Once again, the Premier League weekend was subject to a little controversy as a number of players were accused of diving to try and win their side a penalty, or get an opposing player sent off.

One of the big examples of this was Luis Suarez for Liverpool against Stoke City on Sunday as the Uruguayan went down far too easily in the second half of the a football result   that ended goalless draw between the two sides at Anfield.

This made Stoke boss Tony Pulis come out and ask for Suarez to be banned, suggesting that too many players get away with doing it and that if they were suspended for diving, it would cut it out of the game.

These days it is almost impossible for a referee to give a penalty as there is always the doubt that a player has tried to con the officials or whether there was enough contact. Someone like Suarez is constantly in the headlines for playacting and it has led to him getting a lot less spot-kicks.

However, he seems to keep on doing it and maybe a ban would be a big statement of intent from the Football Association that they want to get diving out of the game and it would make a player think twice about doing that.

The FA could use video evidence after the match, and if someone has clearly dived to try and win a penalty of having a member of the opposition sent off, then it is them that face the ban.

No one likes to see a player cheating – there is a big difference between winning a penalty and looking for one. If you feel contact in the box, then you have every right to go down, but if you go into the area knowing you are going to fall to the ground – you deserve to be punished.

This is not just a pick on Suarez either, there are players all round England that are guilty of it. When you are successful in trying to con the referee it can have a massive impact on a team’s season – which is really not fair.

Swansea boss Michael Laudrup‘s comments that he sees nothing wrong with clubs offering rival teams money to win if it will benefit them – so-called ‘suitcasing’ and apparently commonplace in Spain – have quite rightly sparked anger amongst British football fans.

Laudrup has caused controversy by saying he doesn’t “see anything bad” in the suggestion that a third side can offer another in the league a financial reward, or incentive, to win a game that benefits them both.

To explain further, a hypothetical example would be Swansea players being offered an extra financial bonus by, say, Wigan for the Welsh club to beat, for example, Southampton, if that result would directly benefit Wigan in a relegation battle.

While these crucial occasions are not common and usually restricted to the final weeks of a season, the suggestion that it is ‘OK’ for this practice to go ahead is surely dangerous for the game – and for someone of Laudrup’s standing to offer his backing to it, quite frankly, shocking.

Laudrup said: “If Swansea play the last game against a team and a third team pays Swansea to win the game, I really don’t see anything bad about that.”

Online message-boards and phone-ins have been dominated by fans angered by his comments and they are quite right to object to what is a flawed wisdom which breeds and feeds an underground current and a totally unregulated culture that will unduly affect results and scores

It is a very dangerous and murky road to go down. If players are suddenly offered more money to win games then how long before others are offered more to lose a meaningless game? In truth, while it might not be technically illegal, it completely goes against sporting traditions and is a short sidestep away from blatant match-fixing – something we are thankfully not too familiar with in the Barclays premier league but an issue which remains a threat in other parts of the world, not least Italy, where an ongoing match-fixing scandal at the highest level continues to be investigated.

In the light of Laudrup’s naive and outspoken comments, the FA have reminded everyone they, of course, have clear rules to outlaw any form of bribery, match-fixing and corruption.

Some will say that Laudrup, brought up and used to football in another culture, was merely revealing what many know goes on ahead of certain crucial games in other countries and expressing his personal opinion that he doesn’t see much wrong with it.

But it is clearly a dark route for football to go down and, while it may be seen as ‘the norm’ in Spain, it is never something that should be tolerated over here.

It is clear that England have a shortage of top class strikers at the moment. With Wayne Rooney constantly struggling to re-produce his club form for the national team, and the likes of Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck lacking experience on the international stage; there is an opening for forwards to stake a claim to be a fixture in Roy Hodgson’s future squads.

The Likes of Grant Holt, anyone who follows Premier League news  will have seen that he bagged 15 League goals in his debut Premier League season last year for Norwich City, and Danny Graham at Swansea City have consistently been overlooked for a place in the Three Lions squad despite performing superbly for their Club sides.

But another man who has not as yet been given a look in is Gary Hooper at Celtic. The Harlow born front man has been nothing short of a goal machine for the Bhoys after making a £2.4 million move from Scunthorpe United back in 2010.

