When It Rains...

In the wake of Preston North End's relegation from the npower Championship, Lakes explains why next season might be one of consolidation at best for The Lilywhites.

"Deadly" Darren Ferguson is largely to blame for relegation

Darren Ferguson, Maurice Lindsay and Trevor Hemmings. Ask any Northender what they think of any of those names, and it's likely you'll get very little change out of a pocket full of swearwords.

'Never has so much been owed to so many by so few', is the presiding sentiment haunting the message boards.

Far from heralding an inspirational new era at Deepdale, Lindsay, Hemmings and Ferguson instead take the entire blame for Preston's Championship ambitions turning to dust.

For the uninitiated, Hemmings (Preston's majority shareholder when PNE were a PLC) bought out Preston, installing Maurice Lindsay at the helm as chairman, and getting friend's son Darren Ferguson in as manager.

Northenders deservedly, perhaps, expected a new wave of investment at Deepdale - and perhaps, finally, a properly bankrolled push for the Premier League.

What they got, cynics argue, was a new era of austerity, instead. Loans were the order of the day - a fragile strategy, dependent on the whims of the parties involved, as Preston were to find out to their cost.

After a string of dreadful performances and bizarre tactical displays, Ferguson's tenure was finally brought to an end.

The club was wrecked and seemingly destined for League One. But there was still hope - a new manager could bring change, and a push for safety.

That new manager would find himself without several key players, though, recalled by Ferguson Snr. upon hearing the news his son had been sacked.

What came next was the only positive in North End's season - Phil Brown. Saying and doing all the right things, it looked like survival could still be on the cards.

Yet time ran out for North End. Brown, inheriting a ruined side, could do little in the end - despite vastly improved performances and valiant displays.

When the final blow came, confirming North End's relegation (a defeat at home to Cardiff), Brown was on the verge of breaking down in tears in front of supporters - a true sign that he is passionate and committed.

He took the blame for relegation, yet most people won't look any further than the doorstep of Darren Ferguson, Trevor Hemmings and Maurice Lindsay.

Hemmings, for years a mysterious, benevolent figure, has turned in many fans' eyes into a scrimper, determined to finally wring some money from North End by rebuilding from scratch.

His mouthpiece, chairman Lindsay, has spoken in similar terms - encouraging a fresh start, naively enthusiastic about the prospect of a reduced wage bill and the cakewalk of League One.

A dreadful, dreadful mistake - and one which may prove more costly still for North End.

League One, as any self-respecting football fan would tell you, is not a cakewalk. Statistics show that teams dropping to the third tier have more chance of "doing a Plymouth" than "doing a Norwich".

Lindsay, however, seems oblivious to the difficulties teams face at that level, re-energising debate that Lindsay's first love is rugby.

Preston chairman Maurice Lindsay - a rugby fan?

And then, following relegation, Lindsay recorded "that interview" with BBC Radio Lancashire.

In it, Lindsay seemed to sincerely believe Darren Gibson was playing for Preston - a startling oversight for a chairman.

Other things were said that were much more hurtful to Preston fans - not least Lindsay's regular habit of using "they" in describing the club and supporters. I would urge a visit to the Preston North End Online forum for more detail on that.

It's not pleasant reading for Lindsay, but it's hard to disagree with anything written there.

A poll conducted on the site shows 85.93% of the 200 or so people sampled have no confidence in Maurice Lindsay, or are undecided. Meaning only 14.07% believe he's the man for the job.

It's as damning a poll as I've ever seen on the site and even accounting for post-relegation emotion and scapegoating, it doesn't imply an air of positivity among Preston fans right now.

The mood has certainly turned, from cautious optimism to severe doubt that the current regime is the right one to take the club back to the Championship.

It sounded so good when Hemmings came in. It sounded like we were on the road to prosperity. What we got was a cost-lowering relegation with suspicions of a deeper agenda at work behind the scenes.

After years of stability at Championship level, Preston fans have every right to be angry. And the exodus is yet to begin in earnest...

I Can't Get Started

Nobes considers the struggles of Championship managers Phil Brown and Micky Adams as they toil to turn the tide at their respective relegation threatened clubs.

Time is running out for Phil Brown at bottom of the table Preston North End

Two years ago Sheffield United and Preston North End faced one another in the Championship play offs with a place in the Premier League well within their sights.

They failed in their quest for the top flight that season though, and now the pair appear doomed to relegation to the third tier of English football.

It's a decline in fortunes that has been both surprising and rapid. Perhaps most tellingly of all though, there's a feeling that both clubs' struggles have been of their own making.

For Preston, currently propping up the rest of the division and a full 11 points from safety, more than a decade spent in the Championship is fast coming to a close.

It's been a tenure characterised by punching above their weight, finishing in the top six on four occasions and twice ending up losing play off finalists.

They were the inspiration to all other clubs looking to compete with bigger and richer teams chasing a ride on the Premier League gravy train.

In truth, they were thankful to outstanding work by a succession of managers - David Moyes, Billy Davies, and finally Alan Irvine in 2009.

You could also argue that the work of another manager has been influential in their current predicament at the bottom of the division.

When a difficult run of form saw the Lilywhites sack Irvine 15 months ago, it was a decision which rocked the Football League. Replacing him with Darren Ferguson - a manager who had failed in the second tier - resembled a huge gamble.

Preston twisted - and have ended up big losers. Ferguson's destruction of a solid spine and competitive Championship team was swift. His signings were largely mediocre and ill suited to a scrap for survival.

North End owner Trevor Hemmings - believed to be instrumental in Irvine's dismissal and Ferguson's hiring - must take a large shame of the blame for their imminent demotion.

For all the money he has pumped into the club to keep them afloat over the years, his judgement was badly lacking and the Ferguson regime will, for years to come, go down as a catastrophic mistake.

His failure to bring an abrupt end to Ferguson's reign when it was quickly apparent that he was wholly incapable cost Preston valuable time and games with which to keep themselves in the division.

When he eventually did receive the push with 2011 dawning, Preston were already deep in trouble - sitting bottom and five points adrift of safety.

Successor Phil Brown, an effusive and relentlessly positive character, has done his best to instill some belief and hope into North End ranks in their quest to pull off the most unlikeliest of escapes.

However, Hemmings's reluctance to release proper funds for strengthening an under-equipped squad, as well as letting top scorer Jon Parkin leave Deepdale, has left Brown with an impossible challenge.

It's not that North End are lacking in fight and spirit - with four of the six points they have garnered under Brown being earned via late equalisers.

However, it's wins that they require to dig themselves out of the bottom three, and the former Hull boss has yet to record a three-point haul in his nine games at the helm.

Having signed an 18-month deal with the Lancashire outfit, Brown will now be charged with trying to build a side capable of challenging at the right end of League One next term.

The Sheffield United dream has turned into a nightmare for Micky Adams

A similar prospect haunts Sheffield United whom, while also in the bottom three, retain hope that they can make up the six points that separates them and fourth bottom Crystal Palace and beat the drop.

However, just as Phil Brown is still seeking his first win as Preston boss, his counterpart at Bramall Lane, Micky Adams, has yet to taste victory in ten league games in charge.

The 49-year-old answered an SOS from the club he supported as a boy in January - swapping a promotion push in League Two with Port Vale to sit in the dugout he had always wanted to.

After defeat to bottom three rivals Scunthorpe last week though, it was suggested to Adams that his dream move had turned into a nightmare. It was a bitter irony that the Yorkshireman was pained to recognise.

He was supposed to the be the safe pair of hands perfectly suited to the perilous situation the Blades found themselves in.

