On the way to glory

CARDIFF CITY TICKETS SELLING QUICKLY.

28 March 2013.
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Tickets for Saturday selling fast.



Our ticket office has confirmed that tickets for the game against Cardiff City on Saturday are selling quickly.

The ticket office did confirm earlier today that 25,000 tickets have already been sold, and more are expected to be sold, before the 3:00pm kick-off on Saturday.

Both us and Cardiff City will be trying our hardest for three points on Saturday, we will be looking for three points to help push for promotion, while The Bluebirds will be looking for three points, as they look to avoid relegation this season.

We have already played The Bluebirds once this season in the league, with us winning 3-0 at the Cardiff City Stadium, thanks to a brace from Luciano Becchio and a Davide Somma strike.

30 March 2013
Last updated at 18:10


Cardiff City came from behind to secure all three points today at Elland Road, with striker Joe Mason scoring twice.

Leeds United came into the game today on the back of a 2-1 win away at Watford in there last match, and manager Phil Walker made four changes from that match, out went Sam Byram, Monty Gimpel, Ramon Nunez and Aidan White, with Tom Lees, Jason Pearce, Paul Green and Jerome Thomas replacing them.

Cardiff City came to Elland Road desperate for all three points, and manager Gareth Southgate made three changes from the 3-0 win at home to Birmingham City, out went Matthew Connolly, Etien Velikonja and Kim Bo-Kyung, with Ben Turner, Craig Bellamy and Jordon Mutch coming in.

The home side had the first opportunity of the match, and found the net with it, with Luciano Becchio scoring from the spot. The penalty for The Whites was won by midfielder David Norris, he was found by a pass from Paul Green, before being brought down in the box by Jordon Mutch to win a penalty, and striker Becchio then stepped up to take the penalty, which he smashed low and hard into the goal, sending David Marshall the wrong way.

The lead for the home side did not last very long, with Joe Mason equalising for the visitors eight minutes later. The move for the goal started from a clearance by David Marshall, he hit a long ball which was flicked on by Filip Kiss into Craig Bellamy, he then spotted the run of Mason and played it into him, and he took a touch to get beyond Jason Pearce, before firing home a shot from just inside the box, into the bottom corner of the net.

The home side won another penalty just two minutes after that Cardiff City goal, but this time Luciano Becchio fired his penalty wide. The second penalty of the match for The Whites was this time won by Michael Tonge, he was found on the edge of the box by Jerome Thomas, after he exchanged passes with Danny Pugh, Tonge then skipped away from Jordon Mutch, but was then brought down by the Cardiff City man, who gave away his second penalty of the afternoon, up stepped Becchio to take the penalty, but fired wide with David Marshall beaten.

The Bluebirds made it 2-1 just three minutes before the break, with Joe Mason scoring for the second time today. The assist for the goal went again to Craig Bellamy, he was found by a pass into the box from Don Cowie, and with Paddy Kenny committing himself to his near post, the Cardiff City striker pulled the ball back for Mason, and he slotted home a low shot into the net.

The next chance in the match did not come until the 63rd minute, with David Norris missing a fantastic opportunity to equalise for the home team. The chance for Norris was created from a corner by Ross McCormack, he whipped a cross in which was cleared by a header from Ben Turner, that fell to Danny Pugh who whipped the ball back in to find Norris, and he brought it down but fired wide from eight yards out.

The visitors had a great chance to make it 3-1 with just five minutes left, but Don Cowie was denied by a good save by Paddy Kenny. The chance for Cowie was created by team-mate Peter Whittingham, he received the ball from a Eric Lichaj clearance, before playing the ball into the run of Cowie, who skipped past a challenge from Patrick Kisnorbo, before hitting a low shot towards the far corner, which Kenny did well to tip round the post and wide.

At the final whistle the Cardiff players were delighted to win all three points, as this will move them away from the drop zone, and give them victories in successive matches for the first time since January. Meanwhile the Leeds United fans did not look too pleased, with this there third defeat in five games, and if they carry on like this, then there push for promotion to the Premier League could be over.

Leeds United manager, Phil Walker, on the defeat. "Another disappointing defeat for us here this afternoon, and if we are not careful then our promotion dreams could be over for another season, which is something we hope does not happen, because this division will definitely be stronger and tougher next season."

Cardiff City manager, Gareth Southgate, on the surprise victory. "This was a great three points for us this afternoon, many tipped them (Leeds United) to win today, but my lads did extremely well today, and did great to win three points.

"We have now had two good victories in crucial games, and this is encouraging for me to see, and with seven league games left, I am hoping we can avoid relegation and stay up."

