Hull beat Bolton 1-0, no prizes for guessing who scored

Stuart Olyott made up for missing a penalty when he got Hull’s winner in the last minute of their friendly with Bolton today. Elliott was brought down in the box in the 51st minute, but the keeper saved his resultant penalty, diving to his right. However, Elliott made no mistake in the last minute to seal an impressive win for the home side.
Wolves beat Villa 2-1 in another friendly, but Clyde wasn’t involved for Wolves and Davis was an unused substitute for Vanilla.

Mowbray – “Sproule can be real star”

After Ivan Sproule capped a superb 50-yard run with his first Easter Road goal in a friendly against Hartlepool, Hibs boss Tony Mowbray was full of praise for the ex-Institute man:
“Sproule is still learning the game at this level but he knows that and is listening hard as to how we can get him on the ball.
“I feel that when he is on it he can be exciting so we have to get him in possession in areas where he can do damage, in positions where he is one-on-one.
“I think he can be a big star. As he has shown he has devastating pace at times and can hurt teams. There will be opportunities this year and we will use it when we need it.”

Mulryne enjoying trial at Cardiff

Phil Mulryne is enjoying his spell at Cardiff and would jump at the chance to join Jeff Whitley permanently at the club:
“Things have gone well for me so far with Cardiff The lads are a fantastic bunch and have made me feel really welcome”
“I have left Norwich and I’ve talked to clubs over the summer, but things have been pretty slow and I was training on my own down there waiting to see what would happen.
“Then Cardiff City offered me the chance to train with them and I jumped at it. I haven’t talked to the manager in detail yet, but I’ve been impressed by Cardiff City,” he said.
“I was at Norwich City for six years and it wasn’t easy to leave. I played around a dozen matches in the Premiership last season, but now I need to kick-start my career and start playing regular first-team football again.”

Healy injured

David Healy may miss the Malta friendly next month after picking up an ankle injury in a pre-season friendly for Leeds against Celtic. If he doesn’t recover in time, it will only be the second time in his career the Young Healy has missed an international game.

Healy injured

David Healy may miss the Malta friendly next month after picking up an ankle injury in a pre-season friendly for Leeds against Celtic. If he doesn’t recover in time, it will only be the second time in his career the Young Healy has missed an international game.

Williams set to move to Spain

Mark Williams is set to move to a club in Spain, after rejecting offers to go on trial with a number of English clubs:
“I talked to a couple of clubs in England and what they were offering wasn’t of any interest to me,” said Williams.
“I was asked to train and play in games, but I think I’ve been around long enough for people to know what I can do.
“I’ve been over to Spain and talked to a couple of clubs, one in the second division and one in the third.
“I wasn’t offered anything concrete in England, but after talking to the clubs in Spain I am very interested in playing there.
“I recently bought a property out in Spain and am due to go back later this week and hopefully I will sign shortly after that.
“Pre-season training has already started and I want to get involved in that as soon as I can.”
“I know there are games coming up and that is why I want to get myself fit and playing again,” said Williams, who has spent most of the summer taking care of his two-and-a-half month old son.
“I want to play international football for as long as I can. I was disappointed not to play against England, but I was brought back in for the next game against Poland and we played well defensively that night before conceding the goal so late on.
“I had a double hernia operation at the end of the season and called Lawrie to explain that I wouldn’t be fit in time for the Germany game.
“I feel great now, I love playing for Northern Ireland and hopefully Lawrie still sees me as an important member of his squad.”

