Beer Footy and Birds!

Friday 20th July: Lewes FC 1-5 Crystal Palace, at The Dripping Pan, Mountfield Road, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 2XD. Attendance: 971
Palace scorers: Wilbraham, Baxter, Zaha, Fenwick, Easter.

Palace starting XI: Price, Ward, Parsons, McCarthy(c), Ramage, Garvan, Zaha, Baxter, Wilbraham, Appiah, Cadogan.
Subs that featured: Moxey, Fenwick, Diaz, Williams, Murray, A.Martin, Easter, O'Keefe, Sow, Sekajja, Wynter.

Tuesday 24th July: Dulwich Hamlet 0-3 Crystal Palace XI, at Champion Hill Stadium, Edgar Kail Way, Dog Kennel Hill, London, SE22 8BD. Attendance: 1,312
Palace scorer(s): Woodley, Taylor, Allassani.

Palace starting XI: Kurucz (trialist), Akuruka, Parsons, Chambers, Holland, Daniel, Fenwick, Marrow(c), Appiah, Sekajja, Cadogan.
Subs that featured: Allassani, Taylor, Wynter, Innis, Sow, Woodley, Kai-Kai, Jerome Williams, Boateng, Porterhouse, Freedman.

Friday 27th July: Margate 3-1 Crystal Palace XI, at Hartsdown Park, Margate, Kent, CT9 5QZ. Attendance: 1,499
Palace scorer: Sekajja.

Palace starting XI: Fitzsimons, Akuruka, Daniel, Taylor, Wynter, Fenwick, Dorman, Marrow, Appiah, Sekajja, Cadogan.
Subs that featured: Sow, Chambers, Kai-Kai, Holland, Boatang.

Saturday 28th July: v Aldershot Town 0-2 Crystal Palace, at The EBB Stadium, High Street, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 1TW. Attendance: 1,356
Palace scorer(s): O'Keefe, Zaha.

Palace starting XI: Price, Ward, Moxey, Martin, McCarthy, O'Keefe, Baxter, Dikgacoi, Garvan, Wilbraham, Easter.
Subs that featured: Parsons, Jedinak, Murray, Fenwick, Appiah, Zaha, Ramage, Wright, Wynter, Diaz.

Wednesday 1st August: Cray Wanderers 0-1 Crystal Palace Club Xl, at Bromley F.C, Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent, BR2 9EF. Attendance: 551
Palace scorer: Appiah

Palace starting XI: Fitzsimons, Wynter, Daniel, Dorman, Holland, Taylor, Fenwick, Sow, Sekajja, Appiah, Cadogan.
Subs that featured: Chambers, Akuruka, Carney.

Saturday 4th August: Welling United 2-1 Crystal Palace, at Park View Road, Welling, Kent, DA16 1SY. Attendance: 745
Palace scorer: Dikgacoi

Palace starting XI: Speroni, Tiago (trialist), Parsons, Wright, Yogo (trialist), Ramage, Baxter, Dikgacoi, Murray, Jedinak, Parr.
Subs that featured: Williams, Garvan, Proctor (trialist), Appiah, Marrow, Wynter, Sekajja.

Wednesday 8th August: Swindon Town 0-1 Crystal Palace, at The County Ground, Swindon, Wilshire, SN1 2ED. Attendance: 4,312
Palace scorer: Easter (pen)

Palace starting XI: Speroni, Ward, Moxey, Martin, McCarthy, Dikgacoi, Williams, Jedinak, Zaha, Murray, Easter.
Subs that featured: Price, Wright, Kossoko (trialist), Parr, Baxter, Ukay (trialist), O'Keefe, Rosa (trialist), Appiah, Ramage.

Saturday 11th August: Reading 2-0 Crystal Palace, at Madejski Stadium, Reading, West Berkshire RG2 0FL. Attendance: 6,251
Palace scorer(s): n/a

Palace starting XI: Speroni, Ward, Moxey, McCarthy, Martin, Wright, Garvan, Williams, Kossoko (trialist), Wilbraham. Parr.
Subs that featured: Baxter, Ramage, O'Keefe, Murray, Easter, Dikgacoi, Zaha.

With pre-season already underway and the 2012/13 English domestic football season only a month away, it is safe to say the media is rife with transfer rumours!

Here is a round up of all of today’s latest transfer gossip:

Is your club involved?

Manchester United, Manchester City, Juventus, Arsenal, Athletic Bilbao, Fiorentina, Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool, Swansea, Bolton, Sao Paulo, Real Madrid, Tottenham, Malaga, Lyon, Wigan, Chelsea, Porto, Zenit St Petersburg, Valencia, West Ham, Blackburn, QPR, Getafe, Reading, Sheff Wed, Hull, Fulham, Houston Dynamo, Vitesse Arnhem, Stoke, Watford, PSV Eindhoven, Southampton, Rayo Vallecano, Gillingham, West Brom, Al-Gharafa, Norwich, Leeds, Lens, Al-Sadd, Everton, Spartak Moscow, Fenerbahce, Derby, Coventry and Preston........are all caught up in the latest transfer rumours across Europe, as we speak.

Manchester United, Manchester City and Juventus are locked in a three-way battle to sign Arsenal captain Robin van Persie. United, City and Juve are said to be happy to pay somewhere in the region of £15million but Arsenal are thought to be demanding in excess of £20million for their star player. – Press Association

Arsenal have lined up Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente (right) 27, to replace Robin Van Persie should the Dutchman leave the Gunnners – Daily Mail

Also under consideration for the potentially vacant role leading Arsenal's attack are Fiorentina's Stevan Jovetic and Borussia Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski – The Guardian

Midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski will stay at Borussia Dortmund. The German club will extend the Polish international captain’s deal for another two years until 2015 - transfermarketweb.com

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers insists there is no chance of Andy Carroll leaving the club on loan, but admits the Reds will consider any offers they receive for the striker – sportinglife.com

Liverpool are hoping to sign midfielder Joe Allen, 22, from Swansea City for £15m – Daily Star

Swansea are considering a move for Bolton midfielder Mark Davies, 24 as Liverpool intensify their efforts to sign Joe Allen - Daily Mail and The Guardian

Brazilian outfit Sao Paulo insist that they have turned down an offer from Manchester United for Lucas Moura (right). The midfield ace, who is currently in England with Brazil's Olympic squad, was reportedly the subject of a €35million (£27million) offer from the Red Devils - sportinglife.com

Real Madrid will not pay more than £27m for Luka Modric, 26, despite Tottenham revealing they will let the Croatian playmaker leave for £35m – Daily Mirror and The Guardian

Spurs are eyeing Malaga's Spain midfielder Santi Cazorla, 27, as a replacement should Modric leave White Hart Lane - talkSPORT

Tottenham have also begun negotiations to bring Lyon and France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, 25, to White Hart Lane but the move has stalled as the French club are demanding £16m, £4m more than Spurs are offering – Daily Mirror, The Guardian and transfermarketweb.com

Andre Villas-Boas has received another boost ahead of the upcoming English Premier League season with the news that striker Rafael van der Vaart will remain at Spurs this year. Van der Vaart had been linked with a move away from White Hart Lane over the summer transfer window, but the 29-year-old Dutch international quashed the rumors and confirmed his desire to play under Villas-Boas next season – The Sun

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has told Chelsea to come up with £10million or forget signing Victor Moses.Whelan told ESPN: "They need to pay the brass up front - we don't want any part-exchange deals they have offered. We are not interested in picking up one of their players on loan or in part exchange. They know the price for Moses. We are looking to reach £10m”– sportinglife.com

The agent of in-demand frontman Hulk (right) claims Porto remain determined to keep the Brazilian striker out of the clutches of a European rival. Speculation regarding the Samba star is nothing new, with Porto having had to fend off regular rounds of transfer rumours. Chelsea have been monitoring his situation closely, with the Blues known to be long-time admirers of the 25-year-old – skysports.com

Manchester City and Zenit St Petersburg have been alerted to Martin Skrtel's possible availability after the defender revealed that contract extension talks with Liverpool had stalled – The Times and transfermarketweb.com

Valencia have signed the Argentinian international midfielder Fernando Gago from Real Madrid. Last season he was on loan at AS Roma - sportinglife.com and transfermarketweb.com

West Ham, Blackburn and QPR are battling it out for the signature of Getafe’s 26 year-old right-back Miguel Torres for a fee believed to be around £2m – The Guardian

Watford have agreed deals to sign Manuel Almunia and Fitz Hall. Goalkeeper Almunia and central defender Hall will arrive at Vicarage Road on free transfers after leaving Arsenal and Queens Park Rangers, respectively, this summer – skysports.com

Reading manager Brian McDermott has played down speculation that he is trying to sign veteran Italian striker Filippo Inzaghi –sportinglife.com and ESPN.co.uk

Reading manager Brian McDermott is prepared to let Michail Antonio join Sheffield Wednesday on a permanent basis for the right price after rejecting an offer for the winger – skysports.com

Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Amos believes a loan move to Hull City is just what he needs in order for his career to develop – sportinglife.com

QPR are trying to secure a work permit for Junior Hoilett (right) before signing the 22-year-old forward, who is out of contract at Blackburn. and clear the way for Jamie Mackie to go the other way to Blackburn– Daily Mail, The Guardian and Daily Mirror

QPR are looking at the Vitesse Arnhem left-back Alexander Buttner. The 23 year-old is also a target for Fulham - skysports.com

Stoke City have agreed a £1.6million fee for Houston Dynamo defender Geoff Cameron – Daily Express

PSV Eindhoven have rejected Southampton's offer for Jeremain Lens, sources at the Dutch club have confirmed. PSV and Southampton’s valuation of the striker differ. West Ham and Fulham are also thought to be interested in the PSV striker – skysports.com and The Guardian

Southampton have completed the signing of Gillingham goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga on a four-year deal. The 20-year-old Argentinian joins from the npower League Two club for an undisclosed fee – sportinglife.com<