His organisational and motivational skills, as well as experience in the Championship with Leicester and Coventry, made him the ideal candidate in the club's hour of need. Or so they thought.

Adams has claimed just four points from 30, and has admitted that, with the ways things have transpired, he wouldn't be surprised if the club decided to bring his brief spell to an abrupt end.

Considering the Sheffielder is already United's third permanent boss of the campaign, it's hard to know whether the idea of a fourth different manager of the campaign would be that much of a surprise.

It's a statistic which has been at the root of their struggles at the wrong end of the second tier this season.

When they decided to part ways with Kevin Blackwell just two games into the season it was a move celebrated by the majority of the Bramall Lane faithful.

Despite guiding them to the 2009 play off final, Blackwell's style of long ball football had turned fans off and a disappointing 8th placed finish last term had put him under intense pressure.

How they would take 8th place now though. For all his critics, Blackwell's record in the Championship pointed to a manager who knew how to get results. It's hard to imagine United would be in their current position had he been left in charge.

However, it is the timing of Blackwell's departure which really defied logic. Sacking a manager two games into the season having given him an entire summer and pre season made no sense.

If a change was going to be made, it should have been at the conclusion of last season. Once they had given him the summer, he should have been allowed longer in the current campaign to prove he could get the Blades challenging.

The sacking now appears drastically premature and the hopes they invested in rookie boss Gary Speed misplaced.

The Welshman's four months in charge were less than impressive, and when the chance to coach his national side became available he didn't hesitate to jump from United's sinking ship.

Now Adams is fighting to turn around the flagging fortunes of the red half of the Steel City and avoid a reunion in the third tier with arch rivals Wednesday - relegated themselves 12 months ago.

He will hope to be still be in his post when United make the trip to Deepdale in mid-April. By then, North End could already be consigned to the drop. Failure to start winning soon, and so could United.

Gimme A Break

As Peterborough part company with boss Gary Johnson, Nobes suggests that sometimes taking time out of the game is the best thing for a manager's career.

Gary Johnson's Peterborough had the worst defensive record in League One

Once upon a time, Gary Johnson stood just 90 minutes from completing a meteoric rise from Conference boss to Premier League manager in just five years.

Ultimately, Johnson's Bristol City side ended up losing their 2008 Championship play off final against Hull. After being sacked by League One Peterborough this week, he will be wondering whether he will ever get as close to the top flight again.

Some time to wonder may be exactly what the 55-year-old requires though.

The end of his nine month spell at London Road follows his sacking by City last season after a poor run of results saw the West Country side dip into lower mid table. Now he has two P45s in the space of less than 12 months on his CV.

It was a CV, too, which appeared faultless not so long ago. Having made his name taking Non League Yeovil from the Conference to League One in the space of three seasons, he then moved onto the task of rejuvenating City.

He did just that, leading them to promotion in his first full season before finishing 4th on their return to the Championship and earning that trip to Wembley.

They were achievements built on his philosophy of attractive, attacking, passing football. His teams went out to entertain and, if needs be, to simply outscore their opponents in order to win matches.

When Yeovil were crowned League Two winners in 2005, they actually conceded more goals than Cambridge United, who ended the season bottom of the entire Football League and were relegated.

It comes as little surprise then that his Peterborough side seemed to have the same cavalier attitude in matches this term. Tuesday's evening's 2-1 win over Brentford saw their tally increase to 45, the best in the division.

However, only relegation threatened Walsall have a worse defensive record than the 43 goals United have conceded in 22 games. Fans of the Cambridgeshire side certainly can't complain of not having been entertained this term.

Their side has dished out some hammerings over the past few months, notably beating Oldham 5-2 and Huddersfield 4-2. They also edged a nine goal thriller against Swindon 5-4.

However, they've also been on the wrong end of a few heavy beatings, going down 5-1 to Bournemouth and Charlton, and 4-1 at the hands of Southampton.

Johnson can point quite rightly to the fact that, although his side have been leaking goals, he was actively looking to strengthen his defensive options.

The league table also showed them 7th, just a point outside the play offs with games in hand when he left United - their win over Brentford moving them up to 5th.

Hardly a disaster, particularly for a seasoned campaigner who knows all about constructing a promotion campaign in the lower leagues.

Critics will argue though that, having been relegated last term, this represented Peterborough's best opportunity to bounce back to the Championship and they should be higher.

Darren Ferguson is back at Peterborough - but could he do with a break?

That need for promotion is heightened with other clubs sniffing around their prized attacking assets. One, Aaron McLean, has already departed for more than £1 million to Hull, but with George Boyd and Craig Mackail-Smith still in his arsenal, the side has the firepower for promotion.

Colourful owner, Darragh MacAnthony, who got through four managers last season alone, cited differences on 'policy' for Johnson leaving - believed to centre around the manager's plans for recruitment in the January transfer window.

However, while the Irishman deserves some criticism for the rapid turnover in the London Road dugout, Johnson may well reflect that this sacking was probably avoidable.

That's because, while it's true that staying out of the game too long can be dangerous, so too can throwing yourself back into employment so quickly.

Football may well be a drug that some cannot live without, but less than three weeks separated his departure from Bristol in March and his arrival in the Fens at the beginning of April.

The question is, was getting back into the game so quickly the best thing for someone who had just ended a four-and-a-half-year tenure at Ashton Gate?

Towards the end of his time with the Robins, there were the usual stories circulating that he had lost the support of the dressing room.

Two of Johnson's final home matches had also ended in a humiliating 6-0 loss to Severnside rivals Cardiff and a 5-2 defeat against Doncaster.

It's the kind of defensive fragility which has been the hallmark of his reign at London Road. New club, same problems.

Now, Johnson has not become a bad manager overnight. Far from it. Indeed, neutrals can't help but hope managers with a positive attitude who seek to entertain do well. It's for the good of the game.

However, for the good of Johnson, taking some time away to reflect on his time with Bristol City may have been a wiser choice.

Time away would have allowed him to consider what mistakes he may have made, where things went wrong, looking at ways he could have done things differently and better.

It was striking that Paul Jewell, in his press conference when being unveiled as Ipswich's new manager, spoke about his two years out of the game, saying he had been "re-evaluating mistakes" he had made in the past.

Sometimes jumping right back up on the horse, as Johnson did, is not always the best thing. Sure, it may mean you end up unemployed for a while, but it's not like Championship managers are poorly paid.

Plus, what would be better - taking some time out of the game before getting back in and making a success of your next job? Or immediately taking another job, it not go well, and finding yourself with two sackings in a short space of time?

There is no better example of the benefits of a break than the success of Ian Holloway at Blackpool last term. The 47-year-old spent a year out of management after leaving Leicester in 2008.

Ian Holloway came back a better manager after time out of the game

He returned to the game at Bloomfield Road a changed man - with a new attitude and approach to the game. He had considered why and where he had gone wrong at the Walkers and sought how to avoid it happening again.

He spent time at other clubs watching how they did things - taking particular inspiration from the work of Roberto Martinez when the Spaniard was at Swansea.

He had time to combine media work with watching matches and scouting for players for when he did return. He also had time away to spend with his family, and out of the pressure cooker that is football management.

Holloway came back refreshed, rejuvenated, and re-born. The Seasiders reaped the dividends with promotion to the top flight. Ask their Bristolian boss, and he will speak with positivity about his 12 months in football exile.

Contrast his break with the fortunes of others, including Johnson, though.

Brian Laws was sacked from Championship Sheffield Wednesday last term. However, less than a month later they had, rather fortuitously, found re-employment with Premier League Burnley.

