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Salford residents campaign against radical boundary proposals

BOUNDARY COMMISSION proposals to change the political boundaries of Salford have been met with resistance from local residents, reports Joe Turner. The Boundary Commission is considering amalgamating some constituencies and reducing the number of MPs from 650 to 600 in a latest attempt to cut costs.Should the proposals be sanctioned, several of Salford's key institutions, including MediaCityUK and the University of Salford, would become part of neighbouring Manchester.Victoria Connett, 28, from Salford, has started a campaign opposing the plans, which were announced on September 13. The campaign was launched on social networking website Facebook and has attracted over 6400 members to date."People feel that the heart is being ripped out of Salford. Slowly but surely little things are going," said Miss Connett."People from Salford are really passionate and really proud of where they come from. The proposals are the straw that broke the camel's back."If the changes go ahead it will mean that most of Salford Central will become part of Manchester Central, while Irlam and Walkden will be in Leigh and the remainder of the city will become part of Swinton.The Boundary Commission document states: "We propose that the existing Manchester Central constituency extends west to incorporate wards from the City of Salford, specifically Salford Quays and the surrounding area."These plans would see high profile landmarks such as MediaCityUK and Salford Quays move into Manchester, as well as the University of Salford and Salford Cathedral.Added Miss Connett: "A lot of things have changed around Salford that haven't necessarily been for the people of Salford. They feel this is another thing that could wipe Salford off the map completely."At the moment it's just the political map but it's only a matter of time before it grows and then they will say 'well you don't really need a city of your own, you don't really need a council etc etc'.Angry Salfordians have taken to the Facebook group to express their frustration. Ian McCaffery wrote: "Perhaps it's fate that today we all join together and you will once again be fighting for our freedom. Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution, but from annihilation. "We're fighting for our right to live, to exist. We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on, we're going to survive." Salford MP Hazel Blears is also backing the campaign. She said: "The Boundary Commission proposals are an insult to the people of Salford. These proposals rip the heart out of Salford and seek to destroy our 1000-year-old City."These proposals make little geographic or historic sense and I hope the people of Salford will speak out loudly and clearly against these disgraceful plans."For more information about how you can get involved with the campaign you can visit the Save Salford website at www.savesalford.org.uk

TaxPayers' Alliance blasts new MP expenses rules

THE TaxPayers' Alliance has slammed "whinging" MPs who will be able to claim millions more in expenses from next month.New rules launched today by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) will allow MPs to claim more for their children, accommodation and staffing costs.In addition, 31 extra MPs living in commuter areas around London will again be able to claim for the controversial second home allowance.The changes come as former North West Conservative MEP Den Dover was ordered to repay £345,289 in expenses claims by the European Parliament.The TPA has reacted furiously and told the Salford News that IPSA should not water down rules to satisfy complaining MPs.“It’s appalling that millions more of taxpayers’ money will go to well paid MPs,” said Charlotte Linacre, Campaign Manager at the TaxPayers’ Alliance.“IPSA is by no means perfect but it was set up to prevent another expenses scandal, and the regulator must not water down rules because of a small, hard-core of MPs who are complaining.“Many taxpayers work long hours and commute from outside London,” she continued. “It’s unbelievable that some MPs are saying they can’t or won’t do the same.”Meanwhile, Sir Ian Kennedy, IPSA Chairman, said the regulator must be “fair” to MPs who had complained that the system introduced 10 months ago was too bureaucratic and “anti-family”.These regulations – which IPSA claim to have already saved £18m – were introduced in the wake of the expenses scandal – in which £1m was paid back by MPs who had wrongfully made claims. But the new rules will allow MPs to claim millions more.Sir Ian said: “The key to the changes is that there can be no going back to the old ways but we must be fair to MPs and ensure that there are robust mechanisms of accountability and transparency for the taxpayer.”A Liberal Democrat spokesperson told Salford News they welcomed the new measures.“IPSA has acknowledged that it didn’t get everything right and we welcome the steps it has taken towards addressing some of the problems arising from the current scheme,” said the spokesperson.“We welcome the move towards a regime that better enables MPs to carry out the job that their constituents sent them to Parliament to do and one that is also more family friendly. “We support IPSA’s commitment to greater cost-effectiveness.”However, the TaxPayers’ Alliance reiterated its disapproval of the new measures.“Some MPs are out of touch with the concerns and pressures of ordinary taxpayers, whinging to get more perks while they are supposed to be trying to find savings for the public purse,” said Ms Linacre.Salford MP Hazel Blears was unavailable for comment. The Conservative and Labour parties declined to comment.Liam O'Connor

Musicians unite for Human Rights Day

NORTH WEST musicians will join forces for a concert to celebrate Human Rights Day at the Band on the Wall venue in Manchester's Northern Quarter. The event has been organised by city centre charity, Freedom from Torture, and will feature live performances from a wide range of musicians based in the region.Manchester singer-songwriter, Gideon Conn (pictured), who released his debut album New Bop Sounds last year, will headline the concert on Tuesday 13 December.The diverse night will also feature performances from Brazilian samba group Batala Liverpool, Manchester-based ska-punk band Stand Out Riot, and Chorlton musician James Kelly.Kelly, a folk-singer who plays classical guitar, said: "I'm so happy to be doing the gig. "Band on the Wall is quite possibly my favourite venue in Manchester and by the looks of the rest of the line up it's going to be a great night. "The rehabilitation and care of victims of torture is an extremely worthwhile cause and hopefully the night will not only raise a lot of money but hopefully raise the profile of the charity even more around Manchester."A special performance from The Beating Wing Orchestra will kick-start the concert, which comprises of musician's from Greater Manchester's refugee communities.The event has been organised to celebrate Human Rights Day, which takes place on Saturday 10 December.Ashley Fletcher, Deputy Manager and Therapist at Freedom from Torture, said: "Times are getting hard for everyone at the moment, but the truth is that there is always someone whose times are harder still. "Human Rights Day gives everyone the chance to say 'it doesn't have to be this way.' On Tuesday 13 December we are getting people together to celebrate working for a better future and to show solidarity and raise the voice of survivors of torture."For advance tickets visit the event page on the Band on the Wall website.Student discounted £5 tickets can be bought on the door, or reserve your ticket with Alice on 0161 236 5744.By Mark Cockroft

Google UK boss dismisses big name rivals

MANAGING DIRECTOR of Google UK & Ireland, Matt Brittin, has claimed industry heavyweights Microsoft and Apple are not Google's main competitors. The Google boss addressed academics and students at the BBC's Quay House in a talk coinciding with the opening of the University of Salford's new state of the art MediaCityUK campus. During his speech Mr Brittin outlined the company's ethos of 'fast and happy' in addition to improvements made to the Translate facility and web browser Google Chrome. Mr Brittin opened the floor to a short Q&A session, answering questions posed by the audience where he was asked about Google's competitors. He said: "Who is the main rival of Google? I think when you talk to Larry Page and Sergey Brin, our founders, they would say it was two guys in a garage. "Google was a start-up two or three years before any revenue came in and it was a maths project. It was a maths project that brought a completely different way of finding things on the internet. "YouTube was a start-up in a garage. Facebook was a start-up in a very expensive part of a university somewhere. It is always some sort of innovation that comes from someone with a very clear vision of solving a big problem in a completely new way. "You won't find people at Google spending a lot of time analysing the backside out of Microsoft or Apple or Yahoo or Facebook. What you will find is people trying to solve problems and trying to put things out there and see if they work." The Google boss also demonstrated the company's Insight For Search feature which allows people to view trends across specific categories and timeframes. By Joe Turner

Tune in to get in at BBC Radio 5 Live

Head of Development at Radio 5live, Rhian Roberts, has some useful advice for anyone looking for a foot in the door, writes Dan Salisbury-Jones.The relocation of some of the BBC's largest departments to Salford Quays has prompted a wave of interest from those eager to join the world renowned broadcaster. With over 40,000, applicants for BBC North at MediaCityUK, positions are at a premium. Radio 5live's Rhian Roberts shared some tips and advice with Salford News Network for anyone hoping to land a job in her department, which makes the move north from Television Centre later this year.The Head of Development said: “I would advise them to take a real interest in the world around them and the community around them. “Come to us with a good contacts book. Come to us with really good ideas. Come to us with a knowledge of the station. “There is nothing worse than going to talk to someone at 5live and not having listened to our output. You don’t really get through the door if you haven’t listened to our output. “Take any opportunities for work experience that are going and get involved in your university radio stations.”Any opportunities the BBC and its fellow tenants at Media City can provide will be welcomed in the region, particularly following last week’s news of 2000 job cuts at Manchester City Council.However, Roberts says the staff numbers at 5live will be the same in Salford as they currently are in London, suggesting any openings will come as a result of those choosing not to relocate from the south.“We’re not reducing our numbers at all this year,” she said. “What we will do is leave a small group of people who will manage things like our Westminster operation. John Pienaar, our political editor, will be down at Westminster with a couple of producers. “We’ll have a couple of other producers in Television Centre to manage the relationship between 5live here (in Salford) and the newsgathering operation in London. Other than that, the whole team will be up here.”From The Lowry’s Compass Theatre, which overlooks Bridge House - 5live’s new home from September - Roberts highlights the benefits of the new venue. “The big gain for us is the radio station will finally be all on one floor," she explained. “In all our history we’ve never been on one floor. We are spread over five or six floors at Television Centre now. When we move here, it will be great. You walk up those stairs to the first floor at Bridge House and everyone is there - sport, news, management, business, interactive. “We’ll have the indies using our facilities as well, so it will feel like one radio station. For me, that’s a really big gain.”Originally from Llandudno, North Wales, Roberts is keen to stress 5live’s willingness to collaborate with universities. That will be music to the ears of students at the University of Salford, which will be housed next door to the BBC. “This year we’ve got partnerships again with a variety of universities,” she said.“We’ve been working a bit more in the north east with Sunderland University. Some of our best ideas come from very new journalists, so broadcast journalists coming through from universities are great for us. “The more university students we meet the better.”By Dan Salisbury-Jones

England goalkeeper relishing Futsal opportunity

MANCHESTER born Futsal international Thomas Bailey is delighted to be representing his country when he takes his place in the England goal for the Partially Sighted Futsal World Games.As the goalkeeper, Thomas, from Macclesfield, is the only fully sighted player in the squad for the tournament which kicks off on April 1 in the Turkish city of Antalya. The 25-year-old said: “I can’t wait to get out there and get going with the first game. For me to be involved in something like this is a dream come true.”He has only been playing the sport for a year and a half so this is his first opportunity of playing in a major tournament. When talking of the sport, which differs from association football, he said: “It’s great to see that it’s adapted that well to allow partially sighted players to play it.”Futsal is played with five players on each side on a small indoor pitch. Limited space combined with the use of a smaller, heavier ball is designed to encourage players to keep the ball on the ground and improve their close control. This is something that Thomas believes can only help English football: “Brazilians and other South American countries play it from such a young age. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t look at it and introduce it into schools. Then if you want to go on and play 11 aside it will help with that.”Futsal in the long run may have its benefits to football in this country, but at the moment the focus of the England players is to get started in Turkey. They line up against France in their opening match of the tournament, with Thomas in confident mood. He said: “I think we’ve got a really good chance as we’re currently third in the world. The squad’s looking really good and really fit. There’s no reason why we can’t win it.”Teammate Steve Daley added to Thomas’ comments on the sport, when he noted the opportunity it has given to partially sighted players. He said: “If someone told me 15 years ago I’d be playing international football, I’d have laughed in their face. Now I’ve got a career I’m proud of.” On a domestic level, visually impaired football players in England can ply their trade in the Visually Impaired Football League, which adopted Futsal as its rules in 2009. The League is part of the Football Section of British Blind Sport. People who take part in blind football are classified according to their level of sight, as B1, B2 or B3. Players in the B1 classification are classed as blind, while those in the B2 or B3 classification are classed as visually impaired of partially sighted.Jonathan Swindlehurst

Altrincham Grammar spurred on in memory of Robert Anderson

Altrincham Boys' Grammar School appeared to be spurred on by a twelfth man on the pitch last night as they triumphed against St. Ambrose in the first Robert Anderson charity football match.Robert was a 15-year-old pupil at Altrincham, who died of an asthma attack while playing football in August 2009. The match, at Altrincham Football Club, was in order to raise money to aid research into asthma. Altrincham were 1-2 down at half-time but staged a stunning second half comeback to eventually win 4-2.Father, Roger Anderson, who presented the trophy to the winning captain, said: “You could just see the way they (Altrincham) went about the second half. "They showed such guts and determination to come back the way they did. To me it was obvious it was like they were spurred on by another man. That was Robert.”Mr. Anderson went on to describe the reasons for the match: “The boys looked at all the things that they remembered in Rob, to honour him as a person and also to create a legacy. This is what they wanted to do to remember him as a person and to support the cause.”He added: “The idea was supported by the school, but it was up to the boys how Rob should be remembered. Hopefully this trophy, for many years to come, will become synonymous with fantastic football.”Roger will be presented with the money raised on the night at a special assembly at the school on Thursday.He said: “Rob died of a fatal anaphylactic shock which was triggered by an allergy. "In order to diagnose allergies it requires treatment at a hospital, not simply at a doctor’s surgery. We still do not know what caused him to have the allergic reaction. Allergy testing should be carried out by the NHS every year.”Roger explained that the North West has the highest concentration of asthma sufferers and that 22% of kids today who play sport suffer from asthma and allergies, which can trigger a sudden attack. Ensuring systems are in place so that teachers and sports coaches are fully aware of his information is a huge part of where the money raised last night will go.Money raised in Robert’s name has already ensured that all junior football clubs in Trafford now have a personal ID for every player containing this information. The campaign has also taken Roger to Soho Square to meet with the Football Association to ensure one day this will happen on a national basis. Altrincham Grammar football captain Tom Nuttall, 18, said: “For this match, the charity is the ultimate cause. "If we can try and raise as much money for the cause it can make a real difference. What we want to happen is for this to continue as a yearly thing as it’s a great way to keep his memory going.” The event was organised by a group of Altrincham Grammar students, alongside PE teacher Darren Birtwell. Mr. Birtwell thanked both the teams who participated and the wonderful support for such a great evening. He confirmed the school has already named their GCSE PE prize in Rob’s name and held a Rob Anderson day which will be an annual event. Jonathan Swindlehurst

Running man to attempt marathon on The London Eye

In a bid to run 223 marathons in ten years, Noel Bresland is mixing things up yet again by running one in a capsule in The London Eye.The 38-year-old, from Manchester, is running the marathons in memory of his nephew who died in 2007 after being born prematurely. He contracted MRSA which later left a battle with pneumonia impossible to defeat.Noel is no stranger to unique marathon attempts, completing one in the North Pole and prepping by running on a tread mill at –28 degrees in a giant freezer.This time Noel is staying a little closer to home and, on April 5, will be running a marathon in a pod in The London Eye, aiming to take around four hours.The idea came from Ethan’s twin sister, Erin, now four. Noel said: “When I did the London Marathon last year we went to the London Eye. “When we went into the carousel Erin said that the pods looked like “Ethan’s Bed”.“After seeing photos of her brother in an incubator, she had pointed out the likeness between the two.This set the thought process going it was going to take a long time to organise; it took eight months to do it.”Noel will be running the marathon on a treadmill which will be placed in a capsule of the famous London attractionIn 2007, Noel’s sister gave birth to two children 15 weeks premature. Ethan died after 223 days, which gave Noel the idea to complete 223 marathons and raise £223,000 for charity.The money raised will go to two charities, Bliss, which provides support for families with premature and sick babies across the UK who helped his family and Children with Leukaemia, a charity he has supported for some time.The marathons will take 10 years to complete working out to one every two weeks. After 18-months of injury, he reset the clock and Noel now has completed 28 marathons since 2009.Noel added: “I set myself a target when I was fit I would do something, and I said that I would restart the clock.”Noel will also be completing the London Marathon on April 17, running in a Little Miss Naughty costume.Running with a team from Children with Leukaemia charity he will be trying to break the record for the fastest marathon speed for a book character, which currently stands with Sherlock Holmes.Karla Hancock

Salford's new home takes shape

SALFORD City Reds' new £26m stadium is starting to cut into the Greater Manchester skyline.Steelwork and terracing can now clearly be seen off the M60 ring road at the site in Barton, close to the Trafford Centre.The Super League side will head to the 12,000 capacity City of Salford Community Stadium next season after spending their final year at their ageing Willows ground. The capacity at the part-standing stadium is planned to rise to 20,000 making it the second largest rugby league ground in the north-west, outstripping St Helens and Warrington. The stadium will be run by a joint venture company between Salford City Council and Trafford Centre owners Peel Developments. The company also aims to revitalise the 45-acre brownfield site for community use and to create new jobs.The structure will include a 750-seat banqueting suite, 12 hospitality boxes, office spaces and two pitches, one of which will be all-weather. Work began in May last year when diggers started to clear the site after a 10 year battle to get the green light. Salford planners also granted outline permission in November for 21,000 square feet of non-food shop units to be built once the stadium is complete. Salford will be hoping a change of venue will increase interest from locals as the Reds' average attendance last season was just over 4,100.The delivery date for the stadium's completion is December this year in order to boost the Reds bid for a new Super League license which is up for renewal.See sport for a preview of this weekend’s local Super League matches. By Daniel Salisbury-Jones

BooHoo's next top model comes to Manchester

ONE of online shopping's biggest names brought its open casting to Manchester in search of their next model, writes Sarah Chambers. BooHoo's hunt for a real woman to become part of their new campaign had just one rule; contestants had to be over 16. On arrival, the hopefuls were whisked into hair and make-up before having a photo taken which was then uploaded to Facebook. Next they had the unenviable task of doing the catwalk in front of a panel of judges before answering a few questions. Among the judges were BooHoo owner, Umar Kamani, and Corrie stars Michelle Keegan and Ryan Thomas. An event such as this provides a huge opportunity for the ladies and proves you don't have to be size 0 to be a model. It's something BooHoo should be applauded for, as pressure from the media to be skinny and perfect is making some young girls feel worthless. Michelle, who was voted the sexiest female at the Inside Soap Awards for the third year running last week, said: "I don't see myself as sexy anyway, and I think that's a good thing for young girls to see. "They don't have to have the sexy sex appeal or whatever they think, like wear lots of make-up and wearing small outfits. "I mean that's not what sex appeal is about; it's about being body confident and being real, being yourself as well." It was a view shared by many of the hopefuls. Josie from Manchester said: "I don't think these days everyone has to be stick thin to be a model. "I think that's just a cliche nowadays. I don't think you have to be tall and skinny to be a model anymore, that's in the past." The judges now have a few weeks to look through the tapes and pictures before they choose the winner. * Images courtesy of Manchestersfinest.com

Manchester buskers play Piccadilly Gardens

Some of Manchester's best raw musical talent lit up the sunny centre of Manchester today.The Piccadilly Gardens stage was platform to 13 young acts, all music students at The Manchester College, aged 16-19, in a follow-up to last October’s 'busking stage'.CityCo who are working in conjunction with staff and students at The Manchester College to produce the event, have expressed their hope at making the busking stage a long-term commitment. Siobhan McGoff, marketing executive at the firm, said: “We got a really positive response last year and managed to keep the crowd all day despite the freezing October weather. “We really hope we’ll get the same response today so we can bring it back later in the year.” Rose Durbin, music tutor at The Manchester College, added: “The success of last October’s event has made the students really keen to perform live again. It’s great exposure for them which saw some of last year’s performers get airplay on the radio.” One performer, music technology student, Martin Minshall, 17 (pictured), said he was nervous to be showcasing his new solo material in his act called Faraday for the first time, having had the support of a band at last year’s stage. He said: “I know from my experience last year how much I’ll enjoy it once I’m up there, but this is the first time I’ve played my own songs on my own, so I’m pretty nervous. “But I’m also really excited because it’s such a great platform for people like me who are just starting out. I think everyone who has the opportunity to perform on the busking stage should. I’ll definitely do it again if the stage comes back.” Hannah Turnbull

Strictly 'Cole' Dancing: Brendan Cole Dazzles in Manchester

WOMEN were reduced to screaming schoolgirls last night after Strictly Come Dancing star Brendan Cole strutted his stuff at a Manchester nightclub.Cole caused a stir in Manchester last night as he gave lucky fans a chance to learn his moves and even do a bit of dirty dancing with him.Competition winners were treated to cupcakes, canapés and cava cocktails and adorned with feather bowers and sparkly facial adornments.In the opulent surroundings of Suede Nightclub, off St. John’s Street, guests started by learning a sexy salsa which they got to road test with Ricky Martins, ‘She Bangs’.For the second portion of the event Brendan entered to the song ‘Love Man’ before teaching the guests the basic steps to the cha-cha-cha.As he turned around to show people the moves, grown women turned into squealing school girls, screaming out at the sight of his pert bottom prominently displayed on stage.At one point he gathered all the men together and instructed them to serenade a stranger, by “making love to them with their eyes.”He demonstrated how to do this by using a willing volunteer who visibly melted at his touch.As did the whole room when the ‘Dirty Dancing’ anthem, ‘(I’ve had) The time of my life’ boomed out of the speakers and all the women got the chance to be someone’s ‘Baby’.In contrast to his usual ‘Strictly’ attire, he was dressed in subtle black, but his trademark chest was teasingly bared, glistening with sweat.When Salford News Network asked him why he wasn’t wearing his usual sheer and sequins he cried out in horror “NO!”No doubt an outfit of ‘come dancing’ credentials would have resulted in more beelines for Brendan.Although some women were in couples learning to dance, or out with friends, there were clearly some Brendan fans who would put a Belieber* to shame.Hardly dancing and in a zombie-like trance, they would reach for any part of Brendans body, camera in tow.But he handled it like a true star, and his bad boy image seemed to be washed away from the moment the bright lights hit his pale face.In reality Brendan Cole is no bronzed Adonis. Without his spray tan he is simply a handsome gentleman with a lean torso.Sipping from a bottle of Peroni in the VIP section during his break, he made sure that one of his support dancers, Nuno, gave private lessons while he posed for pictures with fans.At the end of the night all the guests got the chance to have their picture taken with Brendan by a professional photographer, and they will be able to access the pictures freely online.Three words. Fab. U. Lous.Georgina Satchell

Salford students to perform at prestigious drama festival

UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD students are set to perform at the highly acclaimed National Student Drama Festival.Performance duo Craig Bennett and Rosie Hynes from the BA Physical and Dance Theatre programme beat off fierce competition to earn the opportunity of a lifetime to showcase their talents at the seven day festival in Scarborough next month. They are one of just 12 groups chosen from over 200 vying for a much sought after place at the prestigious event.Craig, who graduated from Salford last year, and second year Rosie impressed the judges with their performance and a viva. The pair will perform Craig’s final year project ‘What Do You Want From Me’ at the McCarthy Auditorium in the Stephen Joseph Theatre (dates tbc).‘We are really excited,” said Rosie.“This is an amazing opportunity and there are some excellent professional companies performing too.“At the same time, we are terrified and starting to feel the pressure a bit.”Rehearsals have already started and festival co-ordinators have enrolled Chris Thorpe of Unlimited Theatre Company to act as mentor.The National Student Drama Festival sees productions, participants and professionals come from all across the UK to Scarborough to create a unique week of workshops, performances, discussions and training.In addition to performing, Craig and Rosie will also have the opportunity to participate in workshops and audition for NSDF Ensemble, a company established from the participants who then also create work and perform at The Latitude Festival.The National Student Drama Festival runs for seven days from April 11. For more information about performances and workshops visit : www.nsdf.org.uk* The BA Physical and Dance Theatre is a full time, three year programme.The aim of the programme is to give a wide and diverse range of skills in Dance Theatre and Physical Theatre to create innovative and experimental work.

Stephen Mitchell defends Panorama FIFA investigation

BBC deputy director of news Stephen Mitchell has defended the decision to broadcast a controversial Panorama programme prior to England's ill-fated 2018 World Cup bid.The Panorama investigation, that claimed to have unearthed corruption inside world football’s governing body, FIFA, was shown three days before votes were cast in November to decide where the 2018 and 2022 tournaments would be hosted.Despite England reportedly being given assurances by key members of FIFA’s voting delegation, they received just two votes and failed to progress past the first round.The 2018 World Cup went to Russia with the 2022 competition being hosted in Quatar. It was suggested the Panorama programme, which saw journalist Andrew Jennings claim three senior FIFA officials - Nicolas Leoz, Issa Hayatou and Ricardo Teixeira – took bribes in the 1990’s, damaged England’s chances of attracting votes.However, BBC deputy director of news and head of multi-media programming, Stephen Mitchell, insists it was in the public interest to expose the corruption. “If FIFA are arguing that a rather robust piece of journalism about them is going to change their mind about where they are going to stage this competition, isn’t that a matter of public interest?” said Mitchell on a recent visit to the University of Salford.“If you are going to set the context for this decision that is going to happen, that is, I think where you do it; you do it before the event.“You make sure that the public has as much knowledge about what’s going on. You don’t want your audience or your readership to be surprised by events.”Prior to the World Cup vote in November, England 2018 chief executive Andy Anson questioned the BBC’s decision to screen the programme, labeling it as ‘unpatriotic’. “To do it like this is sensationalism,” said Anson. “It’s not very patriotic of the BBC. They could have done it any time in the last two years or next two years.”The Panorama programme also exposed a fourth senior FIFA executive, vice-president Jack Warner, alleging the Trinidad and Tobago official was involved in the illegal resale of World Cup tickets to touts.Contrary to the view that the investigation harmed England’s chances to host the World Cup, Mitchell is confident that most people would understand the decision to air the programme. “There were some complaints but there were many others who thought that it was really in the public interest.”BBC deputy director of news Stephen Mitchell talks to University of Salford students about the controversial Panorama FIFA programme.By Joe Turner

From death's door to stage door

In one of Salford Quays' many faceless apartment blocks, John Tomlinson is hard at work. With a full eight hour shift at a call centre already behind him he now sits in front of his laptop undertaking the admin for his other job - the one he loves... theatre.The 24-year-old’s tale is not one of just another struggling performer though. The redhead is grateful for every hour in the day.Suffering with Crohn’s disease, John is often in pain but that is now just a minor symptom compared to when he was a two-year-old fighting for life in hospital and when he asked a nurse to help him die at the age of just 18.These days John is full of life and enthusiasm about upcoming performances for Strawberry Blonde Curls - a theatre company he runs with two other performers Eddie Fortune and Rosie MacPherson. John said: “We’re very excited to find out how it goes down, we’re confident with what we’ve got as a piece and really looking forward to that moment on stage when you step on for the first seconds and your heart is beating faster than it ever probably should!”His love of the stage stems from the confidence it gave him as a teenager struggling with a disease which forced him have a colostomy bag after having his colon removed.John remembers a difficult time embarrassed at waking up in his girlfriend’s bed in excretion because his bag had leaked.He is one of the UK’s one in every thousand who suffer with Crohn’s disease, which causes inflammation of the digestive system and the secondary conditions that come with it have the potential to be lethal. John’s life almost ended at just 18-years-old at Leeds General Infirmary after he had an operation which was to reverse the removal of his colon and free him of the bag but he became very ill as a result.He recalled the horrific time: “I had lost a lot of blood, I remember thinking I’m actually going to die. I went weeks and weeks without getting any better and then I think that was the most scary moment of my life. “Its surreal now thinking about it, one evening I had lost so much blood that I felt like it was coming to an end. I remember saying to a nurse ‘just do it, just leave it here, I can’t go on like this, I’m not getting any better I want you to end it here if you can.’ She just said I had to be strong.“I was so thin and my hair was falling out, I had blurred vision, hallucinations and crazy dreams but I think hope keeps you going. I cant remember anything specific at the time, just little things like who I wanted to see and make sure I saw my parents so I could say sorry for putting them through all this.” Said John, eyes full of tears.It’s a different world to the drama in John’s life today which at the moment is thankfully all on the stage. His company played performances at Salford Lad’s Club in Autumn last year and they are set to perform outside of Manchester for the first time when they take it to Liverpool in July, John has some reservations about leaving his “comfort zone.”Picturing the scene John added: “I will not know any people there for three full nights, performing to about 6-700 people over those evenings. So it’s a big test to perform to people who have probably never seen or heard of you before to actually engage them with something you have created would be a huge buzz if we get it right.” The Salford University graduate is also ‘buzzing’ about his role as an unpaid producer at Contact Theatre’s programming and producing team. His role here is to help develop new 16-25 year old artists, a bracket John is still in. Despite the Yorkshireman’s bright view on his situation, he is still acutely aware of how difficult life is on the “periphery” of the Theatre industry.He said: “My life would be easier if I didn’t want to do what I do, if I was just happy with the pay cheque just rolling in at the end of the month and going on holidays, yeah life would be easier if I was someone else.“Life could be easier if there was more money and if opportunities were given to the right people, I sometimes think that actually talent only takes you so far unfortunately.“I think one of my main frustrations with theatre is that there is a lot of people on the peripheral, almost successful if you will, but that last step into there is the most difficult and there is a lot of people who have great CVs but they have got there because of who they know, solid talent can only get you so far.” John is one of those performers “on the periphery,” a comparison can be made to his beloved football, he would be a semi-pro playing in non league hoping for a cup run to showcase his talent. Playing football could have been exactly what John ended up doing before he found his love of theatre at the start of secondary school. He remembers: “Everything I did, everything I loved, everything I talked and researched and drew was about football, there was nothing else really until I went to secondary school and realised there is a lot more to learn in life.”The Spurs fanatic can recall the exact moment when he found his passion for the arts, in a drama class at Vermuyden High School in Goole where he created a character “from nowhere.”Beaming with pride and nostalgia John said: “I remember the feeling of being scared because I was at a new school and didn’t know anyone but that character people loved and so then people wanted to work with me and suddenly people knew my name.“I did something different and maybe I was hiding because I was a chubby ginger kid with health problems but drama gave me a lot of confidence at school.” He added. If his kitchen was his desk at school it would have been told off, the pots and pans scattered around suggest how much John has relied on the support of his parents. He said: “I miss them and sometimes I do feel guilty for getting a little too caught up in my own world.More than anything I just want to make them proud of what I am doing so being away from them actually can kind of make that bond with your family even stronger. “When I do go home I do appreciate what they do and have done for me in the past a lot more because your looking at it from a different kind of perspective I think. If your still living in that close knit environment you would sometimes take things for granted which I think I did do as a 15-16 year old.”To live away from home John has to support himself and the financial side of that comes from his job at the Royal Bank of Scotland. Here he makes calls to their customers and gets bonuses for selling them extra products. A frustrated John said: “Everything I do, I take on as a challenge even the monotony of day to day work in a job that you don’t particularly enjoy and you don’t feel fulfilled at but actually there is a challenge in that for yourself.”As ever though John is optimistic about the role, he adds: “I do actually enjoy speaking to so many people everyday because you speak to a complete range of people and it is quite good to constantly have that because sometimes in life you could go through the whole day without speaking to anyone. “I think there is something nice about communication and that link between people plus the money is good for the amount of physical work I do.” He added.Despite John’s upbeat view on life he is also clearly passionate about the problems he sees in the industry, he said: “Acting and theatre performance is a very selfish industry which is something I’ve always struggled with because I’ve been brought up under the impression that if you do help people, if you do the right things and be nice to people then actually you get as far as you want to go.”John only wants one thing and that is to do what he loves everyday, he said: “What makes me happy all of the time is making theatre, acting or performing but at the moment it’s not there, it’s just a work in progress but I won’t give up on it because I do feel that one day it will happen.”John’s tale is a remarkable one of courage and strength in the face of adversity, his current struggle to forge a career in the arts pales into insignificance when compared to his past, something that may give him the thick skin he will need in this industry.Dan Salisbury-Jones

Students bask in famous Northern Quarter music scene

STUDENTS dominated the Northern Quarter music scene on Monday night with three events at three top venues.The budding music managers, from Manchester College, put on performances at Gulliver's, The Castle and Night & Day Café - all on Oldham St. On a typically cold and wet Manchester evening, arguably Britain’s premier musical city, offered testing conditions for the cohort to drag out punters. Groups of between 12 and 13 undergraduates organised each event, drawing out of a hat to decide which venue they would have the use of and what music genre their night would be. The ‘stressful’ task is designed as a sharp learning curve for first year students in event management on the Foundation Degree in Music Industry Management. The two year course nurtures students' skills as music managers, following in the footsteps of the likes of Brian Epstein (The Beatles), Nigel Martin Smith (Take That) and Chris Morrison (Thin Lizzie and Blur).Few will scale those heights and many will not even become music managers upon graduation. The ones that don’t can expect to become promoters, agents or specialist journalists.Lecturer Andy Woods, 45, said: “We just said pick a genre and venue out of the hat and get on with it.“One group got urban, one got rock and one got sort of techno/house/club/electro so they are each doing their own little thing, which is great.”The students can look forward to an ultra competitive industry after graduating next year with venues struggling to fill up as disposable income continues to decline.Andy added: “At the end of the day, they have actually got to go away and organise an event and there is no better learning process than all the pitfalls and the bad things that go with it, it’s quite stressful really.”Woods says the size of the groups is problematic for the exercise to be an accurate simulation but has plans to improve it next year with events spread across May to excite Manchester music lovers. If those events can match the level of this year’s domination on Oldham Street, it should be impressive. This year saw three events each with well known local artists and even an entry to the British Air Guitar Championships at the rock event.One of the rock night organisers was Robert Loughlin from Rusholme, he said: “There’s all official rules, you’ve got to bring your own music and then the sound guys play it through the PA system and then you’ve got 60 seconds to basically go mental on stage!”Dedicated Robert added: “I think you get out of the course what you put in, if you just go to class and not really immerse yourself in the music industry outside of college I don’t think you get much out of it.”Headlining the rock event was Blackburn’s Middle Finger Salute, whose bassist Chris Brownless, thinks the competitive side to the task is a good thing.He said: “It’s important, from a professional side you’ve got to grit your teeth and go for it really because there is always going be competition, especially in Manchester, there is that many bands and that many venues, there’s always stuff on.”Dan Salisbury-Jones

Ride of their lives at new MOSI exhibition

WHETHER you're after the ride of your life or just fancy yourself as an 'easy rider', it's time to saddle up for the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry's stunning new exhibition: 'Customising, Culture & Harley-Davidson'. Salford News reporter LIAM O’CONNOR donned his leathers to check it out.Romance isn’t normally something you’d associate with a bikers' gathering.But a first date at a motorbike show led to a wedding in Las Vegas for Harley lovers Lin and Vic Jefford.It was in 1996 that the Yorkshire couple got together at a custom bike display, and now their Harleys are the star attraction at the Museum of Science and Industry [MOSI].MOSI is hosting a groundbreaking exhibition of the Harley-Davidson brand, including its history, culture and the weird and wonderful custom creations that define it.And Lin and Vic, complete with his and hers bikes ‘High Roller’ and ‘Miss Liberty’, have Harley to thank for a happy marriage.“We actually had another bike that Vic built for me called ‘Warhorse’,” Lin told Salford News.“It won a trip to the World Championships of custom built bikes in Las Vegas in 2005 and while we were there we got married,” she said.Vic added: “I suppose you could say it was bikes that brought us together.”MOSI Director Tony Hill was delighted to welcome the exhibition to Manchester andexplained how the bikes can be custom-made but still remain a Harley.“Predominantly, people take a standard Harley and then adapt it. It’s very much about the personalisation of what is an iconic brand,” he said.“Harley have embraced customising. As long as you’ve got a Harley engine in there and you’ve kept a certain number of components, it’s still a Harley bike.”Harley-Davidson – one of the most recognisable brand names in the world – began business at the turn of the last century and now all their bikes are manufactured in Milwaukee, USA.“You get famous paintings and people say they’re priceless,” continued Mr Hill. “Many of these bikes are priceless because they’re so personal.”The idea to bring the exhibition to Manchester belongs to Chris Scott of Claridon Group Ltd – who designed the display in conjunction with MOSI.“We did look at other museums for this exhibition but the venue here in Manchester isoutstanding. The minute we walked into this building we were sold on it instantly,” he said.“We’ve had a couple of bikes built specifically for the show. One is called ‘Captain America’ and there’s a film which shows it being built from start to finish.“Every bike has a story. One is called ‘Second Chance’. The owner – who almost died after a crash – rebuilt it and called it this because he had a second chance in life.”‘Customising, Culture & Harley Davidson’ runs at MOSI from 15 April until 11 September.

City fans: Mario needs to change

MANCHESTER City fans today warned controversial forward Mario Balotelli to "sort his head out" if he wants a future at the club.The Blues crashed out of the Europa League last night after the Italian was sent off for a reckless challenge during the first half of their second leg tie at home to Dynamo Kiev. The tackle prompted teammate Nigel de Jong to question 20-year-old Balotelli's mentality and call for him to change if he wanted to reach his potential.This view was today echoed by City fans who labelled him a "liability."“He won’t make it at City unless he gets his head sorted out,” said Tommy Muir, 57, of the MCFC Supporters Club, Cheadle Branch.“It’s a psychiatrist he needs to see, not a football coach. Some of the things he does, you see a flash of brilliance but there’s no consistency."Mr Muir added: “It’s really annoying. I was in Kiev last week, you spend all that money and it get’s ruined by a moment of stupidity.” Balotelli was signed for £22.5m by manager and countryman Roberto Mancini last summer. The pair had worked together before at Inter Milan before Mancini headed for Eastlands.Mancini swooped for the fiery star when he fell out with Jose Mourinho at Inter.John Joyce, 51, of Mid Sussex Blues, said: “You don’t write someone off at 20. It’s clear he’s had a troubled background.“He’s obviously got behavioural issues which can cost the team dear, but he’s still very young.”Mr Joyce also backed Mancini's handling of Balotelli.“The manager has spoken out against him, is seemingly very angry and he’s hinted that he won’t be even be in contention against Chelsea at the weekend," he said."But you do have to be firm with a player like that. He’s going to be an absolutely great player and as a City fan I hope it will be with us. You can see that in the fantastic goals he’s already scored.” he said. City travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday to face Chelsea in a vital encounter to secure qualification for next season’s Champions League and have been pitted against city rivals, United in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. By Jonathan Swindlehurst

Team Salford making a splash at Championships

The City of Salford swimming team has this week made waves at the British Gas Swimming Championships in Manchester.It's day six of the seven day event and Salford look forward to an evening of finals - including four of their swimmers - and can reflect on a successful week, which has so far included three medals.The success of the club is all the more impressive by them not having an Olympic standard swimming pool. They instead train in 25 metre pools – half the length of the Aquatic Centre’s on Oxford Road, hosting the event. With financial cuts sweeping the country and swimming pools at the lower end of most councils’ list of priorities, it may come as a surprise to learn that swimming facilities in Salford are growing. Head Coach John Stout told The Salford News: “It’s not affected Salford an awful lot in terms of our swimming programme but these are difficult times.” He added: “We are allowed to use the Aquatics Centre but we obviously have to pay, training in 25 metre pools never stopped record holders; Rebecca Adlington, Liam Tanock or Jo Jackson. It’s about good coaching, not fancy-Dan facilities.“We’re just trying to work as hard as we can to make sure our programme continues to be successful. It reflects upon Salford as a city, not just nationwide but worldwide – with our athletes being successful on the world stage.”John also confirmed to us that he was not aware of any plans to close any swimming facilities in Salford.Comforting news for those swimmers with dreams of London 2012, such as Salford’s stand-out performer at this week’s Championships, 18-year-old Louise Watkins. The Paralympics Silver medallist and World Champion won the 50m mixed disability freestyle on Monday night in quick enough time to qualify for this summer’s IPC European Championship in Berlin.Louise, who lives with an upper limb disorder and effectively swims with just one arm – also picked up a bronze medal in the 100m and is already looking forward to Berlin. She said: “I’ve had loads of races and in every one I’ve qualified for the Europeans so I’m really pleased. I’ll use it for how my pacing for this year has gone and how my training is going and then hopefully I can adapt my training for 2012.”Louise will be swimming in her twelfth race of a gruelling week in tonight’s 100m breaststroke final – where she’s looking to make it a hat-trick of medals. The penultimate race of the week will see Salford’s Daniel Phillips competing in the 1500m final. The 17-year-old completed his heat inside the required time to join the coveted GB junior squad. He said: “I might be a bit too young for 2012 which hurts but I never expected to, so 2016 in Rio is my main aim.”Daniel also told how it was the near drowning of his older brother that made his parents realise the importance of swimming and and the catalyst of his rise to be among Britain’s elite.John Stout told us that Salford works “tremendously well” through mixing the able bodied swimmers with disabled athletes. Dan Salisbury-Jones

Mother who gave birth in prison cleared of cocaine smuggling charges

A mother who gave birth on remand broke down in tears today as she was cleared of drug smuggling.Joy-Ann Katrina Cox, 29, was pregnant and on honeymoon with her husband when officers discovered cocaine in a secret compartment in his suitcase when the couple arrived at Manchester Airport. The nail salon owner was arrested and remanded to HMP Styal in Cheshire, where her daughter was born and allowed to remain with her. Her husband Tremain Green, from Barbados, was found guilty of importing of Class A drugs on June 8 last year. But jurors at Manchester Crown Court today took four hours today to clear her of the same offence.The drugs, weighing 1200g, were found in the Samsonite suitcase which Ms Cox claimed only came into her husband’s possession late on the night before their flight.Mother-of-two Ms Cox, also from Barbados, said was not aware that drugs were inside.She had been suspicious of the bag but did not expect that her husband would do something "so stupid."Although Ms Cox booked the tickets for the trip, it was planned by her husband and she was unclear why exactly he chose Manchester as a honeymoon destination. Much was made of the discrepancies between her initial statement to the police and the evidence she gave in court. She made fresh statements in court to indicate that Mr Green had specifically instructed her to book the tickets by handing her the name of the hotel where they would stay, Jury’s Inn. The prosecution claimed that because she was introducing new claims at this point she was inconsistent.Miss Brandon also suggested that Ms Cox was in a financially precarious position along with her husband.Miss Gatto, defending, rebuked these claims; the defendant said herself that she “lacked for nothing”, and details of the case revealed that she paid back debts incurred by Mr Green on her behalf. Her husband borrowed money from a friend of hers, and she quickly paid this friend back 2,000 Barbados dollars when she discovered this.Ms Cox’s husband Tremain Green is due to be sentenced in three weeks, on the 14th of April.summing up the evidence Miss Jones, presiding judge, asked the jury to put aside “emotions, sympathy, matters of those kind”, and base their decision solely on the evidence given.Manchester Crown Court, Barbados, nine weeks, 1200gMiss Brandon, prosecuting for HM Customs, claimed that Ms Cox was aware of the drugs.Jo Eckersley

Tim Westwood: Salford is full of opportunities

RADIO ONE DJ Tim Westwood hailed Salford as one of the most exciting cities in the country when he brought his 1Xtra show to the university, reports Mark Cockcroft. Britain's most recognizable hip-hop DJ, Westwood, is one of the BBC's longest serving radio presenters, having worked at the organisation for over 15 years. He spent a day at the University of Salford this week where he hosted a Q&A with 40 invited guests. During the session Westwood, 54, was joined by his 1Xtra co-presenter, Kerry D, and two of the show's producers. Each shared their experiences of how they broke into the radio industry and provided valuable advice and tips to students about how to be successful in their chosen career.Westwood described Salford as a city full of opportunities, especially for university students, and described MediaCityUK as one of the most important media sites in the country. As a regular club DJ, Westwood described the importance of taking his shows around the country, calling the club nights he regularly hosts "a meeting point between the radio show and his audience". When asked by a singer how to break into the music business, Westwood said: "Perform everywhere. Any event that is going on at uni, make sure you are there, creating your own momentum." Westwood then broadcast his 1Xtra show live from Bar Yours. One hundred students took part in the recording of the show, with games, shout-outs and a special appearance by Wretch 32 taking place on air. During the event, TV and Radio Production students Annabelle Kelly and Chloe Sells won five tickets to the free 1Xtra gig at the Manchester Apollo.

Game Review: Fable III

Fable III is an action role playing game developed by Lionhead Studios - led by industry veteran Peter Molyneux, responsible for games such as Black and White, Black and White II and the Fable Series - and published by Microsoft Game Studio’s for the PC and Xbox 360. Storyline: The game takes place in the mythical land of Albion, which is an ancient name for Britain. Indeed, Lionhead Studios is a British company hence the references to British humour throughout the game such as one in-game weapon named Mallet’s Mallet. Despite the Map of Albion resembling Western Europe, the events of the game take place fifty years after the events of Fable II. Whilst in Fable II the world of Albion was going through the Age of Enlightenment, in Fable III Albion is now experiencing its own industrial revolution. In the game you play the son or daughter of the Hero of Albion (your Fable II character, if you played Fable II) who became the King or Queen of Albion and then died during the period between Fable II and III. Your character in the first half of the game is ripped from his/her idyllic life as a prince/princess and charged with fermenting a revolution in order to overthrow the rule of his/her tyrannical brother (Logan) in the first half of the game, they will achieve this by completing a number of quests across the world of Albion and making certain promises to different factions in order to gather friends and allies to help them achieve the goal of unseating Logan and placing your character on the throne. In the second half of the game (spoilers) your character, now King/Queen of Albion, must make a number of decisions regarding the future of Albion, many of them regarding breaking or keeping the promises you made to the different factions earlier in the game. These decisions will either bolster or lessen the royal treasury, possibly landing your Kingdom in debt. A substantial amount of money is required to ready Albion against a dark threat from Aurora - the continent across the sea - which if not met will have a devastating effect on Albion. Many of the important characters in the game are voiced by famous British actors such as Stephen Fry (returning from Fable II), Zoe Wannamaker (returning from Fable II), Simon Pegg, Jonathan Ross and John Cleese. Famous Irish-German actor Michael Fassbender plays the Villain Logan Gameplay: The Gameplay of Fable III is very similar to Fable II, the game has a linear narrative that can be broken up with numerous side quests, there are only a few differences implemented in game play. Throughout the game (as in Fable II) the player has to make moral choices that will not only affect the player’s character’s appearance - for example evil and corrupt characters will have jet black hair and will have an aged look and good characters will have pure blue eyes and a swirl pattern around them - but will also affect the world of Albion either for better or worse, depending on your decision. The Combat system of Fable III is quite similar to Fable II and, it could be argued, the original Fable. Combat in Fable III is achieved either by hacking and slashing at the opponent with a melee weapon (either a sword or a mallet), using ranged weapons such as pistols or rifles, or through using Magic, unlike Fable II the player uses gauntlets to change what spells they wish to use. A new feature in Fable III is that the weapons evolve in different ways depending on how the player uses and upgrades them. For example, a weapon mostly used to kill Hollow Men will take on a bone like appearance. The Talent tree system has changed since Fable II. Instead of using experience points in either Will (Magic), Melee, or Ranged fields to upgrade their character skills, the player is provided with Guild Seals. These Guild Seals can be spent in an area that appears frequently throughout the game - or can be accessed through the sanctuary - called the Road to Rule. The Guild Seals collected can be spent to unlock and upgrade certain skills to make the players character more powerful in game. The Players faithful canine companion also returns from Fable II, although his role seems to have been downplayed since Fable II. The Dog no longer takes on aspects of your alignment and instead is now just more of an alert to the player of hidden or buried treasure, or certain quest items in-game. The Dog also attacks enemies in combat. Fable III also contains the Dynamic Touch system which allows the player to flow seamlessly between actions ie: instead of performing one action at a time, a handshake can turn into a hug etc... Expressions have also been improved. Unlike Fable II the player is now provided with the Sanctuary; an area only accessible to the player that takes on the function of an in-game menu bar and allows the player to access their inventory, fast travel between areas, and make changes in the games options in-game. As in most action-role playing games the character is required to obtain money (Gold) in order to advance in quests, buy new items, new clothes etc. But the Fable series has always had a different approach to the money-making side of the game. Other than quests, one way to make money in Fable III is to get a Job. This entitles engaging in a series of mini-games within the game that represent the professions of Blacksmithing, Baker (called pie-making in-game), and Musician (titled lute playing in-game). These professions represent a more comical approach to jobs than Fable II were the professions were Blacksmithing, Wood-Chopping and Bartending. These Jobs allow the player to acquire greater amounts of money faster than they would completing quests. Players can then use money to buy property and businesses which produce income for the player every five minutes. If the player owns enough property and businesses they can become millionaires very quickly. As in Fable II the player can also court romantically in-game characters, be they peasant, middle class or highborn characters. The player can even marry and produce children with these characters. Doing this will provide the player with certain achievements and rewards for marrying and having children, but having a spouse and children can also have negative effects. Your spouse and children require money (upkeep) to be kept happy which can be a significant drain on your income! Graphics and Aesthetics: The graphics in Fable III seem to be a lot sharper and more detailed than Fable II. Other than that, they appear to run on a similar graphical engine. In contrast to Fable II, the game also has a lot more game engine rendered movie clips. Fable II rarely had movie clips and most dialogue and conversations were conducted in game, perhaps due to the fact your character was a mute. Aesthetically, as it has been Fifty years in-game since Fable II, many of the in-game area maps that represent cities, towns, and the areas in-between have changed, not only names but also visually. Most barely resemble their original areas due to the development Albion’s industrial revolution has introduced ie the town of Bowerstone, formerly relatively clean and light, is now dark and full of the smog and smoke associated with 18th century industry. Some new areas have been added (Mistpeak and The Dweller Camps) and some areas are missing entirely(Bloodstone). Multi-player: The Multiplayer was introduced in Fable II to the Fable Series. In Fable III it seems to have been given an overhaul. Whereas in Fable II, where you were only allowed to join other players worlds as a Henchman, the player is now able to join, not only a friend’s game, but anyone on Xbox Live’s game, providing they allow the player to join as their own character with their own clothes, appearance and weapons. The player is now able to move farther away from the second player rather than being right beside them at all times, although both players still have to be within the same game area. Like Fable II the player is able to take any money or guild seals made in the other player’s world over to their own world. New to Fable III is the ability to purchase property and shops jointly with the other player in their world, known as entering a business partnership. This allows both players to profit from shops or properties bought within another player’s world until one of the partners breaks the contract for whatever reasonPlayers are now also now able to conceive children with other players with an achievement awarded to both players in such cases. Downloadable Content: Like most games studios these days, Lionhead Studios has kept its fan base hooked on Fable III by releasing a number of downloadable add-ons and item packs for the game, both free and purchasable, which introduce new areas, quests, characters and items to the game. Examples include: The Fable III Dog Breed Set, which allows you to change the breed of your faithful companion, and Fable III Traitor's Keep Quest Pack, which takes place after the ending of the game and introduces a number of missions for your character to complete; one of them taking place in Ravenscar Keep - Albion’s most secure prison - until the player shows up, that is. Summary: Whilst quite enjoying playing Fable III, one can’t help wondering if perhaps the game might have been rushed into production. Other than improved graphics and detail, not many advances in game technology and physics have been made in the space between Fable II and III (both Fable II and III run on the same graphics engine). And whilst, yes, there are a variety of new features, many of the innovative things about Fable II seem to have been modified or disregarded completely for unknown reasons. That said, picking up this game is still recommended as it represents one of the best examples of what British gaming has to offer in a market largely saturated by American companies

Bolton tutor jailed in child porn shame

A private tutor from Bolton has been jailed for four years for possessing and making indecent images of children. Robert Mitchell, 47, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing indecent images of children and 13 counts of making indecent images of children. He was later sentenced at Bolton Crown Court to spend four years in prison. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and was made subject of a sexual offences prevention order. Mitchell was a self employed private tutor, teaching sciences to GCSE and A-level students at their homes and at his business premises in Bolton. When police raided his home, his office and a lock-up unit, they recovered numerous discs and items of computer equipment, which they later discovered contained hundreds of thousands of indecent images and videos of children. Detective Sergeant Steph Parker from Bolton’s Child Protection Unit, said: “By all accounts, it would appear Mitchell had earned himself a credible reputation as a tutor in the Bolton area. “However, he abused this position of trust to put himself in situations where he could spend time with teenage girls, seemingly for his own sexual and emotional gratification.”By Francesca Stephan

Driver killed after lorry falls on to M56

AN HGV driver died after his vehicle fell off a bridge on to the M56, reports James White. There were major delays this evening when the motorway was closed in both directions after the lorry crashed on to the carriageway below. No other vehicles were involved but two motorists were treated for shock. Cheshire Fire and Rescue have confirmed that one person has died as a result of the incident that happened between junctions 10 and 11 on the M56 at 3:24pm.The A56 above the motorway leading from Preston Brook to Warrington was also closed to traffic.The M56 eastbound carriageway reopened shortly after 7pm but the westbound carriageway was expected to remain closed until midnight.A spokesperson at Cheshire Constabulary said: "Motorists are strongly advised to avoid the M56 in the vicinity of Warrington and Runcorn and to seek alternative routes."The motorway is expected to be closed for several hours and this will impact heavily upon rush hour traffic in and around Warrington. The HGV was carrying household goods."Any witnesses to the accident are urged to contact Cheshire Police on 0845 458 0000 * photograph Hannah Ryan via Twitter @hanhanryan

Shocked shoppers' confusion over car park price hike

SHOPPERS at the Lowry Outlet Mall on Salford Quays have been left shocked by a steep rise in car parking fees - despite exterior signs still promoting free parking with any purchase. The mall has introduced a new ruling that customers need to spend a minimum £5 in the centre to qualify for four hours free parking. Up until last Wednesday, customers got four hours free with any purchase, such as a 60p bottle of water. Manchester United fans taking advantage of the previous tariff on match-days has been cited by one shopkeeper as a possible reason for the blanket increase. She said: "They would buy a small bottle of water on match-days and then walk over the bridge to Old Trafford. It's only a 15-minute walk." Temporary signs informing customers of the £5 tariff have been placed at ticket entrance barriers and inside the mall, but some shoppers are not aware of the price increase until they come to validate their parking ticket. The management team at the outlet mall refused to comment on the issue, but it is understood that the outdated signs will be amended next week. Customer Denise McManus, from Salford, was surprised when she found out that there had been a change in the parking rules. She said: “There should be something to warn you before you enter, there’s nothing that warns you of the changes until you’re in the car park. "The changes could harm the level of customers here. Why would you pay for parking when there’s The Trafford Centre down the road which has many more shops and offers parking for free?”Under the previous tariff, the outlet’s newsagents, Newspoint, was where many drivers went to validate their car parking pass by purchasing a cheap item such as a bottle of water. Newspoint’s Vohra Arif doesn’t think that the changes will affect business. He said: “It’s mostly regular customers who come in, so I’m hoping the changes shouldn’t affect their loyalty.” He appreciates that some motorists may have previously taken advantage of the ruling by buying the cheapest item possible, but believes that the increase is too large. “I believe a couple of pounds would be a good amount to compete with other local car parks, but £5 is too much.” Chris York regularly visits the outlet mall for business meetings, but is looking elsewhere now that he has to spend £5 to park for free. He said: “In the future I’ll be looking for cheaper alternatives or taking the tram.” By Patrick Davies and Kirsty Allen

5Live boss sees future in internet TV for radio

Adrian Van Klaveren says internet broadcasting will be "crucial" to the future of broadcasting. Speaking to Salford News Network, as he overlooked the MediaCityUK site where his department will be moving later this year, the BBC Radio 5live controller revealed how he intends to embrace the new platform which uses broadband rather than traditional radio frequency or satellite to broadcast.“IPTV has the potential to actually bring together what we have seen over the last few years as very different mediums,” said Van Klaveren.“As you bring all of those together, and how you can actually exploit that in a world where people multi-task and look at two screens at once, there’s lots of potential for how you can actually do things differently.”Klaveren is optimistic about IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) and how 5live can utilise the new platform.“If you look at the future, most radios are going to come with a screen," he said. "It’s really interesting when you start to think about it like that, how people will be listening to audio but there will always be some sort of visual display that you can use.“What goes on that video display, how it fits together, and where does that fit into the overall pattern of people’s media consumption? There’s a lot there that could be really interesting.”The chances of the technology having an impact were boosted last week when BT announced it is going to upgrade most of its network in preparation for IPTV. BT’s Head of Information Systems and Technology for IPTV Steve White said: “It’s too expensive renting DVB-T muliplex (freeview) space to deliver Sky Sports to BT Vision customers, so we want to send it multicast.”If 5live are to use IPTV, they will do so from their new home at MediaCity, Klaveren confirmed he won’t be moving his family north, but is looking forward to leading his department at Salford Quays. “We get into our building from about June but, in terms of live broadcasting, from September,” he said. “From then, over a period of about 8 weeks, we will move all of the 5live programmes, starting with our late night programmes and then ending up with breakfast moving by the end of November. So certainly by Christmas the whole station should be in Salford.”Now in his 27th year with BBC, Van Klaveren doesn’t anticipate any major changes to the 5live brand as a result of the move.He said: “There won’t be any significant rebranding because it is important that we say to our audience, the audience who love 5live, that this is radio 5Live. “We do happen to be moving from the location that we broadcast from but we’re not fundamentally changing the radio station. “Bit by bit we want to make it better and take advantage of the move, but it’s not a case where our audience is saying ‘you need to tear it up and start again, you need to make it sound completely different.’ I don’t think they want that. What they want is a station that just keeps on developing.”Dan Salisbury-Jones

Hunter packs his whistle for mainland Europe

Referee Arnold Hunter swaps the Fermanagh and Western leagues for the UEFA big time. Sean Monaghan reports from Northern Ireland.It has been an eventful start to the season for referee Arnold Hunter. In the space of a year, he has gone from officiating in the local leagues around the Fermanagh area, to being the man in the middle for games in the Europa League.Quite a change of scenery for the dairy farmer from Maguiresbridge then, but how did the interest in refereeing come about in the first place for Arnold? "A broken collarbone ended my goalkeeping days as a player,” he explains. “I missed the camaraderie during my time out of football. It was at this time my uncle, George Parkinson, broached the idea of refereeing. George was an ex-referee himself and one of the founders of the Fermanagh and Western Referees' Association. “He suggested I take the referees’ beginners course, and I couldn't really say no to my uncle!"Arnold's first game as a referee was in December 2001 between Lisnaskea Thirds and Lisnarick Reserves, something he had very mixed feelings about at the time. "My first game was a very daunting and exciting experience rolled into one,” he recalls.“However, at the end of the match, I was pleased with the positive feedback I got from both teams' captains, that was heartening to hear for sure. It was a different experience being outfield after my days as a goalkeeper, that's for sure."A lot has changed for the Fermanagh man since his refereeing debut 10 years ago. Working his way up through the UEFA ranks over the past few seasons has seen the hard work well and truly pay off. Arnold has already officiated in four Europa League games across Europe this season, as well as refereeing a FIFA U21 game between the Republic of Ireland and Austria. But what does he believe are the main differences between the local game and the European stage? "The obvious difference is the massive crowds that the European games attract,” he says. “The Club Brugge vs Qarabag game, for example, had over 25,000 people at it. Also, the amount of cameras at the games is crazy. At one particular match, there were 32 cameras pitch-side to broadcast around Europe."It's not just the attendances and publicity that's different. Arnold talks of the sheer scale of paperwork and preparation that goes into every game in Europe. "There's considerably more work behind the scenes both before and after the game in Europe,” he says. “For example, there's security meetings which include briefings with emergency services, TV reporters, team representatives, UEFA delegate, and also a post match DVD analysis of the game. The amount of work that goes into games is huge."Arnold knows that he is under pressure each game to perform, as every referee is watched and monitored by ex-FIFA referees. "They assess your performance both on and off the pitch every game,” explains Arnold. “Their assessment on your performance determines what future games you get. I've been lucky that my games have gone well, enabling me to progress on to the next rounds of the Europa League."So everything is moving along nicely for the man in black, but what of his aspirations as a referee? "I want to get as much experience as possible, giving consistent performances with a view to moving up the FIFA rankings enabling me to referee at an even higher level."Referees in the Fermanagh and Western are doing well and are being recognised in Europe, with Richard Storey joining the FIFA Assistants panel this year, and another assistant, Tony Sharkey, being on the UEFA core programme. “It would be nice to see a full Fermanagh team of officials travelling to Europe together in the not so distant future. That would be something special."Next up for Arnold is a game a bit closer to home in the Irish League between Ballymena and Linfield. He believes every game right now is equally as important as the next as he strives to progress in the refereeing world. Says Arnold: "For me, every game is a big game and you want to perform your best for those teams, no matter what league."The Maguiresbridge man is keen for anyone interested in becoming an official to get involved in an upcoming event. "There is a beginners course starting early October in the Aisling Centre in Enniskillen,” he points out. “Anyone that wants to get involved, just come along, and you'll be looked after. It really is a worthwhile experience."This season is certain to provide Arnold Hunter with more chances in the Europa League and, who knows, he could well be on our screens on a more permanent basis in the near future.Whistle at the ready, Mr. Hunter.

Review: Crescent open mic night

EVERY other Sunday night at Salford's Crescent means only one thing, an open mic session, writes Emily Burgin. Once a fortnight, this student-friendly pub becomes a stage for budding singers to showcase their music. When Quays News popped in recently, the atmosphere was friendly with an eclectic mix of elderly people, students and even the odd man and his dog. The décor left something to be desired but the drinks were cheap and the venue was definitely homely. The opening act sang his own song, which was a good start to the night. The second act was a different kettle of fish altogether. He sang a song composed by his friend about his grandparents. It was called ‘Nanny, Get off Granddad’. His vocals were average but the song was hilarious. The tune was very catchy resulting in the crowd singing and laughing along. Next, a man resembling Newton Faulkner was up and sang two good songs of his own. His voice was amazing and didn’t disappoint. The most exciting act of the night was a talented guitarist who sang five songs ending in a fantastic acoustic rendition of ‘Johnny, Be Good’ by Chuck Berry. The crowd gathered round and the barmen were full of compliments and praise for this singer. Next was a band from Devon who sounded a lot like The Smiths and sang two of their own songs, ending with an upbeat Beatles classic ‘Help From My Friends’. The final act was a young man whose deep music was reminiscent of Razorlight. He sang a good three songs of his own. His appearance was very Elvis-esque but his music was soft and easy to listen to. Overall, the experience was very exciting. The atmosphere and vibe were very positive, making the night really pleasant. The Crescent’s open mic night proved there is plenty of talent around and is definitely worth a shot if you’re into new, original music from upcoming singers. Although the interior could do with a spruce up it didn’t detract too much from our overall verdict - 8 out of 10. Image by p_a_h on Flickr

The price of love = friends?

IT IS common knowledge that when you start a passionate new relationship with someone it can often leave you with little time for others. The thrill of getting to know your new partner, spending as much time with them as possible and the feeling of being loved up can consume a lot of our lives, even those who swore blind that it would never happen to them. And now, scientific evidence can claim the observation is more than simply a theory. According to a study, led by Robin Dunbar, head of the Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology at Oxford University, falling in love comes at the cost of losing members of your close friends. This is because romantic partners absorb time that would otherwise be invested in platonic relationship. Researchers also found that a new partner pushes out two close friends on average, leaving lovers with a smaller inner circle of people they can turn to in times of need. But how much do we agree with this study? Is it right to say that every new romance causes the demise of a friendship? We could argue that the foundations on which that particular friendship was built could not have been strong enough to last anyway. Kayte McCarthy from Liverpool has been in a new relationship for five weeks and agrees to some extent with this new found study and that a new relationship can actually sift out the true friends from the fake. She met her partner Michael, through mutual friends at a birthday party and, although they had not encountered each other before, the mutual attraction was obvious between them. The 24-year-old agrees that she now devotes a lot of her time to her new partner. “We see each other every other day during the week and normally spend both Friday and Saturday nights together - normally around 4 times a week,” she says. “We’re still in that ‘honeymoon’ period so it’s natural to be spending a lot of time together. Every day I learn more about him, what makes him tick and vice-versa. It’s a nice feeling.” Previous research by Professor Dunbar has shown that people typically have five very close relationships of people whom they would turn to if they were in emotional or financial trouble. However, he found that when someone enters a new relationship this decreases to four ‘core sets’ of relationships, which usually includes the romantic partner. The study was designed to investigate how people trade off spending time with one person over another and suggests that links with family and closest friends suffer when people start a romantic relationship. In the latest study, the team questioned 540 participants, aged 18 and over, about their relationships and the strain those relationships came under when a new romantic engagement was started. The results confirmed the widely held view that love can lead to a smaller support network, with typically one family member and one friend being pushed out to accommodate the new lover. Kayte says: “I definitely agree that your support network becomes smaller. I think this is a natural thing to happen because if you are in a committed relationship that person can become your best friend as well as your partner. “I’m a firm believer that you cannot please all of the people all of the time and those that really care and really matter will appreciate that you are a different point in your life and they will always be there regardless.” Professor Dunbar deducted that emotional engagement in an intimate relationship correlates closely with the amount of interaction you have with those individuals. If you don’t see people often, the emotional engagement begins to drop off, quickly leaving us feeling detached from our closest friends. Kayte believes that growing up brings a natural separation from those that she would once consider her best friends. “I think as you grow up you naturally drift apart from your friends, especially if they are not in the same point in their life as you are. “With the real friends, it doesn’t matter if you see them once a day or once a year, you know you can rely on them regardless and vice-versa.” She would agree that being consumed with a new lover has impacted on friendships that she normally would have invested a lot of time into. “I certainly see my friends less now that I am with Michael. I would normally do something with them at least once during the week but now it is normally only a Saturday night, and Michael will come along too, or sometimes not see them at all if we have made plans with Michael’s friends.” Whilst Michael is not a part of Kayte’s “inner circle” of friends, they do share acquaintances outside of the group. He will often encourage Kayte to go out with friends, even though he is not always able to mix with his own group of friends very often due to the unsociable hours that he works. But Kayte still feels the pressure to find a suitable balance between spending time with Michael and seeing her friends, especially when the idea of ‘a night out with the girls’ is not one that appeals to Kayte anymore now that she is spoken for. “I feel pressure to make plans with my other group of girlfriends,” she says. “He tells me to go out with them all the time but I feel as though it is not what I want to do. It might sound really old and boring but they are all single and like staying out until five, six in the morning whereas that is not something that interests me now.” Researchers suspect that what happens is your attention is so wholly focused on your romantic partner that you just don't get to see the other people you have a lot to do with, and therefore some of those relationships just start to deteriorate. Professor Dunbar's team used an internet-based questionnaire to quiz 428 women and 112 men about their relationships. In total, 363 of the participants had romantic partners. The questionnaire allowed people to mention whether any of their closest confidants were "extra romantic partners". In all, 32 of those quizzed mentioned having an extra love interest in their life, but these people did not lose four friends as might be expected. Instead, the extra person in their life bumped their original romantic partner out of their innermost circle of friends, which came as a surprise to Dunbar and his fellow researchers. And what if the situation were reversed? I wondered how Kayte would feel if Michael alienated himself for his friends in favour of her, or how she would feel if her best friend ditched her for a new partner. “Well one of my best friends is in a new relationship too now; I am really pleased for him. Admittedly he does spend less time with us but you can tell he’s a lot happier than he used to be, which makes me happy for him. “I would never resent Michael for spending a lot of time with his close friends if that’s what he wanted to do, but the feeling is always mutual when you’re in a new relationship. “Sometimes it’s all about this brand new person that you’re with and you don’t want to be away from them. When I’m with Michael I’m extremely happy. Why would I want to hardly ever see him and not have that feeling?” So, for some people, drastic changes can be made to their friendships to compensate for a new love. But is this the same for everyone? Ruth Halford, a Senior Oncology Research Nurse from Bury, disagrees that a close friend can be pushed out in place for a new partner. Ruth met her partner Craig after signing up to online dating site, eHarmony. Despite some common reservations about online dating, Ruth and Craig have been together for five months. “We spend the majority of our time together split between each other’s homes,” she says. “My partner does occasionally have to travel with work so on average is away one night per week, but otherwise we are together in the evenings after work and at weekends. “I don't really think that my friendships have changed since getting together with Craig. I am still in regular contact with them, whether it is by text or phone, and those friends that I would meet up with, I still do. “Fortunately a lot of my friends share the same opinion that although we don't necessarily see each other all the time we know that are friendships are built on solid foundations and we would always be there for each other as and when needed.” She adds: “I make a conscious effort to maintain the contact with the friends I had prior to my new relationship. I do it because those people are an important part of my life, some of whom have been there and supported me through some difficult times. “I certainly don't feel any pressure from my new partner, we quickly and very easily 'slotted' into each other’s reality of day-to-day living.” The 31-year-old mother believes that sometimes age can play an important part on how an individual handles their relationships and she and her partner have been lucky enough to be able to find common ground. “I am at an age where many of my friends and some family members such as siblings are at the same stage of their lives were they too are looking to settle down with someone so there is automatically an understanding that as we do get to that stage in our lives certain things will change. “I think if the foundations of those friendships and relationships with family members are strong in the first place they can withstand such change. “We are both of the opinion that it is important to maintain friendships outside of your own relationship, so neither he nor I would stop each other meeting up with friends.” Whilst statistics have shown that people can be pushed out of our close circle of friends to compensate for a new lover, this may depend solely on the individual. As long as you feel secure within that friendship, there is no need to feel threatened by such things as new relationships. Dynamics within the friendship may alter but, as long as substantial contact is maintained, there is no reason why close friendships should ultimately suffer. By Saisha Kerr

Staff fury over Wheel of Manchester job losses

STAFF at the doomed Wheel of Manchester spoke of their anger after bosses revealed 20 jobs would be axed. A decision has been made to remove the tourist attraction to make way for Olympic events this summer. A spokesperson for Manchester City Council claims the wheel ‘is and always was a temporary feature in the city centre’ but one worker, who asked not to be identified, blasted the decision to dismantle it: “They’re not taking down the London Eye, why should they take this wheel down?"People are saying they are creating jobs by the Olympics coming here but in fact we’ll be losing jobs because of it. It’s not good for us. “Obviously we want the wheel to stay. This is our livelihood. We’d prefer the wheel to stay and I know a lot of people in Manchester agree.”John Lowery, Operations Manager for Great City Attractions, which owns the wheel and others around the country, confirmed 20 full and part-time staff will be made redundant.It will cost £80,000 to dismantle and remove the wheel that is set to close at 6pm on April 15.The decision may also have a knock-on effect for fuel, cleaning and security firms. An employee of a nearby coffee shop, who also asked not to be named, said she thought the wheel's removal would reduce takings. She added that the Olympic events would not bring in the same amount of custom. Councillor Pat Karney said the attraction had become a well known feature on the city’s skyline since the first one arrived in 2004.He added: “Exchange Square will host some very special events in the coming months." By Helga Björgúlfsdóttir and Alison Carter

Anti-capitalist protestor found guilty of aggravated trespass

AN ANTI-CAPITALIST protestor who dressed as a 'greedy banker' was convicted of aggravated trespass after failing to leave a Barclays branch despite being asked three times by a police officer, reports Todd Fitzgerald. Helen Pike, 40, was fined £150 and must pay £250 costs after being found guilty of the offence which took place on November 5 last year. Ms Pike, of Woodlawn Court, Whalley Range, entered Barclays Bank on Market Street with three other demonstrators wielding placards. They stood silently in the window, donning bowler hats and fake moustaches. In an outburst after the hearing at Manchester Magistrates Court, Pike addressed the bench to applause from the public gallery: “I’m very proud of what I did, despite the outcome,” she said. Magistrates judged Pike was guilty of trespass with the intent to disrupt business and to intimidate and obstruct those ‘going about their lawful business.’ The defence, led by Miss Nicola Hall, said that Pike’s intention had not been to intimidate staff or customers, but merely to ‘highlight the fact that the bank had evaded income tax’ in a peaceful protest. She argued the silent and static protest was a ‘civil matter’ and that police had no basis to order them to leave. The protest was described as a ‘carefully organised piece of performance art’. Pike claimed that it aimed to engage the public in their message, not to disrupt it. The prosecution, led by Mr Paul Darnborough, successfully argued that the trespass was more than simply a civil matter. In his opening comments, he said: “We have to put everything else out of our minds. It is not about the heartfelt nature of this case. Ms Pike attended the bank and committed a trespass with the intent to obstruct, intimidate and disrupt. “She was given the direction by police officers to leave and she did not.” Mr Darnborough urged magistrates to concentrate on whether the trespass, which was not disputed in itself, was 'aggravated'. Pike said the group stood in the window of the bank rather than outside to ensure ‘visually high impact’. They aimed to attract members of the public to gather outside, where leaflets were being handed out. Branch manager Daniel Besser said that his staff felt ‘unsettled’ and that the protest caused the branch to suffer disrupted service. The branch was forced to bottle-neck customers coming in, and eventually had to close on a busy afternoon. Mr Besser said: “I felt my hand was forced to close the doors. We had to limit access to the bank and customers felt intimidated.” Ms Pike said it was the bank closing which caused the disruption, not the protest. She said: “The atmosphere seemed fined until the bank started limiting access.” Chairman of Magistrates Mrs Debbie Matthews returned the court’s verdict after an hour of deliberation. Pike was told the protest affected the bank's business and that the public were sufficiently hindered and intimidated. Mrs Matthews said: “This protest could have easily been done, with the same impact, outside the bank. "The fact that it was inside is what constitutes the reasonable belief of the officer and this court that it was in fact aggravated trespass.” Pike’s family and friends crowded the gallery as the final session ended and were shocked at the verdict. Pike was ordered to pay a total of £450, payable at £5 per week. Outside court, Pike said she wasn’t surprised at the verdict. She said: “I think it’s a really sad verdict, all I was doing was protesting peacefully. The magistrates have come down in favour of protecting the banks who have brought this country to its knees.” The small crowd then cheered as one friend held his arm around her and said: "Here's your first fiver."

Sexuality, media and sport

“It’s almost like they’re waiting for the next gay sports star to come out – hunt the gay person in sport. It’s made out to be about sex and what goes on in the changing rooms but this is just one part of my life and the media make it revolve around sexual arousal. When you’re on a training regime like mine, believe me, you’re not having sex with anyone!” – Claire Harvey, potential paralympic competitor and advocate for LGBT rights. We know that sex sells. As journalists, we know all too well to what degree it does, although lucrative, seedy kiss-and-tell stories are almost definitively a shameful and cheap way to sell papers. However, when it becomes more a case of who you’re attracted to and less about what you do in and around the community, a good look in the mirror might be in order. Lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) History Month 2012 saw its launch at MediaCityUK with a discussion on the media's portrayal of LGBT sports stars. I jumped at the chance to be there to learn, to listen and to shed some light on the matter. And this was before I opened my eyes to the fact that basketball star turned psychologist and political activist John Amaechi was one of the panel members. Happy with being out of the Salford chill, I was first to take a pew and a lone writer, frantically scribbling a mismatch of imaginative shorthand and undecipherable script, in a room full of fixated listeners. It was only when an audience member mentioned something that hadn’t entered my mind, that I retired my pen and became engrossed in discussion. “My son came home one day and said some of the more dominant boys in the class had been taunting an openly gay child in a P.E lesson and subsequently refused to undress in the boys’ company. Instead of challenging this view, the teacher only encouraged the gay child to change in solitude and that was that – nothing else was said.” Needless to say, this sparked a debate. Young minds are impressionable and evidently need guiding down the right path by the ones responsible for their growth in a world where diversity and equality dictate what is and what isn’t politically correct. Each to their own of course, but to ignore the problem altogether is surely the wrong way to go about it. Accompanying Harvey and Amaechi on the panel was Sarah Williams, an influential member of the RFL, managing all strands of equality and diversity within the sport. She argued that Rugby League has long been aware of discrimination against the LGBT community but, more importantly, has taken significant steps towards ousting what shouldn’t matter on the pitch. “Rugby League is welcome to anyone because it ensures no player is honed in on for anything more than their sporting abilities,” she says. It becomes clear just how much work she has put into this cause on hearing that the RFL are the one and only sports establishment to feature within the 'Top 100 gay-friendly organisations'. What is less comprehensible is the painful lack of support from other widely respected sport groups, including the FA when, on initial inspection, Rugby is one of the most masculine and macho sports available. Looking at Williams' body of work in relation to LGBT in sport, there is a realisation of just how important it is to tackle homophobia at school with campaigns launched to hear what the LGBT youth have experienced regarding homophobia and sport. Just why other sporting organisations haven’t employed this stance yet was discussed at length yet no one had the answer. Media representations of the LGBT community, while seemingly attempting to aid the fight against homophobia, tend to be close-minded and ineffective, more often than not further segregating the community. Newspapers are so quick to out homosexuality in the world of sport instead of tailoring the news around individual career choices and brilliant ability. The final panel member to speak, Chris Noble MBE, a director of Sheffield Eagles Rugby League Club, commented on this matter stating simply that “this is a no win situation” but wholeheartedly backs the need for more awareness to be raised within other sporting fields. We only have to look at the risqué commentary of the life of a homosexual throughout successful publications (the ‘Closer’ and the ‘OK!’ cohort) and the more often than not naked illustration of the forgotten reason for the ‘Gay Pride’ festivals to see why the LGBT community and everything it stands for is still such a taboo subject today. Due to economic and commercial pressures of editorial which ultimately celebrates style over content, minorities seem to be stereotyped – the gay community being pigeonholed into that promiscuous and fun-loving typecast whereby nothing is taken seriously. How mocking of them. As any minority becomes more prominent in the hierarchical society we live in, we see alterations in the way they are portrayed within the media so, in layman’s terms, wherever the LGBT community go, the media is sure to follow. However, the issue lies within how they are represented, not the fact that they are. In these terms, it’s unfortunate to see disobedience from the media towards the ideological shift of pluralism – the ultimate bid for transparency, freedom and variety within the UK media marketplace – that the majority of us seem game for. No matter the type of discrimination, it is altogether unnecessary and shows huge malevolence from the people responsible for dishing it out to whoever they choose to take exception to. “Society puts nice, pretty little frames on prejudice – there are many lovely pictures of black people holding hands with white people but that’s not addressing any issue of discrimination. That’s just taking a picture,” offers Amaechi. Whether or not you believe that homophobia begins at school, is forced upon people thanks to the media or isn’t helped by enough people, it stands as one of the biggest and most damaging forms of discrimination. With the hard work of people like John Amaechi, Claire Harvey, Sarah Williams and Chris Noble, will we ever be able to wave goodbye to the discrimination levelled at the LGBT community? When asked if she thinks she’ll ever be out of a job, Sarah Williams responds: “Not a chance. There is no end to equality and diversity.” We may not ever see the back of this debate but, just as the people on the panel here strive for, we can do our best to quieten it down. by Christina Marie Brooke

Playing for England

IT’S the ultimate pub quiz question. Who has played for England more times than Peter Shilton? The answer is probably not what you would expect. It’s not Beckham, nor Charlton, not even Emile Heskey, but the England Supporters Band. (Cue The Great Escape) The band has been at every international, home and away, since their first appearance in 1996. But what do we know about the men behind the trumpets? Three years before their first ‘cap’, Sheffield Wednesday fan John Hemmingham snuck a bugle he’d bought ‘for a laugh’ into Everton’s Goodison Park ground. With just ten minutes to play and The Owls two goals to the good, John plucked up the (Dutch) courage and started to play. “The lads knew I’d got it up my jumper”, says John, “and they said ‘go on play a tune’, so I did the fanfare for aida and everyone went mad”. The madness alerted Trevor Francis, Wednesday manager at the time, who somehow got hold of John’s number and urged him to form a band. “He said they’d buy us some drums,” John reveals, “so I rang the lads. I spoke to Murray our drummer and said ‘do you fancy banging a drum?’ He’s never banged a drum in his life before now but said ‘yeah, I’ll do it.’ It was a similar story for other members. “We’re not musicians,” stresses John, “we’re football fans.” It’s a point John is keen to drum home (if you’ll excuse the pun). “The guy on the terrace isn’t Pavarotti, he doesn’t practice. And we haven’t practiced in 18 years,” he adds. So how do a group of lads with limited musical experience get picked to represent their country? “We were 1-0 up away at Arsenal. We’d beaten them at home loads of times but never away, not in my lifetime, so we were going berserk and the fans were too,” John explained. “Glenn Hoddle was in the crowd, along with David Davies and they thought, ‘they’re making a difference, we could do with them for England.” “He rang me up the next day and said, ‘will you play for England?’ I said of course we’ll play for England!” Not long after and John and his band of musical men were making their debuts against Poland at Wembley. Ahead of the game the back page of The Sun had been dedicated to the band, alongside the headline, ‘Glenn’s Band of Hope And Glory’. The media attention was doing them no favours, though. “The worst thing could’ve been, after all that publicity, going down and then losing ‘cos they’d have blamed us,” recalls John. “But luckily for us, Shearer saved the day and we won.” They haven’t missed a game since. Fifteen years on, has the novelty worn off? Type their name into Facebook and you’ll find a number of anti-band pages. These include the colourfully titled, ‘England “supporters” band SHUT THE F**K UP’, the similarly unpleasant ‘The England supporters band are f**king annoying!’ and the cleaner alternative, ‘Ban the England supporters band’. But John is unconcerned by the opposition groups. “It’s up to them,” he says. “Often they don’t have the full knowledge of what we’re about. We accept we’re not everyone’s cup of tea and we’ve said on occasion if we weren’t doing it and we ended up sat next to a drum, we wouldn’t be that happy either. “But if you end up sat next to a drum that’s your fault, you should know where we are by now,” he jokes. At club level though, they seem to have the majority of fans onside. After a row with former Wednesday chairman Dave Allen in 2004, the band found themselves forced out of Hillsborough. But following Allen’s resignation five years later, Wednesdayite’s voted in favour of bringing them back to their spiritual home on the Kop. “Every time there’s been a vote, the fans have agreed to have us back. That says it all really,” says John proudly. “When Dave Allen did the vote originally, they voted 86% in favour.” Former player John Pearson spent five years at Hillsborough during the eighties and has also commentated on The Owls for BBC Radio Sheffield. He agrees with that decision. “I’ve always enjoyed the band, I think it brings a bit of brightness,” says Pearson. Speaking on the impact they can have on fans, he adds: “One game which sticks in the mind was at Norwich, it wasn’t a great game and I found myself watching the band and the fans. They were unbelievable. “I think Norwich beat us that day, but when the (Wednesday) fans parted out of the ground their fans stood up and clapped them”. Pearson believes the impact on the supporters can also transcend on to the pitch: “I think the whole momentum of the supporters getting behind them (the players) can help, and if the band helps the supporters even more I think it does have an impact on the side”. This confidence in the band persuaded John to give up a comfortable life running his own truck business. “I was given the choice of a normal everyday job or the band and I chose the band,” he tells us. Exposure on a national level has led to books, albums and sponsorship deals. But the band isn’t exactly raking in the money. “It washes its face, shall we say,” he says. But the opportunities appear to outweigh any possible financial gain. “We went to Beijing for the Olympics; we’ve been to Vegas five times with Ricky Hatton.” And that’s before we get to all the World Cup’s. They don’t do it all for nothing though. “Everything other than football we charge for,” John points out. This allows him to pay for travel and tickets etc. It also means he can support his wife of five years and John insists the band doesn’t always restrict family life. “When there’s a tournament she often comes with us, and some of the other lads will take their wives as well. We do the tournament and then stay for a holiday afterwards.” His job has also given him the chance to mingle with the stars. “We’ve done four or five singles, one with Madness, one with Ant and Dec, one with Chris Kamara last year. “We’ve been on Soccer AM 29 times. Helen Chamberlain is a personal friend of mine.” Despite all of this, he keeps himself grounded. “Nob’dy likes a big ‘ead,” he says in his broad South Yorkshire accent. “I am a normal bloke and that’s the good thing about us. We’re no different to anyone else on the Kop at Hillsborough.” But what happens when the band has to choose between club and country? Does one take priority over another? “We split,” he says abruptly. “We’re not one or the other, like a normal fan. Are you Wednesday or are you England? Why can’t you be both?” With no intention of hanging up their… brass, any time soon, The Supporters Band will be hopefully be playing for club and country for a long time to come. By Aiden Cusick

Valentine's labour of love for market traders

HOW are Manchester's market traders faring with the economic downturn this Valentine's Day? Natasha Johansson finds out for Quays News.

Cafe's fury over double yellow plan

A CAFE owner has claimed plans for sweeping parking restrictions in Salford will have a devastating effect on small businesses, writes Samantha Warrington. Ellen Wilson, boss of Creation Café on Chapel Street, said councillors needed to “wise up” after they revealed proposals for a clampdown in more than 20 streets. She added: ”They wonder why independent businesses fail? We need help, we don’t need something to make our lives more difficult.”Salford City Council chiefs are proposing a mix of double and single yellow lines and ‘no returns’ signs on the streets to stop commuters from Manchester city centre flooding the area for free all-day parking.Mrs Wilson, whose cafe is regularly used by people suffering learning difficulties, blasted the move as "daft".She said: “People wonder why there is such high unemployment? There’s no help, that’s why. We help our community. This will also put off our disabled customer, though."We are struggling, we want people to be encouraged to come here, not put off because they think they'll get a ticket.”Mrs Wilson also warned the restrictions would force customers to neighbouring stores with free parking.“If people couldn’t park here or had to pay, they will think, let’s not bother going to the little café, we can go to Sainsbury’s or McDonald's and we can park there for free.' We’d have no chance."Mrs Wilson added that café workers and staff from the neighbouring Angel Centre medical practice had endured tickets from wardens in the past.She said: “One day we all parked our cars opposite the building. After finishing work we all had parking tickets on our cars, we had no warning from the council that we could no longer use the parking bays, and after attempting to appeal, we all lost and had to pay the full fine.”Derek Antrobus, lead member for planning at Salford City Council, said the plans would free up space, not make it more difficult to park.He added: “Each street in the area was looked at on an individual basis and orders were tailored to circumstance. A traffic engineer has spoken to the cafe owners and their concerns are documented within the proposal."On the whole we are talking about restricting parking to two hours. This gives people plenty of time to visit the hairdressers, shop locally or go to a café without worrying about obtaining a fine.”He said: "When the staff were given tickets in the past, they perhaps could have been consulted better, but that is in the past and our plans are for the future

Salford residents face new welfare reforms

THE coalition government had another defeat in the House of Lords this week, after their proposed ‘spare room tax’ was lost by 10 votes. The tax would see council tenants facing a deduction of £14 per week from their benefits, for every ‘spare bedroom’ not permanently occupied in their home. Though the bill has now been sent back to the House of Commons for amendments to exclude war widows, carers and the disabled, the government are keen to push the reforms through parliament. If passed, this new addition to the Welfare Reform Bill is expected to take effect from April 2013. Tenants who are willing to move to smaller properties but are currently on a waiting list for relocation would still be affected by the benefit cuts. According to recent figures from the charity Shelter there are currently 14,492 families on the waiting list for council housing in the Salford area, and with current rental rates, the list will take an estimated 7 years to clear. Dorothy Whitby has lived in council properties in Salford for over 40 years. For most of that time she lived in a two-bedroom house with her family, but now lives alone in a one bedroom flat. She believes that if people have spare rooms they should give up their bigger houses to those who need them, or face the drop in benefits: “I agree with the cuts. Make them pay for the extra room; it opens up homes for families.” She added: “You don’t really need a three bedroom house if you’re on your own. Other people do”. But not all council tenants agree with the government’s proposals. ‘Rose’, 68, lives alone in a three bedroom council house. As a pensioner she would not be affected by the changes, but she thinks the implications for others would be unfair. She feels that councils risk pushing people out of established homes to properties that may be unsuitable or far removed from family and friends. She also worries that, as someone who has been cared for at home by family members, the new reforms would make home care more difficult. Having to pay for an extra room for a family member to stay overnight to care for her would have been a strain at an already challenging time. Dave Bullock is the Project Coordinator at the Windsor Drop in Centre, part of the Manchester City Mission. Mr. Bullock, a former minister, dedicates his time to those he feels society have deemed “unlovable”, and runs a 28-bed shelter in Salford. The shelter, the only overnight facility now remaining in the area, regularly gives meals, clean clothes and an overnight bed to the homeless and people on low incomes. Mr. Bullock said: “We get our regulars obviously, but more and more people are coming here now than they were, say two years ago. There are more unemployed and more people who have been kicked out of their homes. Homelessness is rife.” Many of their clients are receiving benefits, and would be directly affected by the proposed reforms. He stated: “I know the government like to talk about houses, but I’m going to refer to homes. Some of these people have lived their whole lives in these homes, and brought up their families there. “ Mr. Bullock argued that these proposals are only continuing the government’s fixation on low incomes families, and are “targeting the vulnerable.” Salford City Council has refused to comment on the reform proposals at this time.By Victoria Joseph and Kate Meighan

City champion hits back at Chloe Sevigny's 'grim' comments

CITY councillor Pat Karney has issued a firm but friendly rebuttal to anti-Manchester comments made by Hollywood actress Chloe Sevigny, reports Luke McDonagh.Sevigny (pictured) has landed herself in the city’s bad books for branding it “one of the grimmest places I’d ever been in my entire life.” The Golden Globe winning actress, well known for her roles in films American Psycho and Zodiac, made the comments in Interview magazine. She and interviewer Kim Gordon, bassist of popular alternative band Sonic Youth, shared their mutual disdain for Manchester, the latter describing the town as ‘depressing’. Sevigny spent six “very hard” months last summer living in Manchester for the filming of upcoming television series Hit and Miss, during which “it rained every single day I was there”. Councillor Karney, Manchester's city centre spokesperson, said: "I don't know which Manchester she visited but it wasn't the one I know and love, which is visited by more people every year than any other English city except London. "She should come back and we'll show her why the real Manchester is one of the best cities in the world.” Such comments prompted Karney to defend the city’s honour: "Whatever she claims about the weather, Manchester people are known for their sunny dispositions and visitors are always guaranteed a warm welcome." But the Big Love star was that desperate to escape life here that she couldn’t bear to stay even a single day longer in order to see one of her favourite bands, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks. She said: “They were playing the day after I was leaving, and I was like, I’ve gotta get the hell out of here. I’m not staying one more night just to hear them, so I left.” It would seem Sevigny struggled to make friends during her stay, complaining of loneliness and a lack of visitors. Indeed, Chloe was relieved when follow Americans, the band Sebadoh, came to town: “It was, like, finally I could identify with someone after being there for so long and having no contact with any Americans.” However, whilst in town the fashion conscious star had her diary full, having been seen hobnobbing in a variety of Manchester’ upmarket venues. During her visit, Chloe regularly frequented the city’s trendy Northern Quarter, enjoying herself in Common and Teacup. Tiger Lounge and Australasia were also graced with her presence. Sevigny’s new show, set to air later this year on Sky Atlantic, is the creation of Burnley-born screenwriter Paul Abbott, and follows the story of Mia, a pre-op transsexual assassin who discovers she is the father of an 11-year-old son. Abbott has extensive ties with Manchester, having received a doctor of letters from the University of Salford last year and an honorary Doctorate in Arts from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2006. And of course, Abbott’s most famous creation, TV show Shameless, was produced, set and filmed in Wythenshawe.