Since then, Hooper has netted over half a century goals for the Hoops and his manager, Neil Lennon, has urged England to give him a chance.  His blistering form has led to both Scotland and Wales making enquires over whether the 24 year old could be eligible to play for them, but such a turnover of goals should have caught the attention of Roy Hodgson.

Many sceptics will point to the fact that Hooper has been plying his trade at a relatively poor standard in the SPL,  but the ball still needs putting in the back of the net; no matter what level you play – and Hooper does that better than most.

What’s more, he has dealt with the pressure of playing for one of Britain’s biggest club’s in the shape of Celtic and thrived on the atmosphere. The prospect of playing for his country in front of big crowds is something that is unlikely to faze him and natural born goal scorers will always have that ability to create something out of nothing.

If you like a football bet , you will see that Hooper is the favourite to be the leading scorer in the SPL this campaign.

It would be great to see players rewarded for their league form, no matter who they play for, with international friendlies offering the perfect chance to try out new faces. In the shape of Hooper, England may have a predatory forward on their hands; but they will never know unless they give him a chance to prove his worth.

By Andrew Ward

The new Aviva Premiership season got underway last weekend, as rugby fans across the country prepare for another epic and thrilling campaign ahead.

In terms of an introduction to the new season, there could hardly have been a better one; it may have been the first game of the season, but Harlequins and Wasps produced 80 minutes of entertainment that may not be bettered in the following 134 matches.

After enduring the season from hell last time out, Wasps looked to have shaken off the shackles that saw them almost go out of the Premiership and close to administration as their pace and precision tore apart the defending champions.    

A brace from young star Christian Wade and another from fellow speedster Tom Varndell put Dai Young‘s men in a commanding 40-13 lead with just 20 minutes remaining, only for Quins to show just why they are the kings of English rugby.

Four tries in ten minutes saw Conor O’Shea’s side pull to within a point going into the final stages, before a penalty from Nick Evans four minutes from time sealed one of the most sensational comebacks in Premiership history.

This was the first part of the annual Twickenham double-header between the four established top-flight London clubs, and although the second billing didn’t live up to its predecessor, it proved to be a great start for Saracens and new boy Chris Ashton.

The England winger scored two tries and set up another two as the 2011 champions kicked off their quest to regain the title with a convincing bonus-point win over a disappointing London Irish.

While there was plenty to build on for Sarries, it was an eye-opener for Brian Smith as the size of the task to rediscover the days of Premiership finals and Heineken Cup semis becomes more apparent.

Another side that saw pre-season optimism disintegrate on the opening day were Sale Sharks, as Brian Redpath’s return to the Manchester outfit got off to a sorry start.

The likes of Danny Cipriani and Scotland lock Richie Gray had debuts to forget as the Sharks went down 43-6 to Exeter at Sandy Park.

Exeter were last season’s surprise package and the excellent Rob Baxter has a settled squad in which he consistently gets the best out of, and the early signs suggest they could launch another push for a top-four place that they came so close to securing back in May.

As for Sale, there is plenty that Redpath and his coaching team have to work with, and this early setback shouldn’t detract from an exciting future ahead as they prepare for their first match at their new home in the City of Salford stadium this weekend.

Redpath’s old club Gloucester were also unable to get off to a winning start, as Nigel Davies saw his reign at Kingsholm begin with a 24-19 defeat at home to Northampton Saints.

Davies did a wonderful job at bringing through a fantastic core of young players at the Scarlets, and this defeat won’t detract from the wealth of potential that the Cherry and Whites have in their ranks.

As for Northampton, Jim Mallinder and his squad appear more determined than ever to end their tag as the ‘nearly men’ of English rugby and get their hands on the domestic crown after three semi-final appearances in as many seasons.

Another club with new management in place this season is Bath, with a coaching team headed by Gary Gold determined to finally bring the glory days back to the Rec, and they got off to a winning start at Worcester – just.

In a game dominated by the boot of the respective fly-halves, Warriors number ten Andy Goode must have felt his 18 points would provide an opening day for Richard Hill’s men.

