After I wrote a while ago that Manchester City were the clear favourites for the Premier League title this year, my opinion seems to have changed over the past few weeks. Their recent form has seen them playing decent enough but Manchester United have gone that extra mile. Manchester City has lost on far too many occasions this season. After their dismal performance against Everton on Tuesday which saw United jump equal second on points, over the past two months they’ve lost seven points after two losses and a draw. There was a point in the season when City were blasting away everyone in the Premier League field but their strikers seemed to have lost the type of form which saw players quaking in their shin pads. The boot really is on the other foot right now.

My change in opinion is because of Man Utd’s own dismal form outside of the Premier League. After being knocked out by Liverpool in the FA Cup, having lost in the Carling Cup by the mighty Crystal Palace in the Quarter Finals (at home), their only other chance of silverware this season outside of the Premier League is the Europa League. That too was after their failure to progress to the knock-out stages of the Champions League where they lost to another enormous club in the form of FC Basel. Now, the Premier League is their only major trophy which they could possibly win. With no chance of eclipsing their Treble winning season back in 1998/99, Ferguson will want to win something this season and the Europa League will not be his priority. Overtaking Liverpool’s league title record furthermore will be a sweet sensation for Ferguson and winning the Europa League won’t alter his opinion.

So, what does the rest of the season hold for Man Utd and his injured troops? United are long regarded as being very strong in the second half of the season and their Premier League form is good enough at the moment. Man City’s troops have yet to be challenged during the second half of the season like Ferguson’s players encounter year in, year out. But, then again, if Man Utd continue to perform like they did against Blackburn and Newcastle the field is wide open.

To find out more about my other writing roles, why not follow me on Twitter with @RussHillCountry?

Signing of the season?

So one of the most exciting days of the season is over, and Jim White’s excitable gossip-hungry clone can go back into suspended animation until next year. Yet spending is down nearly 70% versus last year’s January deadline, where Torres and Carroll dominated the headlines. The Premiership clubs may have stayed away from the chequebook, but the Football League has been buzzing, with these deals some of the highlights.

Top buys

• Ricardo Vaz Te (Barnsley), Ravel Morrison (Man Utd) and Nicky Maynard (Bristol City) – all to West Ham, combined around £4m.

A trio of fantastic attacking signings for Big Sam. Despite his bigheaded lunacy at Old Trafford, Morrison could well prove to be a big one for the future, and will be hungry to play. Both Vaz Te and Maynard are quick, skilful attackers who give West Ham a much more potent striking threat.

• Matt Tubbs, Crawley to Bournemouth, £800,000

If he can maintain his current form, one of the deal of the window. Tubbs has been sensational over the last couple of seasons, guiding Crawley into the Football League, and Bournemouth have been very canny in re-signing their former trainee at the peak of his career.

• Stephen Dawson, Leyton Orient to Barnsley (Undisclosed)

An unpopular one in East London, but Dawson has been a diamond in the rough (sorry Orient fans) for a while, and will surely prosper in the hardworking Barnsley team Keith Hill is building

• Andy Keogh, Wolves to Millwall

Not much of a surprise given the form of Steven Fletcher and Kevin Doyle, Keogh has been shipped around on loan to a few Championship clubs, including Leeds and Bristol City, and is a genuine goal threat who should link up well with Darius Henderson in the Lions attack

• Jon Parkin, Cardiff to Scunthorpe

Despite weighing as much as every other player on the team (ha ha), Jon Parkin knows how to dig in and pull his weight (not intended) An ideal signing for a team scrapping to avoid relegation

• Billy Sharp, Doncaster to Southampton

Another big fish in a small pond, Sharp has been the bane of many Football League sides, and it was only a matter of time before a big-money offer tempted Rovers. Definitely deserves the chance to play at a higher level (if only so he doesn’t score against my team!)

• Sanchez Watt, Arsenal to Crawley Town, Loan

An absolute stroke of genius by Steve Evans to replace Matt Tubbs. Watt is dynamite, and impressed at Leeds earlier this season when on loan there. Should definitely help spur on Town’s promotion chase.

Odd ones

• Fabien Robert, FC Lorient to Doncaster, Loan

Former Newcastle man Laurent’s younger brother joins the unique-looking lineup at Doncaster, lining up alongside former Premiership greats El-Hadji Diouf and Pascal Chimbonda

• Neal Kitson, Rochester Rhinos to Northampton Town

Northampton were in terrific form during this transfer window (as befits a team in transition at the bottom of the league) but this one was an eye-catcher, as keeper Kitson flies in from the states

• Kwesi Appiah, Margate to Crystal Palace

Having scored 23 goals in 25 games for Ryman Premier outfit Margate so far this season, it was a pretty surefire bet that Appiah would get snapped up by someone, and Palace may have hit on another dynamite youngster

Blasts from the past.