Leeds United starting line-up (4-4-2). Kenny, Lees, Kisnorbo (c), Pearce, Pugh, Green, Norris, Tonge, Thomas, McCormack, Becchio.
Subs not used. Ashdown (gk), Thompson, Drury, White, Byram, Brown, Antelmi.
Goal. Becchio pen 8.

Cardiff City starting line-up (4-4-2). Marshall, Lichaj, Turner, Hudson (c), McNaughton, Cowie, Mutch, Kiss, Whittingham, Mason, Bellamy.
Subs not used. Lewis (gk), Salgado, Connolly, Bo-Kyung, Velikonja, Clarke, Noone.
Goals. Mason 16, 42.

Attendance. 28,862.
Referee. Eddie Ilderton.
Man of the Match. Joe Mason (Cardiff City), rated at 8.8 over 90 minutes. The Cardiff City striker fired both goals for his club today, in their 2-1 victory here at Elland Road.

Awards for March are announced in the npower Championship.

Last updated: April 1, 2013 10:00am.





The winners of monthly awards for March have been announced in the npower Championship, with two of them going to players from Midlands based clubs.

The Manager of the Month award has gone to Bolton Wanderers boss Mick McCarthy, after he guided the club to four wins in five league games in March, which was his first full month in charge at the club. The Player of the Month award has gone to Wolves striker Kevin Doyle, who was in deadly form in March, scoring in excess of a goal a game, something which has guaranteed his club at least a play-off place this season. The Young Player of the Month award has gone to Birmingham City winger Nathan Redmond, after the 19-year-old turned in a number of eye-catching performances last month. Finally the Goal of the Month award has gone to Watford midfielder Fernando Forestieri, for his goal away to Birmingham City, one where he picks the ball up in his own half, dribbles past two opposition players, before hitting a poachers effort from 18 yards.

At the beginning of April, it is Wolves and Leeds United who are in the top two yet again, with Wolves 13 points clear of the lads from West Yorkshire, and having secured at least a play-off place for this season. In the play-off places are Hull City, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool, with all them looking to catch Leeds United in second, and Hull City have a great chance of that, with them just two points behind their rivals in the table. The relegation places at the start of this month are the same as last month, with Leicester City, Charlton Athletic and Sheffield Wednesday all down there, but just nine points separates 18th placed Watford and bottom club Sheffield Wednesday.

Manager of the Month. Mick McCarthy (Bolton Wanderers).
Player of the Month. Kevin Doyle (Wolves).
Young Player of the Month. Nathan Redmond (Birmingham City).
Goal of the Month. Fernando Forestieri. Birmingham City v Watford.

POLEON RETURNS FROM LOAN SPELL.

1 April 2013.
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Striker returns from the South Coast.



Striker Dominic Poleon has returned to our club this morning, after his loan deal at Portsmouth expired.

The 19-year-old striker, who made his debut for us this season in the Capital One Cup victory over Port Vale, has spent the last two months at Fratton Park, gaining some valuable first-team experience with them.

Poleon made a total of seven appearances for the League One strugglers, finding the net with three goals, with one coming on his debut away to Hartlepool United.

1 April 2013
Last updated at 18:30


Leeds United suffered back-to-back home defeats for the first time this season today, with Nottingham Forest running out 3-1 winners, with Robert Snodgrass scoring on his return to Elland Road.

The Whites came into the match today on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Cardiff City, and there was six changes from that defeat, out went Danny Pugh, Patrick Kisnorbo, Paul Green, Jerome Thomas, David Norris and Michael Tonge, with Adam Drury, Sam Byram, Ramon Nunez, Aidan White, Rodolph Austin and Simon Lenighan coming in.

Nottingham Forest came into the game on the back of a 2-1 away win at Birmingham City, and boss Sean O'Driscoll made two changes from that match, out went Dan Harding and Simon Cox, with Greg Halford and Billy Sharp replacing them.

The first opportunity of the match fell to the hosts, with Luciano Becchio forcing Shwan Jalal into a save. The chance for the Argentinian striker was created by fellow striker Ross McCormack, he was found in the box by a cross from Aidan White, and then knocked the ball down into Becchio, who hit a shot down low, which Shwan Jalal saved.

The Tricky Trees opened the scoring with just four minutes left of the opening half, with Robert Snodgrass firing home a shot, to score on his first return to Elland Road. The goal for the away side was created by Dustley Mulder, he broke forward from the right-back position before playing the ball into Snodgrass, who then skipped past two Leeds United players, before firing home a shot beyond the reach of Paddy Kenny, and into the net.

The home side equalised six minutes into the second-half, with Ross McCormack finding the net with his 20th goal of the season. The move for the goal started with Aidan White, he picked up the loose ball out on the left and ran forward with it, before pulling the ball across the pitch to find Simon Lenighan, the central-midfielder then hit a fierce shot from distance, which Shwan Jalal could only push away, and McCormack slotted the rebound into the roof of the net.

