Gareth McScorealot

Big G scored on Saturday as his Leicester side held promotion-chasing West Brom to a 1-1 draw at the Walkers Stadium.

Gareth McScorealot

Big G scored on Saturday as his Leicester side held promotion-chasing West Brom to a 1-1 draw at the Walkers Stadium.

Smith joins Bristol City

Andy Smith has joined League One Bristol City on a 2 month contract, after having his stay at Preston terminated during the transfer window. He is hoping his performances can ear nhim a longer deal:

“I’d love to think my future is with Bristol City and the ball is in my court to prove myself worthy of a longer deal over the next couple of months. It’s going to be an exciting end to the season for the club, but having trained with the lads over the past week I would have signed whatever the league position. There is a lot of ability in the squad and a great spirit. City like to play passing football, which suits my game. I can play as a target-man or alongside one and I like to put myself about.”
City boss Gary Johnson told the club website: “I tried to sign Andy once before but Championship clubs came calling and he joined Preston. He has been training with us for a week before signing a contract. He’s hard-working and can also play wide.”

Sproule feels victimised as Scottish refs endanger his NI career

Ivan Sproule, sent off for the 3rd time this season on Saturday, has hinted that he may leave Hibs as he feels he is being victimised by Scottish referees, and that the bans he’s getting from being sent off could jeopardise his international career. He told the Daily Record:
“I love Scotland and I really love playing for Hibs because they have been first class to me. But if things keep going the way they have been then I can’t see myself staying in Scotland for much longer. I definitely wouldn’t want to sign for another club in this country.”
Dougal also sent Sproule off during the 4-0 Edinburgh derby defeat to Hearts in April 2005 and the winger believes it’s become personal.
Sproule added: “It’s disappointing and my reputation got in the way of his decision on Saturday. It was a tackle that deserved, at worst, a yellow card. I have had time to think about it these last three days and it was one of those occasions where the referee just jumps on the bandwagon. He has sent me off before and I am sure that wasn’t for a bad tackle either. I just can’t understand it but it’s the kind of thing that will maybe force me out of Scotland.
“At the minute I am really annoyed and down about it. I would hate to leave Easter Road because the club have been fantastic to me. I have another two years on my contract but if things keep going the way they have been going, then I’ll have no choice.
“This time I feel I’ve been victimised because I don’t think anybody else on the park making the same challenge would have got the same result. That’s probably because it was just me and every single one of my team-mates came into the changing room and said that on Saturday.”

Sproule was genuinely shaken up as he claimed Saturday’s incident has wrecked his season and could do the same for his international career.
He said: “I’ve already missed four games this season and getting another ban could end up wrecking my international career. That’s what’s really getting to me at the minute. I’ve got international games coming up and it is something the manager is going to look at. I could be out for quite some time so it’s going to affect me in a lot of different ways.”
Sproule may have had the backing of all of his team-mates but he feels let down by the comments made by his manager after the game.
John Collins felt the challenge warranted a caution but then went on to say the player needs to “screw the nut”. Sproule added: “The gaffer hasn’t spoken much to me and that is entirely up to him. “All my team-mates have backed me. They have been fantastic and we are a close-knit team. “But the gaffer came out and said things in the press about tightening the nut, and comments like that are a bit unjust. I am not going to go on about personal issues and I have great respect for John Collins. He was a first-class player and is doing a great job as a manager but I seem to always get the rough justice. It’s really affecting me at the minute.”
Sproule has enjoyed a great season but he feels he has had one knock too many. He said: “I have a reputation for getting sent off and sometimes you have to be man enough to say when you are in the wrong. Maybe on one or two occasions I have deserved punishment but it’s got to the point now that it is hard to take on the chin. You think you should get a yellow card and the next minute you are fired the red. But if I get hit with another ban it is really going to have a big effect on what I decide to do between now and the summer. There are only so many times you can keep picking yourself up and dusting yourself down. My reputation seems to go before me. I put my hands up when I have done something wrong and I always have done because I am an honest lad. But we have the CIS Cup final and Scottish Cup quarter-final coming up and missing all these league games is going to affect my form. I don’t mind having a reputation for being somebody that is committed or someone that gives 100 per cent. But if you are somebody who keeps picking up red cards for nothing it puts areal dampener on your season.”