• Alan Smith, Newcastle to MK Dons

One from right out of left field, (admit it, you thought he’d retired), former Champions League semi-finalist and Premier league winner Smith has joined the Dons in order to improve his match fitness since his horrific leg injury back in 2006 before his contract with the Magpies expires in the summer

• Danny Higginbotham, Stoke to Nottingham Forest

34 year old defensive stalwart and boon to the shirt-printers industry Higginbotham flies into Forest to replace Leicester-bound Wes Morgan, hopefully adding his many years of top-flight experience to the struggling Reds

• Clarke Carlisle, Burnley to Northampton

Another one to join the Cobblers rapidly-changing lineup, former Burnley man, Countdown champion and ‘cleverest man in football’ Carlisle will hope to shore up a very leaky defence.

I’ll always remember the first game of football I ever went to: I was aged six; the location was Aggborough in Kidderminster as the Harriers took on Aston Villa in Graham Allner’s testimonial. It was a few years before I was ever introduced to top flight football at Villa Park or First Division football at Molineux.

From that day on I was hooked, I was bought my first Harriers shirt and my first Harriers scarf (which I still wear to every match to this day). Even having been introduced to top flight football my love for lower league football never left me and there are many reasons why. Here’s just one:

Like every football fan, I’ve had my highs and my lows following the football club that I love. We’ve won the league, suffered relegation and thrown away a two goal half time lead in a cup final. There’s been moments I will always remember and one’s I’d rather forget. I’ve seen us make history in more ways than one, devoted countless Saturday afternoons and Tuesday evenings and watched us up and down the country – from last minute winners to crushing defeats; I’ve seen it all over the last 15 years.

But there’s something you get supporting a lower league club that you don’t get higher up the divisions: and that’s a sense of community.

Now, I can hear you all saying, “What a load of rubbish, of course there’s community higher up, all our fans stick together. Take Liverpool, for example, singing ‘You’ll never walk alone’ before every home game.”

This isn’t what I’m saying: In the lower leagues – and in particular Non-League – everyone is part of the community, no matter who you support. There will always be rivalries and fans dislikes for each other but in general we are in it together.

Lower league fans know it’s not all about having money and winning all the time – because that never happens, otherwise we wouldn’t be in the lower leagues – it’s about supporting your team through thick and thin. And that’s why, when we see another team struggling we help them out because we know just what that football club means to its supporters.

Last season, something happened that stuck with me, and shows just how fantastic lower league fans and clubs are. My team, Kidderminster Harriers, were about an hour away from liquidation. The weekend before York City – now a local club for me – had a bucket, well a few buckets, go round their ground raising money to help us survive. They raised £750 – not a massive amount – but it all went towards the £155,000 we needed to keep going.

And I give you two other examples from this week alone: Wrexham – a club who last season were close to going under themselves – this week helped to raise around £1,400 for Kettering Town whilst Cambridge United have announced that their next charity collection will go towards the Darlington FC Supporters Trust.

It’s this level of support for one another that proves to me how fantastic the lower league community really is. You don’t see other clubs banding together to try and help the likes of Portsmouth or Plymouth. Okay, their levels of debt are far superior but the thought doesn’t seem to be there.

This is just one massive reason I love and always will love lower league football. I’ve supported teams higher up for various reasons (none of your usual Man United or Arsenal’s though) and moved on. I don’t get half the emotion from watching any of them as I do watching my fifth tier side. This is where the beautiful game is played – whilst the top divisions are tainted by finance – and we get on with it on minuscule budgets out of a pure love for the game.

For more from Ed Watson visit his sports blog at http://watsonscommentary.wordpress.com/ or follow him on twitter @edwatson91

After having been reducing to a flapping and floundering wreck in the Anfield penalty area, David De Gea is likely to have spent much of Sunday in a darkened room shaking at the prospect of being confronted with any of the further tall, muscle bound players the Premier League has to offer. But a twisted ankle suffered by Anders Lindegaard means that Sir Alex Ferguson is likely to be left with no option but to force the young Spaniard to confront his demons in his sides clash with Stoke the evening.