He couldn't keep the Clarets up and then saw his reign brought to an end in December after a below-par beginning to this season.

What did he expect though? Did he really think he had been unfortunate in receiving the sack with Wednesday fighting relegation? Did he also think that his methods were not to blame at all - and sticking to them would work out at Turf Moor?

It's beyond ironic, too, that Posh have opted to replace Johnson with former boss Darren Ferguson. After being sacked by a struggling Peterborough last season, he showed breathtaking naivety in repeating his mistakes when landing the Preston North End job.

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, dooming one team to relegation by throwing together a group of youngsters playing a kamikaze brand of attacking football can be considered unfortunate. To do it twice is just carelessness.

Is it any surprise to see Preston now looking destined for relegation after Ferguson was given an opportunity to wreak havoc at Deepdale.

Unbelievably, with his managerial career in tatters, he has been given the chance to rebuild it at the place it all began.

Had he actually taken some time away, and looked at where he went wrong at Posh first time around though, the same mistakes may not have been made again at North End.

Ditto with Laws, whose career, after working his way up after so many years in the lower divisions, has now suffered a significant blow.

There comes a time to resist the temptation of launching yourself straight back onto the market and instead take time out for self examination and improvement.

So, when the opportunity arises and the time is right to return, Johnson and co. can ensure both them and their new club can life happily ever after.

Big Match Review - Preston 1 Nottingham Forest 2

Preston North End 1-2 Nottingham Forest

Saturday January 8, Deepdale (Att: 9,636)

A Luke Chambers goal two minutes from time saw Nottingham Forest come from behind at Preston North End to secure a place in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup.

With new Preston boss Phil Brown overseeing his first match in charge, the hosts began brightly and went in front just past the half hour mark.

Darren Carter, back from a loan spell at Millwall, curling a fine left footed shot from outside the box low past Lee Camp.

It meant North End went into the interval ahead, but the visitors from the East Midlands were back on level terms just five minutes into the second period.

A swift counter attack saw the ball played through for Paul Anderson to run onto. He outpaced the Preston backline and clipped the ball over Andy Lonergan to restore parity.

Forest pressed for a winner, but the game appeared to be heading for a replay at the City Ground until, with time running out, Billy Davies saw his team earn a trip to West Ham in the next round.

When Preston failed to deal with a corner, Chambers was on hand to lash home the loose ball - ensuring Brown's tenure got off to a losing start and North End left to focus purely on Championship survival.

Big Match Preview

Preston North End vs. Nottingham Forest

Saturday January 8, 15:00, Deepdale

So, after my now notorious broadside levelled at how the magic of the Cup was dying, the draw for the third round went and handed Soccer AM/MW a real treat.

The prospect of a clash between Preston and Forest is one that gets the whole team here pretty excited - not least because the chances of such a match occurring next season is becoming increasingly less likely. Cheers Darren.

Still, we might as well enjoy this one while it's here as North End and Forest prepare to do battle for the second time this season.

The pair have already met at Deepdale in the Championship - Forest running out 2-1 victors back in September to register their first away of the campaign.

That's one of eight home defeats Preston have suffered as the Darren Ferguson regime managed to systematically dismantle Fortress Deepdale and convert it into the home of some kind of philanthropists. Come round for a game - and make sure you take all three points with you when you leave.

Mind you, league form can go out of the window at this time of the season. Indeed, 12 months ago after a poor run of form led to the bizarre sacking of Alan Irvine, North End thumped Colchester 7-0 in the third round.

That was under the caretaker charge of Rob Kelly and, after Fergie Junior's long-overdue departure, Preston have been under temporary control - this time with David Unsworth in the dugout.

He began his reign with a defeats to Derby and Crystal Palace, although the former Everton man may well have relinquished to an as yet unknown full time manager before the weekend.

Preston's chances of survival were dealt a huge blow this month by the departure to Cardiff of burly striker Jon Parkin, whose cumbersome build ensures he's the only professional footballer who can gorge himself silly over the Festive season and nobody will bat an eyelid.

He was their top scorer with seven and his leaving may well have provided the final nail in PNE's Championship coffin.

The striking burden now falls on Chris Brown, who you may remember from such movies as "The Great Escape: PNE 2007/8," and that Sunderland sex tape. Unfortunately, his scoring record on the pitch is not as good off it - he's yet to register a single goal this term. Reasons to be fearful.

Wide man Keith Treacy, one of the few positives of the Desperate Darren era, has been one stand out performer for the team this season. Much-travelled Canadian striker Iain Hume has also signed permanently from Barnsley after a fruitful loan spell.

The outspoken Billy Davies continues to cast a shadow over former club Preston

In his, and North End's, way stand a Nottingham Forest side managed expertly by ex-Preston boss, Billy Davies.

It's fair to say we love the wee little Scot here at Soccer AM/MW. However, whenever he returns to Deepdale with a team it's the kind of occasion which seems to require the music from The Apprentice, you know the one, to proceed it.

Billy seems to rub some Preston fans up the wrong way. Perhaps it's the fact he likes to claim he's the best PNE manager in modern times. Mind you, I wouldn't disagree with him. However, he seems to revel in the role of the pantomime villain.

The truth, too, is that North End fans would carry him back from the East Midlands if he said he would return to Deepdale - although when asked about links to the vacant post on Monday he declined to comment.

In the Championship, he's arguably the best manager around, and he's working his magic at Forest again - with them sitting on the edge of the top six.

Forest are unbeaten at home since around the time the dinosaurs roamed earth and away from the City Ground they provide resolute and obstinate opponents - albeit wins have been hard to come by.

Things are looking up for the club all round, with months of pre and post match moaning from Davies finally bearing fruit with the permanent capture of forward Marcus Tudgay from Sheffield Wednesday after a promising loan spell.

Their recent form has been decent too - thumping local rivals Derby 5-2, then recovering from two goals down to draw with Barnsley. They then followed that up with a win and clean sheet at Ipswich. Reasons to be cheerful.

You never do know when it comes to the Cup though. It can sometimes just come down to who wants it more on the day. Do either side even want a Cup run when they have much bigger fish to fry in the league?

I'm tempted to go for the upset in this one, but Preston are a side so short on confidence and quality that I just can't see it happening. Unless Billy decides to throw the game and stick out Forest's youth team.

For a man with such an ego that he only refers to himself in the third person though, I can't see him wanting to ever go back to a former club and losing - so he probably won't.

Nobes' Prediction: Preston North End 0 Nottingham Forest 2

The PNE Factor

Inspired by Preston North End managerial candidate and part-time pub singer, Phil Brown, the lads give their verdicts on the possible replacements.

After Darren Ferguson's sacking, who is up to the ask of filling the void as leading man with The North End.

Will any of them receive three yes's from the PNE Factor panel?


Phil Brown

Made his name as a backing singer with the Big Sam Band before leaving to make his own mark.

After struggling as lead singer of his first group, The Rams, Brown enjoyed great success with The Hull Tigers.

Went platinum in 2008 with a series of chart hits from their debut album. However, a series of poor song selections in their second album cost him his job.

For: Has achieved success with a similar profile group at Hull.

Against: Aside from the dodgy voice, started to believe his own hype with The Tigers and hard to know whether he can repeat the same success again.

Lakes: I don't like his tan, and I don't like his singing voice either. As for that microphone of his, he looks more like Britney Spears than Rod Stewart.

In many ways, he's a modern day Des O'Connor. Hull's Greatest Hits flew off the shelves, though, so you never know.