Politicians face jobless in Radio 5live unemployment debate

AS the latest UK unemployment figures leapt to a startling 2.67million, BBC Radio 5live’s Victoria Derbyshire held a special debate at MediaCityUK, writes Oliver Kurt. With and audience consisting of 200 unemployed people and MPs representing each of the main parties, the debate provided an insight into the social and economical issues that mass unemployment is causing. “I feel humiliated” stated one unemployed teacher who, like many in the room, was desperately seeking work in a climate of continued public sector cuts. Tory representative Sam Gyimah came under heavy criticism for the way in which the coalition government is handling unemployment across the UK. Following questions regarding the job-seekers allowance, and a challenge from an audience member, Gymiah stated: “If there’s anyone to blame why we are here, it’s the previous government.” With unemployment up by 48,000, the number of young people out of work has also increased by 22000, taking the total figure of 16-24 year-olds to 1.04million. One 19-year-old told how he had success by taking part in a scheme established by the local fire department which gave him the skills and contacts to acquire a job as a lifeguard. He said: “I spent six months unemployed but the Job Centre still wasn’t helping me”. The role of the Job Centre was a key subject of the debate with many feeling they had been ‘let down’ by the lack of support. Some had abandoned it all together and have now taken it upon themselves to contact employers directly. Also present were representatives from various companies providing their contribution to assist the national job crisis. Norman Pickavance, HR director for Morrisons, revealed the superstore’s plans to create “7500 jobs across the UK” this year, adding that these positions will promote advancement to managerial roles in the company. Victoria Derbyshire added: “I thought there were some fantastic contributions from people who are working so hard to try and get a job. That’s what we really brought up in front of a group of politicians today.” * Listen to the debate at www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer

Families flock to Quays for open day

HUNDREDS of families were attracted to Salford’s waterfront for the Quays open day and BBC’s Big Birthday Bash, writes Fizah Tahir.Crowds lined up for events across the Quays including BBC Children’s celebration of 10 years since the launch of popular kid’s channels Cbeebies and CBBC. Visitors were welcomed with special guest star appearances from Cerrie Burnell, Waybuloo’s piplings, Bob the Builder and many more. The activities also included the Imperial War Museum’s ‘Once upon a War Time’ Exhibition. The Lowry Theatre showcased an exhilarating ‘Chinese State Circus’, as well as a ‘Dinosaur Lost World Event’ in the mall. And the University of Salford displayed its impressive ‘Digital Installations’ with the interactive screen and tables leaving children wanting more. Matthew Toomey was security at the university event and said: “It was very successful and a good experience for the kids. They really enjoyed it.” This was Salford Quays’ first official open day with the latest new developments at MediaCityUK, the BBC and University of Salford among them. The Piazza, which can hold around 6,000 people, has already played hosts to the Rugby League World Cup 2013 launch and the British Gas Great Salford Swim. With further developments in the pipeline, including luxury dining experiences and studios, many more events are promised. MediaCity’s next event, Visual Impact’s Exhibition and Seminar Roadshow, will take place in March.

Turner Prize winner opens exhibition in Manchester

MARK LECKEY has spoken of the North West's influence on his work and how a three-tonne steam chest came to feature in his latest exhibition. The 2008 Turner Prize winner has brought Work and Leisure to the Manchester Art Gallery after making specific changes to suit a North West audience. “It's definitely got more of a Northern feel,” said Leckey. “I mean I'm from Ellesmere Port. When I was a lad I should have gone and worked at a manufacturing place but that closed down. I kind of ended up on the scrapheap and didn’t do anything for a good few years so there’s that sort of resonance with there.” The new exhibition features a three-tonne low pressure steam chest on loan from Ellen Road Engine House in Rochdale. Leckey also draws inspiration from his own experience of the Manchester dance and music scene in his younger years. “We were told in the 80s that British manufacturing was a relic of the past,” he said. “Now we have a sense here that it was the totally wrong direction to take. Not just culturally but from a business sense. We gave this up thinking something like Oasis was going to save us.” Leckey is known for incorporating sculpture, sound, film and performance within his creations and Work & Leisure features a series of performances during its four-week run. He added: “I want people to feel something both physically and emotionally.” Manchester Art Gallery curator Claire Galloway said: “It is a different exhibition. It’s very good when an artist says I want to do something different and make it specific to the space but also specific to the North West or to Manchester in some way. “He’s evolved this piece of work especially for Manchester. Part of the installation is from a mill in Rochdale. I think it’s really special as it’s exploring Manchester’s industrial heritage.” * Work & Leisure is now open at the Manchester Art Gallery by Rochelle Travers

The end of the slide tackle?

WITH the recent controversy over particular challenges in high profile games, the question has been asked, is this the end of the slide tackle? Elliot Millward investigates. A strong sliding challenge is one of the greatest sights in football and has long been a key part of the English game. Supporters cheer a well-executed slide tackle as loudly as they would a goal on some occasions. But with the recent sending off of Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany in the derby for a double footed tackle, then Liverpool’s Glen Johnson escaping punishment for a similar challenge against none other than City, the slide tackle has come under the spotlight. Every time a player goes to ground to win the ball, they know there is an element of risk. Now that risk appears to be higher. Mistiming or misjudging a tackle by the narrowest of margins can result in harsh repercussions. The role of the defender is becoming harder and harder, making it easier for attackers. Defenders are now much more hesitant to commit to a slide tackle, even when they believe they can win the ball, as they know they could face punishment. The English game has always prided itself on its strength and toughness as well ability and technique. Yet this sense of pride could be eradicated by the eagerness of officials to show yellow or red cards to players who slide tackle. When a player wins the ball - as Kompany did - and is subsequently sent off, it will surely have an ongoing affect, not only on the player committing the tackle, but those who witness the challenge also. Nowadays a double footed is deemed dangerous, but to send the player off when he has won the ball is sometimes harsh. Referees must judge each situation on its merits rather than sticking to the letter of the law every single time. If a player has gone in with excessive force and won the ball, they should consider giving a foul and speaking to the player. They could advise him that the challenge was a bad one and if repeated he will be punished. This option is surely better than instantly brandishing a red card and often ruining the spectacle. If the game continues along this worrying path, football will become a non-contact sport where skill and flair survive but sadly strength, toughness and the slide tackle are consigned to history.

Drivers jailed after young dad's death

RELATIVES spoke of their relief as two drivers who had been racing each other were jailed over a young father’s death, reports Sian Davies. Dad-of-two Daniel Lee, 21, was hit by a VW Golf as he crossed Plymouth Grove in Longsight , Manchester, on January 30 last year and died at the scene. Kamran Khan, 24, who was driving the VW Golf and Shamir Uddin, 25, who drove an Audi A3, were said to be driving at between 50 and 75mph in a 30mph zone. Khan (above left), of Moss Road, Stretford, was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced to five years in prison and banned from driving for five years. Uddin (above right), of Bostock Walk, Ardwick, was found guilty of dangerous driving and sentenced to nine months and banned from driving for two years. There were cries of relief from the court public gallery and family members could be heard sobbing as the verdicts were read out. They later paid tribute to Daniel and spoke of their relief that justice had been done. Daniel’s mum, Debbie Lee, said outside Manchester Crown Court: “Daniel always had a grin on his face and could always put someone in a good mood. His kids doted on him and he’d have done anything for them.” The court heard how Daniel had gone for a takeaway with his sister Nikita, 15, and his mother’s partner, Arfan Khan, when the collision happened. They had all spent the evening at his mum’s house, along with Daniel’s fiancée and their two babies. Witnesses told the court that he had been chatting about how he wanted to marry his fiancée just before he died. Uddin was driving a blue Audi A3 which had driven past Daniel a few seconds before he was hit by Mr Khan’s VW Golf. The pair were alleged to have been driving close together at high speeds, but denied that they were trying to keep up with each other. Nikita Lee told the court that Daniel (left) “went flying” at the point of impact with the car. Daniel’s right shoe was found on the other side of the road underlining the force of the impact. Nikita told the jury how she ran back to her mother’s house when the accident happened. She said: “I started screaming about how Daniel’s been run over. My mum came running out in her night-gown.” Uddin claimed that he didn’t know anything about the accident until he was arrested the next day, saying: “At no point did I see or hear of any traffic collision involving Kamran Khan.” He claimed that he parked outside his house on Kincardine Road to wait for Mr Khan, which is close to the home of Debbie, Daniel’s mother. He denied seeing Nikita screaming and running to tell her mum about the accident or of the distressed woman running out in her night-gown, but said that he “heard a commotion”. In relation to claims that he had taken a corner at 70mph, Mr Uddin said: “You can’t do 70mph to take that bend, it’s ridiculous. It’s absurd.” Shamir Uddin said he had been driving safely and denied overtaking cars at speed, or weaving in and out of the traffic. He said he spoke to Khan on the phone shortly after the accident happened, but he just said for Uddin to get off and that he would see him tomorrow. Uddin claimed Khan didn’t mention the accident. Arfan Khan, Debbie Lee’s partner, told the court that the cars had been travelling at high speeds as they turned onto Plymouth Grove, and that neither vehicle had its indicators on. He estimated that the Audi A3 driven by Mr Uddin was travelling at 75mph and the VW Golf following it, driven by Mr Khan, was travelling at 95mph. Both defendants claimed they weren’t doing over 40mph. Other witnesses said that the two cars had been undertaking and overtaking cars at speeds of up to 50mph and had been travelling closely together, before taking a corner without indicating. The court heard evidence from experts that the VW Golf could have been travelling at a speed of between 40 and 48mph at the time of the impact but reported that this was probably an underestimate. As Kamran Khan gave evidence in court, he broke down several times saying: “I’m being punished on the inside.” He admitted causing the accident but denied that his driving had been dangerous. Iain Johnstone, defending Khan, said that he was respected in the community and felt great remorse for what he had done. Khan added: “Me going to prison doesn’t make a difference. This is going to stay with me for the rest of my life.” Judge Anthony Gee said the defendants’ driving had been “without regard of the safety of others.” He told them: “The danger you two created by driving like you did is perfectly obvious to all.” Judge Gee also questioned the pair’s feelings of regret: “I suspect the majority of the remorse that you have is for your own positions. . “This is as clear a case of dangerous driving as you could ever come across.” He denied a request to allow a pre-sentence report from Uddin’s defence lawyer, Stella Massey. Judge Gee said he had made up his mind that Uddin would go to jail.

Game Review: Portal 2

PORTAL 2 is a sci-fi first-person puzzle shooter developed and published by American video game developer Valve Corporation - the company that brought us such classics as the Half-Life series and the highly successful digital distribution and communication platform Steam. The sequel to the critically acclaimed 2007 debut game, Portal 2 picks up where the first Portal left off. Taking place in the underground Aperture Science Laboratories facility in a isolated corner of the Half-Life Universe, presumably some time after the original game, the titular character from the original game, Chell, is awakened from cryogenic stasis by affable personality core robot Wheatley (voiced by The Office writer and Extra’s star Steven Merchant). With Wheatley in tow the player is tasked with escaping from Aperture with their lives, without awakening a familiar artificial evil with a score to settle which lurks in the dark recesses of the Aperture facility. To escape Aperture the player must navigate a series of puzzle rooms within the facility, many of them outlandish and impossible looking to complete. Along with the bizarre formation of the rooms players also have to avoid obstacles such as Sentry Turrets - who will shoot the player on sight - lasers, contaminated water and bottomless pits. To aid Chell in achieving the goal of escaping Aperture the player retrieves the Portal Gun (or to use its proper name: The Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device) from the previous game from the depths of the decrepit and overgrown facility. With this gun the player is able to create two-way portals on any flat plane surface that retain the momentum that the player was travelling at when they entered the Portal. The player also receives Long Fall Boots, which replace the Advanced Knee Replacements from the original Portal and allow the player to fall from immense heights without injuring themselves. The graphics for this game live up to the impressive standard that Valve set with games such as Half-Life and the previous Portal installment. The story is predominantly told through in-game cut-scenes, but the scenes that are video rendered blend so seamlessly with the game play that this reviewer could barely tell the difference. The physics of the game are also quite true to life and sometimes it is just worth having a look around a puzzle room just to appreciate the amount of effort that must have gone into this game to bring such incredible details, such as the way various interactive gels spill and move exactly like real liquids to life. The game is full of the extremely funny and often absurd humour that Valve is famous for. For example, one noteworthy gag involves Combustible Lemons and their use in burning someone’s house down. This is added to by the inclusion of Stephen Merchant whose quick paced comedy fits the tone of the game to a tee. Other noteworthy voice talents include Ellen McLain (SPOILERS) who returns to voice series villain GLaDOS whose computer altered monotone insults and passive aggressiveness is hilarious as often as it is creepy. Actor J.K Simmons, most famous for his role as J. Jonah Jameson in the Sam Raimi Spiderman films, also makes an appearance voicing eccentric former Aperture CEO Cave Johnson, who makes the aforementioned noteworthy Combustible Lemons gag. The players’ character Chell, whose name is not actually mentioned in-game, is mute throughout the game. This was done in an effort to make the player feel as if they were actually the character whilst playing the game - another element that adds to this is the game’s FPS point of view which stops the player from getting a full view of the character. In fact, the only way the player can get an actual look at the character is to look at her through a Portal and even then the player can only see the back of the character. One criticism of the game, it could be argued, is that sometimes it relies too heavily in some parts on the player having either played or having some kind of knowledge of the previous Portal. This leads to many lines of dialogue being under-appreciated by players new to the Portal series due to their lack of knowledge. But that does not mean that players who have not played the previous Portal game should be put off from purchasing the game as the story is structured so that enough of its lore is explained within the first levels of play to make the game understandable and enjoyable. Portal 2 also comes with a multi-player campaign mode in which players take on the roles of Aperture robots, Atlas and P-body, who are created to be used solely for testing by (SPOILERS) series Villain GLaDOS. Atlas and P-body, who are both given portal guns, go on throughout the Co-op campaign to participate in completing a number of new test chambers many of which require the use of more than one portal gun to function as opposed to the test chambers in the main game which only require the use of one portal gun. Like most games released for the Xbox, PC/Mac or PS3 these days Portal 2 also comes with both free and purchasable downloadable content. Such content includes a free-add on to the campaign entitled ‘Peer Review’. The ‘Peer Review’ DLC extends the Co-op adventures of Atlas and P-body and also adds a new challenge mode for both Single and Co-op players (scores from the challenge mode are uploaded to leader boards on the Portal 2 website which can be viewed by other players, which explains the title of the DLC ‘Peer Review’) It could be argued that gamers looking for a full on futuristic action filled FPS may find themselves disappointed by this game, but fans of puzzle heavy game such as Tomb Raider will enjoy this game immensely. This reviewer personally recommends that every gamer should pick up a copy of this game and try it out. Many gamers who have previously dismissed puzzle heavy games may find themselves pleasantly surprised. By Adam Cooper

Mayweather v Pacquiao: The super-fight that may never be

WELTERWEIGHT champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. will step up in weight to challenge Miguel Cotto for his WBA light-middleweight title on May 5, writes Elliot Millward. The fight will take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas after ‘Money’ Mayweather was granted a one-fight license by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The commission voted 5-0 in favour of granting the license after a meeting held about the American’s pending jail sentence. He has to report for an 87-day jail sentence at Clark County Detention Centre in Las Vegas on June 1, following charges relating to a domestic violence incident in September 2010. With reference to the much-anticipated but increasingly elusive showdown with Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather tweeted: “I'm fighting Miguel Cotto on May 5 because Miss Pac Man is ducking me.” Boasting a perfect 42 fight unbeaten record, Mayweather is moving up to fight at 154-pounds for the second time, his previous bout at the weight being a split decision points win over Oscar De La Hoya in 2007. Cotto (37-2) stepped up to the light-middleweight division after losing to Pacquiao in 2009 and has won his last three fights, claiming the WBA title belt in the process. The three-weight world champion tweeted: “I'm back in the ring on May 5 and I will beat him.” Whilst the 31-year-old Puerto Rican is a very credible opponent for ‘Money’, being the third biggest pay-per-view draw in boxing after Mayweather and Pacquiao, the question on everyone’s lips is why the fight with Filipino Pacquiao was not made. The two are considered to be the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, yet still the super-fight everyone wants to see eludes us. The fight would be the richest in boxing history and both Mayweather and Pacquiao would earn career high paydays. Money is not the problem. In the upcoming Mayweather-Cotto fight both men have agreed to stringent Olympic style drugs testing. This was thought to be an issue with Pacquiao but both he and his trainer Freddie Roach have since denied this, so drugs testing should not be the problem either. Boxing is a notoriously political sport, with fighters being managed and promoted by different concerns, sometimes making it almost impossible to make fights. With Pacquiao being promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank and Mayweather by Golden Boy Promotions it has been very difficult for both parties to agree on all the stipulations of the fight, including blood testing, purse size and revenue split. With Pacquiao due to fight on June 9, most probably against American light-welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley, and Mayweather, 34, having to report for his jail sentence on June 1, the earliest the fight could be made is late 2012. What is now clear is that if the fight doesn’t happen soon, it will never happen. The more time that passes without the two sides agreeing a deal, the less likely it becomes that the fight will ever be made. Mayweather-Pacquiao could become the super-fight that never was.

Review: Dragon Age II

DRAGON AGE II is a role-playing video game developed by Bioware Edmonton Studio’s and published by Electronic Arts - Bioware being the company that produced the award winning Mass Effect series and recently released and critically acclaimed MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic. Set in the fictional mythical medieval world of Thedas introduced in the game’s predecessor Dragon Age: Origins, itself a critically acclaimed game in its own right, the player takes on the role of Hawke a Human Rouge, Mage or Warrior refugee from the nation of Fereldan, which has been attacked by a race of zombie-like creatures called the Darkspawn. You arrive in the city state of Kirkwall with his/her family to begin a new life following the destruction of his/her old one . The Player is tasked with improving Hawke’s status and financial situation in Kirkwall by any means necessary, including taking on missions from people with both honourable and dishonourable intentions. The narrative is linear and the story is meant to be that of the life of the Champion of Kirkwall (the player) by one of his closest friends who is undergoing an interrogation by a shadowy group. Like most role-playing games of late the player’s character is fully customizable. The player is able to change their characters, gender, looks, hair colour, armour and weapons to suit their own preference. The Graphics for this game live up to the high standard that Bioware previously set with other games such as Mass Effect. Both game-play and cut scene graphics are incredible and take full advantage of the processing power of their respective consoles. Many of the cut scenes rival Hollywood movie quality. Continuing the popular Bioware trend in role-playing gaming the game also contains a cut-scene dialogue menu system - first introduced in Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic - which allows the player to determine how their character responds to certain situations presented by other characters in the game. These options can often lead to events that have world-changing effects on the game itself. For example, allowing one character to live or die may have serious consequences later on. Many of these dialogue options also have effects on how the rest of the characters in the game see your character, either as a paragon of truth and justice or as a rouge mercenary of the worst kind. The game also contains a unique companion system which allows you to switch from controlling the main character of Hawke during battle to controlling one of Hawke’s many companions most of which he collects early on in the game, although Hawke remains the central character in most of the cut scenes. Some of these companions can even engage in a relationship with Hawke which leads to perks for both their character and yours. The Talent Tree system also allows the player to fully customise the moves and abilities of their character in a way that suits the game-playing style of the player, an example being that a melee warrior would customise their character talent tree with strength based moves and abilities with that favoured a melee style of combat. The game contains a heavily detailed back-story (called lore in-game) that provides information on enemies, creatures, races, people and the history of the world of Thedas and the city of Kirkwall itself. This information is normally rewarded for exploring areas in-game or defeating certain enemies. This information is very easy to take in and no prior knowledge of the series is needed to understand anything contained within it. Because of the graphic displays of gore, liberal amounts of swearing and scenes of perhaps a sexual nature, Dragon Age II earns its 18 rating. One criticism of the game could be that whilst it does provide hours of game-play (this player spent 50+ hours on his first play-through alone) it is obvious from the various dead-ends and un-explore-able areas in-game that Dragon Age II was supposed to be much larger and that, perhaps due to pressure from EA, who wanted to capitalize on the success of Dragon Age: Origins, it had to be rushed into completion. Dragon Age II boasts a number of great examples of downloadable content available from Xbox Live, the Playstation Network and the PC equivalent for a small fee. Downloadable Item Packs (two released so far) and add-on such as The Exiled Prince, The Black Emporium, Legacy and the Mark of the Assassin, open up new quests and fully explorable areas, add new items, introduce new characters and provide countless hours of fun and tons of enjoyable back-story to an epic game that players will want to play over and over again. By Adam Cooper

Chisora-Haye brawl: What is the damage to boxing?

SINCE the Chisora-Haye incident in Munich at the weekend the press has been saturated with reports generally condemning the two boxers, writes Elliot Millward. In the run-up to his fight with Vitali Klitschko, Dereck Chisora had embarrassed himself and British boxing with his antics. The slapping of his opponent at the weigh-in and spitting water in Wladimir Klitschko’s face attracted the wrong kind of headlines. But, contrary to most people's predictions, Chisora put on a good performance in the ring, taking Vitali the distance before losing on points. This brave display could in part have made up for his pre-fight behaviour but, sadly, this was not to be. In the post-fight press conference David Haye, in Munich working for Sky Sports' BoxNation, began trading ‘banter’ with the Klitschko’s manager Bernard Bonte about a possible fight between himself and Vitali. It was then suggested that Haye should fight Chisora. Things soon turned sour. After insults were exchanged between Haye and Chisora, the latter climbed down off the press table and walked up to his domestic rival, entourage in tow. Haye threw a punch and a fracas erupted, causing carnage in the press room and leaving Haye’s manager Adam Booth with a head wound. Classless The Klitschkos and the boxing public must believe that British boxers are classless, first Chisora’s pre-fight shenanigans and then a post-fight brawl. Damage has been done to British boxing by the two men behaving in such a manner. Yet there is no doubt that this is nothing new to boxing. Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis were involved in a press conference fracas before their 2002 clash. Trevor Berbick and Larry Holmes exchanged insults after their 1991 heavyweight fight, which resulted in Holmes jumping off a car and drop-kicking Berbick. Two other heavyweights brawled in 1994 when Herbie Hide and Michael Bentt scrapped outside a London hotel before their WBO world title fight. While episodes such as the Chisora-Haye one are not new to boxing, that does not diminish the embarrassment and damage that such a high-profile incident does to the sport. Both men should be duly punished in whatever ways possible and then boxing can move on. Once this happens boxing can get back to being what it truly is, ‘the noble art’.

Fears of hooligan trouble after Ajax Europa League tie

POLICE have stepped up security amid fears of organised violence erupting between Ajax Amsterdam and Manchester United fans after tonight’s second leg Europa League tie. More than 1,000 Ajax fans have travelled to Manchester without tickets and some admitted they have no plans to attend the match at Old Trafford. Just last week, 76 Ajax fans were arrested for causing trouble in the Amsterdam's notorious red light district before the first leg of the Europa League tie. An Ajax fan from Amsterdam who gave his name as Sander, said: "Trouble will kick off tonight and there are plans to fight with Manchester United’s firm." He understood hooligans from both sides had arranged to meet after the game in a residential area near the stadium. The Ajax fan added: “There are fans with a warrant in Holland that have only come to England to start a fight. “They want to make a name for Ajax in Europe, through fighting,” He claimed police officers went into the hotel he is staying at in Manchester with other fans to check their belongings in preparation for any trouble. Greater Manchester Police confirmed there would be a strong presence of police officers on the city's streets and more than a usual Premiership football match. Chief Superintendent Mark Roberts, the match commander, said: “Greater Manchester Police has a policing operation in place ahead of tonight’s Europa League match between Manchester United and Ajax Amsterdam. "There are a number of football fans in the city at the moment and the atmosphere is largely friendly but we are on hand to deal with any issues or disorder that may arise.’’ Erik and AJ, two Ajax fans from Amsterdam, said they did not think the supporters will cause any disorder and that last week’s arrests were not representative of supporters. Erik said: “I can’t imagine any hostility between Ajax and Manchester United fans. I can’t see why anything would happen. “In Amsterdam, they just like to arrest people.” Another fan, Renee, who came over for the match this morning, said he expected things to remain calm as well. He added: “It’s not like the rivalry between United and Liverpool. We are just here to enjoy ourselves and watch a football match in the Theatre of Dreams.” By Jason Gallagher and Alex Dorweiler

College finance head tagged for drink drive crash

MANCHESTER College's head of finance crashed her car following a drunken row with her partner, a court heard. Gillian Mangnall, 47, of Redwood, Westhoughton, Bolton, pleaded guilty at Manchester Magistrates' Court to one charge of driving with excess alcohol. The court heard she was three times over the legal limit when she crashed her car into railings after an argument with her partner. Mangnall was banned from driving for 24 months, ordered to wear an electronic tag and to stay in her home between 6am and 8pm for eight weeks. Tess Kenyon, prosecuting, told magistrates that Mangnall was found by police behind the wheel of her damaged Vauxhall Astra shortly after midnight on January 14 on Cleggs Lane, Little Hulton with the engine still running. She said that officers asked if Mangnall had been drinking, she said: "I am drunk, I've had eight gins." The court heard she was breathalyzed and found to have had 101 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35. Magistrates were told by Carl Johnson, defending, said the incident was 'the culmination of difficult times' for Mangnall. The week of the crash marked the first anniversary of her mother's death and her step father was seriously ill in Spain. Mr Johnson said those problems put a strain on her relationship with her partner. He said: "She has an issue with grief, and the death of her mother had hit her very hard. She accepts her behaviour was a result of these unresolved issues. "She feels a huge amount of remorse and has no other convictions after 28 years driving." The court heard that on the night of the crash, Mangnall had been at her partner's home and, after drinking eight glasses of gin, the two had a row. She jumped into her car and drove home in what her solicitor described as a 'moment of poor judgement' . She lost control and crashed into a set of steel railings near a roundabout. Chair of Magistrates, Larry Collier, told Mangnall: "This is an embarrassing situation for you, especially as your college principal has given us some exemplary references of you. "We accept you are remorseful but you are in an embarrassing situation considering you will have to wear a tag." The court heard Mangnall was ashamed and worried about the prospect of having to tell her family about her conviction. She was also ordered to pay £85 costs and enrolled on the Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course. A spokeswoman for the Manchester College said Mangnall will not lose her job. She said: "Gillian Mangnall is our Head of Finance. The Manchester College is aware of the outcome of this case. "We consider this conviction to be a serious and personal matter, which will not impact her role with the College. "She has our full support at this time." By Todd Fitzgerald

Students could 'lose out' over course cuts

A SALFORD student leader has criticised university bosses for cutting courses "solely on financial viability," writes Alison Carter. Caroline Dangerfield, President of the Salford University Students' Union, spoke after a study revealed that 40 per cent of programmes had been ditched in the north west over the last six years. She understands that Salford is this year planning on cutting Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma courses and foundation degrees, as well as postgraduate programmes in a “strategic decision”. Ms Dangerfield said that treating a university "like a business is harmful to students." She added: “It is frustrating and disappointing where choices are driven by finances and not student choice. "We are not business, education should be at the heart of our decision making." Over the last year, Salford has been assessing programmes and modules in a cost-cutting exercise. Ms Dangerfield spoke of her concern about removing the foundation degree route for potential students. She said it was important to keep courses “vibrant and diverse” but felt “rash” decision making was affecting this aim. The university was unable to confirm how many courses were being cut but a spokesman said: "The University is committed to providing a wide range of courses which meet the needs of industry and demand from applicants. As such, we review all of our courses continually and introduce and withdraw programmes according to the levels of demand within the economy.” University courses on offer around the country have been cut by more than a quarter over the past six years, a study by the University and College Union (UCU) has shown. The study found that funding cuts are affecting course availability which could be damaging to students. The North-West is seeing a 40% cut in the amount of university courses on offer which is one of the highest reduction figures in the country. UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: "While successive governments have been dreaming up new ways to increase the cost of going to university, the range of subjects available to students has fallen massively. As well as falling numbers of courses on offer around the country the January statistics for UCAS have revealed an overall 7.4 per cent drop in the number of applicants to universities in the UK compared to last year. There has been an even larger reduction in the number of applicants from England at almost 10 per cent.

Salford working class library in survival battle

AN HISTORIC Salford library faces a fight for survival after its council funding was slashed by a third. Visitor numbers have soared at the Working Class Movement Library on Salford Crescent since it was refurbished using a £313,000 Lottery grant. But bosses now need to raise £80,000 to maintain the site after Salford Council told them this week they would face cuts. Library manager Lynette Cawthra admitted the cash was needed to "keep them going." She said: “We are considerably busier than we were before the lottery project, so to keep somebody here to answer the doorbell – that’s what the money will be for. It really is key for our future.” The 25-year-old library has seen a five-fold increase in visitors following a three year cash injection from the Lottery Heritage Trust. The grant enabled the base, run by more than 50 volunteers, to create an online catalogue of the collection and to refurbish the reception area, but ended in May 2011. The library, which Labour politician Tony Benn once described as "one of the greatest educational institutions in Britain", contains books, pamphlets and artefacts dating back to the 1760s. They document the political struggles of the working classes, from the Luddite movement to modern trade union battles. The library is in line for a publicity boost as it is among three finalists in the national Connect10 competition that could see award-winning British photographer Simon Roberts use it as the centre-piece for a new project. The competition, run by government-sponsored website Culture24 as part of its Museums at Night initiative, is aimed at connecting contemporary artists with galleries, museums and heritage sites in the UK. The winner is decided after a public vote, which is open until the 5th March – you can vote here. Mrs Cawthra believes winning the competition will attract more donors. She said: “We’re a really small organisation and we don’t have the capacity to organise things like this unless we have some support. “Our funding is largely from individuals who are friends of the library and from trade unions who support us, but obviously we need to spread it out beyond the immediate supporters.” The library was launched in the 1950s as the personal collection of Salford activists Eddie and Ruth Frow. Their collection gradually increased and in 1987, Salford Council agreed to house the library in its current location in Victorian building Jubilee House. by Jack Davenport

'No show' for LGBT history month finale

THE final event of Salford University's LGBT history month has been scrapped due to “miscommunication” between staff and the Manchester Lesbian and Gay Chorus, writes Helga Bjorgulfsdottir. Organisers had planned four weeks of events to raise awareness of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender/transsexual issues, but the finale has been axed at the last minute. Event officer Harriet Morgan-Shami for the LGBT staff network said they had planned for the Manchester Lesbian and Gay Chorus to perform for two hours on Thursday, 29 February 2012. But the choir believed they were due to give a 30-minute show. Ms Morgan-Shami said the network did not think it was worth having people buy tickets for such a short show. She said: “There weren’t that many people who had bought tickets to the show either. "We’re not going to schedule anything else instead, we’ve had five other events in the month and we thought it was enough.” The chorus has been invited to attend a conference on Faith and Sexuality which is going to be held in September, but this has not been confirmed. The LGBT history month had boasted the event was going to be “fantastic” and “good fun”. The events have been well attended with Arts Council representatives showing up for the Storytelling Workshop which was in the beginning of the month. Other events that were held this month were a pub quiz, a lecture on contemporary digital media, gender and sexuality and transgender equality training.

Playing for England

IT'S the ultimate pub quiz question. Who has played for England more times than Peter Shilton? The answer is probably not what you would expect. It’s not Beckham, nor Charlton, not even Emile Heskey, but the England Supporters Band. (Cue The Great Escape) The band has been at every international, home and away, since their first appearance in 1996. But what do we know about the men behind the trumpets? Three years before their first ‘cap’, Sheffield Wednesday fan John Hemmingham snuck a bugle he’d bought ‘for a laugh’ into Everton’s Goodison Park ground. With just ten minutes to play and The Owls two goals to the good, John plucked up the (Dutch) courage and started to play. “The lads knew I’d got it up my jumper”, says John, “and they said ‘go on play a tune’, so I did the fanfare for aida and everyone went mad”. The madness alerted Trevor Francis, Wednesday manager at the time, who somehow got hold of John’s number and urged him to form a band. “He said they’d buy us some drums,” John reveals, “so I rang the lads. I spoke to Murray our drummer and said ‘do you fancy banging a drum?’ He’s never banged a drum in his life before now but said ‘yeah, I’ll do it.’ It was a similar story for other members. “We’re not musicians,” stresses John, “we’re football fans.” It’s a point John is keen to drum home (if you’ll excuse the pun). “The guy on the terrace isn’t Pavarotti, he doesn’t practice. And we haven’t practiced in 18 years,” he adds. So how do a group of lads with limited musical experience get picked to represent their country? “We were 1-0 up away at Arsenal. We’d beaten them at home loads of times but never away, not in my lifetime, so we were going berserk and the fans were too,” John explained. “Glenn Hoddle was in the crowd, along with David Davies and they thought, ‘they’re making a difference, we could do with them for England.” “He rang me up the next day and said, ‘will you play for England?’ I said of course we’ll play for England!” Not long after and John and his band of musical men were making their debuts against Poland at Wembley. Ahead of the game the back page of The Sun had been dedicated to the band, alongside the headline, ‘Glenn’s Band of Hope And Glory’. The media attention was doing them no favours, though. “The worst thing could’ve been, after all that publicity, going down and then losing ‘cos they’d have blamed us,” recalls John. “But luckily for us, Shearer saved the day and we won.” They haven’t missed a game since. Fifteen years on, has the novelty worn off? Type their name into Facebook and you’ll find a number of anti-band pages. These include the colourfully titled, ‘England “supporters” band SHUT THE F**K UP’, the similarly unpleasant ‘The England supporters band are f**king annoying!’ and the cleaner alternative, ‘Ban the England supporters band’. But John is unconcerned by the opposition groups. “It’s up to them,” he says. “Often they don’t have the full knowledge of what we’re about. We accept we’re not everyone’s cup of tea and we’ve said on occasion if we weren’t doing it and we ended up sat next to a drum, we wouldn’t be that happy either. “But if you end up sat next to a drum that’s your fault, you should know where we are by now,” he jokes. At club level though, they seem to have the majority of fans onside. After a row with former Wednesday chairman Dave Allen in 2004, the band found themselves forced out of Hillsborough. But following Allen’s resignation five years later, Wednesdayite’s voted in favour of bringing them back to their spiritual home on the Kop. “Every time there’s been a vote, the fans have agreed to have us back. That says it all really,” says John proudly. “When Dave Allen did the vote originally, they voted 86% in favour.” Former player John Pearson spent five years at Hillsborough during the eighties and has also commentated on The Owls for BBC Radio Sheffield. He agrees with that decision. “I’ve always enjoyed the band, I think it brings a bit of brightness,” says Pearson. Speaking on the impact they can have on fans, he adds: “One game which sticks in the mind was at Norwich, it wasn’t a great game and I found myself watching the band and the fans. They were unbelievable. “I think Norwich beat us that day, but when the (Wednesday) fans parted out of the ground their fans stood up and clapped them”. Pearson believes the impact on the supporters can also transcend on to the pitch: “I think the whole momentum of the supporters getting behind them (the players) can help, and if the band helps the supporters even more I think it does have an impact on the side”. This confidence in the band persuaded John to give up a comfortable life running his own truck business. “I was given the choice of a normal everyday job or the band and I chose the band,” he tells us. Exposure on a national level has led to books, albums and sponsorship deals. But the band isn’t exactly raking in the money. “It washes its face, shall we say,” he says. But the opportunities appear to outweigh any possible financial gain. “We went to Beijing for the Olympics; we’ve been to Vegas five times with Ricky Hatton.” And that’s before we get to all the World Cup’s. They don’t do it all for nothing though. “Everything other than football we charge for,” John points out. This allows him to pay for travel and tickets etc. It also means he can support his wife of five years and John insists the band doesn’t always restrict family life. “When there’s a tournament she often comes with us, and some of the other lads will take their wives as well. We do the tournament and then stay for a holiday afterwards.” His job has also given him the chance to mingle with the stars. “We’ve done four or five singles, one with Madness, one with Ant and Dec, one with Chris Kamara last year. “We’ve been on Soccer AM 29 times. Helen Chamberlain is a personal friend of mine.” Despite all of this, he keeps himself grounded. “Nob’dy likes a big ‘ead,” he says in his broad South Yorkshire accent. “I am a normal bloke and that’s the good thing about us. We’re no different to anyone else on the Kop at Hillsborough.” But what happens when the band has to choose between club and country? Does one take priority over another? “We split,” he says abruptly. “We’re not one or the other, like a normal fan. Are you Wednesday or are you England? Why can’t you be both?” With no intention of hanging up their… brass, any time soon, The Supporters Band will be hopefully be playing for club and country for a long time to come. By Aiden Cusick

Kendal Calling 2012 festival line-up announced

DIZZY RASCAL, Maximo Park, James and Andy C are set to headline Kendal Calling 2012 (27 - 29 July), writes Alex Fenton. Rascal clearly loves Kendal Calling. In 2008, he flew in from Ibiza to perform at the festival before flying back again, 'cos that's how he rolls. Meanwhile, drum and bass legend Andy C may be new to Kendal, but like Dizzy he is a true master of his trade and will dazzle the crowd at this year’s event. Kendal Calling truly has something for everyone. Once again the festival organisers have mastered the art of the eclectic and diverse line-up with James and Maximo Park to inject some powerhouse, headlining guitar-based energy. Tim Burgess of the Charlatans returns to Kendal Calling to host 'Tim's Diner' after last year's excellent acoustic set while festival stalwarts Dreadzone and Utah Saints will raise the tempo. Lancashire’s finest party regulars, The Blowjangles carnival band and The Lancashire Hotpots join the fun for some “by ‘eck” zany fun and are not to be missed. Vintage Trouble blew the roof off the festival last year with their high octane grooves. They return again and will be a massive crowd pleaser. Some old indie favourites join the 2012 line-up in the shape of Inspiral Carpets, Dodgy and Shed 7. This first wave of acts is impressive, but with over 100 artists still to be announced, it will be another good year. The festival is scheduled as always at the end of July in the stunning setting of Lowther Deer Park in the Lake District. Setting up shop in 2006, Kendal Calling hit the ground running with some amazing acts playing to less than 1000 people in the first year.Since then, Kendal Calling has collected bucket-fuls of nominations and awards including Best Small Festival Live UK award 2011 & UK Festival Award 2010. The number of tickets and quality levels are raised each year meaning it sells out very quickly. 2012 will be no exception with yet another crowd-pleasing line up to add to the festival's growing reputation. For a small festival, Kendal Calling impresses each year with its bands. The true mark of such a popular festival, however, is the ‘other stuff’. Real Ale tents, inspired fancy dress, circus acts, Professors in residence, comedy and some really quirky and beautiful décor combine to make this an innovative, witty festival not to be missed. FESTIVAL DATES: FRIDAY 27TH – SUNDAY 29TH JULY 2012 Lowther Deer Park, Hackthorpe, The Lake District TICKET PRICE: £105 ADULT / £50 11-15YR OLDS / UNDER 11 FREE Tickets available from 9am, Thurs 23rd Feb at www.ticketline.co.uk

Boy, 16, stabbed at Swinton party

A SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD boy was one of two stab victims when a party ended in violence in Swinton.The teenager and a 20-year-old man were attacked at a flat party on Chorley Road, just after midnight, on Sunday (January 8).Police were called to the flat above the Mobilezone shop following reports of a disturbance at the party.The boy sustained wounds to his chest and cuts to his neck, back and chin. The man was treated in hospital for three stab wounds to his chest. Their injuries are not believed to be life threatening.Det Con, Neil Higginson, of Salford CID said: "It is unclear exactly what happened but what we do know is that this party ended in violence and two people suffered stab wounds. Anytime a knife is used to attack someone it has the potential to seriously injure or even kill."Police urge anyone who was a witness at the party, or anyone with any information to get in touch on: 0161 856 5351 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.By Fiza Ikram

Blue Peter garden uprooted to Salford

THE sun shone on Salford as Princess Anne joined TV stars to officially open the new Blue Peter garden at MediaCityUK. The Princess Royal earned her Blue Peter badge by planting a tree and unveiling a plaque to mark the opening. Presenters Helen Skelton and Barney Harwood (pictured) broadcast from the garden and interviewed the princess for a special edition of the classic children’s TV show. The original garden, designed by veteran gardener Percy Thrower in 1974, has been brought up from London to join Blue Peter at its new home at the BBC studios in Salford. Presenter Barney Harwood said: “Piece by piece, brick by brick, slab by slab the team have broken down the Blue Peter garden and rebuilt it like an amazingly, massive very heavy jigsaw.” Many of the much-loved features from the garden have also placed their roots up here. Bec Greenwood the show's assistant producer said all the best-loved features of the garden have been moved, including a time capsule buried in 1998, the memorial statue of Blue Peter dog Petra, the sun dial, birdbath and the hand and paw prints of the presenters and pets. The garden is now next to the MediaCityUK tram stop and forms part of the communal garden for all to enjoy. Local schoolchildren watched as the garden was unveiled and even spoke to the princess and their favourite TV stars. Deputy head teacher Andy Marchant from Wilbraham Primary School in Fallowfield said his year six pupils were really excited. Recently returned from her Sport Relief South Pole Challenge, presenter Helen Skelton said: “The garden’s been such a long time coming, it feels like years. People care about the show and I’m just pleased people can finally come and appreciate the garden.” It is only two months since Princess Anne was last at Salford Quays for The Royal Variety Performance at The Lowry. Blue Peter editor, Tim Levell, said: “Princess Anne thought it was a great idea to bring the garden up here. “She wanted to know about the flowers and to make sure that the tree was British. It is, it’s a silver birch.” Princes Anne is the patron of the Jubilee Woods Project run by the Woodlands Trust, which aims to plant six million trees across the UK in 2012, to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee this year. Steve Marsh from the Woodland Trust said: “We want to get everyone planting trees. We’ve got about 900,000 so far – and this one counts as one towards it!” Tim Levell added : “It’s good because there’s a nice story to tell on the programme about the Jubilee Woods Project and kids can get involved. "I think today’s gone fantastically.” by Sian Davies and Anna Sharrock

VIDEO: How-Do top 100 special

AS north west media news experts How-Do celebrated the region's top 100 movers and shakers, Quays TV News were there to cover the event. Broadcasting live from MediaCityUK, our special programme includes exclusive interviews with some of the north west’s foremost prominent media figures who attended the glittering MediaCityUK event. Watch the programme again.

Fourth man jailed following kidnap and torture investigation

A MAN has been jailed in connection with the abduction and torture of a Salford man. Isaac Nathan Hodges, 23, is the fourth man to be jailed following the violent attack.The victim, a 27-year-old from Salford, was leaving his flat in Fusion Apartments on Tuesday 10th November 2009 before he noticed he was being followed by four men in a dark car. He was then chased by the offenders and was blocked in and dragged out of his car as he approached a Chinese warehouse. The man was put through a violent six hour ordeal in which he was tied up, punched repeatedly, stamped on, and stabbed in the leg. Subsequently, they forced the victim to call his brother and tell him he needed money urgently. The offenders met his brother in Ardwick where they took the cash off him. The victim only escaped when he was left alone briefly; he was in hospital for three days. Hodges, of Repton Avenue in Droylsden, pleaded guilty to kidnap, blackmail and false imprisonment before Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court and was jailed for a total of ten years. Other men jailed for the attack at earlier hearings include Clifton Cameron who was jailed for 11 and a half years and Ashley Clarke and Alexander Valensky, both sentenced to 11 years imprisonment. Detective Constable Dan Worthington said: "The impact of this incident on the victim cannot be overstated, so it is only right that these offenders have been given lengthy sentences." He added: "I hope today's result will help the victim's recovery."

ISOC Salford raises money for Human International Appeal

SALFORD'S Islamic Society raised more than £2,000 in two weeks for Human International Appeal by hosting exciting and entertaining activities. From February 6 to 17, ISOC set up chocolate fountain displays and stalls selling books, art canvases and homemade cakes across the university’s main campus. Other events included ‘Get Fit for Charity’ and a ‘Fifa Tournament’ which had an amazing response from donors. Activities co-ordinator Maryum Khan, of the Islamic Society said: “We have been looking at our buckets and they have been filling up really fast”. Each year, Islamic Societies across Britain organise events and activities to raise money for a charity of their choice. Last year the society raised £700 for Islamic Relief, but wanted to make it bigger and better this year. The funds raised will go to Human International Appeal which specialises in providing safe water to orphans in underprivileged communities since 1991. In the coming weeks, Salford’s ISOC are planning more events such as ‘Islam Awareness Week’ from February, 27 – March, 2 and ‘Syria Crisis Week’ March, 5 to 11. If you are interested in joining ISOC or simply want to volunteer then feel free to contact a member of the committee on ussuislamic@gmail.com By Fiza Ikram and Fizah Tahir

Darts: Phil Taylor still has the power

AS the 2012 Premier League darts season got underway, the main talking point was whether Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor’s reign at the top was coming to an end. The 15 times world champion had looked more vulnerable in the final few months of last season. After dropping out of the world championship at the second round stage for the first time in his career, some suggested his aura of invincibility had left him. But a new season can bring new hope. Taylor headed into the new campaign straight off the back of winning the World Cup with Adrian Lewis. In doing so he recorded the second highest average of the tournament and the second highest average in a single match, hardly the sign of a player on the wane. In keeping with this, the first Premier League week at Manchester’s M.E.N Arena saw Taylor average a monster 112.79 and hit eight 180’s in a 14 leg match. This was all the more meritorious when you consider he was 5-1 down to Lewis early in the match, who incidentally averaged a superb 104.05. From an impossible position against the two times world champion, ‘The Power’ rescued a point as they drew 7-7. Week two, from Aberdeen, saw Taylor play Kevin Painter. Again, the Stoke man was behind in the match, 5-3 down. Again, he somehow found his stride to hit a nine darter in the middle of a five leg run - his 11 televised maximum – on his way to an 8-5 victory. The third week saw Taylor renew rivalry with old foe and five times world champion Raymond Van Barneveld in Belfast. ‘The Power’ was straight out of the blocks this time, sweeping to a 4-0 lead against the Dutchman who, to his credit, managed to win four legs making it to a double before Taylor. Still, the result was an emphatic 8-4 win for Taylor with a whopping 112.91 three dart average. Twice in the last five years speculation has mounted as to the decline of the greatest player to grace the game of darts. Both times he has come back stronger than before. In 2008/09 Taylor won two more world titles after supposedly being past it. And now he is smashing in three dart averages as if he’s buying milk at the supermarket. On this evidence, tales of the demise of ‘The Power’ are seemingly a tad premature. The king is not dead, long live the king. by Brian Cruickshank

Cheshire Cheese Company wheel to victory

Amy Hughes has been on the scent of the 200-year-old cheese rolling competition in Chester. THE Cheshire Cheese Rolling competition brought an upset as five-times reigning champions The Cheese Shop were dethroned by debutants The Cheshire Cheese Company. Tipped as hot favourites to retain their title, The Cheese Shop’s dreams of a sixth successive victory melted when they met the champions-elect in the semi-final. . That saw the Cheshire Cheese Company square up to Chorlton Cheese in the final. The race was painstakingly close with The Cheshire Cheese Company just taking the lead and the title. The Lady Mayoress of Chester Eleanor Johnson presented the trophy declaring the newcomers Champion Cheese Rollers 2012. It was also the Mayoress’ first time at the “wonderful competition”, which keeps a 200-year tradition going for the city. Steve Murrell of The Cheshire Cheese Company, said of the win: “This is absolutely fantastic. It is our first time at the cheese rolling event as well.” The Cheshire Cheese brand is only 12 months-old and adds this latest gong to two world cheese awards and an international cheese award. They were the best of six groups in this year’s competition - The Cheese Shop, Yog-art, Chartlon Cheese, The Cheshire Cheese Company, Taste Cheshire and Dee 106.3 – and confirmed they will be back next year to defend their title. This 200 year-old tradition was created in order for the cheese makers of Cheshire to compete over who had the best, most durable cheese. Nowadays wooden replicas are used instead of a real cheese wheel as it would be a waste of perfectly good cheese to use the real thing. Event organiser, Stephen Wundke of Taste Cheshire, explained how the competition benefits Chester as a city: “It is a great publicity vehicle for the city and it is great to highlight all the brilliant cheese makers we have in Cheshire.” The event starts on Eastgate Street, where the ceremonial cheese – provided this year by the Joseph Heller brand of Cheshire cheese - is carried by the Mayor/Mayoress to the ‘Cross’ at the heart of Chester city centre. Competition rules state the cheese must never leave the ground unless an obstacle calls for it, no throwing the wheel, and there must be four on each team. The competition itself is a relay obstacle course, which each member of the team must go down and back up before passing the wheel to another member. Once all members have completed the course, their times are recorded and they then go into heats until the final. Spectator, Hannah Scott, 19, said: “I love seeing adults being so competitive. It’s just good fun.” This competition also marks the six-week run-up to the Chester Food, Drink and Lifestyle Festival which is being held over Easter weekend this year. June Mooney, Chair of the Festival, said it will be “bigger and better” this year. She added: “It’s the year of the giant, so we’re going to be the giant festival this year.” The Chester Food, Drink and Lifestyle festival offers something for all ages including cookery demonstrations, sampling and unique products. To book tickets for the event go to: www.chesterfoodanddrink.co.uk

E-Fit released of Higher Broughton knife robber suspect

POLICE have released a picture of a man wanted for a knife-point robbery on a schoolboy, writes Rochelle Travers. The 16-year-old victim was threatened and had his bag stolen on Bury New Road, Higher Broughton. The man approached the victim with a ‘dagger-style’ knife and demanded he hand over his bag before fleeing. A few days later the bag was recovered in a graveyard on Moore Lane in Higher Broughton. None of its contents were missing. Police Constable Michelle Ingham said: "This boy was minding his own business when he was threatened with violence. Thankfully he has managed to give a description and help put together an e-fit.”The offender is described as a white man in his mid 20s with a shaven head. He is about 5ft 8 and is of athletic build. The knifeman was dressed in a black zipped jacket with tracksuit bottoms and wearing a black cap. Greater Manchester Police is treating the attack as an isolated incident.The incident occurred at around 8.10pm on Monday 20 February. GMP urge anyone who recognises the e-fit or with any information relating to this incident to call the police on 0161 856 5186 or call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

PM leads tributes to Raoul Moat victim PC David Rathband

THE Prime Minister led tributes today to the "extraordinarily brave" blinded policeman David Rathband who has been found dead at his home in a suspected suicide. The 44-year-old father-of-two became another victim of crazed gunman Raoul Moat, who blasted him twice in the face as he sat unarmed in his patrol car in July 2010.PC Rathband's body was discovered in Blyth, Northumberland, last night after officers received a report of concern for his welfare.A Northumbria Police spokesman said no-one was being sought in connection with the incident.David Cameron said: "I met David, he was an extraordinarily brave man, and after his horrific injuries he did an enormous amount for charities and for other injured police officers, and for families who had lost police officers in the line of duty."Northumbria Chief Constable Sue Sim said: "In July 2010 his life changed for ever when he was shot and blinded by Raoul Moat."David showed outstanding bravery in what was a terrifying situation."He was a dedicated officer who acted in the best traditions of the police service."He set up PC David Rathband's Blue Lamp Foundation to help members of the emergency services injured by a criminal act while at work.Patron Duncan Bannatyne, the entrepreneur and TV star, told Radio4's Today programme that PC Rathband took painkillers to cope with the agony of his facial injuries."If it wasn't for that, he would have coped with his blindness," he said."I thought he was doing OK. I just wish I had been in contact with him and spent more time with him."A well-wisher who left flowers at the officer's home said PC Rathband was Raoul Moat's last victim.Further tributes were paid to the officer today. Police Federation chairman Paul McKeever said: "He exemplified the very best of British policing and had the respect of all those who knew or worked alongside him."This is a very sad day for the police family. David will be sorely missed but never forgotten."Sir Hugh Orde, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "He was an officer who personified the values of British policing, showing the utmost bravery when faced with danger in the line of duty."Flowers left at his home had a card which said: "You didn't deserve this. You were only doing your job like so many of us do every day. These past 19 months have taken us all on a journey. You have been an inspiration. We will continue that journey. And we will look after Kath and the kids."Writer Tony Parsons tweeted: "PC David Rathband did not commit suicide - he was murdered by Raoul Moat as surely as if he had left him dead by the side of that road. RIP."Carol Vorderman, a patron of the officer's foundation, tweeted: "Terrible news - the death of PC David Rathband."As a Pride of Britain winner, he was a star. We're praying this morning for Kath, Ash and Mia x"Entertainment company boss Paul Garner, of Walton Avenue, Blyth, completed a sponsored walk with the policeman at the launch of his Blue Lamp Foundation charity. The father-of-two said PC Rathband died wanting answers as to why he was targeted by Moat.Placing his bouquet close to the front door of Rathband's new-build three-bedroom semi-detached house on Heather Lea at Bebside, in Blyth, he said: "David was one of the bravest men I have ever met."He was full of kindness and dignity despite what had happened to him.""He kept on keeping on as long as he could but it all became too much to take. Now Raoul Moat has killed him too."A large bouquet of white daisies bound with two Blue Lamp Foundation wristbands was laid at the PC's back gate.A note pinned to it read: "David. You are at peace now my friend. Enjoy it. Have a fag without getting wrong. Have a game of golf."You didn't deserve this. You were only doing your job like so many of us do every day."These past 19 months have taken us all on a journey. You have been an inspiration. We will continue that journey."And we will look after Kath and the kids. Adios amigo. Peter and all at Bluelamp. xxx."The back door to PC Rathband's home was covered with a strip of plywood where glass had been smashed.The officer's twin Darren was travelling from Australia to be with the family. PC Rathband had only returned from there at the weekend.A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "At around 7pm, officers received a report of concern for the welfare of PC David Rathband at his home in Blyth."Officers attended the scene alongside the ambulance service and he was found inside. He was declared dead at the scene."A police investigation is under way and officers are in the process of notifying the family."The coroner has been informed."Former bouncer Moat was the subject of a huge manhunt as he evaded capture for a week before shooting himself dead after a stand-off with police in Rothbury, Northumberland.On July 3 2010, he had shot and injured his former partner Samantha Stobbart, 22, and killed her new boyfriend, Chris Brown, 29.The following day, after declaring he was now "hunting for officers", Moat crept up on armed PC Rathband as he sat in his marked police car at a roundabout above the A1.PC Rathband was shot twice and saved his own life by pretending to be dead.He was rushed to Newcastle General Hospital and underwent surgery but lost the sight in both eyes and was left with more than 200 shotgun pellets lodged in his skull.The officer, who joined Northumbria Police in 2000, later announced he was suing the force after he was left "a sitting duck" when gunman Moat declared war on police during his rampage.PC Rathband announced on Twitter in November that he and his wife Kath were separating permanently.Two months earlier he issued a statement saying he was to "live separately from his wife and family".But that statement stressed the move was not linked to his recent arrest on suspicion of assaulting her.Karl Ness, 26, and Qhuram Awan, 23, who helped Moat during his rampage, were jailed for life in March last year.Both were found guilty of the attempted murder of PC Rathband as well as other charges.After they were sentenced, the officer said: "These two individuals, along with the other coward who wasn't man enough to stay here, have taken my job from me."PA."

Monkees show to go on despite death of Davy Jones

A MUSICAL about The Monkees will still premiere in Manchester despite the death of singer Davy Jones, organisers have said. The show Monkee Business will go ahead as planned at Manchester Opera House later this month.The Manchester-born frontman of the 60s hit group The Monkees, who lived in Hollywood, Florida, was rushed to hospital on Wednesday suffering from a suspected heart attack, but could not be resuscitated.A spokesperson for the musical's producers said: “We hope that Monkee Business will be seen as it was always intended, a loving tribute to all of The Monkees and a celebration of their lives and careers. Our thoughts and prayers are with Davy’s family and friends at this sad time”. Tributes have been flooding in for Jones (pictured above), who was born in Openshaw. Former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr said: "I was listening to some Monkees records recently, I like a lot of them. He has a legacy because people are talking about him today. There are a lot of musicians who have passed away who people don't remember. And he was from Manchester as well and he looked good and had good hair."Jones's former bandmate Peter Tork said in a statement on Facebook: "It is with great sadness that I reflect on the sudden passing of my long-time friend and fellow-adventurer, David Jones. "His talent will be much missed; his gifts will be with us always. My deepest sympathy to Jessica and the rest of his family. Adios, to the Manchester Cowboy. Peace and love, Peter T."John Lennon’s son Julian paid tribute on Twitter: “RIP Davy…you did some great work! Condolences to the Jones family”. Former BBC Radio One DJ Dave Lee Travis described Davy as a ‘very nice guy’ and spoke of the impact of The Monkees: “I suppose The Monkees were the first boy band - but the whole point was that they were a lot of fun”. Jones found fame as the frontman of the 60s group, who had nine top 40 hits including I'm A Believer, Daydream Believer and Last Train To Clarksville. Jones also starred in Coronation Street in 1961, playing the grandson of Corrie legend Ena Sharples. Jones is survived by his third wife Jessica, his four daughters, Talia Jones, Sarah McFadden, Jessica Cramar and Annabel Jones - three sisters, Hazel Wilkinson, Beryl Leigh and Lynda Moore, and three grandchildren, Harrison and Lauren McFadden and Phoenix Burrows. Monkee Business runs from March 30 to April 14 at The Opera House. For more information and ticket details go to www.atgtickets.com. By Matthew Riding

Police name injured student found in ditch

A STUDENT found critically injured in a Fallowfield park has been named by police as Manchester University undergraduate Daniel Whiteley. The 19-year-old, from Barnsley, was rescued by emergency services from a ditch at the bottom of an embankment in Platt Fields Park shortly before 5:35am on Tuesday. Police were alerted by a member of the public who found the injured first year English student.Daniel sustained multiple head and body injuries and required emergency surgery. He currently remains in Salford Royal Hospital in a critical condition. According to police, the injuries were the result of a serious assault, and detectives are now trying to determine the events leading up to his discovery. Detective Inspector Terry Crompton, from Longsight CID, and specially trained police officers have been working closely with the Daniel’s family and Manchester University to support his friends. He said: “A team of detectives remain dedicated to this case, to establish who assaulted Daniel before he was found lying at the bottom of the embankment on Tuesday morning.“If you were in the Platt Fields Park or surrounding area on Monday night or Tuesday morning and saw or heard anything you think may be linked to this case, then please get in touch with us. We are determined to establish the facts so we can provide Daniel’s family with some much needed answers.“However insignificant you think your information may be, it could actually be vital to our investigation.”Anyone with information can call police on 0161 856 4245 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111By Natasha Johansson

Police clamp down on vehicle crime

GREATER Manchester Police are warning motorists to remove all valuable items from their cars following an increase in vehicle crime.Withington, Didsbury and Ladybarn are among the worst affected areas.Between January 6 and February 6, 46 cars were broken into and in 40 per cent of these cases,items such as sat navs, handbags and coats had been left on display.Police have set up patrols in hot spots but maintain their pleas for the public to help make life harderfor these thieves by ensuring their vehicles are secure and with no valuables on display.PCSO Gary Logan from the Didsbury Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “We know that thieves walkaround looking into cars so you can greatly reduce the chance of having your car broken into byremoving temptation.”By Francesca Stephan

Drugs stash found in Oldham crime crackdown

A DRUGS stash was unearthed during a crime blitz in Oldham. Officers discovered 22 cannabis plants and 11 large bags of dry cannabis during a series of raids in the town. One person was cautioned in relation to the drugs find. Two other people were arrested during the operation and a stolen BMW car was recovered. The day of action - which also involved The Department for Work and Pensions, Oldham Council, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency - included a community clean up and car checkpoint. Oldham Council issued fixed penalty notices including a £300 fine to motorists for driving without an appropriate waste carriers licence. Elsewhere in Oldham a person was fined £80 for littering. Inspector Gaynor Wardle, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “Communities have told us that they want to see criminals taken off the streets and I hope that today’s action highlights how seriously we take these crimes. ”I hope the work from this initiative shows and reassures our community that we will act on their concerns and on their information. We will continue to use all the powers and resources available to us and put people before the courts.” The day of action, which was staged last Friday, is part of an ongoing effort to stop offenders profiting from crime. Anyone with a policing issue can contact the Oldham East and Oldham Town Centre Neighbourhood Policing Teams on 0161 856 9028 or 0161 856 8903 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. By Rochelle Travers

Salford man punched girlfriend in row over pet dog

A THUG attacked his epileptic girlfriend and held her against a wall by the throat after her dog urinated on his carpet. The row flared after David Lindsell, 33, and his partner returned to his home after a New Year's Eve party. Manchester Magistrates Court was told when Lindsell discovered the pet dog had messed on the floor he lost his temper Lindsell, of Brookside Crescent, held the woman against the wall by her neck and punched her causing her to black out. The victim, who suffers from epilepsy, ran from the property saying “don’t you dare touch me”. Jo Ingle, prosecuting, explained that the woman suffered a bruise on her neck, a red hand mark on her thigh, a split lip, black eyes and a sore throat. Defending, Michael James, told how Lindsell sent a text to his girlfriend - with whom he is no longer in a relationship - apologising the next day. He told her he needed to have ‘anger management’ therapy. He handed himself into the police and pleaded guilty to assault by battery in February of this year. But District Judge Johnathan Feinstein said that it was a very serious offence and that Lindsell was fortunate not to be charged with a more serious crime. He added: “It is unforgiveable to put a hand around a lady's throat. This sort of behaviour will not be tolerated by the court.” Judge Feinstein also hit out at over drinking and advised: “If drink makes you behave like that, don’t drink” Lindsell was given a 14 week sentence, suspended for 18 months and a 12 month supervision order. He was also ordered to attend a help programme, and to pay £200 damages plus £85 costs. By Kate Meighan

Fake student house helps to prevent crime

POLICE have set up a mock student house as part of a drive to raise awareness of crime. The house, at University Place, Oxford Road, Manchester, looks like a regular student house. But the Aladdin's cave of expensive computer equipment and other valuables was set up by Greater Manchester Police’s Student Safe team as part of a force initiative to crack down on crime. Police left valuables on view and windows and doors unlocked to highlight how students can become soft targets for thieves. Officers also arrested eight people during raids in connection with a range of offences including robbery, cultivation of cannabis, supplying controlled drugs and handling stolen property. In addition, officers made five visits to second hand goods stores in the university hotspot areas. GMP also had advertising vans driving through the university areas of Rusholme, Fallowfield and Withington encouraging students and residents to lock their windows and doors. Inspector Andy Sidebotham said: “I hope that this initiative will highlight to students and the wider community the importance of protecting themselves and staying one step ahead of an offenders’ tracks. “All crime in the university area was reduced by nine percent from January 1 to February 21 2012 compared to the same period the previous year a drop in 63 incidents. This is a very positive sign and it is good to see these results. “Students can also help themselves from becoming a victim of crime by following a few pieces of advice. Stick to well-lit areas, stay in groups, pace your drinks and keep valuables such as phones and MP3 players out of sight. “While in your student accommodation, make sure that doors and windows are locked, even when you are in, and remember to set the alarm. If you’re going out at night, leave a light on to give the impression someone is home.” Contact the police on the new non-emergency number 101 or call charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 1111. By Matthew Riding

Flashdance brings Trafford Centre to a standstill

STUNNED shoppers at the Trafford Centre were brought to a standstill as hundreds of students staged the shopping city’s first ever ‘flashdance’. More than 400 young dancers from Salford City College performed the surprise routine to a medley of classic songs as unsuspecting customers looked on. Flashdance – a stunt made famous by a recent mobile phone companies advertising campaign - involves people assembling suddenly in a public place to run through a choreographed dance and dispersing instantly. The Salford students spent months rehearsing their routine, including a midnight rehearsal at the Trafford Centre after it had closed. The scheme was dreamed up by Hannah Plaice, the college’s dance tutor, after the Salford riots last year. She thought that media coverage had given youngsters in Salford a bad image and was determined to show them in a better light. Hannah said: “I was watching the news at the time of the riots and saw that people were saying youngsters from Salford were causing all sorts of trouble, I was thinking about the kids I taught and thinking that they weren’t like that at all.” The four minute dance routine – which included hits such as MC Hammer’s Can’t Touch This and Outkast’s Hey Ya – took place in the retail centre’s food court The Orient on Thursday. Justin Webb, PR and Media manager for the Trafford Centre said that he was ecstatic about how the event had gone and that the centre always tried to play an active role in the community. By Alex Hibbert

Salford Council to continue fight against recycling plant

TOWN hall bosses remain confident that plans for a new recycling plant will be rejected - despite an appeal from developers. A government planning inspector has been called in to decide whether Salford Council was right to turn down proposals from Sky Properties Ltd to build the waste incinerator in Monton. Councillor Derek Antrobus, the council's Lead Member for Planning, said: “We’re very happy that we have a strong case for refusal and we will fight the case as best we can.” The plans prompted 4,000 protesters to sign a petition, complaining the development in Green Lane would increase traffic, pollution and lower house prices. The council’s rejection in June last year was on three grounds: that the site would increase traffic, be a potential eyesore and that Sky had not provided enough information on what emissions the plant will produce. When asked if the planning committee had been influenced by the petition, Cllr Antrobus said: “No, the city council, when it comes to planning decisions, has got to look at the quality of the arguments, not at the quantity of objectors. That’s what will persuade an inspector.” Government planning Inspector John Woolcock will begin his inquiry on May 9 2012. The Say No To Green Lane Incinerator group has been fighting the proposal for nearly two years. Cllr Antrobus, member for Swinton North, is confident that Sky’s appeal will be refused, pointing to the failed appeal of the F3-F5 Nasmyth Business Centre, a proposed waste transfer centre also on Green Lane. That Nasmyth site was rejected on the basis it would contravene the council’s Bridgewater Canal Corridor Masterplan. “It was felt that that sort of use would have a negative impact on the council’s adopted Bridgewater Canal plan and that gives us confidence that the appeal service were taking into account the council’s policies.” The canal plan is designed to revitalize areas in Boothstown, Worsley, Monton, Patricroft and Barton. The council expect the plan, agreed in March 2011, will attract £67 million of private and public investment. A public meeting to discuss the opposition group’s continued efforts against the Sky plant will take place on Sunday March 4 at Worsley Golf Club at 2pm. MP for Salford and Eccles Hazel Blears will be in attendance lending her support. Additionally, on March 15 a fundraising event will be held to hire a barrister to go over the case. Tickets are £10 and there will be a quiz, raffle, games and music. The venue is Worsley Golf Club from 7pm until 11pm. By Luke McDonagh

Warning to Salford suntan fans

BEAUTICIANS have urged people to tan responsibly following reports Salford is one of the tanning hotspots of Greater Manchester. A study conducted on behalf of Cancer Research UK revealed that Salford had over 20 sunbed outlets per 100,000 people - putting Salford second only behind Wigan in the area's ‘sunbed league table’. Salford sunbed worker Tina Bradley, of Langworthy Road's Tan Spa said staff always told people to tan sensibly to ensure they are aware of the risks. She said: "If we do have a regular customer coming in and we think they’re going a bit overboard then we do have a little word with them. “I think people are aware but they don’t want to talk about it. They don’t mention it. “I use sunbeds once a week. My daughter’s 18 now, but she doesn’t go on the sunbeds. If she started coming in regularly I’d say ‘hang on a minute’. I would say to her not more than twice a week.” Tina said the popularity of sunbeds was down to people wanting to feel good. She added: “People come in and you hear them chatting. "They say, 'You feel better when you’ve got a glow - I’m going on my holidays and I feel pasty’. “I think it gives people a bit more confidence. People like to dress up when they’ve got a bit of colour. It’s mad in a way, it is mad that you’ve got to get a glow to feel better.” Salford resident Paul Fisher had just been on a Tan Spa sunbed for six minutes. He said: “I just use the sunbeds to get a bit more of a tan - girls like it don’t they? “I come here once a month. It’s just to keep it up, you don’t want to be pale. “The health concerns don’t worry me at all, I only do six minutes. There’s worse things out there than doing a bit of sunbathing.” But at nearby Vintage Nail & Beauty Spa, beauty therapist Kirby Hurst championed the spray tan as a safer option. She said: "I did used to work in a sunbed shop and saw people abuse them. “There were people that used to do silly things. They’d work everyday and it was in their routine to go and use a sunbed every day for 6 minutes and they would see no wrong in that. “I did see people that would abuse them too much and the way their skin would age was unreal. “That was a major point really, you would frighten women a hell of a lot more with that than you would any sort of skin cancer scare, which sounds ridiculous.” "I do think it is very much this syndrome that some people have got ‘tanorexia’ where, when you stop going on the sunbeds, you really do feel unwell. “I think it’s a younger generation that are starting to use it and playing ignorant to it. If you do walk into a sunbed shop nine times out of ten the people that are sat around you are 18-20. “Things that are going into articles and the papers and whatnot aren’t hitting home for the younger generation whatsoever. Like we all did at one point they don’t think it’s going to happen to you.” Cancer Research UK’s ‘SunSmart’ campaign outlines the risks of using sunbeds. The cancer charity says using sunbeds just once before the age of 35 increases the risk of developing melanoma skin cancer by 75%. It has warned that the amount of UVA rays given out by modern sunbeds can be 10-15 times higher than the midday sun. Last month, London fashion week banned models from using sunbeds and today, the Melbourne equivalent followed suit. By Steve Feekins

Manchester Cathedral joins Peace Week

MANCHESTER Cathedral was today surrounded in crime scene style incident tape to promote the 10th Annual Peace Week, writes Patrick Davies. The Dean of Manchester, Reverend Rogers Govender, was with community group CARISMA to wrap the Cathedral with the ‘Peace tape’ that reads ‘Work, hope, pray, long for peace’. The Cathedral is the latest of over thirty public buildings in inner South Manchester to be wrapped; others include churches in Longsight, Hulme, and, Moss Side. Peace Week is an annual event held by CARISMA since 2003. It aims to encourage cohesion and break the stereotypes that lead to certain areas being associated with gang violence. CARISMA chairman and Cathedral Canon, Mike Evans explained: “This has been designed to look like crime scene incident tape to make people stop, take a closer look, and consider our message. “We got the inspiration from a similar ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign around five years ago. Hopefully our campaign can be as successful”. Peace Week has staged various events since Sunday including music and spoken word gigs, football tournaments and craft workshops. Tomorrow evening also sees two Lantern parades held in Longsight and Moss Side. CARISMA are keen to spread the word that it is only a small minority who associate with gang crime. Reverend Govender said: “This is the first time the Cathedral has been involved in Peace Week since it began, but I think it is a very worthy cause that I am happy to support. “As people walk by you can see that the tape will cause them to take notice. It will illicit conversation and give opportunity to build friendship and peace”. In a week when gang crime in Salford has been among the headlines, the message of CARISMA and Peace Week has never been more relevant. Peace Week continues until Sunday 4 March. To find out more visit peaceweek.co.uk or phone CARISMA on 0161 226 9905.

MP vows to fight on for Turing pardon

A MANCHESTER MP today began a renewed crusade to clear computer genius Alan Turing’s name - despite the recent Government refusal to grant a pardon. Withington MP John Leech and campaigner William Jones made a symbolic visit to Alan Turing’s statue in Manchester’s Gay Village to decide on their next move in their campaign. A week ago Justice Minister Lord McNally refused to allow the ‘father of computer science’ a pardon for charges of “gross indecency” with a man in 1952. Turing was forced to undergo humiliating chemical castration which led to his suicide two years later. He stated: “Rather than trying to alter the historical context and to put right what cannot be put right, ensure instead that we never again return to those times.”Liberal Democrat Leech, who proposed the pardon in an early day motion claimed he was “not surprised” by the refusal but vowed to continue to fight for justice:“He’s a national hero, convicted of something he should not have been convicted of. I wasn’t at all surprised by the response by the justice minister, but I think it’s the start of the process rather than the end. We’re building up momentum and we intend to win this campaign.”William Jones, who launched the petition, was also undeterred by the Justice Minister’s verdict. The recent pardons of shell-shocked WWI soldiers for desertion has given him hope that the government will rethink their decision: “The actual law at the time was truly wrong and for a country like ourselves to speak in such high lofty terms about human rights we should look at that wrong and correct it. I would like to see that other gay men who suffered similar treatment were pardoned too.” Locals have also expressed support for the campaign, with one visitor to the statue commenting: “We’ve been waiting for it to happen and we’d be delighted for it to happen after all this time.”Following an internet movement, Turing was given a public apology in 2009 by Gordon Brown, who described his treatment as “appalling,” but he has never received an official pardon. Leech has urged the public to support the campaign to finally clear Turing’s name by signing the online petition which already has over 30,000 signatures, and the early day motion. By Natasha Johansson

Salford businessman jailed for beating wife

A FORMER businessman has been jailed after beating his wife over the head with a rolled up newspaper, reports Anna Moorhouse. Mark Doyle, 50, from Lower Broughton, Salford, pleaded guilty to assault by beating at Manchester City Magistrates’ Court where he was sentenced to 14 weeks in prison. Doyle had become a heavy drinker after his business went bust and often went out on drink binges. On the night of the incident, Mr Doyle's wife Tracey returned to the house she shared with her husband of 17 years to find he was not there. Mr Doyle returned home drunk later that evening and repeatedly beat Mrs Doyle over the head with a rolled up newspaper before punching her on the back of the head five times. As Mrs Doyle struggled to reach the phone to call for help, Mr Doyle picked up a chair and threatened to hit her with it. A passer-by heard Mrs Doyle screaming from inside the house and alerted police. She was left with a bruise to her right eye and still suffers from headaches. She said: “I have put up with Mark for years and this is the final straw”. Joe O’Connor, defending, argued that Mr Doyle’s relationship with alcohol was to blame for his behaviour and at the time of the offence Mr Doyle would drink "anything he could lay his hands on."District Judge Jonathan Feinstein, sentencing, said: “This was a very terrifying incident. She must have been absolutely terrified.”He added: “Offences of this sort against defenceless women must be met with a custodial sentence”. Since the incident Doyle has tried to tackle his drink problem and now “only drinks three times a week,” said Mr O’Connor.

NHS will never be the same again - MP Andy Burnham

THE Shadow Health Secretary has predicted “absolutely dire” consequences if the government’s controversial Health Bill is passed. Andy Burnham admitted Labour do not have the numbers to prevent the Bill going through which he claims will lead to “longer waiting lists” and “damage to the doctor-patient relationship.” The MP for Leigh met with councillors, NHS workers and residents of Trafford as part of the 'Drop the Bill' campaign. He was all smiles at a Q & A session held in Urmston library but expressed a bleak outlook for the NHS. “This Health Bill is bad news for the NHS and it will never be the same again if the proposed plans go through,” Burnham told Quays News. “It could come before parliament in three weeks time and we (Labour) haven’t got the numbers to stop it passing.” Burnham added the Liberal Democrats could stop the Bill but claimed deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg “stole votes to sell out the NHS.” The Bill has caused widespread anger, with the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Midwives opposing it. Urmston Councillor Kevin Procter echoed Burnham’s fears stating Trafford would “see much longer waiting times.” Hughie Erskine, who has worked for the NHS for several years, also raised concerns: “I totally believe the NHS will be scrapped by the conservatives.” The Health Secretary Andrew Lansley recently defended the Bill on BBC Newsnight, saying: “The Bill puts the decision-making responsibility increasingly in the hands of people who can use resources better. Getting people the right care, at the right time in the right place is what it’s about.” More information about the Bill can be found at: http://healthandcare.dh.gov.uk/factsheets/ By Daniel O’Donoghue

Manchester's best create charity album

AN ALBUM including some of Manchester’s best known artists is to be released next month through The Factory Foundation to raise awareness for charity, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). CALM is a registered charity in the roots of Manchester which runs a free national helpline service four days a week with the aim to reduce the suicide rate among young men in Britain.The collaboration, named Thirty One, includes thirty one tracks from the likes of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Elbow, I Am Kloot and Everything Everything. The album was compiled by legendary DJ, Dave Haslam, 50, who said:“I am pleased with the variety of music on the album, it was important to me that it reflected the different generations of music making in Manchester.” Currently, suicide is the single biggest killer of young men under 35 in the UK with 3400 dying each year. However, since CALM was established the suicide rate has decreased to below the national average in Manchester. All funds raised will go to CALM who currently deal with 70-1000 calls every month. They aim to increase the length of their service from 5pm until midnight, Saturday to Tuesday to 5pm until 3am, seven days a week. Esther O’Callaghan OBE, 31, who founded the Factory Foundation, lost her cousin and her aunty to suicide just 18 months apart. She is a strong campaigner for the charity and came up with the concept of the album: “It is exiting because as much as it is for a great cause it is still a great album and a snap shot of Manchester music. This means people won’t just buy it because it is nice thing to do but because it is a good album.” Jane Powell, Director of CALM who also co-founded the charity back in 1997 said:“I can’t wait to see Thirty One be released. CALM’s link with Manchester and music dates back to Tony Wilson in 1997 so it’s fantastic to see this support for the charity and for young men from Manchester’s rich music base.” Thirty One will be released on the 12th March on The Factory Foundation. It is now available to pre-order at www.thirtyonesongs.com Limited edition vinyl available exclusively from www.townsend-records.co.uk By James Bell and Piers Moore

Airport evacuation as football fans flood in... and out

MANCHESTER Airport’s "busiest day" got off to a shaky start this morning when passengers were evacuated from Terminal 2 following a bungled fire alarm test.The evacuation came as it was estimated that around 16,000 football fans would travel through the airport today and tomorrow due to UEFA Europa League ties.Thirty-one flights from Spanish airports Bilbao and Vitoria are due to arrive today carrying 6,500 Bilbao fans, whose team face Manchester United at Old Trafford tonight. Two thousand extra tickets were sold to the travelling fans after their initial allocation sold out.Twelve flights are also scheduled between Manchester and Lisbon, as 3,000 Manchester City fans travel to Portugal to see their side take on Sporting Lisbon.It is the busiest day for travelling football fans through the airport since the 2008 UEFA Cup final between Zenit St Petersburg and Glasgow Rangers.Manchester Airport’s Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Harrison, said: “It’s set to be one of the busiest periods of football flights we’ve seen for quite some time and with passenger volumes having show growth for 12 consecutive months now, this is certainly another timely boost.Staff at the airport, which was named as the [url=http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/manweb.nsf/Content/ManchesternamedbestUKairport]Best UK airport[/url] at the Travel Weekly Globe Awards in January, responded quickly during the evacuation to let all passengers know it was a false alarm.A spokesman said: "The evacuated passengers were back in the airport in 10 minutes. The airport is very busy but people are in high spirits."By Kirsty Allen

Six soldiers killed in Afghanistan are named

THE Ministry of Defence has named the six soldiers killed by a Taliban bomb in Southern Afghanistan. It is believed the soldiers died when their armoured vehicle was caught in an explosion on Tuesday (March 6). Sergeant Nigel Coupe, 33, from 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment was killed in the blast. Five soldiers from 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire regiment also lost their lives. They are Corporal Jake Hartley, 20, Private Anthony Frampton, 20, Private Christopher Kershaw, 20, Private Daniel Wade, 20 and Private Daniel Wilford, 21. The deaths take the total number of British military personnel who have lost their lives in Afghanistan since 2001 to 404. The Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond, said: "We should never forget those who have lost their lives in Afghanistan to protect our national security.” By Sian Davies

Art exhibition moves into Salford hotel

AN ARTIST has transformed a Salford hotel into an interactive gallery. Florin Mocanu, 30, has used his skills to create a display of moving artwork in the Holiday Inn at MediaCityUK. Five displays of Florin’s artwork have been spread across the lobby, restaurant, and conference areas, where they interact with the movement of hotel guests. Pieces include eight characters who turn their gaze to follow visitors as they walk through the lobby. Florin said: "The eight pieces describe different disciplines of the media, painters and dancers to cameramen. “Sensors detect the direction of movement and the frames follow visitors with cameras or eyes.” The digital artist also set up an installation in the bar, in which faces mimic nearby conversations Florin added: “The levels of sound in the room determine the animation of the mouths which vary in intensity. “It creates a silent dialogue to indicate a space where people are getting together to socialise and eventually to interact with artwork in a playful way. "It was such a great challenge, and it’s great to get work displayed permanently and in a public place.” The Romanian honed his skills in Manchester, culminating in him graduating with a Masters degree in Media Art last year. Peter de la Perrelle, managing director at hotel owners Peel Leisure, says he is extremely pleased with Florin’s work. He said: “We are delighted to showcase his work here at MediaCityUK. “His cutting-edge art fits perfect with the ethos of the location. “It provides an excellent talking point for guests as well.” The project is part of a collaborative program with Manchester Metropolitan University’s Media LAB which brings together postgraduate students from film-making, photography, media arts, and film and media studies to work on professional initiatives. By Mark Hattersley

Rochdale man had fake passport

A MAN has admitted carrying false identification, reports Francis Finch. Ijaz Rasool, 36, of Marigold Street, Rochdale, pleaded guilty at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court to two charges of owning false Lithuanian documents - a passport and a driving licence - under the name Aslam Muhammad. The court heard that Rasool, who spoke through a Punjabi translator, was arrested at Terminal Two of Manchester Airport on 11 November last year, although he was not using the idenification to enter or leave the country. A third charge of having a driving licence application form and photographs with the intention of making further documents was dropped. Khadim Al' Hassan, defending, said the charge would not be in the public interest and pointed out Rasool’s lack of previous convictions. Judge Adrian Smith granted Rasool conditional bail until sentencing, which will take place on 29 March.

Manchester painted green for Irish Festival

MANCHESTER has started painting the town green as it hosts this year's Irish Festival, Todd Fitzgerald reports. The tricolour flag was raised high over the city's Town Hall in Albert Square for the annual celebrations of all things Irish. The 17th Manchester Irish Festival Market has opened, bringing a taste of the Emerald Isle to the city. A giant banner has adorned the Town Hall and its clock has even been turned Irish green. The festival is one of the biggest in Europe and this Sunday's parade will feature more than 70 floats and a thousand participants. Around 100,000 people are expected the line the three-mile route. This year's festival has been commended by Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny with the Taoiseach applauding the celebrations of Irish culture. Councillor John Flanagan co-chairman of the festival and the market's main organiser says the event brings much to the city. He said: "They are two major highlights and attract much needed tourism revenue to Manchester. "We are extremely grateful to the City Council, our sponsors and the numerous contributions from the Irish community who have helped us stage a festival which is unrivalled in Europe." The four-day market features its own 'village green', Irish crafts, music, souvenirs, food, drink and jewellery. A traditional Irish cafe offers a relaxing Gaelic coffee and a large festival marquee features live Irish music and food. A Cask Ale Festival was also opened toady in the marquee hosting ales from across the Irish Sea and the North West.

Spanish football fans invade Manchester ahead for crucial cup tie

THOUSANDS of Athletic Bilbao fans have travelled to Manchester to support their team in the first leg of their Europa League clash with Manchester United. An estimated 8,000 Spanish football fans will be descending upon the city today. Interest in the match from the away supporters has been so high that a further 2,000 tickets were made available to the Bilbao fans after the initial run of away tickets sold out. The Spanish fans believe playing at Old Trafford to be a great honour and have flocked to the ground to witness their team play at the Theatre of Dreams. Julen from Arrigorriaga, just outside of Bilbao said: “It is a dream to play at Old Trafford. "You see it on television and now Athletic are here to play Manchester United. I am looking forward to the match, I think it will be 1-0 with a goal from Llorente and Nani.” The excitement started building up at Old Trafford hours before kick-off. Manchester United supporter Paul Ellis, from Whalley Range, said: “I think it’s great that so many Spanish supporters have made the journey, it’s really cool. They’re all interacting with everyone, I think it’s great! "I think United will win, easily." Greater Manchester Police said they were not expecting a repeat of the clashes between United and Ajax fans last month. Superintendent Simon Retford said: “It’s supposed to be, by all accounts, a good match tonight, we’ve got a heck of a lot of people from Bilbao. "Apparently in Bilbao it’s been seen as a really popular event. "All the information we’ve been getting is that it’s going to be a good-natured evening.” Manchester Airport drafted in extra staff to gear up for one of its busiest days of the year. As the Spanish fans landed, around 3,000 Manchester City fans boarded planes to Portugal as their team take on Sporting Lisbon. By Matthew Francey

Manchester commuters' outrage over rail price-hike

RAIL travellers in Manchester are facing another rise in peak fares following a Government shake-up of the transport system, reports Alex Dorweiler. Transport Secretary Justice Greening today announced the end of "inflation-busting fare rises" and that top-up card-style ticketing would be part of reforms. The proposed changes could see train operators introducing 'super peak' tickets - higher fares at peak times and gradually reduce the cost of off-peak fares over a longer period of time. This would add onto 6% increase in fares from the beginning of 2012, though off-peak fares could be lowered. Travellers at Manchester Piccadilly Station were outraged at hearing the news. Janine, 50, was travelling from Manchester to London on business, accused the Government of being out of touch with rail users. She added: “I think it’s appalling. It’s absolutely shocking.” Regarding the lowering of off-peak fares, to encourage alternative travel times, she added: “It’s just not going to work is it. Who gets into work at 11 o’clock?” Beverley and John, from Huddersfield, were also on their way to London. When told about the planned changes. Beverley said: “That’s rubbish, how can they do that?” John said the price of railway travel is overreaching the impact it has on him financially: “I have had to take two days off from work, because the peak tickets are too expensive. "This adds an overnight stay in London which costs me more time away from my desk. If these ‘super-peak’ fares are introduced, it will only make it worse for those travelling for business. "I think it’s disgraceful.” Gwendolyn Clarke and John Hunter, both pensioners from St. Helens, were travelling to Milton Keynes. Though they aren’t affected by the proposed fare rises, as they usually travel off-peak and book in advance, they said they felt sorry for other passengers. Gwendolyn said: “I don’t think it’s fair to them. "People need to be able to go to work when they have to and not be restricted by train fares.” John added: “The flat rate system that is used in some countries in Europe would probably be a fairer way. "On top of that, they should look at the bonuses that railway bosses have been getting whilst their companies have been performing badly, if they want to make savings.” The charity Campaign for Better Transport says the plans would derail the Government’s fares review. Sophie Allain, CBT’s public transport campaigner, said: "Today’s announcement contains many of the ideas we have called for, including discount fares for part-time workers and more smart and integrated ticketing. "More powers for the regulator to take up passenger issues are welcome too. “If operators are allowed to charge premium fares on busiest services, which together with the existing plans for above inflation fares rises for the next two years, will mean massive fare increases for thousands of people.” In May 2011, the then Secretary of Transport, Philip Hammond, said that ‘above-inflation fare rises could disappear within four years if reforms are implemented’. In that same month, Sir Roy McNulty of the Office of Rail Regulation published a review of the GB rail industry. It said a full review of fare policy and structures was needed and called for a move towards a single rail regulator.

'Home rehab' scheme launched for drug addicts

A FREE scheme has been launched which trains people how to help drug addicts kick their habits at home, writes Natasha Johansson.The Manchester branch of Narconon hopes the pilot initiative will help tackle the growing drug problem by allowing people to care for their loved ones themselves. The seminars aim to help addicts come off drugs without the need of replacement drugs such as methadone. Ex-addict Peter Dwan is now a drug education lecturer.He said: “It’s a brand new thing for Manchester –all they’ve got to do is buy two books with all the information and then I’ll do the seminar for free.“The reality of it is that only a small percentage of people can afford expensive withdrawal programmes. I’m putting a solution there and it’s going to put people in a better position.” The cost of rehabilitation clinics can vary in price from £500 to £10,000 per week, meaning that for many addicts help is financially out of reach.These costs mainly cover accommodation and medical treatment rather than psychological help. Although free help from the NHS and social services can be obtained, waiting lists can be very long. Peter said he hopes the idea, which had initial success in Australia, will be mirrored in other parts of the country.He added: “If it works then I think at grassroots level it will spread. I would like to see it take off really well because it’s a very effective solution to a problem.”Although the charity is a not-for-profit organisation, the training is offered on a first come, first served basis and applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Narconon plans to make sure the classes will remain affordable for everyone. One of Narconon’s former students said: “I can now fill the rest of my life with confidence and knowledge."I am ready to take on my new role in society and make a real difference to all.”Anyone wanting further information on the scheme should contact: dwan0@btinternet.com or visit www.drugrehabmanchester.org_

Street star Sally backs charity cabaret

CORONATION Street's Sally Dynevor has pledged to help other breast cancer sufferers, writes Alison Carter.Sally, who plays Sally Webster, is raising money for cancer charities after her own struggle with breast cancer two-and-a-half years ago. The mother-of-three said she found the support she received from Wythenshawe based cancer charity, The Genesis Appeal crucial in her battle against the illness.She is now a patron and said the organisation's founder, Dr Lester Barr, played a key role in her recovery process.She said her on-screen character was diagnosed with breast cancer and then Sally discovered she was suffering from the illness herself.She said: “Lester helped me a lot when I was suffering with cancer. He did everything for me really."The Genesis Appeal became a very important charity to me and I really admire the work they are doing.“I was so interested in being involved in the charity when I found out what they were doing here in Manchester. "It’s a breast cancer prevention charity and is the only one in Europe so I got very excited about what they were doing.”A star-studded ‘Cabaret for Cancer' show is due to take place at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre on Sunday to raise cash for The Genesis Appeal and the Beechwood Cancer Centre, based in Stockport.Sally will introduce other soap stars and help with the auction at the sell-out event.Cobbles favourite Antony Cotton will be hosting the event alongside Full Monty film star Mark Addy.Julie Hesmondalgh, the Street's Hayley Cropper and Dean Andrews from Ashes to Ashes will sing for the crowd.The glitzy event will also see screen stars from Emmerdale, Waterloo Road and Casualty performing and handing out free wine and raffle tickets to the audience before the show begins.Organiser of the show, actress Morag Siller, is also a breast cancer survivor and has appeared in Casualty, Emmerdale and Monarch of the Glen.Morag hopes thousands of pounds will be raised for the charities, both of which have helped her. Sally praised Morag for the effort she has put into the event while suffering from the disease, but remained tight-lipped as to whether her Corrie character had been involved in this week's murder of Street villain Frank Foster.Judie Hibbert, fundraiser from the Genesis Appeal Charity, based at Wythenshawe Hospital, said: “It’s wonderful for Genesis to experience such support. "The actress Morag Siller who has organised the event has been affected by breast cancer and like many others wants to help us create a future without breast cancer”.