Swansea have tied up a £2million deal for goalscoring midfielder Michu from Rayo Vallecano– Daily Express and skysports.com

Chelsea defender Ben Gordon has agreed a loan move to Birmingham. Blues boss Lee Clark has made a new left-back one of his top priorities and he has moved to agree a deal with Chelsea for Gordon – skysports.com

West Brom have rejected Al-Gharafa's bid for 31 year-old striker Peter Odemwingie. Qatar outfit Al-Gharafa tabled a £4million bid for the Nigeria international earlier this week – skysports.com

Norwich have tabled an increased offer to Leeds United for their skipper Robert Snodgrass, 24 (right).
Leeds turned down a reported £1.5million bid for Snodgrass three days ago, but the Canaries, have returned with an offer "way in excess of £2million" and Leeds are currently considering whether to cash in on a player who has less than a year remaining on his contract - Press Association Sport

Chelsea are set to land 19 year-old Thorgan Hazard, Eden's younger brother this summer from French club RC Lens– Metro

Eduard Campabadal, a defender and Guillermo Andrés López, a striker both 19 and considered up and coming talents in La Liga are close to joining Wigan - transfermarketweb.com

Qatari side Al-Sadd hope to beat Zenit St Petersburg to the signature of Arsenal’s Andrey Arshavin, 31 – Daily Mail

Spartak Moscow are set to revive interest in Everton defender Johnny Heitinga – Daily Mail, The Guardian and transfermarketweb.com

Everton's Joseph Yobo is close to a £2.5m move to Turkish outfit Fenerbahce– The Guardian

Derby have signed Coventry defender Richard Keogh in a £1.1million deal - Daily Mirror and transfermarketweb.com

Coventry have snapped up highly-rated Manchester United defender Reece Brown on a season-long loan deal.The versatile 20-year-old, who is the younger brother of United's Wes, becomes City's seventh new face this summer and arrives just 24 hours after Derby striker Callum Ball also sealed a season-long move to the Ricoh Arena – skysports.com

Former Swansea City striker Lee Trundle, 35 has signed a one-year contract with League One side Preston North End.

Trash-talk is a form of boast or insult commonly heard in competitive situations (such as sports events). Trash-talkers are athletes who save their antics for opponents and talk trash to intimidate the opposition and by doing so attempt to put them 'off of their game.' On occasions it can also be used in a humorous spirit. Trash-talk is often characterized by use of hyperbole, or figurative language, e.g. "You run like bambi on ice!" Puns and other wordplay are also commonly used.

Trash-talk was commonly used by the heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali in the 1960's and 1970's. Since then, it has become common for boxers in particular, but also for other sportsmen to use trash-talk.

Mike Tyson:

As a trash talker, Tyson was at his best when his boxing skills were on the decline.
In one of his more memorable moments, Tyson had these words for Lennox Lewis after a warm-up fight against Lou Savarse that lasted just 38 seconds!

"I'm the best ever. I'm the most brutal and vicious, the most ruthless champion there has ever been. No one can stop me. Lennox is a conqueror? No! I'm Alexander! He's no Alexander! I'm the best ever. There’s never been anyone as ruthless as me. I'm Sonny Liston. I'm Jack Dempsey. There's no one like me. I'm from their cloth. There is no one who can match me. My style is impetuous, my defense is impregnable, and I'm just ferocious. I want your heart! I want to eat his children! Praise be to Allah!"

In 2002 Lewis knocked out Tyson in the eighth round at The Pyramid in Memphis, Tennessee, in what was, at the time, the highest-grossing pay-per-view event in history.

Scottie Pippen:

"Just remember, the mailman doesn't deliver on Sundays, Karl."

It was played on a Sunday and Chicago Bulls Scottie Pippen's 27 points in Game One of the 1997 NBA Finals paled in comparison to his one-line psych out with just 9.2 seconds left of the game - of the Utah Jazz's main man no less. After getting fouled, Utah's Karl Malone (also known as the Mailman) stepped up to the free throw line. Pippen walked up behind him and uttered that immortal taunt, and Malone missed both his free-throws, following this harsh reality check regarding mail on Sundays. The Bulls took the first game and went on to win the series.

Muhammad Ali:

"I’ll beat him so bad he’ll need a shoehorn to put his hat on." (ahead of a fight against Floyd Patterson)

On November 22, 1965, in yet another attempt to be the first to win the World Heavyweight title three times, Patterson lost to Ali by technical knockout at the end of the 12th round, going into the fight with an injured sacro-iliac joint in a bout in which Ali was clearly dominant. Ali called Patterson an "Uncle Tom" for refusing to call him Muhammad Ali (Patterson continued to call him Cassius Clay) and for this outspokenness against black muslims. Instead of scoring a quick knockout, Ali mocked, humiliated and punished Patterson throughout the fight.

Rod Marsh and Ian Botham:

When Botham took guard in an Ashes match, Marsh welcomed him to the wicket with the immortal words:

"So how's your wife and my kids?" Botham's retort was "Wife is fine, kids are retarded"

Antonio Langham:

"His mouth is writing checks that his ass can't cash"

Defensive-back Antonio Langham for Alabama on the trash talking by the Florida quarter-back before the 1st SEC (Southeastern Conference) Championship game in 1992.

Mike Tyson:

"I am many things. I am an animal. I am a convicted rapist, a hell-raiser, a loving father, a semi-good husband. You don't really know me."

Mike Tyson at a news conference where he cursed, jumped on a table, stripped off his shirt, complained about medication hurting his sex life and threatened to put "a (expletive) bullet" through the head of Lennox Lewis.

Michael Jordan:

In 1992, in a game against the Denver Nuggets, Jordan told rookie Dikembe Mutombo that he would shoot the free throw with his eyes closed. Before he did, he looked at Mutombo and said:

"This one’s for you."

Then he closed his eyes, hit the shot and told Mutombo:

"Welcome to the NBA."

Floyd Mayweather Jr.

"When I retire, I’ll get Ricky Hatton to wash my clothes and cut my lawn and buckle my shoes. Ricky Hatton ain’t nothing but a fat man. I’m going to punch him in his beer belly. He ain’t good enough to be my sparring partner."

In 2007, after he beat Oscar de la Hoya, Mayweather had these savage words for Ricky Hatton, the British champion, before beating Hatton in ten rounds.

Mario Balotelli:

Mario Balotelli, Italy’s hero in the Euro 2012 semi-final against Germany, is so pumped for the final, he’s talking trash via social media. He tweets the above quote to Spain defender Gerard Piqué, who dates rump-shaking pop goddess Shakira. Strong words from a guy who shags prostitutes.....and then cried when his side lost in the Final.

Muhammad Ali:

"After the fight I'm gonna build myself a pretty home and use him as a bearskin rug. Liston even smells like a bear. I'm gonna give him to the local zoo after I whup him."

And then he destroyed Sonny "The Big Bear" Liston on 25th Feruary 1964, in Miami Beach, to become the youngest boxer ever at 22, to take the title from a reigning heavyweight champion.

Viv Richards and Greg Thomas:

This incident took place during a county championship match between Glamorgan and Somerset. Glamorgan paceman Thomas had beaten Richards' bat a couple of times and informed him:

"It's red, round and weighs about five ounces, in case you were wondering."

The very next ball Sir Issac Vivian Andrews Richards gave him the royal treament and smashed the ball out of the ground, into a nearby river - at which point he piped up:

"Greg, you know what it looks like. Now go and fetch it."

Mike Tyson

"[He] called me a ‘rapist’ and a ‘recluse’. I’m not a recluse." (Tyson talking about writer Wallace Matthews).

There are great trash-talking athletes, and there are great trash-talking moments. Unfortunately, many one-liners used by some of these athletes were never recorded. In our day of viral video, we’re not sure if miking up every athlete would be a good idea or not. There’s no doubt, however, that doing so would provide endless hours of entertainment for the casual and not-so-casual sports fans.

Antonija Misura - Croatian Professional Basketball Player

Antonija Mišura is a professional basketball player. Antonija was born on 19th May 1988 in Šibenik, Croatia. She plays for the Croatian women's national basketball team, switching between point and shooting guard, and has represented the national team in several Eurobasket Women competitions. Antonija won a bronze medal at youth level in 2006 at the U18 European Championship Women Division B, and has lots of European experience at club level with ŽKK Šibenik Jolly JBS. She went on to win a bronze medal representing Croatia at the 2009 Mediterranean Games.

Here are more pictures of stunning Antonija

Niki Gudex - Australian Professional Mountain Biker

Niki Gudex is an Australian professional mountain biker from Sydney. Niki was born 19th July 1978 in Guildford, Surrey, England. She competes in both downhill and cross country disciplines. In addition to being a professional mountain biker, Gudex is also a model and a graphic designer. When Niki Gudex took a nasty tumble while snowboarding, she had no idea it would lead to a whole new career. Her injuries which included two broken vertebrae meant spending two months flat on her back, though not needing surgery, the Australian wondered if she would ever snowboard again. But, sure enough, she was soon back out at Thredbo, the Aussie winter sports paradise, ready to go again. Somehow, though, Niki wasn't quite the force of old. Then, for no good reason, she went for a ride on a bike. She was bitten by the mountain-biking bug there and so, on returning home to Sydney, she bought a bike and, for the hell of it, entered a race. She won. Being a natural competitor, Gudex was determined to make the most of her newly discovered talents, so she entered more races. She won the lot. Within a year, she was the Australian national champion and as they say.....the rest is history!

Here are more pictures of gorgeous Niki

You can also follow Niki on Twitter and Facebook

With the the 2012/13 English domestic football season only eleven days away, there is a plenty of transfer speculation doing the rounds as one would expect. However there has been a spot of business completed today!

Here is a round up of all of today’s latest transfer gossip and any done deals:

Is your club involved?

