Latest ChampionShip News

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Rams looking at pair
Kisnorbo and Deeney link up with Derby for trial period

Patrick Kisnorbo and Saul Deeney have been given the opportunity to try and earn contracts with Derby.

Versatile Australian defender Kisnorbo was released by Leicester earlier this summer following the expiration of his contract.

The 28-year-old, who also spent time with Hearts earlier in his career, has now linked up with the Rams for a trial period.

Goalkeeper Deeney is also training with Derby in an attempt to earn a permanent deal.

Deeney played for Nigel Clough at Burton but is now a free agent and will be hoping to impress.

Both players featured in the pre-season friendly victory over Burton on Saturday, along with fellow trialist Mark Fotheringham.
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Bassong warns of mass exodus
Magpies ace fears players will leave if Shearer is not appointed

Want-away Newcastle defender Sebastien Bassong has warned that there will be a mass exodus at St James' Park if Alan Shearer is not installed as manager.

At present the Magpies are in disarray with owner Mike Ashley seemingly no nearer to selling the club despite interest from a number of different parties.

Ashley is determined not to let anything jeopardise a potential sale hence why he is reluctant to appoint a manager at present.

Shearer remains the resounding favourite among players and supporters to take over the reigns and Bassong, who has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal this summer, believes more players could follow him out of the exit door if the Geordie legend is not appointed.

"I think in this situation, a lot of players will want to leave," he told the Daily Star on Sunday. "They cannot stay in this situation.
Exodus

"I'm not the only one. It would be different if a manager was in charge particularly Alan Shearer as he knows the club and the team.

"It's a mess, Michael Owen has gone, Mark Viduka's contract is over. A lot of players are going and a lot of other players will leave the club."

The Frenchman insists he would like to stay at Newcastle but knows he must leave to further his career with a Premier League move his preferred option.

"I would like to play in the Premier League with Newcastle but that's not possible. I want to leave for my career."
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Miller suffers setback
Striker forced to have new op

West Brom forward Ishmael Miller has suffered a setback in his comeback from a knee injury.

Miller has been out of action since last December after picking up a knee injury against Portsmouth.

The 22-year-old was hopeful of being fit for the start of the new season, but he has been forced to go under the knife again and he faces a new spell on the sidelines.

Baggies boss Roberto Di Matteo is unsure how long the new problem will keep Miller out for.

"Ishmael has a problem with the knee he previously had operated on. There's been some complications and he will probably be out for a little while," Di Matteo told the club's official website.

"It's difficult to say how long he will be sidelined at the moment but we'll know more next week.

"He suffered the setback during training last week. We will see what the assessment is and take it from there."
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Johnson staying at Boro
Boro chief executive insists winger will stay at Boro this season

Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb insists sought after winger Adam Johnson will not be leaving the club this summer.

Boro manager Gareth Southgate has pointed out that the 21-year-old is attracting more attention from Premier League clubs than team-mates Afonso Alves, Tuncay and Stewart Downing.

Chelsea have been strongly linked with the England Under-21 international recently even though the player made just 10 league starts last term.

Despite suffering relegation from the top flight last season Lamb is confident that Johnson will be at the Riverside for the start of the upcoming campaign.

"Adam will not be leaving the club this summer," he told the Daily Mirror.

"He was going to be with us whether we were in the Championship or the Premier League."
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Zamalek move for Mido
Egyptian outfit offer striker a route out of Boro

Egyptian outfit Zamalek are keen to take Middlesbrough's wantaway striker Mido back to his homeland.

A member of the club's board, Ibrahim Youssef, has revealed that talks regarding a possible loan switch have already been opened with Boro.

Mido has made no secret of his desire to secure a switch away from the Riverside Stadium this summer, and was recently fined for failing to report to a pre-season training camp on time.

He has stated that his preference would be a make a move back into the Premier League, having previously turned out for Tottenham, Boro and Wigan in the English top-flight, but he is understood to be willing to discuss a return to Egypt.

"Mido said he was ready to join Zamalek if he did not receive any offers from English Premier League clubs," Youssef told Al-Hayat TV.
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Sodje eases fitness fears
Striker feeling upbeat after treatment with specialist

Akpo Sodje has reassured Sheffield Wednesday supporters that he is over his injury nightmare.