Nobes: I have to admit, I was a big fan of his early work with The Tigers. I raved the night they brought the house down at The Emirates, although his impromptu concert in Manchester one day makes me think again.

If he loses the tan and stops trying to get his face into every celebrity magazine, then he may be worth a turn.

Turls: This guy was going to be bigger than the Beatles, who in turn, were bigger than Jesus, who in turn was bigger than Moses.

He has faded away lately after deciding to form his own record label, but I reckon the guy is due a comeback and signing alongside Lily White might be a great decision for both parties.


Paul Hart

Old timer still in the business after nearly two decades.

Known for producing good music but sales have been poor for a long time now with a number of different record labels.

Has often filled in for short spells as lead singer but hasn't been anywhere close to a top 40 hit.

For: Generally likeable, cheap to hire, and easy on the ear.

Against: There's a reason he's never stayed long at his labels - where are the sales? Seems better suited sticking to just the teenage market.



Lakes: I haven't got the Hart to let this old codger in on the news - we all think he's past it.

Long in the tooth doesn't begin to describe it, and when you look at the dance moves on offer...well... Backing singer at best.

Nobes: I just don't think he's what The North End are looking for. Maybe he's going a bit tone deaf in his old age, but his performances have been a bit off-key for a while now.

I see his future more in helping the up-and-coming artists. Time to take a back seat on the tour bus.

Turls: I've a bit of a soft spot for this timeless crooner, but his time has gone. He is not capable of producing 21st century music. He was never proper rock 'n' roll and I can't see him propelling any band into the Top 40.

Sorry to break your Hart, Paul, but hang up the microphone and start hitting on the women at the retirement home.

Iain Dowie

Won a breakthrough artist award in 2005 as he revitalised the career of popular '90s outfit The Palace.

However, after his acrimonious departure from them, he seems to have lost his way releasing a series of mishits.

For: Been around the block and and would knows the market The North End are working in.

Against: Still living off his days with The Palace after failing elsewhere. Was he simply a case of a one hit wonder?



Lakes: He's got the voice, but he hasn't really got the face. Poor Iain looks like he's gone twenty rounds with a JCB.

His hits with The Palace aside, I'm not sure he's got the determination to succeed in this business.

Nobes: I'm afraid he does suffer from an image problem, and there's nothing he or anyone else can do about it.

He was responsible for some great hits with The Palace, but I don't think he's got a second album in him.

Turls: This guy defies logic. He is like a lesser version of Susan Boyle. The Palace were a good band, but they were not as good as most people remember.

He's proven he was a one-hit wonder, and one-hit wonders don't make comebacks looking like that.


Eddie Howe

Youthful and energetic. A surprise choice as lead singer of The Cherries in 2008 because of his inexperience.

However, led them to chart success last year despite often missing members of the group.

For: Has made leading a notoriously unstable group look easy. Has everyone singing in harmony despite not having the financial backing of other bands.

Against: Still very young, is he up to the task of taking over at one of the country's most traditional bands where expectations are higher?


Lakes: Howe's about this then? A singer with talent at last! But he's not done much at the top of the game.

He's no Roy Orbison, more a Darius Danesh. Might have the X Factor, but has no star power.

Nobes: I think this kid has it all going for him. Thrust into the limelight he's shown he can cope under intense pressure and scrutiny. He's even still got the boyband looks.

He's surrounded himself with some old heads and tried to keep away from the trappings of fame. He could be the one.

Turls: This guy is right up my street. He has a touch of class that we haven't seen since Duran Duran.

He has a history of turning bands into success stories on the underground circuit and has recently made some trips into the charts. I like him, I really do. I think he's got the PNE Factor.


Paul Tisdale

For many years, this vocalist known for his sharp dressing played the student scene in Bath.

However, since making the move to front The Grecians, Tisdale Fever has swept the city of Exeter.

Has enjoyed sustained chart success, establishing the band as one of the most successful in the South West.

For: Produces top quality music despite working in bargain recording studios.

Against: Has already had better offers and turned them down. Unlikely to want to move from the south to a Northern Soul scene he is unfamiliar with.

Lakes: This kid's got style. I think this one could go all the way.

Is it too soon, though? Maybe. Come back when you're 16, love, and have another crack.

Nobes: He's new, he's fresh, he's edgy, he's different. Not always sure about the attire. At times he's just some lipstick and mascara away from becoming a New Romantic.

However, he is definitely part of the New Wave of talent coming through.

Turls: If this was a fashion content, Tisdale would win hands down.

While I'm prepared to accept fashion is part of modern music - I've just ordered my Lady GaGa meat dress - I don't think he has the experience to deal with the sort of limelight that would come from this band.

Give him a year more and I'll buy him a new neckerchief in the band's colours.


Gary Megson

Controversial artist who divides the critics.

Some praise his chart sales - particularly high in the Black Country - but others have complained his music makes their ears bleed.

For: Experienced at turning around struggling record labels with limited resources to work with.

Against: Is likely to be working with band mates unwilling or unable to adapt to his style of music.




Lakes: Megson was the Chuck Berry of football at one point, but now he's more of a Danni Minogue. Some have upwards trajectories, this fella's headed for the trash can.

Nobes: I'm not going to lie, he's just not my cup of tea. Not that I like tea anyway but, if I did, it certainly wouldn't come with a hint of ginger.

He might have struck a chord with other bands in the past, but seems to have been producing nothing but bum notes for a while now. Not for me. Sorry.

Turls: Is this guy still alive? I swear he was on the death list that is published at the end of every year. I was happy with that.

Needless to say, this guy has no talent whatsoever. I can't believe my colleague has compared him to Chuck Berry. He is like a worse version of Baz Luhrmann. He doesn't write any songs and he doesn't actually sing, instead he just speaks tosh.

This guy needs to leave the music scene completely. Please. For the sake of the children. Won't someone think of the children?!

Lakes: Three no's.

FA Cup: Preston/Forest Histories

As part of our build-up to Saturday's FA Cup third round clash between Preston North End and Nottingham Forest, Nobes reflects on the two sides and their rich history in the competition.

Preston's second FA Cup triumph was a revenge mission over Huddersfield

I don't think I'd be sticking my neck out too far to suggest that neither Preston North End or Nottingham Forest will, this year, become the first team outside the top division since 1980 to win the FA Cup.

Indeed, it's hard to imagine either having a shot of winning the old trophy even if they were in the top flight next season - a prospect distinctly more likely for Forest than North End.

It's a sad reality that some of the smaller clubs in the higher divisions will probably never again win the Cup. However, once upon a time, both Forest and North End enjoyed moments of glory in the competition.

Preston made their first of seven appearances in the final all the way back in 1888. During their run, they defeated Hyde 26-0, a record in the competition which still stands today.

So confident of emerging victorious against West Bromwich Albion in the final, the North End players even asked to be photographed with the trophy before the game kicked off, when they wouldn't be so muddy.

Pride came before a fall though, as West Brom emerged 2-1 victors in front of 19,000 at the Oval - which was the regular venue for the occasion back then.

A year later, and PNE - newly crowned unbeaten Champions of the Football League, were back to try and make amends. In their way they faced opposition from the Black Country again in the form of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Invincibles team didn't make the same mistake twice, and a 3-0 victory saw Preston become the first ever side to win the FA Cup and League double.

Their triumph had been the brainchild of ambitious chairman and manager, Major William Suddell, whose team won 18 of their 22 league games and didn't concede a goal throughout their entire FA Cup campaign.

North End would have to wait all the way until 1922 until their next appearance in the final though.