Arsenal, Malaga, Juventus, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, PSG, Sao Paulo, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Liverpool, Swansea, Bologna, Tottenham, Galatasaray, Queens Park Rangers, Montpellier, Newcastle, Wigan, Chelsea, Marseille, Blackpool, Stoke, Wolves, Huddersfield, Fulham, Blackburn, Cardiff, West Brom, Crystal Palace, Nottm Forest, Norwich, Sheff Wed, Reading, Derby, Trabzonspor, Real Oviedo, Sabadell, Deportivo La Coruna, AS Roma, Parma, Hamburg, Hearts and Rangers ..........are all caught up in the latest transfer rumours across Europe, as we speak.

Arsenal have completed the signing of attacking midfielder, Santi Cazorla (right) from Malaga for an undisclosed fee. The 27 year-old Spanish international, has reportedly moved from debt-ridden Malaga for a fee in the region of an initial £16million - skysports.com and transfermarketweb.com

Juventus are interested in Liverpool's Luis Suarez. It is understood that Juventus would ideally love to pair Van Persie and Suarez in a dream attack. Whether either deal is pushed on remains to be seen, but Italian champions Juve are aiming big. They have already made a firm move for Van Persie but, as with rival bidders Manchester City and Manchester United, they have not been able to agree terms with Arsenal– Daily Mirror and skysports.com

Lucas Moura is said to be favouring a move to Paris Saint-Germain rather than Manchester United, with the 19-year-old rumoured to consider Manchester "boring." United are also unable to meet Sao Paulo's demands - which are reportedly around £36 million for the player and a further £6million for his representatives in fees – Daily Mirror, skysports.com, sportinglife.com and talkSPORT

Inter Milan chairman Massimo Moratti claims his club are out of the running for Moura because PSG have already made Sao Paulo a huge offer to sign him – insidefutbol.com

Roberto Mancini has rejected a bid from AC Milan to sign striker Edin Dzeko on a season-long loan from Manchester City– Daily Star

Liverpool have told Manchester City that defender Daniel Agger, 27, will cost at least £22m after City made an informal inquiry for the Dane - The Guardian, The Times and transfermarketweb.com Liverpool are set for further talks with Swansea City midfielder Joe Allen now that the 22-year-old's involvement at the Olympics is over. However Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup has insisted that Joe Allen will be 'very, very expensive' and whould cost Liverpool more than £20million – The Metro, sportinglife.com and skysports.com

Swansea manager Michael Laudrup has told Liverpool they will have to pay at least £15m or forget about signing Allen – Daily Star

Bologna are demanding a fee in the region of £16m for Gaston Ramirez (right), 21, a target for Liverpool and Tottenham. Inter Milan are also said to be looking at the Uruguayan playmaker - talkSPORT

Arsenal forward Andrey Arshavin would be prepared to move to Turkey, according to his agent, amid reports of a £4million bid from Galatasaray. Queens Park Rangers have also been linked with the Russian – Daily Mirror, skysports.com and sportinglife.com

Dave Whelan is waiting to see if Chelsea will match Wigan Athletic's valuation of Victor Moses following fresh talks regarding the winger. A reported £4million bid has already been rejected and there are now claims that Latics chairman Whelan has lowered his asking price from £10million to £8.5million - skysports.com and sportinglife.com

Chelsea have made a 'serious approach' for Marseille defender Cesar Azpilicueta, according to the French club. Marseille are thought to want £8million for the Spanish full-back and big-spending Chelsea could be prepared to match that fee as they seek to solve a problem position at right-back. Sources in France are saying Chelsea are prepared to offer Gael Kakuta as part of any deal for Azpilicueta - sportinglife.com and skysports.com

Stoke City manager Tony Pulis has confirmed he is close to signing Wolves winger Michael Kightly - sportinglife.com

Stoke City winger Jermaine Pennant has denied speculation that he is set to leave the club to join Premier League rivals Wigan Athletic. Pennant has been linked with a move to Wigan due to Stoke being on the brink of signing Michael Kightly from Wolves - skysports.com

Stoke City are in talks to sign Polish international left-back Sebastian Boenisch, 25, who is available after his contract with Werder Bremen expired – Daily Mirror, transfermarketweb.com and sportinglife.com

Montpellier star Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (right) has confirmed that Newcastle United remain interested in his signature. The highly-rated France international defender has admitted he would relish the chance to move to Tyneside. However, the 23 year-old also states that he would see the move to Newcastle as a perfect stepping stone to move on to AC Milan who have seen a bid rejected - skysports.com

Huddersfield Town are set to sign Cardiff City defender Anthony Gerrard on a three-year contract. It is understood that 26 year-old Gerrard has travelled to Huddersfield to undergo a medical and hold talks about finalising a move to the club – skysports.com and sportinglife.com

Huddersfield Town are refusing to comment on reports that Blackburn Rovers are the latest club to have made a bid for striker Jordan Rhodes. Fulham are already understood to have seen a bid turned down, while Blackburn boss Steve Kean recently confirmed he has made an offer for the 22 year-old – skysports.com

Stephen Dobbie is still a major transfer target for Blackpoolmanager Ian Holloway, who has made clear his admiration for the Swansea striker - sportinglife.com

Cardiff City are keen to sign Craig Bellamy from Liverpool, although Mark Hughes would like to add the Welshman to his QPR squad – Daily Mail

West Bromwich Albion have completed the signing of Markus Rosenberg. The 29-year-old has put pen to paper on a three year deal having previously been a free agent following the conclusion of his contract at Werder Bremen – skysports.com and transfermarketweb.com

Crystal Palace are considering a move to bring 22 year-old Manchester City defender Ryan McGivern back to the club on loan – skysports.com

Nottingham Forest boss Sean O'Driscoll has set his sights on Norwich City defender Elliott Ward. Ward played under O'Driscoll during a loan spell at Doncaster Rovers in 2010 - skysports.com

Derby County have today added 18 year-old defender Michael Hoganson to their ranks, following a successful trial spell. After being released by Newcastle United at the end of last season, the free agent has signed a one-year contract at Pride Park - sportinglife.com and transfermarketweb.com

Currently a free agent after not having his deal with Manchester United renewed, former English international striker Michael Owen, 32, is in negotiations with Trabzonspor. Owen is asking for a £3million euros annual fee, the Turkish club are offering 2 and a half.

Sheffield Wednesday have signed Michail Antonio (right) from Premiership side Reading for an undisclosed fee. Antonio has put pen to paper on a four-year contract at Hillsborough, following a successful loan spell with the Owls last season - transfermarketweb.com

Real Oviedo have signed winger Aaron Bueno, 28, from Sabadell - transfermarketweb.com

Carlos Marchena López has joined Deportivo La Coruna. The former Spanish international defender, 33, was released from his contract with Villarreal at the end of last season - transfermarketweb.com

After AS Roma and Aleandro Rosi mutually agreed on the early termination of the player's contract with the club the Italian right wingback, 25, has agreed a four year deal with Parma - transfermarketweb.com

Austrian international centre-back Paul Scharner, 32, formerly of Wigan Athletic and West Bromwich Albion, has joined Hamburg on a 2 year deal - transfermarketweb.com

Former Hearts striker Kevin Kyle has become the third player to sign for Rangers today following earlier deals for former St Johnstone striker Francisco Sandaza and former Lazio and Udinese defender Emilson Cribari - skysports.com and sportinglife.com

A crowd of 80,203, setting a new Olympic record for women's football saw the United States beat Japan 2-1 in an entertaining and dramatic Women's Olympic Football final, at Wembley a few hours ago. This was a re-match of last summer's Women's World Cup final, when Japan beat the USA on penalty kicks.

An eighth minute goal by midfielder Carli Lloyd following good work by Alex Morgan gave the USA an early lead. Her sublime cross on the turn was headed home by the onrushing Lloyd six yards out, but it was Japan who dominated possession and had the better scoring chances in the first half.

Lloyd is mobbed by her US team-mates after scoring the opening goal in the Olympic final

Christie Rampone had to make a clearance off the line from a shot by Nahomi Kawasumi in the 17th minute. Then in the 18th minute Ogimi missed two chances to draw Japan level. First US goalkeeper Hope Solo showed magnificent agility to tip the Japan striker's header onto the crossbar. The ball fell to Rachel Buehler, but her poor attempted clearance went straight back to Ogimi, but sadly she could only manage to blast her follow up shot from close range high and wide.

Hope Solo keeps Japan at bay with this outstanding save from Ogimi's header

In the 25th minute, Japan had their first of two clear cut penalty shouts turned down. Tobin Heath stuck out her arm and clearly handled the ball following a free kick, but no penalty was awarded.

The Americans' nearly went two up in the 28th minute, courtesy of a near-own goal by Azusa Iwashimizu. A deep cross to the back post was about to be met by Alex Morgan, but Iwashimizu's headed interception saw the ball bounce off her own post and away with Fukumoto stranded.

Then in the 33rd minute Aya Miyama's rasping drive from 12 yards cannoned off the crossbar to safety, and Shinobu Ohno curling right-footed shot from the edge of the box five minutes later beat Solo and the upright by a whisker.

At the break the USA still held a slender one goal advantage.

Early in the second half, an even more obvious penalty offence was committed by the US defender Rachel Buehler, who 'rugby tackled' Saki Kumagai to the ground. Incredibly, no penalty again was given by German referee Steinhaus Bibiana.

Nine minutes into the second half the USA doubled their lead, Lloyd getting her second goal of the night and what a goal it was! She dribbled her way through a number of defenders and towards the edge of the penalty area, before hitting a rocket of a shot across the face of goal and into the far corner of the net, giving Fukumoto in the Japan goal no chance. A contender for goal of the tournament!

Yuki Ogimi deservedly pulled a goal back for Japan in the 63rd minute. Following a goalmouth scramble, Ogimi was on hand to poke home and cut the United States lead to set up a tense final quarter of the match.

Japan did have one last great opportunity to equalise in the 83rd minute, but unlike their other chances, it came as the product of a gift and not their spectacular build-up play.