Sodje, who joined the Owls from Port Vale in 2007, made just two Championship starts last season after struggling for fitness.

The 28-year-old striker has since visited Dr Hans Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfarht, a leading injury specialist who assisted the likes of Manchester United forward Michael Owen.

Sodje is entering the final year of his contract at Hillsborough and is confident he will be a valuable asset for manager Brian Laws in the new campaign.

"I am over my injuries now," he told the Yorkshire Post. "I went to Germany to see the specialist about the hamstring and I think it has done the trick.

"He found out that I had a problem in my lower back and gave me about 43 injections in the base of my spine.

"I have been back in full training with the rest of the lads and, fingers crossed, I will be firing on all cylinders come the start of the season."
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Harper lambasts Magpies saga
Toon shot-stopper says club are 'dying a slow, painful death'.

Steve Harper believes that Newcastle are 'dying a slow, painful death' as they continue preparations for the new season without a manager.

Alan Shearer, the man who failed to save the Magpies from Premier League relegation last term, is patiently waiting in the wings to be reappointed as the ongoing sale of the club drags on.

Meanwhile the club continue to lose ground on their Championship rivals with prospective targets moving elsewhere.

Caretaker boss Chris Hughton was warned that the squad are close to revolt if Shearer is not appointed imminently and the whole situation has saddened Harper.

"What happened last season was desperately disappointing, but just when you think there's an opportunity for this club to put itself right, build and get straight back up, the opposite happens," he told the Daily Mail.

"We want it to be resolved so we know where we are and where we're going because at this moment the football club is dying a slow painful death.
Gradual slow implosion

"For five or six years now it's been a gradual slow implosion. The situation is very, very frustrating for all of us.

"To be fair to Chris Hughton, Colin Calderwood and the lads, we have made the best of what is a dreadful situation.

"All we keep hearing is the 'next few days, the next few days, next few days' Everybody - fans, players and staff - want it resolved so we can rebuild this football club because we're in an awful state at the moment.

"Everyone is in limbo. The players don't know what's happening, staff don't know what's happening, the fans don't."
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Chawke considers Magpies bid
Former Sunderland shareholder enters Newcastle ownership battle

Former Sunderland shareholder Charlie Chawke has confirmed he is putting together a syndicate to bid for Newcastle.

Newcastle announced earlier this week that at least three interested parties had met the £100million asking price set by current owner Mike Ashley.

Negotiations are continuing but no deal has yet been done and Chawke views the prospect of buying the St James' Park outfit as 'a very viable option'.

Chawke was part of the Drumaville Consortium which took over Sunderland three years ago but is no longer involved at the Stadium of Light following Ellis Short's buy-out.

The Dublin publican is in optimistic mood and also has the support of Louis Fitzgerald, another member of the Drumaville Consortium.

He told Irish radio station RTE: "We're putting a syndicate hopefully together to do just that (bid for Newcastle).

"We had a great time in Sunderland. We got seven Irish people and one English person together with a syndicate and we succeeded in acquiring Sunderland.
Viable option

"We had three great years there but unfortunately we're gone now. It's sold out to an American and we're looking for options and Newcastle is a very viable option at the moment.

"It's on sale for about £100million which is about £500million less than what it was worth a year and a half or two years ago.

"We have to look at options other than Sunderland and Newcastle would fit very nicely into our portfolio."

Chawke is not in direct talks with Ashley but has opened discussions with his legal and financial people.

Asked how the interest had come about, he replied: "We had friends in

Sunderland who were looking at it for us, through our accountants here in

Dublin.

"What we're trying to do at the moment is put together a syndicate of people who are interested firstly in football and then investing with us in Newcastle United if possible."

Asked how many people he was looking to have in the syndicate, Chawke said: "We're thinking about possibly the same as we had in Sunderland, about eight people maybe, depending on what money we can get.

"It's a great club, it houses 52,000 people. It's a great city, Newcastle.

"It's a bit like Dublin - vibrant, full of fun... all the best things in life are there. It makes perfect sense if I could just swing it."
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Duo battle for Eardley
Derby and Blackpool chase Oldham defender


The duo are vying for the versatile defender as they look to bolster their defensive options ahead of the new season.

