Outside the Box – Football on TV: Fergie calls time, but Sky ensure we’ll see plenty of him before he goes

So, I’m not sure if you’ve heard but Sir Alex Ferguson announced to the world last week that he intends to quietly walk away from football at the end of the season. In mass hysterical scenes usually only seen when a monarch dies or a Twilight film comes out, the entire country seemed to let o...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: Bruce goes through Hull as the Championship season ends in drama

There are not many days in the course of the long football season that the glitzy farce of the Premier League is shuffled into the background like an ugly sister at a wedding. Usually, as the weekend rolls around every pundit, fan and newscaster is eagerly sharing their thoughts on Van Persie...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Hull City enjoy the rollercoaster but Peterborough lose out in musical chairs

To call it high drama doesnt even do justice to the last day of the Championship. All three major issues - promotion, play-offs and relegation went to the last minute. At the KC Stadium Hull City made sure they did it the hardest of hard ways before finding a way back to the Premier League. Going...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Barnsley battle on but it's over for Barnet and Aldershot

Barnsley comprehensively dumped on Hull Citys promotion party and gave themselves an excellent chance of beating the drop to League One - but later in the day Peterborough United also bagged three points to join the South Yorkshire side on 54 points and set up a nail-biting final day. It was the ...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Gillingham and Mansfield are champions but Hull still sweat

Mansfield Town are back in the Football League. It was a nervy afternoon for nearly 7,000 packed in to Field Mill but a 1-0 win over Wrexham ensured that a tremendous challenge from Kidderminster Harriers fell just short. Now the Harriers must play Wrexham in the play-offs while Newport County ...

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TheView Outside The Premier League: Bolton stay on Target but its a bad weekend For Leicester and Torquay

Bolton Wanderers have now completed their unlikely rise from 18th in the Championship table to a play-off berth. While teams like Middlesbrough and Leicester have faltered badly on the run-in, the Trotters have accelerated smoothly to the top six. Dougie Freedman is a manager who embodies old-fas...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Sheffield Wednesday win a six pointer and Crewe love Wembley

Sheffield Wednesday against Blackburn Rovers was always the proverbial six pointer and it was the Yorkshire side who emerged with the vital win. The result puts Rovers into the bottom three for the first time and their slide continues. Typically, Rovers raised the hopes of their long-suffering fans...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Erratic Hull still have Premier League in their sights but Mansfield are cruising

As usual Easter weekend proved to be frantic and potentially decisive in promotion and relegation battles. While Wolves took a massive step towards survival by netting six points, Hull City were able to cling on to second spot in the Championship. The race for promotion has reached that stage where...

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The Championship: Who's going up and who's going down?

The Championship is arguably the toughest football league in the world. Anyone can beat anyone on their day and a couple of wins can take you from relegation fodder to play-off material. There are only eight more games of this madness left before the crazy world of the play-offs get under way, so le...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Bolton march on but Accrington drop into danger

Bolton Wandererss late run for the play-offs continued as the Trotters ground out a hard fought victory over a battling Brighton side who are rivals for a top six berth. That makes it five wins in a row for Dougie Freedmans teamand another satisfying clean sheet. Bolton are timing their run perfe...

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Championship: Can Wolves beat the drop?

Of all the clubs in the Premier and Football Leagues none is sitting in a more surprising position that Wolverhampton Wanderers. Last season Wolves were a Premier League outfit - in two months time they may well be plying their trade in League One. For Molineux fans of a certain age this is a parti...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Middlesbrough peg back Cardiff and Hull City take advantage

Just when it seemed that Cardiff were beginning to set the seal on a successful promotion campaign Middlesbrough spoilt the party on Saturday and revived their own flagging hopes into the bargain. When confidence is low sometimes it takes an addition from outside the dressing room to cut through ...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: A lack of fanfare for the Final but Swansea make worthy champions nevertheless

