Dazzling Darren

I can't believe it - the Yorkshire roly poly Darren Gough is making a comeback in the IPL cricket aged 38.... (stone). I was always a big fan of Darren, but is he really going to be good enough to compete in the IPL? Having said that, the IPL should be fun this year - I am a great fan of the Commercialization of cricket - for too long this game has been stuck in the middle ages. I went to Headingley last year for a 20/20 match involving Yorkshire and Northants - The game lasted 3 hours, there were loads of great shots, I had 4 pints of delicious Yorkshire bitter and everything finished before the rain started - now that's what I call a good night out!!

FA Cup 5th Round

Who says the FA Cup has lost its sparkle? Setanta had record viewing figures for the merseyside derby last weekend - I thought it was a good game but Everton really let the Reds off the hook. It was a great chance to turnover their local rivals, but they missed their chance. Speaking of missing chances Liverpool look like they could be losing their best chance in 18 years of winning the league -if I was a betting man ~(which I'm not)I wouldn't be putting my money on the Reds to take the title this season.


Just one last thing, I've just got hold of Setanta's fifth round FA Cup fixtures so here they are for you hot off the press...

Tuesday, February 3rd @ 7.45pm – Arsenal vs. Cardiff City

Saturday, February 14th @ 5.30pm – Watford vs. Chelsea

Sunday, February 15th @ 2.30pm – Liverpool/Everton vs. Aston Villa/Doncaster Rovers

Monday, February 16th @ 7.45pm – Cardiff City/Arsenal vs. West Bromwich Albion/Burnley

I'm off to Liverpool

So...how is your Flat Des spotting going? I'm off to Liverpool this weekend for the big match, which is live on Setanta. All eyes will be on Anfield on Sunday as the Cup returns and Everton try and go one better after their last minute equaliser in Monday's Merseyside Derby. I've got my hat and scarf ready and I'll be there so keep an eye out for me and if you do see me then make sure you send in your photos!

What's going on at City?

Is it all about to go sour at the World's richest club, Manchester City? First of all, Kaka decided to stay in Milan and then rumours surfaced that Robinho had hot footed it back to Brazil. I've been saying for a while that money and football are not a good combination and perhaps this is the latest example. It's a well known adage in football that you can't buy success but Manchester City are determined to try and prove that's not the case. Kaka may have said no but now Thierry Henry is being linked to City- the world has gone made! Bring back those jumpers for goalposts!

The World has gone Kakkrazy

I told you the Transfer Window was exciting! And this week, the football world has gone ballistic with the news that mega-rich Manchester City are talking to Brazilian superstar Kaka over a £100m transfer. I remember when Manchester City were at Maine Road and in the Second Division...who would have thought that one day they would be the richest club in the World. I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again but football is a funny old game.

Love it or Hate It

It's not just the Cup that has everyone talking in January- lets not forget it's transfer window time and love it or hate it, it certainly helps fill those column inches as fans from up and down the land wonder just what their club is going to do. If your club hasn't started the season too brightly and has gone out of the Cup already then this is time when fans become optimistic again, after-all this is the opportunity for clubs to shuffle their pack and to get new blood in. Even if your club hasn't got any money and lets face in these economically troubled times- there's quite a few of them, there are stiill players to be had. Whereas if your club is romping it or is in the chasing pack then new players can really make the difference..although it has to be said, the big and most successful clubs don't really rely on these windows as much as the strugglers.
Anyway, you'll be pleased to know that I've got my ear to the ground for those transfer rumours and I'll make sure that you don't miss out as and when I hear them.
So...how's this for a starter for ten, Man Utd's Carlos Tevez could be London-bound. Rumour has it that his recent public outburst against Sir Alex was actually a come and get me pleaa to the Gunners. The great thing about the transfer window is that for every actual transfer, there's 100 rumours so as I said, you either love it or you hate it!

It just gets better and better

January used to be such a dull month, the Christmas fun over and lots of bills to pay but forget all that because the FA Cup just gets better and better and I can't wait for the Fourth Round. In case you missed it, here is the Fourth Round Draw. Some right corkers in there including a Merseyside Derby and all the history they bring and an East Midlands Derby. Not forgetting Man Utd taking on Spurs and Arsenal facing a tricky trip to Wales to take on Cardiff!
Setanta has made its picks and I tell you what, there's three crackers coming up! They're going to start the weekend with the tasty match between Derby and Nottingham Forest; which has been made all the more significant following Clough Jr's appointment as Derby manager this week and then Sunday is Super Sunday on Setanta! Follow your Sunday Roast with Cardiff v Arsenal and then it's the really big one- Liverpool vs Everton just in time for tea. What better way to spend a weekend!

What a Weekend!

I told you that the FA Cup was going to kick off the New Year with a bang and that we could expect a few upsets but few people would have predicted Southend snatching a very credible draw at Chelsea or Manchester City being heavily beaten by Nottingham Forest.

That's what I love about the Cup- the unpredictability of it and you can guarantee that there's more to come so stay tuned.

So how's your Flat Des spotting going? I was down in the sunny or freezing south yesterday to see Manchester Utd beat a spirited Southampton side who couldn't recreate the spirt of '76 and tonight weather permitting I'll be up North to watchBlyth Spartans take on Big Sam's Blackburn Rovers. If you can't be there, then the game is on Setanta but in the meantime,keep looking out for me!

This week will also see the start of a very special Flat Des competition and I'll be back with more details soon so watch this space...

I'm in the Sun!

You heard it here first..I've joined up with The Sun to give them my take on the FA Cup this weekend. The magic of the Cup is well and truly back so read all about it here!

Get up for the Cup!

It's often said that the FA Cup is the most famous cup competition in the world. Well we all know it’s the return of real football - when the Premier League meet the Football League and where we, the fans get to enjoy clashes of yesteryear!

This year, Setanta will have all the best FA Cup action and it all kicks off this weekend with three great ties- an all Premiership clash this Friday night (January 2nd), a battle between rich and poor on Sunday and then a clash between a minnow from Northumberland and a giant from Lancashire to finish it all off on Monday night.

White Hart Lane will be the place to be on Friday night to watch Harry's Spurs take on Steve Bruce's Wigan.
The question that we all want answering is can Harry take his Cup luck from Pompey to Spurs where he desperately needs to rediscover winning ways with Spurs going the wrong way down the table at the moment.

Then on Sunday, it's a replay of the 1976 FA Cup Final as Manchester United, fresh from their World Club Championship victory head South to take on a very young, inexeperienced and yet exciting Southampton team. Knowing Fergie, he won't want to be embarrassed but he will be looking to play a mixture of youth and experience and with Saints relying on a very young team to play free flowing football, it promises to be an entertaining match and one which I'm sure will have lots of goals in especially if United wear those Grey shirts!

Finally on Monday, we're off up North to see Sam Allardyce's Blackburn Rovers make the tricky trip to Blyth to take on Blyth Spartans fresh from their victory against AFC Bournemouth. Big Sam will want a smooth ride through this game, which has banana skin written all over it- particularly as Rovers have been questionable in defence in their last two matches.

The great thing about the Cup is that you just can't be sure what's going to happen and you can guarantee upsets so stay tuned as Setanta's cameras will be there to capture the highs and the lows from now to the Final.

You can't argue with that!