There they faced Huddersfield Town, in a match which has become a strong candidate for the worst final ever. Played at Stamford Bridge, it ended 1-0 to Town thanks to a controversial penalty.

It was the first time a spot kick had won the trophy, although the ref appeared to award the penalty for a foul which had occurred just outside, rather than in, the 18-yard box.

Fifteen years later, and Preston made their fourth final - and first at Wembley stadium. Over 93,000 were there to see Sunderland come from behind to win 3-1 and be presented with the trophy by the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth - wife of George VI.

Just as in the last century though, North End bounced back from a defeat in the final to win the next one. In an ironic twist, their opponents were Huddersfield, who had beaten them in the '22 final.

This time, it was Preston who were on the winning side, thanks to a penalty of their own in the dying seconds of extra time. It was the first time a Wembley final had been decided from 12 yards - and North End had exacted their revenge.

The '38 final was also the first to be shown live on BBC Television with an estimated viewing audience of 10,000 added to the 93,497 spectators at the national stadium.

PNE made two more final appearances after the Second World War, but ended up on the losing side on both occasions. The first was in 1954, when their conquerors in 1888, West Brom, returned to haunt them.

North End had been 2-1 up with less than half an hour to play, but the Baggies staged a late comeback and with three minutes left on the clock scored what proved to be the winner at 3-2.

Ten years later, and it was the same scoreline as Second Division North End saw West Ham United come from behind to beat them. Little did Preston fans know at the time that, nearly 50 years on, they'd still be waiting for another final appearance.

Forest captain Jack Burkitt holds the trophy aloft after their 1959 success

Nottingham Forest, like Preston, are also twice winners of the FA Cup. However, they have only appeared in the final on three occasions.

Their first appearance - and victory - came in a memorable 1898 final against bitter East Midlands rivals Derby County.

Forest were the underdogs going into the game, having been beaten 5-0 by the Rams in a league fixture just a few days before the final. However, on the day, they were the better side.

Over 60,000 at Crystal Palace saw Forest run out 3-1 winners to secure their first major honour.

It wasn't until 1959 that they made the final again. However, once again on the big stage, Forest rose to the occasion to make it two triumphs out of two.

Their 2-1 win over Luton Town at Wembley was also notable as they became the first ever side to win the Cup despite being down to ten men.

Forest had raced into an early 2-0 lead, but then suffered a blow as winger Roy Dwight - the uncle of Reginald Dwight AKA Elton John - broke a leg and was stretchered off.

With no substitutes being used at the time, Forest had to battle on with a numerical disadvantage. They restricted Luton to just one goal back though to win the match officiated by one Mr J. Clough.

There was a different Clough, and no relation to the ref in '59, involved in Forest's third and final FA Cup appearance in 1991.

The inimitable Brian had transformed the East Midlands outfit into English League Champions and twice European Cup winners during his time at the City Ground.

He had also taken them to four League Cup triumphs, and the '91 FA Cup final against Tottenham Hotspur was the chance to add the missing piece to his managerial honours jigsaw.

Things couldn't have got off to a much better start, with Stuart Pearce's free kick giving Clough's side a 1-0 lead. Then, Forest keeper Mark Crossley became only the second keeper to save a penalty in the final when he kept out Gary Lineker's spot kick.

It saw Forest go into the break ahead, but Paul Stewart drew Spurs level ten minutes after the interval. The match went into extra time, where an own goal by Des Walker proved to be the winner for Tottenham.

Clough was never to win the FA Cup, and Forest had suffered their first heartbreak in the final. In truth, they have never reached the same heights in the almost 20 years since.

For one of Preston and Forest though, a place in the Fourth Round awaits - and a trip to Wembley in the final potentially only four games away. Well, I say "only"...

Darren Fergus-off

With Preston parting ways with Darren Ferguson, Lakes takes a look at his tenure as Preston boss, explaining why it was simply never going to work out.

Not smiling anymore - Ferguson has been put out of his misery

It takes a special kind of man to make Craig Brown and Paul Simpson look like tactical masterminds, and that man has just sneaked out of Deepdale by the back door - and no, it’s not the man from the Milk Tray ads, although he probably would’ve done a better job in charge.

Darren Ferguson has nothing to be proud of. His tenure at Preston North End was little more than a disgrace and there can be no argument against it.

When Ferguson was hired, I, along with many other Preston fans, felt a wave of optimism surge over us.

This was the beginning of a new era – moneybags Hemmings in charge, Maurice Lindsay at his right hand and the messiah himself, Darren Ferguson, running on-pitch affairs.

Alright, messiah might have been pushing it, but there was certainly a belief and optimism that the new era at Preston might be a good one.

There was the promise of a sure link to a Premier League club in Manchester United and the potential for a wave a money that might accompany the owner of the club installing his own man.

Instead, we were lumbered with a messianic slate of turd.

Ferguson’s philosophy was this: attack. And that was it. Central defenders covering the wings, midfielders up front with the rest of the team, milling around with no objective other than to get the ball and run with it.

To put it simply, Ferguson was the master of Forest Gump football. In fact, you could argue that the Gump similarities didn’t end there. There was a whiff of Gump about Ferguson’s general media handling style, too.

To be fair, he never blamed the players. But that’s because he didn’t have the right to. Everything that’s gone wrong on the pitch at Preston this season has simply been down to his ineptitude as a football manager.

Craig Brown was too nice and too conservative. Paul Simpson was out of his depth in the Championship. But the one thing you could say about both men is that they did know something, ish, about football. Ferguson can’t take the same plaudit.

Not spotted at Deepdale this season

Although you could argue that Preston’s squad isn’t fit for promotion, there will be those who feel he could have done a lot better than prop up the bottom of the table with the players available to him – not least because of the never-ending influx of youngsters from daddy.

The results speak for themselves. Ferguson won just 13 of his 49 games in charge, a pathetic 26% return.

The wins themselves seemed random, too, rather than part of a bigger pattern. If there was a pattern to be found it was in the huge number of goals Preston conceded under him – 42 this season alone.

When you consider where Preston fancied being this season, you have to say that’s rather a failure when compared with teams like Swansea, who’ve conceded close to the 20 mark.

So, rather than a delicious helping of Cadbury’s Milk Tray, Preston have simply had a cardboard tray of excrement shoved through their letterbox.

Let’s hope whoever’s next on the billing has a taste for the stuff, because there’s a lot more coming between now and the end of the season.

In Defence

After a glut of goals and high-scoring games in recent weeks in the Football League, Turls analyses the case against the defences.

There were ten goals as Preston came from behind to stun Leeds

It's Saturday afternoon and I'm listening to the football results come in. I tend to zone out most results because I'm usually moaning at how crap Forest are, or jumping up and down and thinking that we'll win the league.

Both these reactions tend to last for a few seconds until I calm down and realise that it's only a game. However, after back-to-back 1-1 draws, I was allowed to bask in the insanity of the remaining scores.

In midweek, ten goals were scored at Elland Road as Preston came from 4-1 down to win 6-4. Incredible game, and the type of thing that rarely happens.

Then I heard that Norwich had beaten Leicester 4-3 at Carrow Road. I wasn't sure what to make of this and then, when the scores kept coming, I heard three games that ended 3-2 and another that had ended 4-2.

Wow! When I looked at the scores online, I realised there were another ten games that involved four goals or more.

Now I'm only a young lad and haven't got many seasons under my belt, but it seemed quite remarkable that one day could provide such a flurry of goals. I worked it out that 98 goals had been scored - that was despite eight games ending 0-0.

It took me until the weekend to recover from that attacking onslaught and I thought I would be looking back on that Tuesday night with a sense of awe.