There was a time in football, about six or seven years ago when it all became a bit tedious. Mourinho’s Chelsea and Fergie’s United were so far ahead of everybody else that those two goliaths monopolised the English game completely. It seemed as though every piece of silverware was theirs to ...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Bolton finally hit form and its a blanket race In the Conference

Bolton Wanderers hammered promotion-chasing Hull City 4-1 on Saturday and established a modest unbeaten run of four games. This is how Trotters fans hoped things would be from the start of the campaign but it seems the improvement has come too late. Even with the departures fro the squad after ...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Shrewsbury surprise Tranmere, Cardiff win again and Burton Albion make a move

Tranmere Rovers were hoping to steal a march on their promotion rivals with their game with Shrewsbury Town staged on Friday night. Unfortunately, Ronnie Moores side had one of those nights and the Shrews went away with three vital - and unexpected - points. Rovers were down to 10 men very earl...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Forest lose again but Rhodes boosts Blackburn

Things arent getting any better for Nottingham Forest fans at the moment. Many will have been cheered by the appointment of the ever-combative Billy Davies to the manager position - returning to the club -but he couldnt influence Saturdays result at Bristol City. The match was vindication for a...

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Nottingham Forest: Who will replace McLeish at the City Ground?

Havent we been here before? Just six weeks ago we were speculating about who was going to replace Sean ODriscoll in the hot seat at Nottingham Forest. Today, after a short and unsuccessful spell, we start the search to find the successor to Alex McLeish. The former Birmingham and Aston Villa manage...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: Deadline Day drama as Simon gets angry and Peter gets lost

The more attentive among you might have noticed we endured the annual manic torture–fest that is Christmas recently, indeed you may still be recovering from it’s stress-pounding effects even now. Probably the most excruciating facet of the festive period, aside from having to spend uncomforta...

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The View Outside The Premier League- Luton Stun Norwich, Stead Boosts Bristol City And Liverpool Fall At Icy Oldham

In ornithological terms Luton Town made the Canaries as sick as parrots but the Robins (Bristol City) went bob-bobbing along thanks to Jonathan Stead. The weekend saw FA Cup and league action mixed together and the biggest story was in Norfolk. The stat that Luton Town are the first non-leaguer...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: Not-so-safety Hazard means the game’s integrity takes another kicking

There just aren’t enough programmes on TV that include adults kicking children are there? Since the good old days of exploitation and corporal punishment were deemed “unacceptable”, we’ve slowly evolved into a culture in which little toe rags run around doing whatever the hell they please. Sm...

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Arsenal, Norwich, Liverpool, Newcastle: The top 10 FA Cup giant killings of all-time

Luton Town became the first non-league club in 24 years to beat a top flight side on Saturday as the Hatters beat Premier League Norwich City 1-0 at Carrow Road. Paul Buckles men rode their luck against the Canaries, but super sub Scott Rendell wrote his name in FA Cup folklore with a winner 10 mi...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: A boring birthday for the FA as the stars fail to shine

For most people, an evening out at the local pub will be a largely stress-free excursion filled with raucous banter, sorrowful introspection and a touch of casual xenophobia. Nights out in this great country have followed that tight format for hundreds of years, never wavering in the face of adver...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Cardiff stay on track but Blackburn misfire again

In a programme truncated by the weather, Cardiff City made light of a heavy pitch in Blackpool to add three more points to their promotion push. It wasnt the Welsh clubs most fluent performance of the season but winning while not at their best is a good sign. Cardiffs strong start to the campaign...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: A weekend of woe for Walters as the BBC put him centre stage

Do you remember the glory days of Saturday night TV? That wistful time before Simon Cowell was given the keys to the kingdom and filled the weekend evenings with a symphony of garish fairy lights, screeching teenagers and Louis Walsh. Things were so much simpler before: you knew where you we...

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Bristol City: Who will replace McInnes at Ashton Gate?

Derek McInnes became the fifth Championship manager to get the boot since Boxing Day following the Robins 4-0 drubbing by Leicester. That result left the club at the foot of the table and still searching for their first clean sheet of the season. The writing has been on the wall for the former St J...