But Olly Barkley was just as impressive with the boot and his late penalty meant that Bath came away from Sixways with a narrow 24-23 triumph.

There is plenty of work required from both sides in the coming months, but Gold showed at Newcastle last season that despite their relegation he is able to galvanise a club on the downturn and he has the potential to get Bath back amongst the elite.

In the final game of the weekend, London Welsh’s return to the top flight couldn’t have been much tougher as they welcomed Leicester to their new Premiership home of the Kassam stadium.

Welsh showed the kind of character and determination they will need throughout the season having been within a converted try of the Tigers at half-time, but Richard Cockerill‘s side pulled away in the second half to secure a 38-13 victory.

Leicester showed no reason why they wont be in the title shake-up once again come May as they bid to reach a ninth successive Premiership final as the new season got underway with exciting attacking rugby dominating the headlines.

Long may it continue.

So what do you think? What are your hopes for the new season for your club? Leave a comment and let us know your views.

Hutchinson was shown a red card for the second time in a week after treading on the back of Thomas Reilly’s ankle as opponents St Mirren chased a late equaliser at Fir Park. Referee Euan Norris immediately brandished a second yellow to give the centre-back his marching orders, a decision McCall disagreed with.

“Hutchinson’s distraught,” McCall told BBC Scotland. “He feels guilty for letting us down, which he’s not done. He’ll learn from his first booking, I’ve had a go at him [for that].

“If you’re booking people for tackles like that, I think that’s wrong,” condemned the Motherwell boss.

Yet replays on sites such as Unibet sport news suggest Norris’s decision was right, with Hutchison planting six studs through his opponent’s ankle. The foul was committed on the edge of the area as St Mirren were coming forward in search of an equaliser and the defender had already been booked for petulant behaviour earlier in the game.

To make matters worse, Hutchinson’s departure created a huge gap in Motherwell’s back line that their opponents utilised to great extent. St Mirren dominated the game with 65% of the ball and peppered Darren Randolph’s goal; an equaliser was the least that they deserved.

It was somewhat fitting therefore that 17-year-old Reilly’s stoppage-time finish came from the place Hutchinson would have been standing were he still on the field.

McCall admits he has spoken to the referee and understands the decision to dismiss Hutchinson, yet still should not defend the challenge his centre-half made. It was a reckless attempt to win the ball and cost his side three points, and although it is commendable that McCall stands up for his player, there is really only one man to blame.

What do you think? have you seen the tackle? Was the referee right to give him his marching orders?

After a truly great summer of sport dominated our attention, it almost feels like the new football season has snuck up on without anyone realising.

But it’s easy to forget after the past few weeks of witnessing our Olympic heroes inspire a nation that last season’s Premier League campaign will be etched into the memory of every football fan for many years to come.

A title race that came down to the last kick of the season (literally) a battle for the Champions League places that had more twists and turns than a Carlos Tevez transfer saga, and a relegation battle that had supporters of several clubs biting their nails for several months on end.

Now, the new season gets underway today with either plenty of change or plenty of uncertainty dominating the thoughts of clubs ready for the next long journey ahead.    

Arsenal were always going to see the majority of their summer dominated by the saga that was Robin Van Persie, but despite the departure of their talismanic Dutchman (and potential loss of Alex Song), it’s been the first summer in a while where Arsene Wenger hasn’t been afraid to splash the cash.

A considerable £40 million outlay on strike duo of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, as well as the excellent Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla, means there is still a sense that the Gunners can close the gap on the Manchester duo this season.

Aston Villa can only hope there is a sense of improvement this time around, as last season could barely have been worse under the uninspired guidance of Alex McLeish. Their plummet at the tail end of the season was so severe that had the campaign been a few weeks longer there’s a good chance they’d have been preparing to start life in the Championship this weekend.

Out went one Scot and in came another as Paul Lambert and if the 43 year-old has the same impact that he had at Norwich (consecutive promotions and consolidation in the Premier League in three years in charge), then a top-half finish and a genuine step in the right direction is within reach at Villa Park.