Instead, I wandered into my house at 5pm - after a day with the lady - to find that another 88 goals had been scored in one day's play.

I didn't know what to say. I just stood there with the remote in my hand trying to figure out what had happened in the last week. Accrington won 7-4 and Chesterfield and Crewe drew 5-5. On the back of that 6-4 and 4-3, I was shocked.

186 goals. In 72 games. At over 2.5 goals a game. Only ten games remained goal-free.

I woke up on Sunday thinking that everyone would be going on about how exciting the Football League is but, when I drew back the curtains, it was raining. A lot.

This dampened my mood, but it also made me realise that, although goals are good for some, they also represent a complete inability to defend.

I'm not one of these people who believe that goals make a great game. I must admit that I do enjoy a game with goals in, but I also love a tactical game of football that ends goalless.

Now this last week has got me thinking. Have strikers got better or have defenders got worse? Maybe a bit of both?

So far this season there have been 19 games that featured six goals or more. Huddersfield have finished either side of a 4-2 score, Peterborough have played in a 5-1, a 4-2, and a 5-2.

Gillingham have lost 5-4 and 7-4. Leicester, Leeds, and Preston have all been involved in two high-scoring games.

I decided to look at the highlights for the following games to see what the quality of defending was like for the following games:

Norwich City 4-3 Leicester City
Leeds United 4-6 Preston North End
Chesterfield 5-5 Crewe Alexandra
Accrington Stanley 7-4 Gillingham

I'll stress that I have only seen the highlights of each game, so can't provide a full picture of the match. If you were at any of the games and can shed some more light on the defending then get in touch with us at soccerammw@gmail.com

Norwich City 4-3 Leicester City

Norwich 0 Leicester 1:

First of all, the Foxes winger is allowed to run about 20-25 yards without anyone putting a tackle in.

Then, upon reaching the area, the Norwich centre back refuses to charge him down and, instead, stands on the corner of the six yard box with his arms out.

He should have closed the gap and stopped the winger from getting the shot away. Still, the keeper should have saved it.

Norwich 1 Leicester 1:

This is a difficult one to claim as bad defending, but it is very much a case of ball watching. As the ball was played in from the left, two Norwich players were allowed to run into the box unaccompanied, thus giving them a numerical advantage.

The ball is then played across the box from the right where a Norwich player is standing with nobody marking him. All a little haphazard in my eyes.

Norwich 2 Leicester 1:

Penalty. Arms raised. Silly.

Norwich 3 Leicester 1:

Can't blame the defence here. The left winger just outpaces Leicester's right back and a beautifully weighted ball frees the scorer down the middle. Good finish.

Norwich 3 Leicester 2:

Bizarre, and quite fluky. A mishit is flicked in a Leicester player's path, he then has his shot cleared off the line before hoofing in the rebound.

A picky man could say the guy who flicked the ball on shouldn't have been able to turn so easily, but it looked like a good piece of play to me.

Norwich 4 Leicester 2:

A 25-yard screamer. Nothing the defence could do.

Norwich 4 Leicester 3:

Good through-ball, good touch past the defender, good finish.

Leeds United 4-6 Preston North End

Leeds 0 Preston 1:

Good wing play down the right, skidding a cross/shot across goal. Keeper can only parry it into the striker's path. Good attacking football.

Leeds 1 Preston 1:

Left winger cuts inside too easily. Shouldn't have been allowed to go inside with that much comfort. Then, when the ball is played in, Preston are outnumbered right in the centre of the goal. Poor defending all round.

Leeds 2 Preston 1:

Long ball pumped in from the left flank towards the back post. When the ball is headed back across goal, Preston are caught ball watching resulting in three Leeds players to line up and head it in.

Leeds 3 Preston 1:

Right winger goes down the flank. Never looks like going past his man after some good jockeying from the full back. He pokes it inside to a player about 15 yards out in acres of space.

How has he got that much space in the box? It's shocking. This guy then scores - unsurprisingly.

Leeds 4 Preston 1:

Preston look a little stretched, despite it only being the first half. The ball is played out to the left where the winger cuts inside past one player, sells a dummy to another, and then drills it into the goal.

Allowed to go inside far too easily and should have been shepherded towards the byline.

Leeds 4 Preston 2:

Ball picked up in the middle after a weak Leeds challenge. It's played out to Preston's striker, who makes a little space to create a shooting chance. Keeper beaten at near post. Rubbish keeping.

Leeds 4 Preston 3:

Scored straight from a corner. Rubbish keeping again.

Leeds 4 Preston 4:

Penalty. Ball played out right, full back does the right thing by herding the winger to the byline but, instead of following his plan through to the end, he decides to dive in when the players is running away from goal.

Ridiculous penalty to give away.

Leeds 4 Preston 5:

Long ball to a fat Preston striker who uses his bulk to turn his man and fire past the keeper. Good strike work. Defender could have stayed squarer instead of getting turned, but Jon Parkin is very good at working defenders over.

Leeds 4 Preston 6:

Long diagonal ball from left to right. Preston man ghosts in at the far post and heads it back towards the far post.

Again, another example of ball watching rather than following the man. There is no way a ball should be travelling that far without being cut out by a defender.

Chesterfield 5-5 Crewe Alexandra

Chesterfield 0 Crewe 1:

Nicely weighted ball aiming towards the back post that splits two players. The onrushing striker nods it in at the far post. The guy who made the cross was closed down well and it was a very well taken goal.

Chesterfield 0 Crewe 2:

Free kick. Don't know why it was given - blame the BBC for that, for me - but it was a beautifully taken goal.

Chesterfield 0 Crewe 3:

Long ball from the back. Nobody attacked the ball properly and when a Chesterfield player did come out to meet it he completely misjudged the bounce and saw the ball fly past him.

Awful defending. They were outnumbered at the back as well, so take your pick on the mistakes made in defence.

Chesterfield 1 Crewe 3:

Nice cross, and the striker gets in front of his man to nod it into the net. You could maybe could argue that the defender should have seen the run, but there is a reason these guys play in League Two.

Chesterfield 1 Crewe 4:

Now this is a great goal. Man cushions it down to a team-mate, makes a run through the middle and receives the return pass and rounds the keeper.

However, nobody is near the goalscorer when he originally brings the ball down and his run is straight. No deviations. No clever stop and starting. Just a straight quick run through the middle.

Defence done for pace, but they should have learned by then that this guy was quick - they were already 3-1 down.

Chesterfield 2 Crewe 4:

Cross from the right. Jack Lester ghosts in at the back stick and nods it in. Clever run, but the full back was caught ball watching.

Chesterfield 3 Crewe 4:

Penalty. Dived in close to the byline. Stupid challenge.

Chesterfield 3 Crewe 5:

Free kick drifted in from the right, headed towards goal, and turned in by a striker. The guy who headed it looked to have no pressure on him, but he seemed to engineer his room well.

Chesterfield 4 Crewe 5:

Another penalty. This one wasn't as stupid as the last one. A good lay off allowed the striker to run through where he was bundled over.

Contact was made, but it wasn't an overly stupid challenge. Over excited shoulder barge would be one way to put it - but a definite penalty.

Chesterfield 5 Crewe 5:

Shot from outside the box. Well taken, but should have been closed down. Crewe were probably mentally and physically tired, but it still doesn't excuse how he just sauntered to the edge of the box to have a pop.

Accrington Stanley 7-4 Gillingham

Accrington 1 Gillingham 0:

Smart work down the right freed up space for the cross where the man was picked out brilliantly.