Sproule feels victimised as Scottish refs endanger his NI career

Ivan Sproule, sent off for the 3rd time this season on Saturday, has hinted that he may leave Hibs as he feels he is being victimised by Scottish referees, and that the bans he’s getting from being sent off could jeopardise his international career. He told the Daily Record:
“I love Scotland and I really love playing for Hibs because they have been first class to me. But if things keep going the way they have been then I can’t see myself staying in Scotland for much longer. I definitely wouldn’t want to sign for another club in this country.”
Dougal also sent Sproule off during the 4-0 Edinburgh derby defeat to Hearts in April 2005 and the winger believes it’s become personal.
Sproule added: “It’s disappointing and my reputation got in the way of his decision on Saturday. It was a tackle that deserved, at worst, a yellow card. I have had time to think about it these last three days and it was one of those occasions where the referee just jumps on the bandwagon. He has sent me off before and I am sure that wasn’t for a bad tackle either. I just can’t understand it but it’s the kind of thing that will maybe force me out of Scotland.
“At the minute I am really annoyed and down about it. I would hate to leave Easter Road because the club have been fantastic to me. I have another two years on my contract but if things keep going the way they have been going, then I’ll have no choice.
“This time I feel I’ve been victimised because I don’t think anybody else on the park making the same challenge would have got the same result. That’s probably because it was just me and every single one of my team-mates came into the changing room and said that on Saturday.”

Sproule was genuinely shaken up as he claimed Saturday’s incident has wrecked his season and could do the same for his international career.
He said: “I’ve already missed four games this season and getting another ban could end up wrecking my international career. That’s what’s really getting to me at the minute. I’ve got international games coming up and it is something the manager is going to look at. I could be out for quite some time so it’s going to affect me in a lot of different ways.”
Sproule may have had the backing of all of his team-mates but he feels let down by the comments made by his manager after the game.
John Collins felt the challenge warranted a caution but then went on to say the player needs to “screw the nut”. Sproule added: “The gaffer hasn’t spoken much to me and that is entirely up to him. “All my team-mates have backed me. They have been fantastic and we are a close-knit team. “But the gaffer came out and said things in the press about tightening the nut, and comments like that are a bit unjust. I am not going to go on about personal issues and I have great respect for John Collins. He was a first-class player and is doing a great job as a manager but I seem to always get the rough justice. It’s really affecting me at the minute.”
Sproule has enjoyed a great season but he feels he has had one knock too many. He said: “I have a reputation for getting sent off and sometimes you have to be man enough to say when you are in the wrong. Maybe on one or two occasions I have deserved punishment but it’s got to the point now that it is hard to take on the chin. You think you should get a yellow card and the next minute you are fired the red. But if I get hit with another ban it is really going to have a big effect on what I decide to do between now and the summer. There are only so many times you can keep picking yourself up and dusting yourself down. My reputation seems to go before me. I put my hands up when I have done something wrong and I always have done because I am an honest lad. But we have the CIS Cup final and Scottish Cup quarter-final coming up and missing all these league games is going to affect my form. I don’t mind having a reputation for being somebody that is committed or someone that gives 100 per cent. But if you are somebody who keeps picking up red cards for nothing it puts areal dampener on your season.”

McAuley brace, Sproule sent off again

Gareth McAuley made it 3 goals in 4 games for Leicester with both goals in their 2-0 win over Ipswich on Saturday. His MOTM performance got him a place in the Championship Team of the Week.





