Scottish Mag

Has Renton been seen since Gotham Town?

Sammy Lee also

England will not be among the top seeds in the 2010 World Cup qualifying draw after their failure to reach Euro 2008. The defeat against Croatia has seen them drop to 12th place - and they have now been leap-frogged by Greece. This means they are not in the top nine European countries in the draw when it is made in Durban on Sunday. They are now in the group of second seeds and could possibly face Italy, France or Germany in a potentially hazardous qualifying group. Scotland have also dropped one place to 14th, meaning they will also be among the group of second seeds.

I just tried it on mine, as its showing up on there, but it appears that its "broked". Will see if someone can fix it for you.

VSO is the one I was going to suggest too. There are many of these type of things that are a total rip off with very little money or gain to the country and are money making outfits.

You can select our Christmas skin can you not?

I didn't say I'd be in the Trent before the match. If yous don't get to O'Neills I'll see you afterwards. So how come we didn't get invited? Someone else started this thread before I had a chance to. Can't get on from work so I didn't know it was here til this morning. And plus, I didn't think Sammy would even give his plans any consideration whatsoever til about 10am on Saturday morning Just thought O'Neills would be a change from the Trent/Union Rooms for an hour before the game. Does it still stink of piss in there? No idea. It was reeking of it that night in the summer Shh, man. I think that may have been Matt What did he bring his rancid floorboards with him...?

I didn't say I'd be in the Trent before the match. If yous don't get to O'Neills I'll see you afterwards. So how come we didn't get invited? Someone else started this thread before I had a chance to. Can't get on from work so I didn't know it was here til this morning. And plus, I didn't think Sammy would even give his plans any consideration whatsoever til about 10am on Saturday morning Just thought O'Neills would be a change from the Trent/Union Rooms for an hour before the game. Does it still stink of piss in there? No idea. It was reeking of it that night in the summer

I didn't say I'd be in the Trent before the match. If yous don't get to O'Neills I'll see you afterwards. So how come we didn't get invited? Someone else started this thread before I had a chance to. Can't get on from work so I didn't know it was here til this morning. And plus, I didn't think Sammy would even give his plans any consideration whatsoever til about 10am on Saturday morning Just thought O'Neills would be a change from the Trent/Union Rooms for an hour before the game. Does it still stink of piss in there?

I didn't say I'd be in the Trent before the match. If yous don't get to O'Neills I'll see you afterwards. So how come we didn't get invited?

Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce has challenged Obafemi Martins to take full advantage of the injury to Michael Owen. Owen picked up the thigh injury in England's friendly against Austria last week and has been sent to Germany for treatment. Allardyce is keen to see Martins score more goals and record their first league win this month against Liverpool on Saturday. Martins has made an appearance in every league game so far this season but Allardyce wants the Nigerian to add to his four goals. Allardyce told the Daily Star: "I hope Oba can come in and start scoring the goals that Michael hasn't been recently, to be perfectly honest. "I've been very pleased with Oba in recent weeks and I'm looking for him to link up with Mark Viduka or Shola Ameobi. "The injury to Michael gives other players a chance to get in. "I hope they take up that challenge and produce the sort of performances we know they are capable of."

The Trent at 12 it is then.