Maybe he should have been marked, but the winger turned the defence around and put them out of position with his skills. Well taken goal.

Accrington 1 Gillingham 1:

Long throw in flicked in at the near post. Long throws are difficult to deal with, as anyone who has played Stoke will tell you, so it's hard to question the defending here.

Accrington 1 Gillingham 2:

Although the start of this was a long ball, the end was nice. Big man flicks it on to another big man, who flicks it down to a little man, who flicks it on to the original big man who has made a run into the box. Goal.

It happened quickly so Accrington shouldn't be too hard on themselves. I wouldn't be.

Accrington 2 Gillingham 2:

Another well worked goal - the player had the defence twisting and turning before the ball was slotted into the corner. Can't do too much as a defender apart from drop a reducer in there.

Accrington 3 Gillingham 2:

The ball has been played inside and two players are running on to it - attacker and defender. Defender slides in - meaning he has to win the ball or foul the man.

He did neither, allowing the attacker to chip a beauty inside the far post. If you're going to go to ground as a defender, you have to win the ball.

Accrington 3 Gillingham 3:

Not sure how the winger broke free, but the way he got round the last man is ludicrous. The defender thinks a shot is going to come in, so jumps in front of the onrushing attacker to block it.

Said attacker pokes it past him and lifts it over the keeper. If that were me, I'd be looking back and asking myself why I didn't just stand my ground.

Accrington 4 Gillingham 3:

Penalty. Looked a little harsh, but he had his hands all over him so the ref had to give it if he saw it.

These types of penalties should be given more often but, because they aren't, defenders think they can get away with giving an attacker a hug.

Accrington 5 Gilingham 3:

Penalty. Wingers dances past full back on the left and cuts inside. Full back gets back and makes the tackle. Looks like he wins the ball in a very good tackle. Harshly given.

Accrington 6 Gillingham 3:

Long ball down the right. Man is in acres of space. Defence has clearly tried to play an offside trap that hasn't worked. Striker keeps going and slips it under the keeper.

Accrington 6 Gillingham 4:

Penalty. Who knows what was happening here? Long ball flicked on and the ball is then allowed to bounce. Defender nods it back to the keeper who makes a right hash of it and ultimately brings down the striker.

Accrington 7 Gillingham 4:

Ball lifted cleverly over the top down the right and the attacker hammers it into the far corner. Done and done.


Conclusion:

Out of those 38 goals, I calculate that at least 14 of them came as a result of bad defending. That means about a third of the goals could have been stopped had the defence been more organised.

Unsurprisingly, five of these examples of poor defending came in the Leeds/Preston game. Neither team has a particularly good defensive record - and it's easy to see why.

Maybe I'm being a little harsh on the defenders, but it seems to be that the quality has reduced over the years. Maybe they are struggling to adapt to the change in centre forwards?

Gone are the days of a huge lumbering striker leading the line, instead, more emphasis appears to be placed on quick and lightweight players who are able to create space and turn the defence more easily.

For many of the goals, the defenders are caught ball watching - a problem that should not be affecting professional footballers. Ball watching should be an issue saved for Sunday League football, not the Championship.

Diving in also appears to be a problem. Most of the penalties were conceded in positions that didn't pose a direct threat to the goal and a few of them when the attacker was running away from goal.

They are silly fouls to give away, and the managers should be forcing the issue that you should not dive in on a man who is on the edge of the area at the byline.

Goals make games more exciting for the majority of fans so maybe we shouldn't be complaining too much.

However, I honestly feel that if the defensive lines aren't shored up, we could see more and more games finish with at least six goals in them.

Turls will be analysing the defending for goals in our Big Matches over the coming weeks as part of his focus on the state of defences.

Setting The Tone

Nobes suggests that the way a manager conducts himself can be just as important as his tactics and training methods.

Pointing the finger of blame, but Darren Ferguson should look at himself

In a recent discussion with a pal of mine, we concluded that we were happy to see Peterborough United towards the top of this season's League One.

Rewind the clock two years, and we'd have never said anything of the sort? Why the sudden change in heart, we thought?

Was it because we were appreciative of the type of attractive, attacking football Posh were playing? No. They played the same way in winning promotion to the Championship in 2009.

Was it down to the fact their transfer policy had changed? No, they still appear to signing young players and, undoubtedly, paying decent wages.

It was, we decided, a feeling based purely on the man now picking the team at London Road.

Gary Johnson, we agreed, was a manager we liked. Whose achievements at Yeovil and Bristol City - and the style they were achieved in - merited respect.

Equally, resentment towards Peterborough two years ago had, we determined, stemmed from then-boss Darren Ferguson. A man whose manner is incredibly difficult to warm to.

What a difference a manager makes.

Of course, it's right to point out whether a neutral supporter likes a club has little effect on how successful the said team is. However, how a manager comes across can be very important.

Ferguson has again been in the news this week, with the beleaguered Preston manager being handed a three game touchline ban by the FA for his comments about referee Kevin Friend following North End's defeat to local rivals Burnley.

The 38-year-old launched a scathing attack on Friend's handling of the game saying decisions he made - including the sending off of Preston's Billy Jones - had 'won' the game for the Clarets.

Of course, his broadside was effective in deflecting any criticism away from himself. However, even after being reduced to ten men, leading 3-1 with just ten minutes remaining, North End should never have lost the game.

Their inability to deal with simple balls into the box - symptomatic of their defensive fragility under Ferguson - cost them the game. No surprise he was keen to point the finger of blame elsewhere then.

In doing so, though, Ferguson, much like his father, was doing himself no favours. His comments, while coming across to some as passionate, were actually embarrassing. Bad sportsmanship clearly runs in the family.

Not that he's the only one. Twice in the Premier League last weekend managers walked onto the pitch to berate the match day official.

When you consider how angry managers can get with players who pick up bookings for dissent though, if they act the same way, what right have they to complain?

Managers must keep their cool - not, like Slaven Bilic, join in goal celebrations

A manager must lead by example - and that includes conducting himself properly both on the touchline and when talking to the media.

What good does ranting and raving at the referee do? Is he more likely to give a team a decision based on it? If anything, he is more likely to be annoyed - and possibly send the manager to the stands.

And if so, the manager has let down his players. If they need his guidance on the touchline, he has failed to fulfill his responsibilities by being sat in the stands.

There has been some talk recently, too, focusing on managers celebrating when their team scores. Failing to do is, apparently, a lack of "passion."

Ignoring the temptation to focus on how "passion" is the most overused and irrelevant word used in the game, why does a manager have to celebrate a goal?

Is it not a commonly accepted view that teams are at their most vulnerable when they've just scored? Complacency can creep in, concentration can slip, and a team can soon find themselves leaking one in themselves.

My mind is cast back to, and I apologise for not using an example from the Football League, the European Championships of two years ago.

It's my firm belief that the colourful Croatian manager, Slaven Bilic, hailed for his work with the national team, actually contributed to his team missing out on a place in the semi finals of that tournament.

Why? When his country scored a goal deep into extra time against Turkey he proceeded to run down the touchline and celebrate wildly with the players. "Job done" he thought.

It wasn't. There was still injury time to play. The Turks raced down the other end and the still elated Croats conceded at the death. They went on lose in a penalty shoot out.

It was a game the players thought they'd won. The manager, inexperienced as he was, should have known better. Had he stayed in his technical area, tried to calm his players down, and get them back into a proper disciplined state, they probably wouldn't have conceded.

Emotion took over though. Passion took over. Too much passion.

A manager is a leader. While he must inspire and enthuse, he must also remain calm when decisions need to be made.