Chelsea haven’t been afraid to splash the cash despite their remarkable Champions League triumph back in May. That historic night in Munich was seen more by owner Roman Abramovich as the end of an era and has backed new boss Roberto Di Matteo in the transfer market.

The signings of young stars such as Eden Hazard, Marko Marin and Oscar undoubtedly underlines a future at Stamford Bridge full of attacking flair, but with Didier Drogba gone and a sixth-place finish to write off from last year there is still a transition for their Italian boss to oversee in the coming months.

Everton have had their usual summer of seeing their manager linked away from Goodison Park only to see him go absolutely nowhere, carving out improvements to the squad on a shoestring budget and witnessing significant player departures to improve the squad as a whole.

The loss of Tim Cahill and Jack Rodwell is a shame for Toffees’ supporters either in their loyalty to the club (Cahill) or in the potential player they could’ve been with an injury-free run (Rodwell), but the money will allow Moyes to work his magic on bringing in replacements, and the return of Steven Pienaar will help aid the push for another top-eight finish.

Fulham have seen much change within their squad this summer, with personnel such as Danny Murphy and Andy Johnson moving on to pastures new as Martin Jol tries to mould the team into his own image.

Hugo Rodallega could prove a shrewd purchase on a free transfer in a side already full of attacking intent, but much will depend on how they cope without their star man in Clint Dempsey, with the American making it clear his future lies away from Craven Cottage.

Liverpool are beginning a new chapter in their illustrious history this season. After the departure of manager and club legend Kenny Dalglish, Brendan Rodgers has been given the task of guiding the Merseyside outfit back amongst the country’s elite in the long-term following their worst-ever Premier League finish back in May.

The additions of Joe Allen and Fabio Borini – plus the clear apprehension of the manager in having Andy Carroll in his immediate plans – indicates the fresh forward-thinking and attacking approach that the former Swansea boss wants to develop in the years to come, although at least progression towards a push for a Champions League return will be required for the club’s ambitious American owners.

Manchester City begin a season for the first time in 44 years as the champions of England after their remarkable last-gasp triumph of the title back in May at the expense of their biggest rivals, but this summer has for the first time in a few years undergone little change.

Boss Roberto Mancini and captain Vincent Kompany have committed to the club in the long-term, while having Carlos Tevez available without any distractions must feel like a new signing, and while missing out on main target Robin Van Persie will frustrate the Italian, they still remain the team to beat going into the defence of their crown.

Manchester United will be without doubt City’s biggest challengers once again; after missing out on a 13th title in such agonising fashion three months ago, Sir Alex Ferguson has gone back into the transfer market to help launch a push on all fronts this time around.

The signing of Van Persie is a real statement of intent considering their already-bulging attacking options and Shinji Kagawa could prove to be one of the signings of the season; but it’s the return to fitness of midfield duo Tom Cleverley and Darren Fletcher that could prove to be the real difference to United’s chances domestically and in Europe.

Newcastle will be fighting on both those fronts this season after ther superb fifth-place finish last time out, and manager Alan Pardew has managed to retain the core of the squad that made such an impact on the league last campaign, with the likes of Demba Ba, Hatem Ben Arfa, Cheick Tiote and Tim Krul still providing a strong spine to the team.

With the addition of Dutch midfielder Vurnon Anita, there should be a genuine sense on Tyneside that they can replicate the achievements of last season and make a push for those Champions League places.

Norwich City will be looking to avoid the dreaded ‘second-season syndrome’ that has been the downfall of so many teams in the past, and the departure of manager Paul Lambert was a real setback after his remarkable achievements in Norfolk over the last few years.

New manager Chris Hughton has already had a positive impact by retaining the services of key striker Grant Holt, and the likes of Robert Snodgrass and Michael Turner are solid additions to the squad, but Hughton will have to display the same nous shown at Newcastle and Birmingham to ensure a repeat of last season’s consolidation in the top flight.

Queen’s Park Rangers have made considerable additions to their squad as Mark Hughes tries to make sure there isn’t a repeat of waiting until the final day to secure safety. Notable signings such as Park Ji-Sung, Junior Hoilett and Jose Bosingwa underline the growing ambitions of the West London outfit.