The Times state that “The Danish Goalkeeper picked up the injury in the final session before tonight’s meeting at Old Trafford and is highly unlikely to play.”

This injury to the most experienced of United’s goalkeepers will come as a huge blow to the United Manager who would have wished to remove De Gea from the limelight after his Anfield Anxiety, and look to rebuild the confidence of £18 million man away from the spotlight.

Speaking to The Times Sir Alex concluded of De Gea, “He’s only 21 so it’s a long-term project. We always knew that. Anders has been providing the experience which we’ve needed recently.” However with the likely absence of the more experienced Dane David De Gea will tonight be confronted by the biggest the Premiership has to offer in the form of Crouch and co with an aerial bombardment a certainty.

It the first time since the inception of the Premiership that Sir Alex’s men have made such premature exits from both the FA cup and the Champions League. If United are to continue their quest for a twentieth league title De Gea is going to have to demonstrate the kind of assured performance in the penalty area that has so far being lacking when faced with the infamous long throws of Rory Delap tonight.

Sir Alex will be praying that the experience of the returning Rio Ferdinand will instill enough confidence into United’s back line to prevent a repeat of the events of Saturday lunchtime. One thing is certain, that if De Gea enters the home dressing at half-time tonight having suffered another blunder he’ll be enduring the full wrath of the hairdryer.

Follow me on twitter for all the latest in transfer gossip and Footballing analysis: @Jon_Daniels1

Arsenal supporters are becoming increasingly frustrated at the club’s recent failure to compete for major honours in the past 7 years.

The ‘so near yet so far’ statement could not ring more true than it does for the Gunners and the fans are starting to lose patience.

The poisonous atmosphere that has swept across the Emirates Stadium in back-to-back games against Manchester United and Aston Villa must be a worry to both the manager and the board.

Football fans, especially Arsenal ones, are an intelligent bunch and know when something is not right.

It does not take a degree to see that the current Arsenal side is not good enough to challenge the likes of the Manchester clubs and to some extent North London rivals Tottenham.

Wenger is consistently using the financial gap as an excuse but it just does not wash with the fans when we know full well that the club are making profits at the end of every tax year.

The Emirates rakes in £3million every home game, such are the staggering prices to watch the team nowadays.

And when you think about the sales of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri in the summer for a combined total of over £50million you can only scratch your head.

The thing that irks most fans at the moment is the club’s obsession with the balance sheet. It seems to have taken priority over the football side of the club which is staggering.

Moving from Highbury to The Emirates was meant to put Arsenal on a level playing field with Man Utd but since the move, it’s been a depressing slide from the top of the league to scraping fourth spot.

It’s all good and well posting very healthy pre-tax profits but considering a huge chunk of that money comes from the fans it would not be too much to ask for it to be re-invested in an ailing team.

Something has to happen in the summer, either Wenger has to bite the bullet and forget his principals by bringing in some established world-class players or he goes.

My preference is the former of the two as I believe Wenger is not receiving the support from the penny-pinching board who seem more concerned by the size of their pension pot.

Arsenal have a great nucleus of players at the club in the form of Robin van Persie, Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny, Wojciech Szczesney and Jack Wilshere to name but a few.

The biggest problem that needs addressing is the size and quality of the squad which had it been of sufficient quality would have resulted in trophies.

It’s time for the deadwood to be shipped out and proven players brought in so the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain can learn and improve knowing they have quality beside them.

Arsenal can get back to the glory days but in order to do that they have to show ambition from the top down and the summer would be a great place to start.

Deloitte report assessing the financial impact of The FA Cup reveals: £650m earned by clubs in the past 10 years Crawley Town receive £1m pay day from single FA Cup tie

 As excitement builds ahead of The FA Cup with Budweiser Fourth Round Proper, the financial impact of the competition has been revealed in a new report by the Sports Business Group at Deloitte. The findings demonstrate that a total of almost £650m in prize money, TV payments and gate receipts have been generated by participating clubs in the ten years between 2001/02 and 2010/11. Focusing on case study clubs from five tiers of English football it highlights the substantial financial benefits for clubs at all levels of the football pyramid.

Last season’s eventual runners up Stoke City reached The FA Cup Final for the first time in their history. The Potters cup run earned them circa £3.5m, including £1.8m prize money from the Semi-Final and Final alone.