In the cauldron atmosphere of big games, he must keep his cool. After all, how can he expect his players to if he doesn't himself?

If players see a manager conducting himself with dignity, they are more likely to respect them. They're also less likely to conduct themselves poorly on the pitch.

Motor mouth managers who look to point the finger of blame elsewhere in post match interviews are simply covering their own back. Fearful of their own job, they look to hide behind the man with the whistle.

Managers, too, who make disparaging comments about their opposition before or after games are simply asking for trouble. How often do we see those words thrown back in their face as their hubris leads to their downfall?

Quite apart from doing the sport as a whole the power of good, managers refraining from making such comments would actually be doing themselves and their own club a favour.

That's because breeding a culture of acting responsibility not only wins friends, it wins points too. Mr Ferguson could do with both.

Saints and Sinners

After Southampton's decision to fire boss Alan Pardew, Nobes looks at some of the other unwarranted managerial sackings that defied belief.

Pardew was given just three games at the start of the season at Saints

It's the kind of shocking sacking that, quite frankly, we shouldn't find so surprising.

Given the strength of their squad, Southampton's decision to sack Alan Pardew may not cost them promotion. It has certainly lost them much respect and raised questions about those running the club though.

The dismissal of the former West Ham boss just three games into the new season, and particularly after Saturday's 4-0 win at Bristol Rovers, seems incredibly harsh.

Whatever the reasons - results motivated or otherwise - it's hard to justify sacking a proven manager at that level.

Then again, it's not the first sacking, and certainly won't be the last, to bemuse onlookers. Here's my rundown of some of the worst Football League sackings of recent times.


10. Colin Lee - Walsall

You couldn't help but feel for Colin Lee when he was given the boot from the Saddlers in 2004.

After Plymouth expressed an interest in taking Lee to Home Park, Walsall gave him permission to talk to the Pilgrims.

However, after deciding to remain in the West Midlands, he was sacked by chairman Jeff Bonser for a lack of loyalty and creating 'uncertainty' around the club.

It was to prove costly for Walsall though. Up until then they had been winning their battle against relegation from the Championship.

After Lee's departure they lost three of their remaining four games and dropped into League One. They've never been back to the second tier since.


9. Eric Black - Coventry City

So angry were Coventry fans at the sacking of Eric Black in 2004 that they staged a 'Black Day' protest for replacement Peter Reid's first home game in charge.

The Scot had only been in charge of the Sky Blues for four months and had led them into the top half playing an attractive brand of football.

Despite picking up 29 points in his 18 games though, chairman Mike McGinnity said the team had been too 'inconsistent' and fired Black.

Replacement Reid failed to do anywhere near as well, and was sacked less than a year later after poor results and even worse football.


8. Peter Jackson - Huddersfield Town

Jackson had two spells in charge of the Terriers - whom he had played for during his career, too. It was his first departure which caused most angst, though.

He had taken over in 1997 with the Yorkshire outfit fighting relegation from the Championship.

After keeping them up he then took them to 10th the following campaign.

However, the popular manager was then sacked and replaced by 'big-name' Steve Bruce - who was sacked after a poor start to the 2000/1 season.

It ended with Town being relegated to the third, and later fourth, tier. Only on Jackson's return in 2003 did he immediately take Town back into League One and they only missed out on a return to the Championship in the play offs in 2006.


7. Gary Peters - Shrewsbury Town

The former Preston boss had turned around Salop's fortunes since joining them in 2004.

He kept Shrewsbury in the Football League and then set about building a team capable of challenging at the right end.

That culminated in the 2007 play off final where, despite taking the lead, they lost out to Bristol Rovers at Wembley.

Despite so much progress, a sticky spell in the following campaign - his first at the club - saw him promptly dismissed.

Successor Paul Simpson was granted huge funds to gain promotion but could only match Peters with a play off final defeat to Gillingham in 2009. Had Peters had similar money to spend, Town probably would have been promoted by now.


6. Gareth Southgate - Middlesbrough

Southgate had been at the helm as Boro crashed out of the Premier League after 11 seasons in the big time.

However, he had been given the opportunity to get them back at the first attempt - and seemed to be making a good fist of it.

A 2-0 win against Derby saw Boro lying 4th after 13 games - just a single point off top spot.

However, Southgate was then sacked and in came former Southampton manager Gordon Strachan.

The Teessiders' form dropped off remarkably and they ended the season in 11th - a full 40 points behind Champions Newcastle United.


5. Danny Wilson - Hartlepool United

After relegation to the basement division in 2006, Pools turned to the experienced Danny Wilson to help get them back up into League One.

He did so - and at the first time of asking.

United finished 2nd - missing out on the title by a single point - and then he helped re-establish them back in the third tier with a respectable finish of 15th.

A solid start to the next season saw Pools in the top half but, after successive draws saw them drop to 13th in December, he was sacked.

They finished that season in 19th - a single point above the drop zone, and last term only survived on goal difference. Slipping out of the top half suddenly doesn't seem so bad now.


4. Ian Atkins - Oxford United

When Oxford beat Cheltenham 1-0, they sat 4th in the League Two standings - a point off the automatic promotion places.

They had only been beaten once at home all season and, with nine games of the season remaining, looked a sure bet for at least a place in the play offs.

Despite that good form, manager Ian Atkins had not been offered a new deal.

With his current one due to expire in the summer, he signed a pre-contract agreement to take over at Bristol Rovers for the next season.

Chairman Firoz Kassam decided to fire Atkins and appointed Graham Rix in his stead.

However, Rix's attempt to get a direct team to play passing football failed spectacularly as one win in their last nine saw Oxford miss out on the top seven altogether.


3. Russell Slade - Yeovil Town

Most pundits predicted a struggle for Yeovil when Russell Slade was appointed in 2006.

However, the season ended with the Glovers at Wembley - where they only lost out to Blackpool in the play off final.

Slade had taken a club punching above their weight to stay in League One to within 90 minutes of the Championship.

On meagre resources, it was a fantastic achievement.

It saw him linked to other jobs, but Town rebuffed any approaches. Yeovil ended up 18th the next year and the following campaign was another battle against the drop - but four straight wins in the New Year saw them comfortably in mid table.

However, he was then jettisoned from Huish Park due to a 'breakdown' in his relationship with the board. Town won just three of their remaining 17 games and stayed up by just a couple of points.



2. Ronnie Moore - Tranmere Rovers

Moore had been a great striker for Rovers, and returned to the club as manager in 2006.

In his first two seasons in charge he guided the Wirral outfit to 9th and 11th in League One.

The next term saw Rovers once again mount a push for the top six and they finished 7th, only narrowly missing on the play offs out by a couple of points.

However, the board decided to axe Moore - blaming him for falling attendances - and appointed former Liverpool and England winger John Barnes as his replacement.

It was a disastrous decision. Barnes endured a torrid beginning to the 2009/10 campaign and Tranmere only escaped the drop on the final day of the season under his successor, Les Parry.


1. Alan Irvine - Preston North End

Alan Irvine had joined Preston with the club struggling at the foot of the Championship in 2007.

An improved second half of the season saw him guide North End to 15th and safety, though.

The next season they were fighting it out for a place in the play offs and four wins at the end of the season helped them edge out Cardiff for a place in the top six.

There they lost to Sheffield United, but a fine start to the 2009/10 once again had them in contention. Then a poor run - his first at the club - earned him a shock dismissal at the end of 2009.

Replacement Darren Ferguson oversaw a terrible run of results that saw them slide down the table - only narrowly securing another season of Championship football. They have continued to struggle at the start of the new season.