While QPR only narrowly escaped the drop last season, there will be a real belief that huge strides can be made as their Welsh boss moulds the squad into one capable of challenging for a top-half finish.

Reading produced a stunning second-half to their season last time out and earn promotion back to the Premier League after a four-year absence in the Championship, and are set to be among the favourites for the drop. But Brian McDermott has strengthened the squad well in preparation for life back in the top flight.

Arrivals such as Danny Guthrie and Pavel Pogrebnyak will add a touch of class to the side along with good defensive additions in Adrian Mariappa and the return of Nicky Shorey – and if the Berkshire outfit do manage to retain their Premier League status come May then it may finally earn their modest and often understated manager the credit he deserves.

Southampton have had an even longer exile and more tumultuous exile from the Premier League, but after a seven-year absence, a drop into League One and the threat of liquidation just a few years ago, manager Nigel Adkins has produced miracles in getting the club back amongst England’s elite.

The Saints will hope to to produce the same attacking flair that served them so well in the Championship last season, while keep an eye out for midfield duo Jack Cork and Adam Lallana to pull the strings in the heart of a side whose sole aim is not begin a new absence from the top-flight next summer.

Stoke City have had a quiet summer as they prepare for a fifth straight season in the Premier League, with Michael Kightly the notable addition to Tony Pulis’ squad at the Britannia.

Pulis has been trying to add to his attacking options, not least of all in his pursuit of free agent Michael Owen, and that sort of addition could see the Potters break back into the top 10 with a settled squad now full of Premier League quality and experience.

Sunderland have also had a summer of little activity, but certainly not through the lack of trying; their efforts to bring in Steven Fletcher from Wolves has been well-documented as Martin O’Neill tries to shape the squad to move forward.

The departure of the on-loan Nicklas Bendtner and the confirmed sale of Asamoah Gyan to the Middle East means that additions, and despite the signing of Louis Saha further strengthening to the frontline are crucial if the Black Cats are to repeat the kind of form they showed upon O’Neill’s arrival at the Stadium of Light.

Swansea City earned many plaudits last season for comfortably securing their place within the top-flight by playing some excellent attacking football created through a philosophy under Brendan Rodgers (and previous managers such as Roberto Martinez) of maintaining possession and building from the back.

However, Rodgers has now departed and it’s up to Michael Laudrup to continue the work built up over the past few years at the Liberty Stadium. The Dane will have to do so without influential midfield duo Joe Allen and Gylfi Sigurdsson, and with Scott Sinclair set to depart the former Getafe boss will have his work cut out to build on the efforts of previous management.

Tottenham have undergone one of the biggest changes of the summer; out goes Harry Redknapp and in comes Andre Villas-Boas as he earns a shot at Premier League redemption following his short-lived spell in charge of Chelsea last season.

While a top-four place will be the aim once again this time around, the transfer saga of Luka Modric has once again dominated their pre-season, and while the additions of Sigurdsson and Jan Vertonghen have improved the squad, their lack of strikers (only Jermain Defoe and youngster Harry Kane currently on the books) means forward additions will need to be made to the squad inorder for a realistic push for the Champions League to be maintained.

West Brom are another club with a new manager who has a point to prove; Steve Clarke has had an outstanding coaching career, but for the first time he steps up from an assistant role to the managerial hotseat as the Hawthorns welcome a third-consecutive season in the Premier League for the first time.

Often the epitome of the ‘yo-yo’ side, the Baggies will hope that they can earn a repeat of their 10th-placed finish under Roy Hodgson last time out, while Romelu Lukaku could prove to be one of the shrewdest transfers of the summer as the powerful on-loan Chelsea forward looks to make his mark in England.

West Ham return to the Premier League after their play-off glory over Blackpool back in May, with Sam Allardyce looking to cement their place back in the promised land having had several years of top-flight experience.

The signings of Mohamed Diame, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Alou Diarra and the return of James Collins demonstrates that the former Bolton boss wants a strong spine to build from, and although his direct style of play frustrates many Hammers fans, few will be complaining if they are in a similar position in 12 months time.