Freddy Shepherd said yesterday he was poised to tie up a deal with "a northern club" early in the new year. The former Newcastle United chairman picked up more than £37m from his sale of stock in the club in June, with a seven-figure package also believed to have been agreed after he left the board later in the summer. He is seeking a route back into football and said there were "half-a-dozen clubs" offering him takeover opportunities. Shepherd, who has been strongly linked with a move for Leeds United, wants to invest his wealth in a club close to his Tyneside roots. "Football's a drug, and a powerful drug," he said. "From January I think something could happen. I'm a northern guy, so obviously I'm more interested in northern clubs." Shepherd would not be drawn specifically on his reported interest in Leeds. But according to Keith Harris, whose company Seymour Pierce has become one of football's most successful dealmakers, two Premier League and four Championship clubs are currently looking for buyers. Although Harris refused to name clubs, he believes the Championship has become a more attractive market for investors. "The wealth differential has expanded between the Premier League and the Championship," said Harris, the co-host of yesterday's Future of Football Conference where Shepherd was a delegate. "So people are looking lower. A football investor is an inherent gambler. If they are saying 'I have time', they will pick a lower-placed club - which will cost less - and back themselves to take the club to the play-offs, to win the play-offs and then make a run in the Premier League with their own cash generation." One top-flight club is known to be up for sale. Adam Pearson, the executive chairman of the bottom club, Derby County, has been in the United States and Asia in search of new money and is reported to have delivered the hedge fund Shamrock as its newest investor. The grapevine suggests that Bolton Wanderers will not long remain in current hands and Mike Ashley, who bought Newcastle off Shepherd and his co-investors the Hall family might also consider offers. "Mike's a trader and a very successful one," said Shepherd. "I wouldn't be surprised whatever he did."

NEW Wigan Athletic boss Steve Bruce will splash out in January on a top-class striker to partner Emile Heskey in a bid to preserve the club's Premier League status. Bruce will have in excess of £15m to spend on team strengthening and potential targets have been identified and discussed with chairman Dave Whelan. Bruce will sign either a proven Premier League marksman or recruit a high-profile international foreign star. Midlands sources have even suggested there could be an audacious inquiry from Bruce for Heskey's England team-mate Michael Owen, should Newcastle decide to listen to offers in the New Year. Bruce tried while Birmingham City boss to sign Owen two years ago when he outlined his desire to quit Real Madrid and return to the Premiership. Latics fans will also remember their own club's strong interest in Owen. Dave Whelan sounded him out in Spain and made him an offer to join Wigan. Owen later thanked Whelan in person for his interest but explained he had opted to join Newcastle. Both Bruce and Whelan would no doubt be delighted to have the England frontmen leading the attack for Wigan, but even if Newcastle grow impatient with the injury-prone Owen, the chances of him teaming up with Heskey at the JJB Stadium are slim. In the meantime Bruce may target Charlton Athletic's highly-rated young striker Luke Varney, in whom there is huge Premier League interest. Bruce could also return to St Andrews for Cameron Jerome and he is a long-time admirer of Jermaine Pennant, another player who excelled for him at St Andrews before joining Liverpool. Bruce will be officially unveiled as the new Wigan boss on Wednesday and chairman Whelan has vowed to back the ex-United skipper to the hilt. He said: "I'm delighted and very excited at the prospect of again working closely with Steve. He greatly impressed me when he was briefly in charge here in 2001. He is an extremely strong character with excellent credentials, he's just what Wigan Athletic need right now. "It's going to be tough for him but I'm convinced he can take this club forward again. Steve reminds me a lot of Paul Jewell with his determination and strong character. "We need to turn things around and we must also start to show again the fighting spirit that was instantly associated with Wigan when we came up into the Premiership. "Steve is a top quality manager. I know for a fact Sir Alex Ferguson, who he played under at Manchester United, rates him extremely highly. This is a tremendous challenge for Steve but I know he's ambitious, determined and looking forward to what lies ahead. "It's a pity he could not stay for longer before but we now have to move on again and it's down to Steve to do what he does best." Whelan will pay Birmingham £3m in compensation for Bruce and are still waiting to hear if Bruce's assistant at St Andrew's, Eric Black, will be allowed to join him. City are understood to be keen for Black to take over, but Wigan are confident he will be alongside Bruce soon.

