News Round Up

by Patrick O'Connor

I don't know about other countries but in the UK, they really are a nuisance.

A story in the Daily Mail says that energy firms have pestered four out 10 of people with phone calls, texts and emails.

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

THE family of the Bolton player Fabrice Muamba have posted a picture of him on Twitter from his hospital room – a move which has provided comfort for the Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov who has been diagnosed with acute leukaemia.

Speaking before Saturday's home game against Chelsea, Petrov said that he had taken strength from Muamba's recent battle with ill-health after the player suffered a cardiac arrest during the game at Tottenham.

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

THE financial storm clouds gathering over the world of professional football seem to be growing by the day.

Scottish giants Rangers and Championship team Portsmouth recently went into administration and last week League Two club Port Vale were served with a winding-up petition by HM Revenue & Customs over an unpaid tax bill.

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

IT'S the season of goodwill but in football that doesn't always mean that there are wise men about.

Take the Aston Villa and England striker Darren Bent for example. He was unavailable to play for his team in their home game against Liverpool because of injury.

Football Diary

by Patrick O'Connor

LIKE many people I thoroughly enjoyed watching Spain again demonstrate the art of possession football in their European Championship win over Scotland.

But Neil Warnock, the outspoken manager of Premier League side QPR, isn't a fan of what he describes as 'tippy-tappy football.'

MOST young boys who dream of becoming a footballer want to be a star striker, and it is easy to see why – they grab all the headlines and quite often most of the money:  Struggling Premier League side Aston Villa splashed out £18million (the deal could eventually rise to £24million) for Sunderland forward Darren Bent last week.