Rampone, who had been excellent all evening committed a horrendous mistake on the edge of her own penalty box, giving the ball away and allowing substitute Asuna Tanaka to get through on goal. She attempted to curl a shot around Solo, but the US goalkeeper made a spectacular two handed diving save to her left to preserve the lead.

That would be the last great chance that Japan would produce in the match. Japan played excellent football throughout the Olympic final, but Solo's heroics, Lloyds clinical finishing and a large slice luck kept the United States from conceding more than once.

For the fourth time, the United States women's football team are gold medallists at the Olympics.

Match highlights from Wembley as USA beat Japan in the Women's Olympic Football final

Teams:

USA: Solo, Rampone(capt) (Cheyney '57), Buehler (Sauerbrunn '80), O'Hara, Le Peilbet, Boxx, Lloyd, Morgan, Wambach, Rampinoe, Heath.

Japan: Fukumoto, Kinga, Iwashimizu, Kumagai, Sameshima (Iwabuchi '77), Sakaguchi (Tanaka '59), Miyama (capt), Sawa, Kawasumi, Ohno (Maruyama '86), Ogimi.

Goalkeepers:

#1.Julian Speroni - Age 33 - Date Signed: 12 Jul, 2004.
#34.Lewis Price - Age 28 - Date Signed: 29 Jul, 2010.
#40.Ross Fitzimons - Age 18 - Date Signed: 01 Jun, 2011.

Defenders:

#2.Joel Ward - Age 22 - Date Signed: 30 May, 2012.
#3.David Wright - Age 32 - Date Signed: 30 Jun, 2010.
#5.Patrick McCarthy (Capt)- Age 29 - Date Signed: 12 Jun, 2008.
#6.Aaron Martin - Age 22 (season long loan from Southampton).
#12.Danny Gabbidon - Age 33 - Date Signed 16 Sep, 2012.
#14.Darcy Blake - Age 23 - Date Signed: 24 Aug, 2012.
#21.Dean Moxey - Age 26 - Date Signed: 31 Jan, 2011.
#22.Alex Wynter - Age 18 - Date Signed: 01 Jan, 2010.
#27.Damien Delaney - Age 31 - date Signed: 31 Aug, 2012.
#26.Mathew Parsons - Age 21 - Date Signed: 01 Jul, 2010.
#28.Peter Ramage - Age 28 - Date Signed 08 Aug, 2012.
#39.Quade Taylor - Age 18 - Date Signed: 05 Mar, 2011.
#42.Ryan Innis - Age 17 - Date Signed: 01 Jan, 2012.
#45.Kadell Daniel - Age 18 - Date Signed: 01 Jun, 2011.
#TBC Michael Chambers - Age 18 - Date Signed: 30 Jan, 2012.

Midfielders:

#4.Jonathan Parr - Age 23 - Date Signed: 16 Jul, 2011.
#7.Yannick Bolasie - Age 23 - Date Signed: 24 Aug, 2012.
#8.Kagisho Dikachoi - Age 27 - Date Signed: 04 Jul, 2011.
#10.Owen Garvan - Age 24 - Date Signed: 04 Aug, 2010.
#12.Alex Marrow - Age 22 - Date Signed: 06 Jan, 2011.
#15.Mile Jedinak - Age 28 - Date Signed: 11 Jul, 2011.
#20.Jonathan Williams - Age 18 - Date Signed: 01 Jul, 2011.
#22.Stuart O'Keefe - Age 21 - Date Signed: 18 Aug, 2010.
#23.Andy Dorman - Age 30 - Date Signed: 06 Jul, 2010.
#24.Jack Holland - Age 20 - Date Signed 01 Jul, 2009.
#25.Kyle De Silva - Age 18 - Date Signed: 01 Jan, 2012.
#30.André Moritz - Age 26 - Date Signed: 24 Aug, 2012,
#35.Bayan Fenwick - Age 18 - Date Signed: 02 Mar, 2012.

Strikers:

#9. David Goodwillie - Age 23 - Date Signed: 31 Aug, 2012.
#16.Wilf Zaha - Age 19 - Date Signed; 01 Jul, 2009.
#17.Glen Murray - Age 28 - Date Signed: 31 May, 2011.
#18.Aaron Wilbraham - Age 32 - Date Signed: 04 Jul, 2012.
#19.Jermaine Easter - Age 30 - Date Signed: 14 Jan, 2011
#24.Kwesi Appiah - Age 22 - Date Signed: 31 Jan, 2012.
#27.Ibra Sekajja - Age 19 - Date Signed: 01 Jul, 2010.
#TBC Reise Allassani - Age 16 - Date Signed: 17 Feb, 2012.

Management Team:

Manager: Dougie Freedman
Assistant Manager: Lennie Lawrence
First team Coach: Curtis Fleming
Development Team Manager/Coach: Jamie Fullarton
Goalkeeping Coach: Lee Turner
Fitness Coach: Scott Guyett
Chief Scout: Steve Kember
Head Physio: Alex Manos
Assistant Physio: John Stannard
Kit Manager: Brian Rogers

The opening game of 'The Championship' football season kicks-off tonight, when Cardiff City host newly promoted Huddersfield Town, and I have decided to take part in the forthcoming Phones 4u sponsored Championship Fantasy Football league game for the 2012/13 season.

In doing so I shall be pitting my wits against friends and football fans around the country in an attempt to gain some bragging rights, and similarly dent a few egos of those fans who 'believe' they know everything about the second tier of English football. I shall attempt to keep you updated throughout the season on my progress, good or bad as I suffer like any football manager does by trying to select an initial starting eleven of the best players available, without exceeding my 'fictitious' set budget.

Then as every week passes I will have to cope with injuries, suspensions, players moving clubs, along with 'jettisoning my flops' - those players that promised so much but failed to deliver! Then as the manager of my team I will be responsible for any wheeling and dealing in the transfer market, whilst keeping within my financial means.

Click on this link for the rules on how to pick your team, score points and make transfers.

The 'Team of the Season' for 2011/12 in terms of top points scorers in their respective positions was as follows:

Goalkeeper - Adam Federici (Reading).
Closely followed by: Rob Green (West Ham) and Julian Speroni (Crystal Palace).

Defenders - James Chester (Hull, pictured right)), Alex Pearce (Reading), Danny Fox (Southampton), Kasper Gorkss (Reading).
Closely followed by: Mark Hudson (Cardiff), Ian Harte (Reading) and Liam Rosenior (Hull).

Midfielders - Peter Whittingham (Cardiff), Chris Burke (Birmingham), Robert Snodgrass (Leeds).
Closely followed by: Adam Lallana (Southampton), Grant McCann (Peterborough), Kevin Nolan (West Ham) and George Boyd (Peterborough).

Strikers - Rickie Lambert (Southampton), Ross McCormack (Leeds), Marlon King (Birmingham).
Closely followed by: Billy Sharp (Southampton), David Nugent (Leicester), Michael Chopra (Cardiff), Jermaine Beckford (Leicester), Darius Henderson (Millwall) and Kevin Phillips (Blackpool).

Here is my team to start the 2012/13 campaign:

Goalkeeper - Paddy Kenny (Leeds).

Defenders - Wes Morgan (Leicester), Anthony Gardner (Sheff Wed), Aaron Cresswell (Ipswich), Curtis Davies (Birmingham).

Midfielders - Chris Burke (Birmingham), Tom Ince (Blackpool, pictured right), Wilf Zaha (Crystal Palace, pictured below right).

Strikers - Jordan Rhodes (Huddersfield and Captain), Simon Cox (Forest), Marlon Harewood (Barnsley)

If you fancy playing and you want to prove you know the most about the beautiful game then go head-to-head with your friends, work colleagues or family by logging onto the Phones 4u Fantasy Football game and sign up right away.

It's free to play and there's plenty up for grabs including: a whopping £10,000 in cash for the person who accumulates the most points during the season. Also top priced tickets to the npower Championship Play-Off Final 2013, including VIP hospitality at Wembley stadium, a signed shirt from the npower Championship club of their choice, plus every 'Manager of the Month' wins the chance for a unique behind the scenes tour of an npower Championship club, including match tickets, a manager of the month trophy presentation at the game and £500 in cash.

If you miss the opening match deadline (the new season gets underway at 19:45 this evening, the17th August), don't worry just join the league as soon as you can. Remember the competition is not won in the first week of the season, but in May of next year.

Finally, Good Luck!

# There will always be one player standing at a meeting point on an autumnal Sunday morning and wondering where everybody is, blissfully unaware that the clocks have gone back an hour. This same player will be the one who, in late March, rolls up when the match is in progress and asks, "What's going on, it's only half nine."

# When 'signing' players in the summer, the wily old Sunday league manager will always register two or three fictitious players, thus enabling him to continue playing his best players should they be suspended.

# Changing rooms the size of a matchbox. On trips to dodgier areas the changing rooms are normally covered in graffiti, with greeting messages such as 'Welcome to Beirut'. In particularly rough areas you may also notice that the houses next to the pitch have there windows painted so it looks like they have curtains. Don't be fooled!

# No substitute will ever volunteer to 'run the line' for the referee, he has to be press-ganged into it.

# There will only be one spare tracksuit, so the other substitutes must suffer the indignity of standing on the touchline wearing their coats.

# As the players change, the manager/club secretary /club treasurer will move among them with a ropey old supermarket branded plastic carrier bag saying the immortal words: "Any valuables."

# The player with the most expensive boots will be the worst player in the team.

# An abusive section of crowd, some of the whom will be swigging from cans of cider, despite it being 10.15 in the morning.

# The lazy pre-match kick about which always involves someone banging in a cross and everyone else in the middle just stood around talking, sometimes doing those outstretched-leg-behind manoeuvres whilst the ball harmlessly bypasses them all.

# The official referee - on most occasions he'll be either (a) a 5" 2", bald, chain-smoking 65 year old, or (b) a tall, gawky youth in a really shiny kit, who appears to be doing his first game.

# The left back who was out on the beers the night before, and arrives at the match wearing the same clobber from the night before, being sick on the sidelines about 20 minutes into the game.