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Blackpool: Who will be the new manager at Bloomfield Road?

Blackpool are searching for their third manager of the campaign after Michael Appleton was convinced to swap the life by the seaside for life under the Venkys at Ewood Park. The Tangerines have already been denied in their pursuit of Bradfords Phil Parkinson, but there are plenty of potential suito...

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Wolves: Will Saunders give the Molineux men teeth?

Its been a turbulent 12 months for the famous team in gold and black. On Monday Dean Saundersbecame Wolverhampton Wanderers fourth manager in a year. The bubbly Welshman faces a stiff task at Molineux.Wolves are 18th in the Championship and were dumped out of the FA Cup by Blue Square Premier ...

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Who will be the next Blackburn Rovers manager?

So who wants to be next into the Blackburn Rovers hot seat? Which manager wants to operate with global adviser Shebby Singh in the background and Venkys based in India and seemingly detached from the day to day realities of the Premier League. Well actually quite a lot of managers would take the ro...

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Can Aston Villa and Birmingham City both avoid the drop this season?

No more heroes anymore, lamented Hugh Cornwall and the Stranglers. The punk anthem may be rebornduring match days at Villa Park and St Andrews. Aston Villa and Birmingham City fans may loath each other, but right the Brummie brothers are in the same boat. Sadly the vessel is barely seaworthy an...

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The View Outside The Premier League - No happy New Year for Huddersfield or Portsmouth

New Years Day saw a full programme of League football with some fans enjoying a wonderful start to 2013 - but there was little to revel about in one part of West Yorkshire. Huddersfield Town are in the throes of a horrendous run of form; and its now just five points from the last 30 in the Cham...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Becchio bags a Boro brace and Brandy butters Saddlers

We had the usual rash of Christmas postponements but not for the traditional reasons. This time waterlogged pitches caused the problems rather than frost and snow. Very few lower division games survived but there was a near full programme in the Championship. Leeds United got off to the perfect s...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Posh shock Cardiff and McGhee runs out of Gas

No team seems able to stamp their authority on the Championship this season and on Saturday Peterborough United proved what a tough league it is by winning at Cardiff City - the Welsh side hadnt dropped a home point in 10 games. Posh went to South Wales as the bottom placed side and without a w...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Derby end Leeds run and Fleetwood start life after Mellon

Leeds United have been on a roll in the past couple of weeks but that came to an end in the early kick-off on Saturday at Pride Park. Nigel Cloughs Derby County beat the team that his father managedfor an uncomfortable 44 days and the star role came from a product of the County youth system. Will...

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The View Outside The Premier League - Dons rock AFC Wimbledon and Bolton struggle

The Championship shared top billing with the FA Cup Second Round this weekend with just a handful of League Two games scheduled. The waterlogged pitch at Barrow that caused postponement signalled that we’ve reached that time of the season when it pays to check the radio before setting out. Bolt...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: Michael Owen ensures we’ll remember, remember the fright of Movember

When the wise Jedi minds of future generations look back at the metrosexual, iPad-obsessed, self-serving era we currently reside in, they will quite rightly grimace and ask just what the hell we accomplished. We allowed Piers Morgan to prosper when he really shouldn’t have; we created and fo...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Leeds impress the new owners and Doncaster find some home form

Leeds United marked the clubs sale to new owners by ending the excellent run of high-flying Crystal Palace. It was a much-needed boost for boss Neil Warnock who knows well enough that new men in charge often want to make changes. He will be only too aware that the club are no further on than wh...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Wolves On The Slide And Hartlepool Fall Flat

Watford beat Wolves 2-1 on Saturday to send the visitors down to 16th place in the table and the Midlanders have now gone seven matches without a victory. This bad run has revived all the concerns about Stale Solbakkens appointment and the loss of key players as the campaign started. There wasnt ...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Dons end Blades' run and Appleton arrives at Blackpool