What the public don't know about '#kony'

AS the name ‘Kony’ goes viral, crossing all territorial boundaries, many will be unaware of the political and financial controversy that has surrounded the campaigners, Invisible Children. Their main aim is to raise awareness about Joseph Kony’s exploits. But, crucially, they are calling for military intervention to stop him. Much of the debate surrounding Invisible Children has come from one source – a blogger called Grant Oyston. He’s a political science student from Canada. In his posts, he casts a critical eye over the campaign, although admits that it has raised awareness on the issue. The campaign has had some political success. On the back of political pressure in 2011, the US government under the guidance of Barack Obama sent troops to Africa to train the Ugandan Army to deal with the Joseph Kony threat. For Invisible Children, the Ugandan Army provides a platform for military action, although information unknown to many is that the army have been accused on multiple occasions of rape and looting. Is this the sort of peace-keeping force worthy of the public’s support and money? Of course, as Kony has rounded up tens of thousands of children to join his cause, any show of force against him could end with the death of many children. This would be a PR disaster for any nation. Also, according to Oyston, just 32%of campaign funds are going to direct services, with the rest used for salaries, travel and film production. The public are also unaware that Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni came to power about the same time Kony started to terrorise. The video doesn’t once point to this even though his failure to provide any sort of resistance has exacerbated the problem. For many, this comes as uncomfortable reading – especially if you’re forking out money to purchase the campaign wristband and posters. One cannot deny the campaign has had major success in highlighting this contentious issue, but one cannot also not ignore that Invisible Children have a lot of questions to answer if they are to secure the public’s trust. By Jason Gallagher

Who is Joseph Kony?

UGANDAN war criminal Joseph Kony has become an internet sensation overnight through a campaign on Facebook and Twitter. From a position of relative global obscurity, the Stop Kony 2012 campaign has now alerted millions to the devastating war crimes he is said to have committed. Quays News took to the streets of Manchester to find out how many people know who Joseph Kony is. The hashtags #stopkony and #kony2012 were among top trending topics on Twitter today and celebrities including P Diddy and Rihanna tweeted links to a viral video. That video on YouTube from the Invisible Children movement has now been seen by millions. Last night at around 10.30pm, the video had around nine million hits. Today at just after 2.30pm, the video had leapt to nearly 34 million hits. The campaign is set up by American filmmaker, Jason Russell, with the intention of making Kony’s name famous in order to bring him to justice. In his video, Russell claims that the US Government would not do anything to bring Kony to justice simply because it did not affect national security or financial interests. However, the movement’s efforts have forced the government to take action, sending a small number of US forces to Africa to help regional forces working toward removing Kony. Younger people who use Facebook and Twitter seemed to recognise a picture of Kony. But older people appeared clueless about his identity. When shown a picture of the Ugandan war criminal most elderly people did not recognise him, even when told he was Joseph Kony. One woman said: “I’ve never heard of him. If it had been in the papers, I probably would have recognised him.” Another pensioner even said: “Is he the Premier of the Congo?” Most students at the University of Manchester who were surveyed recognised Kony and some were even able to demonstrate a competent knowledge of the man. When asked how they knew him, they all said they had seen him on Facebook or Twitter. Joseph Kony is in the top five of the list for the International Criminal Court’s most wanted and has been evading capture for six years now. He is the head of the Lord’s Resistance Army, a rebel group against the government, known for killing, kidnapping, rape, looting and enslaving. Kony is known to kidnap children and recruit them into his army. He forces them to kill their parents and trains them to become child soldiers of which there are around 30,000. He has been doing this for nearly 20 years but until recently there have been few people who know of his atrocities. By Sanjay Dove

Creative minds head to Far East film convention

SOME of the North West’s leading creative companies are to represent the region at a huge film and television convention in Hong Kong, writes Sian Davies. The Hong Kong International Film and TV Market - FILMART is holding a convention to bring together the world’s best creative companies. Thirty-three delegates will be representing 28 Manchester companies including Dreamscope Films, Millhouse Films, Cornerhouse cinema, Salford University and PR agency Atelier 82. At a briefing in Manchester’s Chinatown last night, delegates were told that the number 33 indicates long life in China and Hong Kong, and the number 28 means good fortune. Philomena Chen from UK Trade & Investment has organised the group of North West representatives. She said: “This really is a great time for our region’s creative exporters to explore Hong Kong, the gateway to mainland China and much of Asia. “Given the developments in Manchester with MediaCityUK, the BBC, Salford Univesity’s new campus and Cornerhouse’s planned move to a £20m custom built facility, what better opportunity than FILMART for our companies to build relationships with like-minded institutions with matching international ambitions.” Many Manchester companies attending are keen to find opportunities to collaborate together, as well as extending their business to Asia. Samantha Evans from MIDAS, an inward investment agency which brings overseas companies to Manchester said: "I am attending the Hong Kong FILMART trip to support the companies attending from Manchester and to scope out the opportunities for collaboration with these companies as well as inward investment to the Manchester region from overseas.” The delegates are due to travel next week in preparation for the conference starting on Monday 19 March.

Walkden rail station rumours quashed

A CONTROVERSIAL report proposing the closure of Walkden Station ticket office has been played down by Northern Rail.Concerns over safety and an increase in crime were raised after the McNulty report suggested that passengers buy their tickets either on-line or at a self service machine. These suggestions were part of a plan to make the rail industry ‘value for money’ by cutting the staff at station level. A newly installed self-service machine fuelled speculation amongst locals that these plans were taking effect.However, Northern Rail spokeswoman Carolyn Watson has move to allay any concerns. She said: "We have no immediate plans to close any ticket offices, however we recognise that passengers have differing preferences for how they buy their tickets."Walkden Conservative Councillor, Iain Lindley, said: “We have been reassured that there are no plans, to reduce the ticket office opening hours. As long as that remains the case, the ticket machine is an improvement and not a threat.” Neil Stapleton, member of local voluntary group, Friends of Walkden Station, added: “Ticket vending machines are a useful facility for passengers, to buy tickets at busy times or when the booking office is closed. "We do not know of any plans to close the booking office at Walkden, but FOWS would strongly oppose such a proposal if it were made.”Northern Rail claimed that ‘Not one size fits all’ when buying tickets and that they had improved ticket offices, installed ticket vending machines and launched an on-line ticket sales facility. By Andrew Bailey

ITV head denies scheduling war with BBC

ITV BOSS Adam Crozier has denied claims Britain’s Got Talent has been scheduled to go head-to-head with forthcoming BBC talent show The Voice. Britain’s Got Talent will broadcast from March 24 this year when previously it has run from mid-April. However, Crozier insists BGT goes out at "the same time every year" and wished the BBC "good luck" with their rival show. “If the BBC want to go head-to-head, that’s up to them,” said the ITV Chief Executive at the Nations and Regions Media Conference in Salford. “Competition is good, we’re very relaxed about it. We have terrific talent, Simon Cowell is back on the panel.” ITV have spent a reported £45million to move to Salford Quays and Crozier stressed the importance of regional television. “Transmission fees are a worry but being regional is part of our DNA,” he said. “Getting the regionality right is more than enough for us. We lost it a bit but have got it back now.” Four of last year’s top five dramas were shared across ITV1, ITV2 and ITV3, and Crozier revealed plans to refresh all the channel brands in order to provide sharper definition. “I see drama and news as an investment,” he said. “We have a positive cash position for the first time in ITV history. “I believe we’re 30-40 per cent of where we need to get to. And right at the heart of that is creativity and great programmes.”By Charlie Kennedy and James Bell

ITV head denies scheduling war with BBC

TOWIE to be remade in other countries says creator

THE ONLY Way Is Essex creator Tony Wood has said that he wants to make versions of the hit show in other countries, including the US. Speaking at the Nations and Regions Media Conference in Salford, Wood said that the show could be recreated in "Texas, Florida, or even both." The ‘Structured Reality – The Inside Story’ talk was chaired by Helen Bullough, Head of CBBC Production at MediaCityUK and an avid TOWIE fan. When asked about the departure of the show’s star, Mark Wright, Wood said that he considered the show to be about a community, not individual characters, and that it was a “living soap opera”. He also stressed that none of the show was scripted but that the production team “push them into an environment that can be filmed to bring out the cast’s true personality”. The Only Way Is Essex has been a huge hit and four series have been broadcast to date. The show is said to have caused the ‘TOWIE effect’ boosting British industry by £1.4 billion with huge increases in sales of fake tan, acrylic nail sets and vajazzles. Mr Wood said that the creators have to take care of the cast, both physically and psychologically. He said this in relation to incidents including attacks on the members of the cast and their property revealing “a lot of money had been spent on their welfare”. Although he believes that the cast should be supported, Mr Wood said that all the people involved in the show had said their lives had been “massively enhanced”. He discussed a recent conversation with Lydia Bright where she said that “a lot of financial and business opportunities had opened up to her due to the show”. Wood concluded by saying that “as long as the characters and storylines remained compelling and interesting,” the show would continue for many years to come. By Elliot Millward

Culture Secretary unveils plans for local TV licences

JEREMY HUNT has revealed plans to allow independent television production companies to own full local TV licences. In an attempt to kickstart the controversial local TV initiative, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has pledged to remove restrictions that currently mean independent companies can only own 25% of a local licence. By taking advantage of an exemption granted under European law, Hunt hopes to attract a "different type of company" into the local TV market that "will be for the better." Twenty UK cities will get a local licence in August with a further 23 planned for the following year. The government’s local TV proposals have been criticised with questions raised around funding and moving into a market where regional newspapers continue to see circulation and profits fall. Hunt, however, is targeting local newspaper groups "looking to move from being newspaper providers to news providers," universities and local entrepreneurs. Watch our exclusive interview with Jeremy Hunt>>>

Culture Secretary talks Local TV at media conference

THE Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt opened the Nations and Regions Media Conference in Salford , where he spoke of the government's Local TV project and the importance of the media industry outside of London. On his first visit to MediaCityUK since its opened last year, Hunt denounced the “London-centric media” and said the industry was “on the cusp of a very radical change.” Addressing the audience for his keynote speech at the BBC Philharmonic Studio at Salford Quays, Hunt described the media as “the sector of greatest potential in this country.” Media analyst and broadcaster Steve Hewlett chaired the event, and quizzed Hunt on Local TV, which will initially see 20 cities across the UK granted a local licence to produce their own regional programming. Hunt said that low-running costs would be key to the success of the project, and estimated that the regional stations could be run for just £500,000 a year. He added that 90 companies had already shown a serious expression of interest, and that there was no reason why the UK could not replicate the success of local TV stations in other European countries such as Italy and France. Hunt praised the BBC’s move to Salford, describing the MediaCityUK site as “extraordinarily impressive.” He said the organisation was “the benchmark of quality”, and is fully behind the Local TV project. Diane Coyle, Vice Chairman of BBC Trust, confirmed “that money had been ear-marked to buy the products of Local TV, if the outcome is of sufficient quality.” Hunt spoke of his enthusiasm for local universities and said that, with their keen interest in new technologies, the future of local media production is in the hands of students. The MP also revealed that by December 2012 the new ‘broadband plan’ for the UK will be in place, which aims to provide the country with the fastest download speeds in Europe. By Mark Cockroft

PODCAST: Gaming review

Adam Cooper, Jack Stocker and Michael Glynn discuss the latest gaming news in the first edition of our podcast seriesThis week's special topic - Exploration In Gaming.Edited by Jon Burgess.

Fischer price to rocket as Ajax hit Liverpool for six

A VIKTOR FISCHER hat-trick saw Ajax hammer Liverpool 6-0 to progress to the inaugural NextGen final. It could have been a completely different story, as Ajax keeper Mickey Van Der Hart made a magnificent double-save to keep out Suso's penalty and follow-up minutes after Ajax had opened the scoring. The Dutch side's first came after wonderful build-up play between Fischer and Davy Klaassen. Fischer received the ball on the edge of the box and the Dane swept the ball past Danny Ward with ease. Liverpool's penalty was a result of great work by Raheem Sterling down the left. He outpaced Ajax right-back Ruben Ligeon, gliding past him with a neat step-over before the full-back took him down. Referee Jeremy Simpson had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Spanish youth international Suso stepped up to take the penalty, but saw his first effort saved low down to Van Der Hart’s right-hand side. Suso got another bite of the cherry but the Ajax keeper showed stunning reflexes to keep out the Spaniard. The ball broke to Kristzian Adorjan but Fabian Sporkslede blocked brilliantly. Adorjan had another great chance to level matters after bundling through the Ajax defence, but he scooped his effort over the bar. Ajax were then presented with a great opportunity to score a second when Rowendy Schoop controlled well in the area for Sporkslede, who skewed his shot well wide of Ward’s left-hand post. Ligeon looked to atone for giving away the earlier penalty by bursting forward from right-back. He traded passes with Lesley De Sa before seeing his venomous drive tipped round the post by Ward. The Dutch side eventually doubled their advantage with the half-time whistle approaching. Fischer capitalised on a hesitant Stephen Sama and found himself one-on-one with Ward. The keeper saved well but could not prevent De Sa converting the follow-up. Some of the crowd were getting frustrated with Liverpool’s inability to capitalise on Sterling’s speed, but the English winger outpaced his marker again and saw claims for another penalty turned down. His protestations saw him pick up a yellow card just before the interval. Ajax got off to a lightening start in the second half, Fischer grabbing his second of the evening after Ward had palmed out Klaassen’s long-range drive. Suso then hit the bar with a free-kick from around 25 yards, but it was light reprieve in a second half which saw Ajax entrenched in the home team’s half. The Dutch side won a penalty just after the hour mark, as Fischer drifted past Wisdom, whose distinctly unwise challenge brought down the flying Dane. Klaassen made no mistake from the spot and slammed his penalty into the top right hand corner, in the same goal that Suso had failed to do so in the first half. Klaassen doubled his tally for the evening after good work down the Ajax right by De Sa, who cut inside before laying on for the Dutchman to score his second of the evening, and Ajax’s fifth. Fischer grabbed his hat-trick after De Sa’s through-ball found him clean through. Faced with Ward, he made no mistake and calmly slotted past the Liverpool keeper. The man-of-the-match came off to a standing ovation from sections of the Liverpool support and the Dane has a big future ahead of him. He impressed at last summer’s Under-17 World Cup and Ajax will have a job on their hands to keep hold of a player who had a trial with Manchester City before moving to Holland from FC Midtjylland. Fischer and Klaassen were the obvious stars of the evening, but Joel Veltman put in an assured performance at centre-half and easily dealt with the ample frame of Michael Ngoo and the trickery of Suso. It was a miserable night for Liverpool but this young Ajax side, who breezed past Barcelona in the quarter-finals, will take some beating. Speaking afterwards, Fischer explained the benefits of the NextGen competition. He said: “It’s a great experience, for us to feel like we’re competing in the youth Champions League is great.” Assistant youth coach Ronald de Boer, formerly a player at Rangers, also heralded the NextGen Series. He said: “I think it’s a great experience for the boys, I think it brings the best out of them but also all they experience different tactics, different opponents and different cultures. “Also, to see the way people behave on the pitch, all of these are great for learning. We’re very pleased that we can participate in this event”By Steve Feekins at Langtree Park

United sent packing by brilliant Bilbao

ATHLETIC BILBAO produced another inspired victory to send Manchester United crashing out of the Europa league at the last 16 stage, writes Mischa Wilmers. Sir Alex Ferguson fielded a strong side at San Mames as United attempted to overcome Athletic’s 3-2 lead following the first leg at Old Trafford last week. But an outstanding Bilbao side took advantage of their home support to win 2-1 and progress to the quarter-finals of the competition. The Basque’s attacked relentlessly from the start with talented teenager Iker Muniain hitting the post early on following some terrific passing. And they were rewarded in the 24th minute when a spectacular finish from Fernando Llorente put them ahead. An inspired cross-field pass by Fernando Amorebieta found the striker unmarked in the box whose powerful volley beat a helpless David de Gea. In the second half Bilbao resumed where they had left off, piling the pressure on United who appeared to run out of ideas. Skipper Andoni Iraola went close to scoring a contender for goal of the tournament, skilfully dribbling past three United defenders before dragging his shot wide of the post. Their efforts finally paid off on 65 minutes when Oscar De Marcos’s close range shot deflected off Jonny Evans to make it 2-0. United were lucky not to concede several more as Bilbao went on to squander numerous chances before Wayne Rooney temporarily gave the visitors hope with a brilliant goal from the edge of the box. However Bilbao were able to hold off a late surge from the visitors whose pressure in the final 10 minutes proved too little too late. At the final whistle Athletic Bilbao’s players and fans joyfully celebrated one of their most important victories in modern times. Coach Marcelo Bielsa will feel optimistic about his side’s chances of winning the tournament if they can continue their rich vein of form in Europe this season. Ferguson meanwhile will be forced to reflect on a dismal European campaign and question how his side was beaten so comprehensively by a team lying seventh in La Liga. Athletic Bilbao: Gorka Iraizoz, Fernando Amorebieta, Jon Aurtenetxe, Andoni Iraola, Ander (Iñigo Pérez, 82), Markel Susaeta, Ander Iturraspe, Javi Martínez, Iker Muniain (Mikel San José, 88), Fernando Llorente (Gaizka Toquero, 40), Óscar De Marcos Manchester United: David De Gea, Jonny Evans, Rio Ferdinand (Chris Smalling, 63), Patrice Evra, Rafael, Park Ji-Sung, Michael Carrick (Paul Pogba, 63), Ashley Young, Tom Cleverley, Ryan Giggs (Danny Welbeck, 68), Wayne Rooney* Basque-ing in Manchester: Read about Mischa Wilmers' divided loyalties between United and Bilbao

X Factor comes to Old Trafford

OVER 20,000 people will descend on Manchester for the X Factor auditions this weekend. The city's aspiring singers will be joined by vocal talent from all over the country hoping to be plucked from obscurity to appear on ITV in front of a panel of celebrity judges and around 12 million viewers. Producer Beth Hart said that the team behind the ratings smash are "excited" to return to the city. "Every year the level of talent here continues to grow and we can’t resist coming back for more."Among the hopefuls taking the first steps to possible stardom at the home of Manchester United, Old Trafford, is 48-year- old Michael Muszynski of Blackpool. Muszynski auditioned in 2007 but didn’t make it past the initial stage. "My mum had recently died and I didn’t give it my best," he explains. "That’s why I have decided to do it again, but this time I’m going to make it through!” The singer, who performs under the name Mikey M, plans on performing the popular Robbie Williams song, She’s the One. “I’ve changed it so it’s more my style. It’ll be original, I think the judges will be looking for originality, and that’s what I have got.”While Muszynski (pictured) wasn’t giving away any clues about his rendition of the hit, he did flash a bit of his pedigree: “In the 90s, I played keyboards in a reggae indie band, so it might have an urban flavour.”Mikey M will be joined by other hopefuls on Saturday and Sunday looking for a shot at pop super-stardom.Producer Hart added: "Manchester’s finest Misha Bryan made Kelly Rowland’s final three girls. Hopefully this year the boys, over 25s, and groups will also show us Manchester’s got the X Factor and can give us our next big star."by Jamie Carruthers

VIDEO: Mustard Tree helping the homeless

SOPHIE DULSON reports on recent homeless figures released by the government, that suggest the number of people in the UK sleeping rough has risen by 14%.In this special report, Sophie visits Mustard Tree - a homeless charity based in Manchester - where she speaks to volunteers from the charity, and the homeless people who benefit from their hard work.

VIDEO: Palestinian party raise awareness in Salford

POLITICAL party Fatah held an event at Peel Hall to raise awareness about the Palestinian cause. Linda Clair sells traditional Palestinian pottery to raise money for the various organisations she supports, one being the Women’s Organisations for Political Prisoners.Linda said: “It's a group of Palestinian women who have an organisation and who support Palestinian women who are in Israeli prisons because nobody provides for them”. The families of these women are not in a position to provide things for them and often can’t get to visit them in prison due to checkpoints. Funds raised help pay for female lawyers to go to prisons to prepare court cases in an attempt for the women to get a fair trial.Doctor Hisham Ghanayem, a member of Fatah and one of the organisers of the event, explains the key message he would like non-Palestinians to learn: "Palestine is not all about misery and sadness and struggle. We have culture, we are people." The day was filled with Palestinian food and music, with the hope of raising awareness of the culture of Palestine, but also, it's struggle.Laila Issa reported on the event where she also spoke to to Sir Gerald Kaufman, MP and campaigner for Palestine.

Axe robbers' cash raid at MediaCityUK

BUNGLING armed robbers fled with just £120 when they raided a security van at MediaCityUK today. The Security Plus Ltd van, which carries out daily cash collections, was picking up library fines from the University of Salford. It is believed to have been targeted by the four robbers, who had been waiting in a red and white 02 plate Mini Cooper. Two of the men, who were all wearing balaclavas, approached the driver armed with an axe before fleeing with the concealed case. One eye witness described “a trail of red debris” after the “case exploded in the car” as the robbers made their getaway. Another eye-witness, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “It all happened really fast. At first I thought it was a group of drama students filming a project as it's not something you would ever expect to see here. “I saw two men dressed in balaclavas with their hoods up approach the driver with an axe and immediately get away with the package." Police arrived within minutes after being alerted by MediaCityUK security who saw the incident unfold on CCTV. A security guard described the episode as "one of the most unprofessional jobs the police have ever seen." He added:“They (the robbers) are now running round like Oompa Loompa's covered in red dye.”Nobody was hurt in the attack. By Max Wieland, Piers Moore and Amba Gockelen-McDougal

VIDEO: Tiny Tots nursery

A NON-PROFIT organisation in Salford has created 35 jobs for local people, with most of them being single parents. Rachael Heslehurst reports from the Tiny Tots nursery in Lower Broughton.

VIDEO - Stars turn out for Cabaret for Cancer

AFTER being diagnosed with breast cancer last year, actress Morag Siller came up with Cabaret for Cancer to help raise funds for charity. The event finally came to fruition at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre on Sunday night, raising nearly £20,000 for The Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Appeal & The Beechwood Cancer Care Centre.The sell out event featured music, dance and magic acts, and was compered by actors including Mark Addy and Sally Dynevor (pictured). Coronation Street favourite Anthony Cotton was also at the event and spoke to Quays News.James Bell and Craig Lishman report.

Bolton hospital gets BBC boss on board

ROYAL Bolton Hospital has appointed BBC boss Mark Harrison as its new non- executive director. Wilmslow-based Mr Harrison will take over in April from current non-executive director of four years Roger McMullen, who is retiring. Mr Harrison will leave his current role as BBC controller of production north and stand down as a member of ‘Digital Production Partnership’ to join the Royal Bolton Hospital. The father-of-four has a particular interest in the development of the health services to women and children. On being elected to his new role, he said: “I would very much like the opportunity to use my skills to give something back to the local community. “This role will allow me to use my business experience to help the Foundation Trust improve the services it delivers to patients at a particularly challenging and important time.” Mr Harrison has extensive experience in board level roles including large scale change, technology and efficiency programmes, as well as shaping and delivering output services to the public. Cliff Morris, chairman of the hospital’s board of directors, said: “This is a very exciting appointment. Mark has extensive experience at very high levels and I’m delighted that he is going to use that with us on behalf of our patients and staff. “I would also like to thank Roger McMullan for the sterling service he has given to the Trust over the past four years.” By Andrew Bailey

Public split over St Peter's Square redesign

AS MANCHESTER City Council prepares to plough millions into the redevelopment of St Peter's Square, Quays News asks Mancunians what they think of the two shortlisted designs. Todd Fitzgerald reports. Plans to transform Manchester's St Peter's Square have been released by the council after an international design competition narrowed it two just two finalists. The competition briefed architects to prepare designs for the square as a proud symbol of Manchester's heritage and its position in the 'international landscape'. Designs combine proposals for Manchester's Civic Quarter, as well as an expansion of the city's Metrolink as part of the proposed Second City Crossing, which could see another tram route being added to the network. The brief also specified designers should consider moving the historic Manchester Cenotaph to a quieter location. The monument has been there since 1924 and commemorates those who lost their lives in the First World War and is the site for the annual Remembrance Day service. With work underway on the refurbishment of the Town Hall extension and the Central Library, the design competition gave architects the opportunity to plan a landscape for future generations of Mancunians. The competition, in its second stage will end as a panel of experts make their final deliberations as to their preferred design. The winning architects will be chosen from the two mystery finalists and will land a £20 million contract. Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: "St Peter's Square is an important public space which has the potential to become truly world-class. "Manchester is always seeking to grow its international standing and we're determined to create a St Peter's Square which enhances our reputation." So what do Mancunians think of the plans and which would they choose as winner? Linda McCarthy, 53, Sale, said: “I prefer this one (A) – it’s evenly set out and looks nice from this picture. I thought they’d moved the Cenotaph a long time, but I think it’s a good idea to move it to a quieter place, you’ve got to respect what it’s there for, you shouldn’t expect disruption.” “I’m quite an easy going person, so these plans look fine – they’ve included everything I’d expect.” “Moving the Cenotaph down to the other end is good – there’s still trams on remembrance day, so it’s good to get it away from the station. Robert Farrow, Middleton, 48, said: “I think a lot of people will prefer this one (B) because of the trees. It sets it off really well. "But then again, you could look at it thinking about the bird droppings they’ll bring – the council will be the ones maintaining the area. “I’m thinking this one (B) because of the trees and the colour of the stone and the fact that it matches the building opposite. Gavin Williams, 23, Trafford, said: “To be honest, I think I probably prefer this one (B) because it does preserve a lot of the natural beauty of the trees. “A city like Manchester is already full of concrete – we need more natural things like these. I like how there’s more of them all the way through the passage. “This one (B) just seems to me, to lighten the mood of the area and the city.” The winner will be announced later this week, with the designs becoming a reality in 2014 with the Central Library refurbishment.

Crowds turn out for royal visit

THOUSANDS of royal fans lined the streets of Manchester and Salford as the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh attended a variety of engagements, writes Joe Turner. The royal party arrived at Victoria Station at 10.30am where Her Majesty and Prince Philip were greeted by hundreds of cheering spectators. The Queen, dressed in a pink Angela Kelly dress, stepped off the train and spoke to dignitaries before greeting the waiting crowds. They then moved on to the Eye Hospital on Oxford Road for 10.45am where the Queen was opening a new £500-million refurbishment of Central Manchester hospitals. The entrance, complete with red carpet, was lined with union jack flags. Excited staff and students congregated on the Boulevard running through the centre of the hospital site. She then cut the ribbon to officially open the hospital. After being greeted by staff and patients at the hospital she heard a specially-commissioned composition by the Royal Northern College of Music. The royal couple then headed to Salford Quays where the Queen formally opened MediaCityUK while the Duke of Edinburgh opened the University of Salford's new digital media building, next to BBC studios. Crowds gathered at the piazza outside the studios and at the green in front of University’s new campus. Jane Leah, 35 was excited to see the Queen. She said: "I'm not usually a fan of the royals in general but all that changed when Wills and Kate got married. “The royal jubilee is a once in a lifetime opportunity for my generation, we'll probably be having a street party" John Coles, 48 said: "I think the visit from the royals is so fantastic. I work for MRI so I'm just disappointed I couldn't see her there!" The Queen and Prince Philip then moved on to Manchester Town Hall where a jubilee feast took place with local community workers and volunteers. After viewing Albert Square’s jubilee garden – painstakingly planted by local volunteers over the last few days – the royals arrived at Manchester Central Conference Hall where 1000 community heroes showed off the cream of the city’s talent at a special urban garden party. Watch our coverage of how the day unfolded. The Queen visits Manchetser and Salford

MediaCityUK to welcome world class musicians

THE University of Salford is to play host to an exciting new music festival, reports Natasha Johansson. Salford Sonic Fusion Music Festival will bring cutting-edge experimental music to Salford, showcasing a range of genres from art music and jazz, to folk and audio-visual work. Both international music stars and students will gather at the MediaCityUK campus to perform at the event, which will take place from April 26-29. So far, taking to the stage will be legendary USA jazz bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Italian Federico Sanguinetti narrating an unusual music theatre piece, and Lithuanian concert pianist Lauryna Šableviiute, who will perform works by John Cage. Cage found fame “preparing” pianos - making music by placing objects such as nails between the strings - so audiences should expect to hear anything from the avant-garde event. The festival also boasts compositions from the university’s own staff and students, including work from Dr. Alan E. Williams, Stephen Davismoon and Jan Kopinski. There will also be a number of workshops held over the three days, in which students can work and perform with the international musicians. Singer and musical arts doctorate student, Anikó Toth, said: “I’m going to be one of the three singers in the Berio piece, and I’ll be singing in ‘Mirrors,’ which is a piece by Jan Kopinsky. “It’s such a great opportunity to bring international artists and music to Salford, which has been a culturally deprived area. It will be an exciting and amazing experience for students here.” The inclusion of the Listening Cities project will also see attendees from Italy, Greece, France and Austria - adding to the international feel of the festival. Head of Music at the university and curator of the event, Stephen Davismoon, said: “The festival is all about getting students used to seeing high level performances of experimental music. “Some students are aware of this type of music but have rarely played it, and even more rarely played it alongside professionals. It will also allow us the opportunity to showcase the audio and video facilities at MediaCityUK.” As the music performed may be unfamiliar to some, the whole event will be free of charge, to encourage local people to try something different. The festival will run directly after the Salford Noise festival, a three-day event which will also showcase the talents of Salford University music students. * Salford Sonic Fusion Music Festival 2012 full schedule

VIDEO: Eccles Community Art Gallery

ECCLES Community Art Gallery is a creative and vibrant hub at the heart of the local community. Its mission is to provide exhibition space for local artists. Karen Illingworth is the gallery organiser and is keen for students to get involved in showcasing their work.Quays News reporter Laila Issa met Karen to discuss the gallery. Check out the gallery's website HERE

Businessmen plan North West stadium walk for Sport Relief

THREE local businessmen are raising money for Sport Relief by visiting 16 North West football stadiums over four days. They will cover over 180 miles on their journey which will take them to clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Blackpool and Bury. Bryce McDonald, Craig Brussels and Paul Roberts will embark on the walk on April 6 and finish on April 9. The trio, who opened their business Ingenio Store earlier this year, hope to raise over £1000. Paul Roberts, 28, said: “We had a few ideas, a half marathon or marathon, but then it just got longer and longer and we came up with the walk.” The three will be walking for between 12 and 15 hours each day to make sure they stay on course. 22-year-old Bryce McDonald, from Swinton, said: “As our business is selling retro football shirts, football had to be involved in some way. What better way than to visit all of these stadiums.” “Training Hard” The trio have done an 18 mile ‘dry run’ from Manchester United’s home Old Trafford to Bolton Wanderer’s Reebok Stadium and are “training hard” in the build-up to the walk. Craig Brussels, 23, from Wigan, said: “We have had some great replies from clubs including things to auction off like signed shirts, balls and match tickets. The majority of clubs are letting us in the ground for a walk round and to have photographs taken.” Donations have come “mainly from family and friends but also some customers” with the total at £670 so far. The businessmen chose Sport Relief because “it helps a wide range of people” and they hope to reach their £1000 target because “it is a great charity”. Mr Roberts, from Wigan, said: “We are starting as we mean to go on, getting involved with charity work. It was one of the key things that we decided we wanted to do when we set up the business and we will be doing other projects in the future.” *Anyone wishing to donate can do so here.By Elliot Millward

EXCLUSIVE: Patients unhappy about medical centre merger

A DOCTORS’ surgery in Swinton is set to close – with patients being moved to a revamped practice one mile away, reports Brian Cruickshank. The Victoria Medical Centre in Manchester Road (above) will shut on April 1. Patients are being transferred to the Poplars practice, which is being extended. Doctors have defended the decision, claiming the doomed Victoria building is “no longer fit for purpose.” But patients have told Quays News they are unhappy about moving to Poplars, which scored poorly in the most recent nationwide NHS patient satisfaction review. The poor score was related to how long patients have to wait to get an appointment. One woman, who asked not to be named, said: “Well I don’t like it; it’s already bad enough as it is. “When you’re not well you like to get it on the day, or the day after, but you can’t.” Another Victoria patient added: “We’re not happy. The doctor here is great, the reception staff are great and the appointment system is great. But it’s the building. There is nothing we can do about it, but we’re not happy.” A doctor will move to Poplars (above left) along with six medical staff, including two nurses from the Victoria practice. Two additional phone lines will be installed, as well as an increase in downstairs seating from 33 to 57, and upstairs seating from 8 to 18. Dr Colin Brunt, one of the Poplars medical centre partners, who has worked there since 2000, said: “Patient demand is always difficult to satisfy. “We are very mindful of certain pre-requisites that practices in the country are expected to satisfy in terms of appointment delivery.” He added that the Poplars practice “was built for purpose 10 years ago, with one eye on delivering care services to a greater capacity.”

VIDEO: No-smoking campaign to help local markets

A NEW campaign to encourage smokers to ditch their habits and spend their money at local markets has been launched. The initiative aims to get people investing the money that they would normally spend on cigarettes on buying goods from markets across Greater Manchester to help boost the local economy.Lucy Markillie reports.

AUDIO: Gospel choir takes church to the streets

A SALFORD gospel choir hit all the right notes in Manchester city centre, causing shoppers to start dancing and singing away, writes Natasha Johansson. The all-women group, from the New Testament Church of God, attracted a large crowd beneath the Victoria statue in Piccadilly Gardens. It was a huge change to the usual scenario, of wary shoppers passing Christian street messengers as hurriedly as possible. Singer Dorothy put the group’s popularity down to the performance: “Music is so universal, so I think people respond to music. But to me, it’s not just the music, it’s the words.” One of the organisers, Pat Ferguson, said: “The Gospel is all about going out – in an environment like this we are able to reach so many more people.” The choir have performed at number of other locations around Manchester but meet on Sundays in Old Trafford.

EXCLUSIVE: Premiership stars light up special day for kids

PREMIERSHIP footballer’s joined forces to open a new city centre kids' club this week, writes Kate Meighan. Manchester City’s Micah Richards and Ivan Klasnic from Bolton Wanderers provided the seal of approval to Bubblekids on the outskirts of Manchester’s northern quarter. Sophia Coleman has started Bubblekids to take the strain off parents who find it difficult juggling children of different ages. Event organiser Miss Coleman invited the footballers to join the group. Richards and Klasnic signed shirts to raffle and posed for pictures before declaring the day a resounding success. England international Richards (above) made his first appearance for Manchester City seven years ago, and last year signed a deal keeping him at the Etihad Stadium until 2015. Originally from Leeds, the 23-year-old is settled in Manchester and feels it is important to get involved in community projects in the city. He told Quays News: “I’ve been in Manchester around eight years now. Anything I can do to help in the community, I will. Especially if there’s kids involved, you can’t do better. “There are a lot of children of all ages and it’s a great new place for parents to bring their kids. I haven’t got any kids myself but hopefully one day, when I do, I’ll bring them down.” The idea for Bubblekids came after Miss Coleman had her second child. From talking to other parents, and particularly dads, she found they were keen for somewhere to take children of all ages. Miss Coleman then decided to put Premiership footballers at the forefront of her plans to appeal to those dads. Jamie Luke, the owner of Studio 25 where Bubblekids is located, was delighted to welcome the sports stars to the venue and hopes their presence will help the business develop. He said: “The day’s been a great success. It’s amazing that local celebrities have come down to celebrate the opening. “The organisers have worked really hard, and I’m glad to have everyone here raising our profile. I hope there will be many more like it”. Miss Coleman thanked Richards and Klasnic (above left) for helping to provide a memorable day for both the children and their parents. She said: “We’ve all had a great day. Micah got well in with the kids, even going in the ball pool and the bouncy castle. “I’d like to say a big thank you to him and the other players who helped make this day such a success.” Bubblekids is held on the last Sunday of every month at Studio 25, Church Street, Manchester. For more information contact the studio on 0161 833 9937 or via email at hello@bubblekidsuk.com * Images courtesy of The Vain Photography

Rusholme suffers spate of burglaries

BURGLARS struck in four homes less than a mile part in Rusholme, writes Patrick Davies.The break-ins took place within a 24-hour period and police say the burglary victims had not locked their windows.Laptops and mp3 players were stolen from the homes.The first break-in took place on Bannf Road at approximately 1pm and by the time police were made aware of the crime, houses on Crescent Range, Denison Road, and Camborne Street had also been broken into.Sergeant Brent Jones was part of the police presence on Denison Road following the thefts. He said “There is a burglary problem in the area, but we have seen a dramatic decrease over the last two years thanks to a number of operations that run every day.“Yesterday was a glitch and we do not want to see it happen again”.Local residents and police believe that the area’s popularity with students could have made it a magnet for thieves.Leah Hardman, who lives on Upper Park Road, said: “It worries me that as a student I am part of the group that are seen as vulnerable.“We are given advice from police and university telling us to always lock windows and doors and hide valuables, but maybe yesterday shows some people still aren’t taking any notice”.Mark Timpson, of Stenbury Close, said: “Burglaries happen all the time around here. "You can lock all your windows and keep an eye out like the police say, but they’re opportunists - unless there is a real crackdown it won’t stop”.Rusholme and Fallowfield Neighbourhood police officers said their aims are to not only come down hard on thieves but also retrieve victims' stolen property.Inspector Lindsay Atherton said: “A number of search warrants have been executed recently to disrupt suspected criminals and help bring them to justice. “We are working hard to establish where stolen property is being disposed of. I urge anyone with information on where stolen laptops or phones are being sold on locally to let us know straightaway.“If you see a crime in progress please dial 999."Greater Manchester Police has urged residents to report any suspicious activity or information to the Rusholme and Fallowfield Neighbourhood Policing Team on 0161 856 4423, the non-emergency number 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Exclusive: Warehouse Project moves next door to Manchester United

MANCHESTER’S cult club night The Warehouse Project is on the move.... to Trafford Park.The Victoria Warehouse is branded as a "unique events space and hotel" - a modern, flexible space that can easily be transformed to suit any event.There is a timer on the warehouse's website counting down to the launch date on April 6th – the opening night of The Warehouse Project’s Easter series.The Warehouse Project launched back in 2006 and, after a year at the old Boddington’s Brewery site in Strangeways, moved to a car park underneath Piccadilly Station, where it remained for five years. When management announced that there would be no more events at the Store Street site, rumours arose that the club night would be moving away from its native Manchester.The size of the new building, a disused warehouse, will allow for underground shows for up to 2000 people. Founder Sam Kandel said that the new venue would allow clubbers to see their favourite artists in a new setting.He told music website Resident Advisor: “The content and line-up at WHP is obviously the key part of what we do and (the new venue) opens up all kinds of other avenues for us. We want to keep things exciting and it just means that we can introduce things that we could never have done before. There are only so many special DJs, but once you've seen them in the same venue three times it starts to feel less special. Now it's like seeing them for the first time again.”Clubbers arriving from outside of Manchester may worry that the new venue will be harder to get to than the previous city centre location, but the warehouse is situated between two tram stops and lies on a number of bus routes. There is also to be a free shuttle bus service provided from the venue to Piccadilly Train Station, running from 1am until everyone has left the venue.The Warehouse Project's website strongly advises clubbers not to walk home from the Trafford Park venue, and to keep quiet outside the warehouse so they do not disturb residents.The new project is similar to the Stadium Point plans proposed by the owners of Manchester nightclub Sankeys, which were pulled following a huge public backlash.The plans, which were for a 16,000 capacity standing only music venue in Trafford Park, were attacked by councillors and residents, who feared the possibility of noise pollution and anti-social behaviour. By Kirsty Allen

Salford reacts to controversial Health Bill

THE National Health Service reforms will mean the NHS will be allowed to earn up to 49 per cent of its income from private sources, writes Mark Hattersley.The informal passing of the coalition government’s Health and Social Care Bill has divided opinion between local health professionals and the public.Some people in Salford have branded the move a ‘privatisation of the NHS', while others claim it is needed.As the government tries to cut £20bn from the NHS budget, the controversial Bill, which has seen over a year’s worth of amendments, proposes an increase in the amount of private-sector involvement in the health service.Confronted by furious opposition from the Labour party, who desperately tried to block the reforms during the dying hours of the proposal, the Bill passed in the House of Commons by 328 votes to 246.Now the legislation is awaiting Royal Assent before it becomes law.It will mean GPs will control the budget and commission treatment directly to Britain’s sick and injured.Salford commuter Brenda Gregory, 68, a former physiotherapist, said the amount of waste in the NHS justifies a tightening of the fiscal belt.She said: “The way that the NHS is going, we’ll have to see some drastic changes."I worked there for 30 years, and I saw many people not willing to work, and lots of money being mis-spent.”Her husband, Vincent, 67, said: "We’ll have to wait and see if the reforms work. One thing is for certain, the NHS certainly doesn’t work at the moment.” Thomas Wilson, 24, from Salford, said: “When more advanced countries like the US are fighting for healthcare like ours, to change it so drastically is disgraceful.” Much of Britain has reacted in protest to the drastic changes. A petition against the reforms by campaign group 38 Degrees currently has 597,866 signatures. Health professionals have too spoken out against the dramatic restructuring.Dr Hamish Meldrum of the British Medical Association (BMA) criticised the Bill and added it “places too much emphasis on using market forces, risking greater fragmentation of our health service”.The BMA's Richard Jarvis said the legislation was damaging.The World Health Organsiation rated the UK at number 18 in the world. The US, which relies on private healthcare, was ranked at 37, behind countries such as Saudi Arabia, Colombia, and Morocco with far fewer resources. The Bill is expected to come into effect in August 2012.

Curry Mile: The most dangerous cycle route in Manchester?

CYCLISTS played down fears today after Wilmslow Road in Rusholme was named as the most dangerous road in Manchester, writes Luke McDonagh. The busy stretch, known as the "Curry Mile", has seen 65 accidents in which cyclists have been injured since 2006.The road, between Moss Lane East and Claremont Road, is the busiest cycling route in the city, used by hundreds of students pedalling to and from university.The data was collated by Levenes Solicitors, specialists in claims for cycle injury, using statistics of accidents reported to the police. But Pete Abel, from the Love Your Bike Campaign, expressed concerns about the way the data has been presented.He said: “The law firm hasn’t taken into account how busy certain roads are. You kind of go ‘oh my god cycling’s dangerous’ and actually it’s not. “In terms of health benefits that people get from it, the small risk that you might have in terms of crashes are far outweighed by the benefits to you as an individual in terms of health gain, but also to the benefits it brings to the community in terms of less pollution, less congestion etc.” Tim Beasley, a partner with Levenes, advised councils to review accident blackspots with cycle groups.He said: “I am not saying that statistics alone tell us everything. “What I am trying to get across is that planners should look at their roads from a cycling view point and start off with the locations which have the most accidents. “I would suggest that highway planners should actually get on their bikes themselves and cycle these routes to get a better understanding of the problems cyclists face."Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has submitted a bid to improve the city’s transport links to the Department of Transport, which is set to be decided upon this summer.The bid includes plans to improve cycling links in the city as well as introduce a bus, taxi and cycle-only section on Oxford Road.The proposals will also see pavements widened and segregated cycle lanes introduced between Hathersage Road and Grosvenor Street.The TfGM’s Commuter Cycle Project has introduced a number of initiatives to encourage cycling in the area including confidence building group rides and free adult cycling classes. The classes, lead by accredited instructors, are designed to encourage commuters to cycle to work by teaching them tips on riding at night and in bad weather, how to deal with heavy traffic and general road safety. For more details email cycle.training@tfgm.com.Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kh1234567890/4082531183/

Turing's unfinished sunflower experiment blooms

THOUSANDS of sunflowers will be planted as part of a research project in honour of Manchester mathematician Alan Turing, writes Sian Davies.Schools, businesses and community groups will be encouraged to grow the flowers to help finish an experiment that Turing worked on before he died in 1954.Most famous for his code-breaking skills which helped crack the Enigma Code during World War Two, Turing later became interested in the mathematical patterns found in stems, seeds and leaves.He was trying to explain why the spirals on sunflower heads often conform to a Fibonacci number- a sequence where each number is the sum of the two before it.The project hopes to grow around 3,000 sunflowers to see whether these Fibonacci patterns occur.The last experiment was in the Netherlands in 1938 and used only 319 samples. Led by Manchester's Museum of Science and Industry, mathematicians from the University of Manchester will study the sunflowers and announce the results during the city's Science Festival in October.Professor Jonathan Swinton, one of the project developers, said: “Scientists think that Turing’s theory of why these patterns appear is along the right lines, but we need to test this out on a big dataset.“The more people who can grow sunflowers, the more robust the experiment.”The organisers are keen to get as many people involved as possible to provide a big sample and more conclusive results.Manchester Science Festival director Natalie Ireland said: “Everyone that takes part can contribute to a real experiment. Sunflowers will pop up all over the city - I can’t wait to see them and see the results.”This year marks the centenary of Alan Turing’s birth and will be marked by events across the country. Turing committed suicide in 1954 at the age of 41 - two years after being convicted of gross indecency.The mathematician was gay at a time when homosexuality was a crime and a statue of him stands near Manchester's Village.Emma Ochu, project manager of Turing’s Sunflowers, said: “Communities coming together to plant sunflowers around the city and beyond is a fitting celebration of the work of Alan Turing, and they will also provide missing evidence to test his little-known theories about Fibonacci numbers in sunflowers.”If you want to grow sunflowers for Turing contact sunflowers@mosi.org.uk or register your interest via the Manchester Science Festival website.

Bus pervert fails to attend court hearing

A MAN who groped two women on a Manchester bus is being sought by police after failing to appear at court, writes Dan O'Donoghue and Helga Bjorgulfsdottir.Syed Ali Abbas, of Barlow Road, Levenshulme, pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault on 1 March and was due to appear before Manchester Magistrates' Court for sentencing.But the 23-year-old English student did not attend and a warrant has now been issued for his arrest.The court heard Abbas committed the sexual offences when travelling on the 192 bus into the city centre.Tess Kenyon, prosecuting, told the hearing Abbas sat next to his first victim and began stroking her thigh.She said when the victim complained, he told her, 'you enjoyed it’. He then went to the top deck, where he continued to harass passengers, touching a second woman on her leg, the court heard. The hearing was told both victims told the driver and he immediately redirected the bus - including passengers - to Longsight police station, where Abbas was arrested.The court heard Abbas told officers he was trying to be friendly but later apologised.Alex Preston, defending, said Abbas had never had a girlfriend and was immature man. She told the court: “It was a very unpleasant incident and he cannot explain his actions."He is full of remorse.” District Judge Jonathan Taafe issued an arrest warrant without bail when the offender did not appear. Abbas is facing a jail sentence and registration on the Sex Offenders' Register.

Judge's 'mother' warning to man who crashed car

A 21-year-old man was warned by a judge "don't let your mother down" after he took her car - and crashed into into a black cab.Kieran McCaffrey had been drinking - but was not over the limit - when he took her Fiat Brava without permission.He suffered minor injuries after losing control and crashing into the taxi on December 11 last year. The court heard how McCaffrey, of Royle Road, Northenden, had been struggling to cope since the death of his father in May, often turning to drink.District Judge Jonathan Taafe handed him a six-month suspended jail sentence and ordered him to undergo 100 hours unpaid work.McCaffrey was also banned from driving for two years. Judge Taafe told McCaffrey: “I am sorry for your loss but I have a duty to protect the public. “You need to sort yourself out, you need to sort yourself out sooner rather than later. Don’t let your mother down again.”McCaffrey's mother, who was not named, sat in the public gallery looking sombre throughout her son’s hearing at Manchester Magistrates' Court. McCaffrey pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and driving while disqualified without insurance. His defence team said the accident had been a "wake-up call."By Helga Bjorgulfsdottir and Dan O'Donoghue

Panic at the pumps

PETROL stations around Manchester and Salford were running dry today as the possibility of a fuel drivers' strike continued, writes Daniel O'Donoghue and Samantha Warrington.Some had run out of fuel as queues spilled over onto busy roads after the government advised motorists to take "sensible action" and fill tanks if they are half full. Independent traders had been hit hard by the shortage.Mr. Patel, 48, owner of the Gulf Petrol Station, on Broughton Lane, Salford, has not received a petrol delivery since last Sunday.He said: “I’ve got no idea when the next delivery will be. I have been relying on people coming in for groceries, but I’ve lost my passing trade.“ I think this is just another way for the government to take the mickey out of the public.”Tesco, in Prestwich was not immune to the panic as cars backlogged. Driver Lawrence Malch, 65, of Prestwich, said:“I think it’s mainly panic buying. We’re all going mad and we're all putting in more than we should.“I come to Tesco every day and I haven’t seen it like this before.”The supermarket was keen to reassure drivers this afternoon and said: "Customers are putting more fuel in their cars and we are experiencing an increase in sales in some areas, but customers can be reassured that the fuel supply chain is working hard to meet increased demand.”Shell garage on Bury New Road, Prestwich, has been without fuel since yesterday afternoon. Supervisor Nauman Khushnood said: “There’s a lot of confusion about this at the moment. It has been really busy for the past couple of days and customers have been asking what is going on.”Chuka Umunna MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, was at the Lowry in Salford this afternoon and said: “Labour would like to see both sides of the dispute get round the table and negotiate.”The Unite assistant general secretary, Diana Holland, echoed this and said:“Unite has said all along that we want a negotiated settlement through meaningful talks.“We trust that the employers, and the supply chain, including oil majors, will engage with us and that the government will do everything in their power to help us avoid industrial action.”

Manchester to become London of the North

GREATER Manchester has signed a deal paving the way for it to become the 'London of the North' - creating more than 6,000 jobs, writes Kate Meighan and Alex Hibbert.The City Deal announced by Chancellor George Osborne in his budget, will see £1.2 billion invested to boost the area’s economy. Greater Manchester Combined Authority – which represents the 10 councils based in the region - has said the deal will “accelerate growth, boost skills and encourage local decision-making and increased self sufficiency”.Labour councillors in the area have even backed the Tory's plans for Manchester’s future. The City Deal initiative allows cities to bid for powers to free them from Whitehall control in order to boost local growth.The investment will mean the city can borrow from central government to fund big infrastructure projects – including better transport links and affordable housing. Manchester will then be able to keep the additional funds this generates – earning money back – and recycle them to invest in further growth. This ‘Earnback Model,’ never before seen outside London, will give greater powers of independence to the area.It will begin with the completion of the Greater Manchester Transport Fund programme, whose schemes include the extension of the Metrolink to Trafford Park.The city has calculated this will lead to around 3,800 new jobs for local people and protect 2,300 existing jobs.The council also wants to add to overseas investments coming from Manchester by developing markets in China and India.Sir Richard Leese, vice chair of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, has said the plan means exciting times for Manchester’s trade.He said: “Greater Manchester has a strong track record of working together towards a greater good and we are confident that this City Deal will be a significant step forward in realising our ambitions and the potential of the region”.Manchester’s devolved governance has already agreed a three per cent duty on council tax to fund more projects, and its combined authorities govern much of its day-to-day business. The combination means Manchester is likely to be willing to bet its own money that it will be able to generate crucial extra financial growth. Councillor Andrew Fender, chairman of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, said: "Manchester is at the forefront of new initiatives and schemes designed to make our city better. “What is occurring in Manchester now would not be happening were it not for the hard work of everybody in the city”.The City Deal has been feted as a big success by city analysts as a bespoke and innovative means of kick-starting the local economy. City Deals are also being negotiated with eight other cities, including Manchester's neighbours Liverpool and Leeds. Each city is able to specify the particular powers they need and want to boost local growth.

Salford gets ready to welcome Queen at Quays

SALFORD'S MediaCityUK is preparing to welcome the Queen as part of her Diamond Jubilee tour, writes Alex Dorweiler.The monarch is due to formally open the BBC studios and HRH Prince Philip will open the University of Salford's new campus.Shoppers in the Lowry Outlet mall in Salford today gave their reaction to the Royal visit.Sue Copping, 71, from Sale Moor, said: “I think we should feel privileged really for the Queen coming to visit.”“The Queen is unique and she’s ruled this country for a long time now and really she deserves praise. Though I’m not a fan of the Royal Family as such, I think she’s done a grand job.“I’m not sure if the expenses attached to the celebrations are justifiable with everybody else cutting back.”Mary and Helen from South Manchester were shopping at the Lowry today as well.Helen said: “It’s good that she’s coming up to Manchester, it’s nice. We all like her.“I think there is a need for her. She attracts a crowd from abroad and is a symbol of British unity.”But she was critical of the cost of the Jubilee celebrations.She said: “It is a waste of money. “There are so many people who are struggling at the moment and yet they can find the money to do it to the extent they are.”Mary added: “My husband always said, ‘If she wasn’t there we would be no better off’, so I do think it’s nice to have them.”The Royals will arrive at Victoria Station at about 10.30am before moving on to the Eye Hospital on Oxford Road by 10.45am.Onlookers should congregate on the Boulevard – which runs through the centre of the hospital site – for a glimpse of the Queen, but are recommended to arrive by 10.30am.She will cut the ribbon on the multimillion pound refurbishment of Central Manchester hospitals.After meeting staff and patients, she will hear a specially-commissioned piece of music, composed by the Royal Northern College of Music.She will then formally open Media City in Salford Quays at around 11.40am. Crowds are expected to gather at the piazza outside the BBC studios and on the green in front of Salford University’s new campus. Trams and buses to Media City are expected to run as normal.As the Queen tours the BBC’s Quay House studios – home of Match of the Day and CBeebies – Prince Philip will be opening the university’s new media centre.The Royal couple will then return to Manchester for a reception at the Town Hall.The Queen last visited Manchester during her Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977.

Manchester to get ultra-fast broadband

MANCHESTER has been chosen as one of the ten cities to become ‘‘super-connected’’ thanks to the Government’s £100m internet investment in the UK, writes Jason Gallagher.The details were announced as part of George Osborne’s budget plans.The other cities include Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Newcastle and London.With speeds increasing to as much as 100Mbps (megabits per second), 224,000 homes and 11,000 businesses will reap the benefits by 2014/15. Additional funding will also be available to support small and medium-sized businesses requiring even faster connectivity.Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “The Manchester Digital City package will result in high speed internet access for all of our residents and businesses, promoting social inclusion and stimulating economic growth, particularly in the digital and media industries. “We’ve repeatedly stressed the importance of improved transport infrastructure to the city’s future, but leading edge digital connectivity is every bit as essential. We aim to be one of the world’s top 20 digital cities by 2020 and this funding will help propel us along that path.”The cash injection comes at a time when controversy has surrounded how every penny is spent by the Government.George O’Neill, an IT businessman, from Salford, thinks money could be better spent elsewhere.“For most people in Manchester the speed is fine the way it is. The government should have looked at improving the connection in more deprived areas like Liverpool. “People also need to realise that the greatest difference will not necessarily be the super-fast speed but rather the capability to have a decent connection during busy periods of the day”.Graphic designer Ross Idzha, from Belfast, another city to obtain the high-speed broadband believes it’s hard to know if it is actually needed. “It’s still quick and more than adequate for most people trying to stream videos or use social media.“Few companies actually deliver the speeds that are advertised. Time will tell whether £100m is worth it from the budget,” he added.The money is set to balance out areas that will not be covered by the likes of Virgin Media and BT. BT announced just last week that three more parts of Greater Manchester – Eccles, Horwich and Leigh – are set to benefit from super-fast broadband.They said the high-speed technology will be available to more than 37,000 extra homes and businesses in the region by next spring.Andrew Ferguson, Editor of Thinkbroadband, thinks the market should have done more to provide the service. “It’s difficult to tell whether it’s actually needed as there has been a failure by the market to deliver an alternative. Few companies are actually offering an alternative to the Government plans and that’s the reason this is happening – the market has been too slow to deliver.“It’s important, if speeds are actually going to deliver, that each city makes their deadline in 2015 and also sets a deadline every few years. The EU has set a 2020 deadline for the UK to meet – this is critical if connection speeds will be as fast as they're advertised.”Dr Alexander Roy is head of research at Manchester-based New Economy, set up to improve economic prosperity in the city.He said: “We’re really pleased the Government has recognised the merits of investing in ultra-fast broadband in Manchester. We have been working on this agenda for more than two years.”

iPads are for fortysomethings, says research

THE average age of an iPad user is 47, new research has revealed.The statistic was revealed by Daily Telegraph sales and marketing researchers who found that while younger people want to buy the device, many cannot afford the £400 price tag.Instead, the study discovered that fortysomethings were more likely to be using the gadget.Britain’s best selling daily broadsheet also found that there is more than 30 years age difference between those who buy the paper, and those who access the Telegraph's news site through their mobile phones.Average readers of the paper are affluent and 60 years old, while those using their mobiles are generally between 18 and 34.But print enthusiasts are becoming increasingly "new media savvy" and the Telegraph is busy bridging the generation gap by luring readers across all its platforms.Sports journalist Henry Winter is followed by 275, 216 readers on Twitter.The newspaper is still selling more than 600,000 copies a day and generated profits of £54.5m last year.To bring in advertising revenue - the lifeblood of any newspaper - the Telegraph’s sales and marketing team at Salford’s MediaCityUK are embracing new technology to appeal to advertisers.Innovations include a translucent wrap for the paper which can carry ads for major companies like HSBC while still allowing the reader to see the underlying Telegraph front and back pages on the newspaper stands.Gary Frielick, Manchester regional sales director of The Telegraph, spoke to University of Salford students this week about the importance of keeping pace with technology and also anticipating future developments.He is proud of the Telegraph project “Create” which deals with company marketing and employs social media and graphic design professionals.Mr Frielick is also a firm believer in the traditional newspaper, sitting down with a cup of coffee and the weekend papers on a Sunday morning, but also believes that the multi-platform capabilities of the paper have helped raise reader numbers.He said: “Five years ago one in ten people engaged in our brand, now it’s one in three. This can be put down to the growth in platforms.“Nowadays the challenge of any paper is monetising the digital offering. Rupert Murdoch did this by putting The Times behind a paywall, but he also spent £100m on presses five or six years ago – he wouldn’t have done that if print was dead. “Journalists have to be trained in everything nowadays. Our website reporters have to do live news casts so had training on that, you wouldn’t have seen that back in the day”.By Kate Meighan

Salford elderly slam

ANGRY grannies today vowed to vote out the government at the next election as payback for the Chancellor's attack on pensioners' tax allowances, writes Sanjay Dove.George Osborne’s so-called "Granny Tax”, announced in the budget, has caused outrage among Salford’s pensioners, Salford News found out today.The tax, which affects middle income pensioners over 65, means those receiving between £10,500 and £28,930 will end up paying the same rate of tax as current workers.Jean Bailey, 73, said: “As a granny myself, I think that my generation have paid into this country, we’ve paid our taxes and we’ve paid our dues. My generation didn’t know unemployment so we worked and we paid our dues.“We put so much into this country and he’s come along and he’s grabbing back. He’s taking back as much as he can.”Jean also admitted that it could also affect the way her generation would vote in the next general election.“It will be interesting to see what knock-on effect this will have, because it’s my generation of pensioners who vote. Our vote could stop kind of thing from happening in the future.”Another angry pensioner, Margaret, 81, agreed, adding that she would be using her vote to vote out the government rather than to elect a new one.She added: “I do object to the way pensioners have been hammered in this budget. I’ve worked most of my life, apart from when I had four young children. I think it’s rubbish." Before the budget, the personal tax allowance was set at £10,500 for pensioners earning less than £28,930 and £8,105 for current workers.Now, as the personal allowance for workers has increased to £9,205, the allowance for the over 65s has been reduced to match this level, in what George Osborne says is a “much simpler system for everyone.”At the moment, OAPs pay £493 less than a worker on the same wage. Those over 75 get a higher allowance, paying £523 less tax. Age UK says that the aged will pay up to £279 more than they otherwise would.However, not all agree that middle income pensioners should have a tax break.Winton, 65, said: “I’m not quite sure why pensioners ever got the tax break in the first place. Not having had it, I suppose I won’t miss it. I can’t see why pensioners should have a higher level of allowance.“There are issues about whether people get enough pensions but I don’t see the way to address that is to give people a higher tax allowance. It ought to be a higher pension. There shouldn’t be why any one group get a better allowance than another.”However, Winton, who has recently turned 65, misses the "granny tax" because he was born before the 5 April1948. Only those born after that date, are in line for the new tax.The reduction in allowance will raise £3.5bn for the Treasury in five years but the implications of which remain to be seen.

VIDEO: Friends of the Earth celebrates 40th year

FRIENDS OF THE EARTH is run solely by volunteers aiming to make a change to the way we look after our environment. As the campaign group marks its 40th birthday this year, Quays TV News reporter Sophie Dulson catches up with the Manchester branch to find out their message is as relevant as ever.Sophie spoke to Cat Thompson and Pete Abel about their volunteer work with the group.

Students plan protest over university job cuts

ANGRY Salford students are vowing to protest against the latest round of job cuts to university staff, writes Liam Thorp.The Students' Union has received a flood of complaints from members who have promised to demonstrate about the decision to axe 185 university jobs.Salford University has confirmed it expects 65 academic positions to go whilst 120 non-academic roles will be cut. Departments including engineering and performing arts will be badly hit by the cuts and students have said they will be organising demonstrations.University of Salford Students' Union vice president of health and social care, Sophie Atkinson said: "A lot of students are really concerned. "They feel that they won’t be able to function after these cuts, they have set up a Facebook group and some are planning a demonstration. “The students think they are going to be paying more for less. The Students' Union is currently deciding what action to take, but we will be acting soon. “The job losses have been announced as the Government’s cuts to higher education begin to bite.Core teaching funding for universities is being cut by 34 per cent, from £3.6bn in 2011/12 to £2.4bn in 2012/13, according to details released today by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.A spokesman for the University of Salford said: "Like many other universities, Salford is operating in a difficult financial environment.“We have been aware of these pressures for some time and have already been working to address them in a planned and systematic way. "In response, we have a plan to reduce the number of staff in some areas of the university, which will be carried out in such a way as to sustain the quality of the student experience.“We cannot rule out the potential for compulsory redundancies at this stage, but we will, as always, take every possible step to avoid them.”The university has been forced into several rounds of job cuts over the past three years starting with Project Headroom in 2009, resulting in 150 job cuts.General Secretary of the University and College Union Sally Hunt said: "At a time when record numbers of people are out of work, the government should be making it easier for people to access education. "Axing grants for college students, tripling university fees and slashing teaching budgets and student places is exactly what the government should not be doing.”

The Falklands War - 30 Years On

THE IMPERIAL War Museum at Salford Quays is hosting special Falklands tours and talks of the forgotten stories, to coincide with the Falklands Anniversary. Robert Midgley writes about the history of the conflict.Today marks the 30th anniversary of the invasion of the Falklands in 1982. Thirty years ago Argentine forces invaded the Falklands along with other British Territories in the South Atlantic including South Georgia were invaded on the 2nd of April.Under Margaret Thatcher’s Government, a British task force of more than one hundred ships, including civilian transportation vessels, were sent out from Britain, 8000 miles away from the Falklands on the 5th of April.On the 25th of April South Georgia was recaptured by British forces. On the 2nd of May the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano was sunk by HMS Conqueror which remains controversial over the legality of the hit, whether it was within territorial waters or not.British troops began landing at San Carlos Bay on the 21st of May which lead to the recapture of Goose Green later that week. Argentine forces eventually surrendered on June 14th when the Falkland’s capital, Stanley was recaptured. 255 British servicemen died during the conflict. Argentine death number is estimated around 650 lives. Tours will commence at the Imperial War Museum between the 16-27th of April (not including weekends), everyday at 2.15PM.

The US Masters 2012

THE start of the first major of the golfing season will see the world's top players arrive at Augusta National in Gerogia - home of The Masters, home of the green jacket.It is such a unique and beautiful course, with its backdrop of towering pines, azaleas and dogwoods around the greens, most notably around Amen Corner, where this fine championship can be won or lost.There’s no denying that the biggest talking point coming into this year’s tournament is the return to form of Tiger Woods. After all his personal and physical troubles of the last few years, he seems to finally be in a place mentally where he can concentrate on what he does best, play golf.Just nine days ago, Woods (pictured) won the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the seventh time, coming home five shots clear of the field. It was all there. The red shirt, the fist pumps, the roars of the crowd, and the swagger we haven’t seen for a long time.Woods won’t have it all his own way though. There’s the heir apparent, Rory McIlroy. The young man from Holywood, Northern Ireland, blew a four shot lead in the final round here last year. He did however, banish that demon in emphatic fashion at the US Open with a commanding eight shot victory.And there are a whole host of other players on cue and in form, ready to take to the course, most notably world number one Luke Donald. Fresh off the back of his Transitions win, where he reclaimed the top ranking from McIlroy, who held it for two weeks after his Honda Classic win at the start of March.Phil Mickelson, whose Masters record speaks for itself with three victories in the last eight years, is in great form himself this year, with a win, a second place finish, and tied-fourth at the weekend.Lee Westwood would love to break his major duck here after coming second in 2010, and coming so close to that elusive first major on several occasions in the last few years.Graham McDowell, who pushed Woods for half of the final round in the Arnold Palmer, and who beat Woods in his own event in 2010, seems to be returning to the form which saw him win that year’s US Open.Other notable players this week include major winners, Keegan Bradley, and defending champion Charl Schwartzel. Maybe to a lesser extent, but another exciting young player, big-hitter Kyle Stanley - who won his first PGA Tour event this year - promises to be well suited to the demands of this fantastic course.There are about 10 players who could really push an in-form Woods this week. The current crop of players seem to have overcome the fear of Tiger that others may have had in the past.With the current wet weather in Augusta at the minute and the threat of rain for the first two days, the big-hitters might just have an early advantage. No matter what the weather though, I’m sure we are in for four days of sheer excitement and drama, and with so many players seemingly coming into the week in good form, we might just witness an epic.By Brian Cruickshank

Chuggers 'banned' to stop shopper harassment

RESTRICTIONS on "chuggers" have come into force which limit the charity fundraisers approaching shoppers in Manchester, writes Lauren Houghton.An agreement has been drawn up to stop shoppers being harassed by the street fundraisers, often referred to as “chuggers” – charity muggers.The joint agreement between CityCo, the city centre management company, and the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association (PFRA), the body that self-regulates street fundraising came into force on Monday 28 February 2012 after approval from Manchester City Council.There are now only four zones in the city centre where face-to-face fundraising can take place:Zone 1 - The bottom of Market Street under the canopy near Boots Zone 2 - The Oldham Street end of Piccadilly Gardens near the statue Zone 3 - Outside the main entrance to the Manchester Arndale and next to the Manchester Wheel Zone 4 - St Ann’s Square outside the Royal Exchange Theatre The fundraisers are limited to five chuggers per zone and they will only be allowed to approach people on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 9am and 6pm. With many high street stores struggling, the face-face fundraisers have been criticised for discouraging people from shopping in the city centre.Some retailers welcomed the restrictions.Niki Porter, 40, a retail supervisor on Market Street, spoke on a day when the street was free of "chuggers" due to the restrictions.She said: “It’s so much better without them. "I hate the fact that every day they are asking me for money and they can be really rude if you ignore them, heckling you down the street. It must drive people away from shopping on Market Street."I always duck straight into the Arndale Centre to avoid being harassed, so I bet shoppers do the same.”Alex Macdonald, 22, also works for a Market Street retailer, he said: “I’m all for charity but I would like to choose who I give it to rather than have it forced on me. "Obviously they’re doing a really good thing, but there must be other ways of going about it. "I think it does put people off shopping on Market Street so being reduced to three days is good - but zero days would be better.” Manchester is one of 39 UK towns and cities, including Leeds and Sheffield, that have introduced a street fundraising agreement.But not everybody agrees with the restrictions. Shopper Tanya Dean, 31, she said: “I do find the fundraisers annoying but even without them there’s still people approaching you all over Market Street, trying to give you leaflets or sell you things, at least if it’s for charity it’s a good cause. "It should be the businesses that are restricted first then people might have more patience with the charity workers.”The PRFA estimates that face-to-face fundraising raises around £10 million a month.The charity watchdog said more than 600,000 donors sign up with street fundraisers each year, which comprises around 18% of regular charity donors.With many charities facing cuts in funding this extra blow could hit their finances hard. Tracy Griffin, director of fundraising at Shelter, welcomed restriction agreements.She said: "For Shelter, all new site management agreements are a positive step forward for the self regulation of face to face fundraising." Anyone can report any fundraisers in Manchester who appear to be breaking the agreement by emailing streetfundraising@cityco.com. Further information on fundraising regulation is available from the PRFA.

Manchester basketball fans in awe of American legends

THE slam dunk slapstick comedy of the Harlem Globetrotters proved to still be a big draw as thousands of basketball fans flocked to see the self-proclaimed World Champions in action at the MEN Arena.Due to their continuing renewal of their squad, the Globetrotters’ crazy antics attract fans from all ages and last night was no different.Megan, 21 and Mike, 25, both from Halifax, came to see "the tricks."Megan said: “It’s the heritage and memorabilia from the Harlem Globetrotters from the 1920s that attracts me more than anything.My dad loves them so that’s how I knew of them.”She said: “They were really good. It’s just a great comedy show.”Mike added: “We didn’t know what to expect really, we didn’t know whether it was going to be a game or just tricks. But it was a good mix of both, especially with getting the kids involved.”In the show, the Globetrotters faced their opponents the ‘International Elite’ whose purpose it is to defeat their 40-year long winning streak in the battle for the World Basketball Championship.But during this match-up, they face all sorts of ridicule from the Globetrotters. And with the special rule of the so-called ‘penalty box’ added to regular rules, this can result in 5-on-3 or even 5-on-2 plays.Adam Rodgerson, 12, from Manchester, went to the show with his friend Thomas Entwistle, also 12 and from Manchester.Both Globetrotters fans, they said: “We wanted to go last year, but our parents wouldn’t let us. Then we saw the advert and just had to go.”Adam said he thought they were a bit more "silly" than expected: “I thought they would be more serious, rather than doing all the messing about that they did. But it made it more interesting.”Thomas said: “My highlight was probably when Ant and Cheese were sliding around on the floor against the International Elite and still beat them with just the two of them.”With mascot Globie and his big brother Big G cheering for the younger kids, it was evident that this is a family show. And with plenty of audience interaction on the floor and the occasional kids challenge, some even got as lucky as to get a souvenir from one of the players. Acer, 11, and Jay Owen-Roszkowski, 6, both from Manchester, were one of the lucky few as they witnessed the spectacle with their dad Paul, 43.Jay said: “Ant was my favourite, I got his sweatband!They were so much better than the other team.”Acer was proud to announce that they are going to ‘get a basketball net in the garden and practice.’He said his dad introduced him to the Globetrotters: “My dad used to watch them when he was younger and he said he didn’t know whether he would ever see them in England again so he took us along.”I didn’t expect them to be that good, they were just amazing.”The Harlem Globetrotters can be seen at the Liverpool Arena tonight at 7.30pm.By Alex Dorweiler

Police net suspects in crime crackdown

GREATER Manchester Police have made 40 arrests as part of a blitz on burglars, robbers and thieves, writes Liam Thorp.GMP's Metropolitan Division, which covers areas such as Longsight, Moss Side and Fallowfield, launched an initiative called Operation Volumise to deal with crime hotspots.Between 14 and 28 February 2012, 40 people were arrested on suspicion of committing burglaries, robberies and car crime.The crackdown has involved using search and arrest warrants, monitoring persistent offenders and keeping tabs on those recently released from prison.Many of those arrested were in breach of bail or had failed to respond to court warrants.Chief Inspector Dave Gilbride said: "We want Operation Volumise to show offenders and our community that we are committed to making criminals account for their crimes.“Through targeting them in their homes, in our communities and on the streets we have made significant progress in reducing all forms of theft and helped offenders make the choice between going straight or going straight to prison.”Police Community Support Officers have been visiting hundreds of homes in the affected areas to give advice on crime reduction and warn motorists to remove valuables and lock their cars.They have also visited supermarkets, shopping centres and other public places to help people register their valuables on Immobilise.com.Immobilise.com is a website where people can register ownership of property. This means valuables are much easier to track in the event of a theft and this service is used by all UK Police forces to trace owners of lost and stolen property.Residents in the areas covered by the Metropolitan Division praised the results of Operation Volumise.Lewis Crowther, 23, from Fallowfield, said: “This is great news."I think the crime reduction advice could really help around Fallowfield. "There are a lot of students from other parts of the country and they aren’t always aware of potential criminals targeting them. "When you add a heavy drinking culture to this, it can be easy for burglars to strike. " Hopefully the police are making people more streetwise.”Jonathan Pruskin, 23, lives in Longsight and said he was pleased with the police's work in the area.He said: "There is no doubt that parts of the area are dangerous. "I think there is a visible police presence here and that makes me feel safer in my home. I’m pleased to hear about these arrest figures, it is very reassuring.”Chief Insp Gilbride said the latest arrests are just the beginning of the operation.He added: "I can assure law-abiding and law-breaking citizens that it does not end here. We will continue to work to reduce burglary, robbery and vehicle crime and bring offenders to justice over the coming months.“I urge residents to play their part in the fight against these criminals by refusing to buy goods they suspect have been stolen and reporting their suspicions to us."Councillor Jim Battle, deputy leader of Manchester City Council, said: "This operation helps send out a serious message that criminal activity will not be tolerated here in Manchester."We are working closely with the police in our communities to help reduce burglaries and advise people about what they can do to make their homes safer."Anyone with any information or concerns should call police on 101 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Podcast: Quays News Football Weekly

UNITED leapfrog City in the title race, goalline technology comes back into focus and the Premier League relegation battle hots up. Sean Irwin, Ross Lees-McCowan, Adam Wilson and Elliot Millward lock horns in the Quays News Football Weekly.

Podcast: Added Time

AS Manchester United open up a five point gap at the top of the table, is the Premiership title staying ay Old Trafford? Are Manchester City’s star turns losing form at the wrong time of the campaign? With six league defeats from seven now, where do Liverpool go from here? While Kenny Dalglish is in the firing line, should director of football Damien Comolli take some of the blame. And what about Ian Holloway for the Anfield hotseat? And as the battle to survive the drop gathers pace, are Aston Villa in danger of being dragged into the relegation zone? Elliot Millward, Ross Lees-McCowan and Sean Irwin discuss all of this and more in this week’s Added Time…

University performance boss hails new £45m arts building

SALFORD University's perfomance director spoke of delight today about a new £45m arts building for students, writes Alison Carter.Simon Piasecki said the centre would offer wannabe actors, musicians and dancers "industry standard space" when it opens in 2014.He added: “Students are going to want to get more for their money. There is an expectation that they get really good facilities because of the fee hike.”Mr Piasecki, who has helped design the building, added: “We deserve and need new spaces. It’ll be fantastic for Salford and it’ll be great for the students.”The centre will house state-of-the-art acting studios, performance spaces, rehearsal areas and a warehouse theatre.Mr Piasecki said: “The new building gives us a facility to build really good research and training partnerships that attract industry and programming so that we can programme in industries much better than we can at the moment.”Performance students are currently based in Adelphi Building, an ageing former chemical plant.Mr Piasecki said the move to a modern facility would increase competition for places.He added: “If MediaCityUK is anything to go by this year it is clear that a new facility has a big pull. Applications there have sky rocketed.”The project is being funded through discounted loans from Lloyds Banking Group PLC.

Food festival enjoys taste of success

THE Chester Food, Drink and Lifestyle festival welcomed a record number of visitors over the Easter weekend, writes Amy Hughes. Held at Chester Racecourse from Saturday to Monday, the annual festival saw nearly 10,000 visitors pass through the gates on the first day alone. Now in its eleventh year the festival had over 120 exhibitors, including international producers, displaying their products for visitors to taste and buy. With demonstrations from TV chef Simon Rimmer and ex-Coronation Street star Sean Wilson (pictured), crowds flooded in to watch their favourite chefs cook. The Lord Lady Mayoress of Chester, Eleanor Johnson, opened the event. She said: “I am delighted to be at this year’s Food and Drink Festival; the sixth on the Racecourse and eleventh in Chester.” Chairperson of the festival, Jane Mooney, said: “It’s been 11 years since we’ve being doing this and it gets bigger and better every year.” The main aim of the festival is to show local producers stock and encourage visitors to engage more with local suppliers and products rather than supermarkets. A range of products were on display from selected oils, cheeses, relishes, and all kinds of meat from traditional to exotic game. Stephen Wundke, one of the main organisers of the event, said: “We’ve got more exhibitors and more people camping than last year. We’ve taken up even more space and that’s what we wanted.” The busiest stall was that of Cheshire Cheese Company, winners of the Chester Cheese Rolling Competition 2012. It was clear the title had boosted their profile. The company was so popular they had to have two stalls. With some producers making their debut, one oil company from Wales, Flower of Gold, launched their “Cheshire rapeseed oil” at the Festival to a very warm reception. This year the festival aided the charity The Academy of Culinary Arts. The charity aims to assist children into exploring the world of food by experiencing through senses what different foods are like. James Holden, a main chef at The Academy, ran a number of child cookery sessions. He said: “The earlier they learn about food the better. “I think we have a generation gap, where some parents who have young children now didn’t learn about new foods and can’t pass it on.” * For more information about the Chester Food, Drink and Lifestyle festival, visit their website

Social media campaign aims to engage Salford youths

A SOCIAL media campaign is creating a buzz around Salford as young people are targeted with power wash tagging on pavements across the city.A guerrilla marketing blitz got underway this month to promote Salford Youth Discussion (SYD), an online forum which uses Facebook and Twitter to engage with young people aged 10 to 24 who live in Salford.Tags urging young people to “Text “Tell syd” to win prizes on 67200 or tweet @SalfordYD” have sprung up on pavements throughout Salford in areas popular with young people – including outside Eccles Youth Centre, Salford City Academy and Bridgewater Youth Centre in Little Hulton.In total 50 tags have been stencilled in key city locations encouraging young people to join the SYD community during the eight week campaign. The tags have been power washed onto the pavement and will fade over time.When a text or tweet is sent via a mobile phone the recipient is sent a URL for the SYD Facebook fan page. They are then asked a question and entered into a prize draw. The aim is to build the number of friends on the SYD fan page.Throughout the campaign prizes are up for grabs. During the first week a £50 Trafford Centre voucher was available and a £25 Trafford Centre voucher each week for the following seven weeks.The SYD Facebook fan page uses social media to engage with young people in Salford to stimulate debate, share ideas and become a positive arena for new ideas and discussion. It will also allow young people to find out about job opportunities, health and welfare issues and how to get involved in their local community.SYD is the inspiration of City West Housing Trust’s Youth Empowerment Panel (YEP), a group of 17 young people aged 10 to 24. YEP provides a voice to young people who are connected to the Salford-based housing association.Leanne Oldham, Community Development Officer for City West, said: “SYD has been developed for young people by young people. Members of YEP wanted to use social media to engage and interact with other young people in Salford.“Together we want to challenge many of the misconceptions about young people today. Following the riots last summer there is so much negativity out there, we want to shine a positive light on young people in Salford.“There are so many fantastic activities that young people are involved in. We want other people to hear about the positive things they are doing in their community. The Facebook fan page will also signpost young people to opportunities that are available to them.”Members of YEP will also be using face paint marketing to spread the word about SYD at various events being held during the Easter Holidays.Abby Bridgford, 16, who lives in Higher Irlam and is a member of YEP, said: “We’re hoping the tagging and face painting creates a real buzz about SYD. As well as being a fun way to interact with other young people in Salford, it also provides useful information and up-to-date news that is relevant to young people today.“Getting involved in YEP has given me a huge range of new skills and opportunities. We have been to conferences where we have met some inspiring and amazing people.“It’s helped my confidence and public speaking skills but overall has helped young people in Salford have a say and help to get rid of the tarnished reputation that has been put on the youth of today. "I love being in YEP and am still going to be part of it while I go to college. The recognition we have been getting is amazing and I can't wait to see YEP blossom even further in the future.”Any groups and organisations who are interested in promoting events and opportunities that are targeted at young people can get in touch by emailing involved@citywest.org.uk or follow SYD on Twitter @SalfordYDBy Becki Ord

Salford students in groundbreaking breast cancer research

TWO students from the University of Salford have carried out groundbreaking research into breast cancer screening. Grant McGeever and Carl Wilcock, both mechanical engineering students, were enlisted by the University’s Professor Peter Hogg and Judith Kelly of Chester Breast Imaging Unit to help with the issue of image blurring. During screening an X-ray of the breast is taken, a mammogram, if this image is blurred it can lead to the woman being recalled for another screening. This is not desirable as a second dose of radiation is required, the NHS has to fund the extra cost and the woman is “likely to be anxious”, which can lead to other problems in the future. Grant McGeever said: “One of the major problems is if a cancer is hidden by the blurriness and the woman is given the all clear when there is actually a small cancer there.” "Heartache" “We are also doing it to stop the need for repeats, which would cut the costs for the NHS and also stop the heartache for women who get called back and get worried when they don’t know what it is.” The students designed motion detectors which can measure any movement in the paddle which applies pressure to breast during screening; it must stay still to prevent image blurring. Professor Peter Hogg said: “We are looking for small movements, sub millimetre, a millimitre or half a millimetre may not sound like a lot but it is. Mammography has very high resolution images and even a minor motion can cause artefact such as blur on the image.” Professor Peter Hogg interview by Quays News The results and data collected during the research at the Countess of Chester Hospital showed that the paddle did move during screening. Judith Kelly, of Chester Breast Imaging Unit said: “If it proves to be the paddle movement that is causing the blurred images then something will have to be done to prevent that and to keep the paddle firmly in position.” Judith Kelly interview by Quays News Over 1.6 million women are screened through the NHS Breast Screening Programme each year and once analysed and evaluated the research will be used to improve the process. This could be done in a variety of ways including improving the equipment, paddles and also a set of precise technical guidelines being issued to radiographers to help minimise paddle movement. By Elliot Millward

Podcast:: Added Time

IN this week’s Added Time goal line technology is again an issue after Juan Mata’s ‘goal’ in the FA cup semi-final. We discuss Wigan Athletic’s huge win at The Emirates and look forward to the mid-week Champions League semi-finals. Plus, is it time for the PFA player of the year voting system to be revamped? Sean Irwin, Ross Lees-McCowan and Elliot Millward are on the touchline. Added Time Podcast - 17th April 2012 by Quays News

Podcast: Added Time me

IN this week's Added Time the Dalglish debate deepens as Liverpool lose to Wigan at Anfield. We discuss why Newcastle should now be taken seriously and wonder if Arsenal fans are still calling for Arsene Wenger’s head? Plus, is it ‘squeaky bum time’ for Roberto Mancini and Manchester City? Sean Irwin, Elliot Millward, Adam Wilson and Ross Lees-McCowan are in the dug-out.

Nou Camp goal could mark turning point for Torres

THE date is June 29 2008. The venue, Ernst Happel stadium, Vienna. Clean through on goal Fernando Torres does what everyone in the stadium expects him to, dink the ball delicately passed Jens Lehman and into the net. As the Spaniard celebrates scoring the winning goal in the Euro 2008 final against Germany, his elated expression tells the story.At 24 Torres had seemingly fulfilled his early promise. In the eyes of many Spaniards he was the natural successor to Raul – then widely considered the best player Spain had ever produced. Fast forward three years and three months. The venue, Old Trafford. Torres, once again clean through on goal rounds countryman David De Gea only to slip and fumble his shot wide of an open net from six yards. Again his expression tells the story, only this time it’s a rather different one.Despite scoring earlier in that match, the headlines that followed predictably announced the demise of the once prolific forward. “Fernando Torres' greatest days may be confined to memory” read the Guardian. “Torres is sinking into his own private hell…” screamed the Mail. This, to add to his 1000 minute goalless streak after signing for Chelsea from Liverpool in January 2011, signalled a decline that arguably began at the 2010 World Cup, and from which there appeared to be no recovery. Yet too often football is a sport with a short memory, in which immediacy is valued over patience and the old adage ‘you’re only as good as your last game’ reigns among the most oft-quoted clichés.True, Torres’ scoring form for Chelsea has been inadequate for a finisher of his quality and must be classed as somewhat graver than a blip. But the more discerning Chelsea fans have remained patient, suspecting that at 28 Torres is far too young and talented for his career to peter out, and noting that his touch and awareness have remained virtually intact. Crucially, it appears this patience has been shared by caretaker manager Roberto di Matteo. In Catalonia, those who remained faithful were finally proven conclusively right. Ironically, Torres’s goal against Barcelona, to seal Chelsea’s place in only the second Champions League final of their history, was almost identical to the one he didn’t score against Manchester Utd.As he dribbled the ball past Victor Valdes to face an open goal once more, Chelsea fans held their breath. Not until the entire ball had crossed all of the line did they exhale. “I was sure he’d miss,” tweeted one fan. “That’s what we paid £50 million for," wrote another. A footballer’s career is judged in moments and, in spite of Torres’s diminished reputation in recent months, this goal will rank as one of his proudest. Perhaps significantly, it was scored in his home country in front of a Spanish audience, and against a club which boasts a number of leading Spain internationals. To remind them of his talents at this stage will have done his ambitions of playing a starring role at Euro 2012 this summer no harm. Nevertheless, perspective is important. One goal alone is insufficient to justify the amount of money spent on Torres and there remains work to be done before Roman Abramovich can be satisfied with his purchase. In Spain Torres has long ago been overtaken by David Villa as the country’s leading striker, and he was recently omitted from the national squad altogether in favour of Athletic Bilbao’s teenage prodigy Iker Muniain.But nearly four years on from the pinnacle moment of his career it doesn’t feel excessive to say that this goal could well mark the second coming of a man once ranked the planet’s most feared striker. by Mischa Wilmers

School walks 20,000 miles raising £30K for charity

A STOCKPORT school walked a collective 20,000 miles in five hours to raise £30,000 for charity - bringing its total to £250,000. More than 1600 staff, pupils and volunteers from The Kingsway School, Cheadle, put on their hiking boots to walk the 13 mile course in aid of students’ selected charities. The sponsored walk took children from school to Bruntwood Park , Cheadle Royal, through to Wilmslow, lunch in Carrs Park and back to school following the River Bollin after visiting Styal Mill. A group of ‘elite’ walkers set off at 9am and were back at school in an impressive five hours. This year’s funds are added to £60,000 from the previous two walks, and will go towards The Kolweny Kingsway School in Kenya - a school built and supported by The Kingsway. Other beneficiaries include The Alzheimer’s Society and Wateraid. The walk also became a tribute to Edward Jay, a year 9 student, who passed away a day earlier after a long battle with cancer. Edward had spent time in The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, another of the school’s nominated charities for 2011-12. The school’s website said: “He was a fantastic young man and our thoughts are with his family and friends. He will be missed by us all.” The walk has been enjoyed by students for the past two decades, throughout which Kingsway School has raised an inspiring quarter of a million pounds for charity. Former student Anna Churchill, 21, said: “I was lucky; we got to do three - in years 7, 9 and 11. “Every time you did it, you got a bit faster. By year 11, I remember getting back to school at about 2pm and sunbathing! “The weather was always pretty nice and it was just a good day really.” This year’s walkers were not as lucky though, with the weather taking a turn for the worse. Science teacher, Mr Rowan Insley, said: “It was a great day but the weather definitely wasn’t on our side this year.” Head teacher, Mike Gledhill, applauded his student’s efforts, insisting that their spirit was changing people’s attitudes towards teenagers. He said: “It really says to the community, ‘these teenagers are great, they really do care, they really want to make the world a better place, and they’re prepared to walk 13 miles to get that going.”by Todd Fitzgerald

Friend of missing woman was unaware of meeting

THE best friend of missing woman Natalie Phillips has revealed she had not planned to meet her as was previously claimed. Natalie, 21, from Tockholes near Darwen in Lancashire, has not been seen since boarding a train to Preston at Blackburn station at around 6pm on Friday (April 20). She told her parents that she was going to meet a friend in Manchester where they planned to visit the Frog and Bucket comedy club. Natalie sent her mother a text message at 8pm to say she was having a good time. Her friend, Lucy Markillie, says she knew nothing of the meeting however, and has urged Natalie to get in touch. “She said that she was meeting me in Manchester on Friday night but that wasn’t the case,” Lucy told Quays News. “She left with luggage so it seems she was intending to either run away or meet somebody. “She said that she was getting the train into Manchester but we’re not even sure if she actually did.” The pair met at the University of Salford after enrolling on the BA in Journalism two years ago. However, Natalie withdrew from the course last summer but did not tell her parents. Her stepfather, company director Roger Phillips, believes this could explain her disappearance. He said: “Natalie didn’t tell us she had to leave university in the summer last year. We think she may have gone away because she was too scared to tell us as the graduation date neared. “But all we want to say is it doesn’t matter. We love you and please come home. All we need is one phone call to know you’re safe.” Natalie’s friends and family have started a Twitter campaign #taliecomehome and a Facebook group, which has so far attracted over 1700 followers. Lucy added: “Obviously it’s just about creating awareness. We need to get her images seen by as many people as possible and make people aware of her description. “Natalie, please get in touch by whatever means. Nobody’s angry with you or will judge you, we just want to know you’re safe.” Natalie is described as being 5ft 5in tall, with shoulder length blonde hair and a pale, white complexion. At the time of her disappearance she was wearing blue jeans and a black hoodie with “Tallie” written on the back. Inspector Ilyas Mohmed from Blackburn Police has asked the public to report any sightings of Natalie. “We are keen are to make contact with Natalie as she has not been seen since Friday. “Her family are worried and want to know that she is ok so we would urge her to either contact her family or the police on 101.” Anyone with any information about her whereabouts can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or on-line at Crimestoppers-uk.org By Natasha Johansson

Former Salford student Natalie Phillips found

MISSING woman Natalie Phillips has been found safe and well in Glasgow, almost a week since disappearing. Natalie, 21, ran away from her home in Tockholes, near Darwen, to escape the “pressures that every day life brings,” according to the Facebook campaign dedicated to finding her. She had previously not been seen since boarding a train on Friday (April 20), after telling her parents she was going to meet a friend in Manchester. It became evident during her disappearance that Natalie, who was a BA Journalism student at the University of Salford, had left her course in September without telling her family. Her brother tweeted: “To let everyone know, we have indeed found my sister, Natalie. Thanks for all your support!" He went on to confirm that Natalie was heading home.