# The opposition's massive, hopeless, one-punt centre half. Often captain of the team.

# The decent Saturday amateur player, head and shoulders above the rest, but turning out for his mates. Normally takes the p*ss out of the hopeless one-punt centre half.

# The total psychopath.....whatever you do make sure you don't tackle him, look at him or even think about taking him on, its just not worth it. Normally referred to as something along the lines of: Nut-Nut, The Duke, Mad Dog, Killer, or Baz.

# At least one of the players having a half-time fag. 90% of the time this player will be the keeper.

# In bad weather, when the first-half ends both captains readily agree to the referee's suggestion "Straight round," meaning no half-time interval.

# At council-owned grounds where there are a number of pitches, there will come a point when the ball from the game on the neighbouring pitch encroaches on to yours. This will involve a player keeping his eye on his game while running across to kick the wayward ball back to the other player from the other game who has been sent to retrieve it. This player invariably acknowledges the gesture with a "Cheers mate" retort.

# The magic sponge and bucket. This legendary combination is the only means of first aid available, no matter what the injury.

# At the end of the game it is always the same players who try to slope off and avoid helping take the nets down.

# As the players change out of their muddy strips, the manager/secretary/player responsible for washing the kit will plead, "Socks and shorts the right way round."

# When everyone has collected their valuables there will always be one player who hasn't remembered, resulting in the manager repeatedly bellowing out, "Anyone hand in a watch, car keys, earring and a kit-kat?"

# The club treasurer/secretary in the changing rooms after the game trying in vain to get the match subs off the players, and getting the usual response of "Soz, I've left my cash in the car" or "I'll pay you in the pub chief." The said player never coughs up, and by the end of the season has racked up a sizeable debt.

Claire is the vice-captain of the 'The Crystals,' the official cheerleaders of Crystal Palace Football Club. 'The Crystals' are a regular feature on match days at Selhurst Park, entertaining the fans at every home game.

Babe of the Month - Crystal Cheerleader Claire

The girls are all huge Crystal Palace fans themselves and regularly feature and promote the Club through their media work. This morning (Saturday 1st Sept) they will be appearing, not for the first time, on Sky Sports Soccer AM.

In the summer 'The Crystals' were runners-up in their bid to become the official 'Team GB' cheerleaders for the London Olympics 2012.

Last July they created their own dance routine to Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen's monster hit 'Call Me Maybe.'

The video features the cheerleaders performing along to the song in and around the Selhurst Park stadium, and it has proved a smash hit on YouTube with nearly one and a half million views. Here is the video that made 'The Crystals' an overnight internet sensation!

Find out more about the 'The Crystals' on Facebook and Twitter

* For Information/bookings contact Sharon.Lacey@cpfc.co.uk.

Football quotes, remarks, terms and descriptions are open to a minefield of interpretation and analysis, so here is a list of often heard, sometimes overused classic football related remarks, and what they really mean!

# Great vision = Does not see a simple pass.

# A very experienced player = A bit over the hill.

# Temperamental = Nutcase.

# Not afraid to take people on = Blissfully unaware of team-mates screaming for him to pass the ball.

# He did everything right but put the ball in the net = He can't finish.

# I'm happy with the squad I've got = The board has told me I'm not getting another penny to spend on players.

# Loyal club player = Never had an offer from another club.

# Workrate is excellent = Runs around the pitch like a headless chicken, but never gets the ball.

# That's what the cup is all about, the whole town is buzzing = The butcher has put a rosette in his window.

# We're just going out to enjoy ourselves = We haven't a hope in hell of winning.

# We'll settle for a replay = We need the money.

# He was on fire today = His contract's up for negotiation.

# He's still learning = He's rubbish, but he's young, so there's hope.

# Creative player = Bit namby-pamby but can pass a ball.

# Looks to be struggling with his knee = Knows he's played rubbish and is about to be substituted.

# An ambitious effort = Hopelessly wayward shot from 30 yards.

# He got too much purchase on that = Open goal, head back and blazed the ball over.

# Good footballing brain = Brain contains basically what you find in a football.

# This is real cat-and-mouse stuff = Neither team has had a shot at goal.

# You'd expect him to do better from there = He missed from three yards out.

# He was given too much space = The marking was diabolical.

# I wouldn't write them off yet = They're dead and buried.

# Which is why it's such a wonderful game = I'm wrong again.

Tonight sees a unique derby match at The Valley where Dougie Freedman takes his Crystal Palace side on a short trip to a local circus, where they have not won so much as a donkey ride for sixteen years. This however is not Merseyside, Glasgow, Sheffield or The Black Country because but this is no ordinary derby, this a South London derby where the rivalry is predominately one-sided!

Charlton Athletic hate Crystal Palace, the football club and of course that includes the fans of the club. Nothing strikingly unusual about one club and its fans disliking another club, other than that we as Palace fans care little about what goes on in London, SE7, as our true disdain surrounds a football club some sixty miles away on the East Sussex coast.

It’s fair to say that there is history between the clubs, most recently Charlton sent Palace reeling out of the top flight on the last day of the season back in 2005, but the damage had been done many weeks and matches prior to the lights being turned out on Crystal Palace’s last taste of top flight football. Charlton celebrated the relegation of Palace on that infamous last day of the season as if they themselves were celebrating a big fat gypsy wedding. The Clowns as they are affectionately nicknamed by the Palace fans’ have hit a few highs and plenty of lows in recent years, culminating in a fall from grace which ended up with Clowntown (an area of London with the postcode SE7 twinned with.......well absolutely nobody) being visited by such footballing giants as Scunthorpe and Hartlepool in the third tier of English football, (no disrespect whatsoever is meant to either The Irons or The Monkey Hangers or their fans in this piece).

Then unlike a phoenix rising from the ashes, and more like a bunch of red nosed buffoons in wigs, baggy trousers and face paint Charlton Football Club and their fickle fans pulled together and managed to rescue a semblance of respectability, by regaining their Championship status this season, after three seasons in the wilderness.

I have never known a football club like Charlton to want a rivalry with a fellow club who only on the basis of geography happen to reside close by, whilst their neighbours simply do not feel the same. For Palace, a match against the Clowns is just another league fixture, and for Crystal Palace and their fans it is the opportunity to win a match, as with any match, every week of the season. The notoriously loud Crystal Palace fans will turn up in their numbers on the day and win, lose or draw they will sing for 90 minutes to show the pride and passion and absolute love they have for their club, no matter what!

Palace and Charlton are bordered by another South London club, in Millwall, all three of whom now ply their trade in the second tier of the English game and some sizeable Premier League London based giants such as Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, whilst we are also surrounded by some other novelty clubs in areas such as West London, East London, Hertfordshire and Kent.

Palace have a rivalry with Brighton that is as animated as any footballing rivalry in the Country, and probably the most unusual of its kind, because if you are not a fan of either team it is very unlikely that you will understand the history and subsequent loathing that the fans of these two clubs have for each other. It is indeed a truly intense and fierce rivalry and the game that both sets of fans look for the moment the fixture lists are released. If as a fan of football you want to understand better what fuelled the Palace v Brighton hostility then do please read this article.

As for Charlton, well they are looking forward to this evening’s game under floodlights like a rabbit about to pass a row of six snarling caged greyhounds before the traps fly open. This is their Cup Final! For Palace fans it’s another game with three points at stake and some clown and traveller based banter to occupy the moment, but bragging rights......well we’re just not interested!

Palace fans love their club, the owners, the management team and the players. To Palace fans, the players must play for the crest on the front of the shirt first and foremost. Any name on the back of the shirt will not break or divide the unyielding united front amongst the fans. The players know this, they play their hearts out for the name on the front of the shirt, because the name on the back can easily be replaced. At Palace we believe in the players under the stewardship of Dougie Freedman, because we have a boss who is a Crystal Palace playing legend and knows how much the club needs the fans and the fans need the club.

Charlton currently have an ex-player as their manager, and I have great respect for him, but I bleed red and blue and 3,000 Palace fans on Friday night will I believe out-sing a stadium where they will be outnumbered in the region of 6 to 1. Come what may after tonight’s match, believe me, this is just the undercard. Come the 1st December and the 17th March, as Palace fans this is when the main event truly takes centre stage!

Bring on Brighton!

Betting Preview:
Charlton win: Evens (Coral and Ladbrokes).
C.Palace win: 33/10 (BetVictor).
Match Drawn: 5/2 (Betfred, Paddy Power and Totesport).

First Goalscorer:
B. Wright-Phillips 6/1 (Paddy Power and William Hill), D. Goodwillie 9/1 (Bet365), G.Murray 10/1 (BetVictor and William Hill), O.Garvan 14/1 (Ladbrokes and Coral), A. Moritz 16/1 (Bet365 and Blue Square).

Correct Score:
Charlton win 1-0 13/2 (Bet Victor), Palace win 2-1 12/1 (Hills, Betfred and Coral) Draw 0-0 10/1 (Ladbrokes).

# Odds correct at time of going to press.
For more odds go to Oddschecker

In addition to the official laws of the game, there are also the unwritten laws.................!

* No matter how badly a player played for a club, and irrespective of how woeful he was in front of goal, once the player leaves and returns to play against his old club, he will score against them.

* Once a manager has been sacked (right), the managerless team will win their next match.

* A manager returning to a club for a second spell will almost inevitably fail repeat the success enjoyed during his first spell at the club.

* The winning run of a team will come to an end when their manager is awarded the 'Manager of the Month' award.

* Following the sacking of a manager, a team will suddenly pick up and record victories under a caretaker manager. In turn this will prompt the Board of Directors to appoint him on a permanent basis, from which point on the team will start on a downward spiral again.

* A team that couldn't put a win together to save their lives will, once relegated start to turn things around, and win games.

* Any World Cup or European Championship group that contains three decent teams will be referred to as 'The Group of Death' (right).

* When your team is embroiled in a battle for promotion or against relegation, you will take an inordinate amount of interest in the exploits of other clubs that previously held no interest for you at all.