Eardley has established himself as a key member of the Oldham side since breaking into the first-team in 2006.

The 20-year-old has made over 130 appearances for the Latics and is now a regular in the Wales set-up.

Blackpool are in the market for a new defender having sold Shaun Barker to Derby and they are believed to have targeted Eardley as the ideal replacement.

Derby are also interested after being frustrated in their attempts to sign Crewe defender John Brayford and they see Eardley as better value for money.

Oldham boss Dave Penney would be loath to lose Eardley, but may find it difficult to resist any substantial bids for his services and the chance to move to the Championship is sure to appeal to the player.
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Hornets snap up Slovenian
Travner makes it three for Mackay

Watford have completed the signing of Slovenian defender Jure Travner.

The 23-year-old left-back arrives from NK Celje for an undisclosed fee and has agreed a two-year deal at Vicarage Road with the option of a further 12 months.

Travner is Watford's third signing of the summer following the arrivals of Scott Severin and Danny Graham.

Watford are thought to have beaten off interest from a number of other English clubs for the versatile defender.
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Posh pick up Pearce
Ferguson lands defender on loan

Peterborough have agreed a deal to sign Birmingham defender Krystian Pearce on loan.

Pearce is set to join the Championship new boys on a season-long loan after being allowed to leave by Birmingham.

The 19-year-old spent last season on a similar deal at Scunthorpe and impressed at Glanford Park.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson has been searching for a defender since Chris Westwood's move to Wycombe and Pearce will help fill the void which was left by his departure.
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Hughton praises players
Magpies caretaker hails players' focus and application

Newcastle caretaker manager Chris Hughton has praised his players' focus and application during a turbulent close-season.

Uncertainty continues to surround the club with owner Mike Ashley keen to sell and no manager at the helm until a takeover is complete.

The Magpies continued their preparations for the new season with a resounding 7-2 success over North East neighbours Darlington.

The Magpies capitalised on some weak defending from the League Two outfit with Damien Duff, Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Steven Taylor and Andy Carroll all getting on the scoresheet.

Hughton was delighted his players emerged from the match unscathed, although he also reserved special praise for their professionalism.
No injuries

"The most important thing is you come away with no injuries," Hughton told Sky Sports News. "At the moment we're OK that way.

"I think apart from the actual goals we scored the performance today I thought was excellent.

"The best thing for the players and best place for the players is to be on the training pitch and in games.

"We're aware that a lot of time around that they'll be told different things and whether it's television or radio.

Application

"As the pre-season goes on that's going to escalate. The best place for them is on the training pitch and so far I can't fault their application."

Hughton believes it would have been the easy option for the players to shirk the responsibility, however, he has been happy with their attitude.

"It would be easy to look for excuses, but the reality is there aren't any excuses," he continued.

"What these players have to do is go through their pre-season programme and, whatever the circumstances, get themselves ready for the start of the season. That's what they've done so far.

"It's a good group of players. It's a good squad and providing that we can keep players fit and away from injury anybody at the helm will be delighted with this group of players come the 8th of August."
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Ipswich reject bids
Town reject offers for unnamed duo

Ipswich Town manager Roy Keane has revealed that bids for two of the club's players have been rejected.

The players in question and the clubs involved remain unknown, as Keane plays his cards close to his chest.

It appears the duo are available for transfer however, as the ex-Sunderland man has invited the clubs to come back with improved offers.

"We have had offers but we weren't happy with the offers we had for two of our players and it is up to those clubs to come back," explained Keane.

Keane is still looking to strengthen his Portman Road outfit, but has explained players need to go before additional recruits can be signed.

"I would not say there will be anyone coming in during the next week or two," he continued. "Before we bring in anyone else we may have to let one or two go. That is the way it is.

"I won't be chasing my tail over players. I have identified two or three and hopefully they can be done over the next few weeks if not I'm happy with the group of players I have anyway."
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Robins target Royals youngster
Bozanic poised for Cheltenham loan move

Cheltenham boss Martin Allen has confirmed he is close to bringing in midfielder Oliver Bozanic on loan from Reading.