Williams set to move to Spain

Mark Williams is set to move to a club in Spain, after rejecting offers to go on trial with a number of English clubs:
“I talked to a couple of clubs in England and what they were offering wasn’t of any interest to me,” said Williams.
“I was asked to train and play in games, but I think I’ve been around long enough for people to know what I can do.
“I’ve been over to Spain and talked to a couple of clubs, one in the second division and one in the third.
“I wasn’t offered anything concrete in England, but after talking to the clubs in Spain I am very interested in playing there.
“I recently bought a property out in Spain and am due to go back later this week and hopefully I will sign shortly after that.
“Pre-season training has already started and I want to get involved in that as soon as I can.”
“I know there are games coming up and that is why I want to get myself fit and playing again,” said Williams, who has spent most of the summer taking care of his two-and-a-half month old son.
“I want to play international football for as long as I can. I was disappointed not to play against England, but I was brought back in for the next game against Poland and we played well defensively that night before conceding the goal so late on.
“I had a double hernia operation at the end of the season and called Lawrie to explain that I wouldn’t be fit in time for the Germany game.
“I feel great now, I love playing for Northern Ireland and hopefully Lawrie still sees me as an important member of his squad.”

O’Leary a big fan of Davis

The Aston Villa boss on Northern Ireland’s most exciting young player:
“When I took over at Villa I had a pre-season programme arranged already which had been put in place by Graham Taylor. I made a couple of small changes and stayed at Bodymoor Heath for a couple of weeks doing training and I saw Davis playing in another group of players across the way from me and I was immediately impressed.
“I spotted him and brought him across into my group and then we went to Scunthorpe for a friendly and I played him straight away. I then took him on tour to Sweden and he stood out immediately as a good little footballer.
“I am proud that I gave him his chance and he has progressed and done well. When I came here I heard about the Moores, the Ridgewells, the Whittinghams. I didn’t hear about Davis so I was delighted to see him. He has done well. He has gone in there and held his own, most definitely.
“He is a lovely little footballer who trains really hard. It’s a beep of a test coming up against the quality he has to face in the Premiership but he doesn’t lack character.
“I’ve had no fears for him. He is mentally strong. He is a quiet boy but he is also a boy who can look after himself. He is a robust fellow but I think little fellows have to be like that, tigerish sort of players. Let’s hope he can progress next season.”

Davis, who recently signed a new three-year contract, said:
“Last season was a good one for me. I started off as a sub but I had a good run of games to the end of the season – and now I want to keep that going.
“Towards the end the manager was leaving other midfield players out of the side and picking me ahead of them. That was a real confidence booster for me and I want to stay in the side.
“There was already a lot of competition for places in midfield and the manager has been buying in more players and that means I am going to have to fight hard to keep my place.
“That’s my aim. I know we’ve lost Thomas Hitzlsperger to Stuttgart but he has been replaced (by Patrik Berger) but the aim is to stay in there.
“I’ve had to play against a few of the big teams and it has been a big learning curve. But to compete against them also proved to me that I am capable of playing at this level.”

O’Leary a big fan of Davis

The Aston Villa boss on Northern Ireland’s most exciting young player:
“When I took over at Villa I had a pre-season programme arranged already which had been put in place by Graham Taylor. I made a couple of small changes and stayed at Bodymoor Heath for a couple of weeks doing training and I saw Davis playing in another group of players across the way from me and I was immediately impressed.
“I spotted him and brought him across into my group and then we went to Scunthorpe for a friendly and I played him straight away. I then took him on tour to Sweden and he stood out immediately as a good little footballer.
“I am proud that I gave him his chance and he has progressed and done well. When I came here I heard about the Moores, the Ridgewells, the Whittinghams. I didn’t hear about Davis so I was delighted to see him. He has done well. He has gone in there and held his own, most definitely.
“He is a lovely little footballer who trains really hard. It’s a beep of a test coming up against the quality he has to face in the Premiership but he doesn’t lack character.
“I’ve had no fears for him. He is mentally strong. He is a quiet boy but he is also a boy who can look after himself. He is a robust fellow but I think little fellows have to be like that, tigerish sort of players. Let’s hope he can progress next season.”

Davis, who recently signed a new three-year contract, said:
“Last season was a good one for me. I started off as a sub but I had a good run of games to the end of the season – and now I want to keep that going.
“Towards the end the manager was leaving other midfield players out of the side and picking me ahead of them. That was a real confidence booster for me and I want to stay in the side.
“There was already a lot of competition for places in midfield and the manager has been buying in more players and that means I am going to have to fight hard to keep my place.
“That’s my aim. I know we’ve lost Thomas Hitzlsperger to Stuttgart but he has been replaced (by Patrik Berger) but the aim is to stay in there.
“I’ve had to play against a few of the big teams and it has been a big learning curve. But to compete against them also proved to me that I am capable of playing at this level.”