Everton assistant coach Alan Irvine has become the new manager of Preston after a compensation package was agreed by the two clubs. The 49-year-old Scot joins with North End languishing one spot above the Championship relegation zone. "You have to take great opportunities when they come along, and management was something I had to do before I finished in football," Irvine said. I wouldn't have done this if I didn't feel it was the right job for me." Irvine, who has signed a three-and-a-half year deal to replace Paul Simpson.added: "I have left a fantastic job at Everton, where I was extremely happy and well looked after. "But I've had a long apprenticeship, 15 years as a coach, to get to this position. I have had a thorough grounding and have gleaned a lot. "Now I can take what I learned and put my own ideas into practice." Preston chairman Derek Shaw said: "Alan's ready to have a crack at management. He's got a reputation as a top notch coach and his work ethic is amazing." Simpson was fired a week ago, and Shaw is confident he has picked the right man to bring success to Deepdale. "We are very pleased that Alan will be joining us," he added. "He's worked with Everton boss David Moyes and I know the amount of games they take in, you see them all over the country. "David and Alan have set high standards at Everton and I'm pretty sure that Alan will continue to maintain those high standards at Deepdale." Irvine played for Everton from 1981-94 and has been deputy to ex-Preston boss Moyes since leaving Newcastle's academy in 2002. Irvine, an influential figure at Goodison, who also played for Queen's Park, Crystal Palace, Dundee United and Blackburn, recently spoke of his ambition to move into management. Former Burnley boss Steve Cotterill, MK Dons manager Paul Ince and free agents Mike Newell and Paul Jewell had previously been linked with the Preston vacancy. Former assistant boss Rob Kelly has been in charge of Preston since Simpson's departure. England coach Steve Round is believed to be high on Everton's list as a replacement for Irvine. Round worked as England manager Steve McClaren's number two at Middlesbrough and is currently on his staff with the national team and working under Sam Allardyce at Newcastle United.

PM Peasepud and he'll sort something out for you.

None of the big 4, but almost half our games have been against top ten opposition...which is where we want to be...realistically. Aye but we have won less than half our games. But have double the points that we had at this point last season. Whilst I am not impressed with some of our performances/team selections it is an improvement.

So predictable that Craig would be pro Liverpool

Sam Allardyce has his scouts working overtime and is planning talks with Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley in order to set the financial wheels in motion ahead of the January transfer window. The Magpies have had a mixed start to the Premier League season and will be acutely aware that a number of players will be leaving their ranks for the African Cup of Nations in the New Year. Having arrived at St James’ Park over the summer, Allardyce has overhauled the club’s scouting network and admits it may take time before he has the kind of global knowledge he is seeking. However, investment in January remains very much a priority and it is understood the club had scouts present to watch Chelsea defender Tal Ben Haim and Zenit St Petersburg playmaker Andrei Arshavin in Israel’s 2-1 win over Russia at the weekend. Allardyce will seek talks with Ashley and chairman Chris Mort and he admits that he is looking to bring some talented young players to Tyneside. "I will have discussions with Mike and Chris when the time is right,” said Allardyce. "We will sit down and plan for what might or might not happen regarding January and move it forward from there. “Those discussions are not needed yet. What we need is the information on the players who would make Newcastle United better at first-team level, and then below that at an age where we don't have any development players. “The club has very few development players between the ages of 20 and 17. "That all comes with time and the right structure and having the right amount of knowledge to get those players. "The scouts are out watching 24/7, 365 days a year. All we're doing now is building up knowledge and a database of players that has had to start from its infancy. "It will take a good few years to come up to speed to live with the big boys in The Premier League, but we have started the process."

We have double the amount of points we had at this point last season. I also continually read that we have not played any of the "big teams" yet, but at the same stage last season we only had 9 points in 12 games. 8 of the 12 games were played against teams who finished in the bottom half of the league.