For clubs further down the football pyramid, a draw against higher league opposition provides an opportunity for a cash windfall as well as the chance to go down in history as one of the competition’s giant killers. In 2004 Millwall reached the Final, despite being outside the top flight, and whilst they lost on the pitch to Manchester United they certainly won off it. Revenues from the competition contributed to 29% of total club revenues for the season.

Last season, League One side Leyton Orient famously took Arsenal to a Fifth Round replay at the Emirates, a run that generated circa 30% of total club revenues for the year. The importance of The FA Cup’s financial impact is also highlighted by League Two side Accrington Stanley’s run to the Fourth Round in 2009/10. Reaching this stage of the competition provided the club with a cash injection of circa £150k at a time when the club faced an uncertain time due to financial difficulties.

For non-league clubs the financial impact of The FA Cup is even more important. In 2007/08 Havant and Waterlooville reached the Fourth Round, twice having led against Liverpool at Anfield before eventually losing 5-2. The Cup run earned them circa £0.6m, 70% of the club’s total estimated revenue for the year.

Last season’s giant killers elect Crawley Town earned themselves a dream Fifth Round draw at Manchester United after beating Torquay 1-0 in the previous round. The lucrative tie at Old Trafford earned the club an estimated massive  £1m pay day, two thirds of the circa £1.5m they earned during the competition.

The figures outlined in the report show how a good run in the Cup is beneficial to clubs at all levels with revenues generated through prize money, TV payments and gate receipts.  Prize money and TV payments totalled £230m over the ten year period with £24.5m paid out in 2010/11, whilst gate receipts are estimated to have exceeded £400m over the same period driven by total attendances of 22.7m.

Alex Horne, General Secretary of The FA commented: “The FA Cup is the most authentic knock-out competition in the world, every year it delivers magical moments for fans. This season we’ve already witnessed Tamworth gripped by FA Cup fever and Oldham supporters turning out in force taking 6,500 fans to their tie at Anfield. What this report reveals is the huge financial incentives for teams participating in The FA Cup. You only have to look to Crawley Town last season, who earned one million pounds from a single game against Manchester United, a truly phenomenal amount of money for a then non-league football club.”

Barry Hearn, Leyton Orient Chairman commented: “The FA Cup is the biggest Cup competition in the world. It’s a big chance for all small clubs to have their moment in the sun and get a little bit of glory, whilst the financial returns are also fantastic. It is miles ahead of everything else because of the pleasure it gives to ordinary football fans throughout the entire country, providing memories that last for generations not just for weeks.”

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has written an open letter to the club’s fans, asking them to behave well when they meet Liverpool in Saturday’s 4^th round FA Cup at Anfield.

Even those looking at Real Money Casino Games at Mansion will tell you that tensions between the rival clubs have increased in recent times, following the race row between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra in October’s league draw at Anfield.

However, Ferguson did not refer to this in the letter, instead appealing to fans to help ensure United fans were awarded a strong ticket allocation for future matches at Liverpool.

In the letter, Ferguson wrote: “I wrote to fans attending the away match in October urging them to co-operate with stewards and officials at Liverpool, so we can make a strong case for restoring our allocation for future United games at Anfield.”

The Scot, who celebrated his 25^th anniversary as manager of United just before Christmas, rejected FA calls for peace talks between the two clubs following the Suarez affair, insisting they were “uncalled for.”

The letter continued: “FA Cup ties are tense affairs at the best of times. Add in the fact that Manchester United against Liverpool is the biggest game around and it becomes even more so.

“Your support is vital to the team and down the years that has been especially true at Anfield.”

Liverpool and Manchester United met in the 3^rd round of the competition last year, with a Ryan Giggs penalty proving to be the winning goal in a 1 – 0 victory.

Perhaps to calm nerves before the big game, everyone involved should head over to MansionCasino.com for a look at the latest offers and advice on an activity away from football.

With both Euro 2012 and the Olympics getting underway this summer, it is perhaps no surprise that speculation has been rife over who will make it into Fabio Capello’s final squad for Poland and Ukraine, and who is in line for a call up for Stuart Pearce’s Olympic Team GB squad – and the Euro 2012 betting odds for one youngster in particular have just dramatically shortened.

Of course, with only three over 23-year-olds allowed into the Great Britain squad and two of those places already seemingly ear marked for David Beckham and Ryan Giggs, the main competition for places come from the younger players on the periphery of the England set up.

Tom Cleverly, Kieran Gibbs, Chris Smalling, Jack Rodwell and Daniel Sturridge have all been mentioned in association with Team GB having been there or there abouts with England in recent months, but one name has been bandied about by the media this week that had looked to be a cert for the Olympics may be about to make the step up for the European Championships.

