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Archives for January 2011

The 99p football match

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Paul Fletcher | 11:59 UK time, Tuesday, 25 January 2011

Victoria Road, Dagenham

You don't get much for 99p these days. It won't get you anywhere near a pint in most pubs, a matchday pie at a ground, or even a lottery ticket, but that was .

It was the second day and, not surprisingly, the enticing ticket prices resulted in a season-high attendance of 4,446 at Victoria Road.

, with supporters of the Daggers shoulder to shoulder with their counterparts from MK Dons.

Always a sucker for a bargain, I travelled across London to see what it was all about, experience the atmosphere and find out what the east London club were hoping to achieve.

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The Championship's biggest disappointments

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Paul Fletcher | 14:39 UK time, Saturday, 15 January 2011

Ashton Gate, Bristol

Back in the sunny days of pre-season hands up supporters of Bristol City and Middlesbrough who thought Saturday's match at Ashton Gate would have more to do with avoiding relegation than winning promotion.

City started the campaign as many observers' outside bet for promotion. They had the wily and experienced Steve Coppell in charge and had signalled their ambition by pulling off .

Boro had been rebuilt over the summer by manager Gordon Strachan, his side shaped around players rivalry of Celtic and Rangers. - a transfer to rival James's as the stand-out signing of the summer. As they prepared for their second season in the Championship, Boro were the bookies' favourites to win the division.

Fast forward to Saturday's fixture and survival was the buzzword as the two teams met under the leaden skies at the old but atmospheric Ashton Gate. Boro went into the contest one point above the bottom three, while City were perched in the relatively heady heights of 17th. The visiting team , in the process recording their biggest victory of the season and inflicting on City their heaviest defeat.

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Jewell lands on his feet at Ipswich

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Paul Fletcher | 09:23 UK time, Thursday, 13 January 2011

Portman Road, Ipswich

I cannot help wondering whether Ipswich fans were given a glimpse of the future at Portman Road on Wednesday evening or if it was just a brief and fleeting vision of heights that they will not scale again any time soon.

Without question, . The home team played with guts and determination in front of a crowd that responded by backing their team with a passion to match that shown on the field. You could almost sense the self-belief surging through the stands at a stadium sold out for the time in close on a decade.

Tamas Priskin struck the only goal of the tie 12 minutes from the end, prompting wild scenes of joy and jubilation - and ensuring that Ipswich will travel for the return leg at the Emirates with a lead to defend.

Watching from the stands was , who will meet his squad for the first time at training on Thursday morning. Jewell's task is ultimately to bring Premier League football back to Portman Road and ensure that nights like Wednesday are commonplace ,not rare events.

The 46-year-old made a brief foray on to the pitch before the match and was given a generous round of applause from the home fans but it would be understandable if there were reservations about his appointment. The Liverpudian's managerial record is truly black and white. Success or failure. There is no middle ground on his CV.

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Football League's hottest property?

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Paul Fletcher | 11:33 UK time, Wednesday, 12 January 2011

I recently to find out who you thought was the young player in the Football League most likely to attract offers from a Premier League club during the January transfer window.

Lots of names featured, with Watford keeper Scott Loach, Coventry stopper Keiren Westwood, Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis McGugan and Swindon striker Charlie Austin all mentioned several times.

also generated several replies. The 17-year-old, a regular for his club this season, is the subject of much speculation, with clubs such as Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham and Fulham all linked with the teenager, who has been at Saints since the age of seven.

Former Saints players Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott have already made the move to a top Premier League side but .

As well as Oxlade-Chamberlain, you have also highlighted Tranmere's talented young forward Dale Jennings.

If Oxlade-Chamberlain has been talked about for some time, then Jennings, who turned 18 four days before Christmas, has come out of relative obscurity this season. He has after . However, since then his performances have swiftly brought him to the attention of numerous Premier League and Championship sides.

. What they saw was a serious contender for goal of the season.

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Sacking season in full swing

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Paul Fletcher | 11:05 UK time, Friday, 7 January 2011

Phil Brown walked through the doors at Preston North End on Thursday afternoon delivering the time-honoured line about the honour of taking over at a great club with a long history.

We could be hearing quite a lot of that sort of talk over the next few weeks given the current number of managerial vacancies in the Football League.

after . .

Since then Barnet have sacked Mark Stimson, Crystal Palace fired George Burley, Stockport dismissed Paul Simpson, Charlton waved goodbye to Phil Parkinson and Walsall ditched Chris Hutchings. Then on Friday morning it emerged that .

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