Leeds United were only on level terms with the visitors for 12 minutes, as Simon Cox put Forest back into the lead, just two minutes after being brought off the bench. The assist for the strike went to Henri Lansbury, the ex-Arsenal midfielder made a run from the halfway line, before slotting it into Cox who was in the area, and he hit a shot into the top left corner of Paddy Kenny's goal.

Nottingham Forest wrapped the match up just 13 minutes later, with Chris Cohen finding the net. It was Dustley Mulder who yet again got the assist for the goal, he was found out on the right by a pass from Lewis McGugan, before whipping the ball into the penalty area, which found the head of Cohen, and he looped his header past Paddy Kenny and into the net.

At the final whistle, the Nottingham Forest fans were jubilant while the majority of the home fans had left the ground, with their team having yet another match today, and making it an Easter weekend to forget for them, as they have suffered two successive defeats.

Leeds United manager, Phil Walker, on another defeat. "Well yet again we have suffered a defeat this afternoon, and this is our second defeat in as many games, something we have to put a stop to, if we are going to achieve promotion this season, back into the Premier League.

"I believe though injuries have a big part to play in our form at the minute, we are still without Lee (Peltier) and Luke (Varney), Davide (Somma) made his comeback from the bench today, and Michael (Brown) has not played first-team football since last year, so all this has affected us and our form."

Nottingham Forest manager, Sean O'Driscoll, on the win. "This was a good win for us this afternoon, Leeds United might be struggling with form at the minute, but Elland Road is still a tough place to take three points from, and we did that today with a good win.

"With six games remaining in the league this season, we now have to push on for the play-off places, something I believe the lads can secure a place in."

Leeds United starting line-up (4-4-2). Kenny, Byram, Lees, Pearce (c), Drury, Nunez, Austin (Norris 77), Lenighan, White, McCormack, Becchio (Somma 77).
Subs not used. Ashdown (gk), Thompson, Pugh, Brown, Antelmi.
Goal. McCormack 51.

Nottingham Forest starting line-up (4-3-3). Jalal, Mulder, Ayala, Halford, Collins (c), Cohen, Moussi (McGugan 63), Guedioura (Herd 75), Snodgrass, Sharp (Cox 61), Lansbury.
Subs not used. Evtimov (gk), Moloney, Ephraim, Regan.
Goals. Snodgrass 41, Cox 63, Cohen 76.

Attendance. 21,271.
Referee. Richard Townsend.
Man of the Match. Dustley Mulder (Nottingham Forest), rated at 8.6 over 90 minutes. The right-back had a game to remember this afternoon, not only did he help his defence to keep Leeds United out at one end, he helped make two goals at the other end.

1 April 2013
Last updated at 21:10


Gianfranco Zola has tonight been sacked by Watford, just hours after drawing away to Millwall.

Italian Zola, 46, was sacked by The Hornets board earlier tonight, with the club down in 19th place in the table, and just four points above the relegation places, with six games left in the npower Championship this season.

The ex-Chelsea striker only arrived at Vicarage Road in the summer, with the clubs board hoping for a successful season under the new man, and they was in the top half of the table early on in the season, but that good start did not last, and they have been fighting relegation for most of the season.

The rumours are already starting as to who will be the next boss at Vicarage Road, with Dave Jones being tipped as the favourite for the job, but other names including Dave Brown, Peter Houston and Graeme Souness being linked with the vacancy.

close for automatic promotion good luck !

Cheers for the comment George. Yes were defo looking strong for automatic promotion, and with six games left Leeds could gain promotion back to the Premier League.

Hope you will keep on following my story by the way, and hope you will comment on it from time to time.

4 April 2013
Last updated at 12:25


Kenny Jackett has today been named as the new manager at Watford, just three days after the sacking of Gianfranco Zola.

This news has come as a shock for both Watford and Millwall fans, especially with the announcement coming so quickly after the sacking of Zola, which could indicate the Watford board had already made their mind up, as to who would replace the Italian in the manager's hotseat.

Watford-born Jackett, has returned to his former club for his third spell at Vicarage Road, one which has seen him rise through the ranks from player, to coach, to manager, to assistant manager and now back to manager.

The Hornets did have a good start to the league campaign this season, but have been struggling down at the wrong end of the table for most of it, while The Lions have been having an up and down season under Jackett, but have been doing better than what was predicted of them in pre-season, with the club currently lying in 13th, which has surprised people as to why Jackett has left the club, but it is thought that a return to his former club has persuaded him to leave Millwall, after over five years in charge there.

As to the contract that Jackett has signed at Vicarage Road, he has signed a deal worth £9,000-per-week, which will run until June 2016, with both the board of directors and fans hoping he can avoid relegation with the club this season, w