Manchester volunteer walks the walk for the homeless

A RECOVERING alcoholic from Manchester has walked over 230 miles to raise money for the homeless.Marc Frobisher, a volunteer at The Mustard Tree charity in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, has raised over £600 to help its emergency food parcel provision service to continue into 2013.The walk began in Berwick upon Tweed on Sunday 1 April, exactly four years to the day since Marc began volunteering with the charity.The date also held further significance, as it marked 21 months of sobriety after a long battle with alcohol addiction.The journey covered the Northumberland Coast Path, Hadrian’s Wall and the Pennine Way, and was completed on Monday 16 April when Marc arrived at the doors of The Mustard Tree centre on Oldham Road.Marc, who admits to suffering from motivational issues, said the most significant moment of the walk was setting off on the first day.“When I was travelling on the coach to Newcastle, and then by train to Berwick upon Tweed, I just wanted to turn around, go home and go to the pub.”“To get up, start walking for those first few hours and experience the discomforts of the rucksack and where to put my maps, that was the biggest achievement. Everything just seemed to follow naturally from there.”The challenge did not pass by without incident, with Marc getting lost on Monday 8 April as he walked over Cross Fell.Mountain Rescue had to be called after misty conditions led Marc in the wrong direction as he ascended the hill, which is the highest point in England outside of the Lake District.Since completing his journey, Marc has turned his attentions to a new project, in order to remain focused on keeping himself sober.He wants supermarkets in Manchester to hand over their unsold, fresh produce at the end of the day, in order for The Mustard Tree to distribute the free food to their clients.“As a person who is in recovery, it’s important for me to keep busy and occupied. I don’t know how it’s going to start, but I’ve got lots of confidence now.”Marc is planning another sponsored event in 2013, to row along canals and camp in vicarage gardens at churches all over the country.Donations for the walk are still being accepted at his JustGiving page, with a target of £1000 set.Lee Nicholls donated money after seeing an article about Marc in the paper. He wrote: “More than 25 years since school. Think what you’re doing is fantastic.”A donation of £100 was made by Jay Davies, who wrote: “Saw this in M.E.N. Good Luck & Happy Easter Marc. Well done for beating your addiction.”By Mark Cockroft

Celebs launch anti-smoking film competition

A SHORT-FILM competition encouraging young people to promote anti-smoking amongst their peers was launched by TV celebrities at Salford Quays today.The Cut Films competition, which is open to youngsters across the North West, is a short-film and social media project that educates young people about smoking in a creative way. T4 presenter Will Best and Hollyoaks actress Jessica Forrest came to MediaCityUK this morning, to officially launch the competition, which offers prizes, workshops and national publicity to the winning applicants.Will, who features in the promotional video on the competition site, said: “It’s about young people, doing the research, finding out for themselves, making their own decision, and then telling other young people what they’ve found, rather than grown-ups just saying to young people that smoking is bad.”Applicants under the age of 24 are asked to research tobacco marketing or smoking in the media, and make a two minute short film about their findings.The entries will be uploaded to the competition website, and shared via social media sites in order to attract votes for each film.Jessica, 21, is the face of the competition and a passionate anti-smoker. She said: “I thinks it’s really important to keep telling kids how harmful and damaging smoking is. I think it is quite ignorant when people smoke in a room in front of you when you don’t smoke. It can affect the non-smokers which is a really big thing.”The Cut Films project was formed by the Deborah Hutton Campaign, a peer-to-peer smoking prevention charity named after the former health editor of Vogue, following her death to lung cancer in 2004.The competition is funded by Tobacco Free Futures through its Smoke & Mirrors project, which aims to actively involve young people in making decisions about their futures.Andrea Crossfield, Director of Tobacco Free Futures, said: “We want young people to be involved by talking to their peers about smoking, understanding the risks associated with smoking, and understanding tobacco industry tactics and marketing to recruit young people into smoking.”A ban on tobacco products being displayed in large shops came into effect earlier this month, and last week the government launched a three week consultation on the standardised packaging of tobacco products.Health Secretary Andrew Lansley announced plans that could see all tobacco products stripped of branding and sold only in plain packages with health warnings on.By Mark Cockroft

Salford candidates grilled at heated mayoral hustings

SALFORD’s mayoral hopefuls locked horns publically for the first time as they vie for the city’s newest top job in a fiery debate followed by Quays News. The free event held at Salford Arts Theatre, saw seven of the 10 shortlisted candidates take to their soapboxes to rally the support of a quizzing, and at times, passionate audience. Michael Felse (English Democrats); Karen Garrido (Conservatives); Ian Stewart (Labour); Joe O'Neill (Green); Pat Ward (Independent); Paul Massey (Independent); and Norman Owen (Liberal Democrats) lined up to debate everything from council tax cuts to the MediaCityUK BBC controversy. The hustings come as voters prepare to go to the polls on May 3 to choose Salford’s first directly elected mayor, with a referendum in January confirming the change. 17,344 voted ‘yes’. Candidates were given three strictly timed minutes to set out their stalls, and all promised to focus on the city’s elderly, unemployed and young people. Quays News began questioning, with reporter Todd Fitzgerald asking the panel their views on Salford being dubbed ‘a different kettle of fish’ by BBC head Rhian Roberts. Former Eccles MP, Ian Stewart blamed the media for ‘sensationalising’ the row, and drawing a comparison between crime on the Quays and crime in W12 – pointing out that Shepard’s Bush had six-times as many crimes per month than the corporation’s new base. MEN political editor, David Ottewell quickly pointed out that the MEN revealed those figures. Karen Garrido – who vowed to cut political ties with council conservatives and be her own woman as mayor – said: “I would rather be in Salford Quays than in Shepherd’s Bush. “They never wanted to come here anyway. You’re here now. Get on with it.” On other issues, Independent Paul Massey said he was not standing for personal gain. He said: “It’s not about me being mayor; it’s about me being the voice of the people of this city.” He vowed to cap immigration to end housing shortages and tackle anti-social behaviour by teaching children morals and respect. The issue of cuts provided for much debate, with independent Pat Ward, an ex-council officer, promising an end to the ‘waste’ she had seen in the town hall. She said she was the choice for those who thought politicians ‘were as bad as each other’. Norman Owen branded council chief executive Barbara Spicer a ‘disgrace’ for drawing a six-figure salary, while those below her struggled on minimum wage. Joe O’Neill said he would slash councillor’s allowances, referring to the ‘farcical’ amounts paid towards special allowances. He also said Salford’s planning department was guilty of ‘playing politics’ under Labour. Candidates unanimously agreed that parking fees had all but ruined the city’s shopping precincts. Michael Felse stood by his manifesto promise to halve council tax, by saving the council’s regeneration budget for ‘another day’, when the city finds itself in a better financial position. He stood also for the small shopkeeper in face of retail giants, promising to ‘harness their passion’. Michael Moulding (Community Action) and Bernard Gill (UKIP) declined to take part. Eddy O’Sullivan (BNP), is also standing, but was not invited.

VIDEO: Low hygiene ratings for Salford takeaways

OVER 15 takeaways in Salford need major improvements after scoring poorly in recent food hygiene inspections. Environmental Health Officers have given 68 takeaways a low or zero rating since January 2011, with over 15 issued in recent months. Salford City Council signed up to the national food hygiene rating scheme last year. A scheme designed by the Food Standards Agency to give consumers a guide to how compliant food premises are with food hygiene law. However, takeaways are just one part of a persisting problem in Salford. Council statistics published in April reveal that 327 out of a total of 1,973 food premises were not compliant with hygiene standards. John Snow, Principle Environmental Health Officer, said: “The vast majority who fail our rating, in other words a rating of two, one or zero is generally down to lack of food safety management systems, lack of training, lack of basic hygiene and to be honest the vast majority is very straight forward and common sense to do.” Nico’s on Chorley Road in Swinton said he scored a rating of 1 due to a broken fridge, and that environmental health officers plan to re-inspect next month. Elsewhere, Louis’s on Monton Road in Eccles scored five stars. Business Owner, Vikki Bradbury, said: “It’s all about attention to detail really.” She added that some takeaways might be scoring low due to the lengthy paperwork involved, which may be overlooked by takeaway owners. Domino’s Pizza in Eccles was also delighted to have recently secured a five star status. Mike Groves, franchisee of Domino’s Eccles said: “From the day we opened in October 2007, we’ve always taken our hygiene and operational standards very seriously. "People not only want piping hot pizza delivered to their door but they also want to know it’s been prepared in a clean and hygienic environment.” Food businesses in England are currently not required to display their scores on doors, but their ratings can be found online at http://ratings.food.gov.uk. By Zarrion Walker

Bands busk for cancer

TWO talented cover bands joined forces to raise money for Cancer Research UK in Morley Green, Wilmslow. Select Committee and Loose Change took part in ‘Busk for Cancer’ to help raise £378 with generous donations from those attending the gig. ‘Busk for Cancer’ is the musicians’ section of cancer Research UK. With over 2,000 artists signed up, including Newton Faulkner, £120,000 has been raised through the four year-old project. Together, Select Committee and Loose Change have raised just under £26,000 for the charity and do not intend to stop. Lead Singer of Select Committee, John O’Connor, is a strong supporter of the project. He said: “Being part of raising £26,000 in four years is a real honour. Busking Cancer.Org is unique but not exclusive and is open to all musicians of every style and ability.” He added: “Whether you’re stood in the street, busking alone or with a group of troubadours or forming a full equip band doing pub or club gigs as we do, just go online and register with BuskingCancer.Org and go for it.” Lead singer, Bernard Dolan and percussionist, John Fogel, of Loose Change are both ambassadors for Cancer Research UK. They formed the band when buskingcancer.org held a national ‘Busk for Cancer Week’ over two years ago. Many of Bernard’s friends have been affected through the terminal illness. He said: “If in some small way we can help to find improvements to the treatment, then great. I’d hope in time there’s a cure.” * For more information, to donate or to register as a band or solo artist, please visit www.buskingcancer.orgBy Amy Hughes

Paralympic Games 2012: 100 days to go

A LAUNCH event to mark the opening of the BT Paralympic World Cup took place in Manchester today, as the 100 day countdown to the 2012 Paralympic Games officially began.The Paralympic World Cup will see some of the sports top athletes participating in the five-day event, taking place at Manchester's Regional Arena at Sportcity.Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee, chaired a press conference at Manchester City's Etihad stadium this morning, which included some of the athletes taking part this week. Craven said: "In order to deliver the most successful games to date, it is vital that our elite performers benefit from the best possible preparations, and this is why the BT Paralympic World Cup has become a momentous event in this year's sporting calendar."'Crucial step'Four time gold medalist Oscar Pistorius, said this week's World Cup is a 'crucial step' in his Olympic and Paralympic preperations. The double amputee sprinter, also known as 'blade runner,' will compete in the 200 metre race at the arena tomorrow.Pistorius said: "I am absolutely delighted that in the most important year of my career so far, I am starting my European season in Manchester. The BT Paralympic World Cup is an event which I hold very dear to my heart. I have had great support from the city ever since I competed here back in 2005, and BT is a brand which has continually demonstrated its commitment to disability sport".The 25-year-old hopes that London 2012 will be a milestone for Paralympic sport, and believes it will showcase the true sporting abilities of Paralympic athletes to the world.For the second-year running, Channel 4 - the London 2012 Paralympic Games host broadcaster - will provide multi-platform coverage of the events this week.By Sophie Dulson

Stilts Foster charms drinkers with midweek magic

WALKING into Trof bar in Manchester’s Northern Quarter on this particular night, you would have been forgiven for having no knowledge that a gig was about to take place, writes Liam Thorp. The popular bar with it’s low lighting and cool, dingy décor makes for a chilled, boho boozer but doesn’t look like your typical live music venue. So it was perhaps a surprise for many of the drinkers in the upstairs room when a tall, shaggy haired bloke with a guitar pulled up a stool and began to sing. The man in question was Mark Foster, or Stilts Foster as he is known on stage. A singer songwriter from Scunthorpe, this was his debut solo gig. After a low key hello, Foster set the tone with his first track ‘Vampires’, gentle chord work and a husky, tender voice immediately provided an atmosphere for people to enjoy but also to chat, drink and be merry. There was not an imposition for revelers to stop what they were doing. This mood continued until the third tune began. With ‘Eyes of what you wear’, Foster cast a hush over the gathered guests and a palpable sense of emotion was introduced through both the music and poignant lyrics. The tempo was then raised with the upbeat and interestingly titled ‘Bleach blonde suicide.’ Foster explored the range of his vocal tones and upped the ante with fast paced chord work. It is testament to the artist that track-to-track the mood of the small but attentive crowd appeared to shift considerably. The very best was saved until last, in a work befitting a singer-songwriter of much greater experience. The final track ‘Hold’ had the audience entranced. A carefully crafted and beautifully delivered song caused a nearby punter to remark ‘it sounds like he’s been doing this for years’. As clichéd as that assessment may be, it was a hard one to disagree with. A warm applause followed and Foster reached eagerly for a well-earned pint. Nerves had emerged sporadically throughout the set but on reflection ‘Stilts Foster’ can look back on a competent and promising foray into live music and one that will have drawn no complaints from those who unexpectedly witnessed it.

Students rally against university job cuts

UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD students and teachers came out in full force and high spirits as they battled against the university staff cuts.Having suffered 218 job losses already in 2011, demonstrators gathered outside The Old Fire Station in Salford where they made feelings clear.Protesters of all ages turned up with creative banners to chant outside the building where the Vice Chancellor was in a meeting: "No ifs, no buts, no education cuts," was their message.Several members stood in front of the crowd to voice their support, including Paul Gerrard, who spoke on behalf of the 'The Socialist', and Andy Hamilton, the University and College Union representative for the area.After showcases from the university's cheer-leading and musical groups, Vice Chancellor Martin Hall answered questions.He attempted to justify the cuts by stating the university will now be receiving £3.5million less income per year from September onwards. 58% of the university's income is spent on funding staff, said the VC. He added: "There is no alternative other than to make staff cuts. We are getting less students coming to the university, there is therefore less students to teach. We need to get the staff to student ratio right."When asked about any future protests Christina Kennedy, Vice President of the Salford Universities Student Union, said: "We've not got another physical action planned as of yet but it will probably be in the pipeline."We've been making an online campaign, we've got petitions online, and we've got surveys for students to tell us why staff are so important to them."By Bryony Pearce

Quays Radio News

NEWS bulletins from the radio team - broadcasting from MediaCityUK. 20 minute radio news bulletin - by Conor Magee, Mark Magill, Ross Lees-McCowan, Craig Lishman, Christina Brooke, Elliot Millward, Piers Moore, Gabriella Smith and Mark Cockroft.Broadcast at MediaCityUK at 6pm on Friday 30 April 2012. 20 minute radio news bulletin - by Zac Stott, James Bell, Aran Burton, Adam Fenton, Melissa Murray, Amba Gockelen-Macdougall, Rebecca Ackerley, Rosie Stinson and Charlie Kennedy. Broadcast at MediaCityUK at 6.30pm on Friday 30 April 2012.

Salford research highlights homelessness issues

RECENT figures released by the government suggest that the number of people sleeping rough in the UK has risen by 14%, reports Joe Turner. Every night thousands of people sleep rough on the streets of Manchester. The majority of us will see them but a large amount will pretend they do not exist. A study undertaken by the University of Salford and Nottingham Trent University has highlighted the causes and potential solutions to this growing problem. The research suggests that homelessness is caused by a number of commonly occurring circumstances and that support agencies are hampered by conflicting policies and agendas. Themes within the findings include local connection, indebtedness, criminal conviction and failure to meet the conditions set by drug and alcohol rehabilitation hostels. The study also shows that agencies have the most success when they can provide personalised support and encouragement at a pace the user is comfortable with. 40-year-old Tracy John, a receptionist from Manchester, volunteers at a soup kitchen for the homeless and believes that developing a personal connection is important. She said: “I turn up every week and for those two hours I serve these people a hot meal and share conversation and laugh with them. “The time I give means everything to them.” Among the other major causes of homelessness are the breakdown of relationships with other household members, eviction by a landlord or hostel managers, and the termination of an institutional duty of care such as a prison or hospital. Dr Graham Bowpitt from Nottingham Trent University said that common factors behind such evictions include "domestic violence or abuse, bereavement, alcohol or drug dependency, mental health problems, criminality, limited social networks, poverty and unemployment." Standing behind a small table on Manchester’s Oxford Road, Tracy points out that not all homeless people fall into one of these categories. She said: "I have spoken to one guy called Mark who simply likes the freedom that living on the street gives him. He shared stories with me about the different places he has travelled all over the world, and he was genuinely happy. “There is one woman called Jane who comes every single week. She always looks so sad and is extremely polite and well spoken. After some lengthy conversation I’ve learned what an incredibly intelligent and interesting person she is. “I think it is very important to recognise these people as individuals.” Professor Peter Dwyer from the University of Salford said: “Across a range of organisations the majority of the support workers are extremely dedicated, but the most successful are able to spend a lot of individual time and work flexibly with their clients to tackle the formidable barriers that homeless people face in overcoming their social exclusion.” * Follow Joe Turner's experience below as he spends a night on the streets of Manchester [View the story "A night on the streets" on Storify]

VIDEO: Monton residents campaign against pay-and-display

TRADERS and residents in Monton continue to appeal for extended free parking to save their treasured high street. Salford City Council has recently announced 30 minutes free parking at all of its pay-and-display car parks, but many say this is not enough. The community are requesting at least an hour of free parking, in the hope that browsers will return to the high street and residents’ visitors can stay longer without charge. Maxine Coyle, secretary of the Monton Village Community Association, said: “We have evidence between 18 and 20 businesses to show a loss of income.“The footfall’s down. We are worried about places like the bank and post office. If they get to a point where they have to close down, we are going to be left with very little along our once thriving high street.” Valerie Ashall, manageress of Lady V Boutique said: “Let’s sit around the table and see if we can work out a fair deal for everyone, that perhaps brings a small income to the council but not at the price of losing businesses in Monton.”Eccles councillors have lobbied for a full review on the charges. Councillor Lisa Stone said the city mayor has had a briefing with officers in relation to the parking charges and they are awaiting further action from him.One Salford resident, Jenny Thomas, has accused the council of ‘making short-sighted decisions’ and launched a Facebook campaign for completely free parking to return to Monton Village that is gaining huge support from the local community. By Zarrion Walker

Bring back corporal punishment, says Mr Loophole

CELEBRITY defence lawyer Nick Freeman shocked students by calling on the Government to bring back corporal punishment.The solicitor said the move would install a “little bit of fear” into young troublemakers. Mr Freeman, who has defended celebrities including footballer David Beckham and supermodel Caprice, was questioned by Ashton-on-Mersey School students about youth offending.He said: “I would introduce corporal punishment as we need a little more discipline, a little more respect. When I was a young lad, we got beaten, we all hated it.” Mr Freeman, who lives in Mere, Cheshire, said a stricter legal system was also necessary because too often the police and prosecution lawyers were ‘sloppy’, allowing him to find the loopholes in the law. At the student press conference at MediaCityUK, he labelled himself a “hypocrite” because – despite the view that everyone is entitled to a defence - he would not represent terrorists, paedophiles and people who hurt animals. Mr Freeman said: “We should defend everyone but I’m not keen on paedophiles or people who are cruel to animals… I say thank you very much, I’m very busy, go elsewhere, which is totally wrong.“I’m not being paid by the state, I’m paid privately so I can make the choice of whether I defend or not.”Mr Freeman visited Salford University’s MediaCityUK building to promote his new book “The Art of The Loophole, Making the Law Work for You,” which sums up his approach to the law. He earned the nickname Mr Loophole after helping a string of celebrity clients beat motoring charges.His clients have included Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, snooker champion Ronnie O’Sullivan and cricketer Andrew Flintoff. Mr Loophole talks corporal punishment -Team Three mixdown by Quays News By Abby Smith, Joe Mottram, Kirsty Lehwald, Ryan Forshaw, Megan Hinchcliffe

Mr Loophole: I’m a hypocrite

LOOPHOLE lawyer Nick Freeman described himself as a “hypocrite” – because he would not defend terrorists.He also told students at MediaCityUK that he would not represent paedophiles or people who hurt animals.Mr Freeman, who shot to fame after defending a string of celebrities, said: “I’m a hypocrite because we should defend everyone but I’m not keen on paedophiles and people who are cruel to animals. “I look at every case and if a paedophile or someone who is cruel to animals asks me to defend them I’d probably say: ‘Look, thank you very much but I’m very busy, go elsewhere!’“At the end of the day, I’m not being paid by the state, I’m being paid privately, so I like to think I can make the choices to whether I defend or not.”Mr Freeman, speaking at the University of Salford building at MediaCityUK, also called on the Government to bring back corporal punishment. Nick Freeman Hypocrite-Team One by Quays News He said: “We need to have a little bit of fear, a little bit of discipline, a little respect and I think some youngsters and adults behave in a terrible way so I would bring it back.” The 56-year-old also revealed he had been beaten as a child.He said: “It terrified me… It has not been replaced by anything.” Mr Freeman, who lives in Mere, Cheshire, attended the press conference with Ashton on Mersey School pupils yesterday following the release of his new book, ‘The Art of the Loophole, Making the Law Work for You’. He earned the nickname Mr Loophole - and became one of Britain’s leading lawyers - after helping star clients including David Beckham and Sir Alex Ferguson beat motoring charges. By RHEANNON GLOVER, EMMA TAYLOR, MANUEL CARVAJAL, DAVID SMITH, THOMAS LOCK.

Mr Loophole? Mr Hypocrite!

HOT-SHOT lawyer Nick Freeman has controversially described himself as a hypocrite.The 56-year-old celebrity defence solicitor, nicknamed Mr Loophole, said he objected to defending some criminals.At a press conference at the University of Salford students from Ashton on Mersey Sixth Form grilled the millionaire lawyer, who has represented celebrities such England cricketer Andrew Flintoff and model Caprice in driving cases.Mr Freeman said: “I’m a hypocrite because I should defend everyone. I’m not keen on paedophiles. I’m not keen on people that are cruel to animals either.”When asked what he would do if somebody accused of those crimes asked him to defend them he added: ‘I’d say, ‘Thank you very much but I’m busy - go elsewhere.’" Mr Freeman again then went on to go back on his word stating that he believes not defending everybody who approaches him as “totally wrong.” Despite knowing he should be doing something on the contrary, Mr Loophole is aware of his power and exploits this for his own sake.The solicitor, who was speaking at the press conference at MediaCityUK went on to say he approved of corporal punishment in schools.He revealed he was beaten at school as a child and said young people get off lightly nowadays.The solicitor, who lives in Cheshire, said one of the strangest cases he has ever defended was of Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson in 1999.Sir Alex avoided penalty for using the hard shoulder to hurry to the training ground after claiming he needed to use the toilet as he had an upset stomach.When asked if there is anybody better in the business of defending than himself, Mr Freeman simply replied: “No.” By Daniel Dias, Connor Devine, Ericka Grimley and Ryan Welbourne

Police "to blame" for dangerous drivers - top lawyer

CELEBRITY lawyer Nick Freeman criticised police by claiming officers are putting the public in danger by not correctly prosecuting dangerous drivers.Mr Freeman, 56, who has been nicknamed Mr Loophole after many of his clients escaped with lesser punishments for motoring offences, spoke following the release of his book The Art of Loopholes. He was quizzed by students from Ashton on Mersey School at a press conference at the University of Salford.He said he was not responsible for driving offenders and added: “I’m not putting them on the road - all I’m doing is highlighting what is wrong with the prosecution case.“I’m not doing anything wrong.”Mr Freeman also told students he would re-introduce corporal punishment in schools, claiming it would give pupils fear, discipline and respect. _He revealed he was beaten as a child and it did not affect him seriously during his younger life and would also work for both children and adults now.The millionaire lawyer has represented actors, models and sports stars during his career, such as Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and snooker champion Ronnie O’Sullivan.But he said there were some people he would not defend in court and added he lets his morals get in the way of his work.Mr Freeman said he would not represent paedophiles or people guilty of animal cruelty.He said: “I’m a hypocrite and have been asked to defend terrorists and declined. “I shouldn’t do that.”When asked about criminals he has defended, he added: “Just because we defend them, doesn’t mean I associate with them.”_ By Daniel Harrop, Ben Gorman, James Walton, Andrew Locke and Heather Gaulton

Aaron Wilkinson: The real face of MMA

With the popularity of MMA fighting ever increasing, Kirsty Allen speaks to Mancunian fighter Aaron Wilkinson about his career, his young family and how it felt to fight in front of Mike Tyson... “I’ve not had too many injuries to be honest,” Aaron Wilkinson stops for a moment, leaning back in his chair. “Let’s see, I fractured my cheekbone, got a few cuts, tore a couple of ligaments, broke my hand... What else?” A softly spoken, well-mannered Irlam lad might not be what jumps to mind when you imagine a cage fighter, but Aaron Wilkinson is quick to distance himself from the aggressive, steroid-pumped lout that in the past has given his sport a bad name. Aaron is an MMA fighter – that’s mixed martial arts, a full contact combat sport that draws elements from boxing, wrestling, karate, judo and other styles of fighting. Rather than the out-and-out brawl that many people assume it is, MMA is a highly skilled type of combat which is actually safer than boxing. “I guess breaking my cheekbone was pretty bad. I got elbowed in the first minute of a fight and it fractured straight away, I had a massive gash and I had to get 17 stitches. I was in the fight, blood everywhere, thinking, ‘Why do I do this sport?’.” You might think a fractured cheekbone would be reason enough to stop the fight. Aaron didn’t. He recalls: “I got punched again and I thought there’s no point whinging about it, so I just got through it. I won the fight. The guy gassed out after punching me in the face so when he came out for the second round I choked him out. It was pretty lucky I suppose...” I guess everyone needs a bit of luck in Vegas. The fracture happened during Aaron’s stint on American reality TV series The Ultimate Fighter, which sees a group of fighters live together in a house in Las Vegas, competing against each other to win a contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship – the largest MMA promotion company in the world. It’s no wonder he didn’t want to give up. “I went to the doctors after the fight,” he remembers, smiling. “He told me that if my cheek felt numb, I’d have to have an x-ray, and if it was broke that meant I couldn’t compete in the next fight, which was five days after. So I told him I could feel it. I fought five days after but I was rubbish. I went into the fight and my eye was shut, and the side of my face was blue. It’s no surprise I got beat.” Aaron described that fight as one of the worst performances of his career and, sure enough, the cheekbone was fractured. The defeat meant a premature flight back to Manchester for Aaron, but after six weeks away from girlfriend Katie Corrie, he was glad to get back on English soil. During his time in Vegas, Aaron was fighting in front of crowds of up to 1400 people, whilst TV cameras broadcast the fights to an audience of millions worldwide. He also fought in front of Mike Tyson, who later praised his performance. Aaron was the only British fighter to get through the trials and make it into the house, gaining him a lot of publicity back in the UK. “I enjoyed my time in the house yeah, it was like being a kid again, surrounded by people at my mum’s!” he says. “I kept getting in trouble though for talking to the cameras, it was meant to look as if they weren’t there so I got a few fines.” His laid back attitude and tee-total lifestyle was a contrast to some of his housemates, who often bickered and argued. He says: “The thing with Americans is that when they’re 21, they’re still like a 16 year old would be over here. They’ve not been out drinking and they’ve got no life experience, it’s like having a child. It was like living in a house full of kids.” Aaron grew up living with his mum, step-dad, sister and two brothers. It was a busy household, and the three kids were always on the go. After boxing as a teenager, Aaron switched to MMA when he was 17, and never looked back. He says: “I’d watched it for years and I just fancied it, so I went down, got pretty much mullered and then took it from there. You couldn’t keep me out the gym after that, I was hooked.” Five years later, 23 year old Aaron lives in Irlam with Katie and their nine-month-old son Jake. Living next door to his own gym and fighting and coaching full-time, life is pretty sweet for the ex-kitchen fitter. Aaron coaches a class of 11-15 year olds as well as an adults group, and also has a team of ten fighters that he acts as corner-man for during fights. “I actually prefer coaching to fighting,” he says. “I think I’m better at it. It’s brilliant seeing my guys go out there and perform to their best.” Juggling family life, coaching and training can’t be easy. Aaron trains twice a day, six days a week. MMA is not for the faint-hearted, but Aaron couldn’t be happier. “There’s no better feeling in the world,” he says. “Sometimes it’s hard, when I’m up at ten to six with the baby, and I’m dieting and I feel horrible, tired and I’m getting punched in the face, but then I think to myself I could be out in the rain, laying tarmac or something. I’m doing something I love so I don’t really get too fussed. I’m probably the luckiest person alive really.” Aaron clearly hasn’t let the publicity go to his head. Despite fighting in front of packed arenas, he remains calm during competitions, unlike a lot of the other fighters. Whereas some fighters watch the other fights before it’s their time to take to the cage, Aaron prefers to retreat to his dressing room. After a fight, he usually opts to pick up a McDonalds and spend some quality time with his family. He says: “I don’t drink or go out partying. I’m in bed most nights for 11pm, I’m no party animal. I’m pretty boring actually!” Aaron has been with girlfriend Katie since they were both teenagers, and the couple have been inseparable ever since. Katie is supportive of Aaron’s fighting, and enjoys watching him compete. “She loves it, she’s proper into her MMA!” he laughs. “She’s a nightmare though, she just gets drunk ‘cause she’s nervous, and then you can’t shut her up. “I couldn’t do it without her, she’s brilliant. She’s not a mitherer, she knows I have to train and she lets me get on with it.” Katie gave birth to Jake nine months ago. Aaron says that fatherhood is like nothing he’s ever felt before. “It’s absolutely amazing, the best feeling in the world,” he says. “Jake comes down to the gym with me, he’s at that stage where he just loves movement so he’s really interested in everything that’s going on. I wouldn’t want him to get into fighting though. Maybe the training, but I’d rather he got into football or something like that – where the money is!” With Aaron’s level-headed mentality, it’s clear that he’s definitely not the type of guy to get wound up outside of the ring. “I don’t really like fighting to be honest,” he muses. “It just seems pointless to me, I’d rather just get on with people – it’s easier”. After working on the doors at Manchester nightclub Boutique, he’s no stranger to the attention that MMA brings. “I hated it,” he remembers. “Absolutely hated it. You’d get all these guys chatting on about being fighters after going to three or four sessions. I just played it down, no one there knew I was involved in it. I’m not into showing off.” There are exciting times ahead for Aaron. After being signed up by Cage Rage UK, he has taken on a nutritionist to prepare him for the tough fixtures he faces over summer. It’ll be strict, but he knows that it’s in his best interest. “It’s all change from Monday,” he says. “It’ll be tough at first but I know it’ll make my fights easier. I do enjoy my bad food though – that’s my one vice!” As for the future? Aaron’s got high aspirations. “The first aim is to get back into UFC. I know I’ll get back into it, and I’ll just make sure I enjoy it more this time. Then hopefully I’ll start pushing up the rankings, maybe go for a world title. It’s a long process but eventually I’ll get there.” One thing’s for sure, you can’t fault Aaron Wilkinson’s determination.

‘Super’ Philip leads HIV awareness trip to Uganda

UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD lecturer Dr Philip Graham Smith will be taking a group of students on the trip of a lifetime this September, as they team up with volunteering charity Teams4u to raise HIV awareness in Uganda. Before the trip however, Phil, of the directorate of Sport, Exercise and Physiotherapy at the university, has a gruelling bike ride to tend to. On May 4 he will be donning a Superman costume and embarking on a 480 mile cycle tour around the UK in order to raise funds for the visit. September’s 12-day long trip will see 20 students and staff from the school of health sciences travel out to the Dokolo district of Uganda, where they will use sport to bring communities together and offer free HIV testing. Teams4u began their sports project in the Dokolo district after an estimated 9,500 people were left in need of HIV treatment following the war. Phil has worked with the charity since 2007, and this year will be the second time he takes his own team of students to the country. During the trip the team will organise games and activities with the local people, give out football shirts and gifts and also play a football match against a local team. Phil is eager to return to Uganda, knowing the positive effect their work has. He said: “During last year’s match 250 people were tested for AIDS whilst we were playing football. In the 10 days we were out there, over 2000 people were tested and over 50 were positive. Everyone gets offered free testing and they receive their results within 15 minutes. If the results are positive, they’re offered counselling and advice. “The success of these trips is all about keeping children in education as well. In 2007 2% of 14 year old girls were at school, and the percentage now is about 32%. This scheme has had a massive impact on kids staying on at school.” Although Phil knows the difference the scheme can make, he is aware that it will be a tough 12 days. He said: “It’s hard work, you’re on the go, you’ve got to keep going and find your energy when it’s hot and humid. It gets to you. You see some sights that you really don’t want to dwell up on cause you’d crack up. "It’s worth it though. You come back and you feel you’ve made a difference and it sort of puts your life in perspective as well.” Kayla Meah and Lizzie House are two final year Sports Science students who will be joining Phil on the trip. They’ve been involved in fundraising to raise the £1700 required each for the visit. Lizzie, 23, is keen to make a difference. She said: “To be able to use sport as a way of educating people about HIV, that’s brilliant. Uganda has one of the highest rates of HIV in the world, and sport is such an effective way of bringing communities together and getting the message across.” Kayla, 23, agrees. She said: “I know it’s going to be difficult, but seeing the look on their faces when everyone’s playing together will make it all worth it. We’re giving some of them their first real childhood.” The team leave for Uganda on September 7. You can help by donating to Teams4u on the Just Giving website.By Kirsty Allen

Cardiac arrest nurse saved by 'quick-thinking' colleagues

A NURSE has thanked colleagues who saved her life, after suffering a cardiac arrest while at work. Tammy Neal, 33, who lives in Oswaldtwistle, had been fit and well before the incident happened during her night shift at the Royal Bolton Hospital earlier this month. Fortunately Mrs Neal was in the right place at the right time - and quick thinking colleagues rushed to carry out CPR. Three staff nurses along with doctors and nurse practitioners based on the Medical Assessment Unit worked frantically to bring her back to life, successfully resuscitating her. The married mother to a six-year-old daughter had a complete heart and liver transplant in 1996, followed by another liver transplant in 2010. After resting and recuperating in hospital, Mrs Neal has spoken of her ordeal. She said: “Saying thank you is never going to be nearly enough. It’s been really emotional because I realise just how close I was to death.” Describing the moment leading up to the incident, she said: “The shift started fine. I was in the side ward at the time doing a job, but then I felt a bit dizzy. Then I felt faint and that’s the last thing I remember. “I actually woke up and I was still on the floor of the side ward. They then moved me straight to the coronary care unit.” Mrs Neal was transferred to Newcastle, where her previous transplants were undertaken. Doctors ran several tests but were unable to find a reason for her cardiac arrest. Chief Nurse and Director of Patient Safety Dee Sissons said: “We are delighted and proud that we were able to come to the aid of one of our staff. We are happy to hear that she is recovering and send her our best wishes.” Dr Kevin Jones, who works with Mrs Neal, said the emergency was indicative of the dedication of NHS and Royal Bolton Hospital staff. He said: “We love what we do and will always go the extra mile. “To think that Tammy would continue to work as a nurse despite her health problems, even to the stage where she should have a cardiac arrest, is astounding and humbling. “We can’t wait to have her back and we send her all our love.”By Andrew Bailey * for The Bolton News

Bert Williams: 'The Cat' that got the cream

As an FA Cup and league title winner with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bert Williams has many happy memories from a glowing career. The former England international goalkeeper welcomed Francis Finch into his home to share some of them. STEPPING through the front door of Bert Williams' modest bungalow in Shifnal, Shropshire, you could almost be forgiven for thinking you are entering a sports museum. Hundreds of framed photographs, newspaper clippings, caricatures and other football memorabilia battle for space on the walls of one of the world's greatest goalkeepers. At 92, Bert may not be capable of the acrobatic saves that were once his trademark but he remains remarkably sprite for his age, boasting a straight posture, a sturdy handshake and a quick wit. "I haven't got any room on the walls," he says, frustrated. "I've still got dozens and dozens of newspaper clippings and photographs; they're all framed just waiting to go up." He's not lying. Cardboard boxes full to overflowing with keepsakes from Bert's illustrious career for club and country are dotted around the bungalow. "I'm stuck for space. I'll have to start putting more in my bedroom. There's more through here, come and have a look," he says, marching promptly down a corridor and revealing another treasure trove of memories, past and present. The mementos showcase a number of highlights from Bert's playing days, which encompassed 420 league appearances for Wolverhampton Wanderers and 28 matches for England, including games at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil. During his time at Wolves, the club was one of the best teams in Europe and his performances for the national side garnered him international acclaim. After one particularly spectacular shift in goal against Italy in 1949, Bert was nicknamed ‘Il Gattone’ by the Italian supporters - The Big Cat. He would be known as 'The Cat' for the remainder of his career. After a 15-minute tour, he settles into a cosy armchair in the living room and begins the tale of when he first began to play football, reeling off dates and details without hesitation. "I started playing as a schoolboy virtually. My father was football minded, he was a goalkeeper himself, you see. He taught me most of what I knew as a goalkeeper. He persevered with me. We were very close." Bert was born in a terraced house in Bank Street, one of the poorer parts of Bradley, Bilston. He was the second eldest of five brothers and speaks fondly of his parents Walter and Daisy. He cites poor eyesight as the main reason for his father not achieving great success as a goalkeeper. "My father wore glasses, which wasn't to his advantage. Especially not in those days when you picked the ball up and two centre-forwards would come and try to shoulder charge you into the back of the net. It was brute force and ignorance really." Bert left school at 14 and began working at Thompson Brothers in Great Bridge, a factory that manufactured tanks for milk lorries. He entered the works’ football team after their existing goalkeeper was spotted by a Manchester City scout and left to become a professional. "They asked me to play and I jumped at the opportunity," he says, adding wryly: "It did me the world of good playing with adults. It's a different world from your school days." It was not long before Bert himself was spotted by a scout and his father received a call from Walsall FC manager Andy Wilson, who was keen to sign up the talented 15-year-old. However, not everyone was convinced of his abilities, particularly as Bert stood just five foot nine inches tall - a height many thought too small for a professional goalkeeper. "I went to the Walsall ground and the trainer, a man called Harry Wade, said 'What are you looking for son, an autograph?' "I told him I was playing and he said 'You what?! You wouldn't be playing if I'd have seen you!'" Words of wisdom Bert's first game for Walsall was against West Bromwich Albion, a team he had approached for a trial while at Thompson Brothers, only to be rejected because of his short stature. His father, a regular at all his games, advised the youngster to wear a cap during the game to keep the sun out of his eyes. "He said to me, 'If they have a penalty, show confidence. Take your hat off and throw it into the back of the net with a swagger'. "I followed his words to the letter. They did have a penalty and this lad Harry Kinsell stepped up to take it." So, did Walter's words of wisdom start off Bert's professional career with a wonder save? Not exactly. "The ball went past me like a bullet! I don't think that idea helped me much, it nearly killed me!" he says, chuckling. Bert progressed to the second team at Walsall and continued to play despite signing up for Word War II service early “before all the good jobs were gone.” He recalls entering the army recruitment office and being asked his profession. After replying that he was a footballer, the recruiting officer said he could be a PTI (physical training instructor). "I went home and told my mum I was going to be a pilot," he says. "I knew there was a P, a T and an I in it, so I thought that's what it must be. I wished I'd never gone!" During the war, Bert continued to play football wherever he was stationed, guesting for Chelsea on a couple of occasions - a club for which he was asked to play after the war. While on leave, he continued to appear for Walsall and following one match was asked by the chairman to come to the director's room for a chat. Waiting for him was the secretary and manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers and they wanted to sign him on the spot. Having already agreed to sign for Chelsea, Bert was torn between playing for a local team and breaking his word. "They said, 'Look, go home and talk to your wife and see what she says. So they waited in the director's room, while I went home on the bus to Bilston to speak to my wife! "When I got home, she'd been brushing her hair and had cut the inside of her eye and she was in agony and I thought, 'If I go down to Chelsea and the wife didn't like that, I'd be better off at Wolves'." Spurred by wife's death He went back and signed for Wolves, a club where he stayed for the rest of his career, winning the FA Cup in 1949 and claiming top spot in the First Division's 1953-54 season. It would not be the first time his late wife Evelyn's wellbeing would be at the forefront of his decision-making. Bert retired in 1957 at the age of 37 so he could help her run their burgeoning sports businesses. What had started out as a small shop in Bilston quickly grew, with Bert starting up a sports centre that had goalkeeper training courses. His shops also began providing sports supplies for many schools in the region, as well as manufacturing their own goods. "But I found that whenever we went on tours, it meant my wife was going to all the shops to make sure they were alright, taking the money and travelling back," he muses. "She was also walking the kids to and from school. It was becoming unfair to her. I retired because my wife was beginning to feel the ill effects of it." Tragically, after more than 60 years of an "extremely happy" marriage, Evelyn passed away from Alzheimer's in 2002. Her death spurred Bert to become a tireless charity worker who has raised more than £200,000 for Alzheimer's related charities over the last 10 years, which led to him receiving an MBE from the Queen in 2010 for both his sporting and charity accomplishments. "Alzheimer's is the most terrible thing," he says. "It got to the stage where my wife didn't know who I was and that's why I do so much charity work for the disease. "The tragedy of it is that it won't help. Once you get it, there's nothing you can do," he says with a sad shake of the head. "But it could help people in the future." However, Bert is hardly the lonely widower. Far from it. Throughout the interview his bungalow is a hive of activity as guests drop by and he receives phone calls from friends and acquaintances. As the doorbell goes for a second time, he leaps from his armchair with aplomb, showing off some of the agility that saw him nicknamed 'The Cat' all those years ago. He invites a couple of friends into the front room, disappears to prepare tea and sandwiches, before settling back into his armchair and motioning me to continue. I ask him about the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, where England suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to the USA and were knocked out in the group stages. Was he disappointed? His jaw drops. "I'm going to kill you! I was just thinking to myself, 'He's a nice chap' and then he goes and spoils it by mentioning that!" After a good-natured scowl, Bert kindly obliges me. "Belo Horizonte is where the Americans beat us. God I hate this bit. The score for that match should have been 10-1 to us. "As soon as one of the English players got the ball, every single one of their 11 players got back and stood on the goal line. You couldn't even see the goal!" So what does Bert rank as his greatest achievement? Beating Leicester City 3-1 to win the FA Cup? Representing his country in the World Cup? Winning the First Division? "Being signed as a professional by Wolves," he says without hesitation. "That may sound ridiculous to you but that's the truth. It was the best thing I ever did in my life - they are the best club in the world Wolves." But even this isn't what Bert values most from his life. To him there is something far more important than the fame and glory that his accomplishments in football have brought. "Wolves won the FA Cup, they won the league, I played for England, but the thing that I cherish most is having people here, like now. "I have more friends than anyone else in the world and that's what I feel most proud about."

Bert Williams: 'The Cat' that got the cream

As an FA Cup and league title winner with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bert Williams has many happy memories from a glowing career. The former England international goalkeeper welcomed Francis Finch into his home to share some of them. STEPPING through the front door of Bert Williams' modest bungalow in Shifnal, Shropshire, you could almost be forgiven for thinking you are entering a sports museum. Hundreds of framed photographs, newspaper clippings, caricatures and other football memorabilia battle for space on the walls of one of the world's greatest goalkeepers. At 92, Bert may not be capable of the acrobatic saves that were once his trademark but he remains remarkably sprite for his age, boasting a straight posture, a sturdy handshake and a quick wit. "I haven't got any room on the walls," he says, frustrated. "I've still got dozens and dozens of newspaper clippings and photographs; they're all framed just waiting to go up." He's not lying. Cardboard boxes full to overflowing with keepsakes from Bert's illustrious career for club and country are dotted around the bungalow. "I'm stuck for space. I'll have to start putting more in my bedroom. There's more through here, come and have a look," he says, marching promptly down a corridor and revealing another treasure trove of memories, past and present. The mementos showcase a number of highlights from Bert's playing days, which encompassed 420 league appearances for Wolverhampton Wanderers and 28 matches for England, including games at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil. During his time at Wolves, the club was one of the best teams in Europe and his performances for the national side garnered him international acclaim. After one particularly spectacular shift in goal against Italy in 1949, Bert was nicknamed ‘Il Gattone’ by the Italian supporters - The Big Cat. He would be known as 'The Cat' for the remainder of his career. After a 15-minute tour, he settles into a cosy armchair in the living room and begins the tale of when he first began to play football, reeling off dates and details without hesitation. "I started playing as a schoolboy virtually. My father was football minded, he was a goalkeeper himself, you see. He taught me most of what I knew as a goalkeeper. He persevered with me. We were very close." Bert was born in a terraced house in Bank Street, one of the poorer parts of Bradley, Bilston. He was the second eldest of five brothers and speaks fondly of his parents Walter and Daisy. He cites poor eyesight as the main reason for his father not achieving great success as a goalkeeper. "My father wore glasses, which wasn't to his advantage. Especially not in those days when you picked the ball up and two centre-forwards would come and try to shoulder charge you into the back of the net. It was brute force and ignorance really." Bert left school at 14 and began working at Thompson Brothers in Great Bridge, a factory that manufactured tanks for milk lorries. He entered the works’ football team after their existing goalkeeper was spotted by a Manchester City scout and left to become a professional. "They asked me to play and I jumped at the opportunity," he says, adding wryly: "It did me the world of good playing with adults. It's a different world from your school days." Words of wisdomIt was not long before Bert himself was spotted by a scout and his father received a call from Walsall FC manager Andy Wilson, who was keen to sign up the talented 15-year-old. However, not everyone was convinced of his abilities, particularly as Bert stood just five foot nine inches tall - a height many thought too small for a professional goalkeeper. "I went to the Walsall ground and the trainer, a man called Harry Wade, said 'What are you looking for son, an autograph?' "I told him I was playing and he said 'You what?! You wouldn't be playing if I'd have seen you!'" Bert's first game for Walsall was against West Bromwich Albion, a team he had approached for a trial while at Thompson Brothers, only to be rejected because of his short stature. His father, a regular at all his games, advised the youngster to wear a cap during the game to keep the sun out of his eyes. "He said to me, 'If they have a penalty, show confidence. Take your hat off and throw it into the back of the net with a swagger'. "I followed his words to the letter. They did have a penalty and this lad Harry Kinsell stepped up to take it." So, did Walter's words of wisdom start off Bert's professional career with a wonder save? Not exactly. "The ball went past me like a bullet! I don't think that idea helped me much, it nearly killed me!" he says, chuckling. Bert progressed to the second team at Walsall and continued to play despite signing up for Word War II service early “before all the good jobs were gone.” He recalls entering the army recruitment office and being asked his profession. After replying that he was a footballer, the recruiting officer said he could be a PTI (physical training instructor). "I went home and told my mum I was going to be a pilot," he says. "I knew there was a P, a T and an I in it, so I thought that's what it must be. I wished I'd never gone!" During the war, Bert continued to play football wherever he was stationed, guesting for Chelsea on a couple of occasions - a club for which he was asked to play after the war. While on leave, he continued to appear for Walsall and following one match was asked by the chairman to come to the director's room for a chat. Waiting for him was the secretary and manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers and they wanted to sign him on the spot. Having already agreed to sign for Chelsea, Bert was torn between playing for a local team and breaking his word. "They said, 'Look, go home and talk to your wife and see what she says. So they waited in the director's room, while I went home on the bus to Bilston to speak to my wife! "When I got home, she'd been brushing her hair and had cut the inside of her eye and she was in agony and I thought, 'If I go down to Chelsea and the wife didn't like that, I'd be better off at Wolves'." He went back and signed for Wolves, a club where he stayed for the rest of his career, winning the FA Cup in 1949 and claiming top spot in the First Division's 1953-54 season. Spurred by wife's death It would not be the first time his late wife Evelyn's wellbeing would be at the forefront of his decision-making. Bert retired in 1957 at the age of 37 so he could help her run their burgeoning sports businesses. What had started out as a small shop in Bilston quickly grew, with Bert starting up a sports centre that had goalkeeper training courses. His shops also began providing sports supplies for many schools in the region, as well as manufacturing their own goods. "But I found that whenever we went on tours, it meant my wife was going to all the shops to make sure they were alright, taking the money and travelling back," he muses. "She was also walking the kids to and from school. It was becoming unfair to her. I retired because my wife was beginning to feel the ill effects of it." Tragically, after more than 60 years of an "extremely happy" marriage, Evelyn passed away from Alzheimer's in 2002. Her death spurred Bert to become a tireless charity worker who has raised more than £200,000 for Alzheimer's related charities over the last 10 years, which led to him receiving an MBE from the Queen in 2010 for both his sporting and charity accomplishments. "Alzheimer's is the most terrible thing," he says. "It got to the stage where my wife didn't know who I was and that's why I do so much charity work for the disease. "The tragedy of it is that it won't help. Once you get it, there's nothing you can do," he says with a sad shake of the head. "But it could help people in the future." However, Bert is hardly the lonely widower. Far from it. Throughout the interview his bungalow is a hive of activity as guests drop by and he receives phone calls from friends and acquaintances. As the doorbell goes for a second time, he leaps from his armchair with aplomb, showing off some of the agility that saw him nicknamed 'The Cat' all those years ago. He invites a couple of friends into the front room, disappears to prepare tea and sandwiches, before settling back into his armchair and motioning me to continue. I ask him about the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, where England suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to the USA and were knocked out in the group stages. Was he disappointed? His jaw drops. "I'm going to kill you! I was just thinking to myself, 'He's a nice chap' and then he goes and spoils it by mentioning that!" After a good-natured scowl, Bert kindly obliges me. "Belo Horizonte is where the Americans beat us. God I hate this bit. The score for that match should have been 10-1 to us. "As soon as one of the English players got the ball, every single one of their 11 players got back and stood on the goal line. You couldn't even see the goal!" So what does Bert rank as his greatest achievement? Beating Leicester City 3-1 to win the FA Cup? Representing his country in the World Cup? Winning the First Division? "Being signed as a professional by Wolves," he says without hesitation. "That may sound ridiculous to you but that's the truth. It was the best thing I ever did in my life - they are the best club in the world Wolves." But even this isn't what Bert values most from his life. To him there is something far more important than the fame and glory that his accomplishments in football have brought. "Wolves won the FA Cup, they won the league, I played for England, but the thing that I cherish most is having people here, like now. "I have more friends than anyone else in the world and that's what I feel most proud about."

Could a draft take the heat off football?

With the wealth gap in European football reaching farcical proportions, could the game’s governing bodies learn from the NFL where a draft system is just one measure that encourages equality? Jack Davenport investigates. Radio City Music Hall, New York City. One of America’s most famous venues. 6,000 bizarrely dressed sport fanatics screaming, cheering, booing. The top dogs, the decision makers, of every NFL team sit poised, promising themselves they’ll stick to the plan formed by years of preparation. In a back room, 26 of the country’s finest young American football players sit together, giant frames squeezed into brand new suits, wringing their hands trying not to sweat. They’re all fully aware that what happens over the next three hours could come to define their entire lives. And they have absolutely no control over it. It’s an event fundamentally alien to the British sporting mind: the NFL Draft. Its purpose is to redress the balance between the best and the worst teams to level the playing field for the following season. The team finishing with the worst record from the previous season gets first choice of any young player wanting to play professional American football. There are no youth academies, no poaching promising teenagers from other clubs – any player entering the NFL draft must have completed a minimum of three years at University. Once the worst team has picked who they judge to be the top talent in the country (this year the Indianapolis Colts took quarterback Andrew Luck, rated as one of the most promising prospects in a decade), it then continues in order of ineptitude, ending with the best team, the reigning Super Bowl champions, picking last.It’s a system that’s almost impossible to translate to European football. Imagine Wolverhampton Wanderers this season, instead of being relegated from the Premier League, were given the best 21-year-old in the country. But it’s not just the draft system that makes the NFL unique; it only works as it is supported by several other strict parity-ensuring rules. Manchester City have just won their first title in over 40 years thanks to £325m being paid for transfers alone in the last three seasons, with a wage bill that doubles even their closest competitors courtesy of mega-rich owners. Manchester United in the past have been able to dominate financially thanks to massive commercial revenue from all over the world. This could never happen in the NFL. There is a total revenue sharing system in place, meaning that any money paid for a Dallas Cowboys cap or a New York Giants jersey, for example, is split equally between all 32 teams. A maximum salary cap is strictly enforced, the same for every team. But fascinatingly there is also a minimum salary cap which ensures unscrupulous owners don’t just take teams for the guaranteed shared revenue while not being interested in making the team competitive. Gate revenue, i.e. people going to the game, is split 60/40 between the home and visiting team. It’s comfortably America’s most popular and profitable sport. Bizarrely, the world’s home of capitalism is home to the world’s most socialist major sport league. The set up of the NFL has particular relevance to European football in the current climate. The wealth gap in football has reached farcical proportions, with the top clubs able to sign players just to prevent them signing for a rival, whilst those at the other end of the table pay a massive price for daring to try and compete – look at 2008 FA Cup winners Portsmouth, recently relegated to League One after their third spell in administration. This was finally acknowledged by UEFA in late 2009, when their new financial fair play regulations were unanimously approved. The regulations could hardly be described as ground breaking, the stated aim being the rather tepidly-worded “to encourage clubs to compete with(in) their revenues.” It’s hardly the Greek austerity measures. Their efficacy is yet to be proved. It looks like the big clubs are already finding ways around it. It doesn’t, for example, take an economics professor to work out the motivation behind the £400m sponsorship deal agreed between Manchester City and Etihad Airways. Etihad is run by the President of the UAE, Sheik Khalifa, who happens to be the half-brother of Sheik Mansour, City’s owner. All fit and proper, no doubt, to quote the FA’s own guidelines on the suitability of new owners of football clubs. It would be hopelessly naive to suggest the NFL’s system is perfect or that it could be translated to European football. The NFL’s set up has some rather unpalatable side effects, like the notion of teams as ‘franchises’ that can be moved between cities to maximise revenue. The hallowed ‘pyramid’ structure of football, where a tiny team can move up the leagues to eventually play with the big boys, could not fit into the draft-style system. The depressing thing is that even if UEFA or FIFA came up with something strong enough to start addressing football’s ills, the biggest clubs are now so powerful that they could threaten to break away and form their own league. It remains to be seen whether UEFA’s financial fair play regulations are anything more than closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. Some would say the horse bolted in July 1991, when the Premier League was officially created. But in fairness to the Premier League, there are still redeeming features. TV money is far more fairly split than in Spain, where Barcelona and Real Madrid are free to sell their own TV rights, meaning they take the lion’s share of that revenue stream while the other clubs are forced to scrape by on their leftovers. Indeed, the start of last season was delayed in Spain as the other teams went on strike to try and force a more equitable arrangement. The row in Spain illustrated the impossibility of the situation now in European football. For a more fair and sustainable system to be put in place would require the biggest teams to relinquish their position as the big money makers and perennial top dogs. Getting owners and shareholders to give up those amounts of money and success for the benefit of their competitors? You don’t get to that position in the first place by being the sort of person who will sacrifice your own interests for the greater good. UEFA are fully aware of this contradiction – this is the reason for the milky wording of the financial fair play regulations. Baby steps are called for, and it could be that this is the first step on this road. A salary cap of some kind is also not beyond the realms of possibility; it’s not in the interest even of the biggest spender’s to continue the current rate of inflation in footballer’s wages. If this could be implemented across Europe it could be workable, as it’s unlikely that the top players in the world would be willing to spend the best parts of their career in the middle east or South America just for money. UEFA have realised that something is badly wrong with football. It’s a depressing state of affairs when a small club’s greatest ambition is to be taken over by someone with more money than sense. We could learn something from the NFL, but administering a league of 32 teams is far easier than managing football, played by millions across the globe. The question that lingers now is whether we have already had the cataclysmic event that changes football irrevocably, or if that event is yet to come.

What cost an Olympic legacy?

THE Olympics may have come in under budget, but with conflicting reports as to how much revenue will be generated in return, Alex Dorweiler asks just how much an Olympic legacy might cost.‘Inspire a generation’. Those were the words with which Lord Sebastian Coe, the London 2012 chairman, launched the 100-day Olympic countdown back in April. That was just over three months until the world’s greatest athletes were set to descend on the British capital in search of Olympic glory. But in an age of austerity and economic turmoil, inspiration alone isn’t going to be enough to justify the price tag that comes with organizing the games. With an estimated budget of £9.3bn, questions are being raised over the Olympic legacy. Is it a realistic requirement of such a huge sporting-extravaganza or will it be part of the financial burden that is carried by the proud host for decades after? The potential for a lasting legacy is considered to be the opportunity of a city’s lifetime to treat itself to world-class sporting facilities, boost certain areas of the country economically, and present a nation to the world on the biggest sporting stage possible. Part of what gave London the edge over rivals Madrid and Paris on that triumphant day in July 2005 was the promise to the International Olympic Committee to regenerate one of the city’s most run down areas. But in the build-up this promise has been marred by reports of powerless residents being forced out of their homes to be relocated miles away against their will. This may be ‘necessary’ for the greater goal of the Olympic Park being built in East-London, but the planned reinvestment in housing in the area will have to wait. Margaret Ford of the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) has announced that five neighbourhoods of housing are to be built in stages over the next 20 years. According to the plans, Stratford Park will re-open to the public exactly a year after this week's opening ceremony with the rest to follow by Easter 2014. Whilst it’s still too early to tell how Beijing profited from the 2008 Games legacy-wise, a look back at the 2004 Games in Athens shows ailing post-Olympic fortunes. In 2009, the editor of sportinggreece.com Barney Spender commented: “The Olympics has failed to inspire a generation of kids. They got the Games in 1997, but then only started building three years before. Nobody had a plan for the legacy. There was no unified structure. It’s a big mess really.” The estimated £9.4bn cost of the 2004 Games provided the birthplace of the Olympiad with 22 world-class venues. Today, 21 of those lie derelict and abandoned with the Olympic stadium seemingly the only facility still in use. Having cost up to £500m and rising in maintenance costs, a country that is on the brink of economic collapse is still battling with the financial backlash eight years on and shows little sign of improvement. The precedent set by the 1976 Montréal Games is not too encouraging either. It took the city’s residents decades until they had paid of its Olympic debt some three decades later in 2006. As one of the major new builds for London 2012, the Olympic Stadium (left) still needs to be allocated a legacy tenant. Whilst Tottenham Hotspur have diverted their attention to a renovation of White Hart Lane, West Ham United and Leyton Orient are keen to take the venue on after the Games. But what if none of this materializes within the planned time period? The 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney posed a similar stadium issue. Sue Holliday was the chief planner for those Games and admitted: “We didn’t really have a policy for what would happen to the Olympic site after the Games.” But in October 2001, the 110.000 capacity venue was converted into an oval stadium to focus on some of the big sports Down Under. In London, however, this is something that will be more difficult to replicate as the Olympic Stadium does not appear to provide a similar multi-purpose function based on current proposals. Of course, the legacy of an event of this size is not just measured by its financial benefits, but also by the increased quality of life for affected communities. Time will tell of the benefits or shortcomings here. One of the key flaws here is that a lot of Olympic sports may never be practiced in London again. However, the counter argument to that is herein lie the opportunities for cities to encourage mass participation in sport. As Hugh Robertson, the Minister for Sport and the Olympics, has confirmed that there will be £130m extra lottery-funding to go into the Places People Play initiative to protect and preserve local sporting facilities, it seems that the London 2012 Olympiad is doing everything it can to live up to its Singapore promise and not just become another huge expenditure in an already expensive year. But with no signs of the economic crisis improving anytime soon, and a dubious line of legacies left trailing in the wake of previous Games, it remains to be seen whether the ideology of the Olympic legacy is appropriate in these austere times. Inspire a generation? Hopefully, but at what cost?By Alex Dorweiler

Are anti-depressants prescribed too easily

One in four people in Britain are believed to experience some form of mental health problem over the course of a year.Doctors are becoming more inclined to prescribe anti-depressants, but what treatments existed before people relied on a pill to make them feel better?Mental health problems like depression are not new; people have suffered from them way before we had medication to alleviate mood disorders. So is anti-depressive medication handed out too easily?Looking back, anti-depressants were discovered by pure chance. In the 1950s while scientists were looking for an anti-psychotic drug, they discovered the anti-depressant tricyclic and whilst looking for a cure for tuberculosis they found moniamine oxidase inhibitors.Dr John Hopkins, senior mental health lecturer at The University of Manchester, said: “The idea of having medication is quite new, only electric shock therapy existed in the 1930s which is controversially still used today for schizophrenia.”The idea of "environmental management" has been recognised for decades. If a person is in a tranquil and pleasant environment then they should instinctively feel happier and more positive. If a person is persistently in a negative environment it is not surprising that a person will feel low. Dr Hopkins continued: “If you look at the large Victorian psychiatric hospitals, although the fact that in too many cases patients were kept locked in doors and didn’t really experience the surroundings of the hospital, the general landscape of the hospitals was perfect with grassy areas and woods and sports pitches.“Also, it was desirable for psychiatric nurses or what they used to be called, lunatic attendants, to play a sport or be able to play a musical instrument. The idea of activity and sports has always been important.”Many professionals in mental health believe that anti-depressants should be used in conjunction with other methods to alleviate mood.Social worker and mental health professional Terry Hancock, based in Manchester, discussed the balance between medication and other treatments. “By dealing with the symptoms with medication it will still leave social needs unmet," she said.“For example, in an instance where depression is caused by isolation, it is not going to go away just by prescribing medication, so it would be useful to attend support groups or other social support networks.”Mr Hancock added: “I do believe that medication is prescribed too easily by GPs as it is readily available and access to other treatments such as counselling and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are oversubscribed and have a huge waiting list, although in Manchester they have piloted computer based CBT with some success.“I think there will always be a need for medication as it is a proven short term treatment, but it does not deal with the source of the problem as psycho-social interventions such as counselling or CBT do. “Anti-depressants are often seen as a quick fix solution but do not deal with the root of the problem, however it is difficult to access things like counselling due to waiting lists. "Medication can also be quite oppressive in keeping people under medical intervention when by using CBT can equip people to deal with their issues in the long term giving people empowerment.”Helen Hampson, 24, of Burnage, was prescribed anti-depressants by her doctor after her three year relationship broke down. She explained: “I went to visit my local GP after feeling terrible for about a week, I was going through a rough time at home and when I broke up with my boyfriend it was the final straw.“I didn’t know what to do with myself so I went to see my doctor because nothing I did could bring me out of the hole I was in.“I hadn’t really contemplated anti-depressants but I would have considered anything to make me feel better. The doctor prescribed me with a course of three months and yes, I felt better within a few weeks but after I thought it was odd how unhesitatingly she prescribed them to me.“After talking to other people in similar situations, I think counselling would have helped in that position but I took the doctors advice and once I was on them it was hard to choose the time when I weaned myself off them.”Dr Hopkins added: “Over the last few years, people who suffer from mental illnesses like depression have been given anti-depressants which do improve your mood and can stop you feeling bad, but can also stop you feeling any other feelings as well. “Although I believe that medication and alternative therapies in a lot of cases work, hand in hand in a person’s recovery, the problem is that people who are on medication do not want to take the risk by coming off them. What they remember about being without drugs is the low mood that they were in and they don’t want to go back to that, people still have that insecurity.”The charity Mood Swings Network, based in Manchester, provides support and advice to people with mood disorders and works to aid their recovery. A team of health professionals provide counselling but also operate a PALS scheme which looks at ways that people feel better without medication. The four scheme's four key words are people, activity, learning and sharing.Tom McAlpine, founder of Moodswings, said: “Before turning to medication or whilst on medication, it is important for people who have mood disorders to ensure that they pro-actively do things to try and increase their quality of life. This is what our positive recovery programme is about.”The charity runs weekly activity groups, including a singing group which allows users the opportunity to participate in group activities, Gavin Bailey, a senior support project worker, said: “It might just give people the boost to get out there and make plans with other people and gain the opportunity to try new things. “If you’re not feeling great, sometimes you just cannot face going out of the house and having something a little bit out of the ordinary planned each week with other people can give people that confidence to get out there.”While there are no right and wrong answers in the treatment of mental health and the subject is rife with grey areas, by tackling these four areas the charity aims to catch people before they reach the point of despair.Dr Hopkins said: “If someone is feeling low because something has happened, like losing their job, they may not be clinically depressed but another person who has lost their job can feel suicidal. Then it would be important to subscribe medication to that person to improve their mood to stop them having suicidal urges.The key is to catch it early.”

Trio charged over Walkden brothel

POLICE have charged three women on suspicion of running a brothel in Walkden, reports Andrew Bailey. The alleged massage parlour operating under the name Louisa’s Health Club, on Louisa Street, was twice raided by officers and Salford Council. The first visit took place on Saturday July 7 followed by another just six days later on Friday July 13. An employee at a local business, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed the raids: “It got raided by police about three months ago. Workmen are now converting the property into offices.” Three women were arrested on the premises and have all been charged with management of a brothel. Jane Young, 46, from Lawton Moor Road, Manchester, Deborah Daniels, 50, from St Hilda’s Road, Manchester and Catherine McGarr, 35, from Openshaw will appear at Salford Magistrates’ Court on Thursday September 20.

Video: Campaign to save Salford Victoria Theatre

A FACEBOOK group has attracted almost 2,000 members to help save a Victorian Grade II listed theatre in Salford. Salford Victoria Theatre on Great Clowes Street in Lower Broughton has been confirmed as one of 49 theatres at risk in the UK. The venue is currently up for sale, inviting offers in the region of £275,000. David Dewsnip, a production technician at the University of Salford, has started a campaign to save the building from being sold to developers. Mr Dewsnip and his colleague, Mark Creamer, are leading the campaign as a community-based project, seeking people of all talents or those wishing to develop new skills by helping to save and re-open the theatre. The theatre was first opened in 1900 by historic actor Sir Henry Irving. It was a cinema for many years until 1973 when it became a bingo hall until its closure in 2008. Salford historian and writer Tony Flynn said: “It’s one of Salford’s hidden gems, many people will pass it not realising it’s there. It’s wonderful and it has got to be saved.” The venue has fallen into disrepair with restoration costs estimated at over £1million. Added Mr Flynn: “Vandals have been in, they’ve stripped the metal work out, slates are missing from the roof, many of the chairs have been taken, I’m assuming for scrap metal purposes.” Despite this, the community remain positive about the campaign, drawing hope from the success of the recently saved 1262-seat Tameside Hippodrome in Ashton-under-Lyne. Keith Dalby-Oldham, Chair of Tameside Heritage and Arts Trust said: “David and I had a meeting last week to pool our resources and contacts, share experiences, ideas, and knowledge. “We also discussed how our respective theatres will integrate not only with each other but within the Greater Manchester arts scene as a whole.” The campaign’s first meeting to save Salford Victoria is on Wednesday August 1 at 7:00pm, in the Robert Powell Theatre, Allerton Building, University of Salford. Join “Help Save Salford Victoria Theatre” Facebook group and follow the campaign on twitter By Zarrion Walker

Heavier weights, lighter you

Personal trainer James Johnson writes exclusively for Quaysnews.net, offering tips and advice for a healthier lifestyle.IF YOU want to lose weight, there’s only one right answer – run. Run until you can’t feel your feet. Run until you have blisters the size of Snowdon. Run until the thought of banging your head against a wall becomes attractive. Run until you can’t hear your music past the sound of your heartbeat. Run until the local school children nickname you Forrest Gump. Run until your Nike + App says that you’ve finally burnt off all 300 calories you’ve devoured that lunchtime and then jump on the cross trainer for good measure. Okay, so maybe that paragraph was slightly sarcastic, but I’m on a mission. I want to change the belief that low Intensity, steady pace cardiovascular exercise is the only way to burn fat, get lean and look damn sexy naked. Now, I’m not hating on cardio and having a pop at people who like to run – if it’s your thing then by all means stick your running shoes back on and get out there and damage some tarmac – there is definitely merit to cardio based exercise, it’s just how we perform it that is key. For most people out there who have a goal based purely around vanity and getting back into their skinny jeans (or someone else’s), cardio might not even enter into the equation for you. But why, everyone else is doing it? Next time you’re on the treadmill, take a look around and ask yourself the serious question, ‘does the person next to me look how I want to?’. Chances are that unless you want to look red-faced, slightly podgy and have sore knee’s the answer is going to be no. Have you ever noticed that a lot of amateur 10k runners, triathletes and marathoners all have that slightly soft look about them? Slightly too much waistline (but a cracking set of lungs)? That’s because cardio is an ineffective way of burning fat and will only really burn calories whilst you’re doing it. So, whilst burning that 200 calories for your 20 minute jog is a fantastic loss – as soon as you hit stop, it’s over. It was probably easier just to not eat that snickers after all eh? So, what do I do instead? Resistance training is about to become your new best friend. By resistance training we mean anything you do that is weighted for a certain amount of time or repetitions. Anything from bodyweight exercises such as press ups and planks to big heavy bench presses and deadlifts. Resistance training allows us to create more of you (lean muscle), which allows us to burn fat at a higher rate even after you’ve left the gym – in some cases, even up to 72 hours after the session is over. The bigger the exercise the better, try and get as many joints as you can involved for maximum effect. Squats, deadlifts, Press ups, chin ups/pull ups, inverted rows should all be the cornerstone of all your workouts. If you can’t do them just find an easier variation and build up from there – this goes for all the women as well! Your weight selection should always be heavy, but heavy for the amount of reps you choose. If you decide to do three sets of 10, reps eight, nine and 10 should be damn hard. I’d honestly say to never really work over the 12-repetition mark, if you can do that amount of reps comfortably, you need to make the weights heavier or take the exercise to the next level. Resistance sessions need only take 45 minutes – Just pick thee or four exercises and away you go! A sample workout might look something like this: Monday – Deadlift 3x5 @ 90kg, Press Ups 3x 12 @ Bodyweight, Lunges 3x 8 (each) @ 10kg, Lat Pulldowns 3x 8 @ 45kg Just make sure you pick the biggest exercises you can find, try and steer clear of resistance machines for 90% of your exercises choices and make sure your final reps are hard. The formula is simple; big movements + heavy weights + lower reps = brand new sexy body. Strong is the new skinny and takes far less time and effort then your monotonous run on the treadmill. Website: www.intouchpersonaltraining.com e-mail: james@intouchpersonaltraining.com

End of summer fitness tips

Personal trainer James Johnson writes exclusively for Quaysnews.net, offering tips and advice for a healthier lifestyle.So, it’s the end of the summer. September is well and truly here and the routine you oh-so happily traded in this past July has gone right out the window and the daily grind has returned. Kids are back at school, your boss is back from holiday and the run up to Christmas is about as palatable as the yard of ale you took on holiday. Sucks, right? Chances are your summer body has followed suit. The two months of hard work and almost-perfect diet you maintained from the day you booked your holiday, right up to the point you reached the airport terminal, are a thing of the past, and the body it produced has probably got a softer look about it than it used to. All inclusive holidays, festivals and 99p drinks don’t score that high on the nutritional barometer though, so it was to be expected. You’re now faced with two choices – either let the ‘winter body’ set in, get podgier, blame it on your ‘slow metabolism’ and have even more work to do next May. Alternatively you can make the changes now and have your toned, sexy summer body all year round, it’s easier than you think. If you’ve decided that the latter would be the better option, below I’ve got five quick tips to do some post-summer damage control (or pre-summer sexification, if you want to be an early bird) and make you an all-round healthier person at the same time. You can thank me later. Tip #1 – If it ain’t green, you ain’t lean Okay, maybe a bit of a sweeping statement. But seriously, how much green veg do you eat? Green veggies should always be your go-to, whether you want to be healthier, fitter, stronger or sexier. Pound for pound they’re one of the most nutritionally dense foods available, rich in Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and about an Alphabet’s worth of Vitamins. They’re virtually carbohydrate free (you can also interpret this as ‘guilt free’) and If you can get fat from eating it I will give you £10,000 right here, right now...I seem to have misplaced my wallet though. Now go eat some veg! Tip #2 – Do bigger exercises Bicep curls are fun, as are Tricep extensions and all the other single joint movements that are going to ‘tone your arms’ – but, are they really getting you anywhere? If they’re the main focus of your resistance training then the answer is probably no. To change your shape you’ve got be working as many muscles as possible, whether that’s for weight loss or weight gain. On the weight loss side of things they’re going to make your calorie deficit easier to attain and on the weight gain side of things they’re going to allow your to produce more testosterone and stimulate more growth in your muscle, pretty key. Swap your Hamstring Curls for Deadlifts and your Bicep Curls for Pull Ups and you’ll be on the right tracks in no time. Tom Hardy and Cheryl Cole don’t look that way by doing little exercises! Tip #3 – Keep a food diary Food diaries are one of the most effective tools I use with my clients, and people who record what they’ve been doing are more likely to achieve their results quicker. It's nice and simple and instantly actionable. For the next seven days, write down everything you eat and drink and then assess it at the end of the week. If you find that ‘Twix’ and ‘Salt and Vinegar Crisps’ pop up frequently, it’s easy to see where you need to make the changes. This works in two quite helpful ways – it allows you to backtrack and see what you’ve eaten and where to adjust (or give it to someone in the know to assess) and it makes you think about what you’re about to eat. If you know you’ve got to write down and show somebody what you’re eating, you become a little bit more cautious with your choices. Find accountability with someone and you’re on to a winner. Tip #4 – Sleep More No matter how good your exercise plan is, no matter how clean your diet is, if you’re not allowing your body time to recover and don't do anything about it, a large portion of your effort is being wasted. The majority of you reading this are probably not even scraping your eight hours a night – Get in from work at six, go to the gym, get home for eight, eat your dinner, watch that important block of television, bed for 23:30, sleep by 12:30, up at 6am. Even for some of my clients, that would have been considered a ‘long night's sleep’. Sleep is where your body repairs itself, starts to burn fat and rights as many wrongs as is possible from the previous day. Aim for your eight hours a night and anything on top of it is a bonus! Nobody ever complains at a lie-in either. Tip #5 – Take up a sport/activity (keep it fun!) If you find exercise or the gym a chore, find a way to keep it fun. I’m not a huge fan of monotonous steady pace cardio exercise, but I love the cardio effect you get from sports. A 45 minute non-stop game of badminton or five-a-side football goes miles quicker than a 10k run and your learning new skills, building your balance and co-ordination and you can push yourself as hard as you feel like. It doesn’t just have to be sports -group exercise classes, go-ape, paintballing, rock climbing or even just meeting up with your friends and doing a circuit class in the park. Anything that immerses you, allows you to have fun and gets you working up a sweat is perfect to add to or kick start your training regime. Train big. Eat green. Write it down. Sleep as much as you can. Have fun whilst you’re doing it. Simple, easy to implement and you can start it as soon as you finish this article! * To learn more about James, or to enquire about training with him, visit his website at www.intouchpersonaltraining.com follow James on Twitter at @JJPT_59 or @InTouchPT_UK or contact him at James@intouchpersonaltraining.com

East End charity’s Olympic joy

AN East End charity aimed at raising participation levels in sport has felt the benefit of London 2012 after receiving business advice from Olympic sponsors, writes Matthew Riding. Access Sport, based two miles away from Olympic Park, in Bethnal Green, was chosen to be part of the Legacy for London project as it works with sports clubs in disadvantaged areas. David Boorman, 29, Fundraising Director for Access Sport, says help from Olympic sponsors including Llloyds TSB and Barclaycard, through the Pilotlight charity initiative, has helped the charity to move forward. “We support community sports clubs in disadvantaged areas and the Olympic sponsors have helped us to become more efficient in the work we do. “We work with the volunteers within those clubs to reach out to more kids. Through the help of our sponsors, we have shrunk down in size to provide a better service”, said Boorman. Access Sport is funded through the National Lottery, Sport England, and a number of ambassadors including double Olympic rowing champion, James Cracknell, and Premier League star, Jermaine Jenas. As well as Access Sport, other charities in the nine London Olympic boroughs including Aanchal Women’s Aid, Alcohol Concern Tower Hamlets and StreetGames UK, have felt the benefit of the Olympics. In the last two years, more than 1,000 hours have been given by London 2012 sponsors to the charities, and the future looks bright: “Sports clubs in disadvantaged areas are so important to the local community. They provide children with the opportunity to free their mind and get out there and get active”, added Boorman. The Games begin on July 27 with millions expected to watch around the world. * For more information on Access Sport, visit the website

Salford students join forces on national TV

A DOCUMENTARY produced by University of Salford students is set to be broadcast on the Community Channel next month.'Going Local' is a 30 minute documentary about the government's attempts to establish 50-plus local TV stations. Presented by MA Journalism student Natasha Johansson, it is a collaborative project involving a range of postgraduate courses based at MediaCityUK.“There are no official links between the courses,” said Natasha (pictured), “but, since it’s the field I want to work in, when they were looking for someone to present a current affairs documentary I jumped at the chance. Media City should be all about collaborations like this.” The programme was produced, directed and filmed by Paul Vernon-Lydiate, edited by James McCallister (MA Post Production), features an animated title sequence from Alan B. McKenna (MA Animation) and was dubbed by Giorgos Matoulas (MSc Audio Production).“I had to get my own team together when work commitments prevented me shooting in the Caribbean with my original TV Doc group,” explained Paul. “As a result ‘Going Local’ is the only cross-discipline project to come out of my course this year – and the only piece from any Salford course to be offered a broadcast. "It was aimed at the Community Channel from its inception, which is what programme development is all about. I’m really pleased that it will gain broadcast/ IMDb credits for all concerned.” Paul’s real passion is historical documentary. Channel M has broadcast two of his historical projects and he is currently seeking an established NW indie to umbrella a loose format returning history series.'Going Local' will be screened on the Community Channel on October 6.By Elliot Millward

Preview: Manchester City v Aston Villa

PREMIER LEAGUE Champions Manchester City will play host to Aston Villa in the Capital One Cup tonight, writes Liam McCallion. It is a fixture that has seen the visitors win only once in their past eight meetings - back in January 2011 when Darren Bent grabbed the only goal of the game. Both teams will be disappointed with their results at the weekend and an immediate response will be required from both managers as they look to progress to the next round of the rebranded League Cup. City will be encouraged by the fact that they have reached the semi-finals of the competition in two of the last three seasons. Villa, on the other hand, will look to the past for inspiration. Only Liverpool (8) have won this competition more times than the 2010 finalists (5). Team News City boss Roberto Mancini is set to overhaul his starting line-up for this 3rd round encounter. None of the players who kicked off at the weekend against Arsenal will feature from the start tonight as the Italian looks to prioritise the Champions League and Premier League. Nevertheless the changes made will hardly affect the quality of the side he puts out, with players like Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez set to feature alongside youth prospects such as Abdul Razaq and Luca Scapuzzi who are included in the squad. Maicon, Samir Nasri and Micah Richards are all ruled out through injury, whilst James Milner (toe) will also be absent, meaning he will miss the chance to play against his former club. For Villa, Lambert will be forced into making at least one change. Stephen Ireland is unlikely to be a part of the side that lost 4-1 to Premier League newcomers Southampton at the weekend. The former City player has a suspected broken arm after coming off at half time on Saturday. Richard Dunne, Marc Albrighton and Gary Gardner are also out through injury; however Lambert will be happy to see the return of both Chris Herd and Fabian Delph in an all most fully fit squad. Shay Given may be called upon to play against his former club, having seen Brad Guzan concede four goals at the weekend, whilst Gabriel Agbonlahor will be pushing for his first start to the 2012-2013 campaign. Provisional squad: Hart, Pantilimon, Wright, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, K Toure, Nastasic, Kolarov, Clichy, Sinclair, Y Toure, Barry, Garcia, Rodwell, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko, Balotelli, Tevez, Razak, Suarez, Scapuzzi. Provisional squad: Given, Guzan, Lowton, Bennett, Lichaj, Clark, Vlaar, Baker, Herd, El Ahmadi, Westwood, Bannan, Ireland, Delph, Holman, N'Zogbia, Bent, Benteke, Agbonlahor, Bowery, Weimann, Burke, Johnson, Williams. Quays News prediction: 3-1 home win - I can’t see Villa getting much out of this game despite the changes City are set to make. A comfortable home victory for the hosts is more than likely going to be the outcome.

Bail for Walkden ‘brothel’ trio

THREE women suspected of running a Walkden brothel have been remanded on unconditional bail by Salford Magistrates, Andrew Bailey reports. The women were arrested and charged following two separate raids by police and Salford Council in mid-July at Louisa’s Health Club, on Louisa Street, Walkden. Jane Young, 46, from Lawton Moor Road, Manchester, has been charged with five offences – two relating to keeping a brothel. The other charges relate to the possession of one Class B drug and two Class C drugs. Deborah Daniels, 50, from St Hilda’s Road, Manchester, and Catherine McGarr, 35, from Openshaw, also face charges of keeping a brothel. All three women are due to appear at Salford Magistrates’ court again on Thursday November 15.

Preview: Manchester Utd v Newcastle Utd

DESPITE their 2-1 win at Anfield, Sir Alex Ferguson will be hoping his United team can produce a more convincing display against Newcastle in the Capital One Cup tonight, writes Will Moorcroft. The Scot admitted that his team were “very poor” in Sunday’s clash with bitter rivals Liverpool, even after the Reds were reduced to 10-men following Jonjo Shelvey’s red card. Newcastle, meanwhile, will be hoping to build on last year’s fantastic league campaign by landing a trophy, or at least having a good cup run. Last season The Magpies were knocked out of both domestic cups in the fourth round. Geordie fans will want to see their team progress further this year, although Old Trafford will be a difficult place to achieve victory. Worse still for Newcastle is that they have never won the League Cup, unlike United who have won the competition four times. The closest the Geordies have come was in the 1975/6 season, when they were beaten in the final by Manchester City. The teams have only met twice in League Cup history; at Old Trafford in October 1976. Tommy Docherty’s United side thrashed Newcastle 7-2 that time, but a more recent meeting at St. James’ Park in 1994 saw Newcastle avenge that defeat with a 2-0 win. United have beaten Newcastle 46 times out of 75 at Old Trafford, while the Magpies have won just nine times, with 20 draws - one of those coming in the league last year (1-1 in November). The last time these sides met, in January, Newcastle ran out 3-0 winners at the Sports Direct Arena. Team News: United are still without Wayne Rooney after his clash with Hugo Rodallega a few weeks ago left him with a thigh injury. Also missing are Ashley Young, Phil Jones, and Chris Smalling, whilst Rafael Da Silva is a doubt after picking up a knock against Liverpool on Sunday. A massive blow for United’s already-weakened defence is the news that captain Nemanja Vidic will be out for up to eight weeks following knee surgery. Darren Fletcher may return, however, after months out with a stomach problem. With a match against Spurs at the weekend looming, and Champions League action next week, Fergie may be tempted to field a younger team, with the likes of Nick Powell and Alex Buttner getting a look-in. In goal, David De Gea is likely to take Lindegaard’s place as Fergie considers his squad rotation scheme. Newcastle face a tough Premier League encounter with Reading at the weekend, before entertaining Bordeaux next week in the Europa League. As such, manager Alan Pardew may have to consider his options tonight, with key players Tim Krul, Fabricio Coloccini, Ryan Taylor and Danny Simpson still out with injury. Provisional Squad: De Gea, Lindegaard, Evra, Ferdinand, Evans, Buttner, Wootton, Valencia, Anderson, Giggs, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Cleverley, Fletcher, Powell, Kagawa, Hernandez, Welbeck, van Persie, Henriquez, Macheda, Bebe Provisional Squad: Elliot, Harper, Santon, Williamson, Perch, S. Taylor, Ferguson, Tavernier, Cabaye, Anita, Ben Arfa, Gosling, Amalfitano, Gutierrez, Bigirimana, Marveaux, Tiote, Obertan, Vuckic, Abeid, Cisse, Ba, S. Ameobi, S. Ameobi, Campbell Quays News prediction: 2-1 home win. Newcastle will give their hosts a good game, but Fergie will be hell-bent on avenging the 3-0 drubbing from Pardew’s side earlier this year. Ultimately, Man United’s attacking options will be too much for Newcastle.

