at Rangers gets off to a flying start.
A crowd of over 50,000 at Ibrox see Dundee United put to the sword by the tune of a 5-0 scoreline.

Dragons ditch Smith

Barrow defender jailed

—– David Beckham announces that he will leave Real Madrid at the end of the current season and join Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy.
The 31-year-old former England captain will sign a five-year deal. It effectively ends any chance of him returning to international football.
The consolation is a deal reported to be worth a total of £128million (or £500,000 per week) which is understood to comprise his salary, existing sponsorship contracts, merchandising shirt sales and a share of the club profits.
It is said to make him the highest paid team sports player in the USA.
Becks says: “I am proud to have played for two of the biggest clubs in football and I look forward to the new challenge of growing the world’s most popular game in a country that is as passionate about its sport as my own.”
He becomes the highest profile name to sign up for Major League Soccer since its inception in 1996 and the most famous player to play club football in the US since the likes of Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff played in the North American Soccer League in the 1970s.

—– The irony of David Beckham’s mega-bucks deal won’t be lost on Denis Smith on the day that the veteran manager loses his job at Wrexham.
Much of the former York City, Sunderland and Bristol City chief’s five year tenure has been a battle for survival. The Welsh club’s future was in severe doubt at one stage and Smith, his staff and players went for long spells without payment.
They entered administration in December 2004 and were subsequently docked ten points and relegated to League Two.
Although the club is now much more secure, they are just two points above the League Two relegation zone, so the Dragons board chose to dispense with his services, along with assistant Kevin Russell.
Coach Brian Carey takes charge until the end of the season.

—– Following an incident that could set a controversial precedent for higher profile players, it is believed that Barrow defender James Cotterill has become the first footballer in the history of the game in England to be jailed for an offence on the pitch.
The 24 year-old former Scunthorpe United centre-back pleaded guilty to punching Bristol Rovers striker Sean Rigg during a FA Cup First Round match at Holker Street on 11 November.
Rigg’s jaw will be held in place by metal plates for the rest of his life.
The incident was captured by the cameras of BBC TV’s Match of the Day programme.
Cotterill is sentenced to four months imprisonment by Preston Crown Court after admitting grievous bodily harm.
The Football Association has already banned Cotterill from playing football until March 2007. Cotterill resigned soon after the incident.

Chairboys hold Chelsea

Wolves receive Souness bid

—– Hours after handing in his resignation to the Scottish Football Association, Scotland national team coach Walter Smith is confirmed as the new manager of Rangers.
Having previously led the Gers to nine successive SPL titles, the 58 year-old returns for his second spell in charge at Ibrox. He will be assisted by former Rangers favourite Ally McCoist and ex-Celtic youth coach Kenny McDowall.
Smith says: “I am delighted to return to Rangers as manager. This club has always been in my blood and I can’t wait to get started.
With pride restored in the Scotland team, Smith’s departure from the SFA splits the country.
It’s an acrimonious parting as an official SFA statement suggests there will be a day in court: “No agreement has been reached with Mr Smith or Rangers Football Club on any compensation payment to be made for the early termination of his employment, which is in breach of his contract with the Scottish FA.”
SFA chief executive David Taylor adds: “Walter’s departure is a serious blow to the Scottish FA.”
Ironically, recent Rangers boss Alex McLeish emerges as the early favourite to succeed Smith.

—– League Two Wycombe Wanderers hold Chelsea to a 1-1 draw at Adams Park in the first leg of their Carling Cup Semi-Final.
Although some of their big guns are missing, Chelsea’s team is still packed with star names.
But it’s Chairboy Jermaine Easter who grabs the headlines as he nets the late equaliser with his 19th goal of the season.
Delighted Wycombe boss Paul Lambert says: “We were absolutely brilliant to come back against a world class side. It is going to be ten times harder in the second leg but we have kept the tie alive and anything is possible.”

—– Following earlier denials by the Championship club, a consortium led by Graeme Souness make a written offer for Wolverhampton Wanderers to confirm a £20million verbal bid last week.
A statement released by Souness says: “Myself and my partners - all of whom are UK-born and based - made a written offer which is being considered. Both parties have agreed to keep these negotiations confidential.”
Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey confirms he has received the offer from Souness to buy the Molineux club.

Barnet reach Round 4 for first time

Wolves deny Souness approach

—– Arsenal tee up a Carling Cup semi-final meeting with Tottenham Hotspur after an astonishing 6-3 win at Liverpool.
With both sides fielding below strength teams, Julio Baptista scores four (and misses a penalty) as the Gunners win at Anfield for the second time in four days following Saturday’s 3-1 FA Cup success.
It’s the first time Liverpool have conceded six goals in a game at Anfield since a 0-6 defeat by Sunderland in April 1930.
Many pundits slam the home defending with Red boss Rafa Benitez spotting an obvious difficulty: “The problem was conceding four goals in the first half. When you are faced with a scoreline like that it is very difficult to manage the game.”
Amazingly, Liverpool hadn’t conceded a goal in the eight consecutive games at Anfield prior to Arsenal’s arrival on Merseyside at the weekend.

—– Another North London club enjoys a night to remember as Barnet reach the Fourth Round of the FA Cup for the first time in their history.
The Bees beat Championship surprise package Colchester United (55 places higher in the Football League ladder) 2-1 at Underhill.
In the night’s other tie, Reading - who field only two players from their last Premiership game - beat Burnley 3-2 at the Madejski Stadium.

Graeme Souness insists he has made a £20million bid to take control of Wolverhampton Wanderers, despite the Championship club denying his claim.
Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey earlier dismissed reports that the former Liverpool and Newcastle United manager had shown an interest in buying the club from Sir Jack Hayward.
Souness says: “I don’t know why Jez Moxey is saying these things. Last week I made an offer, subject to an examination of the club’s books and accounts, of £20million.
“I have a partner and I see the club having vast potential and I would put more money into it - if I got the opportunity. This is not a Johnny Foreigner coming along to make a quick buck.”