The chorus of boos and jeers aimed at Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was substituted demonstrated fairly aptly the impact the talented youngster had made having been thrown in at the deep end against Manchester United on Sunday.

His darting runs had proved a thorn in the side of the reigning champions all day before his incisive surge and pass set up Robin Van Persie’s equaliser; comparisons to Theo Walcott have been abundant during his short career – his vision and awareness in his sole start in the Premier League have led some to already put him ahead of his fellow former Saint.

The youngster, making his first full league start for the Gunners, demonstrated some of the electric pace and raw ability that earned him a wide array of admirers during his time at Southampton, and prompted Arsenal to snap him up for around £12 over the summer.

Now many national newspapers carry the story today that Oxlade-Chamberlain is being weighed up by Capello for England’s summer jaunt on the continent, with the Italian eyeing the three friendlies lined up before the tournament as the ideal opportunity to take a closer look at the Arsenal flyer.

Wenger has been naturally protective over his precocious talent – demonstrated by his substitution for Andrey Arshavin who would cruelly go on to play a part in United’s winning goal –  and it may be cause for serious concern for the Frenchman that his country may come calling so early in his career.

Perhaps it isn’t just a Frenchman that should be worried however but Englishmen alike, who have seen one of his team-mates come undone after being selected to early in career before being dumped unceremoniously for the 2010 World Cup.

Walcott was Sven Goran-Eriksson’s surprise pick for the 2006 World Cup but failed to play a single minute before the player himself admitted he didn’t deserve the spot on the plane while his dropping for the competition in South Africa by Capello added further weight to the claim his international experiences so far has affected his performances negatively.

The temptation is to unleash an unknown quantity on the unsuspecting world, an exciting youngster to inject energy into the side akin to the impact Michael Owen had in 1998 – but with that approach come real dangers that could harm Oxlade-Chamberlain’s long-term future.

It is something Capello will seriously consider having seen what has happened to others; Oxlade-Chamberlain is certainly one of, if not the most, exciting English prospects around at the moment and how he is handled may shape England’s future success at major tournaments. The Italian may decide that Team GB is the right place for him to continue his development, after all.

25 January 2012: FA Cup winner and Hollywood hardman Vinnie Jones has returned to Wembley for the first time in nearly 25 years, to star in an interactive film in which he presents fans with their personalised Wembley Way stone.

In the film, Vinnie plays tribute to the national stadium and the position that Wembley holds in the hearts of football, sport and music fans and jokes: “it’s a lot like Hollywood only closer to the North Circular.”

On www.wembleystadium.com/wembleyway, Vinnie invites fans to write a message on a stone for themselves, a friend or loved one and create their own personalised video. The message will then appear on a Wembley Stone alongside Vinnie’s which is inscribed with the words, ‘Vincent Peter Jones, for services to The FA Cup 1988’.

Once fans have created their film, they can share their legendary status on Facebook and buy a Wembley Stone for real that will then go on display at the stadium.

In November 2011 Wembley Stadium launched Wembley Way, a new landmark that gives football, sport and music fans the opportunity to be a permanent part of the venue’s history. Stones inscribed with fans’ special messages, dedications and memories are set in the ground on the stadium’s outside concourse along a number of special panels, each of which celebrate a legendary Wembley event.

Vinnie Jones said: “Some of the greatest football, sport and music legends have played at Wembley including the Rolling Stones, Queen, Muse and even me. Now you can be part of Wembley’s history too with your own personalised stone on Wembley Way. Buy one for yourself or a mate and then tell everyone about the new Wembley legend.”

So far two panels have been unveiled at Wembley. The first commemorates England’s World Cup win in 1966 and contains the personalised stones for all eleven players from the winning team. The second location celebrates the 2007 England v Brazil game, which was the first international match at the new Wembley Stadium. It includes stones for all the members of the current England squad who have achieved their 50th cap.

Made from the finest grey granite, the Wembley Way stones come in various sizes ranging from 200mm x 100mm for a single stone to 600mm x 200mm for a celebration stone. Larger stones can also feature the England Three Lions crest or Wembley Stadium logo. Prices range from £50 to £495.

For further details or to purchase a stone visit www.wembleystadium.com/wembleyway

Benjamin Franklin once said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. With this definition in mind events at the Emirates stadium on Sunday could lead some Arsenal supporters to question the mental health of their manager.