Morrow aims for 20 goals this season

Morrow scored twice in a recent friendly as Hibs came back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with Cork City. Here’s he is talking to the Scotsman:
“I feel I am the fittest I have been in two years. I put in a lot of hard work over the summer to get myself this fit. I felt I had to do a bit extra because I didn’t play as much as others last season and hopefully I’ll get my ‘dibs’ in for the start of this one.
“Last season was frustrating for me. I never got the chance to show what I can do, you only saw glimpses.
“I played the first three games, was then out for ten weeks or so and it took me a further month to get my fitness back. At the turn of the year I started a few games, got two or three goals but then pulled my hamstring.
“When you are in and out of the team as I was it is hard to get back to full fitness, there’s nothing like games to get you fit. But now hopefully all that is behind me and I can look forward to a good season.”
Morrow recognises that Riordan’s 23 goals and O’Connor’s 19 mean they will probably start the coming season as boss Tony Mowbray’s first-choice strikeforce once again.
However, as prolific as they were last season, he believes his team-mates will have to prove themselves once more.
He said: “All credit to the pair of them, they had a fantastic season and scored a lot of goals – but wouldn’t it be nice if all three of us could score 20 each?
“Hopefully I can put pressure on them. Competition is what drives the team.
“The manager has said, if you are doing well, you will be in his plans. It’s all about performances and he will pick the best team he feels can do the job against any team on a Saturday.
Derek and Garry were fantastic last season but, there is no point scoring 20, 30 or 40 goals then only hitting five the next season. They have to do it all over again.
“I have always had confidence in my own ability. I’ve scored at every level for my country. Last season was troublesome for me through injury but I am looking forward to putting that behind me and showing the Hibs fans what I am capable of.”
Hibs are, of course, willing to listen to offers for Riordan who has rejected the offer of a new deal but, while his departure would undoubtedly strengthen Morrow’s case for a starting place, he insisted he’d love to see the free-scoring striker stay.
He said: “Derek is a great friend and he’s been a fantastic player for Hibs over the last couple of seasons. I would love him to stay but it doesn’t matter who is in front of you for a place in the team you are going to have to push a good player out.
“I would hope he decides to stay because he is an invaluable player for the team and, in any case, I think we could accommodate three strikers in the side.”
Morrow admitted expectation levels have soared with the success Mowbray’s players enjoyed last season, stunning everyone by taking third place in the SPL table and with it a spot in the UEFA Cup.
Such success, however, only makes Hibs a target for other clubs, a fact Morrow and his team-mates are well aware of.
He said: “We made everyone sit up and take notice. We surprised a lot of people and we will know we will have it tough next season.
“But the next season is always harder than the last one. We are aware of that and are working hard. We want to be just as successful next season – and hopefully win a cup.”
While success with Hibs is the main goal, Morrow admitted he and countryman Dean Shiels are hoping to catch the eye of Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez.
As Sanchez, pictured below, revealed to the Evening News a number of weeks ago, he is well aware of the pair’s exploits, admitting that if they can reproduce top form in the coming campaign then he’ll be forced to come to Edinburgh to see them in the flesh rather than rely on the weekly reports he currently receives.
Morrow said: “Dean and I have played at every level from Under-14s up to Under-21s together and it goes without saying we’d love to make the step up to become full internationalists.
“I think every player would give his right arm to play for his country, it is every player’s dream and we are no different. Having been given our chance to play first-team football at Easter Road it would be great if we could do so as Hibs players.
“We know Lawrie has watched us in a number of Under-20 and Under-21 games for Northern Ireland and to be a complete player you have to play at the highest level and that is to play full internationals for your country.
“However, that is entirely up to Lawrie. It’s when he feels the time is right and we have to be ready to take it if it comes.”