Cleverley done as Man United progress

A YOUTHFUL Manchester United back four stood strong to help the hosts achieve a 2-1 victory over Newcastle United in the Capital One Cup. The rear-guard of Alexander Buttner, Michael Keane, Scott Wooton and Marnik Vermijl coped well with the attacking threats of Newcastle, which may ease United’s defensive injury after Nemanja Vidic was ruled out for two months. At the other end, Newcastle’s back four were excellent all night, restricting the likes of Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck from getting much sight on goal, hence both of United’s goals coming from the edge of the area. The first came just before the break as Anderson took a shot, following a great run through the middle of a half-asleep Newcastle midfield. The Brazilian needed a little help off the post, but it gave the hosts a significant advantage going into half time. Newcastle had some good chances in the half, but Shola Ameobi’s header was saved easily by David De Gea, Dan Gosling’s volley was fired miles over after a neat set-up from Ameobi, and Mike Williamson headed wide from a free kick. United had some fine chances too, notably when Rooney’s lob found Hernandez with plenty of space in the penalty area, but the little Mexican miscued his volley horrendously wide when he had time to take a touch. Rooney was again the talisman for setting up Welbeck, but the England international’s shot was well saved by Rob Elliot. Despite their lead, United came out in the second half with a real attacking threat. Within two minutes Welbeck had squared the ball to Anderson following some great wing play but the Brazilian could only fire his shot over. Soon after, Hernandez had the best chance to make it 2-0, but headed his effort wide. It was Tom Cleverley who doubled the lead on 58 minutes with a superb shot - on his weaker foot - from the edge of the box after some poor Newcastle defending allowed the youngster the room to shoot. It didn’t improve for Newcastle either as Rooney found himself in a similar situation, but his shot went flying into the stands. Alan Pardew looked for more clinical finishing, introducing Papiss Cissé and Shane Ferguson. The duo made an immediate impact as the Senegalese striker headed in Ferguson’s cross to give the Geordies some hope with just under 30 minutes remaining. Gosling then saw a 25-yard effort fizzle over the bar before Cissé went closer, hitting the woodwork with 10 minutes to go. Newcastle may feel relieved that they can now focus more on the Europa League, especially as the draw handed Sir Alex Ferguson’s side a tricky trip to Stamford Bridge in the next round. United, meanwhile, should be pleased that their youth is performing so well at a time when they may just get first XI call ups. MAN UNITED: De Gea 7, Buttner 7, Keane 7, Wooton 7, Vermiji 5, Anderson 7, Fletcher 8, Cleverley 7, Rooney 8, Hernandez 6, Welbeck 7. Subs: Brady (Buttner 86’) 5, Tunnicliffe (Vermiji 77’) 5, Powell (Rooney 76’) 6. Not Used: Johnstone, Evans, Lingard, King NEWCASTLE: Elliot 7, Coloccini 6, Williamson 6, Perch 7, Tavernier 6, Gosling 7, Marveaux 6, Tiote 6, Obertan 7, Vuckic 6, Sh. Ameobi 6. Subs: Ferguson (Coloccini 61’) 5, Bigirimana (Tiote 71’) 4, Cissé (Vuckic 61’) 7. Not Used: Harper, Anita, Amalfitano, Sa. Ameobi Booked: Tiote, Bigirimana Quays News Man of the Match: Wayne Rooney - On his return after injury, Rooney was the talisman for United. His vision, distribution and awareness were the key difference between the teams. by Will Moorcroft

Capital loss as City exit cup

A DISMAL rainy night in Manchester was reflected on the pitch by Roberto Mancini’s side as they were dumped out of the Capital One Cup at the first time of asking by Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium. City led twice through Mario Balotelli and Aleksandar Kolarov, but that wasn’t enough to see off ‘Lamberts Lions’ as they fought back to pull off a memorable victory. Gabriel Agbonlahor, who hadn’t yet started a game in the 2012-2013 campaign, was on hand twice for his boyhood club as Villa progressed to the fourth round of the Capital One Cup. An own goal from former claret and blue captain Gareth Barry and an extra-time tap in from Charles N’Zogbia sealed the win and capped a superb performance by the midlanders. Villa started the brighter of the two sides, Christian Benteke getting the slightest of touches from four yards to see his attempt go wide in the opening ten minutes. The Belgium international again tried to break the deadlock with an ambitious shot that went well over into the home crowd. But despite the visitors’ dominance, City took the lead against the run of play, in their first real attempt at goal. An unmarked Balotelli slipped through the opponent’s offside trap to meet a great delivery from former Villa man, James Milner. The Italian was never going to miss from close range, as he controlled the ball well to smash it past reinstated keeper Shay Given and give the home side a lead at half time. After the break, Villa were soon level through Barry’s own goal. Andreas Weimann had his cross parried by Costel Pantilimon, only for it to be knocked back into the goal by the midfielder who left Villa Park three years ago. City came back strongly and were back in the lead within five minutes through a trademark Kolarov free-kick. Ron Vlaar had brought down Balotelli 25 yards from goal, earning him a yellow card to which Kolarov then converted from the set piece to put City back in front. The blue moon seemed to have risen for the rest of the second half as Mancini’s players took control of the game, which was largely played in their opponents half. But, admirably, Villa kept going right to the end and the hard work paid off as Agbonlahor linked up well with strike partner Benteke to grab a second equaliser for Villa with 20 minutes left to play. Carlos Tevez and Balotelli came within inches of reinstating City’s lead. Balotelli’s header was tipped over by a finger-tip save while Tevez’s free-kick hit the edge of the crossbar in the closing minutes. In keeping with fiery events on the pitch at times, there was also a heated discussion on the touchline. A rough tackle by left-back Joe Bennett on Barry led to Mancini arguing with his counterpart Paul Lambert. The lack of a yellow card frustrated Mancini even more as the tie was taken into extra-time. Encouraging words from Lambert at the short interval paid dividends for his young side. Just minutes into extra-time N’Zogbia put Villa in front for the first time. Another parried shot from Pantilimon left N’Zogbia to tap into an empty net. With the Manchester side trying hard to get back into the game, gaps were left in the City defence. This led to Agbonlahor getting his second goal of the game in an individual build up. A deflected shot helped the ball bypass the Romanian keeper to seal victory for Villa. A well deserved win from the visitors will give them confidence for the weekend derby meeting against West Brom. City, on the other hand, will be looking for a response against Fulham at Craven Cottage. The return of some key players to the starting XI is to be expected as Mancini will want his side to bounce back to the side they were last season. MAN CITY: Pantilimon 3, Nastasic 6, K Toure 6, Lescott 6, Barry 6, Kolarov 7, Milner 6, Razak 6, Suarez 5, Tevez 5, Balotelli 6. Subs: Sinclair (Suarez 62) 5, Dzeko (Lescott 74) 5, Helan (Razak 105) 5. Not used: Wright, Zabaleta, Scapuzzi, Evans. Booked: Tevez, Razak, Toure, Kolarov. ASTON VILLA: Given 7, Lowton 6, Vlaar 7, Clark 6, Bennett 5, Delph 7, El Ahmadi 6, N'Zogbia 7, Weimann 6, Agbonlahor 8, Benteke 6. Subs: Albrighton (Weimann 66) 6, Herd (El Ahmadi 72) 5, Lichaj (Bennett 86) 5. Not used: Guzan, Bent, Bannan, Baker. Booked: Delph, Vlaar, Albrighton, N’Zogbia. Quays News Man of The Match: Gabriel Agbonlahor – scoring two goals, he also assisted the third. The striker lead the line well and was the most creative player on the pitch. By Liam McCallion

Manchester fair predicted to send art lovers into a Spinn

THIS week marks the start of Spinningfields’ Buy Art Fair, a yearly celebration of creative talent and an opportunity for art lovers to purchase some of the art world’s most sought after pieces along with the work of some fresh faced emerging artists. With prices ranging from £50 to £5000, there is something to suit every budget. This evening’s opening is a special invite only event whilst the rest of the weekend is open to the public. The fair is set for a long weekend of sales with each day offering guests a variety of works exploring a wide range of creative methods, from painting to printing to photography. The non-profit fair has boasted a huge selection of original yet affordable pieces year on year since its launch in 2008. It has been the place to buy art from up and coming graduate talent such as Leanne Richardson and world renowned artists such as Damien Hirst and Sir Peter Blake. This year actor and photographer Bill Ward, famous for playing Coronation Street’s Charlie Stubbs will also be making an appearance with a new collection of nostalgic photographs, drawing upon Manchester locations which have inspired him throughout the duration of his working career. There is no need to worry about feeling out of place amongst experienced art buyers as the event is designed to break down barriers between the novice and the knowledgeable. Arts talks and guided tours are also available to give guests an insight into the works on show, the artist’s motivations and the world of collecting. The Buy Art Fair marquee can be found in Hardman Square, Spinningfields. Online registration for tickets has now closed, but that doesn’t mean that you will miss out. Visitors will be able to register on the door for free entry to the fair. Your ticket will also allow entry into The Manchester Contemporary located in Quay House nearby. Opening times vary slightly over the weekend so be sure to check the website www.buyartfair.co.uk for more details. By Jenni Hill

Preview: Ryder Cup 2012

IT IS time again for that biennial golf event that sees Europe and the USA pitched against each other in three days of the fiercest rivalry imaginable on a golf course. The 39th renewal of the Ryder Cup takes place at Medinah Country Club, Illinois. American Captain Davis Love III has set the course up with minimal rough, presumably to suit the American big hitters. Although the Europeans are no slouches when it comes to big hitting with players like Rory Mcilroy, Lee Westwood and Ryder Cup debutant Nicolas Colsaerts regularly bombing it over 300 yards off the tee on the longer holes. What the course set-up does suggest is that this year’s Ryder Cup could well come down to putting and that could sway the advantage in the American team’s favour. European captain Jose Maria Olazabal will have worries about some of his team’s putting woes. Although Colsaerts is statistically strong off the tee he can look unsure of his putting. Added to that, Garcia has had confidence issues with his putting for years. Lee Westwood can’t buy a putt after finishing stone last in the final play off event in the Fed Ex Cup at the weekend. He was also last in putting stats averaging 33 putts per round. Counter that with Brandt Snedeker who is number one in putting this year on the PGA tour and fresh off winning the Tour Championship and Fed Ex Cup. Snedeker is making his first appearance, which is surprising for someone with his talent and ability. Plus Zach Johnson who is usually as dependable as anyone with the flat stick. Phil Mickelson with his new claw putting grip seems to have got a lot more control and, of course, the man who at the peak of his career was the best putter in the world bar none, Tiger Woods. The final piece of the Ryder Cup jigsaw, and one of the most intriguing aspects of the event, is always the pairings the respective captains decide to go with. Who can forget the superstar pairing of Mickelson and Woods in 2004 when they lost both of their opening day matches? It seems very likely that Woods will partner Steve Stricker as they have a 6-2 winning record when teaming up in the last Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup. Mickelson and Keegan Bradley get on really well and practice together so that seems like another pairing that could easily happen. Otherwise the American pairings don’t seem so obvious with four debutants. Some of the European Ryder Cup pairings will seemingly pick themselves with the likes of McDowell and McIlroy paired and Westwood and Martin Kaymer - who teamed up to good effect at Celtic Manor in 2012. Ian Poulter, who absolutely loves this event, has a 3-0 winning record from three different pairings in the last Ryder Cup so is obviously adaptable to varying styles of golfer when it comes to the team event. Peter Hanson has great memories of the last Ryder Cup winning his Fourballs and Foursomes matches, although he was paired with Miguel Angel Jiminez who isn’t playing this year, that experience will stand him in great stead. Maybe the short rough and the slick greens won’t matter as much as people believe and this could come down to the teams that captains Jose Maria Olazabal and Davis Love III go with. A couple of inspired pairings could prove crucial in opening up a lead that may be decisive come the singles matches on Sunday. Whatever way it goes we should sit back and enjoy the most exciting golf team event on the planet. By Brian Cruickshank

Preview: Fulham v Manchester City

MANCHESTER CITY travel to Fulham on Saturday afternoon for what will be an extremely tough test for the visitors - Martin Jol’s side have only failed to pick up points at Manchester United and West Ham so far this season. City boss Roberto Mancini will look for redemption after a poor performance that saw his side lose 2-4 to Aston Villa in the League Cup on Tuesday night. The midweek drubbing cost City their place in the competition Mancini is yet to win and so regular stars such as David Silva, Sergio Ageuro and Yaya Toure should return for the Premier League encounter as the Blues look to get back to winning ways. Team News Fulham: The Cottagers will be without Dimitar Berbatov for this fixture because of a hip injury which leaves him sidelined for the next two weeks. Mahamadou Diarra (knee) is also out of the Fulham side that have yet to concede at home this season, nor drop any points. Kieran Richardson, Ashkan Dejagah and Philippe Senderos all return to Jol’s squad but will not be rushed into a start against last season’s Premier League Champions. Man City: City will bring back several key players they had rested in midweek, as picking up points will be top priority for the underperforming big spenders. Samir Nasri will return to the side having recovered from a hamstring injury which left him out of the team who played Villa and Arsenal. New signing, Jack Rodwell will miss this game alongside Micah Richards (fitness) after the midfielder pulled out of Tuesday’s game in the warm up Fulham Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Riether, Kelly, Hangeland, Hughes, Baird, Smith, Riise, Briggs, Sidwell, Duff, Kacaniklic, Kasami, Karagounis, Ruiz, Petric, Rodallega, Trotta. Man City Provisional squad: Hart, Pantilimon, Wright, Maicon, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, K Toure, Nastasic, Kolarov, Clichy, Milner, Sinclair, Y Toure, Barry, Garcia, Nasri, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko, Balotelli, Tevez, Razak. Quays News Prediction: 2-2 – It will be struggle for City today despite the return of some big names. Fulham will play to their strengths, which of late, is scoring plenty at home, which is why I can’t see City keeping a clean sheet. By Liam McCallion

Preview: Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur

MANCHESTER UNITED and Tottenham Hotspur prepare to face each other in the Premier League this weekend, after both teams had success in the Capital One Cup midweek, writes Will Moorcroft.United narrowly beat Newcastle at Old Trafford, whilst Spurs won comfortably away at League One outfit Carlisle United. In the league, both clubs are on winning runs; United have won four in a row since their opening day defeat to Everton, while Spurs will be looking to make it three wins in a row for manager André Villas-Boas. Unfortunately for the London club, they have not won at Old Trafford since 1989, and their last victory over United came in 2001, at White Hart Lane. Nonetheless, records are there to be broken, and Jermain Defoe looks like a player who could end Spurs’ North-West nightmare, with four goals in five games this season. Aided by the pace of Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon, and the flair and creativity of Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson - who scored his first goal for the club this week - Spurs find themselves with a strong team, more than capable of giving United a good game, especially when they’re missing captain Nemanja Vidic at the back.. At the other end though is the only player to have scored more goals than Defoe this season; Robin van Perise. The Dutchman has settled into Old Trafford with apparent ease, scoring five goals in five games, including the winner against Liverpool last time out, so that will give United confidence that they can keep their winning run against Spurs going. They will also be buoyed by Wayne Rooney’s impressive performance on Wednesday after a month out with a thigh injury. Add that to his record against Tottenham, five goals in his last five appearances against Spurs, then there is reason for the Londoners to worry. Team News: Both managers are likely to rotate their squads after Wednesday’s changes for the Cup. United will probably see the likes of Evra, Ferdinand, Kagawa, Nani and van Persie return to the starting line-up, whilst Fergie must consider how early to bring Wayne Rooney back, so not to risk further injury. Antonio Valencia is a doubt though after picking up an ankle injury last Sunday at Anfield, and long-term injuries Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Nemanja Vidic are all out. Similarly for André Villas-Boas, the likes of Brad Friedel, Clint Dempsey, Aaron Lennon and Jermain Defoe are likely to return to the starting line-up after being rested against Carlisle. Scott Parker and Younes Kaboul remain injured, and are unlikely to be in contention. Provisional Squad: De Gea, Lindegaard, Evra, Ferdinand, Evans, Buttner, Wootton, Anderson, Giggs, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Cleverley, Fletcher, Powell, Kagawa, Hernandez, Welbeck, van Persie, Henriquez, Macheda, Bebe Provisional Squad: Friedel, Lloris, Vertonghen, Gallas, Naughton, Dawson, Walker, Assou-Ekotto, Dempsey, Huddlestone, Lennon, Bale, Sigurdsson, Sandro, Townsend, Adebayor, Defoe, Dembele Quays News prediction: 2-2 draw. This will be a hard fought match, and with the talent on offer, the teams will cancel each other out. Spurs will want to break their Old Trafford duck, and their form suggests they might just get a result. Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur (Barclays Premier League, 17:30)

Bale spurs Tottenham to rare Old Trafford victory

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR ended their 23-year wait for a win at Old Trafford with a 3-2 victory over Manchester United. The hosts made a slow start, and indeed lacked sharpness throughout the first half, as Spurs took an early lead through Jan Vertonghen’s well-worked goal. A slick one-two with Gareth Bale allowed the Belgian a chance to enter the penalty area, beat Rio Ferdinand, and drill a shot, which took a deflection off Jonny Evans into Anders Lindegaard’s net. Sir Alex Ferguson won’t be pleased with the response of his players as Spurs went on to control much of the first half - limiting the hosts’ chances - eventually punishing United’s slackness with another goal. New boy Mousa Dembele slipped the ball to Bale, who tricked his way through the United defence, which allowed him to place a shot past Lindegaard to make it 2-0. A half-time telling off from Fergie woke up the home side as they came out all-guns blazing to try and claw back some dignity. And just five minutes in they did just that. Ryan Giggs was replaced by Wayne Rooney to add more pace and the England international’s cross in the 51st minute was met by Nani, who fired the ball in from six yards. A resilient Spurs hit back immediately though, as Lindegaard could only parry Bale’s shot into the path of Clint Dempsey, who tapped the ball in for his first Spurs goal, and to restore the visitors’ two-goal advantage. That only lasted seconds though as a third goal in as many minutes came from Shinji Kagawa after Robin van Persie slipped the Japanese man a pass. It also meant that Spurs now had to try and do what many teams struggle to do at Old Trafford - hold a lead - and with over half an hour to go, it was going to be difficult. Predictably it was the home side that had all the chances as United strived to protect their 23-year record against Tottenham. A Rooney free-kick hit the woodwork, van Persie had a goal correctly ruled out for offside, and Michael Carrick also hit the woodwork from a header. There were also several of penalty appeals but referee Chris Foy did well not to give in to the pressure from United players to award them. Spurs managed to hang on through injury time to claim a momentous victory and make it three consecutive league wins. While Andre Villas-Boas praised his Spurs side, Sir Alex was quick to blame the officials for not giving enough added - “Fergie” – time but admitted that going behind is becoming a bit of a habit this season, something he will want to address as soon as possible. MAN UNITED: Lindegaard 5, Rafael 5, Evra 5, Ferdinand 5, Evans 5, Giggs 4, Carrick 5, Nani 6, Scholes 4, Kagawa 7, van Persie 6. Subs: Rooney 6 (Giggs 46’), Welbeck 4 (Kagawa 78’), Hernandez 3 (Ferdinand 90’) Not Used: De Gea, Wootton, Anderson, Cleverley TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Friedel 6, Vertonghen 8, Gallas 7, Walker 6, Caulker 6, Dempsey 8, Lennon 6, Bale 8, Sandro 6, Defoe 6, Dembele 7. Subs: Sigurdsson 6 (Dempsey 69’), Huddlestone 6 (Dembele 83’), Dawson 4 (Defoe 90’) Not Used: Lloris, Falque, Townsend, Mason Quays News Man of the Match: Gareth Bale - played a part in all three Spurs goals, scoring one, and was just too much for the United defence, causing problems all evening. By Will Moorcroft

Super sub Dzeko bags three points for City

MANCHESTER CITY had to be rescued by an 86th minute Edin Dzeko substitution on Saturday afternoon, as they came from behind to take three points at Fulham writes Liam McCallion. The game finished 1-2, but Mancini’s men had to fight back from a 10th minute Mladen Petric penalty, to pick up their first three points away from home. Dzeko, soon to be known as City’s ‘Super Sub’, was brought on with only 4 minutes left in the second half, replacing Javi Garcia. It only took 60 seconds for the Bosnian International to make an important impact on the game, smashing home a Gael Clichy cross to seal the win for the blues. The visitors started the brighter out of the two sides, but a foul by Pablo Zabeleta on John Arne Riise inside the penalty lead to the obvious outcome. A clean penalty strike from Petric, saw Joe Hart go the wrong way as the ball crashed into the right side of the net. Yet again the defence, lead by Vincent Kompanny, had failed to keep a clean sheet, something Mancini will certainly be wanting to improve come Wednesday when they play German Champions, Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. But despite going behind early on to a harsh penalty, the Italian manager will be encouraged by his team’s commitment going forward. The return of key players such as David Silva, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero alongside Carlos Tevez, who kept his place from midweek, clearly proved to be what was missing against Villa on Tuesday, as the majority of attacks from the visitors came through the powerful forces up front. Aguero went close with a header from Silva’s cross and Tevez also saw his shot from 18-yards go wide. Schwarzer kept his side in front through a scrambled save on the goal line, as Aguero tried to force through a Silva pass. Eventually, the hard work of the first 45 minutes paid off as City levelled with two minutes to go until half time. A Zabeleta cross was met by his fellow Argentine, Aguero, who slotted home at the far post to make it 1-1 going into the interval and see Fulham concede their first goal at home this season. The visitors continued to mount the pressure on the Cottagers after the break, with City relentlessly attacking. But Fulham began to counter their opponent’s attacks with Ruiz forcing Joe Hart to rush off his line to clear danger. A short lived Fulham attack led to normal service being resumed as Aguero again, narrowly missing with his header going inches wide of the far corner. Balotelli came off the bench and instantly caused havoc for the home keeper as his shot went wide left, which concerned the diving Aussie. Bryan Ruiz then had a powerful right footed strike saved by Harts quick reactions, in what was a rare Fulham attempt at goal. Mancini then made his intention very clear in the dying minutes, putting Dzeko on the pitch to try and force a winner in a cameo appearance. Within a matter of seconds the sub had made the impact his manager wanted. A Clichy cross was met first by a Balotelli header which was poorly cleared by Riise, as the ball landed in the feet of Dzeko who was 5 yards from goal. The striker lashed home the ball into the top right hand corner, to score his 4th goal of the season and his 3rd off the bench, as his side went into the lead for the first time. Late pressure from the hosts wasn’t enough to bring the score back level as City held on to win the match, returning the blues to winning ways. The result of this game could give Manchester City the boost they need for next week’s game against Borussia Dortmund, as they look to gain their first points of this year’s Champions League. A relentless effort paid off for the big spenders, as they were able to shut out Fulham for majority of the game. While Fulham will be a bit disappointed with the amount of chances they were able to create, having recently scored 8 in their last 2 home matches this season.They go to St. Marys next Saturday and manager Martin Jol will be hopeful of picking up three points from the newly promoted side. Quays News Man of the Match: David Silva – The Spaniard was outstanding in this match, being involved in nearly every attack City had. His flawless attacking mentality helped his team mates go forward continuously and because of this he is a must to start for the game on Wednesday. FULHAM: Schwarzer 7, Riether 6, Hughes 6, Hangeland 6, Riise 6, Baird 7 (Karagounis 3), Sidwell 6, Duff 6, Ruiz 7, Petric 8 (Kacaniklic 5), Rodallega 6. Subs not used: Stockdale, Kelly, Kasami, Briggs, Smith. MAN CITY: Hart 7, Zabaleta 6, Kompany 7, Nastasic 6, Clichy 6, Javi Garcia 6 (Dzeko 8), Barry 7 (Nasri 5), Silva 8, Y Toure 7, Aguero 8, Tevez 7 (Balotelli 5). Subs not used: Pantilimon, Lescott, Milner, Kolarov. Booked: Kompany.

Added Time Podcast: Premier League Review

IT IS back. The Added Time Podcast returns for the first time in the 2012/13 season. On the agenda in the Premier League review show this week is Spurs winning at Old Trafford, Steven Fletcher's great form and Demba Ba's 'unorthodox' finishing.Ross Lees-McCowan, Craig Lishman and Elliot Millward air their views on the hot topics.

Miracle in Medinah

EUROPE rolled up to the Medinah Country Club, Illinois, as big underdogs in the betting. Everything was seemingly stacked in the American team’s favour. The course set-up by the USA team captain Davis Love III was to gain maximum advantage for their big hitters and world class putters. But by the close of play on Sunday night the European team, captained by former Ryder Cup hero Jose Maria Olazabal, had turned all of that on its head with one of the most phenomenal final days in Ryder Cup history. Of course the greatest player in European Ryder Cup history wasn’t there; but it seemed that the words 'inspiration' and 'Seve Ballesteros' were never too far from anyone’s minds. As the Americans were going to be playing in Blue, Olazabal made a special request to Davis Love for the European team to wear Seve’s traditional blue and white colours on the final day. And what an inspiration it proved. Seve always played with a never give up mentality and that’s exactly what this European side did. From late Saturday night when Ian Poulter made five birdies in a row in the closing five holes to secure a point and leave the score at 10 – 6 to the American team with the singles to play on Sunday. To turn over such a deficit seemed insurmountable. But as the European team won their first four singles matches to level the score at 10 – 10, suddenly the impossible seemed to be achievable. The fifth singles match of the day saw Scotland’s Paul Lawrie – playing in his first Ryder Cup for 13 years – beat form player Brandt Snedeker 5 & 3, inspiration indeed. Further victories for Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood had seen team Europe take their score to 13, although the USA team had gotten back in the game with wins for Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner. The match now tied at 13 – 13. With Europe just needing a point to retain the Ryder Cup the atmosphere was palpable as the German, Martin Kaymer, came down the stretch of the 18th one up against Steve Stricker. Kaymer was on the green in two and closer to the hole than Stricker who needed a birdie to tie the match but as his putt was wide and long it was left to the former PGA Championship winner to secure the point. After his initial putt from over 20 feet rolled 6 feet past the hole, he then held his nerve to confidently stroke it in and retain the Ryder Cup. The European team and fans erupted in a rush of euphoria screaming and chanting, ole ole ole, in salute to their captain, and inspiration, Jose. The emotion was evident in the player’s faces and of course their captain Jose in the immediate aftermath when he was interviewed as he broke down when remembering the greatest of them all, his Ryder Cup playing partner and friend, Severiano Ballesteros. This will surely go down as the best Ryder Cup in history with the greatest comeback and against what many considered to be one of the strongest American teams ever assembled. What makes it all the more remarkable is that it was on American soil. By Brian Cruickshank

Added Time Podcast: Champions League Preview

THE ADDED TIME PODCAST looks forward to the midweek Champions League fixtures for the English sides. The team pick Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund as their game of the week. Ross Lees-McCowan, Craig Lishman and Elliot Millward are in the dugout.

Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund: Preview

MANCHESTER CITY will entertain German side, Borussia Dortmund, tonight, as the blues look to get off the mark in this year’s Champions League. Having both been knocked of this stage last year, neither side will want to lose this match, as they know too well what the result of a slow start can do in the group stages. With City having lost their first game of group D to La Liga Champions Real Madrid, Mancini’s side will look to bounce back immediately from the unfortunate result they picked up in Spain. An unfortunate Cristiano Ronaldo injury time winner meant that City left the Bernabéu empty handed, but with home advantage this evening the Premier League Champions will be more hopeful of a result in their favour. Dortmund on the other hand, will be full of optimism having already seen off Ajax with a 1-0 win at the Signal Iduna Park stadium, putting them second group D. Last year’s Bundesliga winners sit second in Group D, and so they will look to make it six points out of six against their English rivals, but it won’t be an easy tie. This will be the first meeting of these two sides since a preseason friendly back in August 2010. The Germans came out on top winning 3-1, Lucas Barrios, Robert Lewandowski and now Manchester United midfielder, Shinji Kagawa getting on the score sheet that day. A worrying issue City’s back four will look to address tonight, is there vulnerable defence who are yet to keep a clean sheet this season. That won’t be helped by Marco Reus’s presence in the opposing side as he has scored five goals in seven appearances this season. Team News: Manchester City - With a 1-2 win against Fulham at the weekend, Mancini will keep key players such as Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and David Silva in the starting XI as the Italian manager is to take this competition much more seriously, unlike the League Cup. Another player likely to keep his place is right back Pablo Zabeleta, as Micah Richards and Maicon still lack match fitness.One player who will hopefully want to start against Dortmund, is ‘Super Sub’ Edin Dzeko, who secured his team’s first away win of the season. Having scored four goals so far this campaign, the Bosnian may well have his chance although he faces tough competition from fellow strikers Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli. Kolo Toure misses this game, having not been included in the squad selected by Mancini for the group stages. This means captain Vincent Kompanny will have either Joleon Lescott or Matija Nastasic to partner him in defence. Jack Rodwell will be back in contention for a place in the City side, as he has recovered from a groin problem that has kept him out of the last two games. Borussia Dortmund – Jurgen Klopp has the luxury of a fully fit squad for the game against Manchester City and so big names like Mario Gotze and Lewandowski will feature. Klopp’s men will go into this game full of confidence as they managed an incredible 5-0 victory against Borussia Mönchengladbach, so the game shouldn’t be short of a goal. Quays News Prediction – Manchester City 2-1 Borussia Dortmund. City’s striking forces up front will be an issue for Dortmund. The Etihad factor should also have an advantage for City, despite losing to Aston Villa 2-4 in the Capital One Cup. The clean sheet issue will probably continue as City’s defenders will struggle to cope with Lewandowski and Reus upfront. City : Hart, Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Nastasic, Clichy, Kolarov, Milner, Nasri, Y Toure, Garcia, Barry, Rodwell, Sinclair, Silva, Aguero, Tevez, Balotelli, Dzeko. Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer; Blaszczykowski, Gundogan, Kehl, Goetze, Reus; Lewandowski, Langerak, Bender, Leitner, Perisic, Grosskreutz, Santana, SchieberBy Liam McCallion

Gun threat as Salford student robbed

A UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD student was told he would be "shot in the head" by a street robber at the Castle Irwell Student Village, reports Bryony Pearce.The student, who wishes to remain anonymous, was approached just before 8pm on Sunday by a man who initially came across as "friendly", asking his victim for the time and whether they were from the area.The attacker then threatened the student with a suspected gun, keeping his right hand in his pocket throughout the ordeal. Although a gun was not presented, the robber claimed he was going to shoot the terrified student in the head before making off with a mobile phone and £10 from the victim’s wallet.The student, who recently arrived in the city to start a degree course, has been left angry by the attack stating he "doesn't feel safe" around his new home. The student’s parents are said to have been left distressed by the incident and would prefer their child not to return to Salford.There have been six reported shootings in Salford over the past three weeks, thought to be related to an ongoing dispute between local gangs. No-one has been injured in the shootings.Police have advised people not to walk alone in the Salford area and to avoid wearing earphones in the street that can make them unaware of their surroundings.The victim has warned fellow students to be cautious of people in the area who act in a similar fashion to the assailant. * Anyone with information about this crime can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Super Mario makes a point for City

MANCHESTER CITY had to rely on substitute Mario Balotelli to salvage a point against Borussia Dortmund, writes Liam McCallion. The Italian bad boy converted from the penalty spot to make it 1-1 in the dying minutes to avoid another defeat in group D of the Champions League. With both teams having won at the weekend in their respective leagues, momentum and confidence were high with plenty of chances in the opening stages. Samir Nasri produced a fine save from Roman Weidenfeller in the first minute as his shot from the edge of the box was parried to avoid an prevent an lead for the home side. The visitors also started brightly with Mario Gotze forcing Joe Hart into a magnificent finger-tip stop, edging the ball onto the post and out for a corner. Sergio Aguero replied with a blistering 25-yard shot midway through the first half, but the German keeper tipped the ball over to keep it goalless. Towards the interval, City’s number one made yet another sublime save, forcing another Gotze attempt onto the crossbar and over. The home side could have taken the lead in first half injury time, but David Silva launched the ball over from six yards. As the second half commenced, both sides carried on from where they started with Edin Dzeko collecting Yaya Toure’s pass to chest it down and shoot from the edge of the area. But the stubborn Dortmund keeper gathered it comfortably to frustrate the home side and their fans. Things became even more frustrating minutes later with an injury to Nasri, who followed new signing Javier Garcia down the tunnel for treatment. Mancini had to shuffle his pack, leading him reverting to three in defence, as substitute Aleksandar Kolarov was seen playing more in midfield than his preferred left back position. With gaps at the back, Dortmund took advantage of City’s new defensive outlook with Marco Reus putting the Bundesliga Champions in front to break the deadlock. Young Jack Rodwell played an awkward back-pass to his team’s defence only for Reus to take advantage of the mistake, burst into the box and smash the ball behind an unlucky Hart. Once again City were unable to keep a clean sheet, conceding 16 goals in all competitions this season, not the defence of champions. The game could have gone from bad to worse for City shortly after with Robert Lewandowski missing an absolute sitter. A beautiful pass from teammate IIkay Gundogan, eluded the home defence, only for the Polish striker to side-foot his shot wide. With 10 minutes left to play, Balotelli was brought on to help the big spenders get something out of this closely contested match. Playing alongside Dzeko and Aguero, the pressure was mounted on Jurgen Klopp’s defence, and soon enough persistence led to a corner kick after Aguero’s header was pushed out wide by the keeper. As the corner ball was swung into the box, another Aguero attempt at goal, met the hand of Neven Subotic to gain a penalty kick for City. Substitute Balotelli, stepped up to the penalty spot, despite Aguero’s protests over who should take the spot-kick, and calmly passed the ball into the net sending Weidenfeller the wrong way. The crowd spent the dying moments on their feet as the game intensified. They were hoping for another grandstand finish like last season’s final game of the season, where Aguero scored an extra time winner to seal the club’s first Premier League title. But it was Dortmund who had the last chance of the game, Lewandowski driving a shot straight at Hart, who was at full length to prevent a late winning goal. Perhaps that is why Mancini appeared relieved at the final whistle. Outstanding performances from both Hart and Weidenfeller were the only factor that prevented a goal-packed match. City will be glad they are up and running after earning their first point of this year’s Champions League campaign. Dortmund, however, will be disappointed for conceding so late on. They remain second on four points with Real Madrid’s 4-1 win over Ajax in Amsterdam keeping the Spanish side top of the group. The Premier League champions will look to keep up their recent domestic form, which has seen them gain four points out six, with Sunderland coming to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. But, yet again, a clean sheet will be demanded by Mancini as it’s still an issue they can’t resolve. Quays Man of the Match: Joe Hart – a first class performance from the England Keeper was what kept City in this game. Superb saves such as this are what make him one of the word’s greatest between the sticks. Man City: Hart 9, Zabaleta 6, Kompany 6, Nastasic 5, Clichy 6 (Balotelli 81,) 7, Silva 6, Javi Garcia 5 (Rodwell 34) 5, Y Toure 6, Nasri 5 (Kolarov 56) 6, Dzeko 5, Aguero 7. Subs not used: Pantilimon, Lescott, Milner, Tevez, Balotelli. Booked: Kompany, Y Toure Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller 8, Piszczek 5, Subotic 6, Hummels 6 (Santana 74) 5, Schmelzer 6, Gundogan 6 (Grosskreutz 82) 5, Bender 6, Blaszczykowski 6, Gotze 7 (Kehl 88) 5, Reus 7, Lewandowski 7. Subs not used: Langerak, Leitner, Schieber, Felipe, Perisic. Booked: Blaszczykowski

Normal service resumed for the Red Devils

IT WAS normal service resumed for Manchester United as they came from behind to win 2-1 at Romanian outfit CFR Cluj in the Champions League, but their performance was yet again far from convincing after a team full of internationals only just held on against a resilient Cluj. After a poor result against Spurs at the weekend, Fergie will have been hoping for his team to make a dramatic improvement, but it didn’t start according to plan as the home side took the lead after just 14 minutes through Pantelis Kapetanos. A cross provided by danger-man Moudou Sougou was picked up by the Greek man, who slotted the ball into the bottom left of David De Gea’s goal. However the home team’s impressive start was hampered after Sougou went off injured, and his exit represented the departure of Cluj’s attacking threat, giving United the upper hand. Fergie’s team took full advantage of the situation too, and Robin van Persie ‘shouldered’ the Reds’ equaliser from Wayne Rooney’s cross soon after, the spinning ball looping over a helpless Felgueiras. The home side failed to respond in the remainder of the half, and United had the majority of the chances, limiting the home side to just one long-range effort, which went wide of the goal. But Cluj will be annoyed because it was a rare chance from which the Romanians should have done better. The second half started as the first ended, and it took just five minutes for United to take the lead; Robin van Persie scored his second of the night, slotting the ball to Mario Felgueiras’ right-hand side after another Rooney setup. But for the 3-time winners, that was as much as they could muster, despite dominating the second half possession and having the majority of chances, but a strong Cluj backline denied them every time, and the offside flag on a number of occasions. An ineffective Hernandez was replaced by Danny Welbeck, but the England International didn’t have too much of an impact, apart from conceding a corner from which Cluj almost equalised, but Cadu’s powerful header was tipped over the bar by De Gea. The hosts had a couple more chances, and came close in the closing stages of the match, as a Rafael Bastos diving header was tipped round the post by De Gea, and Ionut Rada had a shot blocked by Rafael Da Silva. Fergie will once again regret conceding early-on, despite his teams’ comeback, as goal difference is quite often the difference between qualification, or a league title, so it is up to the Scot now to identify and solve the problem as soon as possible. Cluj meanwhile needn’t be dis-heartened as a valiant display deserved a point, and had Sougou not gone off injured, it could have been a completely different result. Plus they sit second in Group H, behind United, but lead Braga by just one goal. CFR CLUJ: Mario Felgueiras 6, Ivo Pinto 6, Muresan 6, Sepsi 6, Cadu 6, Rada 5, Bastos 7, Aguirregaray 5, Camora 5, Kapetanos 6, Sougou 5. Subs: Luis Alberto (Sougou 23’) 5, Bjelanovic (Kapetanos 61’) 5, Nicoara (Aguirregaray) 4. Not Used: Stancioiu, Maftei, Piccolo, Diogo Valente. MAN UNITED: De Gea 8, Rafael 7, Evra 7, Ferdinand 6, Evans 6, Anderson 6, Cleverley 6, Fletcher 7, Rooney 8, Hernandez 4, van Persie 8. Subs: Wootton (Evans 79’) 6, Welbeck (Hernandez 83’) 5. Not Used: Lindegaard, Buttner, Nani, Powell, Kagawa. Booked: Ferdinand Quays News Man of the Match: David De Gea - The Spaniard was well concentrated, and did well at the end to deny Cluj from grabbing a late equaliser. Much more confident and commanding in his penalty area than last season. Will Moorcroft

Working Class Movement Library - 'The Invisible Histories'

A NEW project is underway to rediscover and celebrate the memories of workers at the heart of Salford’s huge industrial legacy. The skyline of the city has changed rapidly in the last century, removing nearly all traces of some of the city’s major employers and the communities that grew up around them. Yet the Working Class Movement Library in Salford hopes to re-engage local residents with and preserve the area’s rich heritage through an oral history scheme. The library’s 18 month “Invisible Histories” project will focus on recording the experiences of working people employed by three of Salford’s major employers in the late 19th and 20th centuries, Ward and Goldstone, Agecroft Colliery and the Richard Haworth textile mill. It has received £34,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund. A dedicated team made up mostly of trained volunteers will collect the memories of those who used to work at the companies through a series of interviews. The recordings will then be used to create downloadable podcasts and launch what is hoped to be a travelling exhibition, which will move around the area to reunite residents with their community’s history. It is also hoped that with the help of young people from the area the podcasts will be interweaved with music to create a piece similar to Ewan Maccoll’s radio ballads. The purpose of the project is to remind and educate residents about the enormous impact of Salford’s lost industrial past on the community. Project co-ordinator, Carrie Gough, explained: “The library itself is about preserving the memories of working people of that sometimes get overlooked by other institutions so it’s this focus that has formed the basis of the “Invisible Histories” project.” Ward and Goldstone, once Salford’s largest employer, at one time employed several thousands of staff at several factories throughout the city whilst Richard “Dickie” Howarth’s Mill in Ordsall employed another 3000. All psychical traces of Agecroft colliery, which remained open until after the miners’ strike in 1985, have since been completely removed from the site. The project in many ways echoes historian Brian Harrison’s crucial project to record the experiences of suffragettes in the 1970s to prevent important first-hand insights from being lost forever. Carrie Gough said: “We hope it will engage new audiences and encourage the community to use the library as well as celebrating the community’s history.” “There’s a huge emotional element to the project which we hope to tap into, for example the experiences of the Agecroft miners in the 1984 Miners’ strike. A real, close-knit community grew up out of their struggles. These experiences form an important part of political, union and working class history and they deserve to be memorialised. “ “The project will also develop volunteers skills in oral history research which we hope to continue to use after to build a spoken-word archive for the library.” Anyone with any relevant information about the employers or their employees can contact Carrie Gough on carrie.gough@wcml.org.uk or 0161 736 3601. The Working Class Movement Library is one of England’s preeminent collections and educative resources dedicated to preserving working class and political histories and is open, free, to the public. It regular puts on exhibitions and talks. It is currently running an appeal to raise the £80,000 a year it costs to keep the library open. For more information on the Invisible Histories Project, the library and its appeal visit www.wcml.org.ukBy Chloe Glover CallSend SMSAdd to SkypeYou'll need Skype CreditFree via Skype

Added Time Podcast: Premier League Preview

Ross, Elliot and Craig look ahead to an exciting weekend ahead of Premier League fixtures. Manchester City host Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium, and we look at how City's poor defensive record could cost them against Martin O'Neill's team. Also, Arsenal travel to West Ham, looking to bounce back from their home defeat to Chelsea last weekend, could Sam Allardyce's team provide one of the shock results of the weekend? Looking ahead to Sunday, we look ahead to an intriguing game at Anfield where Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool host an in form Stoke team. And in the game of the weekend, we predict a high scoring game as Manchester United travel to the Sports Direct Arena to play Newcastle United. Is it already a must win game for United? Is Ba better than Cisse?

Interview with the University of Salford’s Vice Chancellor

QUAYS NEWS caught up with the University of Salford's Vice Chancellor Professor Martin Hall for the start of the new academic year. Many people have questioned the University of Salford in recent times over many different issues. These include staff cuts at the university, the switch to a new electronic timetable that has caused numerous problems at the start of term, and the investment in the MediaCityUK campus. Quays News reporter Sophie Dulson asked the Vice Chancellor about these topics and more including the rise in tuition fees which took effect for new students this year.

Newcastle United vs Manchester United: Preview

MANCHESTER UNITED travel to Newcastle on Sunday for the second meeting in as many weeks between the clubs. Both teams played in Europe this week, and United have had two more days of rest than Newcastle, who played Bordeaux on Thursday night. Alan Pardew’s side enjoyed a convincing 3-0 win against the French, a night described as “perfect” by the manager, after goals from Shola Ameobi and Papiss Cissé helped Newcastle to the top of Group D. United, meanwhile, will know that they were lucky to escape Romania with all three points after conceding an early goal yet again. However, they too are top of their Champions League group, so need not be worried. The last meeting between the clubs, last week, was a closely fought contest, and one that could easily have gone to extra time and even penalties. Both managers picked strong teams, despite the fixture being a Capital One Cup match, but where the line-ups may not change dramatically, the tactics surely will. United fans surely won’t have forgotten the 3-0 drubbing suffered in January either, the Geordie’s first league win against United in 10 attempts, and a win that turned out to be a crucial loss in last year’s title race. Team News Fabricio Coloccini, Steven Taylor, and Ryan Taylor remain out, as does ‘keeper Tim Krul. Rob Elliot picked up an injury against Bordeaux on Thursday, so Steve Harper will have to step in between the sticks for The Magpies. Gabriel Obertan will be hoping to start against his former club after a great game on Thursday, and Demba Ba will be hopeful of a start having scored 6 goals so far this season. Jonny Evans is a doubt after suffering a dead leg at Cluj in the week, which could give Scott Wootton his Premier League debut against the club he impressed against on his debut. Vidic and Jones are still out, while Chris Smalling has recovered, but is unlikely to play. In midfield, Antonio Valencia is out with an ankle injury. Fergie’s squad rotation policy would suggest Anders Lindegaard will replace David De Gea, but after shipping three goals last weekend, and the Spaniard’s good form, De Gea could retain his place. Provisional Squad: Harper, Santon, Williamson, Perch, Ferguson, Tavernier, Cabaye, Anita, Ben Arfa, Gosling, Amalfitano, Gutierrez, Bigirimana, Marveaux, Tiote, Obertan, Vuckic, Abeid, Cisse, Ba, S. Ameobi, S. Ameobi, Campbell Provisional Squad: De Gea, Lindegaard, Evra, Ferdinand, Evans, Buttner, Wootton, Anderson, Giggs, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Cleverley, Fletcher, Powell, Kagawa, Rooney, Hernandez, Welbeck, van Persie, Henriquez, Macheda, Bebe Quays News Prediction: 2-2 - Just like last month’s cup game, this will be a close encounter. Rooney and van Persie linked up well against Cluj, but United still have defensive frailties, and the Toon Army will do their best to put them off. Papiss Cissé showed the form on Thursday night that encouraged Newcastle to pay £8million for him in January, so if that continues, United could be in for a tough encounter. Will Moorcroft

Sale Sharks 8, Leicester Tigers 20

HAVING lost their last three games against the 'formidable' Leicester Tigers, Sale Sharks had all the pressure on home turf last night (Friday Oct 5). While Leicester had won, lost and drawn each of their last three meets, Sale had lost all three, leaving them hunting to "restore some pride and play with plenty of passion" said the team's Director of Rugby, Bryan Redpath. Despite coming into the match as underdogs, the Sale side started the match strongly, dominating the first scrum and line-out, and teasing the crowd with some painfully close tries, before Rob Miller went on to score the first actual try of the night seven minutes into the first half. Leicester, who before the match were eight places above Sharks in the table, didn't give their opposition an easy time but were only kept in the first half due to George Ford's two penalty goals. Vereniki Goneva received the first yellow card of the match. Into the last ten minutes of the half Sale came excruciatingly close to producing their second try, but in the end failed to touch down. Regardless, thanks to a penalty goal from Nick McLeod earlier in play, and the momentum of the crowd's chants, Sharks finished 8-6 up going into half time. Leicester came fighting back straight away in the second half, and within five minutes took the lead for the first time in the match. Ben Youngs made sure Leicester didn't take their foot of the pedal, and with just over five minutes of the second half gone extended Tigers lead to 14-8 with a try. Shortly after Tigers took a healthy lead, Sale made a substitution replacing Tony Buckley with Vadim Cobilas. The change was quickly overshadowed by Leicester adding a further three points to the scoreboard as a result of yet another penalty goal by Ford 51 minutes in. Sharks' Miller made a gutsy run with just under 20 minutes to go, sidestepping several of his opponents and lifting the crowd up, but unfortunately the team failed to convert anything from the valiant attempt and the ball was soon out of their territory. After multiple changes on the pitch, Sale weren't having much luck, they failed to pick up points on a penalty kick, and marginally missed out on another try, topped off with Joe Ward receiving a yellow card and entering the sin bin. Trailing by nine points with just under eight minutes left they had it all to play for. By full time Leicester had added a further three points to their total, and although the scoreline didn't provide a true reflection of the match, Leicester claimed the victory with 20-8, while maintaining their unbeaten away record in the Aviva Premiership. Sale Sharks Director of Rugby Bryan Redpath said: "When we raised the tempo we looked pretty dangerous, but against Leicester you have to keep that and maintain it but we didn't. "We shouldn't be down at the bottom end [of the table] but we can't think like that, we've got to take every game as it comes now. Leicester Tigers had that mentality last year and we have to have that next Sunday here against Cardiff to get that first win." Leicester's Richard Cockerill was pleased with the resilience shown by the visitors: "Those four points will be massive to us, I think that was a good win. Defensively that's as good as we've been for a long time." by Bryony Pearce at Salford City Stadium

City keep it clean to see off Sunderland

MANCHESTER CITY silenced some of their critics with a comfortable 3-0 win over Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium, writes Liam McCallion. City’s slow but progressive start to defending their Premier League title was a much more encouraging display against Martin O’Neill’s side, as they continued their unbeaten start to the 2012-13 campaign, whilst also furthering their impressive home record to 33 games unbeaten in the League. Goals from Aleksandar Kolarov, Sergio Aguero and James Milner sealed the win for the home side, but Roberto Mancini will be even more impressed at the performance of his defence, who despite losing Vincent Kompany to injury, managed to keep their first clean sheet of season. Recently known for their sluggish starts, City made sure they were quick off the mark in the lunchtime fixture as they applied an attacking mentality right from the kick off. Returning Sunderland defender Carlos Cuellar was on hand to prevent an early advance from the hosts, but a risky tackle from the Spaniard landed him with a yellow card for his efforts and a subsequent free kick to the hosts just outside the box. A trademark Kolarov free kick gave City an early lead in the opening five minutes as he curled the ball over a non-existent wall to make it 1-0 with his third goal in four games for the Blues. A terrible start for the Black Cats laid the foundations for the rest of the game as their inability to keep hold of the ball added to City’s dominance. Ambitious efforts from Mario Balotelli and Kolarov went high and wide of Mignolet’s goal to keep it at 1-0 midway through the first half. Pablo Zabeleta was, however, able to produce a fine save out of the Belgium keeper with his shot from point blank range being smashed at the hands of the away keeper. Sunderland had to wait until the latter stages of the game to test Joe Hart at the other end, Steven Fletcher seeing his shot saved comfortably by the England keeper to prevent the forward converting his fifth of the season. The Scotsman then forced Hart into another save shortly afterwards, but the keeper collected the ball at ease as his side remained in front going into the break. As the second half got underway, City resumed with their dominance despite an early shot from Fletcher which was blocked by returning defender Micah Richards. Yaya Toure quickly replied seconds later after lovely link-up play with David Silva. An exquisite back heel from the Spaniard into the Sunderland box was met by Toure, who fired his shot at Mignolet who could only parry the ball over the net. The resulting corner was curled in by Milner who picked out Richards. His header was on target before being cleared poorly back to him only for his second attempt to force a better goal-line clearance from Danny Rose. Richards was on hand again to try and double his side’s lead with a header from another James Milner corner forcing Mignolet into a stretched scramble. But it wasn’t long until City were 2-0 up in this dictated performance. Kolarov’s corner kick floated into the box and landed at the feet of substitute Aguero, who converted from a few yards to double the lead. This was the Argentine’s first goal at the Etihad since his league title winning goal against QPR in May. His fellow countryman Carlos Tevez then contributed well to a Silva attempt at goal. Tevez outpaced Cuellar before passing Mignolet who came off his line to prevent a third. In doing so an empty net was left wide open, Tevez squared the ball to Silva who had attempted to convert, but only managed to hit the crossbar which denied his efforts. Sunderland responded with a rare attack which forced a corner. The set-piece was met by the back of Gareth Barry’s neck, which could have easily made it 2-1, only for Hart to punch the ball out whilst colliding with Sessegnon in the process. Towards the end of the second half, much of which was played in the Sunderland half, City had successive corners that on both attempts were met by Richards. His first attempt being parried out by Mignolet, then the second being an audacious overhead kick which went well over. In the dying minutes of the game Mancini brought on Gael Clichy for Tevez, a clear message that indicated the importance of a clean sheet for the Italian manager. Kolarov, who already had a goal and an assist to his name, nearly doubled his tally but forced a corner instead. Indeed, his first attempt, which hit Craig Gardner, may well have been a penalty as the ball came off the midfielder’s arm. Kolarov was again involved in the build up to city’s third goal as he was fouled by Gardner on the edge of the visitors box, the former Birmingham City player receiving a yellow card. Milner converted the free kick from an acute angle to return his side to the title winning form of last season. A slight deflection from Gardner tipped the ball past Mignolet’s reaches, to end a dismal game for the visitors, who nearly conceded a fourth in injury time, but Aguero couldn’t convert his chance. A massive performance from the Blues will be encouraging for Mancini going into the international break. A clean sheet, three goals and a strong control on the game, not to mention an important victory, should hopefully give City the confidence they need to reproduce similar displays against their next opponents, West Brom. Each player in the team couldn’t put a foot wrong in this game, and so this result will remind many critics of who Manchester City are. Normality seems to have been resumed at the Etihad, but consistency will be the key in the upcoming weeks. Sunderland, will however be disappointed with their overall performance, as they just didn’t show up. Minimal possession and only glimpses of an attacking threat saw them have only four attempts on target throughout the entire game. Their next opponents are unlikely to display much sympathy either. Newcastle United will look to inflict successive defeats on their North East rivals next weekend. Quays News Man of the Match – James Milner – The English midfielder was simply outstanding. The former Villa man was on hand for most crosses into the box, which was were City hit Sunderland hard, gaining 15 corners. A superb free kick, to wrap up the game. Manchester City: Hart 6, Zabeleta 7, Lescott 6, Richards 7, Kolarov 8, Milner 8, Yaya Toure 8, Barry 6, Silva 8 (Rodwell 5), Tevez 7 (Clichy 6), Balotelli 6 (Aguero 8). Not Used: Pantilimon, Dzeko, Nasri, Kolo Toure Sunderland – Mignolet 7, Gardner 6, O’Shea 5, Cuellar 5, Rose 6 (Vaughn 5), Johnson 5 (Saha 5), Larsson 6, Collback 5, Sessegnon 5 (Campbell 5), Fletcher 6. Not Used: Westwood, Killgallon, Meyler, Bramble Booked: Gardner, Cuellar, Collback

United have revenge as they win at Newcastle

MANCHESTER UNITED recorded just their second clean sheet in seven league games so far this season with a 3-0 victory over Newcastle at St. James’ Park, and despite the millions of pounds of attacking talent, it was two defenders who did the damage to Newcastle. It was the Red Devils who started the game brightest, a rarity this season, and it took just seven minutes for them to take the lead. After dominating possession in the early exchanges, Robin van Persie’s corner was met in the air by Jonny Evans, after the Dutchman’s shot moments earlier was well saved by Steve Harper. It then took just seven minutes for United to make it 2-0, this time Wayne Rooney’s corner was met by Patrice Evra, who timed his run well to guide the ball past Steve Harper with his head. For Newcastle, it was looking like a case of Europa League hangover after the Geordies’ thrilling encounter with Bordeaux on Thursday night, whereas for United, it was starting to look like revenge for their 3-0 loss back in January. However, the second goal sparked something in Newcastle, and they started to create a few chances, but hit-man Demba Ba, who has scored six league goals this season, just couldn’t hit the target. The best chances came from corners, where his shot flew past the post, and another chance which went high up into the crowd. The game started to get heated, and reckless challenges started to fly in left, right and centre, epitomised by three yellow cards in four minutes midway through the half, and by half time, six players had been cautioned. Nothing changed during the second half either as the foul count only went up and up, and the chances created were squandered by a lack of imagination and clinical finishing. Both keepers were kept busy though, and did well to keep the ball out of their nets as players from both sides started to pop shots from the edge of the areas. Newcastle felt they should of had a goal when Demba Ba’s shot bounded off the post, straight to Papiss Cissé, but David De Gea, replacing Anders Lindegaard, did well to scoop the ball away. The final blow came just minutes later though as Tom Cleverley curled home Rooney’s pass from the edge of the area to make it 3-0 to the visitors, and revenge completed. Ferguson’s intent not to concede was shown too, as he bought on Paul Scholes in place of Wayne Rooney, to steady the midfield, and Ryan Giggs replaced van Persie to see out the remaining minutes. Despite the substitutions, Newcastle rallied in added time, but the United rear-guard held on to take all three points, which puts them ahead of City on goal difference, but both clubs remain four points adrift of leaders Chelsea. NEWCASTLE UNITED: Harper 4, Santon 5, Williamson 5, Perch 4, Ferguson 4, Cabaye 6, Ben Arfa 6, Gutierrez 5, Tiote 4, Cissé 4, Ba 5. Subs: Anita (Ferguson ’63) 4, Sh. Ameobi (Cissé ’63) 5, Bigirimana (Tiote ’80) 4. Not Used: Alnwick, Simpson, Obertan, Sa. Ameobi. Booked: Perch, Gutierrez, Tiote, Bigirimana, Santon MAN UNITED: De Gea 8, Rafael 7, Evans 8, Ferdinand 6, Evra 8, Carrick 6, Cleverley 7, Kagawa 5, Rooney 8, Welbeck 6, van Persie 7. Subs: Valencia (Kagawa ’55) 6, Scholes (Rooney ’79) 6, Giggs (van Persie ’87) 5. Not Used: Lindegaard, Wootton, Anderson, Hernandez. Booked: Ferdinand, Kagawa, van Persie, Scholes Quays News Man of the Match: David De Gea - Again, the young Spaniard has proved his critics wrong, and shown that he is learning how to command his box and defence more meaningfully. Kept a clean sheet, and produced a brilliant stop to prevent Newcastle scoring a consolation. I think Fergie’s got his number one... Will Moorcroft

New book on Manchester's female activists to be released

A NEW book about to be published has unearthed little known information on the lives and struggles of Manchester’s unsung radical women. “Up Then, Brave Women: Manchester’s Radical Women 1819-1918”, written by local social historian, Michael Herbert, has brought together the histories of distinguished and lesser heard of local female social activists. The book provides a “snapshot” overview of politically active women from 1819, the year of the infamous Peterloo Massacre in which four women were killed, to 1918 and the Representation of the People Act. It is in many ways a compendium of the stories of campaigning women from the area, something that has not been done to the same extent before. Speaking about why he chose to use Peterloo as the book’s starting point, Michael, who has compiled the information over the last few years, said: “1819 was the first significant example of Mancunian women coming together en masse to organise in a radically political manner. It marked the beginning of substantial female organisation in the city which saw women fighting to obtain equality and human rights.” Aware of the large amount of attention devoted to the lives of Manchester’s most famous women, the Pankhursts , Michael has attempted to broaden public perspective by considering the vital contributions of other local women involved in movements such as the Chartists, Cooperative Societies and trade unionism. The book introduces readers to figures such as the tireless Sarah Reddish and Annie Marland, mill workers who were present in numerous, critical campaigns in the 19th and early 20th century. It also provides an alternative view of the votes for women campaign, considering its origins in the 1860s and the campaign by working class women which has been sometimes overlooked. Michael added: “I wanted to give attention to some of the female activists who really deserve recognition for their work.” “The book shows that people have faced difficult situations at all points through history but at the same time have managed to achieve extraordinary gains. I think the lesson readers may get from this book is that if you want to achieve something you will have to demand and fight for change like these women did.” Michael will be hosting the book’s launch on Saturday 13th October at 6pm upstairs at the Black Lion Pub on Chapel Street, Salford, as part of the Manchester Weekender. Details of the event can be found at: http://redflagwalks.wordpress.com/. The book can be purchased from the People’s History Museum and via post. Contact Michael via email at redflagwalks@gmail.com for further information. By Chloe Glover

FC United into the next round of FA Cup qualifying

FC UNITED edged their way into the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup with a 3-1 home victory against Kendal Town. The tie featured two sides from the EvoStik Northern Premier Division, United sitting comfortably in sixth whilst town occupy 17th, with just five points separating them from the bottom. FC named an unchanged starting 11 from the side that claimed a 3-1 victory away at Mossley on Tuesday. Manager Karl Marginson saw the game as a perfect opportunity to add some fresh, youthful faces to his squad despite expecting a difficult encounter. United weren’t at the races in the first half and it was made clear in the opening few exchanges, Town dominated possession and had a couple of opportunities to take the lead. Kevin Leadbitter came closest for Kendal, his eighth minute free-kick cannoning off the frame of the FC goal. Referee Steven Meredith waved away a clear penalty when United’s Phil McGrath was brought down in the area. Kendal saw the opportunity to break away and soon enough the ball was in the back of the United goal. Kevin Leadbitter’s deflected effort on the quarter hour mark beat a fully stretched Jon Worsnop to give Kendal the lead. A first half the travelling supporters were happy with, Danny Wisdom being stretchered off in the 23rd minute the only major worry. FC had few opportunities to draw level, striker Mike Norton battled to try and get on the end of below-par deliveries but to his frustration no-one could pick him out from the sea of black and white shirts. The anger was shared amongst the fans and players, United having already had four penalty shouts denied, the referee then booked FC United’s Jake Cottrell for a high challenge on Town’s number seven Alex Randell. Referee Meredith was met by a chorus of boos from the United faithful as he brought the first half to a close, a half that saw a disappointing FC United fail to capitalise on the space and possession gifted to them. United began the second half the way they should’ve started the first, firing the ball around with a lot more intent to find an opening. Chances for Kendal were limited, Scott Harries proving to be a handful for the FC defence, his skilful run set up Captain Marc Joseph whose shot travelled high and over the bar. An inspired substitution from United manager Marginson saw the game turn on its head eight minutes into the second half. Jake Cottrell made way for striker Chris Amadi whose fantastic performance against Mossley in the FA Trophy saw him met by rapturous applause. It wasn’t long before Amadi made an impact, beating his man with power and pace to cross the ball for Mike Norton who was inches away from connecting with the ball and surely levelling the tie. Two minutes later however, the tie was level, Kendal starlet Scott Harries handled in his own area, this time the penalty was given, Dean Stott coolly converted the penalty to the keepers right to ease the pressure. Chances were in abundance for United, mostly from the work of substitute Amadi. Another unstoppable run saw him beat the Kendal defence but his shot was easily saved by keeper Craig Dootson. The game’s second goal came from another denied penalty shout; a goalmouth scramble saw the Kendal defender on the line adjudged not to have handled the ball which was turned behind for a corner. United weren’t displeased for long, as centre-back Adam Jones rose above the Kendal defence to head home an exquisite cross from the resulting corner. United taking the lead for the first time in the game and they were on the hunt for more. Jerome Wright’s delicious free-kick in the 80th minute was waiting to be converted by anyone who could connect, but no-one obliged and after a messy goalmouth scramble, the ball was cleared. Six minutes later and they had more. Jerome Wright weaved in and out of the Kendal defence; his shot was blocked on the line by the hands of Town’s Paul Alexander, who was given his marching orders by referee Steven Meredith to the delight of the United support. Dean Stott converted the penalty to end any hopes of a Kendal revival. A less than convincing performance from United, but in the end a reasonably comfortable game which saw the arrival of Chris Amadi alter the tie in favour of the home side. His pace and power proving too much for the Kendal defence. United manager Marginson admitted that his side could play better but it was more important they got the result: “We could play better like we did in the second half, but it’s cup football it’s about the result and getting into the hat for the next round, so we’re happy.’” A day to forget though for referee Steven Meredith, the United coach however expressed sympathy and accepted his decisions, saying: “I don’t know what he has seen, but it’s down to his interpretation, we were given two penalties and we are happy for that.” By Matt Cunningham and Michael Dawson

Salford killer Stapleton to appeal life sentence

KIARAN STAPLETON is set to appeal his life sentence for murdering student Anuj Bidve at London’s Court of Appeal next week. Self-styled ‘Psycho’ Stapleton was convicted in July of shooting the 23-year-old micro-electronics student in the head on Ordsall Lane on Boxing Day last year. He received a life sentence, to serve a minimum of 30 years behind bars, and was advised he would only be released when he “no longer posed a danger to the public”. Stapleton’s lack of remorse was widely condemned after appearing for trial at Manchester Crown Court in July, with the 21-year-old killer stating: “I love prison. Lock me up for 65 years,” and asking the jury from the witness box, “does this face look bothered”. He will appear before the Court of Appeal on Wednesday October 17 where his legal team are expected to argue that his sentence should be reduced. Detective Chief Superintendent Mary Doyle, who led the investigation, said: “Stapleton got a tattoo very soon after he killed Anuj which we believe may have been some sort of boast or badge of honour. “If that is true, such a cold and brazen act tells its own story about what sort of man he is.” The Court of Appeal judges are expected to reserve their ruling to a later date. By Cassandra Ward

FA Cup brings Hereford to FC United

FC UNITED will host Hereford United in the fourth qualifying round of the Budweiser FA Cup. United beat Kendal Town 3-1 in the third qualifying round on Sunday and will now play the Conference Premier side at Gigg Lane. This will be Hereford's first match in the competition this year as the Blue Square Bet Premier clubs don’t enter the competition until the final qualifying round. United will be hoping to progress to the first round proper for the second time in three years. The fourth round qualifying ties are due to be played on the weekend of 20 October. By Brian Cruickshank

Magic bounce back to beat Mets in Patrons Cup

MANCHESTER MAGIC finally made their season’s home debut defeating the Birmingham Mets 76-64 at the Amaechi Basketball Centre. Magic were scheduled to open their campaign at home two weeks earlier against the London PAWS, but were awarded victory as a result of the PAWS' failure to register a team on time. On the road, Paul Middleton's men won their first round National Cup fixture with Oldham before suffering a disappointing 87-84 loss to the Derbyshire Arrows, who recovered from an 11-point deficit at the half. On Saturday, the young Magic outfit got off to a fast start against the Mets. Looking to run the floor early, the home side took a 5-1 lead through their transition offence, with Joshua Houghton and Connor Murtagh making uncontested lay-ups. The Mets’ struggling half-court offence was often bailed out by soft fouls. Yet they failed to capitalise on their 39 attempts at the free throw line (18 more than the Magic), shooting a paltry 54 percent. Houghton was a constant thorn to the Mets and led the Magic in points (19), rebounds (8), and free throws made/attempted (8/11). The Mets had no answer for the former Leeds Carnegie guard, who made three of six from three-point range amongst his penetrative cuts into the paint. Hustle Tom Devitt was energetic and industrious, as were the two centres Usman Baba and Luke Sharland-Wong. The latter made an emphatic block at 23-14, which was his first of four block shots on the night, whilst Baba claimed five offensive rebounds on his way to 13 points on six from eight shooting. Murtagh and Baba had three steals apiece, although it was a combined team effort that was flourishing through coach Middleton’s rotation. Alex Fortnam added 10 points, seven rebounds and two block shots in his efficient 17-and-a-half minutes. The Magic were up 41-31, as the half drew to a close, courtesy of a deep Houghton three-pointer with two seconds on the clock. After squandering an 11-point lead in their recent outing against the Arrows, the Manchester outfit were keen to close this game out. Rotation Coach Middleton continued to rotate his players throughout the second half and kept his line-up fresh. As the Mets tired, the Magic bench had run the lead up from 55-47 to 70-56. The fitness and enthusiasm was apparent throughout and demonstrated by Loick Pouale’s spectacular chase-down block, which was harshly adjudged to be a foul. As the Magic closed the game out, one eye was already looking ahead at Sunday’s fixture against the Rossendale Raptors in the National Cup.Raptors’ veteran guard Steve Gayle will face his former team Manchester Magic where he once starred in the EBL1, as a Division 4 champion. Coach Middleton expects a tough test in this second round match-up and is wary of the threat the Raptors provide. Tip-off at 5pm, at the Amaechi Basketball Centre, Sunday 7th October 2012. By Jackie-James Coyle at the Amaechi Basketball Centre

County down in five goal thriller

STOCKPORT faced a stern test as Wrexham arrived at Edgeley Park in the midst of an enviable 10 game unbeaten run. Five goals and a sending off later, that run was extended, but not without a fight from the home side. Having won their last two matches the Hatters went into the game full of confidence. And it took just a few minutes for County to go excruciatingly close to opening the scoring with just millimetres separating them from an early lead. Wrexham's Jay Harris was walking a tightrope from the outset, performing two dodgy fouls in succession on County's Craig Hobson and Sean Newton, the latter free kick going close. Despite County holding possession and applying the pressure throughout the first 20 minutes, they were given a momentary scare after Wrexham appeared to have scored only for the ‘goal’ to be disallowed for offside. Just five minutes later the crowd was on its feet as Danny Hattersley produced the goods to put County in the lead. The visitors didn't give up easily as, first, Danny Wright went close before Hobson headed into his own net from a Dean Keates corner. At 1-1 both teams were producing fast paced, end-to-end football, giving the crowd something to cheer. But with just five minutes of the first half remaining, County were left reeling as Neil Ashton successfully converted a penalty to put the visitors ahead following a foul by Paul Turnbull. Youngster Tom Collins provided a threat in the second half with several notable runs to keep Wrexham on their toes. There was no end product, however, as he failed to convert from his valiant attempts. Drama was never lacking. Ashton received his first yellow card of the match for taking too long over a throw in. If that could have been avoided, so too could the second incident that led to the Wrexham man’s dismissal as he was booked for tormenting the crowd after scoring his second penalty following a collision between County's keeper Lewis King and Wright. Despite the two goal deficit, County refused to surrender. James Tunnicliffe and Andy Halls kept the team’s defence tight while man-of-the-match Hattersley grabbed his second goal of the game to pull if back to 3-2. Wrexham player-manager Andy Morrell said: "I said before we went out, however we played, it was the three points that mattered and we've managed to be able to come away with it. "They caused us a lot of problems especially the first 20 minutes but then we got a grip of the game. I'm delighted. The lads dug in with 10 men. The three points is all that matters. "We are a solid, solid team and we can stand up to teams who want to kick us, we can stand up to teams who want to throw it on top of us." The win saw Wrexham move to second in the Blue Square Premier while results elsewhere saw County slip four places to 14th. Stockport County: Lewis King, Andy Halls, Sean Newton, James Tunnicliffe (captain), Danny Whitehead, Danny Hattersley, Tom Collins, Craig Hobson, Jordan Fagbola, Matt Mainwaring, Paul Turnball. Subs: Ian Ormson (GK), Sam Sheridan, Alex Meaney, Danny Rowe, Tom Eckersley. Wrexham: Andy Coughlin, Stephen Wright, Neil Ashton, Martin Riley, Adrian Cieslewicz, Jay Harris, Danny Wright, Andy Morrell, Dean Keates (captain), Jonny Hunt, Chris Westwood. Subs: Brett Ormerod, Joe Clarke, Declan Walker, Nick Rushton, Jay Colbeck. Attendance: 3,789 Referee: Sebastian StockbridgeBy Bryony Pearce at Edgeley Park

Community Unions: A lifeline for broken Britain

THESE are times when unemployment is becoming a more grim, widespread reality, when attacks on welfare threaten the lives of some of the most vulnerable in society and when the futures of younger generations across the country are hanging in the balance. In Manchester, the unemployment rate is at its highest in 12 years, with 84,600 people now claiming Job Seeker’s Allowance in the city, almost 30% of whom have been unemployed for more than six months. For young people, the number of those without jobs has spiralled since 2000, with almost 900% more 18-24 year olds now jobless and not in education or training. For increasing numbers of people in Manchester and across the UK, the ability to fight back and en mass against regressive attacks on their lives is complicated by the fact that they’re not in employment. Whilst able to organise independently, bringing enough people together from communities for a substantial period of time without having the strength and secure organisational structure that workplace union membership offers, can make it hard to achieve real change. Yet that could all be about to change due to the establishment of a local community union initiative, which is making headway in Greater Manchester. The Greater Manchester Unite Community Union is part of a pioneering nationwide plan unveiled by Unite last year to bring together society’s most vulnerable sections. These groups have for a long time gone without the same opportunities to make their voices publically heard. It is the first time that a part of the official labour movement has taken on the role of organising those beyond the workplace to give them the additional strength and support that community groups on their own cannot always attain. Focusing on those not in employment, amongst the people the scheme is attracting are full-time carers, students and elderly, those who may be hardest hit by the current government’s welfare reforms. Branches are being set up throughout the UK, with the current largest situated in London and Liverpool. The focus of the community unions rests on bringing together different campaigners and communities within local areas to fight together as one against social injustices that are currently being faced by millions of people in the UK. Galvanising supportFor 50 pence per week the community unions aim to give a platform and a form of organisation to those pushed to the edges of society and offer them free support services such as legal advice. It is hoped that by bringing together groups that otherwise may have remained disparate, stronger, overarching communities will be created that have a louder national voice and more power to try and reverse regressive social measures and help push for a better and fairer situation for all. Unite have in a way reignited interest in the idea of community unions that dates back on a major level in England at least to the 1930s. This was when the National Unemployed Workers’ Movement formed amidst mass unemployment and poverty to improve the conditions of the jobless, galvanising the support of hundreds of thousands at its marches. The union recently hired six staff to act as national coordinators of the community membership initiative, who will act as facilitators and liaison officers for local branches across the country and encourage the formation of new groups in areas currently without community union representation. Established in spring this year, the Greater Manchester branch is now one of the largest in the country. Despite not yet being formally constituted, unlike the London and Casa Liverpool divisions, it is beginning to draw notable interest and support from different groups of people within the area. The branch has since created further sub-union groups which operate in areas such as Salford and Manchester South. They hope that the formation of more local groups will help encourage more members who may not be able to travel far to meetings due to issues such as to caring responsibilities or lack of money. So far it has had four public meetings which have attracted people such as carers, other long-term unemployed and disabled-issue campaigners. The union offers people the support to set up local area campaigns around issues that may be affecting themselves or others within the local community and a stable form of organisation that allows them to make strong links with other community union members. They also offer support services such as legal advice, C.V and letter application writing, interview tips, debt counselling, welfare benefits check up and hardship grants. "People are being demonised"Recently the group has been concentrating on campaigning around ATOS, the healthcare company whose work assessment is threatening the lives of those with disabilities and have been linked to a number of suicides. However, the union acknowledges that this is only the beginning. It has to decide how best to link together the many different local campaign ideas and personal battles that people are attending the meetings to address and make people see that their individual struggles are part of a bigger, united picture. The latest public meeting brought together people from over the city and as far away as Wigan, who are trying to set up their own local group. Pat, a carer from Levenshulme, was one of those who attended. Talking about why he thought that Unite’s Community Unions were an important step forward, he said: “I’m terrified about what the next wave of attacks by the government could do to people’s lives. “I think that unfortunately at the moment unemployed people are being demonised. We need to start organising to answer the nonsense that is being put out there. “The Greater Manchester Unite Community Union is only at the start of its life. We know we need a lot more bodies to turn these campaigning ideas into something real. Adds Pat: “I think that there is a great amount of potential in the community union idea. Around Europe we’re starting to see lots of unemployed people begin to organise en mass. For example in Portugal people managed to stop the government cutting people’s living standards by 15% by increasing taxes and in Spain people have occupied houses and land and have marched into supermarkets on mass to feed the poor. “Whilst we have a lot of campaign groups in the UK there has been less sustained unity between them but there’s nothing in the air that we breathe to mean that we can’t begin to do the same as other European countries with a little bit of help, organisation and skill. “The unite community unions enable people to realise that although they may have their little fights to be won they are battling the same problem. The best way to think of community unions is this: if you hit someone with five fingers you don’t hurt them, but if you put the five fingers together you’ve got a fist.” The Greater Manchester Unite Community Union holds public meetings on the last Tuesday of the month. You can find more details on how to join and for information on local group meetings, or visit the Facebook page. By Chloe Glover

Preview: England Vs San Marino Preview

ENGLAND face San Marino at Wembley this evening, as Roy Hodgson’s men look to continue their unbeaten start to the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign. The home side’s previous match in Group H was a 1-1 draw against Ukraine, leaving them second in the table only on goal difference. The visitors on the other hand, who are yet to win a competitive match in their international history, were beaten with ease by Montenegro 0-6. These two sides have only met twice, that was during the 1994 World Cup qualifying stages. England were victorious on both occasions, the first encounter was a 6-0 thrashing at home, whilst the return leg finished 1-7. 10 years on, England sit fifth in the FIFA world rankings, 202 places above joint bottom San Marino. With the 90,000 seated stadium sold out for the game, Hodgson is expected to play a strong side in order to produce an entertaining match for the loyal fans. Big players such as Andy Carroll, Jermaine Defoe and Wayne Rooney are all likely to start, but the manager is yet to decide where to play the latter, as he hopes to increase England’s goal difference immensely. Team News: England will be without Frank Lampard (knee) and Ryan Bertrand (illness), who have both returned to Chelsea for treatment over the weekend. Glen Johnson and Steven Gerrard are also absent as they serve suspensions. Ashley Cole is due to miss the game regardless of recent events, but is expected to return against Poland where he should earn his 99th England Cap. Wayne Rooney is to Captain the team, due to the absences of midfielders Gerrard and Lampard who have previously worn the armband. San Marino Captain Andy Selva (Calf), who is the country's all-time record goalscorer (8 Goals), will start on the bench. The only professional player of the side Mirko Palazzi, who plays his trade in the Italian third tier at Rimini, is predicted to line up with his teammates in a 5-4-1 formation. Quays News Prediction: England 7-0 San Marino In most cases this kind of score line would be seen as wishful thinking by any football fan. But when a game such as this, consists of two teams poles apart in terms of world rankings, you can justify an outrageous prediction. England has only lost twice in their last 36 home World Cup qualifiers (W26, D8, L2), while the opposing side have only scored once in their last 14. Dont be surprised to see San Marino laid to rest by the sword of St. George, as England won’t be sympathetic. England squad Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (Celtic), Joe Hart (Manchester City), John Ruddy (Norwich) Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), Ryan Shawcross (Stoke), Kyle Walker (Tottenham) Midfielders: Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Sunderland), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Jonjo Shelvey (Liverpool), Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Forwards: Andy Carroll (West Ham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United)Liam McCallion

Three Lions maul toothless San Marino

A MASTERCLASS in possession from England saw San Marino dispatched with ease at Wembley as the hosts won 5-0. Braces from skipper Wayne Rooney and United team-mate Danny Welbeck, and a goal from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain saw England pick up another three points in their 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign. England controlled possession from the outset and camped in the San Marino half. As a testament, Joe Hart touched the ball just four times in the entire half. The home side were forced into an early substitution though, as Aaron Lennon replaced Theo Walcott, who went off injured after a collision with goalkeeper Aldo Simoncini - a challenge which should have seen the Sammarinese man sent off. Still, it took 33 minutes to break the deadlock, and that was through a penalty; Simoncini bought down Welbeck after the striker’s prod took the ball away from the advancing keeper. Rooney thumped the ball into the back of the net for his first goal of the season. Two minutes later it was 2-0 as Welbeck repeated his trickery from the Euros to back heel Aaron Lennon’s cross past Simoncini. But it was a half England won’t be too pleased about. Considering the amount of squandered chances against the world’s worst team, it should have been four or five by half time. It was the same after the break, all England possession and 11 men behind the ball for San Marino. However, just like the first half, Roy Hodgson’s men were restricted to pot-shots from the edge of the area, and had little sense of creativity. A Leighton Baines free-kick was the first genuine attempt of the second half, but the Everton full-back’s attempt skimmed the roof of the net. Minutes later, Rooney made it 3-0 after a brilliant passage of play. Substitute Jonjo Shelvey, making his first team debut, crossed an excellent ball to Baines, who headed the ball to Aaron Lennon. The Tottenham winger’s heavy touch ran into Rooney’s path and the stand-in skipper’s instinct saw him curl the ball into the far corner with his first touch. His 31st goal for England also saw Rooney move into fifth place on the all-time England top-scorers list. Welbeck took advantage of the gaps in the San Marino defence to convert Tom Cleverley’s cross past Simoncini to make it 4-0, before Oxlade-Chamberlain made it five with an exquisite curling shot into the top corner from another Cleverley set-up. The Manchester United youngster almost scored a goal of his own in the last minute of normal time, but his shot was blocked by the sea of San Marino shirts in the area. The visitors produced one shot all game. National “legend” and top goal-scorer Andy Selva was one-on-one with Joe Hart before firing wide. That was it for a team who quite obviously came with no intention other than try to keep the score below double figures. ENGLAND: Hart 8, Walker 6, Cahill 7, Jagielka 6, Baines 8, Carrick 5, Walcott 4, Cleverley 8, Oxlade-Chamberlain 8, Welbeck 7, Rooney 8. Subs: Lennon (Walcott ’10) 7, Shelvey (Carrick ’66) 7, Carroll (Rooney ’73) 6. Not Used: Ruddy, Forster, Cole, Lescott, Shawcross, Milner, Johnson, Defoe. SAN MARINO: Simoncini 7, Vitaoli 5, Simoncini 5, Brolli 5, Palazzi 5, Cibelli 4, Coppini 4, Rinaldi 4, Della Valle 4, Gasperoni 4, Cervellini 4. Subs: Buscarini (Coppini ’75) 4, Selva (Rinaldi ’78) 4, Bacciocchi (Vitaioli ’83) 4. Not Used: Valentini, Bollini, Mazza, Vannucci, Marani, Vitaioli. Booked: Simoncini, Rinaldi. Quays News Man of the Match: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - The young Arsenal man worked his socks off throughout the game, he always wanted the ball, and was always trying to retrieve it. His first goal for the senior national team was special and capped a fantastic night for the youngster.. Hodgson will be in no rush to let Stuart Pearce have him back for the Under-21s. By Will Moorcroft

Magic maintain momentum against London United

MANCHESTER MAGIC blew London United away in a pulsating encounter at the Amaechi Basketball Centre to make it three wins in four games in the Patrons Cup. After last weekend’s Patrons Cup and National Cup double, Paul Middleton’s Magic have now won three from three at home this season. The Manchester outfit were quicker out of the blocks, immediately setting a tone that United would chase, but in the end it proved futile for the visitors. Joshua Houghton picked up where he left off last week making three shots from behind the arc in the first quarter to help the team to a 28-24 lead. The second quarter saw Magic press the London side hard to open up a commanding lead with superior rebounds, 30-17, and points off the bench, 21-4. Indeed, Middleton’s team were consistently better in every department, converting 8/9 free points for an 89 percent conversion compared to United’s 10/18 and a very average 56 percent. The third quarter saw Magic open up a commanding 24 point lead at one point, although United did manage to win this round 21-20 thanks in large part to Andy Tamayo who came alive in the second half of the match. Tamayo finished with 30 points on the night which included 11 rebounds. Going into the last quarter Magic held a 17 point lead but United continued to come at them effectively as they had done in the third. The visitors started to claw back the deficit but it was too little, too late as the buzzer sounded to confirm a 94-85 score line. Joshua Houghton produced a fantastic guard display with a leading 27 point total on the night for Magic. And Thomas Ward is another highly consistent cog in the Magic wheel. Ward was 6/6 in his free points here while also making eight rebounds. He finished with 19 points and was the second highest scorer behind Houghton. Magic make the trip to London Eastside on Sunday (Oct 14) where a win will be enough to secure a spot in the Patrons Cup semi-final. This is sure to be a competition Middleton’s outfit will be anxious to do well in as the final is being played at the Amaechi Basketball centre this year. Magic: Houghton 27, Ward 19, Fortnam 15, Murtagh 7, Baba 6, Pouale 6, Devitt 4, Porter 4, Potter 3, Sharland-Wong 2, Goueuel 1. By Brian Cruickshank at the Amaechi Basketball Centre

County capitalise as tough games keep coming

AFTER Wednesday's five goal thriller against Wrexham, County faced Kidderminster with confidence, having displayed a solid performance in midweek despite the unfortunate scoreline. Other than the replacement of goalkeeper Lewis King with Ian Ormson, County boss James Gannon named an unchanged line up after their previous home game just two days before. Although not as eventful as County's recent encounter with Wrexham, the team completed another tough game in a matter of days, fortunately passing the test this time. Sean Newton, James Tunnicliffe and Jordan Fagbola created an impenetrable back line for The Hatters, fighting off Kidderminster's relentless attacking. Stockport's Tom Collins started the match as he finished on Wednesday, with a gutsy run threatening to leave Kidderminster trailing early on, but was later replaced with Alex Kenyon, who went on to give Kidderminster several scares throughout the match. Newton had a good start to the game, up and down the pitch he made himself invaluable for The Hatters. During the first half Tunncliffe received a questionable yellow and the referee, Anthony Backhouse, further outraged the home fans when he also dismissed a handball claim. With little to separate the two teams throughout the first half, County went into half time 1-0 up, after Newton scored a penalty rewarded following a tackle at the far end of the box by Kidderminster’s Josh Gowling on Danny Hattersley. After colliding heads just minutes into the second half, Craig Hobson and Keith Briggs were taken off the pitch for treatment. County's Hobson was replaced by Joe Connor whereas Briggs returned shortly after.Stockport were constantly pushing forward and attacking, but failed to convert any of their chances to establish a more comfortable lead, resulting in a nervous wait for the final whistle. Kidderminster, who lost 2-1 last time they faced The Hatters in January, put up an immense fight in the latter stages producing numerous opportunities. But their frequent attempts came to nothing. Jordan Fagbola's prominent role in County's defence line earned him player of the match. Today's match was the second of a trilogy of matches, the first held in Macclesfield, and the culminating match in Hyde, set up to make the most of a non-league day, allowing fans to experience a special opportunity to ground hop, and see three games in the course of an afternoon and evening. Attendance: 3,426 Referee: Anthony BackhouseBy Bryony Pearce at Edgeley Park

Pusher Review

In 1996 Danish filmmaker Nicholas Winding Refn released his debut film, Pusher. The movie was a huge commercial and critical success in Denmark as well as other parts of mainland Europe and spawned two sequels and a Hindi remake. Spanish director Luis Prieto has decided to try his hand at remaking this Danish gangster classic, swapping the original setting of Copenhagen for London. Like the original, the film follows small-time drug dealer Frank (Richard Coyle) who is betrayed by his friend Tony (Bronson Webb), finding himself in debt to Croatian drug-lord Milo (Zlatko Buric). Presumably Prieto’s philosophy when it came to his Pusher was ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, as it is remarkably similar to the original. Of course any remake is going to bare a strong resemblance to the original source material, though there have been notable exceptions to this rule. Even so, this new version is incredibly close to the original, to the extent where it would seem that whole pages of dialogue have been lifted from the original script and implanted in this version. The minor changes Prieto has made are what ultimately let this film down. Refn’s original is 105 minutes while Prieto’s version clocks in at a mere 89 minutes. By shaving off 16 minutes Prieto sacrifices significant exchanges between the characters, exchanges that give their relationships more depth. While the original is not exactly a deep exploration of the power of human relationships, there are more scenes that flesh-out Frank’s connection with those around him, from his close friendship with Tony, which gives the subsequent betrayal more gravitas, to his complex relationship with sort-of girlfriend Flo (Vic in the original); Frank’s inability to engage with her sexually or romantically is simply brushed over in the new version. The humanity is therefore lost so it is harder for the viewer to sympathise with the protagonist Frank who, while played reasonably well by Richard Coyle, lacks the sympathy of Refn’s Frank (Kim Bodina), who practically carries the original movie. Also though Prieto’s film may be slicker and not as rough around the edges as the original, this also means it lacks the raw grit and power of Refn’s original. It would be wrong to say that this is an unnecessary remake, as it is arguably introducing a film that was incredibly popular in its home country to a potential new audience in Britain and USA. But because it sticks so religiously to the source material, and any changes made simply weaken it, one has to wonder what the point of this whole exercise was. Though not without its flaws, Refn’s Pusher is superior to Prieto’s, which is less a remake and more a lukewarm reheat. My Rating - 5/10 Pusher is on at the Odeon in The Printworks all this week.Michael Dawson

Sharks steal dramatic one point victory against Cardiff

WITH a losing streak dating back to the start of the season, Sharks were eager to get a win in their opening Heinken Cup game against pool favourites, Cardiff Blues. Earlier this week former Director of Rugby, John Mitchell, announced he will be joining the squad to assist Bryan Redpath in two or three weeks time., This meant the club went into today's match with renewed spirits and confidence, and this showed in an extremely tense, action packed match. Sale attacked hard through the first 15 minutes of play, putting Cardiff under a lot of pressure. They came excruciatingly close to putting down a couple of early tries, but unfortunately failed to get anything on the scoreboard. An early penalty kick scored by Blue's Leigh Halfpenny gave the away side an early advantage, a trend that ended up running throughout the first half. Sharks continued to drive forward, but several breakthroughs from Cardiff's strong team left them with the momentum. Sale then conceded three soft tries within 36 minutes of play, all in aid of Cardiff's Alex Cuthbert, with all three conversions going to Halfpenny. Nick McLeod kept Sale in the game capitalising on all four penalty kicks, but at half way the home side were left trailing 12-24. An early change in the second half saw Danny Cipriani come onto the pitch. Just over five minutes after Cipriani made his appearance he got the crowd on their feet with a try, and later on played a big role in debutant Mark Jennings try. Halfpenny maintained his good form for Cardiff, utilising seven out of seven of his teams penalty and conversion kicks. However, with Sale's sturdy defence and a yellow card to Lewis Jones, the momentum was now in the home sides favour. Jonny Leota touched down Sharks final try of the night, for Rob Miller to plant his second successive conversion of the afternoon. With a one point lead after a penalty kick to either side, Sale fans were left on the edges of their seats as they battled it out to end their six-game losing streak, finishing the match 34-33 to the victorious Sharks. Sale's Director of Rugby Bryan Redpath went onto say: "At half time we knew if we cut a couple of the errors down, and still believed in ourselves and attacked with conviction, we would get an opportunity. Huge credit to the players, it's been a tough six weeks”. "Hopefully it opens up the door for some consistent performances from everyone, and will be a huge confident boost." Phil Davies, Cardiff Blue's DoR added: "We just weren't consistent enough, especially in the last quarter. But you've got to give credit to Sale for coming back and getting that one point victory." Attendance: 5,853 Referee: Jerome GarcesBryony Pearce reporting from Salford City Stadium

Poland vs England: Preview

ROY HODGSON will be hoping that his England team are more clinical as they take on Poland in Warsaw. Despite what may appear to be a convincing 5-0 victory over San Marino, it was far from clinical as out of 33 shots from 86% possession, just five went in. It was far from good enough, and Poland certainly won’t be so happy to let England play the entire match in their half. Nevertheless, Hodgson’s Lions sit top of Group H, three points clear of Montenegro and Poland, but having played a game more, so a win will be very important to increase the gap. The Poles didn’t play in a qualifier on Friday, instead they faced South Africa in a friendly, a match in which they triumphed 1-0. In the qualifiers though, they have played two of the three ‘easier’ opponents, drawing 2-2 in Montenegro, and beating Moldova 2-0, so now it is time for Waldemar Fornalik’s men to show the group what they’re made of. At the newly-built National Stadium, Poland have an unbeaten record, even if it is just in four games, but there may not be much of an atmosphere as a protest is allegedly planned to take place mid-way through the first half, against the release of 30,000 VIP tickets by head of the football federation, Grzegorz Lato. The Lions may take inspiration from their record against Poland though; in 17 games, they have won ten times, and lost just once, in Chorzow back in 1973. The last two meetings between the sides both ended in 2-1 victories for England, the most recent being at Old Trafford in 2005, where Michael Owen and Frank Lampard were on the score sheet for the home team. Team News: Frank Lampard is out with a calf problem, the same that kept him out of Friday’s game, so hasn’t travelled to Poland. Chelsea team-mate Ryan Bertrand is also out with an illness. Arsenal’s Theo Walcott hasn’t travelled after picking up a chest injury, following a collision with San Marino goalkeeper Aldo Simoncini on Friday night. James Milner is the likely player to replace him on the flank. Steven Gerrard is available again after serving a ban, so is likely to partner either Tom Cleverley or Michael Carrick in midfield. In defence, Hodgson is expected to make wholesale changes with Joleon Lescott replacing Gary Cahill, Glen Johnson returning to right-back, and Ashley Cole is expected to replace Leighton Baines, and win his 99th cap. For Poland, Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny is a doubt, as are captain Jakub Blaszczykowski, defender Lukasz Piszczek and midfielder Eugen Polanski. Borussia Dortmund’s Robert Lewandowski is more than likely to return after sitting on the bench against South Africa. Quays News Prediction: Poland 0-1 England. Given England’s performance against San Marino, it is difficult to predict there will be many goals. A sturdy back line should see that England at least keep a clean sheet, so it will be down to the likes of Rooney, Gerrard and whoever Hodgson chooses to play around them to create some opportunities that will threaten the Poland goal. England Squad Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (Celtic), Joe Hart (Manchester City), John Ruddy (Norwich) Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), Ryan Shawcross (Stoke), Kyle Walker (Tottenham) Midfielders: Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Sunderland), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Jonjo Shelvey (Liverpool) Forwards: Andy Carroll (West Ham), Jermaine Defoe (Tottenham), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) Poland Squad Goalkeepers: Tyton, Sandomierski Defenders: Danch, Glik, Komorowski, Perquis, Wasilewski, Wawrzyniak, Wojtkowiak Midfielders: Borysiuk, Grosicki, Krychowiak, Mierzejewski, Murawski, Obraniak, Sobota, Wszotek Forwards: Kosecki, Lewandowski, Milik, Piech, Sobiech By Will Moorcroft

World Football Feature

CROWD VIOLENCE CAUSES PREMATURE END TO HEAVYWEIGHT CUP OF NATIONS CLASH SOME of African football’s top names had to be ushered to safety after riots broke out amongst fans during Saturday’s clash between Senegal and Ivory Coast in Dakar. Despite the referee deciding to abandon the match with just over 15 minutes still to play, all 22 players, including Premier League stars Gervinho, Demba Ba and the Toure brothers, escaped unscathed. Trouble began shortly after Didier Drogba converted a 72nd minute penalty to put The Elephants two up on the night (and 6-2 up on aggregate), when home supporters began lighting fires and launching missiles from the stands as the two teams headed for safety in the centre circle. Some fans were forced on to the pitch to escape the violence, while police fired tear gas at Senegalese troublemakers as the game was delayed by 40 minutes. Reports suggest that 10 people were injured at the Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor stadium, but the figure could now be higher as trouble spilled out on to the streets when the decision was finally made to abandon play. It is not the first instance of violence in African Nations Cup Qualifiers. In 2007, Stoke’s Mamady Sidibe and countryman Fredi Kanoute suffered injuries after being attacked by Togo supporters whilst playing for Mali. CONVICTED RAPIST SPARKS OUTRAGE OVER BELGIUM CALL-UP AFTER Romelu Lukaku withdrew from the recent Belgium squad with injury, boss Marc Wilmots called up Gent’s Ilombe Mboyo to replace the on loan Chelsea man in attack, but the decision to do so has caused widespread controversy. Not because Mboyo is a bad player, mind (the target man has 17 goals in 49 games for The Buffalo’s), but because of the 25-year-old’s shocking criminal past. A regular in the Anderlecht youth team alongside the likes of Vincent Kompany, Anthony Vanden Borre and Geoffrey Mujangi Bia, Mboyo became involved with Brussels street gang ‘Mafia Africaine’ and served three years in prison for his part in the gang rape of a 14-year-old girl. Upon his release, Mboyo joined Charleroi as a result of a rehabilitation scheme called ‘Football in Prison’, which had allowed him to train and play with the club’s reserves during the latter stages of his sentence. From there he made his way to Gent via a loan spell at KV Kortrijk and Belgium assistant coach Vital Borkelmans has no qualms over Mboyo’s selection. “What has happened is in the past. Everyone deserves a second chance”, says the former Club Brugge man. “Once someone’s time in their cell ends they don’t necessarily have to be lost to society. Mboyo can be an example for young people on the wrong path.” The Belgian public however, may need some convincing. HESKEY ENDS YEAR LONG DROUGHT WITH FIRST JETS GOAL BUTT of all jokes Emile Heskey netted his first goal for Newcastle Jets in a narrow victory over Sydney FC at the Allianz Stadium. Heskey, who was making only his second appearance for the club since making the move down under a month ago, put the Jets 2-1 up in the 41st minute with an emphatic volley. It was his first goal since scoring for Aston Villa in a 3-1 win over Blackburn in August 2011. Ryan Griffiths had given the away side the lead in the 12th minute, before Alessandro Del Piero levelled things with a trademark free-kick, also his first goal since moving clubs over the summer. Craig Goodwin made it 3-1 after half-time before Blake Powell reduced the deficit in the closing stages. But it wasn’t enough for the home side and it was the former England man who triumphed in the battle of the new boys. "It was nice to put in a performance with the lads like we did today and nice to get on the score sheet as well, so an all-round good day," the 34-year-old said after the game. Del Piero’s side await their first win of the campaign, but with fellow marquee players Brett Emerton and Jason Culina in the ranks, it’s hard to see them being made to wait too long.By Aiden Cusick

UCI Track Cycling Masters World Championships

THE FINAL day of this year’s championships saw the older riders battle it out for world supremacy. There were six events in all, including the team sprint and the Muratti Cup along with the four individual pursuits. Event one was the team sprint which saw 15 three man teams qualify over three circuits of the Velodrome for this year’s top team honour. The 750m team sprint final saw the last two teams in qualifying square off against each other for gold and silver. Australia Team No. 1 headed by Gavin White, Chris Murray and Geoff Stoker qualified in first place with a time of 48.510 against Team Silvia (GBR) led by David Legrys, Neil Campbell and Neil Potter, who qualified in second place with a time of 48.558. The tussle for gold and silver was nearly as tight as qualifying with only one hundredth of a second separating the two teams with the Australian team taking gold in a final time of 48.042. Fighting it out for the bronze were the Brookes Cycles Blue (GBR) against Team USA No.1 (USA). A bit of drama ensued as it looked like the British team had crossed the line first but, the times flashed up to show the American team had won. After a short stewards inquiry it transpired that the finishing times had been mixed up and the Brookes Cycles Blue team had in fact taken the bronze medal. Event two was the 60-64 years men’s category in the 2000m individual pursuit. Steve Worley (USA) raced off against Gerard-Louis Robert (FRA) in what was a tighter affair than the qualifying times suggested it would be, with the American winning by seven one hundredths of a second. The bronze medal in this event went the way of Steve Davies of Great Britain easily beating South African Wendell Bole by six seconds. The 65-69 year old event saw Steffen Munch Hansen (DEN) take on Michael Allen (GBR) for gold in what turned out to be a delayed final as Hansen suffered a front wheel puncture in the first lap. They quickly resumed after a repair, sharing an evenly matched contest for the first four laps before the Dane started to open up and win the race by nearly three seconds, leaving Allen to take silver for the second year in a row. The bronze medal was more fiercely contested with Michael Briat (FRA) prevailing against David Rutherford (GBR) by three hundredths of a second. The penultimate individual pursuit saw Guido Lupo (ITA) defending his title from last year against Leo Menestrina (USA) in the 70-74 category but could only manage silver behind a more determined American who rode harder with a 0.7 second advantage with two laps to go, which was 1.3 seconds at the finish. An all British affair for the bronze medal saw Brian Newton open a 0.5 second advantage on Peter Robertson, only to be overhauled in the last two laps and lose out on a medal. Only three riders contested the over 75 category resulting in the slowest rider Roy Savery (GBR) automatically getting the bronze medal. Raymond Pelle (FRA) who was over six seconds quicker than David Sankey (GBR) in qualifying got off to a very poor start and had a few seconds deficit to make up on Sankey with two laps to go but did so comfortably enough in the end in a time of 2.52.696 winning by over four seconds. The final event was the Muratti Cup, a gruelling 10 mile race which has been run for over 100 years. It comprised of 64 laps around the counters of the velodrome. 19 runners went to post with only 12 completing and it was a victory for Daniel Hennessy (AUS). Next year’s eight day event will again be held at the Manchester Cycling centre. By Brian Cruickshank

Oldham Unity helping asylum seekers in Greater Manchester

AT a time of increasing attacks on the British welfare system Chloe Glover speaks to the organisers of one of the few places of shelter for destitute people attempting the turbulent and uncertain path to asylum in Greater Manchester. “Hold on, someone else has just turned up” shouts Mike Luft to the team of volunteers about to drive back to their storage centre with the project’s left-over food of the week. Late for the weekly drop-in service, the man in question has walked for four hours in icy winds and rain from Salford to Oldham to get to the project and collect the items that will help him survive for the following seven days. The desperation of the 70 or so people who attend the Oldham Unity (Destitution Project) from around the region each week is stark. Founded in 2002 by Luft and other members of the local community action network that grew out of the aftermath of the 2001 Oldham riots the project is now one of the largest frontline services for asylum seekers in Greater Manchester, with around 20, mainly retired volunteers helping out each week. It provides subsistence for those awaiting asylum appeal decisions who are struggling to survive on the weekly living allowances granted by the government and others who find themselves completely without aid after their appeals have been rejected. Luft explained: “We realised at our community meetings with local refugees and asylum seekers who live in the area that there was a massive need for day-to-day help. Many of these people were not allowed to work, couldn’t afford food or pay for accommodation so we decided to do what we could to help.” “People can sometimes have a much distorted view of the realities of asylum seekers in Britain. Not everyone knows about the meagre amounts of £37.50 that adult asylum seekers live on each week, which sometimes only comes in the form of a voucher that can only be used at certain shops.” At the two hour drop-in visitors are given thirty “points”, or roughly seven pounds, to spend on food and other essential items including clothing that are bought with donations to the project and given by a mixture of religious and secular organisations. A hot meal and refreshments are also provided by a mix of local interfaith groups, such as the Baptist Church and Planet Mercy whilst the British Red Cross covers their travel costs. Although recently having secured a deal with Fairshare, who distributes food from local supermarkets to charities the project must still find around £1500 each month to continue to run. Whilst an integral part of the project, food is not the only service provided by Oldham Unity. The drop-in acts as a crucial social space for this part of the community for whom isolation and confusion are daily occurrences. They provide practical legal advice to help people navigate the complex asylum application process, access to free medical care, mentoring and a safe space where people can socialise and share their experiences. Luft himself is no stranger to the frustrations and hardships surrounding claiming asylum, his grandmother a Jewish refugee from Russia and with a past rooted in neighbourhoods of Manchester with large refugee populations. “The people who come to us are not economic migrants, they come to the UK in fear of their lives and the government should accept that and actively help them. People have given up absolutely everything to escape traumas and find a place of safety but sometimes I think the way they are dealt with here is a complete affront to them.” The lives of asylum seekers in the UK are ones epitomised by being in a state of constant limbo. Fleeing to the country, they are met with a disorientating, drawn-out asylum application process to become a refugee. Although the UK receives fewer claims than the European average, the following decision-making process is arduous, with rulings sometimes taking up to several years to be made. Oldham Unity are aware of situations where applicants have literally been forgotten about by the home office, including one individual who waited more than ten years for a decision to be made on his case. Changes to legal aid paid to immigration lawyers, which has introduced flat rates for some cases regardless of complexity, now means that more people are losing access to some key advice services. This has made the system a lot more bewildering for the many people who have no knowledge of the UK’s legal process. After such a lengthy process, most decisions only serve to shatter asylum seekers hopes of acceptance, with 74% of cases being initially refused according to the latest official data released in 2010. The decision to make further appeals often wields little more success yet even these final, outright rejections do not seal their fates. “We have this crazy situation where people are turned down for asylum but the government doesn’t deem it safe for them to return to their own country. We see some people from Palestine, who because their country doesn’t legally exist, they can’t be repatriated. They’re just completely ignored, unable to live either here or in their home country”, said Luft. “They can’t work and are only sometimes entitled to temporary benefits under the government’s Section 4 asylum support.” The realities of those who are successful are in many ways no more secure. The general granting of an initial five year refugee status makes it difficult to plan for the long-term, consigning refugees to a foreseeable future of uncertainty and fear that is intensified by governmental ability to have cases reviewed at any point during this time. At the centre the volunteers are all too aware of the red-herring that successful applications can signify. It can take up to six weeks to be issued with a national insurance benefit number, in which time families are left in virtual financial limbo, unable to claim state benefits such as job seekers allowance or housing benefit and at the same time not legally allowed to find employment. At this point the work of the project becomes even more crucial for day-to-day survival. Hopes for suitable and permanent housing are also far from easy to ensure. One case the project is dealing with involves a family with six children who upon being granted leave to remain in the UK were moved from the temporary accommodation they had been living in for around four years to a house in a different town. This has ignored the fact the family must now make almost daily, long and unaffordable bus rides to take the children to the school they enrolled in when they first moved to the country. They have since had to move again due to receiving abuse from children in the area to a house that some members of the project believe is not fit to live in. The delay in processing the family’s national insurance numbers has meant that they have only just been added to the social housing list, where they face tough and lengthy competition for a house big enough to comfortably house the whole family. Nasreen, not her real name, is still waiting to hear a decision from the government about her bid for refugee status. She spoke about how the project provided her with a strong support network. She said: “I had been living in the UK for about nine months before I found out about the project. It has helped me to understand and get access to the support that I’m legally entitled to. Coming here has also helped me to meet lots of other people in similar situations to myself and also form supportive relationships with people who’ve been living in Oldham for a long time. I think it shows communities working together at their best.” Donations can be made to the Oldham Unity (Destitution Project) c/o Baptist Church Chaucer St.Oldham OL1 1BA. Those wanting to donate food and clothing should contact Stewart Bailey on 0161 652 2379.