The talented youngster, who signed a new one-year contract with the Royals last week, is now set for a stint at Whaddon Road.

Madejski Stadium manager Brendan Rodgers is happy for the 20-year-old to join the League Two outfit to further his education on the football field.

Allen said: "We're hoping for a left-sided player to come in and he is Oliver Bozanic.

"He is a tidy young left-footed player.

"Reading want to send him here to get some experience and hopefully he'll be joining us on Monday."
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Walton not in Pilgrims party
Midfielder left out of squad for pre-season tour

Simon Walton has been left out of Paul Sturrock's squad for Plymouth's pre-season tour of Scotland.

Walton, who became the Pilgrims' record signing last summer after he moved to Home Park from QPR, endured a difficult first season in the South West.

His temperament was called into question and the former Leeds United player was sent out on loan to Blackpool for a spell.

Having played most of his football in midfield, the 21-year-old has now told Sturrock that he wants to establish himself in the side as a centre-back.
Left behind

The Plymouth boss has held talks with Walton and has left him behind due to the quality of players already established in his defence.

Sturrock said: "He wants to play centre-back and there are other players ahead of him at centre-back.

"Everybody was told that, performance wise, 22 players were going to get taken on the tour and Simon's been left behind.

"Simon and I have had a good discussion about his whole scenario here and I think it's vitally important that he appreciates the situation."
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
Kilgallon set for Blades deal
Defender poised to pen four-year contract

Matt Kilgallon has revealed he is set to sign a new contract with Sheffield United.

Recent reports have suggested the defender is a summer target of a number of Premier League sides.

However, it is claimed Kilgallon will put pen-to-paper on a four-year Blades deal he has described as "the most important of my career".

The 25-year-old told the Sunday Mirror: "I anticipate that, anytime now, it will all be resolved."

Kilgallon joined the Blades from Leeds in 2007 and has since made 86 league appearances for the South Yorkshire club.
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
CLEMENCE KEEPS POSITIVE

Leicester captain Stephen Clemence is continuing to build up his fitness following almost two years of injury misery.

The 31-year-old midfielder has been struggling with an ongoing heel problem which required surgery and has yet to set a date for his return.

"It's a slow process but every month there is some progression and I'm working very hard," he said. "It means a lot of strength work in the gym and I was back while the boys were off in the summer.

"I then do some light jogging outside and a bit of ball work but I do tend to get a bit of reaction the next day. All I can do is remain positive and keep working hard.

"I want to be training with the lads and competing with them for a place in the team and that's been tough to deal with mentally because this is the longest time I've had out of the game."
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
CLEMENCE KEEPS POSITIVE

Leicester captain Stephen Clemence is continuing to build up his fitness following almost two years of injury misery.

The 31-year-old midfielder has been struggling with an ongoing heel problem which required surgery and has yet to set a date for his return.

"It's a slow process but every month there is some progression and I'm working very hard," he said. "It means a lot of strength work in the gym and I was back while the boys were off in the summer.

"I then do some light jogging outside and a bit of ball work but I do tend to get a bit of reaction the next day. All I can do is remain positive and keep working hard.

"I want to be training with the lads and competing with them for a place in the team and that's been tough to deal with mentally because this is the longest time I've had out of the game."
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
GARVAN AT THE DOUBLE

Owen Garvan and Kevin Lisbie were on target as Ipswich's tour of Ireland got off to a winning start.

Midfielder Garvan struck twice after striker Lisbie had opened the scoring as Roy Keane's men secured a comfortable 3-0 win at Waterford Town.

Young trialist Shane O'Connor played the opening 45 minutes at left-back while Alex Bruce, David Norris, Alan Quinn and Jordan Rhodes all got run-outs.
 

sky star 2

Super VIP
Messages
9,792
GARVAN AT THE DOUBLE

Owen Garvan and Kevin Lisbie were on target as Ipswich's tour of Ireland got off to a winning start.

Midfielder Garvan struck twice after striker Lisbie had opened the scoring as Roy Keane's men secured a comfortable 3-0 win at Waterford Town.

Young trialist Shane O'Connor played the opening 45 minutes at left-back while Alex Bruce, David Norris, Alan Quinn and Jordan Rhodes all got run-outs.
 
Top