Big G: “Unfortunately for Paddy [McCarthy] he has picked up quite a bad injury but as a result I’ve moved in from the right where I feel more comfortable. My aim is to now get a run of games under my belt and stake a claim for a regular centre-back spot. I want to continue to progress and get as high as I can with Leicester City.”
Boss Robert Kelly: “Gareth is a smashing lad,” declared Kelly, who signed McAuley on a free transfer from Lincoln in the summer. “The thing about him is that he has been in the English game for only a couple of years. Although he is 27, it’s new to him and he is learning. He is a good player now and I think he will get better.”
Also earning a MOTM award was Chris Baird for his performance in Southampton’s 1-1 draw with West Brom.
Ivan Sproule was sent off again, this time in Hibs’ 1-0 defeat to Celtic for a late challenge on Lee Naylor, however John Collins is standing by him and said it deserved a yellow card at worst.

Clyde forced to retire from football

“One of the most assured debuts ever” – AWS
Northern Ireland have lost one of their brightest defensive prospects as Wolves’ Mark Clyde has been forced to retire from football at the age of 24, following a string of injuries linked to reactive arthritis.
Limavady man Clyde was thrown in at the deep end for his international debut (which would have come earlier if not for injuries) which finally happened in our 2-2 draw with Wales in the Millennium Stadium in September 2004. This was followed by an appearance in the 0-0 draw in Azerbaijan. More injuries meant that his third cap didn’t come for a further 8 months, in the 125th anniversary friendly with Germany. That turned out to be his last appearance for his country.
The following is from the Wolves site:
‘The 24-year-old defender, who has battled against injury problems for more than two years, was first diagnosed with this unusual condition after being sidelined with a swollen ankle in the pre-season of 2005.
Mark graduated from the Wolves youth team and made his senior debut in October 2002. Two years on he broke into the senior Northern Irish side but injuries – initially his knee – began to limit his appearances. He missed the whole of last term and featured in the first three games of this campaign before being forced off against Preston with a damaged shin.
“I’ve come to the decision that enough is enough,” he says. “This has been going on now for more than two years. I talked it through with the club’s physio and the doctor and they were on the same wavelength. It’s not going to go away if I carry on. But if I quit, and stop training everyday, then there’s a chance that I’ll not be as aware of the symptoms.”
Mark had hoped the problems were behind him last February when he started playing reserve team football, but more injuries followed. He adds: “I almost got back to full fitness last season and then got more problems with my hamstring and then my hip. “I was advised to take medication or stop playing altogether. I tried taking the tablets, which worked at first, but they are not having the right affect now. I made a couple of appearances at the start of this season but I’ve had one problem after another since, so this is the right decision for me.”
Mark is keen to stress his appreciation for the club’s support – and particularly that of physio Barry Holmes and doctor Matt Perry. He says: “Everybody at the club has been really decent to me – especially Baz and the Doc who have even come out to visit me in the evenings if I’ve had problems. I couldn’t have asked for any more from them. “But I’m not doing anyone any favours coming in every day and spending two hours lying on a bed in the treatment room. That’s not what I signed up to do. “I want to feel like I’m earning a living – that’s the way I’ve been brought up. “It’s annoying that I have to pack up at my age but it’s not the end of the world. I know there are plenty more people in a worse situation than me.”
Mark is now planning to take up a career in landscape gardening.
Manager Mick McCarthy expressed his sympathy and support for the defender after being told of the decision. He says: “It’s a sad day for Mark and for the club because we are losing a good player. He’s a young lad to be taking this step but I admire him for it. It’s a brave thing he’s doing but he has made up his mind that he’s not going to sit around injured but is going to go on and do something else. Fair play to him. He’s an absolutely smashing lad and everyone at the club wishes him well.”
Chief executive Jez Moxey adds: “It must have been a hard decision for someone of Mark’s age to make. He’s been with Wolves since he was 16 and has always been a very popular guy. Everyone will be sad to see him leave and will want to send him their best wishes for the future.”
Follow Clyde’s career as tracked by AWS
All the best Mark.

Gillespie only banned for 1 extra game

It was widely believed that Keith Gillespie would be slapped with a further 3-game by an FA disciplinary committee following his altercation with Reading’s Stephen Hunt, but the English Football Association, perhaps taking into into account his previous unblemished conduct, only extended his original 3-game ban by one. Gillespie can now return on the 3rd of March.
Blades manager Neil Warnock:
“Sheffield United, though not condoning Keith Gillespie’s behaviour, are delighted that the FA has seen fit to extend his ban by only one game.
“It is obvious in cases like this that there are two sides to every story. I am absolutely delighted that the FA has taken everything into consideration and I agree totally with their judgement.”