Mother nature postpones World Cup qualifier

LAST night’s match between Poland and England had to be postponed due to horrendous weather conditions and stadium technical faults, much to the disappointment of travelling fans. Continuous rain saturated the playing surface prior to the proposed kick off, 20:00 GMT, which led to the game being delayed 45 minutes in hope that a possible restart would take place. The Referee twice came onto the pitch to test whether the match was playable but was doubly disappointed as the game was definitely unplayable. The Warsaw National Stadium, a main venue of Euro 2012, does have a roof, but was opted against being used due to the presumption of less rain. When the heavens opened, it was too late for the roof to be closed as the amount of rain on top of the stadium then created technical difficulties. With no roof available to shield the pitch, it was decided by match officials to postpone the game until 16:00 GMT Wednesday afternoon. By Liam McCallion

Grandparents Plus aiming to help 'invisible families'

A GREATER MANCHESTER grandmother bringing up her grandchildren has highlighted concerns over what she believes is a lack of substantial state support for kinship carers. Linzi, who cares for a relative’s two 10 year olds and is one of 200,000 kinship carers in the UK, claims that local authority support available for them is often confusing and not always easy to find. Kinship carers, also known as family and friends carers, are the grandparents, other relatives and close contacts of children at risk of being taken into care who agree to look after them for a substantial amount of time. Some, including Linzi, whose grandchildren are within the remit of Stockport Council, are now voicing their concerns that the amount of financial and other support they are entitled to is not always as substantial and as clear cut as what foster carers receive. Foster carers are paid an effective wage paid by councils who consider foster care a self-employed, working role. In Stockport, for example, they can receive up to £345 per week plus additional allowances for birthdays, Christmas and holidays per child. However, no standardised, equivalent payment system exists for kinship guardians. Whilst foster carers are not eligible for child tax credits, which other guardians including kinship carers can receive, they are eligible for other payments such as working tax credits due to being recognised as self-employed by local authorities. They are also entitled to respite, carer and child trips and training courses. The lack of a substantial, easy to understand nationwide policy for kinship carers has resulted in a situation of payments and services available at the discretion of individual local authorities. Most kinship carers get no help at all from their local authority. This has also led kinship carers to be informally referred to in the UK as “hidden” or “invisible” families. This situation persists despite the fact that, according to the Grandparents Plus charity, these families are often in great need of state help. The charity has published numerous reports to back up its campaign to ensure better and more standardised support systems be put in place for kinship carers. The reports have revealed that most kinship care families say they have experienced financial hardship due to bringing up relatives’ children, with two thirds reporting low household incomes. A large proportion has had to cut their working hours or give up their jobs entirely due to child care responsibilities. 85% of children in kinship care are also reported to have emotional difficulties when they move in with their carers. Linzi, 50, who has cared for three of her grandchildren along with her husband, is amongst those attempting to raise awareness of kinship carers’ struggles in the UK to ensure that they all have access to substantial and easy-to-navigate support services within local authorities. She said: “We do the same job as foster carers but we don’t always get the same support and what help we do get is generally means tested. We are also not entitled to parental leave despite having the same role in our children’s lives.” “I’ve had to give up my job to look after the children so I’m not entitled to JSA, income support and my partner and I don’t qualify for working tax credits because neither of us works the minimum 24 hours per week and as kinship carers we are not recognised by the government as self-employed carers like foster parents. “I get £129.15 a week kinship allowance which is the maximum that they will pay for my two children and £33.70 in child benefits. I also get annual child tax credits but that is all the income support our family gets. It’s just not enough to compensate for the changes that we’ve had to make such as buying a bigger house and taking out another mortgage to have room for us all. It costs a lot to raise a child, especially when it’s the second time around. I think there are many kinship carers out there who feel like they’ve been left in limbo when it comes to getting support from local authorities.” “I don’t think many kinship carers would say they would prefer their grandchildren to be placed in care but at the same time it is a very demanding task. I’ve already had my own children but now I’m in a situation where I’ll be 60 and my partner almost 70 when my grandchildren will probably be still living at home. It’s a lot of commitment at that age but being a kinship carer is something that is hardly talked about in public.” “Just because we are all family that should not imply that we can easily afford to look after them; that a link has been made between the two is ridiculous. The government has not taken into consideration that most kinship guardians don’t expect to find themselves looking after their grandchildren so haven’t put any money aside. It seems like emotional blackmail to me.” Only 36% of carers are currently working despite almost 3 quarters being in employment before taking on the children. Over 65% have been described as living in poverty, with around 41% of kinship carers predominantly dependent on welfare benefits. Linzi said: “The amount of time it takes to look after the children means I’m unable to get regular employment yet I’m not treated as working by caring for them fulltime like foster carers can be. A lot of kinship carers really struggle to make ends meet. Sometimes you just feel like you’re really on your own.” Sarah Wellard, policy and research manager for Grandparents Plus, said: “The whole entitlement system for kinship carers is a complete nightmare and varies widely from council to council. Most kinship carers get no help at all, either practical or financial, from their local authority. Often they are given poor information and are sometimes misled.” “The whole system of support from local authorities is incredibly complicated, and where kinship carers do get support, this is usually discretionary and means tested.” “We need whole system reform to ensure fairness in access to financial and practical support based on children’s needs. We also want to see carers able to get proper advice and information so that they are fully aware of what they are entitled to. Many are left in the dark about services, benefits and support that does exist out there for them.” “Some kinship carers are even hesitant to contact social services to ask for help out of fear their child will be taken away from them. The government must do more to reassure families around this issue.” By Chloe Glover Grandparents Plus offers advice and information to kinship carers to help them access welfare benefits and support from their local authority. They also run a peer support network and provide details of local support groups and other relevant charities on their website http://www.grandparentsplus.org.uk/advice. To contact the charity call the confidential advice line on: 0300 123 7015 or email: advice@grandparentsplus.org.uk.

Disappointing draw for England in Warsaw

GLIK prevents England taking three points in Warsaw as England where held to a 1-1 draw against Poland on Wednesday afternoon. Despite remaining top of Group H in the 2014 World Cup qualifying stages, Roy Hodgson will be disappointed with his side’s performance who struggled to take a hold of the game. The postponed fixture clearly affected the England players, as they didn’t seem to be at the races and will surely count themselves lucky to be coming away with a point. The home nation started the brighter of the two teams, managing to dominate the game from an early stage. Sloppy play from the visitors allowed Poland a vast amount of chances at goal, Wawrzyniak trying the spectacular from distance but his effort went well over. Lewandowski then tried twice to give his side the lead; his first effort went embarrassingly wide for a throw in, the second being cleared away by Joe Hart. England on the other hand, never really had any clear cut chances in the first 45 minutes. Hopeful long range efforts from Gerrard and Cleverley, failed to pose any real threat to Tyton’s goal as England found it hard to breakdown the Polish back four. But to much surprise it was Hodgson’s side that broke the deadlock. Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney headed a well delivered corner from Gerrard (31’) to give his team the lead at half time. The 26 year old has now scored 32 goals for his country and has also converted three in his last two international games. As the second half got under way, Poland again dominated play with early chances from Obraniak and Wszolek which forced the English number one into fine saves. Piszczek was next in line to test the Manchester City keeper who scrambled across his goal line, despite the shot going inches wide. With England struggling to find a way into the game, the manager brought on Danny Welbeck for Jermaine Defoe in the hope of a second goal that would clinch the three points. The young striker made an instant impact, as within seconds he was in the Polish penalty area causing havoc. After taking the ball away from Tyton, Welbeck squared the ball to his United teammate who was unmarked, but Rooney’s shot went well over. England rued their missed opportunity shortly after as Poland equalised through Glik. The Torino defender headed home an Obraniak corner to level the score at 1-1 with 20 minutes to play. With both sides now in it for the win, each side had chances in the late stages to clinch a victory for their countries. Glik tried to score his second of the match in similar style, but his header went over that time around. Welbeck had England’s last real attempt on goal, but his glancing header also went wide and the final whistle followed shortly after to bring the game to a close at 1-1. Poland probably deserved more out of the game as England were simply not good enough on the day. The postponement of Tuesday’s game, due to weather conditions, obviously affected the away players as they didn’t seem as enthusiastic when the game eventually went under way. Nevertheless a point is better than nothing as England remain at the top of Group H, whilst Poland are placed third. Hodgson continues his unbeaten record as England manager in normal time, with the exception of Italy (defeated on penalties), and so he will look to continue this against Sweden in a friendly midway through November. Quays News Man of the Match: Lewandowski – The Borussia Dortmund striker, was very influential in Poland’s attempts at goal. He linked up well with Obraniak and Wszolek in several attempts, and despite not getting on the score sheet, he certainly could have. Poland: Tyton (6), Piszczek (6), Wasilewski (6), Wawrzyniak (6), Glik (8), Polanski (6), Krychowiak (6), Wszolek (6) (Mierzejewski 5, 63’), Grosicki (6) (Milik 5, 82’) Obraniak (7) (Borysiuk 5, 90’) Lewandowski (7). Unused Subs: Kuszczak, Wojtkowiak, Komorowski, Murawski, Sobota, Piech, Perquis, Sobiech, Skorupski. Booked: Polanski, Glik England: Hart (6), Glen Johnson (6), Jagielka (6), Lescott (6), Cole (6), Milner (7), Carrick (4), Gerrard (6), Cleverley (5), Rooney (6) (Oxlade-Chamberlain 6, 67’), Defoe (5) (Welbeck 6, 67’). Unused Subs: Ruddy, Walker, Baines, Cahill, Shawcross, Shelvey, Lennon, Adam Johnson, Carroll, Forster. Booked: Cole Liam McCallion

Looper is a modern day sci-fi classic

IT is a question which seems to have, at some point, arisen between friends. If you had the chance to go back in time and kills one of the world’s worst criminals when they’re a vulnerable small child – Would you? Could you? Rian Johnson’s Looper delves into exactly that moral quandary, amongst many others. E.g. would you agree to kill your older self upon the guarantee that you could live the next 30 years with a rather handsome amount of money? Morals, ethics and time travel are the focal point of Looper, which is definitely one of the craziest films to have been released in 2012. The film sees Joseph Gordon-Levitt take the lead as Joe, who’s a Looper – an assassin whose victims are sent from 30 years in the future. Everything is rosy for Joe until his future self (Bruce Willis) appears as one of his targets and consequently escapes. Older Joe then sets out to find “The Rainmaker”, an unknown figure in the future who becomes the world’s biggest crime lord. That is a simple way of explaining the plotline yet don’t be fooled, the story is far, far more complex as it goes along. There are some predictable twists along the way, but take nothing away from Johnson who has managed to create a modern day classic – which is remarkable considering this is only his third outing as Director. Given the fact that Gordon-Levitt has instilled himself as one of the golden boys of Hollywood, it would be very easy to assume that he steals the show. Wrong. His performance is as solid as ever, but is topped by the return to form of Bruce Willis. Willis’ display makes you wonder why he’s spent a lot of his time in recent years working on Action B movies. Although his emotional depiction of a damaged, older version of Joe will be remembered – Willis’ career is resurrected in the latter half of the film as he reminds of us of how he established himself as one of the biggest action stars on the planet. Namely this is due to a violent rampage that the likes of Brian Mills or Jack Bauer would be proud of. Although on the face of it the premise of the film seems original, but you can’t help but see conventions and ideologies from past films. The time travel concept screams The Terminator and 12 Monkeys, plus the complexity of the plotline gives Inception a run for its money. However with the sci-fi movies suffering a major decline in the last ten years, Johnson’s Looper offers a new lease of life to the genre. Visually it’s spectacular, each gunshot goes right through you and it’ll have you talking for weeks – oh, and obviously Bruce Willis isn’t quite past his sell by date just yet. Verdict: 9/10 Ross Lees-McCowan

Shadow health secretary backs union’s fight to keep PTS

A UNISON campaign against the privatisation of ambulance services has received backing from shadow health secretary Andy Burnham. The campaign launched at a public meeting at Manchester Town Hall this week to oppose the three-year contract awarded to Arriva Transport Solutions. The Patient Transport Service (PTS) scored better on service quality, following an in-house bid with private companies for the North West region. Andrew Gwynne, MP for Reddish and Denton said the fantastic turnout at the meeting showed the strength of feeling across Greater Manchester against the proposals. He confirmed the campaign had the backing of the Labour MP Burnham, saying: “I also want to pass on my best wishes from Andy Burnham, Shadow Secretary of State for Health – we’re right behind this campaign.” Mr Gwynne (below) fears this is just the beginning of privatisation within the NHS. He added: “It’s really evident the shocking speed of which our National Health Service is being dismantled and put under threat.” Manchester City Council Leader Sir Richard Leese also stated his supportthe campaign, saying “This is not the end, we must keep on fighting.” Alan Manning, Regional Secretary of North West TUC, detailed reasons why the PTS should remain within control of the NHS. He said: “The PTS is for patients who are too ill to arrive by public transport. Arriva buses provide a service, which is purely based on profits and shareholders.” North West Ambulance driver, Craig Wilde, provided personal insight as to why the service should be kept in-house. He said: “Currently our staff are committed professionals, who are committed through and through. They go in (patients' homes) to make sure they are safe, secure, fed and clothed. They do this daily and it’s not part of the contract. They provide a special service and these people care about your families.” Lucy Powell, Parliamentary candidate for Central Manchester, said the Arriva contract was an “utter disgrace” and that “the public will only realise it was a disgrace once it’s too late.” She also warned of further privatisation within the NHS, adding: “This is a much wider agenda of this government.” Paul Foley, UNISON North West Head of Health, reiterated calls for the public to stand up and fight against privatisation. He said: “This will not be won by speakers alone – it’s about campaigners. We should be in no doubt about what this government are set out to do with our NHS.” He added: “We must get angry; we must campaign, as our parents and indeed grandparents fought for our National Health Service.” Unison has also launched a petition, 'Save our NHS. Keep Manchester Ambulances Public.' Further meetings are planned. On being awarded the contract, Jonathan May, managing director of Arriva Transport Solutions, said: “We welcome the announcement by NHS Blackpool that it has chosen Arriva Transport Solutions as the preferred provider for a new contract to deliver non-emergency patient transport services in Greater Manchester." Mr May pointed out that Arriva Transport Solutions already transports more than 3,900 patients to and from hospitals across the UK every day. He also claimed: “This contract will complement the existing non-emergency transport services we provide for NHS Trusts in the East Midlands, West Midlands, Derbyshire, Humberside, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and Yorkshire. “We look forward to working with NHS Blackpool to ensure a smooth transition for all involved.” Joanne Kerrigan, spokesperson for Arriva PLC, added: “Arriva Transport Solutions includes its subsidiary Ambuline, currently employs 530 people and works with public sector organisations across the UK to identify and deliver innovative solutions to help fulfil their transport needs more efficiently, including special education needs transport, social care transport and patient transport.” By Andrew Bailey* Images courtesy of UNISON

Face to face with Sally Wainwright

UP-AND-COMING writers were given the opportunity to meet with one of the UK’s leading TV dramatists in a question and answer session at the University of Salford’s building at MediaCity. As part of the Manchester Literature Festival , the BBC organised this face to face talk with award-winning screenwriter Sally Wainwright and BBC Creative Director of New Writing, Kate Rowland, to give all budding scriptwriters an insight into the industry and how to get started. Before the talk Kate Rowland also held a workshop for students on how get their scripts produced. Sally Wainwright is the creator of BAFTA and Emmy-nominated series At Home with the Braithwaites and writer of ITV detective drama series Scott & Bailey. Her career also includes soaps such as Coronation Street and Emmerdale and the drama Unforgiven, for which she received a Royal Television Society award in 2010. The talk began with a short video of all the shows that Sally had ever worked on, to give the audience an idea of her work. Sally described her childhood, how she had wanted to write since she was young and how she and her sister would write plays for each other. She disliked reading, thinking of it as a chore not a pleasure, which made her want to write stories for herself. Sally then talked about the process by which she starts her stories, beginning with a character and then working on the rest. She often writes from personal experiences, about people or places she knows. She said you need to “trust what goes on inside your own head, and not let others tell you how to do things when it comes to writing”. She also said “stories are hard work and you need to work at them so that you not only know them but are excited by them”. Sally said her biggest tip for anyone wanting to get into screen writing would be: “Don’t take no for an answer, annoy everyone with your work and just stay persistent”. Also, “Believe in yourself, if you have the compulsion to write and you believe in your own talent then you can convince others of it as well”. University of Salford lecturer in Creative Writing, Jennifer Tuckett, said: “This is a unique opportunity for our students to learn from one of the most senior figures at the BBC. The BBC have been impressed with our facilities and used our Digital Performance Lab for both events, so we hope this is the start of regular collaboration”. Sally is currently writing a new television show called ‘Happy Valleys’, whilst also working on her first play with the Manchester Royal Exchange. She also admitted that her next big aim for the future is to direct, but stated that she would only want to direct her own work. By Francesca Stephan

Manchester United vs. Stoke City preview

MANCHESTER UNITED return from the international break with a tough encounter against Stoke City at Old Trafford on Saturday. Despite the physical threats Stoke pose against any opposition, United have never lost against them since their arrival in the Premier League in 2008. However last season, United surrendered their 100% record after Stoke came from behind to earn a deserved 1-1 draw at the Britannia last September. In addition, Stoke haven’t won at United since 1976, and the last point they picked up there was in 1980. The Potters end a testing run of games, having played Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool in three of their last four. But points against City and Liverpool, and a narrow defeat to Chelsea show that they are no push overs when it comes to the bigger clubs. Stoke strengthened their squad over the summer, and now look like a club capable of finishing in the top-10, and maybe even have the depth to challenge for a cup too. The experience of cup-winning players like Michael Owen, Maurice Edu and Charlie Adam may contribute significantly. Team News United face the first of two back-to-back Champions League matches with Braga on Tuesday, with two matches at Stamford Bridge, and a home match against Arsenal in-between. Usually Sir Alex Ferguson would field his strongest team, but with these matches looming, and the late return of England’s internationals, he may choose to leave the likes of Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Michael Carrick on the bench. On the positive side, Jonny Evans played an impressive 90 minutes for Northern Ireland mid-week against Portugal. Chris Smalling is close to returning after weeks out, but Nemanja Vidic and Phil Jones remain sidelined. Stoke’s only injury concern is to Glen Whelan, who suffered a hamstring injury against Liverpool last time out. Ryan Shawcross was part of the England squad that returned late, but having not been involved, the former United trainee is likely to take up his place at the heart of Stoke’s defence. Andy Wilkinson is available again after his three match ban for elbowing Mario Balotelli, but Tony Pulis is likely to stick with the back four who played against Liverpool. Michael Owen will be hoping to start against his former club, but is likely to start on the bench as Peter Crouch is predicted to start. Provisional Squad: De Gea, Lindegaard, Evra, Ferdinand, Evans, Buttner, Wootton, Anderson, Giggs, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Cleverley, , Valencia, Fletcher, Kagawa, Rooney, Hernandez, Welbeck, van Persie, Henriquez, Macheda, Bebe Provisional Squad: Begovic, Sorenson, Cameron, Huth, Shawrcoss, Wilson, Upson, Wilkinson, Shotton, Palacios, Edu, Ness, Nzonzi, Adam, Whitehead, Kightly, Delap, Etherington, Jones, Owen, Crouch, Walters, Jerome Quays News Prediction: 1-0, United will inevitably have a majority of the possession, and will dominate the midfield, but Stoke’s rear guard will soak up the pressure, like they did against Liverpool. Stoke would do well to leave Manchester with a point, but United have pace on the wings, and van Persie on the pitch which should prove to be the deciding factors. Will Moorcroft

West Brom vs Manchester City preview

STEVE CLARKE faces his biggest challenge yet as West Brom manager, as his side welcome Champions Manchester City to the Hawthorns. Having already defeated the likes of Liverpool and Everton, not to mention a point at White Hart Lane, the former Chelsea assistant will be hopeful his team can snatch another shock result. The Baggies go into this game having recently beaten QPR 3-2, so confidence will be high despite an international break distraction. Manchester City however, are yet to lose a league game this season, despite a sluggish start to the 2012-13 campaign. The Premiership champions received early criticism for their performances in their opening games, but an encouraging display against Sunderland a fortnight ago seems to have silenced the doubters as they won 3-0 at the Etihad. Roberto Mancini will expect his players to maintain that winning mentality against the Midlanders, as they look for their third consecutive win. This match will be an exciting encounter, as the two teams are only a point apart at the top of the table, City sitting third (15 points), West Brom placed sixth (14 points). The Baggies are yet to lose at home this season, winning all four of their matches at the Hawthorns, having only conceded 2 goals on home soil. City’s last match was their first clean sheet of the campaign, and so they will encouraged by the fact that their opponents haven’t scored past them in their last four meetings. Team News West Brom should have Romelu Lukaku back this weekend, despite the striker being absent (ankle) for Belgium during midweek. Youssouf Mulumbu is a doubt however due to an injury he picked up on international duty, whilst Jerome Thomas (knee) isn’t yet ready to return to the starting XI. Man City will be without playmaker David Silva, as the Spaniard picked up a hamstring injury whilst playing for his country. Jack Rodwell also has a slight hamstring problem and so he joins Javi Garcia and Maicon on the sidelines. Quays News Prediction: West Bromwich Albion 1-2 Manchester City West Brom will give it their all and despite not losing at home this season, it will be a difficult ask for them to beat City. Ben Foster will be key for the home side as his performance will determine the outcome of what West Brom get out of the game. Sergio Aguero is in great form at the moment, so be prepared to see him on the score sheet at least once. Possible lineups: West Brom: Foster; Tamas, McAuley, Olsson, Popov; Yacob, Mulumbu; Gera, Morrison; Lukaku, Long Man City: Hart; Zabaleta, Richards, Lescott, Clichy; Milner, Barry, Y. Toure, Tevez; Aguero, TevezLiam McCallion

10-man City snatch dramatic late win at The Hawthorns

Substitute Edin Dzeko scores a late double to clinch three points for ten man Manchester City at West Brom. YET AGAIN, Roberto Mancini had to rely on a super sub appearance from the Bosnian striker, as his side came from behind to beat the Baggies 1-2 in injury time. Dzeko replaced Gareth Barry with only 11 minutes left of the second half, as Mancini took drastic actions to get something out of the game. The rethink of tactics truly paid off as City came away with a third consecutive league victory. The home side were sure to test their opponents from the get go, as Marc-Antoine Fortune fired a shot from 25 yards out but it drifted wide after 21 seconds of play. City replied with efforts from Mario Balotelli and Micah Richards, but both were dealt with by Ben Foster, despite the latter attempt forcing a finger tip save over the bar. Midway through the first half, the champions went down to 10 men after James Milner saw red for his defensive actions on Shane Long. Vincent Kompanny lost possession near the halfway line, as James Morrison went on the counter, feeding a pass through to the Irish forward. Milner tracked back to try and regain the ball but his tackle was deemed to have prevented a goal scoring opportunity after bringing Long down just outside of the City penalty area. Controversy over Mark Clattenburg’s decision was argued, as it appeared the midfielder wasn’t the last man, with Joleon Lescott not far behind his team mate to cover. Leading up to the interval, City never seemed phased at being down in numbers. Samir Nasri saw his scuffed shot saved whilst Balotelli again tested Foster, after weaving through three West Brom defenders to get his shot away. With minutes left in the first half, Claudio Yacob nearly gave the Baggies the lead after an ambitious shot from 30 yards, but Joe Hart scampered across his goal line to steer the ball away from danger. As the second half went underway, Carlos Tevez had an early effort parried away from the former Birmingham City keeper, as the visitors started the more positive. Shortly after a Nasri free kick eventually lead to a Yaya Toure header going over by inches, after a scramble in the box. To prevent the away side dominating play, Steve Clarke brought on Peter Odemwingie to help his front men. This proved effective as the Nigerian, assisted Long from his scuffed shot. The Irishman picked up the wayward attempt and netted from close range after sneaking past the City back line to make it 1-0. But it wasn’t over, Mancini decided to bring on Dzkeo who has recently been known as ‘Super Sub’. The big number 10 was on for a matter of seconds, before heading home the equaliser, after getting on the end of a Tevez free kick. Foster was nowhere near the ball as he left a huge gap behind him which made it easy for the substitute to get his fifth goal this season. City where now looking for the three points as Richards had his header cleared off the line. As the game went into injury time, West Brom sub Roman Lukaku had an overhead kick go out for a corner, which City broke from, Aguero sprinted down the pitch with pace, to set up Dzeko for his second of the game and his sixth of the 2012-13 campaign. A lovely delivery from the Argentine was controlled well by the Bosnian International who slotted home past Foster with ease, to give his team a remarkable late lead at the Hawthorns. Lukaku nearly equalised immediately but his shot was cleared off the goal line by Kolarov after lovely link up play with Olsson, but City hung on for the three points. Player Ratings West Brom: Foster (6), Ridgewell (6), Olsson (6), McAuley (7), Tamas (5), Yacob (6), Mulumbu (6), Dorrans (5) (Odemwingie 63’,7) , Morrison (6) (Gera 72’,6), Fortune (5), Long (8) (Lukaku 81’,6). Subs not used: Luke Daniels, Popov, Rosenberg, Jara Reyes. Booked: Tamas, Yacob, Long, Fortune. Goal: Long 67. Man City: Hart (6), Clichy (6), Lescott (6), Kompany (5), Richards (6), Milner (4), Barry (6) (Dzeko 79’,9) Nasri (5), Toure (6), Balotelli (6) (Aguero 63’,7), Tevez (7) (Kolarov 82’,6). Subs not used: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Sinclair, Toure. Booked: Balotelli, Y Toure. Sent off: Milner. Quays News Man of the match – Edin Dzeko Came into the game with only 10 minutes left until full time and manages to score two goals. His cameo appearance clearly altered the result and saved the blushes of the champions. This kind of form shouldn’t see him sit on the bench week in week out. Mancini uses him as an impact sub and it definitely works when City get into sticky situations, but Dzeko would rather start the game than finish it. Liam McCallion

Rooney double helps United sweep aside Stoke City

MANCHESTER UNITED’S forward line showed why teams should fear them as they put four past a valiant Stoke City. However, yet again United had to chase the match, after Wayne Rooney’s own goal put the hosts behind. A Charlie Adam free-kick was inch perfectly set up for a player to knock into the goal, with David De Gea nowhere to be found. It just happened to be Rooney, surrounded by Stoke players, who knocked the ball in. Sir Alex won’t be happy with the response either as Stoke continued to attack the United end in the next ten minutes. A shot from Adam was saved by De Gea at his near-post, and Walters took a shot in the 23rd minute, but again, De Gea saved well. Minutes later the hosts were level, after Robin van Persie’s cross was met in the area by Rooney, who headed the ball into the correct net this time, scoring his first - proper - league goal this season. The game became scrappy as United found a rhythm, and more challenges went flying in. Michael Kightly was the first to be shown a yellow card after a foul on Rafael Da Silva, before Paul Scholes was booked, on his 400th league start, for a challenge on Dean Whitehead. But United soon took advantage of some slack Stoke defending to make it 2-1 just before half time. Antonio Valencia drilled in a powerful cross, and van Persie was on hand to tap the ball past Asmir Begovic in neat fashion. The hosts began the second half in contrast to the first, and had a comfortable two-goal cushion when Danny Welbeck headed in Rooney’s cross to make it 3-1. They kept the tempo up for the next ten minutes, and had several chances to further their lead through van Persie and Valencia, but Begovic stayed focused in the Stoke goal to keep the shots out. United’s defensive issues showed in the 57th minute though as Michael Kightly ran through the heart of the defence, beating Rio Ferdinand with ease, before slotting the ball past De Gea’s far side to give the Potters hope of a first point at Old Trafford in 32 years. It was not to be for City though, as Rooney scored his 200th club goal after Stoke failed to clear a corner, and the England striker had simply to poke the ball through the bodies in front of him. The remainder of the match continued as a 50-50 affair, as United struggled to create many more chances, and Stoke created little, despite the introduction of former-United striker Michael Owen. The sound of the full-time whistle will have been a sigh of relief for United, but Sir Alex Ferguson knows they will have to address their defence, yet again, before their double-whammy with Chelsea. Unfortunately for United, the game was marred by Rio Ferdinand’s refusal to wear a ‘Kick it out’ T-shirt in protest at the failure of the organisation to deal with the John Terry saga, another problem Ferguson has to deal with at the back. MAN UNITED: De Gea 6, Rafael 7, Ferdinand 5, Evans 6, Evra 7, Valencia 7, Carrick 6, Scholes 6, Rooney 9, Welbeck 8, van Persie 8. Subs: Anderson (Scholes ’70) 5, Nani (Valencia ’74) 5, Hernandez (Welbeck ’78) 4. Not Used: Lindegaard, Wootton, Giggs, Powell. STOKE CITY: Begovic 5, Cameron 6, Huth 6, Shawcross 6, Wilson 5, Nzonzi 6, Adam 7, Whitehead 5, Kightly 7, Walters 6, Crouch 5. Subs: Etherington (Walters ’70) 5, Owen (Kightly ’74) 4, Palacios (Whitehead ’86) 4. Not Used: Sorensen, Upson, Wilkinson, Jones. Quays News Man of the Match: Wayne Rooney - United’s main threat, made a nuisance of himself to the Stoke defence, but made amends for his own goal by scoring two and creating one. Put 110% effort in, and was rewarded with his 200th goal for United; only Jack Rowley, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton have scored more. By Will Moorcroft

Taken 2 doesn't shine like original

“I WILL find you. And I will kill you” – a speech which redefined Liam Neeson’s acting career as one of Hollywood’s biggest actions heroes. Written and produced by Luc Besson, Taken was one of most surprising hits of 2008, thus making the next logical step a sequel delivering more of the same. Taken 2 sees Neeson return to the role of Brian Mills, and is also written and produced by Luc Besson with the thinking of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Following on from the first film, Taken 2’s premise sees the families of the Albanian sex-traffickers killed in the first film look to take revenge on Brian Mills. And this time we’re in Istanbul rather than Paris, where Brian completes a routine bodyguard job only to have his stay extended when his ex-wife (Famke Janssen) and daughter (Maggie Grace) unexpectedly visit. Although this is the premise, Taken 2 is very much a slow burner. It feels as if a large amount of time has elapsed before the proverbial ‘shit hits the fan’ in Istanbul, and even then we only get to see Mills in his element in short bursts. The fight scenes are another issue, the way in which these are shot by Director Olivier Megaton are so ridiculously fast paced its quite hard to keep up with what’s taking place on screen. Once Neeson goes into full action mode in the latter quarter of the film, we get glimpses of the character we know and love from the first movie. The action is again lukewarm until the final sequence, in which Neeson goes into full action superstar mode – until one incredibly comical death at the end. Another issue is the age rating, the first Taken film was released as an 18-rated film, whereas this second instalment is rated as a 12A. As with a lot of big movie releases, this age rating ensures that the audience net is cast as wide as possible, but forgive me if I’m wrong, didn’t Taken pride itself on being both gritty and violent? Granted some of the fight scenes are great fun, but they don’t hitting the heights of its 2008 predecessor. For all of its flaws, there is enough to keep fans of the original happy. We see Maggie Grace’s character take much more of a proactive role – as she is instructed by her Father to track his location via the ingenious use of grenades, a pen and a map. There’s also a very well-crafted scene in which Grace is chased across the rooftops of Istanbul by the Albanians. Was a sequel needed? Maybe. It doesn’t feel as if enough thought went into Taken 2, and maybe this is a film which was financially driven rather than geared towards giving the fans more Taken. Taken 3 also looks likely, hopefully they’ll go back to square one and give the first film the sequel which it deserves. Verdict: 5/10 Ross Lees-MCowan

Manchester United vs Braga preview

MANCHESTER UNITED begin a tough run of fixtures with a home tie against Braga in the Champions League. The Red Devils face Chelsea on Sunday, then again the following Wednesday, before hosting Arsenal, and ending with the reverse Braga fixture, so Fergie will be hoping for no further injuries, especially at the back. He will also be hoping for United to maintain their 100% record in this season’s competition too, in order to send out a message to Europe’s top clubs, reminding them that they are still a force to be reckoned with. Braga, meanwhile, sit third in Group H, on goal difference, after losing to CFR Cluj in their opening game, but beating Galatasaray a couple of weeks ago. Their league form isn’t too bad either, as they sit third in the Portugese league, having played six, won three and drawn two. Fergie has had to ‘deal’ with Rio Ferdinand’s protest against the ‘Kick It Out’ campaign this week, after the defender refused to wear a Kick It Out T-shirt ahead of the clash with Stoke, in response to the lack of action by the organisation regarding the John Terry case. However the Scot claims that the dispute that left him ‘embarrassed’ has been resolved. The meeting will be the first ever competitive match between the clubs, so will be an experience for Braga. However United struggled against Portugese side Benfica last year, where they could only draw both legs, so Braga could take hope from that. United may have cause for concern too as Braga are unbeaten in five against English opposition. Team News Sir Alex said in a press conference on Monday that Ferdinand and Patrice Evra would be rested ahead of the Chelsea double, regardless of Ferdinand’s protest. Alex Buttner is likely to deputise for Evra at full back, and Scott Wootton in the middle. Ashley Young is fit again, and will have a part to play after missing out on the weekend. Shinji Kagawa is also in line to return, after Ferguson deemed the match against Stoke as ‘wrong’ for the midfielder. Chris Smalling remains unavailable, as do Phil Jones and Nemanja Vidic. Braga have no injury concerns, so for coach Jose Peseiro, it is a matter of preferences in between Ruben Micael or Ruben Amorim in midfield to support Eder up front, or stick with the partnership of Mossoro and Barbosa. Provisional Squad (United): De Gea, Lindegaard, Rafael, Evans, Wootton, Buttner, Valencia, Nani, Powell, Cleverley, Carrick, Anderson, Scholes, Fletcher, Giggs, Young, Kagawa, Van Persie, Rooney, Hernandez, Welbeck. Provisional Squad (Braga): Quim, Cristiano, Beto, Coelho, Baiano, Elderson, Ismally, Vinicius, Douglão, Amorim, Mossoro, Micael, Djamal, Salino, Custodio, Alan, Viana, César, Barbosa, Michel, Eder, Ze Luis, Carlão. Quays News Prediction: 2-1 - Either a moment of genius or a lapse in concentration will win this for United, because Braga will be strong at the back. Their issue will be if they have endurance needed to play 90 minutes at Old Trafford. They may take advantage of Ferguson’s defence rotation, and put pressure on the youngsters, but United will probably be too much up front. By Will Moorcroft

Stockport through in eight-goal FA Cup thriller

THE MAGIC of the FA Cup was tangible at Edgeley Park as the crowd witnessed an eight goal thriller. Two penalties in a 5–3 scoreline made for a memorable match, although it will be one to forget for County forward Danny Hattersley who was taken to hospital with suspected neck injuries. A spectacular overhead kick early in the game saw the Stockport striker land awkwardly and he was stretchered off before leaving the ground in an ambulance. Danny Rowe replaced Hattersley as play resumed in what was a classic David versus Goliath encounter. Underdogs Stalybridge struggled to get any kind of passing and possession, especially in midfield where County’s Hobson and Whitehead governed. Meanwhile, Celtic’s goalkeeper Alex Cairns kept them afloat by pulling off some tremendous saves. Stockport kept up the pressure with five corners before captain James Tunnicliffe received a yellow card for a foul on Celtic’s Mitchell Austin. Both Stockport manager James Gannon, and Stalybridge boss Jim Harvey were vocal on the touchline, shouting instructions. It was Hobson who opened the scoring on the half hour mark, his scuffed shot trickling over the line as Cairns watched in agony. This rejuvenated Celtic as forward Jamie Mullan dribbled in to the penalty area before squandering his effort. Whitehead doubled County’s lead in the 40th minute with a driven shot. And it was 3-0 just moments later after Danny Rowe intercepted from the restart to send a speculative 30-yard-shot past Cairns. Two minutes later Adam Pepper pulled one back for the visitors with a fierce effort that made the net bulge. Stalybridge were on a roll and were soon awarded a penalty after a foul on Austin in the penalty area. The away fans groaned when Stockport goalie, Ian Ormson, saved the spot kick taken by Pepper, pushing it out for a corner. Celtic made two substitutions at the break with Tom Buckley on for Bembo–Leta and Corey Gregory replacing Greg Wilkinson. It was Stockport who seized the initiative though as Newton made it 4–1 on the hour, smashing home a penalty that was awarded for a push on Hobson in the box. A repeat of the late first half drama unfolded as Stalybridge sub Gregory replied just a minute later to make it 4–2. But it was Sam Sheridan who wrapped it up for County with a fine solo run sealed with a blistering shot that beat Cairns for a fifth time. Brave Celtic grabbed a late consolation which was the pick of the bunch. Jack Laird got the ball outside the 18-yard-area and exquisitely curled it around Ormson into the top right corner. It was a fitting end to an entertaining FA Cup tie. Official Man of the Match: Craig Hobson (Stockport County) Official Attendance: 2,123 By Andy Bailey at Edgeley Park

World Football Feature

KLOSE GIVES UP GOAL CELEBRATION IN BID TO PROLONG HIS CAREER GERMANY striker Miroslav Klose is giving up his trademark somersault celebration in a bid to stay fit for the 2014 World Cup. The 34-year-old is determined to represent his country in Brazil and overtake Ronaldo as the competition’s all-time leading goalscorer. Klose, who netted his first World Cup goals against Saudi Arabia in 2002, is one behind the former Real Madrid man’s record of fifteen at major finals. And with eighteen months to go until the next tournament, he is keen to steer clear of any injuries, especially those which are avoidable. “The somersault... I think I can still do it but I honestly do not want to risk it because I want to still be around in 2014”, Klose told reporters after scoring in their recent victory over Ireland at the Aviva Stadium. Maybe he’s familiar with Lomana Lua Lua, who attempted a similarly acrobatic manoeuvre when playing for Portsmouth in 2006, only to land badly on his ankle and have to sit out the next three weeks. TOP FIVE GOAL CELEBRATION INJURIES 5 Leon Clarke – The curvy striker spent three years at Sheffield Wednesday, struggling to win over the Hillsborough faithful. But on the final day of the 2009/10 season, he had the chance to change all that by helping the Owls to the victory they needed to stay in the division. After falling behind early on against Crystal Palace, Clarke curled in a beauty to leave the game perfectly poised at 1-1. Inexplicably, he then ran over to the advertising hoardings on the far side and kicked out, breaking his big toe in the process. Wednesday drew 2-2 and were relegated to League One. Clarke was subsequently released. 4 Lomana Lua Lua – With Portsmouth battling relegation in 2006, the Congolese striker had vowed to refrain from his trademark back flip celebration until they were clear of danger. But a sudden change of mind after his equaliser against Arsenal proved costly, landing on his ankle and sitting out the majority of their relegation run-in. Luckily for him, Pompey survived. 3 Steve Morrow – After his winning goal in Arsenal’s League Cup Final victory over Sheffield Wednesday in 1993, Morrow was held aloft by Tony Adams. The latter however, was somewhat over enthusiastic, dropping his team mate and subsequently breaking his arm. This caused Morrow to miss the rest of the season, including his side’s FA Cup Final win over... Sheffield Wednesday. 2 Martin Palermo – After scoring for Villarreal in extra time of their Copa Del Rey clash with Levante in 2001, the Argentina forward went to celebrate with the fans. Unfortunately, a wall collapsed on him, breaking his tibia and fibula. The freak injury kept him out for six months and he missed the World Cup as a result. 1 Paulo Diogo – His side may have won the match, but the Servette midfielder lost something a lot more valuable than that while celebrating Jean Beausejour’s goal against FC Schaffhausen in 2004. Diogo climbed on to the fence behind the goal but as he let go, his wedding ring got caught and the remainder of his finger stayed put. Doctors failed to attach the severed digit and Diogo had to have it amputated at the first joint. Just to rub salt in the wounds, he was booked for his over exuberance. ANGRY DYNAMO MOSCOW FANS IN PAINTBALL ATTACK CAMOUFLAGED Dynamo Moscow supporters pelted the club’s players and staff with paintballs in protest at the White-Blues’ worst ever start to a season. The attackers turned up at the Novogorsk-Dynamo complex on Friday and opened fire, hitting “lots of players” according to midfielder Alan Gatagov. “Words fail me,” he told R-Sport. “What should we do? Should each of us hire a personal bodyguard?” Already this season, angry supporters have graffitied walls, set off flares and thrown flyers on to the pitch demanding better performances, particularly from the club’s foreign players. The message on the flyers read, "If the club and the coaches can't motivate you, then believe us, we will do it. We are the supporters and the fans. And our methods will be a little more serious." But Gatagov condemned their behaviour, describing it as “vile”. He also demanded an end to all the tension, saying, “fans should support us, not do this type of thing.” Former Chelsea man Dan Petrescu is in charge of the 11-time Russian champions, having taken over in August. JUVE DEFENDER FIGHTS OFF GUNMAN WITH HIS BARE HANDS JUVENTUS defender Leonardo Bonucci insists he is “not a hero” despite punching a gun-wielding mugger to floor and giving chase after the man had fled on a scooter. The Italian international was confronted by the gunman outside a Ferrari dealership in Turin, where the 25-year-old was looking at cars with his wife and young son. He demanded that he handed over his watch, but as he attempted to grab it the former Bari man punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground. And Bonucci didn’t stop there, chasing the mugger and his accomplice as they escaped on the back of the latter’s scooter, while his wife and son took shelter in a nearby car. The incident was later confirmed by the Juve man on his Facebook page. “A few days ago an unpleasant incident occurred.” He said. “I am not a hero, but I simply found myself in the wrong situation at the wrong time.” “It all happened in a matter of seconds and it came from an instinctive reaction and certainly not an attempt to emulate the superheroes you see at the cinema.” The incident has been reported to police.By Aiden Cusick

Preview: Ajax v Manchester City

ROBERTO MANCINI will hope his side can continue with their recent domestic form as they head over to Holland to face Ajax, the Eredivisie Champions. it has been a different story in Europe for City this term. With only one point out of a possible six in Group D, the Premier League champions will want to kick-start their European campaign sooner rather than later if they are to avoid a similar fate to last year's early exit. Likewise, Ajax will also want to climb up the table as they currently sit bottom having lost to Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. The Blues will hope their 1-2 win against West Brom at the weekend can give them the confidence to beat their European neighbours, even if they go behind early. Meanwhile Ajax will hope they can score as many as they did in Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Heracles to improve their goal difference in the group. These clubs have never met in a competitive game before with both looking for their first win of the 2012-13 Champions League campaign. Team News: Manchester City: David Silva again misses out as he continues to recover from the hamstring injury he picked up on international duty. Captain Vincent Komany is also absent through suspension. Kolo Toure isn’t registered in the Champions League group stage squad so youngster Matija Nastasic is likely to partner Joleon Lescott in defence. Other absences include Jack Rodwell (hamstring), Javi Garcia (thigh) and defender Maicon (foot). Edin Dzeko will push for a start after scoring twice at the Hawthorns. Ajax: Frank de Boer has no fresh injury concerns ahead of this group D encounter. Unless there is a tactical change to be made, the starting XI that played in the 3-3 draw at Heracles on Saturday will probably remain the same. Quays News Prediction: Ajax 0-2 Manchester City - City’s big guns will be too much for the Dutch side to handle which is why I see the Premier League Champions coming away with maximum points. Edin Dzeko is in great form at the moment for the visitors. If he starts he could make a huge impact on the game. By Liam McCallion

Agony in Amsterdam for Manchester City

Manchester City suffer 3-1 loss away to Ajax, leaving the English Champions bottom of group D WITH TENSION already building up before the match, as 25 people were arrested prior to the match, both sides went into this game looking for their first win of this year’s Champions League group stages. Samir Nasri was first to open the scoring but against the run of play as City when 0-1 up in the first 20 minutes. But Ajax didn’t surrender to the forces of the big spenders as they came back into the game with goals from Siem de Jong and Niklas Moisander which gave them the lead. But the Dutch side weren’t finished there, as Christian Eriksen made it three after a slight deflection from Gael Clichy. The result leaves City rock bottom of group D with only one point to their name. Roberto Mancini will have to regroup with his players if they are to get anything out of this competition, as their current form would suggest an early exit for the blues. Frank de Boer’s side started the more positive, with early shots from De Jong and Eriksen but they failed to test Joe Hart as they looked for an immediate lead. But the away side managed to score first, Nasri latched onto a lovely James Milner through ball and finished with style as he curled the ball past Vermeer to put his side in front. City tried to make it two shortly after as Sergio Aguero came close, but his shot was deflected for a corner. Micah Richards also nearly doubled the lead after incredible play by Dzeko, who backheeled the ball into the defender’s path, but his shot was parried by the keeper. The latter stages of the first half saw more chances from Ajax as they pushed for an equaliser. Van Rhijn and Tobias Sana saw their attempts go well over the goal, while Ryan Babel shot from distance but the ball was collected calmly by Hart. City looked to have fended off Ajax’s advances going into the break, but a superb injury time equaliser from De Jong brought the game level at 1-1. Van Rhijn’s delivery into the box was met by the Swiss striker who lost his marker to smash home a wonderful strike. Yet another game where City haven’t kept a clean sheet, that makes it only one clean sheet out of 12 games this season. After the break, possession was mixed as both sides looked to control the game. But it was the hosts who benefitted first as Moisander put Ajax 2-1 up. An Eriksen corner was headed in by the central defender who out jumped Lescott to put his side in front. Mancini will ask questions of his defence as they literally stood static during the set piece, a sloppy goal to concede. Having now gone behind for the first time in the match, Mancini experimented with his tactics to try and increase City’s attacking presence. Aleksandar Kolarov was brought on in replace of Lescott, as the Italian manager looked to bring back his three in defence formation, which was unsuccessful against Borussia Dortmund. With numbers short at the back City were left open to the wingers of Ajax. Former Liverpool player, Ryan Babel was able to exploit the opponents back three, who looked uncomfortable in their manager’s formation choice. The changes made for the blues looked to have failed as Ajax were soon 3-1 up. Eriksen’s shot just outside the area took a slight deflection off Clichy as the ball went the opposite way to the already diving City keeper. Sana could have made it four but the English number one parried the midfielder’s shot. Time was running out for the blue moon to rise, as Mancini looked desperate in his last two substitutions. Tevez and Balotelli were brought on to replace Barry and Milner, as City now had four strikers on the pitch in an attempt to force a draw. Dzeko nearly pegged one back late on, but his shot was blocked by Vermeer after being brought off his line. Aguero also tried to grab a goal but the ball went well over as the game finished 3-1, much to the disappointment of travelling fans. Quays News Man of the Match: Christian Eriksen, the Danish playmaker was at the forefront of the Ajax attack all night, playing a similar striker role to Fabregas when playing for Spain. Eriksen maybe a midfielder but the way he played upfront against City shows he has was it takes to play upfront full time. Getting on the score sheet as well as an assist rounded off a good game for the 20 year old. MAN CITY: Hart 6, Richards 6, Kompany 5, Lescott 6 (Kolarov 63’, 6), Clichy 6, Barry 6 (Tevez 71’, 5), Nasri 6, Milner 6 (Balotelli 77’, 5), Y Toure 5, Aguero 5, Dzeko 5 (Balotelli 5). Subs not used: Pantilimon, Sinclair, Nastasic, Evans. Booked: Toure, Kolarov Ajax: Vermeer 6, Alderweireld 5, Moisander 6, Blind 5, Poulsen 6, Eriksen 7, De Jong 7, Sana 6 (Enoh 74', 5), Schone 6 (Boerrigter 89',4), Van Rhijn 6,Babel 6 Subs not used: Cillessen, Veltman, Dijks, Sulejmani, Fischer Booked: Blind Liam McCallion

Hernandez at the double as United beat Braga

MANCHESTER UNITED had to produce one of their infamous comebacks on Tuesday night, as they came from 2-0 down to beat Braga 3-2. The hosts got off to another sloppy start, and the visitors were ahead after just two minutes. A fantastic cross from Hugo Viana on the left was met by Osorio Alan in the box, and the Brazilian simply headed it past David De Gea to give the Portugese side an early advantage. It didn’t improve for United either. Alan scored his second of the night just before the 20 minute mark, following a great driving run along the base-line from Antonio Eder, whose clipped ball was tapped in from six yards by Alan. However the second goal seemed to bring United to life - a year to the day after their embarrassing 6-1 loss to City - and they had a goal back within five minutes. Robin van Persie’s skill was too much for Braga’s defence, who resorted to fouling the Dutch man, but Shinji Kagawa picked up the ball as the advantage was played. A neat little chip to the far post was met perfectly by Javier Hernandez, and the Mexican fired a powerful header past Antonio Beto to give United hope of another comeback. Both teams had further chances before half time, notably van Persie’s strike in the 27th minute, which missed to the right of Beto’s goal, and an effort by Alan from outside the box minutes later, which flew safely past De Gea’s right-hand post. The second half began steadily, with United arguably having the upper-hand, and in the 61st minute the pressure paid off as Jonny Evans scored the equaliser, following some poor Braga defending. After scuffing the initial shot, Evans reacted quickly to find the ball and poke it through a circle of Braga players, and into the net. From then on, United controlled much of the game, as Braga looked unsettled, having thrown away their lead, and after an onslaught of crosses from United, the Portugese side finally gave way. After a patient build-up, Tom Cleverley found the space on the right for an exquisite cross to the far post, where Hernandez beat his man comfortably to head the winner into the Braga net, and maintain United’s 100% run in the Champions League this season. David De Gea almost gifted Braga an equaliser minutes later after a high line forced the young Spaniard into a poor pass, but the Braga front line couldn’t find a way through the United defence, who held them at the edge of the box. Braga didn’t give up though, and Andrade Zé Luis almost snatched a point at the death, but his shot went wide of the goal. Braga remain third in Group H, with United at the top. In the other match, Cluj drew 1-1 with Galatasaray to leave the Romanians in second, and the Turks in last place, with just a point. MAN UNITED: De Gea 6, Rafael 7, Evans 8, Buttner 6, Carrick 6, Cleverley 8, Fletcher 8, Kagawa 6, Rooney 7, Hernandez 8, van Persie 7. Subs: Nani (Kagawa ’46) 6, Giggs (Hernandez ’79) 6. Not Used: Johnstone, Ferdinand, Anderson, Young, Welbeck BRAGA: Beto 5, Nuno Andre 5, Echiejile 5, Vinicius 5, Ruben Amorim 6, Ruben Micael 6, Leandro Salino 5, Custodio 5, Viana 6, Eder 7, Alan 8. Subs: Barbosa (Ruben Amorim ’80) 6, Mossoro (Alan ’86) 5, Zé Luis (Ruben Micael ’88) 5. Not Used: Quim, Baiano, Anibal, da Solva. Quays News Man of the Match: Javier Hernandez - The Mexican’s goals bought United back into the game, with the second being the winner. Despite not having many opportunities this season behind the likes of Rooney, van Persie and Welbeck, Hernandez showed that he is serious about playing for United, putting in plenty of effort and determination By Will Moorcroft

Magic start league campaign with Mets win

MANCHESTER MAGIC prevailed over the Birmingham Mets 80-73 in the Division 2 opener. It was the Magic’s second win in as many weeks over the Mets, after beating them in the Patrons Cup a fortnight ago. They had impressed then, looking comfortable down the home stretch using a full roster of players.The Mets arrived at the Amaechi Basketball Centre having secured a place in the Patrons Cup semi-final, topping Pool 2, winning four of five fixtures. They established themselves in Division 2 last season with a 12-8 record.After suffering defeat away to Eastside last Sunday, Magic’s Patron Cup fate will be decided when the PAWS take on the Arrows, in the pending final Pool 2 match-up. The Magic were once again looking to bounce back against the Mets, yet it was Stephen Barnes’ men who came out the sharpest. Both Tom Ward and Tom Devitt took heavy blows within the first six minutes forcing Paul Middleton to shuffle his pack.Alan Bean, who played a rationed 14 minutes last time out, was controlling the tempo inside. The Mets forward was proving difficult to handle, spreading the play incisively, as well as earning several trips to the free-throw line. Bean’s two successful attempts from behind the arc followed Danny Williams’ earlier three-pointer and the Mets’ dominant first quarter was reflected in their 23-14 lead.Magic’s struggling defence was mirrored by their lead scorer Joshua Houghton, who had an off-night shooting, making only one of his six field goal attempts in the first-half. It was only through Alex Fortnam’s composed finishes that Magic remained in contention during the chaotic first quarter. The Magic settled down in the second quarter and fought back through an inspired Connor Murtagh to take a 38-37 lead at the half. The 6ft 5in small-forward had 10 points in 10 minutes to add to his four offensive rebounds by the end of the first-half. Murtagh's highlight dunk at 32-37 over Anthony Wareham brought the crowd to its feet and Wareham was hit with a technical foul for his reaction. The Mets’ number 12 claimed he had been fouled, however the otherwise whistle-happy referee Steve Ferriss had no issues with the play.Houghton evolved through the game and made all six of his first-half free-throws. Although unable to find his outside range when shooting, the guard utilised his array of skills by taking the ball in to the paint to draw contact and ultimately led all scoring with 22 points.At times, Middleton’s men failed to take the open shot. Loick Pouale, however, was rewarded for shooting in rhythm, finding the net with three of his six attempts from down town, to add to his 10 rebounds. Wareham, who led the Mets with 18 points, along with Bean carried the fight for the Birmingham outfit in terms of aggression and scoring. The competitive number 12 appeared to goad Houghton for a missed free-throw and the shooting guard responded with a deep three-pointer, followed by an exchange of courtside banter.The Magic led throughout the second half, but were put under consistent pressure through Mets’ full court press. And down the stretch they could be thankful for their own number 12 Usman Baba. The power forward was an example of fight, competitiveness, and quality. Baba had diluted the early pace of Bean and took over in the fourth quarter, finishing with 13 points, seven rebounds and three block shots. Defensively, Baba was immense in the clutch, recording consecutive blocks, before making a timely steal and finish, as the Magic’s made the perfect start to their League 2 campaign.Magic now move to 5-0 at home and will be hoping to avenge their Patrons Cup loss to Eastside next Saturday, when they meet up in their next League 2 encounter. by Jackie-James Coyle at the Amaechi Basketball Centre

Added Time Podcast: Premier League Preview

Elliot Millward, Ross Lees-McCowan, Craig Lishman and Zac Stott look ahead to a weekend of Premier League action.They discuss the major games and hot topics, as well as offering their predictions. Can Arsenal bounce back against QPR? Will City put their European hitch behind them?What will happen in the Merseyside derby? And who will triumph at Stamford Bridge? Added Time Podcast: Premier League Preview by Quays News

Manchester City vs Swansea City preview

MANCHESTER City host Swansea City in Saturday’s late Premier League kick-off, as they look to bounce back from their defeat to Ajax in midweek, leaving them on the verge of exiting the Champions League. Roberto Mancini will want to redeem himself after a tactical nightmare against Ajax, losing 3-1. His three at the back formation is yet to show any positives, as City conceded two goals in quick succession from the changes made to the backline. The Italian manager did however respond to this week’s criticism saying “top players” can play in different systems, only time will tell if he is correct. The blues will be thankful they are playing at the Etihad on Saturday as they look to continue their unbeaten start to the 2012-13 Premier League campaign. Unbeaten in their last 33 games at home, Swansea will have to pray for a miracle if they are to overcome the wealthy champions. Michael Laudrup’s side have had an unpredictable start to this season losing as many as they have won. Sitting in 10th position with mixed results only time will tell as to which Swansea City team turns up. Last week’s home win against Wigan Athletic was their first league victory since August so they have to overcome a big obstacle if they are to make it six points out of six. The Swans were beaten 4-0 in this fixture last season, as Sergio Aguero made a magnificent debut to the Premier League scoring twice; David Silva and Edin Dzeko also made the score sheet. Team News: Manchester City are still without influential playmaker David Silva and Argentinian Pablo Zabelata, as both continue to recover from hamstring injuries. James Milner serves a one match ban, after receiving a red card for his last man tackle on Shane Long last weekend. Other abscenses for City include Brazilian defender Maicon, and midfielders Javi Garcia and Jack Rodwell. Swansea City have no new injury concerns ahead of this trip to the blue side of Manchester. Michu could for a second time be played in a forward position after he scored his sixth goal of the season, Danny Graham is the alternative choice. Long term absences Kyle Bartley (thigh) and Neil Taylor (broken ankle) are the only notified players missing. Quays News Match Prediction: Manchester City 3-1 Swansea City A home game at the Etihad Stadium is inevitably always going to see City come out on top. Only three teams have managed to pick up a point at this ground in 33 attempts (Arsenal, Sunderland and Fulham) so their unbeaten home record is most probably going to extend to 34 come Saturday evening. Swansea are unpredictable, but their opponents make it easier to decide. The visitors may score based on City’s appalling defensive record this term, but it will be more of a conciliation goal rather than a match winner. Provisional Squads: Manchester City: Hart, Pantilimon, Wright, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, K Toure, Nastasic, Clichy, Kolarov, Nasri, Y Toure, Barry, Sinclair, Aguero, Balotelli, Dzeko, Tevez. Swansea: Vorm, Flores, Tate, Williams, Britton, Michu, Graham, Hernandez, Dyer, Routledge, Monk, Shechter, Moore, De Guzman, Tiendalli, Rangel, Ki, Tremmel, Agustien, Gower, Richards, Davies. Liam McCallion

Chelsea vs Manchester United preview

MANCHESTER UNITED face their first big test in the league this season as they play Chelsea on Sunday at Stamford Bridge. The game also provides a chance for United to reduce the Blues’ lead at the top of the Premier League, after an almost immaculate start to the season for Roberto Di Matteo’s men. The European Champions have played eight, won seven, and drawn just once, 0-0 with QPR in the derby. United meanwhile have won six, but lost two, leaving them with ground to catch up only quarter of the way through the season. At this stage last season, they had lost just once; the 6-1 defeat to City. Head-to-Head, Chelsea have the upper-hand over United, with 13 wins in 40 matches, but United have won 12 times, so a win on Sunday would see that stat equaled. Another positive for the Blues is their record against United at Stamford Bridge, where they are unbeaten against United in the league since April 2002. United came close to ending that run last season when they came from 3-0 down to salvage a 3-3 draw, but the Blues will be determined to make sure that doesn’t happen again. However United seem to be used to coming from behind this season to win matches, having done it four times this season. Their unbeaten run of five matches against Chelsea will be a boost too. Both clubs had difficult matches in Europe this week too. United came through a testing match against Braga to secure a 3-2 win, having been 2-0 down, but Chelsea couldn’t do the same at Shakhtar Donetsk, where they lost 2-1, a loss that proves they can be beaten, without John Terry. The former England skipper’s ban for using racist language against Anton Ferdinand means that he will miss this match, and the cup match on Wednesday, so Rooney, van Persie and whoever Fergie chooses to play with them should really be looking to capitalise upon his absence. Team News: Chelsea will be without Terry, as mentioned, but will also have to cope without Frank Lampard, who is out for two weeks with a calf strain sustained against Shakhtar mid-week., so Eden Hazard is likely to return to the starting line-up having been among the subs on Tuesday. Otherwise the Blues have no other problems, and with two goals in his last two games against United, Chelsea shouldn’t be too worried about David Luiz stepping in for Terry. Sjinji Kagawa also came off injured mid-week, and United confirmed yesterday that the Japanese midfielder will be out for four weeks with a knee injury. Anders Lindegaard has overcome an injury scare, and is available for selection, but Chris Smalling and Phil Jones aren’t quite ready to return to first team action yet. Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra are likely to return to the starting line-up after being rested against Braga on Tuesday. Provisional Squad (Chelsea): Cech, Turnbull, Ivanovic, Cole, Luiz, Ferreira, Cahill, Bertrand, Azpilicueta, Romeu, Ramires, Mata, Oscar, Mikel, Moses, Malouda, Hazard, Marin, Torres, Sturridge. Provisional Squad (United): De Gea, Lindegaard, Da Silva, Evra, Ferdinand, Evans, Buttner, Wootton, Valencia, Anderson, Giggs, Carrick, Nani, Young, Scholes, Cleverley, Fletcher, Powell, Rooney, van Persie, Welbeck, Hernandez. Quays News Prediction: 3-2 - It will be an extremely close game, and very difficult to predict. With United conceding so easily, Chelsea’s midfield won’t be afraid of driving forward to support Fernando Torres and putting United on the back foot. On the flip side, United will be quick to counter-attack the Blues, and without Terry at the back, there could be some confusion, allowing the United front-men to take advantage. Will Moorcroft

Tevez the difference for under par City

A DISMAL display in Manchester saw the Premier League Champions scrape past Swansea City 1-0. Carlos Tevez’s 30-yard wonder goal managed to rescue a below-par City, who climbed to second in the league table on Saturday evening. Having lost in midweek to Ajax 3-1, it was clear the Blues were suffering from a Champions League hangover, as their performance was poor from the kick-off. In a dire first half which saw only a handful of chances, neither side looked interested in the game. Momentum did however pick up towards the latter stages of the half, with Swansea’s Michu having a goal disallowed for offside. City then awoke with their first real attempt as Tevez forced Michel Vorm into a comfortable first save. As the interval approached Michu was again on target, but Joe Hart stood strong to block the Spaniard’s effort to keep it goalless at half time. There was an improvement from both sides after the break, and in particular from the home side. Within 18 seconds of the restart Sergio Aguero flashed a shot wide. Mario Balotelli was then brought on to replace Kolarov, as Roberto Mancini looked to improve his side’s efforts going forward. The change certainly made an impact as the Italian forced his way into the Swansea penalty area but was forced by wide by Vorm. Aguero then saw his well struck volley collected easily by the Dutch international. Swansea’s biggest threat, Michu, would have put Micheal Laudrup’s side in front had it not been for a sublime point blank range save from Hart. The midfielder’s diving header was somehow parried away by the City number one. Micah Richards poor clearance was picked up by Swansea for a follow-up only for Vincent Kompany to block well. It was then time for last season’s cast out to save the day, as Tevez broke the deadlock for the home team. The Argentinian, who this time last year was AWOL playing with a golf club rather than a football, drove his shot from distance into the bottom right hand corner to grab his fifth of the campaign to end an eight game goal drought. Vorm subsequently injured his groin in an attempt to save the shot and was stretchered off, which will worry Laudrup who now face’s Liverpool in midweek without his first choice goalkeeper. Gerhard Tremmel replaced his teammate in between the sticks, playing just his sixth game for Swansea in only his second Premier League appearance. Still, the Swans pushed on with Michu and De Guzman both searching for an equaliser. The stretcher was brought on to the pitch for a second time in the last 10 minutes. Richards pulled up in the penalty area with an injury to his right knee that caused the 24-year-old considerable distress. Medical staff stretchered the defender off the pitch for treatment, as Kolo Toure was brought on to fill the gap at the back. With two major injuries for both sides, the fourth official signalled 12 minutes extra time as Mancini brought on Joleon Lescott to create extra cover in his defence and hopefully secure a second clean sheet of the 2012-13 campaign. The substitution strangely encouraged more attempts from the home side, as Tevez and Balotelli went close in the dying minutes, which turned out to be the longest ever Premier League game of its 20-year history. The result means City remain unbeaten in the league, and a second consecutive clean sheet at the Etihad Stadium should cheer up Mancini who will want to move on from a forgettable week in which another Champions League defeat sees City’s European ambitions hanging by a thread. Winning ugly isn’t pleasant to watch but the Italian manager will be pleased his team can beat teams even when they are playing poorly. On the contrary, Swansea will feel hard done by, as the result doesn’t reflect the performance of Laudrup’s players. The Welsh side remain tenth but should be higher given their efforts today. Quays News Man of the Match: Carlos Tevez - The 30-year-old looked the sharpest out of his teammates and will appreciate the fact his manager favours him over top scorer Edin Dzeko. Getting on the scoresheet and giving 110% to the City cause, he deserves some credit for dragging this team through a difficult game. Teams: Manchester City – Hart 6, Richards 6, (K Touré 81’, 5), Kompany 6, Nastasic 6, Clichy 6, Y Touré 6, Barry 5, Nasri 5, Tevez 7, Kolarov 5 (Balotelli 45’, 6); Aguero 6 (Lescott 90’, 5) Unused Subs: Pantilimon, Evans, Sinclair, Dzeko Booked: Richards Swansea City - Vorm 5 (Tremmel, 64’ 5) Rangel 6, Williams 5, Flores 6, Davies 5, Ki Sung-Yeung 5, De Guzman 6, Britton 5 (Graham 72’, 5), Hernandez 6 (Dyer 77’, 6), Routledge 6 Michu 7 Unused Subs: Monk, Tiendalli, Agustien, Shechter Booked: Rangel, DyerBy Liam McCallion

United get lucky to end Stamford Bridge hoodoo

MANCHESTER UNITED’S 10-year wait for a league win at Stamford Bridge came to an end as they beat nine-man Chelsea 3-2. The Red Devils got off to a lucky start when Robin van Persie’s shot hit the post, then rebounded into the goal off David Luiz to put the visitors ahead after just four minutes. And it got worse for Chelsea as Antonio Valencia’s driven cross found van Persie, who fired the ball past a helpless Petr Cech to double the lead on 12 minutes, putting the leaders in United’s ‘catch-up’ position. It was a scoreline that didn’t reflect the match though, as Chelsea were the dominant team for much of the first half, and had plenty of opportunities, but couldn’t quite get the decisive touch. David De Gea did extremely well to keep out Fernando Torres’ header, clawing it away at full stretch, and Jonny Evans’ touch was enough to put John Obi Mikel’s cross onto the post. In a moment of madness, Wayne Rooney hacked down Eden Hazard from behind on the edge of the box, which should have earned him a red card, but referee Mark Clattenburg deemed it a yellow card offence. Still, United were penalized as Juan Mata expertly curled the resultant free kick in at the far post to give the hosts a chance going into half time. Chelsea’s momentum continued after the break, and they put early pressure on De Gea in the United goal who mis-cued a goal kick that almost created a four-on-three situation, but United’s defence reacted quickly to stifle the threat. However, the visitors failed to clear the ball minutes later and, after a couple of balls were pinged across the box, Ramires found Oscar’s cross in the middle to head home the equaliser. The momentum Chelsea had built up was brought to a sudden halt though, as two red cards around the hour mark reduced the hosts to nine men. Branislav Ivanovic was first after clipping Ashley Young’s heels as the winger raced through on goal. The Serbian had few complaints despite Young making the most of his tumble. Chelsea won’t be too impressed at the dismissal of Fernando Torres though, as the striker was caught by Evans when he was through on goal. Like Ivanovic on Young, it was the slightest of touches, and the Spaniard could have remained on his feet. Instead, he went down and Clattenburg judged Torres to have dived and produced a second yellow card to leave the Blues with nine men with 20 minutes to go. From here, United seized the advantage and ruled the rest of the match as Chelsea desperately tried to keep them out. It was substitute Javier Hernandez who proved clinical as he scored the winner. After another van Persie shot spun and hit the post, a poor clearance from Chelsea was picked up by Rafael whose shot was deflected in by the Mexican, but the Blues won’t be happy that the United striker wasn’t flagged offside. Both sides created a few more opportunities that came to nothing, handing United all three points and the psychological advantage going into Wednesday’s Capital One Cup tie. Chelsea: Cech 7, Ivanovic 5, Cole 6, David Luiz 5, Cahill 5, Ramires 7, Mata 8, Oscar 7, Mikel 6, Hazard 6, Torres 5. Subs: Azpilicueta (Oscar ’66) 5, Bertrand (Mata ’72) 5, Sturridge (Hazard ’82) 4. Not Used: Turnbull, Romeu, Moses, Marin. Man United: De Gea 7, Rafael 7, Evra 6, Ferdinand 6, Evans 7, Valencia 7, Carrick 6, Young 6, Cleverley 7, Rooney 6, van Persie 7. Subs: Hernandez (Cleverley ’65) 7, Giggs (Rooney ’74) 5. Not Used: Lindegaard, Anderson, Nani, Scholes, Welbeck. Quays News Man of the Match: Juan Mata - by far the best player on the pitch, despite being on the losing team and going off after 72 minutes. His free-kick was top drawer, and his effort was 110% as he orchestrated the Chelsea midfield. He may well be the new Frank Lampard for the Blues. By Will Moorcroft

Jill Scott: Profile Feature

JILL SCOTT is all smiles. The Sunderland-born midfielder has just finished playing in the Women’s Super League’s sophomore season and has a jam-packed year to look back on. A key figure in Hope Powell’s England team and a member of the third-placed Everton Ladies, Jill also capped the season with a place on the Team GB Olympic football squad. These are exciting times to be involved with the women's game, something Jill is more than aware of. “The last few years have just been a whirlwind to be honest," she says. "In six years I’ve played in two World Cups, a European Championships and an Olympic Games. It’s definitely a career highlight to have played in so many major tournaments." She was also named in the squad of the tournament following last summer’s Women’s World Cup after an impressive performance which helped England reach the Quarter Finals. A regular for club and country, Jill Scott breathes football. But despite an impressive number of appearances, she isn’t signed to a professional contract. The WSL is a semi-professional league, with the majority of its players juggling part time jobs alongside their club training. Despite playing for a Merseyside team, Jill still lives in Sunderland, where she works at the Gateshead Academy. When it comes to training and matches, she drives across the country. Commuting over 150 miles is tough, and it has prompted the player to consider her future. “My future’s a bit up in the air at the moment,” Jill muses. “I do face a bit of a decision at the end of this season just with the amount of travelling and stuff, and now that I’m 25 I feel that my peak years are coming up so I want to give myself the best possible chance of being the best player I can be. "I don’t know if that would entail me moving to Liverpool but I feel like I need to be in one place and just give my everything to that.” Former England captain Mo Marley has also recently stepped down from a ten year managerial reign with the Blues, and it was Mo who brought Jill to Merseyside in the first place. “I got coached by Mo at England Under 19s and I had so much respect for her, she’s a great coach. She approached me at a time when I felt it was right to leave Sunderland, and I was always going to say yes.” Post Olympic fever, attitudes towards women’s football have become increasingly more positive, and the sport now receives media coverage on a regular basis. Jill hopes that the game will progress as the seasons continue, with WSL attendances rising and more games getting shown on television. Attitudes may be positive now, but it’s not always been smooth sailing as a female player. Jill’s first club was Fulwell, where she played for a boy’s team at the age of seven, and it didn’t go down too well with everyone. “I remember I used to get a bit of grief off the parents, they always used to say, ‘Kick that girl!’,” Jill remembers. “The boys were really supportive, I think they just treated me as one of the lads. It was more the parents – I think they didn’t want to see their kids getting beaten by a girl!” There was more upset to come. “I got told that I couldn’t play for the boys team anymore when I was nine and I remember going home crying, I thought I might have to take up netball or something. Luckily my Mam found me a girls team which was local and the manager was lovely, he used to come pick us up and everything.” A decade and a half later, Jill is on the verge of becoming a household name. Well, almost. During the past season she has taken on the role of Digital Media Ambassador for Everton as well as writing a monthly column for BBC Sport. Each of the WSL clubs nominated a Digital Media Ambassador who would wear their Twitter username (@JillScott12, if you’re wondering) on their shirt and take charge of the club’s social media pages, as a way to connect with fans. Jill champions the importance of social media to the women’s game. “Facebook and Twitter are a great way to be more interactive with the fans," she says. "We’ve had quite a lot of feedback and it’s certainly an area that we can look at a bit more next year. I love Twitter, I’m on it all the time and you receive so many messages. It’s also a way to give people an insight into your life. People notice that we do work really hard and I think we get a lot of positive feedback for that.” The off-season sees Jill returning to Gateshead to coach at the Academy. “I do love coaching - I like going into schools and stuff and doing sessions, I love working with kids. I remember when I was younger and there would be an England player coming along to a session and you just wanted to impress them, so it’s great now being in a position where I can make a group of girls smile just because they’ve gone to a session.” Football-loving girls all over the country will get to see their heroes in action again next summer as the England squad travel to the European Championships in Sweden. Jill fired her team to automatic qualification, scoring first as they beat Croatia 3-0 last month to top their group, and she’s hopeful that this time they’ll pick up some silverware. She says, “I’d like to think we have a good chance in the Euros, last time we made it to the final and got a silver medal but it’s going to be very difficult. Obviously there are top teams involved and it all depends how you play on the night.” Perhaps 2013 could be the year that an English national team finally wins a major tournament. But trophy or not, it’s prime time for the England ladies to truly win the hearts of the nation. By Kirsty Allen

In Focus: John Amaechi

The first Brit to play in the NBA and the first high profile sportsman in the US to come out as gay, John Amaechi is somewhat of a trailblazer. Kirsty Allen caught up with him to talk about tea-drinking, Jedi powers and his basketball career. ON first glance, John Amaechi is an imposing figure. Towering over me at 6ft 10, it’s not difficult to imagine how this man became one of Britain’s most successful basketball players. But Amaechi is not your typical ex-sportsman. On top of working as a psychologist, opening his own basketball centre and devoting time to charity - he is also studying for a PhD in psychology. Amaechi is polite and articulate, and a truly captivating man to speak with. Amaechi grew up in Heaton Moor where he lived with his mother and two sisters. He attended Stockport Grammar School, where he was an ‘average’ student, and he didn’t begin playing basketball until he was 16. “I was walking down Market Street one day,” he remembers. “Somebody came up to me and asked if I wanted to play basketball and that was it. I don’t really know why I said yes. But there was nowhere to play back in those days. We were breaking into places – there was a court underneath the ring road – and we were begging school janitors to let us use the courts.”Just one year later, he flew out to America to take a scholarship and played for St John’s High School in Toledo, Ohio. At first, things weren’t looking so good. “At the end of first year my roommate (Matt Maloney) and I were convinced that we were never going to play, that we weren’t in our coach’s plans,” he recalls. “He actually told us that we weren’t in his plans. So we both left. I went to Penn state and he went to Penn. We both ended up in the NBA, despite the fact our coach told us we were terrible.”In 1995 he signed for Cleveland Cavaliers and became the first Brit to play in the NBA, which the American media jumped all over. “People were just incredulous that there was a Brit in the NBA at all,” he tells me. “It was a bit of a novelty story. They used to like to talk about me drinking tea, which I did. All the simple things that working and middle class British people do, they loved. Even the music I listened to.” Shortly after, Amaechi moved to Europe, where he played for teams in France, Greece and Italy. He soon found that things were very different from the NBA. “I enjoyed the lifestyle,” he says. “I was close to England so I could come home once in a while, I enjoyed the cafe culture. But the basketball was more disorganised and the fans were more football like. It was feral and rowdy. The NBA crowd is more corporate. It’s not that they don’t get crazy, but it’s people from businesses getting crazy.”It was upon his return to the NBA in 1999 that Amaechi’s profile rose. He played a strong season for Orlando Magic before famously turning down a $17 million contract offer from the Los Angeles Lakers. When asked why he turned down the deal, his response is admirable. “The year before no one had been interested in me. I had to beg Orlando to take me, they gave me a shot and it worked out. Then the year after all these other teams approached and said, ‘Oh we were just kidding last year, we really do think you’re good and we’ll pay you lots of money. It’s not that I didn’t want the money, but you can’t be a part time man of principles.”At this point I begin to realise just how different Amaechi is from your average athlete. Basketball is not his passion – psychology is. “I knew from the age of seven that I would be a psychologist. I watched my mother work as a GP, and I found the way she interacted with people and her bedside manner really interesting.”He went on to study psychology at university and throughout his NBA career. Juggling sport and studying. “. I didn’t live the life of a typical student, I didn’t go out and get drunk, I didn’t stay up late. My life was very formulaic. It was basketball, study, sleep.”It was a formula that worked. Since retiring, Amaechi has opened the Amaechi Basketball Centre in Manchester and received an OBE for his work with charity. He now works as an executive psychologist – a career far more meaningful, he reiterates, than that of an athlete. “I don’t care for sport. I fall in love with things that deliver on promises. That’s why I love psychology. Once you get someone to trust you and talk to you, and you listen and reflect what they say, people get better. That’s pretty cool. It’s the closest thing there is to being a Jedi.” So what next for him? “I want my own place!” he smiles. “I don’t have a house, I live in hotels. It sounds exotic but it’s not. I’d like to have a space that’s mine. I also want to make it into the House of Lords. I’d love that responsibility. Plus I’d like everyone who’s ever hated me to have to call me Lord Amaechi.”As he walks through the Radisson lobby and exchanges words with the ever familiar hotel staff, I realise that with Amaechi’s determination and composure, the House of Lords is not merely a pipe dream. Make way for Lord Amaechi... by Kirsty Allen

Cup Preview: Chelsea v Manchester United

PART two of Chelsea versus Manchester United this week starts on a sour note. Not only are Chelsea furious about the nature of Sunday’s 3-2 defeat at Stamford Bridge, but they have also lodged a complaint against referee Mark Clattenburg for using “inappropriate language”, including racist words, towards two Blues players. The home fans will be in no mood to see another United victory here after what was more than a suspicion of offside for the winning goal. For United, the win was their first league win at Stamford Bridge in a decade, and they will hope to follow that up by knocking Chelsea out of the League Cup in their own backyard. Roberto Di Matteo’s men had an easier draw in the last round, against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and gave them a masterclass in possession as they won 6-0. United, however, had a tougher draw against Newcastle, but survived a late scare to win 2-1 at Old Trafford. Both clubs have won the League Cup four times, with three of United’s victories coming in 2006, 2009 and 2010. Chelsea’s last League Cup success was in 2007, during the Jose Mourinho era. There have only been three meetings between the clubs in the competition though, with United winning two, in 1970 and 2002, both ties being at Old Trafford. In 2005, the teams met in the semi-final of the competition. After a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea went to Old Trafford and claimed a 2-1 victory to progress to the final where they beat Liverpool at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. Team News Although it’s now usual for the bigger teams to select their younger, fringe players for the League Cup, both managers may opt for more experience as they will want to progress. Chelsea will be without captain John Terry again, and Frank Lampard is still out with a calf injury. After picking up red cards on Sunday, both Branislav Ivanovic and Fernando Torres will miss Wednesday’s encounter too. For United, there are no new injury concerns. Shinji Kagawa, Phil Jones and Nemanja Vidic are all still out with knee injuries, and Chris Smalling isn’t yet match fit. Provisional Squad (Chelsea): Cech, Turnbull, Cole, Luiz, Ferreira, Cahill, Bertrand, Azpilicueta, Romeu, Ramires, Mata, Oscar, Mikel, Moses, Malouda, Hazard, Marin, Sturridge. Provisional Squad (United): De Gea, Lindegaard, Da Silva, Evra, Ferdinand, Evans, Buttner, Wootton, Valencia, Anderson, Giggs, Carrick, Nani, Young, Scholes, Cleverley, Fletcher, Powell, Rooney, van Persie, Welbeck, Hernandez. Quays News Prediction: 1-1 Chelsea to win on penalties - After Sunday’s five-goal thriller, I’m not sure this will be another high-scoring game. Although the teams may be pumped, Chelsea are without a front-man, and United will be closed down by Chelsea’s defence. But when it comes to penalties, Chelsea have the more experienced keeper, and with the home crowd, I can’t see United progressing to the next round. By Will Moorcroft

United out of Capital One Cup after another thriller against Chelsea

CHELSEA exacted revenge on Manchester United - after Sunday’s 3-2 loss - by knocking the Red Devils out of the Capital One Cup. It took extra time to separate the two teams though, as the Blues snatched a late equaliser, courtesy of Eden Hazard’s penalty. United took the lead through Ryan Giggs, after Anderson pinched the ball off Oriol Romeu on the edge of the area, and the Welsh-man slotted the ball into the bottom corner to give the visitors a precious lead. The lead lasted just under 10 minutes though as Alexander Buttner brought down Victor Moses in the penalty area, and David Luiz comfortably converted the spot-kick to bring the hosts level. But another defensive error by Chelsea allowed United to reclaim the lead just before the break. Luiz tried to dribble the ball out of defence, but lost it to Rafael, who wasted no time in finding Anderson, and the Brazilian found Hernandez, who beat Petr Cech at his near post. Chelsea came out strong after the break, determined not to be beaten for a second time, and after seven minutes drew level through Gary Cahill. The England international’s run was perfectly timed to power home Juan Mata’s corner with his head, rising above Rafael with ease. But the Chelsea celebrations were yet again cut short as Nani put the visitors back in front seven minutes later. After a one-two with Anderson to get through the Chelsea defence, the Portuguese winger produced an exquisite chip to put the ball past Cech. With the disappointment around Stamford Bridge rising, Di Matteo threw on Oscar and Hazard to try and use his squad’s skill to beat the young United defence, but in the end it was a penalty that brought Chelsea back into the game for a third time. Scott Wootton knocked over Ramires in the penalty area, and the referee had little choice but to give a penalty to Chelsea. Hazard stepped up to calmly fire the ball into the net, sending Anders Lindegaard the wrong way, and sending the game to extra time. Unfortunately for him, Wootton’s night became worse, as he mis-controlled a header straight into the path of Daniel Sturridge, who used his pace to take the ball round Lindegaard and tap the ball into the United net to give the hosts a 4-3 lead. Hazard then took his opportunity to show why Chelsea paid over £30million for him by running the ball through United’s midfield and defence, before squaring a ball to Ramires, who took the ball round Lindegaard and tapped it into the goal to secure Chelsea’s progression in the cup. The Blues survived a late scare after Giggs scored a last minute penalty, but there wasn’t enough time for the visitors to setup another attack. United might not have progressed in the cup, but they do leave London with three vital league points ahead of their clash with Arsenal on Saturday. Chelsea, meanwhile, face a trip to Leeds United, who beat Southampton 3-0 to progress. Chelsea: Cech 6, David Luiz 7, Cahill 7, Azpilicueta 7, Bertrand 7, Romeu 5, Mata 7, Mikel 6, Moses 7, Sturridge 8, Piazon 6. Subs: Ramires (Mikel ’46) 7, Hazard (Piazon ’55) 8, Oscar (Romeu ’71) 7. Not Used: Hilario, Ferreira, Marin, Saville. Man United: Lindegaard 5, Rafael 7, Buttner 6, Wootton 5, Keane 6, Anderson 8, Giggs 7, Nani 7, Fletcher 6, Hernandez 7, Welbeck 5. Subs: Powell (Buttner ’46) 5, Tunnicliffe (Anderson ’81) 5, Macheda (Welbeck ’99) 4. Not Used: Johnstone, Vermijl, Lingard, Brady. Quays News Man of the Match: Eden Hazard - The Belgian was instrumental in Chelsea’s comeback, purely too much for United to handle. His composure to score the penalty in the last minute was excellent, and his run to setup Ramires was just world class. By Will Moorcroft

VIDEO: Science festival comes to Salford

THE University of Salford played host to the popular semaphore and smartphone event as part of the Manchester Science Festival.Last year over 100,000 people visited Britain's most popular science festival and organisers are hoping to attract similar numbers this year.The Manchester Science Festival runs from Oct 27 to Nov 4.Thomas Deegan reports for Quays News.