League One saw a meeting between the two pre-season favourites for promotion and MK Dons were able to end Sheffield Uniteds unbeaten start to the season. It took a last-minute penalty to send the game the way of the home side and Blades boss Danny Wilson was livid with the decision. Its been a st...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Ollie gets a Palace welcome and it could be Dons v Dons in the cup

Its a truism of football that managers usually take over teams when they are in trouble and the last incumbent has resigned or been sacked. Thats certainly not the case at Crystal Palace though, where Ian Holloway has inherited a bunch of players full of confidence and fairly fizzing on the park...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: A feelgood Focus for Muamba is the highlight of the BBC’s wonky weekend of football

As ever it was a big weekend in the Barclays Premier League. This after another extraordinary week in football with those League Cup games ending in rugby scores, referees accused of all kinds of ungodly crimes, Andrey Arshavin actually being of some use, and even Ashley Cole managing to go ...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: A shortfall of laughs as Redknapp, Corden and co play the fools

In these bleak, recession-hit days of austerity and hardship, we are all frantically searching for ways to forget our woes and feel a little better about things. Often, we look towards our local footballing heroes for an escape, but even that’s turning sour right now. A game seemingly awash ...

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Ipswich Town: Curbishley, McCarthy or Shearer - Who will be the new manager?

Thirty years ago Ipswich Town were not only one of the major forces in England, they were one of the biggest names in Europe too. Today this proud Suffolk club is managerless following Paul Jewells decision to leave and currently prop up the Championship. Jewells exit was hardly unexpected. The fo...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Middlesbrough enjoy another away day and Bournemouth down Tranmere

Saturday proved to be one of strange results in the Championship, as most of the frontrunners fluffed their lines. But Middlesbrough once again demonstrated their talent for getting a result playing away from the Riverside. Their 1-0 win at Brighton delivered a fourth successive away win for To...

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Burnley: Would you welcome Coyle back to Turf Moor?

Burnley start their search for a new manager after Eddie Howe decided to return home to the south coast and former Clarets chief Owen Coyle is favourite to land the post. The recently axed Bolton boss is 2/1 on with some bookmakers to return to Turf Moor, but do the fans want him back after the way ...

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Bolton: Who will replace Owen Coyle at the Reebok?

The search to replace Owen Coyle is on and there has been a mixture of experienced and young and upcoming managers linked with the vacant post, but who is the right man to replace Coyle and get the Wanderers back into the Premier League? Bolton needs someone with a bit of clout about them. Someone ...

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Bolton Wanderers: Coyle has no defence over axe

When Owen Coyle ditched Turf Moor for the Reebok Stadium in 2010 Bolton fans thought their saviour had come to answer their prayers. Here was a former Wanderer with a penchant for swift attacking football who was going to erase the painful memory of life under Gary Megson. Things couldnt get any...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: The headline acts of El Clasico put on one hell of a show

Here’s one for you. On the eve of each new football campaign, which match whets the appetite most? Liverpool vs United? Spurs against Arsenal? The Steel City derby? Personally for me, it’s the prospect of any match in which Mario Balotelli will come up against anybody as deranged as he; Craig Bell...

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The View Outside The Premier League: Helguson boosts Cardiff and Stevenage go second

There are exciting strikers who score spectacular goals and there are strikers who are efficient and score goals that wont appear in compilation videos. Heidar Helguson is very much the latterkind of player, but Cardiff City were grateful for his efforts at Ipswich on Saturday evening. The Icelan...

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Outside the Box – Football on TV: Sky soothe the Monday blues with a long weekend of football action

There was a time once when Monday was a day set aside for nothing but despair. Perhaps a day of recriminations as the heady exploits of the weekend come gushing into view and you’re forced to confront the disastrous consequences of your misdeeds (John Terry?) Maybe a dispiriting comedown aft...

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Blackpool: Can Phillips pip Ince to be their top scorer?

Blackpool surprisingly failed to score at the weekend against Cardiff City. It was only the second time this season that the Tangerines had failed to hit the back of the net but it was their second league defeat on the trot. The Seasiders, who started the campaign with three wins on the bounce, hav...

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