Sunday 28th August 2011 will be a date forever etched on the minds of Arsenal and Manchester United supporters alike, remembered with very differing degrees of fondness. For Arsenal fans it was the nightmarish day when their defence was repeatedly torn to shreds by a rampant United side. One of the main causes of Arsenals demise that day was Theo Walcott’s inability to offer defensive cover to the inexperienced Carl Jenkinson, ultimately resulting in the young full back prematurely enjoying the luxuries of the Old Trafford Jacuzzi.

Fast forward 5 months and another Arsenal full back sadly bereft of cover could be found loitering in the changing rooms as the game rumbled on. Although on this occasion the decision to remove a struggling defender was made by Arsene Wenger rather than the referee, but in the eyes of many gunners this epiphany of Wenger will have come 6 months and 45 minutes too late.

Johan Djourou was left completely exposed by highflying wingers with little interest in defending. Only unusually lax final passes from Nani and some poor finishing from Welbeck prevented another United romp over Arsenal. Wenger’s failure to correct his tactical errors of his teams first meeting with United was a cause of anxiety for Arsenal supporters throughout Sunday’s tense encounter.

Supporter’s taunts of “you don’t know what your doing” directed at Wenger, following the decision to remove the excellent Oxlade-Chamberlain in favour of the out of sorts Arshavin, conveyed their loss of faith in the Professor. Wenger’s resolve to persist with his now dated footballing philosophy appears to be testing the patience of inhabitants of the Emirates and with the threat of the removal of Champions league football on the horizon the sun may be starting to set on the Professors time in London.

Norwich City have completed the signing of Jonny Howson from Leeds United. A fee was agreed last week, but the Canaries have now confirmed the transfer after the midfielder completed his medical at Carrow Road.

Those who assess in play betting strategy note how the signing is one of many Norwich have made from outside of the Premier League as they build a strong squad to continue the success Paul Lambert has already brought to the club.

As things stand they are 9^th in the table after back to back promotions and the signing of 23-year-old Howson – who was Leeds United’s captain – is a positive one in terms of where the team is heading.

Lambert is delighted with his first piece of transfer business this month too, saying: I think he has been brilliant for them and being the captain of that football club, where the demands are so high, to be captain at such a young age he certainly knows what he is doing.”

“I just think he’ll add goals to the midfield – which I think we need – he can do that. He’ll get better as a player going up a higher level.”

Howson is injured at the moment, but Lambert has no concerns about this, adding: “I know the extent of it. He is doing really fine at the minute and I have no worries on that.”

“His rehab has gone really well and I don’t think he is too far away, which is pleasing. He has to be sure in his own head when he is totally fit and if he is, then we’ll look to get him involved.”

As for Howson himself, he released a long statement to Leeds United fans after they made it clear that they weren’t happy at losing their skipper and star midfielder at such a crucial stage of the season.

After the move was confirmed, Howson said: “Decision-wise, this is the biggest decision I’ve had to make in my life.”

“There’s so many things I’ve had to look at and think about. I found out on Tuesday morning about the bid and spoke to the gaffer, and it’s been a mad week. Decision-wise it’s been so tough.”

“The reason is Premier League. I am going to a very good club with good support, but at the same time I know I’m leaving a club I’ve loved from being such a young boy. That’s not going to change. The hardest thing was leaving somewhere I’ve been from six or seven years of age, and it’s been hard.”

“It’s been a massive part of my life, but this is a great chance for me. This is the sort of chance that doesn’t come around that often and it’s a chance I feel I have to take while it’s there. “

What are your thoughts on this move? Has Howson made the right decision? Can he succeed in the Premier League?

Harry Redknapp, who spent most of last week aiming poisonous verbal darts in the direction of Manchester City manager, Roberto Mancini, last night went on live television to try to get the FA to take retrospective action against Mario Balotelli for an alleged stamp on Scott Parker during City’s dramatic win against Spurs.

Funny, I thought Harry was against managers trying to get players sent off, even retrospectively. After all, didn’t he criticise Mancini for waving imaginary cards from the touchline? But somehow it’s OK to try to get players sent off if you’re Harry Redknapp. What nauseating hypocrisy.

It wouldn’t be so bad if the alleged target of Balotelli’s heel hadn’t been the thuggish Parker, who spent most of the game chasing David Silva around, kicking lumps out of him. What about Parker, Harry? Should retrospective action be taken against him?

Of course not. Redknapp is national disgrace. Let’s hope the FA never see fit to appoint him as England manager.