Wigan are often seen as the perennial certainties for relegation, but time and again Roberto Martinez’s side find a way of defying the odds when it matters and continuing to reign supreme in their annual battle against the drop.

Once again though the Latics will find the going tough, with star man Victor Moses set to leave and the loss of Mohamed Diame a blow, but they have strengthened with some good signings such as striker Arouna Kone the on-loan Arsenal midfielder Ryo Miyaichi, who impressed in a similar spell with Bolton last season.

So unpredictability and uncertainty surrounds many clubs going into the new campaign – sounds like your same old Premier League season to me. I for one can’t wait.

Predicted Table

 1. Manchester City
2. Manchester United
3. Arsenal
4. Chelsea
5. Tottenham
6. Newcastle
7. Liverpool
8. Everton
9. Queens Park Rangers
10. Aston Villa
11. Stoke City
12. Fulham
13. Sunderland
14. West Ham United
15. West Bromwich Albion
16. Southampton
17. Reading
18. Swansea City
19. Norwich
20. Wigan

So what do you think? How will this season’s Premier League season pan out? Will it live up to the excitement that last season generated? Leave a comment and let us know your views.

The Manchester United star withdrew his name from selection in January, after a dissatisfying 2010 World Cup campaign.

Being withdrawn, he was not selected for Roy Hodgson’s side for this summer’s Euro 2012 tournament, and he recently admitted to Betfair.com that he would have rejected a call-up, even if it were formally made.

Carrick outlined the situation at the World Cup as the reasons for his decision to focus on club football. Having made the squad, he trained and camped with his teammates but did not get a minute of play in South Africa, a predicament he foresaw should he join the Euro 2012 set-up.

But, when Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry pulled out of the campaign injured, the perfect replacement in the centre of the park was back at home. Instead of Carrick partnering Steven Gerrard in midfield, responsibility was handed to the inexperienced Jordan Henderson, who was largely ineffectual in Ukraine.

Carrick’s presence may well have bolstered England’s midfield during their quarter-final defeat to Italy, where Andrea Pirlo ran the show in the centre of the pitch. In deciding not to represent his country – even simply as a substitute – Carrick has surely rejected any chance of getting back into the side.

For why should a man dissatisfied with life on the subs bench be awarded a starting role?

Jamie Carragher, Liverpool’s rock in defence for the past decade, retired from international football as he was not getting a game. His appearance in South Africa, therefore, was disheartening to say the least, as he had not earned the right from playing England qualifiers.

The noble Carrick, if he wants to be part of England again at a major tournament, must prove himself willing to work with the squad during their next qualification campaign.

Visit the Betfair Premiership website for the best odds, picks, and tips for the upcoming campaign, as well as the 2012/13 Champions League.

South American contestants, Uruguay, have shown that they are taking Olympic football glory seriously, by selecting an extremely strong 18-man squad for London 2012.

The side are 7/1 for the gold in the Olympics football betting odds on Betfair, behind Spain and Brazil.

Liverpool striker, Luis Saurez, is one of the main attractions, and he is joined by fellow Reds player, defender Sebastian Coates.

Suarez is one of the three over-age players allowed to be included, with Palermo’s Arevalo Rios and Napoli’s Edinson Cavani also selected by coach, Oscar Tabarez.

So, at least England will know what to expect when they play Uruguay, having also been drawn in group A along with Senegal and the UAE.

Uruguay have won the Olympic gold medal on two occasions, having first triumphed on their debut at the Games in Paris, in 1924, beating Switzerland 3-0.

They followed up, four years later, in Amsterdam, beating Argentina 2-1 in a replay after the first match ended all square, but they have not been anywhere near as successful since.

However, the South Americans, who join fellow CONMEBOL side, Brazil, in London, are expected to be one of the big challengers for the gold medal, having won the 2011 Copa America.

In addition, quite a few of the squad were part of the side that captured last year’s South American under-21 tournament.

The inclusion of Saurez, while good news for Uruguay, means that Liverpool will be without their star player for the start of pre-season training, but, when he does return to Merseyside, it could well be with a medal round his neck, maybe even gold, although his fellow Premier League peers will hope not.