* No matter how bad the traffic is, there is no such thing as a long and tiresome journey home following an away win.

* The national football team of Wales has been adopted as the benchmark unit of measure for all other international football teams, as in, "We're talking of a country about the size of Wales," or "They do remarkably well for a country with a population on a par to that of Wales" (see right).

* A goal will never come about directly as a result of a short corner.

* Supporters will cheer and get excited when their team wins a corner, but invariably nothing will come of it.

* Your team are on a fine run and playing really well. As a die hard supporter you invite a 'fairweather fan' to accompany you to the next home game. Your team will play dreadfully and lose, prompting the fairweather fan to say something along the lines of: "It's been two years since I've been here and it'll be another two years before I come back."

* Every team will contain one player the supporters don't like.

* A game at Manchester United is a good day out, even though you know your team will probably not win, or be awarded at least one 'stone wall' penalty (right).

* There will always be at least one TV commentator who will refer to the Community Shield as the 'traditional curtain raiser to the season.'

* Everyone becomes a better player once they have given up playing.

DUNCAN FERGUSON - 'Duncan Disorderly' - Scottish

The former Dundee United, Rangers and Everton striker was notorious for his 'hardman' image and his misdemeanours on and off the field, such as assault, headbutting and punching earned this fiery Scotsman the nickname 'Duncan Disorderly.'

Ferguson has had four convictions for assault - two arising from taxi–rank scuffles, one an altercation with a fisherman in an Anstruther pub, and the most infamous: his on–field headbutt on Raith Rovers defender John McStay in 1994 while playing for Rangers, which resulted in a three-month prison sentence. The first incident led to a £100 fine for butting a policeman, while the second resulted in a £200 fine for punching and kicking a supporter on crutches. He had been put on a year's probation for the third offence.

ANDONI GOICOECHEA - 'The Butcher of Bilbao' - Spanish

The former Osasuna, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao and Spanish international was known as ' The Butcher of Bilbao.' Goicoechea left his stud-marks on the game's history when he almost ended the career of Diego Maradona in September 1983. The Argentinian superstar was left with a broken ankle and damaged ligaments, Goicoechea (right), who played for Spain at the 1984 championships - was given a 16-match ban. 'The Butcher' decided to commemorate the event by having the boots he wore that night put in a glass case and made into a permanent fixture in his living room.

TOM FINNEY - 'The Preston Plumber' - English

Sir Tom Finney truly was a one club man! He was born and bred in Preston and went on to play over 400 times for the Lancashire club between 1946 and 1960. He was also capped by England 76 times. When he was offered the opportunity to sign for Preston North End, his father insisted that he complete his apprenticeship in the family's plumbing business before signing as a professional. This led to one of his nicknames, the 'Preston Plumber.'
Sir Tom now aged 90, is one of England's oldest living former international footballers, but he still maintains his links with Preston North End.

FITZ HALL - 'One Size Fits All' - English

No hidden meaning here - just plain funny! The Leytonstone born defender is currently plying his trade at Watford but has worn the colours of Oldham, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Wigan and QPR since he turned professional over ten years ago.

KIM NAM-IL - 'The Vacuum Cleaner' - South Korean

South Korea’s holding midfielder (right) became a star in 2002 because of his performance in 2002 FIFA World Cup, where his nation reached the tournament semi-finals. He earned his nickname ' The Vacuum Cleaner' for his clean tackling and ability to tidy up a game from his position in front of the defence. The term 'Kim Nam-Il Syndrome' began to be coined by tabloids to describe Kim's superstardom status following the 2002 World Cup. He gained an unusually large female fan base and also became notorious for his frank and eccentric personality. Kim, now 35, currently plays for his hometown side Incheon United in South Korea.

DARREN ANDERTON - 'Sicknote' - English

The original 'Sicknote' - a name given to Darren Anderton by fans and the media due to his lengthy periods out with injury. Tottenham’s fans annoyance with Anderton, apart from the lengthy periods out of the team was, when having been out injured for almost the whole of the 1995-96 season, he unexpectedly returned to fitness for the final three matches of the domestic season, and was immediately selected to star for England in the European Championships in 1996. This gave the impression that the player was more interested in playing for his country rather than his club.

He missed most of the 1997–98 domestic season through injury, but was recalled to Glenn Hoddle's England squad for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, starting on the right wing in the first two matches of the tournament. In twelve seasons with Tottenham he made just 299 appearances and apart from three successive seasons (1995–98) when he played in total only 39 games, his appearance record averaged 29 matches each year. Anderton announced his retirement from football on 7th December 2008.

LIONEL MESSI - 'The Atomic Flea' - Argentinian

I could not let this day pass without commenting on Barcelona's Argentinian born superstar, Lionel Messi. At 25 Messi is the greatest player of his era, and maybe one day of all-time! In Spain and South America they call him ' La Pulga Atómica', meaning ' The Atomic Flea'. At the age of eleven, Messi was diagnosed with a serious growth-hormone problem. He needed expensive hospital treatment which his family simply couldn’t afford. His condition meant he was far smaller than anyone else his age, and even today he is still only 1.69 metres (5′ 7″) tall. But being smaller he was also more agile. He learnt to play with the ball on the ground, as that’s where it felt most comfortable. The rest, as they say, is history!

RAY WILKINS - 'The Crab' - English

The former England international was a much travelled club player that included spells at Chelesa, Manchester United, Milan and QPR to name but a few, but he had a penchant for passing the ball sideways. Often derided for his negative play but often had a 100 per cent pass success rate - you can't argue with that!

YOURI DJORKAEFF - 'The Snake' - French

The former French international footballer played as a forward or as an attacking midfielder and won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and European Championships in 2000 with the national team. He is nicknamed ' The Snake' because you do not know when he will strike again!
Banging the goals in for Monaco, Youri (right) spent one season at Paris St Germain before signing for Italian giants Inter Milan and then Bundesliga side Kaiserslautern, before somehow Bolton Wanderers, then managed by 'Fat' Sam Allardyce persuaded 'The Snake' to join them. He finished his playing career in the MLS with the New York Metro Stars and retired in October 2006.

JONATHAN WOODGATE - 'Village' - English

Although he denies it, Woodgate was known as ' Village' as in (village idiot) during his days at Leeds United. He began his career at Middlesbrough but moved to Leeds at the age of sixteen in 1998. However on on his frequent trips back to his native Teesside he became part of the notorious Middlesbrough 'drinking culture.' There seems little doubt that Woodgate was a personable young man when sober, but he was sucked into the drinking culture and became quite different on drink. As Woodgate became more successful and earned more, he was regularly seen at Teesside's trendiest pubs. He had a reputation for 'flashing the cash' and acting 'the big-I-am' on drinking nights in his home town. Woodgate, according to one regular publican was known to take £20 notes from his wallet and set fire to them. Once fuelled, especially with old pals in Middlesbrough where booze is plentiful and cheap, darker forces took over.

In 2000, he was a defendant with teammate Lee Bowyer in a Crown Court trial due to his involvement in a town centre brawl in which a student suffered severe injuries. The initial trial collapsed, and following a second trial, in December 2001, Bowyer was cleared of charges of GBH with intent and affray, while Woodgate was convicted of affray and sentenced to 100 hours' community service. He was also banned from international selection by the Football Association, which prevented him from being selected for the England squad for the 2002 World Cup. Never the sharpest knife in the box, perhaps, he was not bright enough to work out the dangers his social circle might embrace. His own counsel in the aborted first trial at Hull described him as 'two short planks, and thick ones at that'. Woodgate went on to play for Newcastle, Real Madrid, Middlesbrough and Spurs, but his career was blighted by injury and controversy. At the age of only 32 Woodgate has certainly led a colourful career both on and off the field, and is currently back playing for his hometown club Middlesborough.

Kristin Stape, girlfriend of Graeme McDowell

Diane Donald, wife of Luke Donald

Katy Rose, wife of Justin Rose

A German sport market research company, has released a very interesting survey on the world’s best selling club football shirts.

Dr Rohlmann’s and his PR Marketing team focused on the sales period 2007/8 to 2011/12 inclusive, in order to have the most accurate overview.

Not suprisingly the survey found that Manchester United and Real Madrid are the two clubs selling the most replica shirts with both United and Madrid averaging 1.4million shirts sales globally each year in the past five years !

As the graphic below shows, Barcelona are No.3 on the sales list (Nike, average 1.15m sales a year) followed by Chelsea in fourth place (adidas, 910,000). The top ten also includes Bayern Munich (adidas), Liverpool (adidas during the research period, now Warrior), Arsenal (Nike), Juventus (Nike), Inter Milan (Nike) and AC Milan (adidas).

Chelsea are the most significant ‘climbers’ since detailed market statistics were last published by this site two years ago. They were adidas’s joint-second best sellers with Liverpool and Bayern Munich two years ago, but have moved clear into second place for adidas – and fourth overall – now!

Dr Rohlmann pointed out that "Oscillations are normal because any sporting success or lack of success drives shirt sales, sometimes up, sometimes down, as does the acquisition or sale of particular stars."
For example, in the case of Chelsea, there was a 2011/12 uplift, undoubtedly as a result of their success in the UEFA Champions League. A second example of this would be at Bayern Munich. Bayern sold between 1million and 1.5million replica kit shirts in 2011/12, when Bayern reached the Champions League final (against Chelsea), which was played in their own stadium in their home city of Munich. A third and final example of success increasing shirt sales could be allied to Olympique Marseille. Their average replica shirt sales over the last five seasons is about 350,000 per year. But if you refer exclusively to the 2009/10 season, when they won the French championship, adidas sold nearly 500,000 replica shirts."

Premier League winners Manchester City sold somewhere just over 250,000, but their five-year average is 175,000 per year – sufficient only to place them 17th in Europe.

However, it is important to remember the results of the survey are based solely on the the volume of replica shirts sold and does not include other official club merchandise, such as training kit, jackets, bags, caps, towels, calenders e.t.c.