Former Tottenham boss Martin Jol has rejected an approach from Birmingham to discuss the vacant manager's job at St Andrews. The club are currently hunting for a replacement for Steve Bruce who left Blues on Monday to join Wigan. "We did speak to Martin over the weekend," said City's plc chairman David Sullivan. "Martin thanked us for our interest but said it was too early for him to consider coming back to football." Jol was sacked from his position at Spurs in October after three years at White Hart Lane. The Dutchman was replaced in controversial fashion by former Seville coach Juande Ramos, who was courted by Spurs whilst Jol was still in charge. Meanwhile, Sullivan, whose club received £3m in compensation from Wigan for the loss of Bruce, said the search would continue for a new manager of a similar calibre to Jol. "Martin is the type of coach we are looking at - someone with a pedigree that will excite supporters," he said. Sullivan added: "The usual suspects will be on everyone's lips but this could be a fresh start for Birmingham. "We are looking at candidates of a certain level. It is difficult to try to get someone in who the dressing room will respect. "Do you take a chance on an unproven coach at this level with a group of young players who will need guidance and will be looking for inspiration? "Or do you go for a more experienced voice, someone respected in the world of football?"

TAL Ben Haim has re-emerged as a Newcastle United target - just five months after Sam Allardyce lost out to Chelsea in the race to sign the Israeli defender. Ben Haim played his part in Israel's 2-1 qualifying win over Russia on Saturday, the win meaning England's Euro 2008 destiny is back in their own hands when they take on Croatia at Wembley on Wednesday night. Allardyce brought the no-nonsense defender to English football during his time as Bolton Wanderers manager in the summer of 2004, and he was one of the first players he tried to sign after succeeding Glenn Roeder as United manager in May. But he lost out to then Chelsea boss JoseMourinho, who landed the 25-year-old on a free transfer. However, Ben Haim has made just seven appearances for the Stamford Bridge club so far this season, and the frustrated former Maccabi Tel Aviv centre-half is understood to be keen to link up again with Allardyce at St James's Park, despite his countryman Avram Grant having succeeded Mourinho. Allardyce signed two centre-halves in the summer – David Rozehnal and Abdoulaye Faye – and could strengthen again if the right player is available in January, despite the continuing development of homegrown defender Steven Taylor. And Ben Haim could be allowed to leave the West London club for a nominal fee. Allardyce also had Russia and Zenit Sainter Petersburg forward Andrei Arshavin watched at the Ramat Gan Stadium. But it was combative Ben Haim's performance that most caught the eye of Newcastle's representative in Tel Aviv.

NEWCASTLE United are set to lose out with long-time target Alan Hutton, with Sir Alex Ferguson now in pole position to sign the Rangers wonderkid. The defender played in Scotland's 2-1 defeat to Italy at Hampden Park on Saturday. And Hutton - who signed a new five-year deal at Ibrox in the summer - was watched by United scout Paul Montgomery, who has revealed the Glasgow-born right-back has been on Newcastle's radar for some time. But Manchester United boss Sir Alex is now favourite to land the 22-year-old, who is a regular in Walter Smith's Rangers side and established in Alex McLeish's Scotland set-up. Ferguson is looking for a long-term replacement for Gary Neville, who has been beset by injury problems this season. Montgomery said: "I worked with Alex (McLeish) at Ibrox for a couple of years and like everyone else, I was desperately sorry at the way Scotlandwent out after doing brilliant in their group. It was all such an anti-climax. "I was sitting quite close to the Scotland dug-out and I only had a brief word with Alex, but obviously while he was proud at what Scotland had done he was bitterly disappointed. "As far as Alan Hutton's concerned, he's a player who was brought into Ibrox when Alex was in charge and a player I've kept on eye on since then." Montgomery once also tried to bring Bayern Munich striker and World Cup winner Luca Toni - who scored Italy's opener at Hampden - to St James's Park before last summer's World Cup. Glenn Roeder was United manager at the time, and looking to strengthen his attack. Montgomery added: "At the time Toni was playing for Fiorentina and he was probably available for around a million. "But within a year, his value had shot up and he moved to Bayern Munich in the summer for £7.7m."