The Betfair Tennis webpage may also be of interest to fans of the Olympics; Andy Murray is fourth-favourite, as ever, to win the gold.

Englandare through to the quarter-finals of the Euros yes, but let’s not get carried away.

Their performances in Euro 2012 to date haven’t set the world alight, and have not fired the sort of signals to the rest ofEuropethat make the continent’s top players start quaking in their shiny, overly expensive football boots.

The one thing the Englandplayers have managed to do, though, is start believing in themselves, and each other, with positive football scores the inevitable consequence

England are never, ever, in a million years, going to be as good as Spain, and we don’t possess the ability that the Germans do, but we do seem to have the unity and togetherness that has previously helped lesser teams succeed against the odds.  

The Greeceteam of 2004 springs to mind as the best example of a relatively unskilled team being successful in a major tournament. The football betting at the outset suggested they would struggle to get out of their group, let alone win the whole thing. But their success inPortugal eight years ago has gone down as one of the greatest upsets in modern day football.

But before we all get excited, thisEnglandteam is very, very unlikely to repeat this feat.

If we can get close, though, this current side will be in a decent position to be viewed as a strong competitor at the next World Cup, and maybe (just maybe!) might be able to win a major tournament for the first time since 1966.

If Roy can create a scenario that allows this kind of belief to exist, he will have exceeded everything that was first expected of him, and will have bought himself precious time to prove those who doubt his ability as national team manager.

While there is plenty of time for everything to go wrong again for England, we can now at least have just a little more hope than we did before the start of the Euros!

By Tony Alvarez
The last fixture of the season in the English Football leagues takes place at Wembley on Sunday as the league 2 play off final is contested between Crewe and Cheltenham.
Both sides are vying to make the step up and be playing in League One next year, there is also many players hoping this fixture can put them in the shop window for a move onto bigger and better things.

Cheltenham had an unexpected win in their play off semi final beating Torquay United over 2 legs, it is not all that shocking but is somewhat unexpected as Torquay finished higher in the League and only missed out on automatic promotion on the final day of the season.
Cheltenham won both home and away giving them an aggregate score line of 4-1 their man of the semi finals was without doubt Jermaine McGlashan who they signed from Aldershot Town in January, he scored in both legs as well as providing an assist for Ben Burgess in the 2-0 home victory. Classy midfielder Marlon Pack scores the clubs other goal on their route to Wembley.
Crewe took the final play off spot and they themselves had an unexpected semi final victory. They beat Paul Sturrock‘s Southend United who finished the regular season above them, however there road to Wembley wasn’t as straight forward as Cheltenhams.
The club went through 3-2 after a 1-0 home victory and a tense but exciting 2-2 draw at Southend’s Roots Hall home.
AJ Leitch-Smith seems to of found form at just the right time as he had a very good end to the season and scored the first with an excellent finish in the 2-2 draw.
He could be one to watch at Wembley, however the club have become the darlings of League 2 this season due to the number of top quality academy players they have used and blooded into the team and combined that with a spot in the play offs and Leitch-Smith is not one of those players.
The names that are being tipped for huge things are the likes of Nick Powell who was named Football League apprentice of the year, the young striker who’s size defies his age has already been linked with Manchester United and Arsenal and rumours suggest he comes with a £4 million price tag.
Its not only Powell that’s getting scouts excited the scorer of Crewe’s second at Southend was Max Clayton who has been compared to a young Michael Owen, if he continues scoring goals of the calibre he did in the play off semi he won’t be with Crewe for long.
Another player that scouts are rumoured to have an eye on is young left back Harry Davis at 20 he is the oldest of their “young talent” but still looks to have quite a career ahead of him.
Crewe go into this match on the back of an 18 game unbeaten run and will be confident of extending that run and finding themselves in League One next season.

It may anger Cheltenham fans but id like to see Crewe win for their style of Football and what they stand for in promoting youth and giving players a chance no matter how old they are. I believe they will win but it will be a very tight affair.

What are your thoughts? Who will gain promotion? How good are Crewe’s youngsters? Who will Cheltenham look to for an inspired performance?