If the survey were to include all licensed merchandise sold by football clubs, then Liverpool would be ahead of Real Madrid. Liverpool are adidas’s top-selling team in terms of sales of overall merchandise.

The official Manchester United Investor Relations website says that "over five million items of Manchester United (Nike) branded licensed products were sold in the last year, including over two million Manchester United jerseys." Dr Rohlmann says that for 40 per cent of all United merchandise to be shirts "is extremely high compared to other top European football clubs."

The market research looked in particular at the major European leagues (La Liga, Barclays Premier League, Serie A TIM, Ligue 1 Orange, Bundesliga). However the PR marketing team also looked into big clubs in "less powerful leagues" to assess their value. The conclusion was that no other club in any other European league came close to matching the sales of the top ten listed clubs.

First and foremost, the richest football clubs have the marketing power to create, market and sell their football shirts. Secondly, the power of the domestic league is also a crucial element.

Out of the top 10 teams, four came from the English Premier League: Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea, three from Seria A: Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus, two from La Liga: FC Barcelona and Real Madrid and one from the Bundesliga: Bayern Munich.

Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, 'the big hitters' of the Turkish Super Lig, both adidas teams, have a huge amount of local and global fans. However their replica shirts sales would amount to a lesser number than the 10th highest ranked club. Another element to consider is the amount of counterfeit clothing products coming out of from Asia and Turkey. This has a very damaging effect on club sales of official merchandise in the less glamorous and affluent leagues.

A 'big' club like Ajax Amsterdam, an adidas club, in a 'small' league like the Dutch Eredivisie league might expect to sell 100,000 shirts and probably fewer in most seasons. Glasgow Celtic, a Nike club are believed to be the biggest sellers among Scotland’s clubs, with 'good year' sales at the lower end of the top 10, ie: several hundred thousand per year, many of them overseas in North America, Canada and Australia. This is still somewhat less than the likes of AC Milan or Inter which sell an average of 350,000 to 425,000 units per calender year.

Source: Dr Peter Rohlmann, www.pr-marketing.org/ and http://www.sportingintelligence.com

When it comes to sporting the name of their favourite Premier League player on the back of a replica shirt, Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is officially the most popular choice of fans around the world.

Global sales data from Sporting iD, who determined the top five by the number of player names sold for official replica shirts, said it was a close race for the top three positions.

Rooney edged out Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and Chelsea frontman Fernando Torres, Cristiano Ronaldo, formerly with Manchester United and now with Real Madrid, is the fourth most popular over the 20 seasons of the Premier League, with Chelsea's Frank Lampard fifth.

Sporting iD global sales and marketing director Rob Thayne said: "We first started producing Rooney's official player identity in 2002, after he made his professional debut with Everton at the age of 16. We then had to expand that production greatly following his move to Manchester United in the summer of 2004. But Rooney truly went into a league of his own in 2007 when Ruud van Nistelrooy vacated the Manchester United number 10 shirt, and there is a global demand that shows no sign of abating."

Rooney is the first United player to lead the list since Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2007/08 season. But one name could have beaten Rooney to the award. "Had David Beckham remained in the Premier League then the list might have looked different. Certainly his move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2003 triggered record sales of 'Beckham 23' shirts, and before him Eric Cantona was a best seller in the 1990's," said Rob Thayne.

Source: Data supplied by www.sporting-id.com

Crystal Palace are celebrating a double dose of recognition after Dougie Freedman and Glenn Murray picked up the nPower 'Championship Manager' and 'Player of the Month' awards for September 2012.

Murray & Freedman with their respective awards for September

Following four straight defeats in August, Crystal Palace finished September and started October like a team possessed! Four wins and a draw in September saw The Eagles' gaffer Dougie Freedman win the 'Manager of the Month' award, as his side topped the form charts for the month of September. Freedman led the Eagles to impressive wins away at Charlton and Bolton and recorded home successes against Sheffield Wednesday and Cardiff, whilst drawing with Nottingham Forest. Freedman beat Cardiff's Malkay Mackay and Leicester's Nigel Pearson to win the award.

In summary Freedman told cpfc.co.uk: "It's a great personal achievement for myself, but a lot of credit has got to go to the whole club. We've come together after a very difficult start to the season, and regrouped and got a few players in the door and since then the results have turned."

A driving force behind this fine run was the clinical form of Glenn Murray. The ex-Rochdale striker bagged six goals in September, four of them slotted calmly home from the penalty spot, and is a deserving winner of the 'Player of the Month' award.

Murray beat off competition from Brighton's Bruno Saltor and Leicester's Wes Morgan. to win the award. With more support up front this season from wingers Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie, Murray's natural link-up play and finishing had a crucial impact in his September six goal tally.

Murray buries a penalty as Palace storm back from 2-0 down to beat Cardiff 3-2

On his award, Glenn said: "I’m really pleased, obviously we’ve had a really great month as a team so it’s very nice to be awarded. The highlight of the month for me would be scoring the winner against Bolton, even though it was a penalty it was an important goal for us."

Freedman added: "It’s good for Glenn and he fully deserves it As an ex-centre forward I know it’s a very difficult job he does. He’s led the line well and played very smart, and he’s been working on his game a lot at the training ground, so he fully deserves all the credit he gets right now."

The two awards are determined by two separate expert panels. The 'Manager of the Month' award is decided by former Charlton Athletic manager Alan Curbishley, Football League chief operating officer Andy Williamson, League Managers Association deputy CEO Olaf Dixon and npower sponsorship manager Emma Collins. The 'Player of the Month' panel sees Emma Collins joined by Wolves legend Don Goodman, BBC Sport’s Mark Clemmit and The Football League’s head of communications, John Nagle.

Npower sponsorship Manager Emma Collins added: "It’s great to see a young manager doing so well, so we’re delighted to be giving the npower Football League Championship 'Manager of the Month' award to Dougie. Crystal Palace’s form in September was the best in the league, so it was one of our easier decisions."

Since September Crystal Palace have continued there good form by winning at Wolves and beating Burnley 4-3 in a thriller at Selhurst Park last Saturday.

On current form Crystal Palace are without doubt South London's number one team!

There were farcical scenes last week when England’s World Cup qualifier against Poland was postponed due to torrential rain in Warsaw. Officials ignored the weather forecasts and refused to close the retractable roof on the £400million state-of-the-art National Stadium, which had been upgraded significantly prior to the UEFA European Championships last Summer, which were co-hosted by Poland and the Ukraine.

The deluge of rain that followed left the playing surface under pools of water and ultimately unplayable. However it wasn’t until 45 minutes after the scheduled kick-off time before the players, the fans in the stadium and the millions watching on television at home were officially informed of the postponement of England’s World Cup qualifier against Poland.

A Polish fan runs onto the flooded Warsaw pitch, as a steward goes flying!

Matches have been postponed for every imaginable reason - and a few unimaginable ones - but by far the main reason is the weather. So I decided to take a look back in time at past matches where the weather has intervened and forced the postponement of games.

The referee has sole responsibility for judging if a pitch is playable - in particular if it is safe for the participants to play on - though with modern undersoil heating it's not always because the pitch is frozen and unplayable that forces the postponement. Unsafe terraces/stands or approaches to the ground will also force a postponement, the police and local authority also having responsibility in these areas.

High winds occasionally force a match to be called off. Unusual, but a recent example was the Tranmere v Rochdale fixture that should have been played on Boxing Day 2011, but was called off after high winds damaged the Prenton Park stadium roof causing public safety concerns.

On 28th December 2010 and 1st Jan 2011 Sheffield Wednesday were due to play Yeovil and Peterborough respectively. However Sheffield City Council deemed that both matches could not take place because of frozen and burst pipes which served the toilets and refreshment kiosks. The Safety Advisory Group, chaired by Sheffield City Council recommended no spectators be admitted until all repairs were carried out, and the club's maintenance team was unable to carry out these repairs in the sub-zero temperatures, as further bursts were anticipated when the thaw began.

Carlisle United’s Brunton Park is a League ground prone to flooding from a nearby river, and the consequences are severe for the clubs affected by such flooding. Its not just a case of letting the ground dry but specialist cleaning is needed because of the amount of sludge left behind which is usually contaminated with raw sewage. During the floods of 2005 'Billy the fish' was spotted and rescued from the goalmouth at the Warwick Road End of Brunton Park, just as huge industrial pumps were about to be switched on to start clearing the water off the pitch. He was as deemed a lucky mascot as he had overseen the club’s rise from the Conference to League One in a five year period. Billy died in 2010.

'Billy the fish' with Emma Story at Brunton Park, after the floods of Jan 2005

The most bizarre postponement although not weather related goes to the Torquay v Portsmouth Worthington Cup First Round fixture which was due to be played at Plainmoor on Wednesday 11th August 1999. It was the date of a total eclipse of the sun which was visible in the Torquay area, the first in Britain since 1927. Despite the fact that the date and location of the eclipse was probably known about for hundreds of years the local police left it until shortly before the match to request a postponement. They decided that they didn't have the manpower to police both the match and the influx of visitors expected in the area to witness the eclipse. They couldn't put off the eclipse so a postponement of the match it was! The fixture was eventually played on Tuesday 17th August 1999.

On 21st November 1979 England were due to host Bulgaria in a European Championship qualifier at Wembley, but the match was postponed on the evening of the match due to heavy fog. It was played 24 hours later and England won 2-0, with goals by Dave Watson and Glenn Hoddle.

The British record for postponements of a single fixture, not surprisingly, is for a match in the 'Arctic' north of the country. The Scottish Cup 2nd Round tie between Inverness Thistle and Falkirk was scheduled to be played on the 6th January 1979. However after 29 postponements it was finally played on the 22nd February 1979, with Falkirk winning 4-0 at the 30th attempt to stage the match. Three days later Falkirk lost 1-0 at Dundee in the first attempt to stage the Third Round tie!