VIDEO: Balloon Card launched to help businesses take off

AN array of TV stars turned out for the launch of the new Balloon Card in Manchester.Actors from Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Waterloo Road were in Piccadilly Gardens to celebrate the arrival of the new discount card that has been created to help support local businesses and shoppers throughout Greater Manchester and the North West region. Balloon Card merchants will have their very own dedicated page on the Balloon Card website where they can list as many of their in-store offers as they wish. The public can redeem the discounts and offers by simply showing their Balloon Card in store. Quays News' Sophie Dulson reports from the launch.

VIDEO: Borderline Vultures lands in Salford

SALFORD theatre company Happystorm has brought an exciting new show to the community. Borderline Vultures sees audience members immersed right at the heart of the action in a thrilling, 360-degree adventure. From the outset, Borderline Vultures takes audiences on an exhilarating ride where they explore the theme of communication when there is no common language, through body language, humour and exceptional acting. Audience members meet at The Holiday Inn, MediaCityUK, where they are then led by a guide to the production, which is held in a secret location. Rachael Heslehurst finds out more.

VIDEO: Manchester's London 2012 athletes welcomed home

MANCHESTER'S Olympians and Paralympians received a great reception at their homecoming parade.The city produced nine Olympic medals and 16 Paralympic medals to stand in eighth place among UK cities that had athletes competing at London 2012. Albert Square witnessed emotional scenes as thousands gathered to salute their heroes after their tremendous displays during the summer.Jake Whittle was in Albert Square for Quays News.

Manchester United Vs Arsenal Preview

MANCHESTER UNITED can go top of the Premier League, temporarily at least, with a win over Arsenal in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off. The Red Devils are just a point behind Chelsea after last Sunday’s dramatic 3-2 win at Stamford Bridge. Now Sir Alex Ferguson’s men host an Arsenal team who’ve had a rather mixed start to the season. The Gunners sit sixth in the table, already seven points off Chelsea after a summer spending spree which saw the arrivals of talented players like Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla. It is the same old issue, particularly with Robin van Persie moving to United, which is ‘where are the goals coming from’? They can play fantastic football, and put any opponent on the back foot, but just can’t score. When De Gea plays, the best approach is aerial balls, a tactic which Wenger is quite against, so he is limiting his team’s chances. 0-0 draws against Sunderland and Stoke at the start of the season highlighted the issue, and in last weekend’s match against QPR, they could only just scrape a 1-0 win, when it should have been five or six. Yet they have managed to score seven against Reading, six past Southampton, and two past Liverpool at Anfield – thus highlighting the Gunner’s mixed fortunes this season. United, meanwhile, already have 24 league goals this season (Arsenal have 14), with former Arsenal striker Robin van Persie scoring seven of those. But their issue is conceding, and four times this season they have had to come from behind to win matches. Neither side will have forgotten United’s emphatic 8-2 victory last season, and Arsene Wenger will certainly not want a repeat of that performance. One positive for Arsenal is that United made a flying start to last season, this year hasn’t been the same by any measure, so a repeat is unlikely. Both clubs had thrilling Capital One Cup ties mid-week. United went out to Chelsea 5-4 after extra time, having lead three times, whereas Arsenal had to play catch-up to dispatch Reading 7-5, also after extra time. Team News: Phil Jones, Shinji Kagawa, and Nemanja Vidic all remain out with knee injuries, but Chris Smalling could return to the squad after weeks out with a metatarsal injury. The more senior figures like Rio Ferdinand, Jonny Evans and Patrice Evra will return to United’s defence after being rested in Wednesday’s cup game, and the likes of Rooney, van Persie and Valencia are likely to return to the starting line-up. Arsenal were dismayed to learn that Gervinho will be out for three weeks with an ankle injury sustained against QPR last weekend. Goalkeepers Wojech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski are both out, as are youngsters Kieran Gibbs and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Abou Diaby is poised to return though after a couple of weeks out. Like Ferguson, Wenger rested some of his first team against Reading, so players like Cazorla and Podolski are likely to return for the Gunners. Provisional Squad (United): De Gea, Lindegaard, Da Silva, Evra, Ferdinand, Evans, Smalling, Buttner, Wootton, Valencia, Anderson, Giggs, Carrick, Nani, Young, Scholes, Cleverley, Fletcher, Powell, Rooney, van Persie, Welbeck, Hernandez. Provisional Squad (Arsenal): Mannone, Martinez, Shea, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Andre Santos, Squillaci, Djourou, Jenkinson, Diaby, Arteta, Wilshere, Walcott, Ramsey, Cazorla, Coquelin, Arshavin, Frimpong, Podolski, Giroud, Chamakh. Quays News Prediction: 3-0 – Arsenal will struggle to score at Old Trafford, despite United’s defensive frailties. It is the first time van Persie will play against his former club, so it will be interesting to see how he plays, but United should have more than enough firepower to see The Gunners off. By Will Moorcroft

West Ham United vs Manchester City preview

MANCHESTER CITY come up against West Ham United, in a late kick off at the Boleyn Ground as Mancini’s men look to regain their champion swag. The Blues are probably going through their roughest patch of form under Mancini, despite still being unbeaten in the Premier League. Their inability to dominate a game like they did last season with ease has left many fans deflated as their team are playing scrappy football, something not commonly linked to the Manchester side since their Arab takeover. One of the only performances they can be proud of, as of late is their 3-0 victory over Sunderland, as the Black Cats hardly touched the ball in that game. Last week’s 1-0 win against Swansea City was their fourth consecutive league win, but the high rollers’ performance was reflected in the duration of the match, long and boring. 102 minutes was played at the Etihad stadium last weekend making it the longest game in Premier League history, but unfortunately the game wasn’t as memorable to say the least. City will want to bounce back from Swansea with a big score line in London as it would strengthen their defence of the League title. They will be encouraged by the fact that they have lost just one of their last 12 league and cup games against West Ham and lost only once in their last six matches at Upton Park in all competitions. Saturday’s opponents are no push over however, as Sam Allardyce’s side look to continue their steady return to the Premier League. Sitting in ninth position the Hammers will be more than pleased at their early start as they face their biggest challenge yet since being promoted. It will be interesting to see how the home team approach this match, as three points would surely send out a message to other teams, that West Ham are back and better than ever. West Ham have only lost once at home this season, losing to London rivals Arsenal 3-1, so City will be in for a tough night as a poor performance could give the Hammers a huge advantage. Victory against Manchester City would equal their best-ever Premier League points tally after 10 games. Carlos Tevez returns to his old club after leaving for Manchester United in 2007, but the forward is yet to score at this ground since departing five years ago, so the reaction would be interesting from the home crowd if the Argentinian scores. Team News: West Ham United are still without a number of first team players. The list includes Ivorian defender Guy Demel, midfielders Matt Taylor and Jack Collison, and forward Ricardo Vaz Te. Apart from that Sam Allardyce has no other injury concerns for this encounter, as his side look to continue their steady return to the Premier League. Manchester City are hopeful Pablo Zabaleta can fill the position at full back, as Micah Richards begins a four month absence after being stretchered off in last week’s clash against Swansea, where he injured his knee. Javi Garcia hopes to return to the match day squad after missing several of City’s recent games with a thigh injury. Quays News Match Prediction: West Ham United 1-3 Manchester City The visitors have recently begun to win games in the face of adversity, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see West Ham take the lead. If City are losing with 20 minutes to play and Edin Dzeko is brought onto the pitch, expect him to live up to his recent ‘Super Sub’ reputation and score possibly the winner for the league champions. Provisional Squads: Manchester City: Hart, Pantilimon, Wright, Kompany, Lescott, K Toure, Nastasic, Clichy, Kolarov, Nasri, Y Toure, Barry, Sinclair, Silva, Aguero, Balotelli, Dzeko, Tevez West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Spiegel, O'Brien, Reid, Collins, Tomkins, McCartney, Noble, Diame, Nolan, Jarvis, Benayoun, Diarra, O'Neil, Maiga, Cole, Carroll, Spence. Liam McCallion

Oldham bonfire back with a bang

OLDHAM Council has brought back its annual bonfire event after a 10-year absence in an attempt to maximise public safety and reduce the strain on emergency services. Nearly a decade has passed since the town of Oldham last saw a community event celebrating Guy Fawkes. Lack of funding lead former organisers the Middleton Round Table to stop running the annual bonfire display which attracted crowds of 10,000 people. When the Labour party was elected to govern the local council in May 2011, councillors believed ‘Oldham deserves an annual bonfire’ making ‘it a priority to bring this back’. As a result, the council took control of organizing the return of the bonfire display. Amanda Chadderton, Labour councillor for Royton South, thinks the bonfire will be a great addition to the list of successful events the town has already held this year. “There is an appetite for it,” she said. “Over the past 12 months we have had a number of community based events such as the Olympic Torch that came through the town centre, the Oldham Beer Festival, and recently we’ve had the Oldham half marathon. These have attracted a large number of people. “So now we believe the time is right to bring back the Oldham bonfire.” Councillor Chadderton described funding the event as “a small price to pay” as it would help reduce the pressure on the emergency services whilst also providing a safe environment for people at the event. “Year after year, unauthorised bonfires put a massive strain on our services, and we think the council has a duty to protect residents,” she said. “Safety is a paramount concern to us and that is one of the reasons we have brought it back, to dissuade people from holding bonfires at their own homes, to dissuade people from going to unauthorized bonfires. At least here it can be a safe and controlled environment.” Also included at the family event will be a small funfair, street performers, music, fire shows, fireworks and, of course, the lighting of the bonfire. The free event takes place on Monday (Nov 5) at the Boundary Park car park in Oldham, starting at 18:00pm. By Liam McCallion

Poor City draw blank at Upton Park

IT WAS a bore draw in the capital as Manchester City failed to break through a stubborn West Ham defence. While City were the better team, the newly promoted side will feel they deserved more from the game after having a goal wrongly ruled out. Indeed, Roberto Mancini will be worried at his players’ performances as they simply aren’t the title winning team of last season. The first half started in controversy as a Kevin Nolan goal was cancelled out for offside, despite replays showing he was onside. Frank Noble’s free kick from 40 yards was picked up by the Hammers’ captain who volleyed superbly from eight yards to put the ball in the back of the net. But the chicken dance was cut short as the linesman waved a flag for offside, much to the frustration of Hammers manager Sam Allardyce. The arrival of goal line technology surely couldn’t come any sooner for the former Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers gaffer, as systems’ Hawk Eye and GoalRef were recently licensed by FIFA. City responded with a long range effort from Samir Nasri, but his low shot was parried by Jussi Jaaskelainen, as the rebound was met by Edin Dzeko who headed wide from close range despite being offside. With mixed possession midway through the opening 45 minutes, West Ham began to exploit the visitors’ defence as Mohamed Diame cut inside from the left flank to unleash a blistering shot that went high into the crowd. Midfielder Yossi Benayoun was next to have a go at Joe Hart’s net, the Israeli volleyed from 12 yards, but the City keeper managed to tip the ball onto the bar. Andy Carroll then tried to break the deadlock with a low effort from the edge of the penalty area but the ball went wide of the left post. A misfiring Mario Balotelli ended a disappointing first half performance for City, scuffing probably the best chance of the game. The young forward miscued his shot from four yards after meeting a Carlos Tevez free kick as his manager looked on frustrated. Shortly after, Balotelli had yet another attempt to put his side into the lead, but the 22-year-old shot wide after Kolo Toure picked him out in space. Just as the whistle was about to be blown, Balotelli’s audacious overhead kick went wide enough for Jaaskelainen to stay put. After the break there was a slight improvement but it was still an underperforming effort from both sides. There were shots at both ends but none to test either keeper. Carroll acrobatically attempted to put the Hammers in front but it was deflected wide for a corner. Tevez and Barry both went close, the latter of which saw the former Aston Villa captain make a lovely run into the box with an excellent first touch. The finish was all that was missing from what would have been a great goal. Even though City were now showing more attacking promise, Balotelli was brought off in place of Sergio Aguero as Mancini looked to improve the finishing up front. The substitute made an immediate impact forcing a rare save out of the Finnish keeper, but even the presence of Aguero wasn’t enough to break the goal drought at the Boleyn Ground as it finished 0-0. City’s attacker’s, worth over a £120 million, fired blanks and will be disappointed they couldn’t gain a valuable three points as their rivals, Manchester United, now sit at the top of the league. Allardyce’s side, however, will feel this tedious outing didn’t burst their bubble as a point against the champions would be welcomed any day of the week, with results like this not coming around to often. Quays News Man of the Match: Carlos Tevez - once again the Argentinian proved to be Manchester City’s most influential player. He looked the most likely to score for the Blues and also created many chances for his teammates. It’s just a shame his team can’t be on the same wavelength as it would surely make the champions more entertaining to watch at present. Manchester City: Hart 6, Kolo Toure 6, Kompany 6, Nastasic 5, Clichy 5, Yaya Toure 6, Nasri 6 (Sinclair 90’ 5), Barry 6, Tevez 7 (Garcia 84’ 5), Dzeko 5, Balotelli 6 (Aguero 69’, 6) Subs not used: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Razak West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, O'Brien, McCartney, Collins (Spence 84’ 5), Reid, Noble, Nolan, Diame (O'Neil 71’ 6), Jarvis, Benayoun, Carroll (Cole 77’ 5) Subs not used: Spiegel, Chambers, Hall, Maiga, Booked: Benayoun, Collins, McCartneyBy Liam McCallion

United go top after dominant display against Arsenal

MANCHESTER UNITED leapt to the top of the Premier League, after a dominant display over Arsenal resulted in a 2-1 victory. The hosts couldn’t have hoped for a better start either, as they went 1-0 up within just three minutes, thanks to none other than ex-Gunner Robin van Persie. The Dutchman took full advantage of Thomas Vermaelen’s poor attempt at a clearance to fire a shot past Vito Mannone from the edge of the penalty area, but he refused to celebrate afterwards, despite the jeers from the Arsenal support before the match. Following their failure to hold onto a lead mid-week, United looked solid at the back, and put pressure on Arsenal, although the Londoners did well to absorb the hosts’ attempts. What they did find frustrating though was the performance of Andre Santos, who struggled to cope with the pace of Antonio Valencia at left-back, and United capitalised on this by attacking down their right-hand side, and injecting plenty of crosses. But Arsenal managed to avoid conceding again in the first half, much to the annoyance of United, who perhaps could have been two or three up by half time, with Wayne Rooney missing a penalty. Arsenal may feel aggrieved that the penalty was given in the first place. Ashely Young’s cross clearly caught Santi Cazorla on the hand, but with the midfielder facing the other way, it is hard to say that there was much intent in it. After the break, Arsene Wenger bought on Theo Walcott in place of Aaron Ramsey, to try and increase the Gunners’ attacking threat, and it almost paid off minutes later when Olivier Giroud hit the outside of the post, but it was United who struck next. Van Persie almost doubled his tally, but his shot was well saved by Mannone, who pushed it round the post with his fingertips. However Rooney’s cross from the resulting corner was met by Patrice Evra, who timed his run perfectly to head the ball into the goal and give the hosts a 2-0 lead. And the match worsened for Arsenal moments later when Jack Wilshere, who has been out for 17 months, was sent off for a second yellow card. The midfielder could have no complaints though, after a series of heavy challenges, and unless Wenger had taken him off, it was only going to be a matter of time. Fergie felt the same about Tom Cleverley, and decided to withdraw the England midfielder before it was too late. It was Arsenal who finished the game brighter though, although Cazorla’s lovely curling shot was nothing but a consolation to make a game that was dominated by United look more even than it was. Man United: De Gea 7, Rafael 8, Evra 8, Ferdinand 7, Evans 7, Valencia 6, Carrick 6, Young 7, Cleverley 7, Rooney 6, van Persie 7. Subs: Anderson (Cleverley ’61) 6, Nani (Valencia ’82) 5. Not Used: Lindegaard, Wootton, Scholes, Powell, Hernandez. Arsenal: Mannone 8, Sagna 6, Mertesacker 6, Vermaelen 5, Santos 5, Arteta 6, Wilshere 6, Ramsey 5, Cazorla 7, Podolski 5, Giroud 6. Subs: Walcott (Ramsey ’52) 6, Arshavin (Podolski ’81) 5. Not Used: Martinez, Koscielny, Jenkinson, Coquelin, Chamakh. Quays News Man of the Match: Rafael Da Silva - the young Brazilian played brilliantly down the right hand side, and even provided the cross which in the end van Persie scored from. He did well to neutralise the Arsenal threat out wide too, putting in plenty of effort. He certainly has the potential to be one of the best right-backs of his generation of players. By Will Moorcroft

Manchester City vs Ajax preview

MANCHESTER CITY aim to set the record straight against Ajax after losing in Amsterdam two weeks ago, leaving them on the verge of exiting the Champions League. Roberto Mancini, who this week claimed City were not ready to win the Champions League, will be hoping his players can salvage a bit of dignity in tomorrow’s game as they look for their first win of this years competition. One point from three games leaves the Premier League champions on the verge of being knocked out of the group stages for a second year running. Despite facing tougher opposition this time round, City still don’t look to be amongst the elite teams of Europe, regardless of how much has been invested in the squad. If blues could replicate the unbeaten form of their domestic campaign, things may look a bit brighter for the Manchester side, but it may now be too little too late. Ajax on the other hand have at least won one game in group D. A 3-1 battering against tomorrows opponents, places them above City by two points, so it will be interesting how Ajax approach the game. Many people would have suggested Ajax would be the ones in City’s position when the draw was announced, but a victory against City’s World Class players, offers a glimmer of hope regarding qualification to the knockout stages for Frank de Boer’s side, the same can’t be said for City. Team News Manchester City are without Micah Richards (knee) who this week was suggested to be back within four weeks rather than four months by his manager. Maicon (ankle) is still absent, which means Pablo Zabaleta could fill the space left at right back as he returned to bench against West Ham at the weekend. Kolo Toure isn’t registered for this stage of the competition, meaning Serbian defender Matija Nastasic could again partner Captain Vincent Kompanny at centre back. James Milner (hamstring) is unlikely to play after being withdrawn prior to the game against the Hammers, while Joleon Lescott (back) remains sidelined. Javi Garcia is back in contention after making a brief appearance on Saturday but David Silva and Jack Rodwell (both hamstring) are not yet ready to return to the squad. Ajax could name an unchanged starting XI for the team that beat City 3-1 at the Amsterdam Arena. Playmaker Christian Eriksen may be kept as centre forward after impressing in his new adapted role. Niklas Moisander was suspended for the 2-0 defeat against Vitesse due but should return to his place in central defence for this match. Quays News Match Prediction: Manchester City 1-0 Ajax With the fixture being hosted at the Etihad Stadium, home advantage should hopefully give City the confidence to snatch a win against the Eredivisie winners of 2011-12. Recent lacklustre performances in Europe suggests this game won’t be pretty for the home side so a possible late winner may be what determines the outcome of this reverse fixture. Provisional Squads: Manchester City:Hart, Pantilimon, Zabeleta Wright, Kompany, Nastasic, Clichy, Kolarov, Nasri, Y Toure, Barry, Garcia, Sinclair, Aguero, Balotelli, Dzeko, Tevez, Razak Ajax: Vermeer, Cillessen, Alderweireld, Moisander, Blind, Poulsen, Veltman, Eriksen, De Jong. Dijks, Sana, Enoh, Sulejmani, Schone, Boerrigter, Van Rhijn, Babel, Fischer Liam McCallion

Braga vs Manchester United Preview

MANCHESTER UNITED travel to Braga on Wednesday night for the second leg of their Champions League group match. Despite beating Arsenal 2-1 to go top of the league, Sir Alex Ferguson isn’t happy at the team’s inability to finish chances. The manager is worried that unless it changes, it could be costly for United, again. Although the woes of slow starting and conceding were behind United on Saturday the other woe for them this year, missing penalties, continued to haunt them as Rooney missed another penalty , meaning United have just two of six spot-kicks awarded to them. Braga will be hoping to make it three wins in a row, after consecutive victories in the league against Maritimo and Gil Vicente, and after the reverse fixture, it is a possibility. Their first ever game against United couldn’t have got off to a better start, as they took a 2-0 lead within 20 minutes, but United showed why they have been playing at the top level of football for years by coming back to win 3-2. With a home crowd behind them though, it will probably be a different story. Braga are unbeaten at home, apart from a 2-0 loss to CFR Cluj in this competition back in September. Also on their mind will be United’s recent run of tough fixtures, and how they had the 2008 winners on the back foot for large parts in the last game. United, however, are top of Group H with nine points from three games, and a win will confirm their progression in the competition. For Braga though, they could do with a win to keep in touch with Cluj, who play bottom side Galatasaray. Team News Nemanja Vidic faced another setback in his bid to return to first team action, and has been ruled out until Christmas. More positively for United though is that Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are expected to return within the next two weeks. Shinji Kagawa is still out with a knee injury, and Danny Welbeck is a doubt. Braga have no injury worries, and are likely to field the same starting line-up that began so brightly at Old Trafford. Provisional Squad (United): De Gea, Lindegaard, Da Silva, Evra, Ferdinand, Evans, Buttner, Wootton, Valencia, Anderson, Giggs, Carrick, Nani, Young, Scholes, Cleverley, Fletcher, Powell, Rooney, van Persie, Hernandez. Provisional Squad (Braga): Quim, Cristiano, Beto, Coelho, Baiano, Elderson, Ismally, Vinicius, Douglão, Amorim, Mossoro, Micael, Djamal, Salino, Custodio, Alan, Viana, César, Barbosa, Michel, Eder, Ze Luis, Carlão. Quays News Prediction: 2-1 - I watched United against Arsenal, and their finishing was poor. They created lots of chances, but the strikers were nowhere to be seen, and Braga will have learned from their mistakes at Old Trafford, and won’t make them again. Although the Champions League is different to the Premier League, I think Braga will be able to unsettle United and claim a much needed three points.By Will Moorcroft

World Football Feature

INTER HALT JUVE UNBEATEN RUN INTER Milan came from behind to win 3-1 at Juventus Stadium and bring to a halt the hosts 49-game unbeaten run. Andrea Stramaccioni’s side are now just a point behind the Scudetto champions in the title race, having inflicted the Bianconeri’s first league defeat since May 2011. Arturo Vidal gave Juve the lead after just 18 seconds in Saturday’s encounter, tapping in at the far post following Kwadwo Aasamoah’s centre, but Inter fought back to take all three points. They were handed a lifeline in the 59th minute when Claudio Marchisio was penalised for tugging Diego Milito’s shirt inside the box and the Argentine striker smashed in the resulting penalty to level proceedings. But the big man wasn’t finished, and put the Nerazzuri ahead with 15 minutes to go after Feddy Guarin’s fierce drive could only be parried by Gianluigi Buffon in the Juventus goal. And Rodrigo Palacio added a third in injury time, prodding the ball past Buffon as the home side searched for a dramatic equaliser. Inter’s own unbeaten run now stands at seven matches, and the Nerazurri must survive 51 more to equal the current Serie A record, set by city rivals A.C. between 1991 and ‘93. GUIZA MAKES SHOCK MALAYSIA MOVE FORMER Spain striker Dani Guiza says he ‘can’t wait to start doing what he does best’ after joining Malaysian outfit Johor FA on a one-year loan deal from Getafe. The 32-year-old hasn’t started a single game for the Dark Blues so far this season and cited ‘differing opinions’ with boss Luis Garcia as one of the main reasons behind the move, stating ‘it was time to get a breath of fresh air.’ “To be honest I don't know much about Malaysian football,” says Guiza, “but I watched videos of the local matches on the internet before coming down here and what I observed was Malaysians appear very passionate about their football”. The one-time La Liga top scorer claims he turned down Spanish sides Malaga and Real Zaragoza in favour of the Southern Tigers, who haven’t lifted a trophy since their FA Cup success in 1998. Johor have been dubbed the ‘Man City of Malaysia’ by locals, after chairman Tunku Ismail Idris announced his intention to bring in two high-profile foreign players at a press conference last month. They have reportedly concluded deals for five current Malaysian internationals and are believed to be chasing two players from last season’s treble-winning side Kelantan, as they look to become a major force in Asian club football. LONELY LIVORNO FAN MAKES 2,000 KILOMETRE TRIP TO SERIE B GAME THERE’S nothing quite like watching your team pick up three valuable points in an obscure part of the country you will most likely never venture to again. But what if there are no other fans to celebrate with? That’s what happened to die hard Livorno fan, Corrado Nastasio when his side played Reggina last month in Italy’s Serie B. The 66-year-old travelled all the way from the Tuscan port city (top of the boot) to Reggio Calabria (right on the wing tip), only to discover he was in a minority of one. "They didn't want me to go in the away supporters' section because there was only me", he says, "I have to thank police inspector Di Liberti because they finally let me in." Nastasio, who played for his hometown team in the 60’s, picked his spot in the middle of the stand, draped his banner over a nearby barrier and waited for his heroes to take to the field. His dedication was rewarded as the Dark Reds ran out 3-1 winners and the players made their appreciation known at the final whistle, Nastasio reveals. "At the end of the game, the club captain [Andrea] Luci presented me with a shirt and the coach [Davide] Nicola gave me a hug. But now there's only one present I'm asking for from the team: to return to Serie A." It makes Wigan games seem more appealing after all. By Aiden Cusick

City fightback not enough against Ajax

CONTROVERSY sparked in the latter stages of Manchester City’s 2-2 Champions League draw against Ajax on Tuesday evening, as City felt they were denied a clear penalty in the dying seconds of the game. After recovering from a 0-2 deficit to bring the score level, the blues should have been given the chance to make it three in injury time, but a late penalty shout was waved away by Peter Rasmussen, who blew instantly for full time. Mario Balotelli was the player involved in the incident, as Van Rhijin clearly tugged on the Italians shirt. But despite a referee official behind the goal having a clear view of the challenge, nothing was awarded. City players were expecting the whistle to go for a penalty not for full time, which is why the decision created uproar from the home players along with the staff on the touchline. Roberto Mancini walked hastily towards the match officials to express his annoyance at their match performance. City players also hounded the referee over the penalty claim which could have changed the outcome of the game, instead City stay bottom of Group D. Controversy aside this surely has to have been one of City’s best performances of late. Goals from Yaya Toure and Aguero, managed to rescue the Premier League Champions from being knocked out of the group’s stages for a second year running. The opening half began in misery for the home side, as they found themselves 0-2 down within the space of 17 minutes. Poor defending from an Ajax corner, allowed Siem De Jong to latch onto a poor clearance from the City defence, and chip the ball over Joe Hart, who was furious at his teammates defending. De Jong scored his second of the match shortly after, heading in from a corner which sees City concede their third set piece goal in two games. The unmarked midfielder escaped his marker, Gareth Barry, to put the away side 0-2 in front. It wasn’t long though, until City were back in the game, Toure controlled a lovely cross from Sami Nasri with his chest, before bringing it down to volley the ball into the back of the net. At 1-2 the game became more open, as City seemed more likely score before half time. Attempts from Pablo Zabeleta and Toure weren’t enough to bring the score level, despite being able to test Vermeer. After the break, City certainly brought a quicker tempo to the game, as Mancini brought on Balotelli for Javi Garcia to strengthen the striking options. Matija Nastasic tried a volley from the edge of the area but the shot went yards over. The ball was in the back of the net soon after, as Gael Clichy picked out Aguero who slotted home, but the forward was offside by a few yards so the goal was disallowed. Ajax also had their chances, with De Jong coming close to a hatrick. A long range effort from the 23 year old, put Hart on red alert as the ball was parried away and cleared from danger. The forward nearly had another chance to collect the match ball when he forced the City keeper into another nervy save, as the ball was pushed out for a corner. Edin Dzeko was brought on in place of Carlos Tevez to freshen up the side’s attacking options. But it was first sub, Balotelli, who made the biggest impact from bench as he provided an assist for City’s equaliser. Hart’s long ball was flicked on by Balotelli, Aguero ran onto the through ball from his teammate, to score his first goal of this year’s Champions League. Aguero nearly grabbed the winner in the last five minutes, but his goal was wrongly disallowed for offside, which infuriated the home side. Eriksen also could have snatched a late winner, as his long range effort was tipped over by Hart. The game ended soon after despite City’s strong penalty claim. It is still mathematically possible for Manchester City to qualify for the knockout stage, but even the most optimistic of City fans will think their Champions League journey has ended for this season. Their performance was encouraging, especially when you consider they were outplayed in the reverse fixture a fortnight ago. Real Madrid drew 2-2 against Borussia Dortmund, which makes it slightly easier for Ajax to qualify as they are only three points behind Los Galacticos. Quays News Man of the Match: Siem de Jong The Ajax striker was the biggest player on the pitch for the away side, scoring twice and so nearly earning the match ball, he at least deserves man of the match. If City had this player on their side during the game, City may have won convincingly. Player Ratings: Manchester City: Hart 7, Zabaleta 6, Kompany 7, Nastasic 6, Clichy 6, Garcia 5 (Balotelli 45’ 6), Barry 5 (Kolarov 85’ 6), Yaya Toure 7, Nasri 6, Tevez 7 (Dzeko 66’ 5), Aguero, 6, Subs not used: Pantilimon, Maicon, Meppen, Walters, Sinclair Ajax: Vermeer 6, Alderweireld 5, Moisander 6, Blind 5, C Poulsen 6 (Fischer 87', 5), Eriksen 7, De Jong, 8, Schone 6 (Enoh 77', 5 ), Boerrigter (Sana 90' 5 ), Van Rhijn 6, Babel 6 Subs not used: Cillessen,Veltman, Denswil, Dijks Booked: Poulsen, Blind Liam McCallion

Skyfall Review

IT HAS been 50 years since Britain’s favourite womanising superspy first landed on the big screen, and on that 50th anniversary comes Skyfall. We’ve had to wait four years for Daniel Craig to return in his third outing as the iconic James Bond, so has all the waiting made Skyfall worth everyone’s while? Skyfall starts with a bang and a boom, with a pulsating pre-credit sequence which sees our beloved hero sent on a mission to Istanbul, Turkey. The end results aren’t pretty, with Bond shot in error off a moving train plunging to his apparent death. Cue a dazzling grave themed opening credits sequences with Adele’s song, Skyfall, in the background. Of course that isn’t all-she-wrote for Bond, who resurfaces when a new form of enemy surfaces and threatens to leave MI6 in tatters. The James Bond who resurfaces isn’t quite the same character we saw in previous films. Bond is skinny, red eyed, rugged and represents a man whose heart may no longer be in it. His loyalty to M (Dame Judy Dench) possibly the only reason why he returns, but there’s a clever emphasis we see on how Bond can barely survive his mandatory agent training before collapsing in a heap. In the first fight sequence after re-entering the field, director Sam Mendes depicts 007 as no longer the favourite, no longer the dead-cert to win in hand to hand combat. Compare this to the incredible swagger Bond has in Istanbul, jumping from a digger into the carriage of a dismantled train, and you’re shown that Bond may not be physically up to the task M has set him. Oscar winning Director Sam Mendes takes to the chair for Bond’s 23rd big screen outing, looking to repair some of the damage left by the much maligned Quantum of Solace. Skyfall sees Mendes take James Bond and refer him back to the darker and grittier character we saw in Casino Royale. Mendes also had a lot of his own ideas incorporated into the script as well, and it all comes together brilliantly. He makes Skyfall beautifully British, letting a lot of the plotline unravel in Britain and unearthing a gem in Judi Dench’s M. In what is her 7th outing as M, Judi Dench has always been what you would call a ‘bit part player’. No real characterisation, just the boss who occasionally comes out with memorable one-liners. Yet Skyfall sees her almost take centre stage, we delve into M’s past discrepancies and into her relationship with Bond – which stems further back than suggested. It makes you wonder why the undeniable talent of Dame Judy hasn’t been utilised before. As well as Dame Judy, it’s also easy to forget that Daniel Craig has a stellar cast supporting him – with the likes of Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes and Ben Whishaw all involved, albeit in a limited capacity. The pièce de résistance which makes Skyfall a triumph though, is Javier Bardem’s Silva. Mendes has created what can only be described as a ‘cyber-villain’, a man who is capable of just as much damage in front of a computer than in person. Bardem doesn’t come into the film until nearly halfway through, but his first scene is up there with the most iconic ever. Silva’s first interaction is funny (but unnerving) as he interrogates Bond whilst massaging his thighs. Even Bond’s witty retorts cannot take away from the audience’s expectation for Silva to resort to violence á la Le Chiffre in Casino Royale. Yet it’s even more terrifying that Silva maintains his coolness, even when it comes to putting a bullet in someone’s head. Maybe the only criticism is Bardem isn’t on screen enough, to further establish a relationship between himself and 007. Verdict A film not just dragged along by Daniel Craig’s broken and damaged James Bond, everyone pulls their weight in Skyfall. It’s a triumph, and a career defining film for Craig who shows us Bond as you’ve never seen him before. Sam Mendes doubts he’ll be back for the inevitable Skyfall sequel, but judging on this instalment he is only one of few men who have the knowhow to further progress the James Bond franchise. 10/10 By Ross Lees-McCowan

Hattersley at the double to sink Barrow

DANNY Hattersley stole the limelight with his matchwinning double to help Stockport County to a 3-1 victory against a forlorn Barrow team. The Edgeley Park side took a valuable three points after being knocked out of the FA Cup by Southend on Saturday, moving them up to seventh in the league. A strong Stockport side had already marched into an unassailable lead by the time Danny Rowe grabbed a consolation for Barrow just after the hour mark, with Matt Mainwaring adding to Hattersley’s brace. With as many yellow cards as goals, the Bluebirds left Edgeley Park with little to show for their late rally, leaving them trailing in their head-to-head with County by two games to one. Both teams took their time settling into the match, failing to capitalise on any opportunities. Danny Whitehead, Sean Newton, Mainwaring and Craig Hobson all threatened Danny Hurst's goal, while Ian Ormson had a more pedestrian start at the other end. County were dominant, but a combination of the home side failing to convert any of their numerous corners or free kicks, and Barrow unable to break through the formidable defensive line provided by Jordan Fagbola and James Tunnicliffe, resulted in a goalless opening half hour. The Hatters’ hard work finally paid off in the 35th minute following a throw-in from defender Newton. An unmarked Hattersley came out on the right end of a scrappy battle in the box and slotted the ball with ease into the back of the net. Just minutes later Tom Anderson was booked for a dodgy tackle on Hobson before the Bluebirds almost conceded again after Whitehead drifted a great ball into the box. It was to Barrow's relief that nobody was able to get on the end of it. County weren't complacent, and just three minutes into the second half eventual man of the match Hattersley doubled his and Stockport’s tally, converting Newton's corner. The Hatters secured what seemed to be an inevitable victory on 58 minutes when Mainwaring got on the end of a superb ball from Andy Halls. Former Stockport County player Rowe proved to be a wise half-time substitution for Barrow when he made the most of a momentary lapse in County's defence. After an untidy scrap, Rowe successfully breached Ormson’s goal in the 64th minute to provide the visitor’s with some hope of a late salvo. Rowe's goal seemed to inspire the Bluebirds, helping them gain some momentum towards the end to keep Ormson on his toes. But it was too little, too late as County shut up shop to ensure Barrow left empty-handed. Referee: Declan Ford Attendance: 2,805 Goals: (Stockport) Hattersley 35' 48' Mainwaring 58'; (Barrow) Rowe 64'By Bryony Pearce at Edgeley Park

United win in Portugal to seal Champions League qualification

MANCHESTER UNITED stormed into the last 16 of the Champions League last night with a 3-1 win over Braga. The Red Devils went to Portugal knowing that a win would seal their progression, however the celebrations were almost put on hold as yet again they went behind, and it took three goals in the last 10 minutes to gain the victory. The hosts had the upper hand in the first half, and created far more chances than a poor United team, who managed just one - a Jonny Evans header that was easily collected by Beto. Braga’s chances carried more purpose and could have been 3-0 up by half time. Eder did well to fire the ball across the penalty area, but there were no players to touch it into the net. Then Ruben Micael sent a ball flying not far over the bar from outside the area, before Hugo Viana’s cross was met by Eder, but he only managed to hit the post. United’s start in the second half was just as bad as the first, and within four minutes they found themselves 1-0 down. Evans bought down Custodio as he charged into the box, and the referee had little choice but to award the penalty, and Alan stepped up to fire the hosts in front. An almost instant response came a few minutes later as Nani had a shot deflected, but the game was literally plunged into darkness due to a power cut, just as United were gaining some momentum. When the teams returned, it was United who re-started the brighter side, and seized the game into their control. Ferguson bought on Ferdinand in place of Evans to command the back line more strictly, allowing the forwards to push in search of an equaliser. It came in the 80th minute as Robin van Persie curled a shot past the on-coming Beto, and into the goal to give United hope of maintaining their unbeaten record in the competition this season. However, it wasn’t enough for United, and they took the lead in the 85th minute as Wayne Rooney smashed a penalty in to make it 2-1, after the striker was fouled by Coelho in the box. The finishing touch to yet another comeback for United was provided on 90 minutes as Javier Hernandez took the ball round Beto, and poked the ball into the net, making it 3-1 to United, guaranteeing them progression, and making them the only club across all the groups to have won all their games. CFR Cluj were beaten 3-1 by Galatasaray, surrendering second place to them, although both teams now have four points and -1 goal difference. Braga sit bottom with three points, but can still qualify with victories in their next two games, and a hand from United. Braga: Beto 5, Nuno Andre 5, Echiejile 5, Douglao 5, Ruben Amorim 6, Ruben Micael 6, Leandro Salino 6, Custodio 5, Viana 6, Eder 7, Alan 7. Subs: Barbosa (Ruben Amorim ’86) 4, Mossoro (Viana ’86) 4, Ze Luis (Echiejile ’90) 4. Not Used: Quim, Baiano, Ismaily, Djamal. Man United: De Gea 8, Evra 6, Evans 6, Smalling 6, Valencia 7, Anderson 7, Giggs 7, Nani 8, Rooney 7, Hernandez 7, Welbeck 6. Subs: Ferdinand (Evans ’58) 6, Rafael (Nani ’73) 6, van Persie (Welbeck ’64) 7. Not Used: Lindegaard, Carrick, Young, Cleverley. Quays News Man of the Match: Nani - The Portugese man performed much better than he has been recently, which was good to see. Posed a threat to the Braga defence, and United will be happy that he is showing some good form again. By Will Moorcroft

Ancient Worlds galleries arrive in Manchester

VISITORS gathered en masse to witness the opening of the Ancient Worlds galleries at Manchester Museum, writes Daniel McLaughlin. The museum celebrated the centenary of the first Egypt gallery in Manchester with the launch of the £1.57 million display. With the help of the Heritage Lottery Fund, the museum went through a revamp that took 14 months to complete. Dr Campbell Price, the curator of Egyptology and the Sudan at Manchester Museum, said that the grant made it possible for museum visitors to witness “spectacular neo-Gothic piece of architecture”. “With the Heritage grant, one of the stipulations was to reveal original parts of the building. So we’ve let in a lot more natural light; it makes the space much more welcoming.” Dr Price commented that his aim was to make the galleries “more attractive” as the old galleries were quite dark and gloomy; with some visitors commenting that they could not see objects very well. Before the refurbishment, the displays were old fashioned in design and had not been changed since the 1980s. Dr Price added it featured “a lot of hideous 70’s cladding”. Manchester Museum attracts 29,000 school children a year. Ancient Worlds facilitates the young people by introducing an interactive display. The curator noted that the museum needed to modernise to appeal to children: “Kids today are very savvy with technology. If you have got a smartphone, you can use a Venetian code to unlock digital content. “As curators, you are limited to what you can write in a label but with digital media, you can put in 3D photography and use interactives which I think interests young people.” The display boasts finds such as the limestone lintel of Rameses III, which would have been placed above a temple gateway for the pharoah; and of course, the odd mummy or two. Visitors are also welcome to handle objects, with some dating to 3000 years old. One visitor remarked how much information is contained within the museum, saying: “It is interesting in the sense that it has given a lot of emphasis on the connection between the way in which archaeological finds are discovered outside of Egypt, and with particular reference to the UK.” On the continued popularity of Egyptology, Dr Price said: “There is always something about mystery and not knowing why the Egyptians did certain things the way they did. “Generally the attraction of gold and animal-headed gods are always popular.” Ancient Worlds is free to visit at Manchester Museum, Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, and Sundays and Mondays 11am-4pm.

Preview: Aston Villa v Man United

MANCHESTER UNITED will be hoping to stay top of the league with a win over Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday. After last weekend's victory over Arsenal, and Chelsea’s draw with Swansea, the Red Devils find themselves top for the first time this season. Meanwhile, Villa are sitting just above the relegation zone, although they are four points clear of Reading (18th). Last weekend’s victory away at Sunderland bought some hope to despairing Villa fans, after a slow start to the season for manager Paul Lambert. They are having a good run in the cup though, having beaten Man City at the Etihad in the third round, and only just beating Swindon in the fourth to reach the quarter finals. United will be buoyed by their progression in the Champions League this week, although yet again it was a slow start to the match, and it wasn’t until the last half hour that we saw what United can do, so Fergie will be demanding change. Unfortunately for Villa, their record against United is pretty poor, with just one win in their last 31 league games; a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford in December 2009. And to make matters worse, they have scored just eight goals this season, whilst conceding 14. This is where their issue sits, because United have also conceded 14, but scored 26, and Villa just don’t seem to utilise the quality they have up front. In Darren Bent and Christian Benteke, they have two powerful strikers, capable of scoring 15+ goals a season, each, and the pace of Gabby Agbonlahor should be sufficient to provide the crosses they need, but as a team, they don’t appear to be bonding. However the youth in their squad is where Lambert has focused his buying, suggesting that it is a long term plan he has at Villa, much like he had at Norwich, so although the short run might be painful, the future could be bright for Villa. Team News United will welcome back Chris Smalling after months out with a metatarsal injury, and he could join Rio Ferdinand in the middle, after the news that Jonny Evans is a doubt. Nani suffered a hamstring injury against Braga midweek, so will miss the game, as will Shinji Kagawa, Phil Jones and Nemanja Vidic. For Villa, Karim El Ahmadi will return in midfield after a one-match suspension but Eric Lichaj will miss the game, after picking up five cards this season. A major blow for Villa is that Darren Bent is still out with an ankle injury, and Joe Bennett hasn’t recovered from a knee injury yet, so will more than likely miss out. Provisional Squad (United): De Gea, Lindegaard, Da Silva, Evra, Smalling, Ferdinand, Evans, Buttner, Wootton, Valencia, Anderson, Giggs, Carrick, Young, Scholes, Cleverley, Fletcher, Powell, Rooney, van Persie, Hernandez. Provisional Squad (Villa): Given, Guzan, Hutton, Vlaar, Dunne, Clark, Stevens, Baker, Lowton, Williams, Ireland, El Ahmadi, N’Zogbia, Albrighton, Westwood, Delph, Petrov, Bannan, Herd, Gardener, Carruthers, Agbonlahor, Benteke, Weimann, Holman. Quays News Prediction: 1-3 - I cannot see Villa getting their season on track in this game because United have got so much confidence going forward, it is going to take a phenomenal defensive effort to thwart them, which Villa may struggle with. Their record isn’t brilliant either, and this game has probably come at the wrong time for them following last week’s victory; they could have done with a team around them in the division to try and capitalise, but that shouldn’t stop them giving it a good go. By Will Moorcroft

Salford’s ‘at risk’ groups urged to get free flu jabs

SALFORD councillors have received their free flu jabs, and are urging city residents to do the same. The NHS offer the flu jab free of charge to ‘at risk’ groups as there is a greater threat of them developing more serious complications of flu, such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Councillor Margaret Morris, assistant mayor for health and wellbeing, said; “Getting your flu jab is really important, especially if you are more ‘at risk’ of serious illness. “Flu can be very dangerous to some people and you could end up in hospital if you have not had the jab.” Flu is an extremely infectious viral illness, spread by coughs and sneezes. Although highly unpleasant, it is not normally serious unless you are already vulnerable to infection and are considered to be in an ‘at risk’ category. Groups deemed to be ‘at risk’ are people aged over 65; pregnant women; people with asthma, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis or lowered immunity; people with a history of stroke, chest conditions, kidney or liver disease. Councillor Peter Connor, assistant mayor for adult social services and services for older people, said: “If you are in one of the ‘at risk’ groups then your local GP is able to give you the flu jab for free, so make sure you book an appointment and get it done. “It is a quick and simple injection that goes a long way to stopping you getting ill.” The NHS state that the flu jab is one of the safest vaccines in the world, given to millions of people in the UK each year. If you come under any of the above ‘at risk’ categories you should be eligible for a free flu jab. By Cassandra Ward

Hernandez heroics keep United top of the table

JAVIER HERNANDEZ was at the centre of yet another Manchester United comeback, as the table-toppers beat Aston Villa 3-2. But a valiant Villa made them work for it, and for a while, it looked like the Villains would be heroes for the likes of Chelsea and Man City as they took a 2-0 lead against Fergie’s men. Although United made a brighter start, Villa’s youngsters were successful in thwarting any opportunities the visitors created, and impressed spectators by their courage in playing the ball out from the back instead of clearing it up field. For a while, United were stumped. The hosts finally got their reward just before half time though, as Andreas Weimann smashed the ball in from the edge of the area, after Christian Benteke pulled the ball back to him, and Paul Lambert’s critics were instantly silenced. Despite the break for half time, Villa came out in the second half as they finished the first, and within four minutes had doubled their lead. Gabby Agbonlahor raced down the pitch, and whipped in a low cross, which Weimann duly tapped past David De Gea from six yards for his second of the afternoon. Sir Alex Ferguson responded by sending on Paul Scholes and Javier Hernandez, completely changing the game for United. The United veteran’s ball through the middle sent Hernandez clear of the Villa defence, and despite catching the ball underneath his feet, the Mexican managed to poke the ball past Brad Guzan to bring the league leaders back into the match. And within minutes, their momentum produced an equaliser. Rafael’s cross was volleyed by Hernandez, and it took a cruel deflection off the impressive Ron Vlaar and into the net to pull the visitors level. Villa weren’t dis-heartened though, as Weimann almost claimed his hat-trick within a minute, sending a glancing header across the goal, but there were no Villa players to give it the final touch to restore the lead. However, from there on, United dominated the game. Robin van Persie, who had been quiet for most of the game, had two glorious opportunities, but hit the crossbar twice within a minute. The first was a powerful header from a Wayne Rooney corner, the second a crashing shot from the edge of the box. The Dutchman did finally have an influence, as he guided a lovely free-kick into the path of Hernandez, whose diving header was too much for Guzan to reach, and United’s eighth comeback of the season was complete. Bad news may come for England ahead of next week’s friendly with Sweden, as Rooney went limping off, which won’t be welcome after Theo Walcott also had to go off injured in Arsenal’s match against Fulham. Aston Villa: Guzan 6, Vlaar 7, Clark 6, Stevens 6, Lowton 6, Ireland 7, Westwood 6, Bannan 6, Agbonlahor 6, Benteke 6, Weimann 8. Subs: El Ahmadi (Ireland ’79) 5, Holman (Weimann ’80) 5, Delph (Bannan ’87) 5. Not Used: Given, Williams, Albrighton, Bowery. Man United: De Gea 7, Rafael 7, Evra 7, Ferdinand 6, Smalling 6, Valencia 6, Carrick 6, Young 5, Scholes 7, Rooney 6, van Persie 6. Subs: Hernandez (Young ’46) 8, Cleverley (Scholes ’71) 7, Anderson (Rooney ’79) 6. Not Used: Lindegaard, Buttner, Fletcher, Welbeck. Quays News Man of the Match: Andreas Weimann - The 21-year-old Austrian was too much for United, and deserved a hat-trick; he was unlucky to only score two. He got into all the right positions for Villa, and gave them plenty of options going forward, as well as pestering Ferdinand and Smalling at the back. Definitely another of Lambert’s young players to watch in the future. By Will Moorcroft

Super sub Edin rescues three points for City

EDIN Dzeko saved the day again as Manchester City fought back to overcome Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium. Roberto Mancini will be more than satisfied with his side’s performance on Sunday afternoon as they came back from a goal down to maintain their unbeaten record in the Premier League. Steven Caulker gave the visitors the lead, scoring against the run of play. But midway through the second half Sergio Aguero equalised, as City made use of their dominating presence in the game. Then Mancini spiced things up a bit, bringing on ‘Super Sub’ Dzeko, who volleyed in the winner, two minutes from time to give the Champions a deserved three points . City started the brightest in the first half, controlling the game right from the off. Aleksandar Kolarov was the first to have a shot on goal with his 35 yard free kick being spilt by Brad Friedel who did well to prevent a corner. But Caulker posed a bigger threat for the home side early on with his first header landing on top of the net. His second header gave Andre Villa-Boas’s side the advantage as the visitors went 0-1 up. Aguero tracked back well to cover but did concede a free kick for a foul on Aaron Lennon. The set piece taken by Tom Huddlestone was delivered well into the box, as Caulker met the ball with a clean header to put the ball past Joe hart. Yet another set piece conceded and another clean sheet lost as Mancini’s defensive worries continue. Huddlestone nearly made it two shortly after, but his long range shot went narrowly wide of the target. Nevertheless City continued to dominate the game and certainly seemed the more likely to score. Pushing forward into the box, the Blues should have had a penalty, after William Gallas handled the ball in an attempt to block Aguero’s shot but Michael Oliver waved away the appeal. Kolarov and Aguero both tried to equalise but their efforts went wide of Friedel’s goal. Zabaleta had a late attempt to bring the score level just before half time with a superb shot. The 27 year old collected a David Silva pass in the congested penalty area, but the defender hit the ball straight at the American keeper, as the whistle blew for half time. The home crowd booed off the match officials as they went into the tunnel, such decisions as the Gallas hand ball claim were enough to trigger the fans anger as they felt hard done by for the second time in a week, relating the midweek game against Ajax. As the second half got under way City came out all guns blazing as they still looked the sharpest after the half time break. Captain Vincent Kompany nearly drew level ten minutes in, having not netted a goal since the crucial winner against Manchester United in April. Mancini looked anxious on the touchline despite playing the better football. But the Italian manager was able to relax after Aguero brought balance to the score line and get his third of the season. The 24 year old striker collected another great ball from Silva, who returned to the side having been out for several weeks with a hamstring injury, as the Argentinian cut inside Caulker to slot past the veteran goalkeeper and make it 1-1. Gareth Bale responded well for the London team as he twice came close to putting his side back in front. The first attempt went high but the Welshmen’s second forced a great save out of City’s number one, who parried the ball away to clear the danger. With AVB’s players beginning to get a foothold into the match, Mancini decided it was tactics time. Enter Edin Dzeko. A 73rd minute substitution for Carlos Tevez saw the clubs joint top scorer enter the game in attempt to put more pressure on a tired Tottenham defence. His presence was felt as he played a role in Aguero’s chance that went straight at Friedel who stood strong. The Bosnian international made even more of an impact on the game 15 minutes later as he volleyed home the goal that put City in front after another super sub appearance. A lovely one two with Silva, as the Spaniard chipped the ball over the Spurs defence to return the pass to the number ten striker who smashed the ball past Friedel gave the Champions a 2-1 lead. Five minutes extra time wasn’t enough to bring the away side back into the game as City took all three points to put them second in the table two points behind their Manchester rivals. Mancini will be happy to have seen his side play with more flamboyancy as they improved dramatically from their previous bore draw with West Ham United. A dominant display from the home side was enough to see off the visitors who, despite taking an early lead, weren’t on top form. Manchester City face Aston Villa next at the Etihad, this will be another tough test for the blues, as Lambert’s side showed yesterday what they could do against the top sides. A 2-4 defeat in September knocked City out of the Capital One cup, so redemption is on the horizon for the champions. Quays News Man of the Match: David Silva On the Spaniards return from injury, the playmaker certainly brought the spring back into the recent lacklustre Manchester City side. Going forward is the 26 year olds speciality and it was definitely on show in this match as he was at foundations of majority attacks. After a few weeks out it has to be said ‘What a comeback’. That statement applies to his team as well, but Silva made the bigger return with a sublime performance. Match Ratings: MAN CITY: Hart 5, Zabaleta 7, Kompany 7, Nastasic 6 (Maicon 56’ 5). Clichy 8, Y Toure 7, Barry 6, Silva 8, Tevez 6 (Dzeko 73’ 7), Kolarov 6, Aguero 7 (Garcia 90’ 5) Subs not used: Pantilimon, Sinclair, K Toure, Razak Booked: Zabaleta. TOTTENHAM: Friedel 6, Walker 6 (Dawson 78’ 5), Gallas 6, Caulker 7, Vertonghen 5, Lennon 5 (Naughton 87’ 5), Sandro 5, Huddlestone 6, Bale 6, Dempsey 5, Adebayor 6 (Defoe 80’ 5). Subs not used: Lloris, Sigurdsson, Livermore, Carroll Booked: Walker, Adebayor.By Liam McCalion

Sweden vs England preview

ROY HODGSON'S men travel to Stockholm on Wednesday evening, as they take part in a friendly unveiling of Sweden’s new football stadium, the Friends Arena. The 50,000 capacity venue, is the second biggest indoor stadium in Europe and is named in relation to an anti-bullying organisation supported by Swedbank. The inauguration game will see England come up against the team they beat 2-3 in this summer’s Euro 2012 tournament. Hodgson won’t take the fixture as serious this time around, but the England manager will want to continue his unbeaten record in normal time, with the exception of defeat to Italy on penalties. Towards the latter stages of Euro 2012, we witnessed an up and coming youthful side under the leadership of Erik Hamren. The likes of Alexander Kacaniklic and Martin Olsson are just some of the players who have impressed in the new look side who recently recovered from a 4-0 deficit against Germany to draw level at 4-4. England have beaten Sweden in their last two encounters, but prior to those matches the Scandinavian side hadn’t been outdone in the previous 13 meetings, which dates back to 1968. Team News: Sweden: Head coach Erik Hamren isn’t expected to make too many changes for this friendly, as his squad is very similar to the one that faced Germany and Faroe Islands in the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers. Alexander Kacaniklic may be in line to earn his fourth cap after the youngster recently impressed playing for Fulham. Mathias Ranegie hopes to keep his place in the squad after returning to the fold in the last round of qualifiers. PSG’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic looks to become Sweden’s joint third all-time scorer, if the striker can score two more goals to match Henrik Larsson’s tally of 39 goals. England: Multiple withdrawals following domestic duty, has prompted Hodgson to call upon seven possible debutants. Highly regarded Wilfred Zaha is the most noticeable call up, as if the 20-year-old features in the game, he will be the first player to be called upon from the Championship to play for England, since Jay Boothroyd in November 2010. Leon Osman could very well make his England debut at 31 years old after a surprise call up, with Carl Jenkinson and Raheem Sterling also called up the first team squad. Steven Gerrard has managed to recover from a minor injury sustained at the weekend, and he is line to get his 100th cap for England. This would add the midfielder to a list that includes; Peter Shilton, David Beckham, Bobby Moore, Booby Charlton and Billy Wright, who have also achieved the international accolade. Quays News Match Prediction – Sweden 0-1 England England will certainly be put through their paces against Erik Hamren’s side. England failed to convince in their last game in Poland, despite earning a draw. Recent results show that Sweden are no pushovers, so this game could very well go down to the wire with England snatching a late win. Probable Line ups: Sweden: Isaksson, Lustig, Granqvist, J Olsson, Safari, Larsson, Elm, Kallstrom, Kacaniklic, Ibrahimovic, Berg England: Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Shawcross, Baines, Osman, Gerrard, Huddlestone, Cleverley, Wilshere, Welbeck Liam McCallion

Zlatan's night as Sweden fight back to defeat England

ENGLAND suffered their first loss under Roy Hodgson as a late Sweden flurry gave them a 4-2 victory in Stockholm. But it will be a night to remember for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who proved to be more than a match for England’s defence as the giant Swede scored all four goals, three in spectacular fashion. It was a slow start to the game, and both sides struggled to keep possession in the new national stadium. But it was England who had the first chance as debutant Leon Osman fired a shot at Andreas Isaksson. Another player earning his first cap was 17-year-old Raheem Sterling, who produced a dangerous cross minutes later, but Ashley Young made no attempt to divert it goalwards, and watched it fly past him. Gary Cahill then just missed out on a glorious opportunity, after centurion Steven Gerrard’s perfectly placed free-kick needed just a touch, but the Chelsea centre-back was marginally too late, and Sweden breathed a sigh of relief. Minutes later though, they were celebrating as captain Ibrahimovic put them ahead after a quick counter-attack. Jonas Olsson whipped in a cross, and the PSG frontman had simply to prod the ball into the net from six yards, after getting himself in front of new-boy Steven Caulker. Tom Cleverley’s touch wasn’t strong enough to put Glen Johnson’s cross in on 25 minutes, but ten minutes later, the visitors were level. Sterling pinged a fantastic ball to Young on the far side of the pitch, and the United winger’s cross across the face of goal was converted by United team-mate Danny Welbeck. The momentum then carried on, and England took the lead when Caulker scored his first international goal, a simple poke at the back post, after another exquisite delivery from Gerrard. Sweden produced one more attempt in the half, but Caulker was on hand to block Ibrahimovic’s poke, and send the ball over the goal. England started the second half much more brightly than they did the first, and looked to have control of the match, whilst creating several opportunities. Osman was ever-present in and around the penalty area, and created himself a couple of chances with some nifty footwork, but the Swedish defence held strong. Ranegie had a great chance to bring the hosts level when Joe Hart spilled the ball after a collision with Ibrahimovic, but he managed to fire the ball over an empty net. Ibrahimovic had a chance of his own as Seb Larsson lobbed a beautiful ball into the frontman’s path, but instead of taking a touch, he hit it first time, wide of the goal. As Hodgson started to bring on his changes, England lost their authority, and Sweden were beginning to come back into the game, just as they did in Germany last month (where they came from 4-0 down to earn a 4-4 draw). They got their reward in the 77th minute as Ibrahimovic volleyed in Sweden’s equaliser, before smashing his team into the lead with a low free kick into the far-bottom corner from 35 yards, to complete his hat-trick, and give them a 3-2 lead, with less than 10 minutes remaining. However he was not finished, and in the 90th minute, he capitalised on an open goal to score arguably one of the greatest goals ever! Joe Hart came out to head the ball to safety, but badly miscued it, and Ibrahimovic perfectly executed an overhead kick into the net from 30 yards, to make the inaugural match at the new national stadium truly unforgettable. Sweden: Isaksson 7, Lustig 6, J. Olsson 7, Granqvist 6, M. Olsson 7, Elm 7, Larsson 8, Kallstrom 7, Kacaniklic 7, Ibrahimovic 9, Ranegie 6. Subs: Safari (M. Olsson ’46) 6, Svensson (Kallstrom ’61) 7, Antonsson (Granqvist ’73) 6, Sana (Lustig ’73) 6, Jansson (Larsson ’85) 6, Wernbloom (Ranegie ’89) 5. Not Used: Hansson, Holmen, Hamad, Berg. England: Hart 5, Johnson 7, Baines 7, Cahill 6, Caulker 7, Gerrard 8, Sterling 7, Osman 8, Cleverley 7, Young 5, Welbeck 6. Subs: Wilshere (Cleverley ’61) 7, Sturridge (Young ’61) 5, Jenkinson (Johnson ’74) 5, Shawcross (Caulker ’74) 5, Huddlestone (Gerrard ’74) 7, Zaha (Sterling ’85) 4. Not Used: Ruddy, Forster, Bertrand, Jagielka. Quays News Man of the Match - Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Four goals that highlight what a world class player he is, and he gave England’s new centre backs a harsh introduction to international football. At 31, his move to PSG is likely to be his last big move - unless someone comes in for him in January - but what we saw tonight is a reminder of what a fantastic player he is, and I would have given him 10 if not for the silly wasted chances he had. By Will Moorcroft

Police Commissioner: Low turnout at polling stations

POLLING stations have been quieter than expected during the first ever election for police commissioners in England and Wales. The turnout in Greater Manchester has been just 13.46% while some polling stations in other parts of the country have been left completely unused. This has led to the Electoral Reform Society branding the process a "comedy of errors" as many people have opted not to vote. Police commissioners will replace police authorities and have the power to "hire and fire" chief constables while setting spending plans. The elections are taking place in 41 police force areas with results expected on Friday afternoon. Elected PCC’s will assume office from 22 November. The government has created the commissioner role as an effort to make the police force more accountable, with a single "figurehead" monitoring and ensuring performance. Other powers include setting local policing targets, reporting annually on progress and drawing up their force's budget and community safety grants. Commissioners are likely to be paid between £65,000 and £100,000 per year, depending on the police force area. Ministers say this will cost no more than the existing police authorities. The candidates for greater Manchester are as follows: Matt Gallagher (Liberal Democrat); Tony Lloyd (Labour); Roy Warren (Independent); Michael Winstanley (Conservative); Steven Woolfe (UK Independence Party). You can vote at your local polling station. By Tom Deegan

People may not relate to police commissioner, says Hazel Blears

HAZEL Blears believes the wider Manchester public may not be able to relate to the new police and crime commissioner (PCC) - but stands by her decision to support the controversial move. Labour candidate Tony Lloyd gained 51% of the vote to become Greater Manchester’s first commissioner in what appears to be the lowest attended election in peace-time. MP for Salford, Blears suggested that the low turn-out was because of the large area that the commissioner is expected to cover and that creating more positions across the region would have encouraged more interest. Meanwhile, reports elsewhere suggest the general public were against the new positions and that people “voted with their feet.” Just 13.9 per cent of the Greater Manchester electorate voted for the new police commissioner, reflecting a national trend that was described by the Electoral Reform Society as “a comedy of errors from start to finish.” A Salford Council employee involved in the elections said: “It was a shambles. The counting of the votes and the verification was over in just half-an-hour. “It was obvious that people thought it was a waste of money and they didn’t vote because they were against it, which is why I didn’t vote.” But Blears said she felt “vindicated” for supporting the election, and that there should have been more PCC posts created, with a designated commissioner for each area across the region, including one for Salford. Speaking at a press conference at the University of Salford, she said: “When I was in the cabinet, I proposed that the police should be more accountable. I suggested we should have somebody elected with a particular police mandate. “The chief constable is basically left to run the show, very much without any counterweight, as to how we’re spending all this public money. “They’re spending millions of pounds, and in any system you should have some accountability. They have police authorities, but they’re unknown and didn’t have the real right to question the chief constable.” Now this responsibility has been passed on to former Central Manchester MP Tony Lloyd, who announced on his website: “It is an enormous honour and privilege to serve as Greater Manchester’s first ever Police and Crime Commissioner. “I shall strive to be that independent voice fighting nationally and locally for what is right for Greater Manchester people without reference to background, politics, age, lifestyle, ethnicity or religion. “I am committed to serve everyone equally without fear or favour. I shall work tirelessly with the police and with all our communities to build the partnerships that make us all safer.” England will have 37 elected PCC’s with four more in Wales, resulting in a nationwide shake-up of policing. Police commissioners will replace police authorities and have the power to hire and fire chief constables while setting spending plans. Other powers include setting local policing targets, reporting annually on progress and drawing up their force's budget and community safety grants. Whilst the government have insisted that the new roles will allow for bespoke policing methods that are tailored to the requirement of the communities, some remain sceptical that this is an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy that will lead to inconsistencies in the level of service received across the country. Greater Manchester Police is the second largest force in England and Wales, second only to London Metropolitan. GMP covers 2.5million people over a 500 square mile area. As well as cutting crime and tackling cuts, the new commissioner role is aimed at involving communities in decisions over how they are policed, giving local people the opportunity to have their say on how crime is tackled in their area. The police force is required to make £138million in cuts this year but new commissioner Lloyd has pledged “to stand up for communities against the Tories’ 20 per cent cuts to policing and the loss of nearly 3,000 police and civilian posts in Greater Manchester.” * Visit the Quays News Facebook page to see Hazel Blears' press conference at the University of Salford.By Cassandra Ward

Preview: Manchester City v Aston Villa

ROBERTO Mancini will hope to settle a score with Aston Villa as the Blues look to cancel out their previous 2-4 defeat to Paul Lambert’s side in the Capital One Cup. City twice lead in the third round tie back in September, but Villa fought back to level at 2-2 and take the game into extra time. Goals from Gabriel Agbonlahor and Charles N’Zogbia helped give Villa passage to the next round as City crashed out of the competition at the first opportunity. Since that cup exit, City have managed to remain unbeaten in the Premier League, which has put them second in the table and two points behind rivals Manchester United. Recently adopting the nickname ‘comeback kings’ from critics, they have now scored eight times in the last 15 minutes, gaining an extra 11 points. City will give thanks to Edin Dzeko, who is now regarded as the player who can keep his team out of the brown stuff. The Bosnian striker came on against Spurs with 20 minutes left when the score was 1-1. As the full time whistle approached, the 26-year-old showed what he is best at. A sublime volley from the big number 10 saw the ball crash into the back of Brad Friedel’s net, preserving City’s unbeaten record with another three points. City played with conviction last weekend, but inconsistent form could lead to another poor game from the Citizens, like the 0-0 draw against West Ham United. On the plus side, however, the return of David Silva should brighten spirits around the Etihad, as he was a key man in their victory over AVB’s side. Villa on the other hand have slumped to the wrong end of the league, sitting in 17th position and three points above the relegation zone. Lambert’s young lions - who last weekend had seven players out of the starting 11 under the age of 23 - lack Premier League experience. But that wasn’t too big a problem against Man United as their performance certainly gave the manager huge confidence going into this next fixture. A 2-3 defeat at the hands of Javier Hernandez was enough to see off the spirited Villa side, who showed plenty of positives despite defeat. Villa were 2-0 up just after half time having dominated the first half. An exceptional brace by Andreas Weimann seemed to be enough to claim a shock result, but Fergie brought on Chicharito after the break and this substitution truly changed the game. Scoring a hatrick with the help of a Ron Vlaar deflection, the Mexican was awarded the match-ball for his winning efforts. United claimed the three points much to the disappointment of Villa who at least deserved a point. The game did show promise for Villa’s future however as attacking players such as Weimann, Christian Benteke and Gabby Agbonlahor should hopefully rescue The Midlanders from any real threat of relegation this season, not to mention Darren Bent, who despite not playing at present, can score 20 plus goals a season. Weimann this week claimed Villa “can beat City”. This would normally be laughed off by many when you look at their league position, but last week’s display justifies the statement, adding to the feeling this will certainly be an interesting game to watch. TEAM NEWS Manchester City: Former Holte End favourite James Milner looks set to return against his old club on Saturday afternoon after recovering from a hamstring injury. Another City player with Villa connections is boyhood fan Joleon Lescott, who has shaken off a back injury to be considered for the game. Gael Clichy (back) could be in contention to play after skipping the midweek internationals to rest, while fellow countryman Samir Nasri has recovered from illness and is likely to feature. Mario Balotelli is pushing for a recall after being left out of last weekend’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur. Aston Villa: Paul Lambert will be boosted by the fact he can select defenders Eric Lichaj (suspension over) and Nathan Baker (ankle), after having a recent defender crisis. £24 million striker Darren Bent (ankle) is unlikely to play against the Champions, who has recently been frozen out by the former Norwich City manager. Midfielders Chris Herd and Charles N’Zogbia remain on the sidelines along with young left back Joe Bennett who are all out with knee injuries. Long term absence, Stiliyan Petrov continues his battle against Leukaemia after going into remission back in August; a regular 19th minute applause will take place by the travelling supporters to support their clubs captain. Stephen Ireland is likely to start against his former club, whilst Shay Given is unlikely to have a similar opportunity as Brad Guzan control’s the number one spot in goal. Quays News prediction: Manchester City 1-2 Aston Villa Yes you read correct. Although City have taken 86 points from the last 90 available at home, Villa have already shown they can achieve the impossible at the Etihad. That League Cup win and their encouraging display against Manchester United should have Lambert’s youngsters brimming with confidence going into the game. That’s why I predict this may well be a great game for the Villains. City are inevitably going to score as they are at home, but their defence is all over the place at the moment which is why the likes of Benteke and Weimann could cause problems. Provisional Squads: Manchester City: Hart, Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Maicon, Kompany, Lescott, Nastasic, K Toure, Kolarov, Clichy, Nasri, Milner, Y Toure, Barry, Garcia, Silva, Sinclair, Aguero, Tevez, Dzeko, Balotelli, Razak. Aston Villa: Guzan, Given, Lowton, Clark, Vlaar, Lichaj, Baker, Stevens, Herd, Ireland, El Ahmadi, Westwood, Bannan, Delph, Holman, Agbonlahor, Benteke, Bowery, Weimann, Burke, Johnson, Williams. By Liam McCallion

Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur Preview

ROBERTO Mancini, who has recently been surrounded by speculation regarding his future at Manchester City, will hope to maintain his side’s unbeaten record in the Premier League this weekend as the Champions face Tottenham Hotspur. Their last league game against West Ham United was far from spectacular as the Blues drew 0-0 with the Hammers, but they still remain invincible in the league, especially at home where they haven’t lost at the Etihad in their last 34 games. But despite sitting third in the league table, the Manchester side dont look to have woken up fully from their Title winning celebration period, as recent performances seem somewhat under par compared to last season. The Blues are on the verge of being knocked out of the Champions League despite fighting back from a 0-2 deficit to draw level against Ajax on Tuesday evening. They could’ve have won the game in the dying seconds had it not been for a poor refereeing performance which denied the blues a penalty and an legitimate goal which was ruled out for offside. Mancini will expect his side to pick up from their recent poor displays as he attempts to give the fans something more to cheer about, other than goals against the run of play as City have recently become the ‘Comeback Kings’. Tottenham travel to the blue side of Manchester this weekend, looking to end their winless run against Sunday’s opponents, having lost the last three. Andre Villas-Boas, will be disappointed at his sides performance against Wigan last week, which is the first time in 10 league games that Spurs had failed to score this season. Only two seasons ago, Spurs famously beat Man City 0-1 at the Etihad which clinched them a place in the Champions League. But since then City have gone onto with their first league title in 44 years, an FA cup and a community shield. How time changes so quickly in football. Having said that Spurs under Harry Redknapp were once considered title contenders, but now under the leadership of AVB, the top four hopefuls look to have restarted their push for a Champions League place. Inconsistent form has seen them lose to teams like Wigan and Newcastle United respectively, but that form has also seen big victories such as the 2-3 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford. It’s just a question of which team appears at the Etihad this weekend. Since the departure of Luka Modric in the summer, Tottenham have severely missed the Croatian at the centre of the midfielder, and while Scott Parker remains on the sidelines having not kicked a ball this season, no one seems to have taken a dominating presence in the middle, which was once Tottenham’s strongest aspect. One player who is full of excellent displays recently, is Jermaine Defoe who has scored eight goals this term, including a hatrick in midweek, so this could be pivot in this big clash. If Spurs break City’s impressive home record it will be their 300th Premier league victory. Team News: Manchester City: David Silva may return to the match day squad having been out for over a month with a hamstring injury. James Milner and Jack Rodwell are also due to miss out with similar injuries to their Spanish teammate. Defenders Joleon Lescott and Maicon may be recalled after taking no part in the 2-2 draw against Ajax in midweek. Micah Richards is still however ruled out with a knee injury which is likely to keep him out until early December. Tottenham Hotspur: The London side are still without a key number of players. A quartet which includes Scott Parker (Achilles), Mousa Dembele, Younes Kaboul and Benoit Assou-Ekotto (All Knee) leave Villas Boas a squad short of its full potential. Jake Livermore may feature despite picking up a knock against Maribor in the Europa League. Emmanuel Adebayor will be pushing to start the game having come on as a substitute in Spurs’ 0-1 defeat against Wigan Athletic, but it will be hard to displace strike partner Defoe who is in top form. Quays News Match Prediction: Manchester City 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur It will be a big test for both sides on Sunday, as neither are able to win convincingly at present. City have been sluggish of late, probably more sluggish than the away side, but with the fixture being played at the Etihad, it maybe a foregone conclusion regarding the result of this match. Both sides have a similar calibre of players, so the victors with only be by a small margin, which is why I have only predicted a 1-0 win for the home side. Provisional Squads Manchester City: Hart, Pantilimon, Wright, Zabaleta, Maicon, Kompany, Lescott, Nastasic, K Toure, Clichy, Kolarov, Nasri, Y Toure, Barry, Garcia, Sinclair, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko, Balotelli, Tevez. Tottenham Hotspur: Friedel, Lloris, Naughton, Walker, Caulker, Gallas, Dawson, Vertonghen, Livermore, Parrett, Huddlestone, Carroll, Sandro, Sigurdsson, Lennon, Townsend, Bale, Falque, Dempsey, Defoe, Adebayor. By Liam McCalion

Sale hold on to halt Saracens’ unbeaten run

SALE Sharks shook off their underdogs tag to edge a tightly contested LV Cup battle against Saracens and register a third home victory of the season in the competition. With tries, conversions and penalty kicks spread across both teams, little separated the side’s as they kept fans on the edge of their seats throughout the 80 minutes. Despite an early try from Mark Cueto, Sale had a mixed start as their defence was weak on several occasions, giving away two easy tries in the first half. By the second half, the home team had gathered themselves and improved in many of the areas they were found wanting in the first to get back into contention. Saracens’ Ben Spencer will be left thinking ‘what if’ after his missed penalty at the end of the game could have handed the visitors the lead and perhaps victory. Going into the match the home team new nothing less than a win would do. Sale obliged with their A game to put an end to Saracens seven match winning streak. Sale made a promising start as Cueto touched down the first try of the match after just two minutes. Following a scrum, the home side niftily got the ball to the opposite side of the pitch for Cueto to speedily run through the Saracens defence to provide an early lead. The away side were quick to respond though, as Nils Mordt successfully scored his first of many penalty kicks. Sharks allowed the opposition to score a couple of soft tries in the first half as Nick Auterac and Ben Ransom made clear runs towards their touchline. As Kameli Ratuvou positioned himself to get on the end of Auterac’s sprint, he placed Saracens first touch down of the match followed by a Mordt conversion with eight minutes of play gone. Halfway through the first half, Sale won a penalty try after a driving maul got the ball into their scoring zone. Jordan Davies went on to capture maximum points as he scored the penalty kick. Mardt’s third successive penalty kick gave the away side the lead for the first time in the match as the ball glided through the posts, with just four minutes of the half left. Saracens continued to pile the pressure on as Sale’s defence cracked again, giving Ransom another easy run to touchdown. Joel Tomkins capitalised on his teammates’ efforts with the away team’s third touch down in the 40th minute of the first half. After numerous changes from either side shortly after half time, Sale put a stop to the relatively pedestrian start to the half, as Fraser McKenzie slid over the line following a break from the maul just outside of the 22 metre line. Jordan Davies followed through to convert the home side’s try, leaving them just one point adrift. Not resting on their laurels, Sharks regained the lead as Danny Cipriani - Sale’s highest point scorer in their last game against London Irish - planted his first penalty of the night just minutes before being substituted. The away team soon retaliated, and a penalty kick sent them back into pole position with just one point separating the teams in a tightly contested match. With both team’s applying pressure, and a significantly more solid defence line from Sale now, there was little to separate the two. Then a penalty kick from Rob Miller secured a two point advantage for Sharks. Just 60 seconds later Saracens were awarded a penalty, and it looked as though they might steal the lead once more. But as Spencer fell just short of the posts, the home crowd cheered in relief as Sale held onto their lead with just seven minutes to go, a lead that ultimately won the game. Sale will be hoping their LV= Cup form can translate to the AVIVA Premiership next week for the tricky trip to Gloucester Rugby. The bottom placed Sharks have managed just one win in the league this season but will take heart from victory over Saracens who are second in the Premiership. Sale Sharks: Shepherd, Amesbury, Uys, Davies (Addison 54’), Cueto, Cipriani (Miller 59’), Peel (Cliff 40’), Lewis-Roberts (Taylor 48’), Ward (Harrison 48’), Buckley (Cobilas 48’), McKenzie, Myall, Gaskell, Seymour, Vernon Subs: Harrison, Holmes, Doyle, Cliff Saracens: Ransom, Taylor, Tomkins, Ratuvou (Strettle 61’), Short, Mordt (Stanley 43’), Spencer, Auterac (Reeves 43’), George, Romano (Nieto 47’), Sheriff, Botha, Fenton-Wells (Wray 50’), Saull, Ross Subs: Spurling, Hankin, Price Attendance: 5,243 Referee: Llyr Ap Geraint Roberts By Bryony Pearce Twitter: @Bryonypearce18

Preview: Norwich City vs Manchester United

AFTER last week’s challenge at Aston Villa, Manchester United travel to Norwich City, where they will hope to extend their lead at the top. The Red Devils find themselves two points ahead of neighbours City, with a quarter of the season gone, despite developing a habit of going behind this year. Nevertheless, Fergie’s men have shown their intent to win the title off City by coming back to win eight games from losing positions this season. Norwich fans were disappointed to see Paul Lambert leave them in the summer, and Chris Hughton’s arrival was frowned upon by some as the Canaries endured a tough start to the season, conceding 17 goals in seven games, but the former Newcastle boss has turned their season around, and they have conceded just one goal in their last four league outings. Their issue now is scoring goals, as they are the league’s second-lowest scoring side with just eight goals in 11 games, but Hughton will know that solidity is just the first step in Premier League survival, and their home form will be crucial. In contrast, United have been scoring freely with 29 goals in the league, with thanks to summer signing Robin van Persie, who has linked well with Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck up front. In eight previous top flight meetings, United have won six, while Norwich have won just the once, a 2-0 victory in April 2005, so unfortunately for them the statistics are against them. However United were pushed in both of last season’s meetings. At Old Trafford, Norwich’s fearless approach saw them create plenty of chances, but they weren’t clinical enough, and United won the match 2-0. When they met at Carrow Road in February though, it took a stoppage time winner from Ryan Giggs to ensure United took all three points, and Norwich were unlucky to lose. Team News Major news for United is that Wayne Rooney (ankle) and Jonny Evans (groin) are doubtful for the game. Rooney went over on his ankle against Villa last weekend, and missed England’s friendly against Sweden on Wednesday. Jonny Evans started for Northern Ireland against Azerbaijan, but was forced off by his groin injury. Phil Jones trained all week, but won’t play a part, while Nemanja Vidic, Shinji Kagawa and Nani all remain sidelined. Fergie said in a press conference that ‘super-sub’ Javier Hernandez could start, having scored seven in his last five appearances. For Norwich, midfielder Alex Tettey should be available after pulling out of Norway’s squad for a friendly against Hungary. Russell Martin is still unavailable, but otherwise, Norwich have no injury concerns. Provisional Squad (Norwich): Ruddy, Rudd, Bunn, Whittaker, Bassong, Turner, Garrido, Barnett, Tierney, Bennett, Johnson, Howson, Surman, Pilkington, Fox, Bennett, Lappin, Tettey, Snodgrass, Holt, Jackson, Morison, Murphy, Kane. Provisional Squad (United): De Gea, Lindegaard, Rafael, Evra, Ferdinand, Smalling, Buttner, Wootton, Vermijl, Valencia, Anderson, Giggs, Carrick, Young, Scholes, Cleverley, Fletcher, Powell, Hernandez, Welbeck, van Persie. Quays News Prediction: Norwich 0-2 United - As strong as Norwich’s defence has been, they are facing United at the wrong time. Fergie will be demanding a more convincing performance than he saw at Villa Park, and despite most of the squad being away mid-week, I think we’ll see retaliation from United. The other issue is Norwich’s difficulty in scoring, and United aren’t the team they will solve that issue against. By Will Moorcroft

High flying United grounded by Canaries

MANCHESTER UNITED surrendered their place at the top of the Premier League after a 1-0 defeat to Norwich at Carrow Road. With City beating Aston Villa 5-0, United had to win to reclaim top spot, but an excellent Norwich shut them out, showing the form that has seen the Canaries keep three clean sheets in their last four games. The first half offered little entertainment from either side; Norwich had their fair share of possession, but rarely threatened the United goal, while the visitors just lacked creativity in a more defensive formation. United had the better opportunities with several corners, but the Norwich team stood strong, clearing any United balls that came in, and when they did manage to get on the end of any crosses, they just couldn’t hit the target. At the back though, Norwich struggled to get through the United defence, and an Alexander Tettey shot from 30 yards was the best they could muster in a first 45 minutes to forget. However, the second half will be remembered by Canaries fans for some time to come as they came out the more confident team and exploited United’s under-par performance. The visitors made a brighter start to the second half, and created a couple of chances in the opening minutes, but Norwich started to venture forward, and put United’s backline under pressure with some dangerous crosses. The Canaries then got their reward on the hour mark. A Norwich break allowed Javier Garrido to get ahead of Rafael and he was allowed space to cross the ball into former United youngster Anthony Pilkington, whose glancing header flew into the top corner, out of the reach of Anders Lindegaard. Fergie had said beforehand that he couldn’t remember Pilkington as a youngster. He will know who he is now. Unlike Villa last week, Norwich’s formation remained high, which stifled any opportunities the United midfield managed, and the visitors also seemed to lack any desire to win the game as Norwich went on to create more chances. Feeling the need for change, Ferguson brought on Danny Welbeck and Paul Scholes - the latter turning 38 yesterday - and finally United looked to have a bit more purpose as the veteran midfielder started to trouble Norwich with his trademark long passes. Luckily for the hosts, John Ruddy was on hand to stop anything getting past him. A contrasting finish to the game almost saw Norwich hearts broken as Sebastien Bassong nearly diverted a United cross into his own net, but Ruddy produced a marvelous fingertip save to clear. Then substitute Jonny Howson had a chance to double the lead as a swift break allowed him a shot on goal, but he fired straight at Lindegaard, although it mattered little in the end as Norwich deservedly earned only their second win over United in 15 league meetings. Norwich: Ruddy 10, Whittaker 8, Bassong 8, Garrido 8, Turner 8, Johnson 7, Pilkington 8, Hoolahan 6, Tettey 7, Snodgrass 6, Holt 7.Subs: Howson (Hoolahan ’83) 6, Morison (Holt ’83) 6, E. Bennett (Snodgrass ’90) 6. Not Used: Bunn, Tierney, R, Bennett, Jackson. Man United: Lindegaard 7, Rafael 6, Evra 6, Ferdinand 7, Smalling 7, Valencia 6, Giggs 6, Carrick 6, Young 6, Hernandez 6, van Persie 7. Subs: Scholes (Valencia ’69) 7, Welbeck (Hernandez ’69) 6, Anderson (Ferdinand ’83) 5. Not Used: Johnstone, Jones, Cleverley, Fletcher. Quays News Man of the Match: John Ruddy - It takes a lot for a player to get a 10 out of 10, but Ruddy deserves it because he kept out everything United could throw at him. His reflexes dealt with any danger brilliantly. He did well under pressure in the dying minutes, and wasn’t afraid to come and claim the ball from dangerous United crosses.England boss Roy Hodgson was at Carrow Road. Maybe he’ll have a headache choosing his next goalkeeper. By Will Moorcroft

Manchester City take pole position after demolishing Aston Villa

RECENT City performances have been somewhat dull of late, but that wasn’t the case on Saturday afternoon as Mancini’s side put five past a demoralised Villa. David Silva opened the scoring just before half time, before a brace from both Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero put City top of the league. A penalty awarded just after the break for handball, killed off Villa’s spirits who were still in the game before the incident. Video footage revealed that Austrian striker Andreas Weimann, hadn’t even made contact with ball, but Jonathan Moss pointed to the spot and it all went downhill from there for the visitors. City dominated proceedings right from the off being able to play mostly in their opponents half. Tevez nearly opened the scoring early on, but his shot hit the roof of the net from a six yard attempt. Villa responded through Christian Benteke, who has recently scored 12 goals in 22 games for club and country. The big forward caused all sorts of problems for City’s defence with his first shot from the edge of the area being blocked by Vincent Kompanny. He then pressured his international teammate into a defensive mistake; as the City captain was forced to head a swinging ball towards goal and it took a fine Joe Hart save to keep the game goalless. The 22-year old was again the forefront of Villa’s attack, as within a few moments he had Hart at full stretch. An Agbonlahor delivery, was met well by his strike partner who headed towards the far post, Hart had to dive across his line to get a fingertip to the ball and edge it around the post. But it was City who broke the deadlock just before the interval, as David Silva put the hosts 1-0 up. Samir Nasri delivered a corner ball into a congested penalty area, as the ball was knocked back and forth, Silva managed to get a shot away which beat Brad Guzan from five yards. After the break, City pressed forward yet again to try and capitalise on their first half lead. They didn’t have to wait longer for their second as they were shortly awarded a penalty for an alleged Weimann ‘handball’. The referees’ linesman delayed the call for several seconds before the flag went up leaving both Lambert’s men and the Blues stunned by the decision. It appeared to the official, that the 21-year-old had handled the ball to block a City cross, but the ball hadn’t even made contact with the youngster. Aguero stepped up to take the spot kick and made sure it went in, and despite Guzan going the right way, the lead was doubled with 35 minutes left to play. From there onwards, Villa looked disheartened and all their momentum was lost as City took full command of the game. Another harsh penalty was given to the home side shortly after as Barry Bannan was this time penalised for handball. The Scot was falling to the ground to prevent a cross and as his landing arm slid across the ground, the ball brushed the Villa players arm and the penalty was given. Tevez took the penalty this time around, converting the same way as his fellow countryman, with the keeper diving the wrong way. Within the space of two minutes City were 4-0 up and the game was surely over. A big kick up the field by Hart spurred the champions on as Aguero darted into the box and shot low at Guzan’s near post to put the ball past the American and get his second of the match. Villa tried to get back into the game with a hopeless effort as Benteke couldn’t get his curling effort to find the net. Villa were soon knocked well and truly out in the last 10 minutes as Tevez also grabbed his second of the match. Nasri squared a ball into away box, and the unmarked 28-year-old slotted home from the far post to make it five. It could have been six, if substitute Scott Sinclair did better with his shot from close range. Brett Holman had the last real attempt of the game, as the Australians long range effort went over by a few inches. City will be glad they settled the score with Villa, having been knocked out of the League Cup by Saturday’s opponents 2-4. A convincing second half performance was aided by two very soft penalties, one of which was a wrongly given. Lamberts youngsters were in the thick of it before the second goal, but the penalties well and truly sunk Villa who lost their heads in the last 45 minutes. Another clean sheet is surely to be welcomed by Mancini as they haven’t been a regular thing this season, and their unbeaten record has continued for another week. City also sit top of the league after results went there way, Manchester United and Chelsea both dropping points away from home. Quays News Man of the Match: Carlos Tevez The striker played exceptionally well, scoring two goals and piling pressure on the claret and blue back four. Who would have thought this player would have been such a big impact this season after what he did in the last campaign. Player Ratings: Man City: Hart 6, Maicon 7, Kompany 6, Nastasic 6, Clichy (Kolarov 73’ 5), Toure 6, Barry 6, Silva 7 (Sinclair 76’ 5), Tevez 9, Nasri 6, Aguero 8 (Dzeko 69’ 6) Subs not used: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Lescott, Javi Garcia Aston Villa: Guzan 5, Stevens 6, Vlaar 6, Clark 5, Lowton 5, Bannan 5, Westwood 5, Agbonlahor 6, Ireland 6 (Albrighton 62’ 6), Weimann 6 (Holman 62’ 5), Benteke 6 (Bowery 83’ 6) Subs not used: Given, El Ahmadi, Delph, Baker Booked: Bannan.By Liam McCallion

Galatasaray vs Manchester United Preview

MANCHESTER UNITED travel to Galatasaray knowing that they have already qualified from Group H, but for the hosts, victory is essential. The Turks sit second in the group, equal on points with Cluj, and one ahead of Braga, but with a trip to Braga after this, Galatasaray could do with all three points to prevent the Portuguese catching them up. With Cluj facing a trip to Old Trafford, it is unlikely they will pick up any points there, however should Galatasaray lose tonight, and Cluj beat Braga, they will need to beat Braga in a couple of weeks and hope to have a better goal difference. Braga themselves are still in it, and could easily pick up all six points needed to qualify, which shows just how tight the group is. Apart from United, who qualified in four games, and remain the only team with a 100% record this season. The Red Devils go into this game on the back of a surprise defeat to Norwich City in the Premier League, but having already qualified, Fergie may not be so keen to go all guns blazing, and could use the match to rotate the squad a bit as the busy December period looms. Galatasaray also suffered a shock defeat at the weekend, so the dressing room might not be as confident as it could have been, however with their fans behind them at home, that shouldn’t matter, and they will give United a real go. The teams have met five times previously; having drawn the first three of those, United have won the last two, so remain unbeaten against Galatasaray, but have yet to score a goal in Turkey. It is 19 years since the infamous ‘Welcome to hell’ encounter, where players were threatened by what the Turks accept as a ‘normal’ greeting, i.e. death threats, throwing stones, and plenty of shouting, however whether it happens or not, they should be ready for it this time. Team News As Fergie promised in last week’s press conference, Phil Jones will play a part in the game as he returns from injury, and could partner Chris Smalling in the middle. Wayne Rooney is likely to return after missing the Norwich match with the ankle injury that kept him out of the England squad. Nani is still a doubt though with a hamstring injury, and Nemanja Vidic and Shinji Kagawa reaming out with knee injuries, otherwise Fergie has a full squad. Galatasaray are in the same situation, with only one definite absentee, defender Tomas Ujfalusi. Sabri Sarioglu is a doubt, but wouldn’t be first choice right-back anyway as former Gunner Emmanuel Eboué keeps him out. Provisional Squad (Galatasaray): Musiera, Iscan, Ceylan, Cris, Zan, Gulselam, Nounkeu, Balta, Kaya, Eboué, Birinci, Sarioglu, Altintop, A. Yilmaz, Inan, Melo, Riera, Kurtulus, Baytar, Colak, Amrabat, Elmander, Baros, B. Yilmaz, Bulut, Yildirim. Travelling Squad (United): Johnstone,Lindegaard, Rafael,Buttner,Jones,Thorpe,Vermijl, Wootton,Carrick,Petrucci,Cole,Cleverley, Fletcher, Anderson, Powell,Young,Tunnicliffe,Chicharito, King,Welbeck & Macheda. Quays News Prediction: 1-1 - United are the group’s leading scorers on nine goals, and Galatasaray the lowest with just four, all courtesy of Burak Yilmaz, so it is easy to see where the Galatasaray threat lies. That said, I reckon the hosts will take the lead, but United will scrape a draw in what will inevitably be a hostile atmosphere. By Will Moorcroft

BBC Fast Train heading to MediaCityUK

THE BBC and University of Salford will open their doors for an all-day media training event at MediaCityUK this week. Freelancers will take part in training sessions and master classes throughout Tuesday’s Fast Train event that has around 200 seminars and workshops scheduled that include representatives from the BBC, ITV, the Radio Independents group, the Indie Training group and many more. Delegates will be able to pitch for around £5000 of development money and get the chance to meet in a careers corner for a one-to-one ‘speed date with a talent executive’. The free one-day training event will also feature writer Tony Marchant (Garrow’s Law, Great Expectations) and BAFTA-winner Danny Brocklehurst (Shameless, Exile) dissecting the art of screenwriting in one of 14 classes. ITV producer Kate Oates (Coronation Street, Emmerdale) will be delivering a master class on continuing storylines and characters, and there will be training on everything from HTML5 to intellectual property and second screen. Other topics covered in the sessions held between the media production sites at MediaCityUK will include: working with smart phones, production management, developing and monetising apps, self-shooting, editing, setting up a radio indie, an introduction to sports journalism, and a gaming workshop. Newsround’s Leah Gooding will be collaborating with University of Salford students to produce ‘Fast Train Live’: a magazine TV show that will be broadcast in conjunction with Quays TV from MediaCityUK. Delegates on the day will also get their chance to play a part, and participants can take on the studio and production roles involved in the preparation and broadcast of live television. The event is aimed at media professionals with a minimum of two years in their profession or three professional credits, and who are employed on short term or freelance contracts. Keep an eye on Quaysnews.net for Fast Train updates throughout Tuesday. * Follow the buzz on twitter at #FastTrain and find out more about the event here. By Brian Cruickshank

Preview: Manchester City v Real Madrid

MANCHESTER City face their own ‘El Clasico’ on Wednesday evening as they come against the infamous Real Madrid. The Citizens should be full of confidence after beating Aston Villa 5-0 at the weekend with an eye-catching performance that saw them take top spot in the Premier League. But sidestepping away from their unbeaten domestic form, City are currently on the verge of being knocked out of the Champions League. Sitting bottom of group D, the English champions need to win their last two matches of the group stage to stand a chance of qualifying for the knockout rounds of Europe’s elite competition. That is easier said than done for the hosts as the ‘Special One’ comes to the Etihad Stadium to try and crush any hopes Roberto Mancini has of progressing. Jose Mourinho, who has won the Champions League with Porto and Inter Milan, has been a great success at Los Blancos and will be looking to maintain his winning reputation on Wednesday night as he goes in search of his third European title as a manager. Real Madrid have had more success than any club in this competition winning nine titles. City, on the other hand, are yet to achieve their ultimate goal as they can’t seem to replicate their domestic form in Europe amongst a similar calibre of clubs. It will be a good viewing for the neutrals but a nail biting experience for the blue moon, as the match is likely to be very intense. Team News: Manchester City are without Gael Clichy for this penultimate game in group D after the Frenchman picked up an ankle injury. James Milner (hamstring) is expected to return to the squad after missing the match against his former club Aston Villa on Saturday. But Italian striker Mario Balotelli (back), who has recently been linked with a move away from Manchester, is a doubt to face the La Liga Champions. Micah Richards is still out after picking up a knee injury against Swansea City last month. Real will be hoping Karim Benzema can pick up from where left off against Athletic Bilbao, scoring one and assisting another to help Madrid win 5-1 at the weekend on his return from injury. Sami Khedira is likely to return after recovering from a hamstring problem, and is likely to pair up with regular midfield partner Xabi Alonso. Winger Denis Cheryshev has been called into the Madrid squad as a precaution, with midfielder Michael Essien (fitness) and forward Alvaro Morata sidelined. Cristiano Ronaldo will face his former rivals after spending six years at Manchester United. Expect some boos from the home crowd when he’s on the ball. Quays News Match Prediction: Manchester City 1-0 Real Madrid City know that they have to work their socks off if they are to win this game. Narrowly losing in extra time in the reverse fixture, City should have some belief as they know they could beat a huge club like the Galácticos. Madrid, however, have their own worries. With top spot of group D not yet guaranteed, Mourinho will expect his side not to give anything away. Provisional Squads: Manchester City: Hart, Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Maicon, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, Clichy, Nastasic, Milner, Nasri, Garcia, Barry, Silva, Y Toure, Evans, Sinclair, Dzeko, Aguero, Tevez, Balotelli. Real Madrid: Casillas, Adán, Ramos, Varane, Carvalho, Pepe, Coentrão, Fábio, Marcelo, Arbeloa, Albiol, Khedira, Alonso, ModriÄ‡, Cheryshev, Ronaldo, Özil, Kaká, Benzema, Higuaín di María

Tayo inspires Magic to third league win

THERE was a vibrant atmosphere at the Amaechi Basketball Centre for London United’s visit. In-house commentary and new cheerleaders added to the ambience already set by the entertaining DJ, and Paul Middleton had a full roster of players to choose from. The star though, was Tayo Oyefusi. After watching the first 13 minutes from the bench, Tayo was introduced and exploded into action to lead all scorers at half-time with 11 points and seven rebounds. The number 15 finished with 23 points on 10-for-12 shooting and collected 13 rebounds in just over 19 minutes of play. Connor Murtagh added 19 points and eight rebounds, as Manchester Magic fought off the competitive London outfit, to move to a 3-1 record in the league. The Magic had also beaten United by nine points in last month’s meeting in the Patrons Cup before narrowly missing out on a semi-final place to the Derbyshire Arrows. The Arrows’ 72-65 victory at PAWS London last Sunday saw them go level on points with the Magic but the Derbyshire side went through via head-to-head, following their 87-84 win against the Magic. Both the Magic and United went into the game searching for their third league win of the campaign.The visitors were attempting to end their winless away streak, whilst Magic remained undefeated at home in the league. The home side started well. Tom Devitt’s inbound pass found Murtagh open for an easy lay-up, which he followed up by knocking down a jump shot from the elbow. Korry Callum kept United within touch, making 8-of-9 free-throws, collecting four rebounds, and dishing out three assists, as Magic led 24-19 after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the London side settled and took control through the skilful Elvisi Dusha. The agile guard was instrumental as United took the lead. Magic looked out of sorts and their top scorer Josh Houghton failed to find his range. United coach Jack Majewski barked at his players throughout the game to stop Magic’s sharp shooter. Whilst Houghton was unable to find space, Tayo was having a field day at both ends of the court, with his rebounding and assured low post finishing. By the time United realised Tayo needed attention, it was too late. Tayo had already reached a zone. A jump shot, a three-point play, a put-back, two free-throws, and a crowd raising dunk gave him 11-straight points and his team a slender lead at the half. There was no doubting the importance of Devitt and Thomas Ward. Both players had missed crucial games for the Magic and Ward found nothing but net with both of his three-point shots, whilst Devitt proved pivotal with 13 dimes. “How don’t you see them?” Majewski bellowed in frustration to his players, as United slipped to a 66-56 deficit in the third quarter. The truth was both sides were playing to a high standard, but Tayo was tuned in at another level. In a sequence towards the close of the game, the number 15 grabbed a board, scored, and then raced back to deny a United lay-up. The Magic were putting on a show and Murtagh added to his collection of highlight reel dunks. Tayo collected the rebound and found Ward to instigate a fast break.Ward played a pin-point alley-oop pass for Murtagh and the Magic forward slammed home with two hands. Devitt picked up an injury scare late on and the Magic will be hoping the guard will be available for their next outing.Devitt’s injury aside, the Manchester side can be pleased after one of their best displays at home this season. A club promotion means home games have been free of charge for Magic fans recently and those who watched this game will need no persuading to return. Starting 5’s Manchester Magic: Conor Porter, Tom Devitt, Josh Houghton, Connor Murtagh, Loick Pouale London United: Andy Tamayo, Korry Callum, Elvisi Dusha, Alejandro Cue, Brandon Clarke Refs: Theodosios Stavropoulos, Fitzroy Wallace By Jackie-James Coyle at the Amaechi Basketball Centre

City crash out of Champions League - again!