Northern Ireland 0 – 0 Wales

Northern Ireland’s 3rd meeting with Wales in the last coupla years failed to have anywhere near as much excitement as the previous two, however the injury-hit NI team gave a good account of themselves and were definitely the better side.

Kyle Lafferty had a good chance in the opening minutes of the game when brilliantly picked out by Brunt, but when he eventually got a shot in it was straight at Coyne. At the other end, the man with no neck and his Welsh teammates had a few dangerous attacks, but the defence managed to stop Maik Taylor having to make a save.
In the second half, Ivan Sproule showed his pace (and lollipops – where did he learn them?!) to leave the Welsh defenders bedazzled on numerous occasions, but the end product wasn’t quite there and the most he got was a few corners. We had 2 free kicks in dangerous positions, with Brunt’s hitting the foot of someone in the wall, and Gillespie’s comfortably saved. Early in the half Sammy Clingan lofted a ball in, which was hardly meant to be a shot, but Coyne had to scramble to tip it over.

The introduction of Grant McCann for Clingan added a few extra sparks to Norn Iron’s display, and he hit the bar with a shot from 19 yards. The ball came back to Gillespie, but his goalbound effort was blocked. Brunt had a similar rebound-chance to score, but fired inches wide from a good position.
All 5 subs came on. Ingham played a whole half, didn’t have much to do, but didn’t put a foot wrong. After Lafferty’s withdrawal, we were never going to score through Peter Thompson, and the game petered out into a rare goalless home draw. We were all over them in the second half though. But it was a good performance. The defence were really solid, including Capaldi (made 1 mistake maybe, but Duff made 1 too), and the starting midfield and forwards always looked a threat.

NORTHERN IRELAND: Taylor (Ingham, ht), Duff, Craigan (Webb, 79), Hughes, Capaldi, Gillespie, Davis, Clingan (McCann, 60), Brunt, Sproule (Shiels, 67), Lafferty (Thompson, 68).

Northern Ireland 0 – 0 Wales

Northern Ireland’s 3rd meeting with Wales in the last coupla years failed to have anywhere near as much excitement as the previous two, however the injury-hit NI team gave a good account of themselves and were definitely the better side.

Kyle Lafferty had a good chance in the opening minutes of the game when brilliantly picked out by Brunt, but when he eventually got a shot in it was straight at Coyne. At the other end, the man with no neck and his Welsh teammates had a few dangerous attacks, but the defence managed to stop Maik Taylor having to make a save.
In the second half, Ivan Sproule showed his pace (and lollipops – where did he learn them?!) to leave the Welsh defenders bedazzled on numerous occasions, but the end product wasn’t quite there and the most he got was a few corners. We had 2 free kicks in dangerous positions, with Brunt’s hitting the foot of someone in the wall, and Gillespie’s comfortably saved. Early in the half Sammy Clingan lofted a ball in, which was hardly meant to be a shot, but Coyne had to scramble to tip it over.

The introduction of Grant McCann for Clingan added a few extra sparks to Norn Iron’s display, and he hit the bar with a shot from 19 yards. The ball came back to Gillespie, but his goalbound effort was blocked. Brunt had a similar rebound-chance to score, but fired inches wide from a good position.
All 5 subs came on. Ingham played a whole half, didn’t have much to do, but didn’t put a foot wrong. After Lafferty’s withdrawal, we were never going to score through Peter Thompson, and the game petered out into a rare goalless home draw. We were all over them in the second half though. But it was a good performance. The defence were really solid, including Capaldi (made 1 mistake maybe, but Duff made 1 too), and the starting midfield and forwards always looked a threat.

NORTHERN IRELAND: Taylor (Ingham, ht), Duff, Craigan (Webb, 79), Hughes, Capaldi, Gillespie, Davis, Clingan (McCann, 60), Brunt, Sproule (Shiels, 67), Lafferty (Thompson, 68).