Again not weather related, another bizarre situation causing the postponement of not one but three matches came about at Anfield, when a Victorian sewer under Anfield's Kop end collapsed. Liverpool had to play their first three Division One matches of the 1987/88 season all away from home, while repairs were made. It delayed the home debut of one of Liverpool's legendary players - John Barnes - who eventually made a scoring home debut in a 2-0 win against Oxford United on Saturday 12th September 1987.

John Barnes making his 'delayed' debut for Liverpool against Oxford Utd in 1987

Some fixtures are jinxed. The Division One match between Spurs and eventual champions Everton at White Hart Lane in 1969/70 was one of them. The match was originally scheduled for Saturday 29th November 1969, but a heavy fall of snow just before kick-off time forced a postponement. The re-scheduled date was Wednesday 17th December and although the match started it only lasted 30 minutes, before being abandoned when a fault at a sub-station caused floodlight failure. Wednesday 7th January 1970 was the next date pencilled in for the fixture, but that one didn't happen either when Spurs had to play an FA Cup replay that same evening. The game was finally played on Wednesday 11th March after a near three month wait, and three different match programmes having been printed.

By far the worst winter to affect football was in the 1962/63 season when a 'big freeze' decimated football in this country for three months with hundreds of matches being called off or abandoned. Only three FA Cup third round ties were played on the scheduled date, the 5th January 1963, with the last tie in that round being played on 11th March. The Lincoln v Coventry tie was called off 15 times and fourteen of the other ties suffered ten or more postponements! From 8th December, when they beat Spurs 1-0, to 16th February when they lost 3-2 at Arsenal, Bolton Wanderers did not play a single competitive match.

Various ideas were tried to beat the big freeze, however, even if a pitch was made playable the terraces and surrounds to the ground were often left treacherous, forcing a postponement. It wasn't until 16th March - nearly three months after the big freeze started - when a complete programme of football was played again. The season was eventually extended to the end of May.

The 1946/47 season - the first post-war League season - was another decimated by a bitter winter. Well over one hundred League matches were postponed and it wasn't until mid-June, seven weeks after the Cup Final was played, that the season finally came to an end. With no floodlights re-arranged matches were played on midweek afternoons, but with coal stocks low and industry almost at a standstill the Government wanted to stop midweek football, to prevent absenteeism from work by the supporters.

American beauty Hope Solo on hand to warm you up on a cold winter's night!

With one-third of the 2012/13 football season gone, I thought I would take this opportunity to update you all on my progress in this seasons Phones 4u sponsored Championship Fantasy Football league. In doing so I will also highlight any players that have shone, some that have had shockers and some unexpected performances whether good, bad or indifferent among all the players involved!

In August I selected eleven players from the second tier of English football that I felt would excel for their respective clubs this season, as I pitted my wits against friends and football fans around the country, in a 'foolish' attempt to convince myself that my knowledge of Championship football was equal to or maybe even superior to that of other football fans.

As the months have gone on, I have delved in and out of the transfer market as players have lost form, moved clubs or suffered injury.

A lot was expected of some players this season, some have delivered whilst others have failed. There are a lot of 'experienced' players in the Championship such as those among the ranks of the clubs relegated from the Premier League last season, namely Blackburn, Bolton and Wolves. I am thinking of the likes of Paul Robinson, Roger Johnson, Danny Murphy, Kevin Doyle and Kevin Davies. However of the three relegated clubs only Blackburn have been able to sustain some consistent form. Part of the reason for this has been down to their £8 million pre-season acquisition of Jordan Rhodes, who has found the back of the net eight times so far this season. Both Wolves and Bolton have struggled and sit 13th and 17th respectively in the Championship, as I speak.

Despite Bolton's woes which have included a change of manager, with Crystal Palace playing legend Dougie Freedman leaving the South London Club and taking over from Owen Coyle at the Reebok, Chris Eagles has been a hit this season and has the second highest points tally for a midfielder, behind Blackpool's Tom Ince. Ince and Palace's phenomenally talented Wilfred Zaha are without doubt the most exciting players to watch right now in the Championship. Zaha's wing wizardry has helped Palace to the top of the league, while Ince has contributed massively to Blackpool's solid start to the season with 8 goals and 6 assists. In an ironic twist Palace lured Blackpool boss Ian Holloway to Selhurst Park following the loss of Freedman, and he began his tenure last Tuesday with a 5-0 thumping of Ipswich. Glenn Murray was the hat-rick hero and his 13 league goals has been another reason for their lofty league position.

The Championship's top striker is Burnley's Charlie Austin. The 23 year-old hit man has bagged an astonishing 17 league goals in just 14 appearances for the Clarets, who sit just one place outside a play-off spot. If Burnley can tighten up defensively they may well be in with a shout this season.

Talking of defence, Brighton have conceded only 11 goals in their opening 15 matches and statistically they currently have the best goalkeeper in Tomasz Kuszczak, and they posses the highest scoring defenders in this seasons fantasy football competition. Salter, Bridge and Greer have scored 60 points between them and Brighton currently lie 8th in the league.

Of the clubs promoted from League One last season, namely Charlton Athletic, Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield Town, only Huddersfield have started well and currently lie in 7th place. Charlton currently lie 19th and Sheffield Wednesday 20th.

So how has all this reflected on my Championship fantasy football team since I selected it back in August?

In August my team was as follows:

Goalkeeper: Paddy Kenny (Leeds).

Defenders - Wes Morgan (Leicester), Anthony Gardner (Sheff Wed), Aaron Cresswell (Ipswich), Curtis Davies (Birmingham).

Midfielders - Chris Burke (Birmingham), Tom Ince (Blackpool) Wilf Zaha(Crystal Palace).

Strikers - Jordan Rhodes (Huddersfield, pictured right), Simon Cox (Forest), Marlon Harewood (Barnsley).

I have made seven transfers since the campaign kicked-off in August. First out the door was striker Stephen Fletcher who moved from Wolves to Premier league side Sunderland before a ball had been kicked. Then I replaced ex-Palace defender Anthony Gardner who wasn't getting a look in at Hillsborough, with Stephen Crainey who's Blackpool side were flying high early doors. Since then Crainey has only kept one clean sheet in eleven. Ipswich's Aaron Cresswell was next to get the chop as his Ipswich team started and continue to have an awful season. Ipswich currently sit bottom of the league having conceded 31 goals in just 15 league games and have a goal difference of -20. I replaced Cresswell early in the campaign with Hull's Abdoulaye Faye, but his return has not been great, just one clean sheet in seven games, although he has netted twice. Next to go was Curtis Davies as his Birmingham side had real trouble keeping clean sheets, just two in 12 games before I let him go. To fill the defensive gap left by Davies I brought in another ex-Palace player Cardiff's Mark Hudson.

So three of my first four changes changes were all defenders, in what would be comfortably described as a real defensive headache if I were using footballing terminology. I certainly made a mess when I picked my back four in August!

Next out was Marlon Harewood who I genuinely believed would get a regular run out could bag a few goals at this level. Oh how wrong I was. Not only was he not scoring goals, he wasn't often in the Barnsley starting XI. I brought in Brighton's Ashley Barnes to replace him and Charlie Austin to replace Simon Cox. Cox was getting regular games at Forest but could not find the onion bag. After a return of one goal and two assists in eight games he had to go! With hindsight I should have had Austin in my team about ten games earlier.

My most recent change was my first in midfield. Birmingham's Chris Burke was having a 'mare' and although I persisted with him for eleven games neither he nor his side were showing signs of an up turn in their fortunes. One goal and one assist says it all. In his place I brought in the exciting Wolves midfielder Bakary Sako. The French under-21 international was a deadline day signing by Wolves boss Stale Solbakken and he scored in his first game after I signed him.......nice one Bakary!

It's not been a great opening three months for me, particularly compared to this stage last season when I had the likes of Rickie Lambert, Rob Earnshaw, Robert Snodgrass and Kevin Nolan tearing up defences left right and centre. However this season the league is much more competitive. There are no runaway leaders and only 7 points separate the top 10 teams. They are a lot of goals being scored in the Championship this season and not a lot of clean sheets being kept. It is apparent that the strikers certainly have the upper hand over the defenders as we go into the second third of the season. Finding a a decent back four and goalkeeper could be the key to winning this competition!

As it stands today my current team is as follows:

Goalkeeper: Paddy Kenny (Leeds).

Defenders - Wes Morgan (Leicester), Stephen Crainey (Blackpool), Abdoulaye Faye (Hull), Mark Hudson (Cardiff).

Midfielders - Bakary Sako (Wolves, pictured right), Tom Ince (Blackpool), Wilf Zaha (Crystal Palace).

Strikers - Jordan Rhodes (Blackburn), Ashley Barnes (Brighton), Charlie Austin (Burnley).

I am 15,548th overall in the whole competition, 17th of 28 players in the 'Holmesdale Radio' private league, 237th of 449 in the 'Official Crystal Palace FC' private league and 23rd of 39 in the 'RednBlueArmy.co.uk' private league.

Until next time............good luck!

Crystal Palace F.C Pre-Season 2012 - Fixtures, Results, Teams and Goalscorers

All the Latest Transfer Gossip across Europe!

Some of the best 'Trash-Talk' quotes in Sport!

Babes of the Month - Oozing Olympic Sex Appeal!

All the Latest Transfer Gossip across Europe

Congratulations Team USA - Women's 2012 Olympic Football Champions

Crystal Palace Football Club Squad List - 2012/13

Fantasy Football 2012/13 - The npower Championship

The Unwritten Laws of Sunday Morning Football

Babe of the Month - Gorgeous Crystal Cheerleader Claire

An Alternative Glossary of Footballing Terminology

A front row ticket to The Circus. Charlton v Palace tonight. The facts and the betting!

The Unwritten Laws of Football

The World's Best Football Player Nicknames!

Babes of the Month - Ryder Cup Birdies!

The Best Selling Replica Club Shirts in the World

Double Bubble at the Palace as The Eagles soar!

Don't blame it on the Weatherman!

Babe of the Month - There's Always Hope!

Fantasy Football 2012/13 - The npower Championship. Update!