MANCHESTER City’s hopes of Champions League success this season are well and truly over after a 1-1 draw against Real Madrid saw them slip out of Europe’s elite competition. A 10th minute opener by Karim Benzema put Madrid ahead after punishing Roberto Mancini’s three at the back formation which still shows glaring weakness. City were given a lifeline in the second half when Alvaro Arbeloa received a second yellow for a challenge on Sergio Aguero in the penalty area. The 24-year-old converted the spot kick, but with 20 minutes left City couldn’t break their opponents down and were subsequently knocked out of the Champions League group stages for a second consecutive year. A dominating first half performance by José Mourinho’s side was enough to keep City at bay. Real’s control paid off early as Benzema slotted the ball past Joe Hart from close range. Madrid could have made it two shortly afterwards through Sami Khedira who saw his first shot go inches wide before his second went a few yards over. Cristiano Ronaldo, who was constantly booed by the home crowd for his Manchester United ties, attempted a cheeky lob on the City keeper only for Matija Nastasic to clear off the line. As the half progressed, City slowly got back into the game with a shot from Aguero, but Iker Casillas did well to turn it over. Edin Dzeko was next to try and equalise but his shot was lifted into the crowd by a distance. City did well to cut out Madrid’s attack towards the end of the first 45 minutes to stay in touch going into the break. After the interval, City came out fighting. Aguero was the first to get threaten Casillas’ goal but the striker miscued his header. David Silva also tried a shot from inside the penalty area but his weak attempt didn’t trouble the Spanish keeper. City had a great chance to draw level with Aguero again leading the Blues’ attack. The former Atlético Madrid forward had his point blank attempt blocked by a magnificent Casillas save. Ronaldo replied for Los Blancos with a blistering long range shot which was parried by Hart who couldn’t keep the ball under control. With 20 minutes left, hope seemed lost until Arbeloa brought Aguero down in the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot as the Argentinian sent Casillas the wrong way and converted to make it 1-1. City threw the kitchen sink at Real to try and snatch a late winner. Carlos Tevez fired a shot from the edge of the box but Casillas saved low to his right to prevent City taking the lead. The away side defended strongly, putting all 10 players behind the ball to protect the point. Yaya Toure tried a hopeful attempt from outside the Madrid box, but the ball rocketed into the sky. With seconds to spare Tevez nearly made the headlines, but the 28-year-old couldn’t make contact with a looping ball created by Silva. With only three points in total from Group D, City had to say goodbye to their hopes of progressing to the last 16. The Europa League is still a possibility for the Premier League champions, but City have to make sure they beat Borussia Dortmund away from home and hope Ajax lose to Real if they are to secure passage into the ‘escape clause competition’. Quays News Man of the Match: Sergio Aguero The City striker should be credited for his efforts, who would have created very little had it not been for the number 16. Creating several chances and taking many of City’s attempts himself, he is well worth the title of man of the match. Cristiano Ronaldo did rather well for Real on his return to Manchester but Aguero edges it. Man City: Hart 6, Maicon 6, Zabaleta 5, Kompany 6, Nastasic 6, Kolarov 5 (Javi Garcia 46’ 6), Yaya Toure 6 Silva 6, Nasri 5 (Tevez 60’ 6), Dzeko 6, Aguero 7 (Milner 88’ 5) Subs not used: Pantilimon, Lescott, Sinclair, Barry. Booked: Maicon, Zabaleta, Nasri, Yaya Toure Real Madrid: Casillas 6, Arbeloa 5, Sergio Ramos 6, Pepe 6, Fabio Coentrao 6, Khedira 7, Alonso 5, Di Maria 6 (Albiol 90’ 5), Modric 6 (Callejon 68’ 5), Ronaldo 7, Benzema 7 (Varane 74 5). Subs not used: Adan, Kaka, Ozil, Nacho. Booked: Ramos, Alonso Sent off: Arbeloa

No Turkish delight for United

MANCHESTER UNITED suffered a second defeat in as many matches as a strong Galatasaray team beat them 1-0 in Turkey. Burak Yilmaz, the Turks’ leading and only goalscorer in this year’s Champions League, scored the decisive goal just after the break, as Galatasaray put a young United team under pressure for almost the entire match. The first half produced very little in terms of creativity and chances, although it was clear who the dominant side were going to be as the hosts controlled the game. It was United who had the best chance though, as youngster Nick Powell headed an effort onto the woodwork, but anything else was wasted, or stifled by a compact Galatasaray defence. The hosts were quick out of the blocks in the second half though, and within minutes Albert Riera forced a great save from Anders Lindegaard. The Danish keeper was called into action again minutes later as Felipe Melo headed a lovely lobbed ball from Emmanuel Eboué goalwards, but Lindegaard was there to push it wide. But there was little he could do about Yilmaz’s header from the resulting corner, which was powerfully knocked out of reach, and into the top corner. United almost replied six minutes later, as a two-on-one break between Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez came to nothing, as the Mexican got the ball tangled underneath him, and was unable to get a shot away. That was the last chance United created for a while as the Turks kept possession in the midfield. Eboué made a brilliant run through the United defence, but his shot was well saved by Lindegaard, and Hamit Altintop had an excellent opportunity to double the hosts’ lead as he rifled the ball goalwards from 30 yards, but was denied by the underside of the bar. A late United flurry saw a half chance for Ashley Young, but the winger fell over softly, and wasted a potentially dangerous opportunity, before Hernandez had an opportunity from the edge of the area, but didn’t make clean contact. The result mattered little for United though, as they are already through to the knockout stage. For Galatasaray, this win put them in second place in the group with a trip to Braga in the final match where all they need is a better result than Cluj, who travel to Old Trafford. Galatasaray: Muslera 8, Dany Nounkeu 7, Kaya 7, Eboué 8, Altintop 8, Inan 7, Elmander 6, Melo 8, Riera 8, Yilmaz 8, Amrabat 6. Subs: Baytar (Elmander ’63) 7, Colak (Amrabat ’81) 5, Bulut (Yilmaz ’90) 5. Not Used: Ceylan, Cris, Birinci, Kurtulus. Man United: Lindegaard 7, Rafael 6, Jones 7, Buttner 6, Anderson 6, Carrick 6, Cleverley 7, Fletcher 6, Powell 8, Hernandez 5, Welbeck 5. Subs: Young (Anderson ’74) 5, Macheda (Powell ’74) 6, King (Welbeck ’85) 5. Not Used: Johnstone, Wootton, Vermijl, Cole. Quays News Man of the Match: Nick Powell - Although Galatasaray were the dominant team, with Melo and Riera playing particularly well, it’s easily forgotten that just last season, Powell was playing in League Two with Crewe. Yet he put in a fantastic performance in one of the most hostile atmosphere’s in European football. There is a lot to come from the youngster. For £4million, Fergie may just have got himself a bargain. By Will Moorcroft

Salford Jets classic re-released for charity

CLASSIC Salford Jets song ‘Who You Looking At’ has been re-recorded to help raise money for charity, writes Andrew Bailey. Original Salford Jets member and now Real Radio XS DJ Mike Sweeney has teamed up with breakfast presenter Russ Dewsbury and singer Paul Harrop to record and release a metal version of the 1980 punk-rock hit. All funds raised will go to Help For Heroes, which helps soldiers injured in action. Speaking from the station’s Salford Quays studios Mike, 65, who is originally from Ordsall, said: “The other week Dewsbury came in to the studio and said ‘I think it would be a good idea to make a metal version of ‘Who You Looking At’ and do it for Help For Heroes.’ I said ‘I think it’s the best idea of the week!’” Russ, 31, said the original idea came through a conversation with another Real Radio DJ, Moose, and Castle Rock Studios owner, Stret. Classic rock station Real Radio XS are big supporters of Help For Heroes. “It’s not political and it’s not commentating on the rights and wrongs of war,” said Russ. “It’s solely there to pick up the pieces of guys and gals who have been overseas or anywhere, and been injured through no fault of their own. This is what Help For Heroes is there for.” Russ, 31, plays guitar on the latest version of the song, with Mike and Paul on vocals: “I used to perform in bands all the time, that’s what I used to do before I did radio,” said Russ. “It was a reasonably simple job to figure out how to do Who You Looking At and then arrange a metal version of it.” Mike was very pleased with the recording on which Paul Harrop, singer of ‘Candid Iniquity’, did the backing vocals. “It’s a proper tune which really rocks and the response from the public has been amazing,” said Mike. “Whatever money we make from this will go to ‘Help For Heroes’.” The metal version of ‘Who You Looking At’ is priced at 79p and available on I-tunes. Real XS Vimeo from Central Eyes Media on Vimeo .

Preview: Manchester United v QPR

MANCHESTER UNITED will be hoping to extend their winning streak at Old Trafford when they face winless Queens Park Rangers. Until this morning, QPR were managerless too, after sacking United legend Mark Hughes on Friday having picked up just four points in 12 games this season. It took the Londoners less than 24 hours to appoint Harry Redknapp as Hughes' replacement, however. The former Tottenham boss is expected to be at Old Trafford this afternoon to run the rule over his inherited team.United could afford to rest their star players in midweek for the Champions League trip to Turkey. The match at Galatasaray was far from spectacular, and there are certain improvements Fergie can make. But on a more positive note, Nick Powell showed why the manager had the belief to bring him up from League 2 side Crewe. The biggest issue United had throughout the 1-0 defeat was a lack of creativity going forward. The defence did well to keep Galatasaray’s attack at bay, but Fergie’s defence-minded 4-4-2 lacked any sort of initiative going forward, and Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez often found themselves isolated. After last week’s shock defeat to Norwich, United should be motivated knowing that a win would put them back at the top of the table, temporarily at least as City play on Sunday, away at Chelsea. Regarding QPR’s situation, having brought in quality players over the summer, Fergie admitted this week he was ‘surprised’ they were in the position they are. He said: “I didn’t expect them to immediately set a blazing trail or be up at the top of the league or anything like that with 11 new players to bed in. But they’ve only four points and of course that creates its own headlines. “It’s probably a lesson to everyone that changing a team and bringing 11 new players in to the Premier League is not easy.” Team News With the exception of long term absentees Nemanja Vidic, Shinji Kagawa and Nani, there are no injuries for United. Jonny Evans is a doubt, although he did train, but Fergie said in his press conference that he wanted to play Phil Jones alongside Chris Smalling anyway. Former United midfielder Ji Sung Park is out of contention, as are Andy Johnson (knee) and Bobby Zamora (thigh). Stephane Mbia is suspended after picking up a red card against Arsenal a couple of weeks back. Provisional Squad (United): De Gea, Lindegaard, Johnstone Rafael, Evra, Jones, Ferdinand, Evans, Smalling, Buttner, Wootton, Vermijl, Valencia, Anderson, Giggs, Carrick, Young, Scholes, Cleverley, Fletcher, Powell, Rooney, Hernandez, Welbeck, van Persie. Provisional Squad (QPR): Green, Cerny, Cesar, Traore, Ferdinand, Hill, Onuoha, Nelsen, Bosingwa, Fabio Da Silva, Harriman, Magri, Diakite, Derry, Taarabt, Wright-Phillips, Granero, Dyer, Ehmer, Doughty, Faurlin, Cisse, Mackie, Hoilett. Quays News Prediction: Man United 4-0 QPR - Rangers’ defence was shocking against Southampton, and it was all over the place. With Hughes’ dismissal, the changing room will be in disarray as players wonder in what direction they will be going, and with United seeking a strong comeback having rested their squad mid-week, QPR can’t afford any room for error, but I can’t see them dramatically improving in their current situation. By Will Moorcroft

Comeback kings United too strong for QPR

MANCHESTER UNITED showed yet again that they can come from behind to win games, this time against bottom of the league QPR. Newly appointed Rangers boss Harry Redknapp was at Old Trafford to watch his new team go 1-0 up, only to concede three times in 10 minutes to eventually lose 3-1. United dominated the first half, and created more chances than the visitors, the best of which fell to Wayne Rooney with half time approaching, but his shot from inside the area went wide. The England striker had other chances, but again was unable to beat Julio Cesar. Compatriot Ashley Young had a glorious opportunity as he received the ball on the edge of the area, but his left-footed shot flew wide. QPR managed just two efforts on goal in the half, both from Adel Taarabt, but in both instances Anders Lindegaard protected his goal to keep it goalless. The Dane was at fault in the second half though, as QPR took the lead through Jamie Mackie. As Kieron Dyer’s corner was swung over, Lindegaard could only parry it into Mackie’s feet, and the striker had no hesitations in tapping the ball into the bottom corner after already seeing an earlier attempt ruled out for offside. After a lack of clinical finishing, Fergie brought on Javier Hernandez and Anderson in place of Paul Scholes and Ashley Young. And despite having his four main strikers on the field, it was centre-back Jonny Evans who headed in an equaliser from six yards. It took just five minutes for United to dent QPR’s hope as Darren Fletcher, starting his first league game in over a year, headed in Rooney’s corner to make put United into the lead. The final blow came when substitute Hernandez fired in a third to seal the victory and record united’s ninth comeback win this season. For Redknapp, Monday won’t come quick enough to start working on tightening up the Hoops’ defence while looking at how QPR can start converting chances and possession into goals. United: Lindegaard 7, Rafael 6, Evra 7, Ferdinand 6, Evans 8, Young 6, Scholes 7, Fletcher 8, Rooney 7, Welbeck 7, van Persie 7. Subs: Anderson (Young ’59) 7, Hernandez (Scholes ’59) 7, Powell (Welbeck ’79) 6. Not Used: De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Cleverley. QPR: Julio Cesar 6, Traore 6, Hill 6, Nelsen 5, Derry 5, Taarabt 7, Dyer 6, Faurlin 5, M’bia 5, Cisse 6, Mackie 7. Subs: Ferdinand (Traore ’61) 5, Hoilett (Taarabt ’73) 5, Granero (Faurlin ’84) 6. Not Used: Green, Diakite, Wright-Phillips, Ephraim. Quays News Man of the Match: Darren Fletcher - the Scot played well in a central position and did well to get the ball forward and put a solid shift in to defend. His league comeback was defined by him grabbing a goal, which will please Fergie and the fans. By Will Moorcroft

Preview: Chelsea v Manchester City

NOT the easiest start for Chelsea interim manager Rafa Benitez who faces Manchester City in his first game in charge. This week Roman Abramovich said goodbye to the eighth manager of his era as Roberto Di Matteo was relieved of his Stamford Bridge duties. Di Matteo only lasted 262 days at the helm, just six days longer than his predecessor Andre Villa Boas. Winning the Champions League and FA Cup since taking over last season was enough to keep the Italian in the job on a two-year contact. But recent form that has seen Chelsea pick up just two points from four league games and the very real possibility of being knocked out of the Champions League led the Russian billionaire to giving Di Matteo the boot. Former Liverpool and Inter Milan boss Benitez has now been given the role of rescuing the club as he takes charge until the end of the season. Speculation around Benitez’s appointment suggests he was brought in to get the best out of misfiring Fernando Torres, who is yet to live to his £50 million price tag. Torres scored 56 goals in 79 Premier League appearances under Benitez at Liverpool, which is a good enough reason to support these recent reports. It will be a tough game for the hosts though as they await the arrival of Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City. City, who were dumped out of the Champions League this week after a 1-1 draw against Real Madrid, are still unbeaten in the Premier League but will be disappointed at their recent European failure. Demolishing Aston Villa 5-0 last weekend highlighted what City can do if they play at their best. Since winning the Premier League last season they haven’t replicated similar convincing performances, but the game against Villa was an exception so fans will hope for a bit more consistency this weekend. But City are now the only team in England's top four divisions not to have lost a league game this season. The two sides have already met once this season in the FA Community Shield, where City came out 3-2 winners at Villa Park. But Chelsea have won six of their last seven home league meetings with City. Benitez will be optimistic he can make that seven in eight this weekend. But don’t expect too many goals by Chelsea on Sunday as City have the best defence in the top flight, having conceded just 10 so far this season. This will definitely be a match worth watching as Benitez looks to kick off his short Chelsea term with three points whilst Mancini will look to return to the top of the league. Team News: Fernando Torres is likely to return to the starting XI after being dropped for the midweek game against Juventus. It is rumoured former Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo was sacked over his decision to drop the striker so hence the arrival of Benitez, who brought the best out of the Spaniard at Liverpool. Club captain John Terry (knee) remains on the sidelines, while Frank Lampard (calf) is a doubt for the clash against the current league champions. Daniel Sturridge (hamstring) also misses out. Mancini is hopeful Vincent Kompany (knee) will return against the pensioners on Sunday, after picking up a knock against Real Madrid on Wednesday. Gael Clichy (ankle) is available for selection while Mario Balotelli (back) and James Milner (hamstring) may return. Jack Rodwell (hamstring) and Micah Richards (knee) are still long term absences. Quays News Match Prediction: Chelsea 0-1 Manchester City Benitez hasn’t been give plenty of time to implement his philosophy at Chelsea, so a rough start may await in the early days. City, on the other hand, are playing well at the moment having overcome a rough patch at the beginning of the season. Confidence is high amongst Mancini’s players after recently beating Aston Villa 5-0 at the Etihad. Despite being knocked of the Champions League they are still unbeaten in the league which is sure to give them a huge boost for another win. Provisional Squads Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Cole, Bertrand, Mikel, Romeu, Ramires, Mata, Oscar, Hazard, Moses, Marin, Piazon, Torres, Turnbull. Manchester City: Hart, Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Maicon, Kompany, Lescott, Nastasic, K Toure, Clichy, Kolarov, Nasri, Milner, Silva, Sinclair, Y Toure, Barry, Garcia, Aguero, Tevez, Balotelli, Dzeko, Razak. By Liam McCallion

Exclusive: NHS bosses taking 'massive risks', says Andy Burnham

THE SHADOW Health Secretary has warned health bosses are taking massive risks over A&E closure threats, writes Andrew Bailey. A report from Healthier Together, an ongoing review to improve the NHS in Greater Manchester, states that up to seven A&E departments could go. Super A&E’s would be formed in the shake-up. MP Andy Burnham (left) spoke at a union meeting for those who are fighting against the privatisation of the Patient Transport Service (PTS). When quizzed over the threat of closure of several A&E’s in Greater Manchester, he said that this government has got the NHS on a fast-track to fragmentation as it heads towards full privatisation. Mr Burnham said this was their long term agenda and that health bosses are trying to make too many changes at once. He said: “The effect is that it is destabilising the NHS and I can’t see how they can reduce our A&E provision in that way. A lot of people are rightly worried in Greater Manchester.” He added: “They (Government) need to press the pause button and consult with people and let us have a proper debate about our NHS within Greater Manchester.” In a bid to allay public fears Jeremy Hunt, MP and Health Secretary, has said the proposals are subject to the consultation process and to consideration of the results. He also stated that commissioners fully recognise the need to minimise the impact the changes will have on neighbouring A&E departments and other services. Mr Hunt continued: “The Trafford and South Manchester clinical commissioning groups are working on developing further integrated care services.” He pointed to developing community care services as an alternative to hospital care while ensuring that the final decisions meet the needs of the local health economy “by providing first-class quality care for the people of that area.” But Stephen Hall, President of Greater Manchester Association of Trades Councils (GMATUC), raised serious concerns about the prioritisation of government spending. He claimed the government have just wasted £100m on police commissioner elections that no one had asked for and few voted in. Said Mr Hall (right): “They can also find the money for anything when it suits, including wars overseas. Our demand throughout the land should be that they can find it for the NHS too or we'll force them out of office. “The Tories said they would increase spending on the NHS in real terms year on year, and have no mandate whatsoever for what they are doing. We need to bring the power of the people to bear.” GMATUC have organised a public conference to start campaigning against what they see as attacks on the NHS on Saturday, February 16 at Friends Meeting House, Manchester.

Bore draw for City in the capital

NEWLY appointed Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez faced a hostile reception from the home crowd in his first game in charge of the London club throughout a goalless draw with Manchester City. Banners saying ‘Rafa Out’ and ‘In Rafa we will never trust’ were spotted amongst the Chelsea fans, who have openly stated their dissatisfaction at the new managerial appointment. The crowd intensified the heat on Benitez when they gave a 16th minute applause to recently sacked Roberto Di Matteo, who wore the number 16 shirt as a player for the club. Crowd jeering aside, the game ended 0-0 with Chelsea managing their first clean sheet from 10 games in all competitions. The match was certainly not the most entertaining 90 minutes you will see in the Premier League but this was the third 0-0 of the weekend. Miscued passes, limited chances and more action in the stands than on pitch represented a rather dull display of football from two of the best sides in the League. Prior to kick off this game was expected to provide an enthralling clash, how wrong we were as the first half consisted of only a few noteworthy chances. Fernando Torres had a half chance to put his side in front, as the Spaniard collected a great pass by Juan Mata to fire at Joe Hart with his first touch, but the keeper collected with ease. Manchester City had the better chances in the opening 45 minutes, with David Silva’s header glancing over the Chelsea goal after meeting a Pablo Zabeleta cross. Petr ÄŒech’s goal came under fire towards the end of the half as City had a trio of chances to break the deadlock. Zabeleta smashed the ball from the edge of the area straight at ÄŒech, who could only parry. Gareth Barry then tried to fire from a similar distance after a poor clearance by the Chelsea defence but his attempt was blocked. Matija Nastasic then tried his luck with a right footed effort but the ball went straight into the hands of ÄŒech. The best chance of the half not surprisingly went to City, as Sergio Aguero saw himself in an unmarked position in the home side’s six yard box. But despite making clear contact with the ball the 24-year-old couldn’t get enough power and direction on the ball to test ÄŒech, who stood calm and caught the ball without moving an inch. The second half improved but not by a great margin, as spaces left by both sides opened the game to clearer cut chances. Yaya Toure’s 25 yard shot was fumbled by the Chelsea keeper who collected on his second attempt. Ashley Cole replied with a left footed shot in the box that was blocked by City captain Vincent Kompany. As the game reached halfway through the second period, Torres should have put Chelsea ahead but the £50 million striker could only blast his shot over from six yards. Benitez will surely have to work hard with the former Kop favourite if he is able get Torres back to his best. Ahsley Cole again caused trouble for the visitors as he forced a rare save out of Joe Hart. The England left back rocketed the ball at Hart from range, but City’s number one tipped the ball over for a presumed corner, that was instead given for a goal kick by Chris Foy. Nastasic had the last shot of the game, a testing header from Silva’s corner forced ÄŒech to dive to the floor quickly to prevent a late winner for City as the full time whistle blew. The outcome of the game is hard to judge. Deciding whether it was a poor game for the attacking players, or if it was an excellent day for the defenders. Either way the game is more likely to be remembered for the hostile reception towards Benitez in his first game in charge of Chelsea. Quays News Man of the Match: Vincent Kompany The Belgium defender was a doubt for the game prior to kick off, but Mancini deemed his Captain fit enough to play and that was the correct decision. Kompany stood strong in defence and controlled his back four really well. Player Ratings Chelsea: Cech 6, Azpilicueta 5, Ivanovic 6, Luiz 6, Cole 6, Ramires 6, Mikel 6 (Romeu 79’ 5), Oscar 6, Mata 7, Hazard 6 (Moses 71’ 6), Torres 5. Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Ferreira, Marin, Cahill, Bertrand. Manchester City: Hart 6, Zabaleta 6, Nastasic 6, Kompany 7, Kolarov 5, Silva 6, Toure 6, Barry 6, Dzeko 5 (Tevez 69’ 6), Aguero 6 (Balotelli 86’ 5), Milner 6. Subs Not Used: Pantilimon, Maicon, Nasri, Javi Garcia, Toure. Booked: Zabaleta, Kolarov, Balotelli. By Liam McCallion

Preview: Manchester United vs West Ham United

TOP of the league again after a 1-0 victory over QPR, and City’s 0-0 draw at Chelsea, Manchester United host West Ham United on Wednesday evening. The Hammers suffered a hefty 3-1 defeat at Tottenham on the weekend, an unusual result for them this season given they have kept five clean sheets this season, the second highest in the league behind Stoke (six). United meanwhile have kept just two, and have conceded 18 goals as a result of their defensive problems this season. To add to that is their habit of going behind in games, as they did against QPR on Saturday, but they managed to claw back all three points after goals from Jonny Evans, Darren Fletcher and Javier Hernandez. Head to head at Old Trafford, United have won 42 times in 62 meetings, with the Hammers recording just 14 victories. The last match between the two was in April 2011, where United won 4-2 at The Boleyn Ground, and won 3-0 in the reverse fixture. However they didn’t complete the treble, and West Ham comfortably beat them 4-0 when the teams met in the League Cup. This is the start of a tough 11 day period for United, in which they have four games ending with the critical Manchester derby on December 9th at the Etihad. With the league so tight at the top, United will want to be on a good run going into the derby, but West Ham won’t be shoved aside easily, despite what some results may suggest. They are on a difficult run themselves; having played Spurs at the weekend, they have United away, before entertaining Chelsea and then Liverpool at home, so they may start to slip down the table for a short period. Team News United’s ‘usuals’ Nani, Nemanja Vidic and Shinji Kagawa remain out, although Kagawa is close to a return after a knee injury. For West Ham, Yossi Benayoun is close to a return, and could feature against United, if Sam Allardyce wants to bring him back quickly. Jack Collison, Ricardo Vaz Te and Alou Diarra remain out with knee, shoulder and thigh problems respectively. Man United: De Gea, Lindegaard, Johnstone, Rafael, Evra, Jones, Ferdinand, Evans, Smalling, Buttner, Wootton, Vermijl, Valencia, Anderson, Giggs, Carrick, Young, Scholes, Cleverley, Fletcher, Powell, Cole, Tunnicliffe, Rooney, Hernandez, Welbeck, van Persie. West Ham: Jaaskelainen, Spiegel, Reid, McCartney, Tomkins, O’Brien, Collins, Demel, Spence, Chambers, Nolan, Jarvis, Taylor, Benayoun, Noble, Diame, O’Neil, Carroll, Cole, Maiga. Quays News Prediction: 1-0 - It won’t be a pretty game of football as West Ham will stand strong and get stuck in to United, but their morale will be low after losing to Spurs, and a temporary lack of concentration could let United in at the back. The Red Devils haven’t been as clinical in the past few weeks as they were earlier in the season, which was epitomised by their first half against QPR, so Sir Alex Ferguson will have had his strikers working on finding the target, and will be hoping to see an improvement from now. By Will Moorcroft

Children in Need: 24 hour charity cycle

QUAYS News has joined Campus Living Villages in their 24 Hour Children in Need Charity Cycle. We'll be updating the site every hour as each person cycles on the exercise bike in Eddie Coleman gym. We're starting at 7pm this Friday evening until 7pm on Saturday evening (November 16/17). Our aim is to raise over £500 over the next 24 hours, so please donate - you'll be saving lives. Cyclist #1: Quays News Presenter Tom Rowland - 37.29km"I'm feeling pumped. Hopefully I'll make it tonight. This is such a great cause, and I love cycling so that's why I chose to get involved! I also ate Pigs in Blankets and Chicken last night so it also feels really good to burn that off." Cyclist #2: Ray McCormick - 27.32km"It's Children in Need, so every penny that we raise goes to a great cause - so when I was asked to do this cycle I couldn't turn around and say no. Every penny counts so please donate tonight."Cyclist #3: Quays News Director Ross Lees-McCowan - 38.12km"Seen as though I am running this event tonight, it only seemed right that I took part. A little bit of friendly competition never hurts amongst the Quays TV team. My aim is to beat Tom Rowland, and obviosuly raise as much money as possible for Children in Need."Cyclist #4: Fran Haas, Partnership Manager at Campus Living Villages -28.59km"I love supporting charity and I've seen the team run this event in the last two years and both times looked really fun. I've raised over £160 myself so personally I'm really proud to help Children in Need. Just glad I don't have to stay up for the full 24 hours like Ross!"Cyclist #5: Robert Newman - 25.10km"Helping Children in Need made me feel great, I'll pay for that hour tomorrow I'm sure!"Cyclist #6 : Louise Farrow - 27.48pm"Exhausting but rewarding! I wanted to challenge myself and make sure that I did my bit for Children in Need."Two more cyclists have arrived bright and early. Paige and Abbie decide to warm up early. Cyclist #7: Jamie Williamson - 33.61km"Firstly, I'm really disappointed I didn't get the fastest time. But it's been a great laugh sitting here into the early hours of the morning with Paige and Abbie. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get a Macdonalds to reward myself."Cyclist #8: Abbie Jenkins - 30.34km"I feel like all that sweat was worth every penny, I've raised £54 for this event. My legs actually began to spasm as I got off the bike as well." Abbie and Jamie decide that one hour on the bike isn't enough...Cyclist #9: Paige Thomas - 31.23km"I may have a stitch in each rib. But I'm defintely going to milk the top girl spot for all it's worth at the moment. Go Children in Need!"Cyclist #10: Katy Royce - 26.70km"My legs feel so heavy. I did the 4am to 5am shift, and I have to go to work at 12pm today! But I have managed to raise over £40 so far so I'm obviously really proud of myself." Meanwhile...the night shift proves a little too much for some of the cyclists who've already done their bit. Cyclist #11: Quays News Reporter Jake Whittle - 34.11km"I'll admit it wasn't easy but I put my blindfold on and got into the zone. And once I was in that zone I knew I could push myself to get over 30k. Happy to be in third place, that's what I was aiming for. All I wanted to do really was my part for Children in Need." Cyclist #12: David Banks - 28.46km"I'm not particularly fit, so that was horrible. But this was all in the name of a great cause so it was worth fighting through the pain."Cyclist #13: Quays News PA Rachael Heslehurst - 18.80km"The experience was very enjoyable although I would have cycled much further if Ross hadn't been yapping in my ear for the full hour. I lost by an absolute mile, but it is all in the name of a good cause so I don't mind!"Cyclist #14: Quays News Reporter Rachel Drabble - 33.67km"It was painful, a lot tougher than you think but loads of fun. Just got to go to a water polo match now. Worth it for all the kids."Cyclist #15: Chyntol Kanhimbe - 26.23km"I've done this for the last three years, and this is definitely the last time I will be doing it. Next year, I want to do something less exhausting. But, I did beat Rob Newman."Cyclist #16: Quays News Online Reporter Will Moorcroft - 33.01km"That was tense. Definitely up for it again next year, I really want to get over 35km and of course raise loads more money for Children in Need." Cyclist #17: Jessica Cooper - 28.10km"Third year running, and I managed to beat my target again. Only time you'll find me in a gym and I've raised over £60 for this event."Cyclsit #18 - Kris Fogg - 30.42km"That was absolutely horrible, I didn't think it would that hard. This is all in the name of Children in Need so I think it's worth all the money that I've managed to raise. Now I'm off to go and grab a shower!"Cyclist #19: Jordan Crompton - 30.45km"It's been my second time doing the charity cycle, it was exhausting but it was great fun. So glad I got the chance to sign up again and raise more money for Children in Need."Cyclist #20: Justin Lawson - 24.69km"It was absolutely knackering. I can't feel my legs. But definitely worth it."Cyclist #21: Quays News Editor Mark Cockroft - 37.33km'"Hey Mark we've had a dropout, can you get here in the next hour please?' - Now there's one phone call I wish I hadn't taken this week! Thanks Ross, you've done an amazing job organising this and your distance is amazing."Cyclist #22: Elliot Handford"That was epic. Although now I'm just one big ache."Cyclist #23: Gaby Zamfir - 31.16km"I did not train at all for this, but it I really enjoyed it and managed to raise some money which should help a really good cause."Cyclist #24: Barbara Peychinova"That was great. I am defintiely going to tell stories about this event!"24 hours. 24 cyclists. No sleep since 11am last night. Thank you to everyone who took part and donated, you heroes! Now, if you'll excuse me I am going to have a long awaited nap!

Flintoff the boxer ready to defy critics

ANDREW ‘Freddie’ Flintoff says the chance to make his boxing debut tonight was an opportunity he “couldn’t pass up”. The 34-year-old former England and Lancashire cricketer will step into the ring as a professional boxer at the MEN Arena, where he will face American two-fight novice Richard Dawson, who is 11 years his junior. Flintoff, who has been in training for four-and-a-half months and lost nearly three-and-a-half stone, admits it would be “dangerous to look past this fight” but hasn’t ruled out continuing his fledgling boxing career. He said: “I’ve done everything I can (for Friday night) and I’m going to be walking out there comfortable in the knowledge of that. “All I’m concentrating on is going in there. I can’t worry about outside pressure”. While there are many in the boxing fraternity dismissing this as a crude PR stunt, former world champion Barry McGuigan, who along with son Shane has been training Flintoff, feels their fighter is ready. McGuigan senior said: “We could have gone down the white collar route. We could have gone down the amateur route. We didn’t decide to do that because if you really want to know what a fighter goes through then we’re going to do it properly. “We don’t give a damn what people say, we’ve done the best job we ‘ve done. We’ve prepared him absolutely meticulously. He’s in the best shape of his life, he’s trained ridiculously hard, so whatever the critics say, they’ll say and they’ll continue to say.” There are some examples of boxers that have made a successful transition from other sports, most recently former under-21 footballer, Curtis Woodhouse, who after six years and 21 fights is a potential contender for a British title. Although cricket and boxing appear as unlikely bedfellows, 2005 Ashes hero Flintoff believes the experience from his first sporting career can aid him in his second. “I keep harping back to cricket, but the mental side of it was big for me,” he said, “planning to get my mind, when you came up against a different opponent, playing it on, playing it in, thinking about it all the time, visually preparing. “Obviously there is a little bit of the unknown going into the MEN Arena in front of all those people. You mention TV cameras and atmosphere, and there is a little bit of the unknown. However, hopefully with the experience I’ve had in the past, it will stand me in good stead for that.”* Flintoff v Dawson is live on BoxNation from 18:45 GMT By Brian Cruickshank at the Hilton Hotel, Manchester

Vassell stuns Heffron in six to retain title

DENTON Vassell produced a powerful performance to stop Ronnie Heffron and retain his Commonwealth welterweight title at the MEN Arena. The champion was the stronger man throughout and caught the Oldham fighter clean with a big left uppercut after 1:56 of the sixth round. With Heffron out on his feet referee Mark Green stepped in to end the contest. The first round was a cagey affair with both fighters feeling their way in, Heffron trying to get his fast jab going and Vassell marching forward looking to work on the inside. There was more action in the second as 11-fight unbeaten prospect Heffron had success with a couple of left hooks. But Vassell started to move well and read the challenger’s attacks resulting in a clinical right uppercut in close. After almost a year out, the Ancoats man showed no signs of ring rust as he started to assert his authority on the bout in the third round. Good movement saw him get tight to the challenger where he deployed the straight shots and uppercuts from his right hand to great effect, forcing Heffron back. A bit of spice was added at the end of the round as the pair continued to trade blows after the bell. Vassell continued to assert his dominance in the fourth, landing powerful one-twos to Heffron’s head, forcing him onto the ropes. On the inside, Vassell looked the stronger fighter, pushing the challenger back and often having the last say in exchanges. Heffron came back well in the fifth with a higher tempo to combine some tidy jabs and left hooks. But as the round wore on Vassell’s strength started to tell. There were combinations exchanged by the pair as they fought out a close round which could have gone either way. The bell sounded for the sixth and Vassell came marching forward with some good upper body movement to avoid Heffron’s jab. The champion began landing with hard one-twos and a couple of big lead rights. The Bob Shannon trained fighter then landed a big left uppercut which staggered Heffron who then appeared to freeze as his senses shut down. Clearly stunned, Heffron stood rooted when he could have taken a knee for the count to buy some time. With blood pouring from his nose, Mark Green jumped in to stop the incoming barrage from Vassell. This impressive performance is likely to see the champion step up a level now, with a challenge for European honours an obvious target. For Heffron, it will be a case of rebuilding after losing his unbeaten record. But at 22 he has plenty of time on his side. By Elliot Millward at the MEN Arena

Victory at Wigan gives Mancini birthday cheer

MANCHESTER City improved on a poor first half performance to overcome a spirited Wigan Athletic 2-0. Roberto Mancini received a delayed birthday present from his side on Wednesday evening despite having to wait until the second half to enjoy the game. Goals from Mario Balotelli and James Milner were enough to kill off Wigan who battled hard to keep the score level until the 69th minute. City have recently been criticised for their unconvincing away form. This victory will surely silence the critics for another game at least while extended their unbeaten league run this season. The first half wasn’t the most eventful for either side on a bitterly cold night at the DW Stadium as both sides froze when it came to clinical finishing. Wigan looked the most likely to score on the counter with Arouna Kone leading their attack. The Ivorian striker tested Joe Hart early on with a low shot at the English keeper, who did well to get a hold of the ball. Kone again caused problems in Hart’s penalty area when a Ronnie Stam cross was headed towards goal by the striker who couldn’t keep his shot down to beat the City keeper. City on the other hand had several opportunities to take the lead, Sergio Aguero taking the away sides first chance. The 24-year-old fired a blistering shot towards Ali Al Habsi’s goal only to hit the side netting. Mario Balotelli tried a swinging effort but went well wide of the target whilst Yaya Toure fancied his chances from outside the Wigan penalty box, but Al Habsi kept the ball out, as the half time whistle was blown. Roberto Martinez will have been pleased with his side’s determination to keep the Champions at bay going into the break. After the short interval, the game showed a lot more energy, as the blues started to take a dominant role in the match whilst also looking a lot more potent in front of goal. David Silva tried to curl a shot from the edge of the box but the ball went straight into Al Habsi’s hands. Yaya Toure again tried his efforts from range but his shot went high into the crowd. Balotelli should have given City the lead shortly after, but he miscued his downward header and the ball went wide by a few inches, from that distance the Italian should have done a lot better. Wigan came back into the game with another Kone attempt at goal. The £2.7m summer signing met a James McCarthy cross but his header went awfully wide and it was seen as another great chance wasted. Roberto Mancini spiced things up with his team by taking off Aguero and Javi Garcia, who were replaced by Aleksandar Kolarov and James Milner. The new additions settled in quickly with both taking part in the build up to the first goal of the game. City went on the counter attack as Gareth Barry took a shot from range which was spilled by the Wigan keeper.Balotelli collected the loose ball to get a shot away forcing a reaction save from Al Habsi who spilled again to give the striker a second attempt at goal. The young striker composed himself well as his shot saw the ball crash into the back of the net to break the deadlock and give his team the lead. From that City started to replicate their confident attacking play of last season as they were 2-0 up within three minutes. Barry picked out an unmarked James Milner who struck a fantastic shot from 25 yards to double the lead. The English midfielder blasted the ball past a hopeless Al Habsi who had no chance of keeping the ball out. Brazilian defender Maicon nearly made it three but was unable to curl his shot on target to test the Oman keeper. Kone nearly put pressure on City late on but his close range effort was blocked by Matija Nastasic, as City held on to keep another clean sheet and continue their unbeaten run. Quays News Man of the Match: Yaya Toure - The Ivorian has been fairly quiet in recent games for City, but he made himself known in this fixture by dominating the midfield with his precise passing. Milner had a great 20 minute cameo appearance, but Toure provided City with so many options going forward which is why I have chosen 29-year-old for this game. Team Ratings: Wigan Athletic: Al Habsi 5, Figueroa 6, Lopez 6, Boyce, 6, Stam 6 (McManaman 90’ 4), McCarthy 6, Jones 5 (McArthur 74’ 5), Gomez 6, Kone 7, Beausejour 6, Di Santo 5. Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Boselli, Fyvie, Golobart, Redmond Booked: Gomez Manchester City: Hart 6, Zabaleta 6, Maicon 6, Kompany 6, Nastasic 6, Garcia 4 (Milner 59’ 7) (K Toure 81’ 6), Y Toure 9, Barry 7, Silva 6, Aguero 6 (Kolarov 68’ 6), Balotelli 6. Subs Not Used: Pantilimon, Sinclair, Dzeko, Tevez Liam McCallion

Preview: Manchester City v Everton

AN encouraging win against Wigan Athletic in midweek provided a double celebration for Roberto Mancini, who marked his 48th birthday with another victory. The game was probably more enjoyable for City’s travelling fans who haven’t had much excitement on the road this season having previously endured two consecutive bore draws away from home. But the mood was brightened on Wednesday at the DW Stadium as City beat a spirited Wigan side that held their own until half time at least. Second half goals from Mario Balotelli and a James Milner stunner kept City in second place behind arch rivals Manchester United, whilst also maintaining their unbeaten league form. A tough fixture against Everton on Saturday awaits the Blues though. The time for consistent displays of entertaining football is now, as another lame draw will have the critics questioning their title chances once again. Everton travel to the blue side of Manchester after a 1-1 draw against Arsenal in midweek, which David Moyes felt was a game his side ‘deserved to win’. Conceding early on through a Theo Walcott deflected goal, it wasn’t the best start for the Toffees, but they fought back with Marouane Fellaini equalising midway through the first half. Everton dominated the Gunners in the second half but it wasn’t enough to force a winner as they dropped down to sixth in the table, four points outside of the top four. Moyes’s 10 years in charge at Goodison Park has certainly proved beneficial for the club as stability has helped the Toffees push for a Champions League spot seriously this term. Great performances in the League and a good style of football being played, gives me the confidence to say Everton may well finish in fourth position at the end of the season. Such a prediction is usually laughed at early on, so we’ll see how it goes over the Christmas period but I’m sure they’ll come through it well starting with this trip to City. Team News Manchester City: The hosts will be without James Milner (hamstring) who came off against Wigan on Wednesday after a cameo appearance in the game where he doubled City’s lead. Jack Rodwell (hamstring) is also missing from the City midfield, while fullbacks Gael Clichy (ankle) and Micah Richards (knee) remain on the side lines. Everton: David Moyes is sweating on the fitness of key man Leighton Baines (hamstring) who was injured in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal. Nikica Jelavic is suffering with illness so he will be assessed before the 3pm kick off. Phil Neville (knee) remains a long term absence, while Victor Anichebe and Seamus Coleman are nursing knocks but may feature against the league champions. Kevin Mirallas (hamstring) is a doubt. Quay News Match Prediction: Manchester City 1-2 Everton The Toffees know that this fixture is one they can take points from having won eight of the past 10 Premier League matches against City. Everton beat City 1-2 back in December 2010 at the Etihad, which is why I think we could experience deja vu this weekend. Provisional Squads: Manchester City: Hart, Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Maicon, Nastasic, Kompany, K Toure, Lescott, Kolarov, Silva, Nasri, Y Toure, Barry, Garcia, Sinclair, Tevez, Balotelli, Aguero, Dzeko. Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Heitinga, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Naismith, Osman, Gibson, Pienaar, Fellaini, Jelavic, Mucha, Hitzlsperger, Duffy, Oviedo, Barkley, Gueye, Velliosby Liam McCallion

Flintoff down but not out to edge points win

ANDREW ‘Freddie’ Flintoff picked himself up off the canvas to beat American Richard Dawson on points in his professional boxing debut. Flintoff was floored when he was caught off balance by a left hook in the second round by Oklahoma’s Dawson. The former England cricketer wasn’t badly hurt and got to his feet quickly. ‘Freddie’ entered to loud cheers of “there’s only one Freddie Flintoff” as he made his way to the MEN Arena ring with Oasis’ ‘Roll With It’ for his signature tune. Flanked by trainer Shane McGuigan and promoter Barry McGuigan the 2005 Ashes hero looked composed as he stepped between the ropes for the first time. In the first of four two minute rounds Flintoff pressed forward and started to get his jab going, having some success against the shorter opponent. Dawson seemed content on the back foot, picking the odd punch as ‘Freddie’ set the pace. Flintoff landed some double combinations to the head but rushed his attacks and seemed to be anxious. After taking the first round, the debutant started the second well, again having some success with the left-right combination. Still, any success saw him rush his attacks and push forward off balance. Dawson punished the former Lancashire all-rounder for this. Flintoff landed a straight right flush to the American’s head but came forward eager to finish his man and was knocked down by a short left hook. But he was quickly back on his feet and regained his senses. He went back to his game plan of pressing his opponent and did well for the rest of the round. ‘Freddie’ knew he now had to win the final two rounds to get the decision. In a scrappy third 34-year-old Flintoff did enough to take it, leading with the jab and forcing Dawson, 23, onto the ropes frequently. This set up a winner takes all final stanza between the Oklahoman, who served time in jail last year, and crowd favourite Flintoff, who rose from his stool to a raucous reception. Overall, ‘Freddie’ was the aggressor and pushed his foe back time and again. He was much the busier fighter and unleashed a few wild flurries to the American’s head. Although he was caught with a couple of clean jabs, Flintoff was never in trouble and did enough to take the round with work rate and aggression. As the final bell rang the 6000 strong crowd rose to their feet to salute Flintoff. They were cheering again when referee Phil Edwards scored the fight 39-38 to the Preston born, who raised his arm in celebration. By Elliot Millward at the MEN Arena

City stay second after Everton draw

MANCHESTER City remain unbeaten in the Premier League after being held to a 1-1 draw by Everton. Roberto Mancini seemed pleased to have finally taken points from the Toffees, having previously only picked up four points out of a possible 21 in this fixture. David Moyes, on the other hand, will be unhappy at the result after his side were penalised for a controversial penalty, which lead to the host’s equaliser. Marouane Fellaini opened the scoring for the visitors midway through the first half. But City were awarded a late first half penalty for what appeared to be a shirt pull on Edin Dzeko in the six yard box. Carlos Tevez made no mistake from the spot. City started the brighter with Tevez becoming the home side’s main goal threat. The 28-year-old met a well delivered David Silva cross, but couldn’t direct his header on target as the shot drifted wide. Dzeko also saw a header go wide as he nodded downwards, narrowly passing the outside of the post. As City upped the tempo, Everton sought to catch their opponents on the counter, Nikica Jelavic trying a low shot from the edge of the area that Joe Hart collected with ease. The deadlock was broken when Leighton Baines burst down the left flank to cross in a superb ball which was initially flicked on by Vincent Kompany before it was headed in by Fellaini. Hart parried poorly to keep out the Belgian’s first attempt, but the Everton midfielder used his thigh at the second attempt to score his eighth of the season. City replied with a terrific header from Tevez, who forced a full stretch save from Tim Howard. As the half drew to a close the champions pushed hard. Gareth Barry controlled beautifully with his chest to lay the ball onto Dzeko who fired straight at Howard who could only push it out for a corner. The subsequent corner did however have a huge impact on the game as Dzeko was seen to have gone down in the penalty area from a shirt tug by Fellaini. Referee Lee Probert deemed the incident worthy of a penalty, despite replay footage showing minimum contact between the two big men. Tevez stepped up and scored, slotting the ball straight down the middle to draw City level. Everton tried to regain the lead with seconds to spare of the first half but Fellaini’s header was prevented by Hart’s finger tips. After the break City again went on the attack, with Tevez’s right footed shot blocked by a solid Everton defence. The Toffees replied with Darren Gibson trying the spectacular, but the ball went well wide, causing no danger to Hart’s goal. City had the better chances in the second half, with Dzeko having his low shot blocked by an outstretched Phil Jagielka whilst Maicon had his blistering effort from the edge of the box parried by Howard. With 20 minutes left to play Mancini brought on Sergio Aguero to force a winner, but that came at the expense of Tevez, who had been City’s biggest threat. The substitution created uproar amongst the home fans who booed their manager’s decision to take off their top scorer. Aguero didn’t have a great impact on the game, but City did pick up the pace in the final 10 minutes. Yaya Toure tried a long range effort that went straight into the hands of Everton’s American keeper, while Mario Balotelli saw a similar shot from 25 yards go wide. Everton had the last decent shot on target that saw a dangerous Jelavic free kick saved by Hart. This was City’s sixth draw from 15 league games this season and yet they remain second in the table, three points behind arch rivals Manchester United. The stakes will be higher than usual in the Manchester derby this coming weekend. Everton, on the other hand, have now taken a point from both Arsenal and City in recent weeks, that will be seen as good results for Moyes’ side who maintain their Champions League hopes. Quays News Man of the Match: Vincent Kompany - The City captain was outstanding. Having been criticised for his shaky start to the campaign, the Belgian is back to his best, helping City maintain the best defensive record in the league. Player Ratings: Manchester City: Hart 7, Maicon 6, Kompany 8, Lescott 6, Kolarov 4 (Zabaleta 7’ 7), Y Toure 6, Barry 6, Silva 6, Tevez 7 (Aguero 68’ 5), Nasri 7, Dzeko 5 (Balotelli 80’ 5) Subs not used: Pantilimon, Javi Garcia, Sinclair, K Toure Booked: Lescott, Zabaleta Everton: Howard 6, Hibbert 6, Jagielka 7, Distin 6, Baines 7, Gibson 6, Osman 6, Naismith 6 (Oviedo 73’ 5), Fellaini 7, Pienaar 6, Jelavic 6 (Heitinga 90’ 5) Subs not used: Mucha, Hitzlsperger, Gueye, Barkley, Vellios Booked: Fellaini. By Liam McCallion

Flintoff to decide after Christmas whether to fight on

ANDREW ‘Freddie’ Flintoff will wait until after Christmas to decide whether to continue his professional boxing career. The former England cricketer, who played in 79 tests, won over four two minute rounds against American Richard Dawson at the MEN Arena on his professional debut. But his first fight may be his last as the 34-year-old deliberates over whether to step through the ropes again. "I really enjoyed it," said the former Lancashire all rounder."I said at the start that I knew I was starting at a novice level. We've seen that tonight – I'm under no illusions. “I want some time off, have a nice Christmas. Not having to get up every day and going through what I've been through for the past four-and-a-half months. After Christmas I will start to decide what to do. It is quite fresh, still quite raw what happened." ‘Freddie’ was put down by a left hook in the second round, but climbed off the canvas to win the fight 39-38 on referee Phil Edward’s card. He was cheered on by over 5,000 raucous fans that included sporting and celebrity friends including former teammate Darren Gough and comedian John Bishop. In a scrappy affair the two-time Ashes winner was much the busier fighter and peppered 23-year-old Dawson with jabs and double combinations. When coming in close with flurries though, Flintoff looked off balance and he was punished in the second round. After landing a powerful right hand the Preston-born man rushed in to try and finish the Oklahoman Dawson and was put down by a short left hook. But he was up quickly and regained his composure to win the final two rounds and deservedly get the decision. Flintoff lost over three stone for the fight and was promoted by ex-fighter Barry McGuigan and trained by his son Shane. "It was probably everything and more," said Flintoff. "It was not one for the purists. Walking out there with the crowd was a completely different feeling than I ever had before. "I think I got the full experience. I got the canvas, black eye and the win. It was like an out of body experience. "This was not about degrading boxing. We wanted to show boxing as it is, a fantastic thing." By Elliot Millward

High flying Magic destroy 'disappointing' Arrows

MANCHESTER Magic avenged their Patrons Cup defeat to Derbyshire Arrows in emphatic style to claim a fourth straight league win. Tom Ward’s superb triple-double – 23 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists – set the tone for the Magic as they dominated a poor Arrows outfit from the tip-off to cruise to a comfortable 125–59 victory. Rising star Connor Murtagh followed up his recent impressive displays with another outstanding performance scoring 18 points and eight rebounds inside 14 minutes. Tayo Oyefusi also continued his good form, once again coming off the bench to devastate the opposition, contributing 22 points and 11 rebounds in under 18 minutes of play. The Manchester side were flying high following last week’s impressive victory away to the England Basketball League Division Two leaders Newham Neptunes, which took them to within a win of the top two London teams with a game to play. The Arrows had edged Paul Middleton’s men out of the Patrons Cup a fortnight ago. Both teams had finished equal on points so the Arrows three-point win over the Magic proved decisive. The Arrows had trailed the Magic up until the last two minutes of play, before overturning a seven-point deficit, to claim an improbable win. Ward, who has replaced the injured Tom Devitt at point guard, got off to the perfect start this time with a rainbow three-pointer after stealing possession. He then fed Usman Baba in the low post, and the power forward finished adeptly with a banked hook shot. Baba then recorded the first of his three block shots, which all arrived in the first quarter. His duty from the off was to limit Arrows’ American Robert Valentine, who had 29 points the last time the two teams met. Valentine and Adrian Rodriguez-Vinas brought the Derbyshire outfit to within a point of the Magic at 5-4, but from then on the Manchester side dominated, with the result never in doubt. Josh Houghton’s 26 points last week helped sink the Neptunes, and the Magic’s leading scorer looked happy to facilitate, dishing out six dimes to add to his 14 points. Murtagh, who excelled with a double-double last time out, had 13 points by the end of the first quarter, including another customary “Air Kenya” dunk at 11-4. Murtagh was putting his signature Euro-Step into full use and the Arrows had no answer. Ward and Houghton found further success behind the arc in one of the best first-quarter performances produced by the Magic, capped off by a buzzer beating three-pointer by Patrick Whelan, as the Magic led 33-12. The Arrows looked beaten. Any thought of a comeback was diminished when Tayo came off the bench to dominate the boards. And Houghton dropped back-to-back three-pointers from deep to make it 48-20, effectively ending the contest. Coach Middleton had touted Ward to be a potential leader of the team at the beginning of the season. The point guard, who was last season’s Division Three player-of-the-year, has looked more comfortable in each game he has played. He added three steals and a block shot to his triple-double, along with five three-pointers. Along with the stat sheets being filled are the intangibles. Ward controlled the game in possession and led from the front on defence. Coach Middleton was delighted with several aspects of his team’s recent performances but admitted that the Arrows were “disappointing." He added: "You can only play what is in front of you, and the boys have done well.” Starting 5s Manchester Magic: Conor Porter, Tom Ward, Josh Houghton, Connor Murtagh, Usman Baba Derbyshire Arrows: James Kelly, Akintunde Lisk-Carew, Adrian Rodriguez-Vinas, Robert Valentine, Svetoslav Alexandrov Top Scorers: Magic: Tom Ward (23pts, 12rebs, 11ass), Tayo Oyefusi (22pts, 11rebs), Connor Murtagh (18pts, 8rebs) Arrows: Adrian Rodriguez-Vinas (24pts), Svetoslav Alexandrov (15pts, 12rebs, 3stls) MVP: Tom Ward Refs: Josh Bowe, Alexandra Belkner

Preview: Borussia Dortmund v Manchester City

DESPITE being knocked out of the Champions League, Manchester City still have it all to play for as they look to qualify for the Europa League. City’s last game against Real Madrid, which ended 1-1, ultimately kicked the English champions out of Europe’s elite competition for a second year running at the same stage. But all is not lost as they could still make it into the latter stages of the Europa League, pending on if they can defeat Borussia Dortmund and whether the other result in the so called ‘group of death’ goes in their favour. City must beat Dortmund and hope Ajax fail to win at the Bernabéu if they are to finish third in the group, which would give them passage to the less attractive Europa League. Dortmund don’t consider this game as important as their opponents as they already sit top of the group, three points ahead of the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’s’ Madrid. The German side will more than likely be crowned winners of the group come Tuesday evening as their goal difference is better than Madrid’s at present. Dortmund are set to make several changes as they look to rest key players such as Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze, but City will look to come out all guns blazing with Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero likely to lead the visitors attack. The first leg of this game, back in October, ended in a 1-1 draw as Mario Balotelli snatched a late equaliser with a 90th minute penalty. Since then Dortmund have soared up the table with wins against Ajax and Real Madrid whilst the Blues remained at the bottom of the group as a result of poor performances. If City are serious about European success this season they must finish third, so Mancini will have to get his players really fired up for this game if they are to claim victory at Signal Iduna Park. Team News: Manchester City: The visitors will be without playmaker David Silva as the 26-year old is ruled out with a hamstring injury. Yaya Toure is suspended so Javi Garcia could replace the Ivorian in defensive midfield. Jack Rodwell could also fill the vacant position after travelling with the squad to Germany. Aleksandar Kolarov (groin) won’t take part in the return leg after being substituted off after six minutes against Everton on Saturday. Whilst fellow full-back Gael Clichy will also miss out with an injury to his ankle, leaving City with no recognised left-back fit to play. Borussia Dortmund: Jurgen Klopp has no major injury concerns for the last game of Group D. Full backs Chris Lowe and Patrick Owomoyela are the only members of the squad to be ruled out. Other than that the German side have a full bill of health with the exception of a few knocks. Several key players could be rested as the Bundesliga champions have already qualified to the next stage of the competition. Neven Subotic is nursing an adductor muscle problem while Sven Bender (broken nose) is likely to be rested. Quays News Match Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 1-2 Manchester City With the game holding much importance for City, they may succeed where others have failed in Group D with a victory against the German champions. The Blues may be without Silva but their powerful frontline could be enough to snatch the consolation three points. Provisional Squads Manchester City: Hart, Pantilimon, Maicon, Lescott, Nastasic, Kompany, Lescott, Zabaleta, Barry, Rodwell, Garcia, Sinclair, Suarez Tevez, Aguero, Nasri, Dzeko, Balotelli, Razak Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer; Blaszczykowski, Gundogan, Kehl, Goetze, Reus; Lewandowski, Langerak, Bender, Leitner, Perisic, Grosskreutz, Santana, Schieber By Liam McCallion

European dream over as City lose in Dortmund

MANCHESTER City’s hopes of European football ended on Wednesday evening as they lost 1-0 to Borussia Dortmund. Going into this game City had no option other than to beat the Bundesliga champions in Germany hoping Real Madrid would beat Ajax if they were to stand a chance of slipping into the Europa League by finishing third in group D. But with City playing so poorly in the ‘group of death’, the end result of this fixture was bound to end in disappointment for the visitors. A second half goal from Julian Schieber was enough to crush City’s European ambitions for another season as they exited the Champions League with only three points from a possible 18. Both sides shared possession early on with neither team sparkling from the outset despite the importance of a City victory. The home side took the first shot at goal with Oliver Kirch trying a shot from 15 yards, but Hart caught the ball which was going over regardless. Carlos Tevez linked up well with strike partner Edin Dzeko, but the Bosnian was repeatedly caught offside as City couldn’t breakdown their opponents. Schieber headed wide for the home side, whilst Kirch attempted a shot from the edge of the area but also went wide of the target. At this stage Real Madrid were 2-0 up against Ajax. City had it all to play for, and it showed as Dzeko blasted a left footed effort at Roman Weidenfeller who had to dive low to push the ball out for a corner. Marco Reus responded for Dortmund as the German cut inside the City penalty area to curl a shot at Hart, who was at full stretch to tip the ball around the post. Then Ivan Perisic shot from range to force the City keeper into a low save before Dzeko ended the first half with a header that went wide. After the break Dortmund picked up the pace as Mats Hummelsnarrowly missed from a few yards with the slightest of touches. Perisicproduced a spectacular volley on the edge of the box, which forced Hart into a finger tip save over the crossbar. The resulting corner gave Dortmund another great chance to open the scoring as Kevin Grosskreutz fired a low shot from 10 yards that Hart did well to reach and push away for another corner. With Sergio Aguero replacing Scott Sinclair to aid City going forward, Dortmund took advantage on the counter attack. Schieber darted into the box grabbing the opener after latching on to a well delivered Jakub Blaszcykowski cross. Joleon Lescott failed to clear the ball, and allowed Schieber a clean shot at goal despite pressure from Vincent Kompany. Dortmund nearly doubled their lead shortly after as Schieber again fronted the attack. The 23-year-old tried to chip Hart who was off his line, but the English keeper stood tall and proved too much of an obstacle to overcome. City did fight back as Tevez weaved his way through four players to get a shot away and force a corner out of the keeper. But the home side proved too much for City as Lewandowski fired from close range as Hart again saved City from another embarrassing midweek performance. Aguero had a late shot for the visitors but Weidenfeller blocked well as the game finished at 1-0. Real Madrid held their end of the bargain with a 4-1 win against Ajax, but City couldn’t break down Dortmund and were subsequently left bottom of group D saying goodbye to Europe for yet another year. It seems the ultimate goal of the Arab era at City is still some way off. Whether that’s down to the fact the team need more time to gel or the squad lack that marquee signing, only time will tell for the Premier League champions. Quays News Man of the Match: Joe Hart – The City stopper was magnificent against Dortmund in the first leg and repeated that performance again tonight. He truly is one of the greatest keepers around and, despite having a shaky start to the season, Hart looks to be back at his best. Player Ratings: Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller 6, Hummels 6, Kirch 7 (Bittencourt 88‘ ), Felipe Santana 6, Schmelzer 6, Leitner 6, Gundogan 5, Perisic 6, Reus 6 (Blaszczykowski 46‘ 6), Grosskreutz 5, Schieber 8 (Lewandowski 77‘ 6)Subs not used: Langerak, Piszczek, Gunter, Mustafa Amini Manchester City: Hart 9, Maicon 6, Kompany 6, Lescott 5, Nastasic 6, Nasri 6 (Zabaleta 68’ 5), Sinclair 5 (Aguero 57’ 5), Garcia 5, Barry 6, Dzeko 6 (Balotelli 65’ 6), Tevez 6 Subs not used: Pantilimon, Meppen-Walter, Evans, Nimely Booked: Garcia, Lescott, Balotelli By Liam McCallion

Derby alert as Cluj break Old Trafford record

MANCHESTER UNITED surrendered their 61-game scoring record at Old Trafford as they lost 1-0 to Romanian champions CFR Cluj. Unfortunately for the visitors, the win was not enough to qualify from the group stage as Galatasaray came from behind to win 2-1 at Braga. A rarity this season, United made a strong start at a subdued Old Trafford, and controlled most of the possession in the opening exchanges, but created very little as Cluj looked to close down all channels. What was evident though was the sloppiness of both defences; United almost gifted Cluj a goal after Chris Smalling’s clearance fell straight to Rui Pedro, but his shot was parried by David De Gea. Ivo Pinto then scuffed his clearance straight to Wayne Rooney at the edge of the box, but the England striker’s shot went up into the stands. Felice Piccolo was then dispossessed by Danny Welbeck near the edge of the area, who slipped the ball to Tom Cleverley, but his touch was too heavy, and keeper Mario Felgueiras managed to get a block in to clear the ball. Cluj then came forward in waves as they chased a game they needed to win to have a chance of qualifying, and Sougou - a target of various Premier League clubs - was unlucky not to have scored as Scott Wootton deflected his shot wide. Next. Piccolo almost made amends for his earlier mistake, but De Gea just about saved his bouncing header. Javier Hernandez had a couple of good chances towards the end of the half, but it wasn’t to be his night as they were all thwarted. His first attempt, a one-on-one with Felgueiras, was blocked by the oncoming keeper, before he fired over from six yards, had a header saved, then finally was closed down by the Cluj defence after a cross from Phil Jones. In the second half, United seemed to diminish as Cluj pushed for their much-needed goal. It eventually arrived in the 55th minute. Brazilian Luis Alberto capitalised on the amount of space he was given in the middle by taking a shot from 25 yards, and as it swerved into the top-right corner, the collective ‘here we go again’ sigh from the United support could be heard. From that moment on, Cluj desperately protected their precious lead, and their performance was epitomised by Felgueiras, who blocked everything that came his way to keep the Romanian’s dreams of qualification alive, but in the end it was beyond their power. However, they can leave Old Trafford with pride as they enter the Europa League, unlike United, who now go into Sunday’s derby on the sour note that Fergie will not have wanted. Man United: De Gea 6, Jones 8, Smalling 7, Buttner 7, Wootton 8, Giggs 7, Cleverley 7, Powell 8, Rooney 8, Hernandez 5, Welbeck 6. Subs: Scholes (Cleverley ’45) 7, Macheda (Powell ’73) 5, Fletcher (Giggs ’86) 5. Not Used: Lindegaard, Rafael, Vermijl, Young. CFR Cluj: Mario Felgueiras 10, Ivo Pinto 7, Muresan 8, Piccolo 7, Cadu 7, Rada 7, Bastos 8, Luis Alberto 9, Rui Pedro 7, Camora 8, Sougou 7. Subs: Aguirregaray (Rui Pedro ’71), Maftei (Bastos ’78) 5, Kapetanos (Sougou ’90) n/a. Not Used: Stancioiu, Sepsi, Godemeche, Bjelanovic. Quays News Man of the Match - Mario Felgueiras. His rating says it all. Not a single mistake, and was the reason United didn’t manage to score for the first time in 61 home games. Commanded his penalty area well, and judged his actions correctly and appropriately. By Will Moocroft

Graduate pensioner to knit Manchester's longest scarf

AN 83-year old University of Salford graduate is setting out to knit Manchester’s longest scarf, writes Cassandra Ward. Artist Jim Giles is looking for volunteers to help assist with the project – a scarf that will wrap around his Victoria Square home, a Grade II listed retirement scheme in Ancoats that houses over 170 residents. “”I want the scarf to embody the feeling of security, warmth and comfort that this building has given me for the last eight years that I have lived here,” he said. Jim (pictured) is planning for the final piece to be sold in sections to raise money for charities, including the Mustard Tree charity, who run a knitting group where the artist first cultvated his interest in the pasttime. After graduating last year with an MA in contemporary fine arts, Jim decided to launch the project following a final composition he completed for his degree in which he knitted a Manchester United and a Manchester City scarf. “My final piece was about my father who was a football fan," he explained. "I knitted two scarfs as I wanted it to represent Manchester football culture and not a particular team.” The artist is a member of three knitting groups and wants the scarf to become a “community project” and involve as many people as possible in its creation. The municipal building circumference measures 1050 feet. The scarf will have to be at least that long for the project to be a success. If you are interested in taking part in the project please contact Jim Giles on 07761054735.

Preview: Manchester City v Manchester United

ALL eyes will be on the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon as the Manchester derby kicks off. Derby games always have a certain edge regardless of how big or small the clubs involved are. But it’s roundly agreed that the Manchester derby has become the most anticipated game of the Premier League season in recent years. Many would say this game could decide who wins the title, a big statement to make in December. But the title race does look like a two horse race yet again with Manchester United sitting top of the league on36 points. City are only just behind their rivals with a three point gap separating the two Manchester sides. Roberto Mancini’s side have an extra goal to their credit and so a win on Sunday could put them first, level on points with the Red Devils. As we saw last season, goal difference can be the deciding factor between who wins and loses the title. A repeat of last season’s 6-1 scoreline is probably off the cards as City aren’t the attacking powerhouse of 12 months ago. Saying that, United are forging an unenviable reputation of leaking sloppy goals, not to mention going behind first in 15 of their 23 games so far this season, which will be worrying for Sir Alex Ferguson. All of this points to an entertaining game for the neutrals, if not for at least one set of Manchester spectators. Team News Manchester City: Playmaker David Silva (hamstring) is to feature in the match day squad, despite being absent for the final Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund which City lost 1-0. James Milner (hamstring) and Gael Clichy (ankle) both face late fitness tests whilst Jack Rodwell (Hamstring) could also be back. Aleksandar Kolarov and Micah Richards are certain to miss out this weekend fixture as they recover from groin and knee injuries respectively. Manchester United: Sir Alex is unlikely to have key defender Nemanja Vidic (knee) at his disposal for the derby as his captain is not quite ready to return. Tom Cleverley (calf) faces a late fitness test whilst Brazilian midfielder, Anderson (hamstring) has been ruled out for a minimum of three weeks. Wingers Nani and Antonio Valencia are carrying knocks but are likely to feature, but Shinji Kagawa (knee) is still out. Quays News Match Prediction: Manchester City 2-1 Manchester United With this derby being hosted at the Etihad, City’s impressive home record that has stretched over nearly two years leaves me with no alternative other than to go with a home victory. United are weak at the back so they may struggle against the likes of Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez. City to edge it. Provisional Squads Manchester City: Hart, Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Maicon, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, K Toure, Nastasic, Nasri, Milner, Y Toure, Barry, Garcia, Sinclair, Silva, Aguero, Tevez, Balotelli, Dzeko. Manchester United: De Gea, Lindegaard, Rafael, Ferdinand, Evans, Smalling, Evra, Buttner, Valencia, Carrick, Fletcher, Cleverley, Powell, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Young, Welbeck, Van Persie, Rooney, Hernandez. By Liam McCallion

Sweet revenge as United pull away from City

REVENGE was on the agenda as Manchester United claimed a dramatic 3-2 victory over neighbours City at the Etihad. In doing so, they became the first team to win there in the league in 23 months, while claiming the bragging rights. But United left it late to secure victory after throwing away a two goal lead. City made the brighter start, dominating possession in the first 15 minutes, and should have been in front when Gael Clichy’s cross was met by Mario Balotelli, but the Italian could only fire the ball over. The home side were punished minutes later - against the run of play - when Wayne Rooney slotted home Ashley Young’s cross on the break. Joe Hart should have done better by making an attempt to save it. Instead, his first touch was picking the ball out of the net. Vincent Kompany was forced off the pitch with a groin injury after 20 minutes to be replaced by Kolo Toure, but the Ivorian’s lack of opportunities this season was reflected in his confidence on the ball, which was minimal. The captain’s absence was soon felt as an unmarked Rooney scored his and United’s second as he ran in to blast Rafael’s cross home to mark his 150th Premier League goal. City should have been awarded a penalty just before half time when Aguero was pulled back by Rio Ferdinand as he chased Balotelli’s through ball. Referee Martin Atkinson wasn’t interested though, which was a similar scenario with several incidents that went astray. After the break, either United seemed to sit back more, or City finally realised that this match was important and they had to work. Either way, the Premier League champions improved vastly after the introduction of Carlos Tevez in place of the ineffective Balotelli. They came close minutes later as Nasri’s ball across the box left United players stranded, but Ferdinand managed to get a touch to take it away from the oncoming Aguero. An instant reaction came from the visitors and Young tapped in Robin van Persie’s rebounded shot. The goal was incorrectly disallowed for offside and United won’t be pleased that City scored from the resulting play. David De Gea did well to make a double save from Aguero and then Tevez before the former United front man pulled the ball back to Yaya Toure. The Ivorian to duly slotted the ball into the goal to give City hope of a comeback. The Blues showed their intent by pushing forward. First Tevez did well to hold off Evra, but he couldn’t quite get his shot off before Toure dodged three United challenges on the wing, but the referee didn’t play advantage as he broke away from Rooney. David Silva later saw his shot saved by De Gea’s shoulder as the amount of attempts racked up. City finally prevailed in their search when Pablo Zabaleta smashed the ball home from the edge of the area after United failed to clear a corner. The hosts pushed for a winner, but there was a twist in the fairytale comeback, courtesy of van Persie and, to an extent, his former Arsenal team-mate Samir Nasri. Clichy conceded a free kick on the corner of the box after being dispossessed trying to dribble the ball out, which van Persie stepped up to take. His curling effort then took a deflection of Nasri’s leg as the Frenchman hid behind the wall. It was enough to take the ball past Hart into the far corner, sealing the win to put United six points clear at the top of the table. Man City: Hart 6, Kompany 5, Zabaleta 7, Clichy 7, Nastasic 6, Nasri 5, Barry 5, Silva 6, Y Toure 7, Aguero 7, Balotelli 5.Subs: K Toure (Kompany ’21) 5, Tevez (Balotelli ’52) 7, Dzeko (Y Toure ’84) 5. Not Used: Pantilimon, Maicon, Lescott, Garcia. Man United: De Gea 7, Rafael 7, Evra 6, Ferdinand 7, Evans 6, Valencia 6, Carrick 7, Young 7, Cleverley 7, Rooney 8, van Persie 7. Subs: Smalling (Evans ’48) 6, Jones (Valencia ’84) 4, Welbeck (Cleverley ’87) 4. Not Used: Johnstone, Giggs, Scholes, Hernandez. Quays News Man of the Match: Wayne Rooney - his movement for his two goals was top drawer and he could have had a hat-trick. He helped out at the back to keep City out and, despite a few reckless tackles towards the end, is worthy of the award. by Will Moorcroft

Sharks pay the penalty in Toulon defeat

TOULON won the battles of the penalties to leave Sale trailing in their wake, 17-6. Toulon arrived in Salford as favourites and left completely dominating their Heineken Cup pool with 13 points. Danny Cipriani scored all of Sale’s six points in the first half through two successful penalty kicks, with the home side unable to add to their tally in the second. Jonny Wilkinson planted four of his six penalties for the away side, with David Smith securing their lead with a first half try. The two teams went into the match with rather contrasting forms. Sale remain at the bottom of the AVIVA Premier League while Toulon top their French league with just two losses this season. Having lost four of their last five games against French opposition in the cup, Sale were psychologically up against it from the start. But following their disappointing performance against Northampton Saints in the league last week, they looked much stronger this time round. Danny Cipriani got the home team off to a positive start, successfully scoring his first of four attempts, just minutes after Wilkinson failed with his. Penalties appeared to set the theme for the first half, with 12 of the 17 points gifted from them. Cipriani and Wilkinson took the limelight in the first half taking four penalties each but both only managing to score from two of them. With a penalty either side, Toulon put some daylight between the tightly contested teams with just over 10 minutes of the half remaining. A gutsy run from Smith led to a clear touch down for the away side. Smith’s pace was evident as he went untouched, leaving Sale’s defence adrift and five points behind. A missed conversion from Wilkinson kept Sharks just within touching distance and Cipriani capitalised four minutes later with his fourth penalty kick. Toulon refused to let the home team close the gap and, with just less than five minutes of the half remaining, regained their five point advantage in aid of a Wilkinson penalty. Sale finished half time 6-11 down, and although a better start than last week, they were failing to follow up on any pressure they applied. The second half lacked excitement and again heavily relied on penalties to get points on the board. Sale showed maturity in their play, but with field positioning problems were unable to work their way towards their own try line, resulting in a goal-less second half for the home team. With 10 minutes of the half gone Wilkinson added to his penalty tally, putting a bit of daylight between the two teams for the first time. Toulon looked to strengthen their lead with 15 minutes remaining as they held a scramble just centimetres away from their touch down zone. Sale managed to hold off the mass heap of players and a clearance kick gave fans a massive sigh of relief. Wilkinson cemented the French side’s lead with just five minutes left as he hammered his fourth penalty through the posts. Sale face Toulon again next week as they travel to the South of France for a second consecutive Heineken Cup game. Man of the match: Mathieu Bastareaud Scoring: (Sale first) 3-0, 3-3, 3-8, 6-8, 6-11 (HT) 6-14, 6-17 Sale Sharks: Miller, Jennings, Uys (Amesbury 69’), Leota, Cueto, Cipriani, Cliff, Harrison (Lewis-Roberts 60’), Taylor, Buckley (Cobilas 60’), Gray, McKenzie (Myall 54’), Gaskell, Seymour, Vernon (Powell 51’) Toulon: D. Armitage, Wulf, Bastareaud, Giteau, Smith, Wilkinson, Michalak (Tillous-Borde 69’), Sheridan (Chiocci 69’), Bruno (Orioli 54’), Hayman (Kubriashvili 75’), Botha (Kennedy 68’), Suta (Shaw 57’), Fernandez-Lobbe, S. Armitage, Masoe (Gunther 54’) Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales) Attendance: 9,154 By Bryony Pearce at the City of Salford Stadium

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Walkden brothel case goes to Crown Court

THREE women suspected of running a Walkden brothel will appear for trial at Manchester Crown Court on Monday April 15. The women were arrested and later charged following two police raids on the alleged brothel on Louisa Street in July. Jane Young, 46, from Lawton Moor Road, Manchester, has been charged with five offences – two relating to keeping a brothel. The other charges relate to the possession of one Class B drug and two Class C drugs. Deborah Daniels, 50, from St Hilda’s Road, Manchester, and Catherine McGarr, 35, from Openshaw, also face charges of keeping a brothel. By Andrew Bailey

World football round-up

LIONEL Messi breaks another record, Napoli break the law, and the Club World Cup breaks new ground with goal-line technology. Two goal Messi mullers 40-year record LIONEL MESSI broke the record for most goals in a calendar year with a brace in the La Liga game against Real Betis. They were Messi’s 85th and 86th goals of 2012, helping him surpass the previous record set by Gerd Muller in 1972. The 25-year-old (left) took just sixteen minutes to equal Muller’s tally, dribbling past three Betis players before firing low in to the bottom corner to give the away side the lead. And nine minutes later the record was his, firing in to the same corner following neat interplay between him and teammate Andres Iniesta. Former West Germany striker Muller has congratulated Messi on his achievement saying, “He is an incredible player, gigantic. “He’s such a nice and modest professional and I hope he gets one or two more goals in 2012 and that he can then hold onto the record for the next 40 years. “He only has one defect and that is that he doesn’t play for Bayern Munich!” added the 67-year-old, whose record as Germany’s all-time leading goalscorer is also under threat, from Miroslav Klose. The year could get better yet for Messi, who is in line to win his fourth FIFA Ballon d’Or later this month. He would be the first (and probably the last for a long while) to do so. Napoli latest culprits in match-fixing scandal NAPOLI could face a possible point deduction after their former goalkeeper confessed to prosecutors that he tried to fix a game against Sampdoria, two years ago. Matteo Gianello, currently a free agent, admitted trying to arrange the result of the 2009-10 season finale, a game which Sampdoria went on to win and subsequently seal qualification to the Champions League. Former team mates Paolo Cannavaro and Gianluca Grava were also on trial in front of the Italian Football Federation’s disciplinary committee, charged with failing to report the fix, although both players deny any wrongdoing. The Azzurri are likely to face a two-point penalty as a result of the trial, but would remain in third place, two points ahead of nearest rivals, Roma. It comes just a day after Juventus boss Antonio Conte returned to the dugout following his four month suspension for failing to report match fixing during his time in charge of Siena. A nationwide investigation into match-fixing is currently ongoing and at least 50 people have been arrested since the middle of last year. Goal-line technology trialled at Club World Cup AFTER years of campaigning for it to be introduced, goal-line technology finally made its debut during the Club World Cup. A solitary goal from Toshihiro Aoyama helped Sanfreece Hiroshima beat Auckland City in the opening match, although no technology was required as the 26-year-old’s well-struck shot flew past the keeper from 30 yards out. Two types of goal-line technology are being trialled at the tournament, one for each host city. The GoalRef system being trialled in Yokohama, where Chelsea beat Monterrey 3-1 to reach the final, involves a microchip coil being places inside the ball, with low magnetic waves around the goal area. Pre-match tests carried out at both ends of the pitch ahead of the tournament were deemed successful by FIFA. Hawk-eye, familiar to followers of both cricket and tennis, will be the system trialled in Toyota City. No issues have been reported with either method so far, as FIFA seek the most effective one to take forward in to next summer’s Confederations Cup in Brazil. By Aiden Cusick

Preview: World Darts Championship

THE greatest show on earth rolls up to Alexandra Palace once again and will see 64 of the best arrowsmiths on the planet battle it out over 15 days and six rounds for the biggest title in world darts. Christmas, New Year and tungsten magic go hand in hand like Santa and Rudolph. It simply does not get any better than watching the likes of Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor or Adrian ‘Jackpot’ Lewis stepping up to the oche and pummelling the treble 20 for our darting pleasure. The Power is seeking a phenomenal sixteenth world title, but has not won the world crown for three years, thanks in no small part to fellow Stoke man Lewis, who is on a hat-trick – no player has ever managed three world championships in a row after winning their first. Taylor and Lewis are only two of the protagonists in what could be a vintage tournament with so many players seemingly in form and ready to stake their claim for the title of darts world champion. There is of course the Dutch contingent. But for the first time in years Raymond Van Barneveld is not the great orange hope. There is another, and he is second favourite and contender for player of the year, Michael Van Gerwen. ‘Mighty Mike’ burst onto the scene in 2006 when he won the BDO Winmau Masters, the youngest player in the sport’s history to win a televised event at the age of 17. Five years after joining the PDC the young Dutchman has finally started to realise the potential he has to match his natural brilliance on the big stage. Indeed, he has won no less than eight events this year and stands seventh on the order of merit. His first PDC televised major win came in Dublin at the Grand Prix where he came from 3-0 and 4-1 down to beat the ‘King’ Mervyn King 6-4. He faced his compatriot Barney a month later in the Grand Slam of Darts final and lost 16-14 in a thrilling final. This was Barneveld’s first final since 2010 and his first major tournament victory since what is arguably the greatest match in darts history – the 2007 final where he beat Taylor 7-6 from 3-0 down. Of course there are other very talented players from Holland taking part such as Co Stompe and Vincent Van Der Voort, both fantastic when they are on their game, but they play with such ferocious speed it tends to lead to inconsistent arrers. Next to Holland, Belgium star Kim ‘the Hurricane’ Huybrechts will be expecting to go deep after reaching his first major TV final just two weeks ago, where he lost to The Power. At just 26 he is still an improving talent. Two players with a bit more experience and hoping to go one further than before will be Simon ‘The Wizard’ Whitlock and Gary ‘Pretty Boy’ Anderson, who made the final in 2010 and 2011 respectively. Whitlock lies fourth and Anderson fifth in the all-important Order of Merit which is based on money earned over two years and separate one-year rankings for other PDC Pro Tour events. But perhaps the dark horse this year could be ‘The Machine’ James Wade, although it seems almost churlish to talk about Wade as a dark horse. The former mechanic has won seven major PDC events making him the second most successful player behind 'guvnor' Taylor, but he has never been to the final of the worlds. The Machine was 5-1 up against Lewis in last year’s semi-final and lost the match 6-5. That is a defeat that will surely rankle for years to come unless he can put it right, sooner rather than later. Other players among the home contingent to look out for are Andy Hamilton, Dave Chisnall, Justin Pipe and Wesley Newton. Hamilton, yet another player to hail from Stoke, will be hoping to go one better than 12 months ago where he lost 7-3 to Lewis. Newton is one of the most vastly improved players over the last two years. His eyecatching form has seen him reach the quarters at the Alexandra Palace in 2011 and reach another two major finals in the UK Open and European Championship since then. The supporting roles are bolstered further by 'King' Robert Thornton, Terry Jenkins, Mark Webster, and John Part – a former three-time world champion no less. The strength in depth and quality just seems to be getting better and better with players regularly clocking averages over 100. Sit back, relax, and forget about the stresses of Christmas as the action unfolds in what come January 1 could be the greatest story ever told. * The PDC World Darts Championship starts on Friday Dec 14 and will be televised by Sky Sports. See the full schedule. By Brian Cruickshank

Preview: Manchester United v Sunderland

MANCHESTER UNITED face Sunderland at Old Trafford on Saturday and will be on a high after last week’s derby victory. The Rio Ferdinand coin throwing incident has caused a storm this week, with some bosses calling for the introduction of nets to prevent objects getting onto the pitch, although such ideas have been highly criticised by others. Nevertheless, Sir Alex Ferguson will want to move on after dismissing the issue following a ‘great game of football’. The focus now will be on Sunderland and gaining maximum points to keep the gap between themselves and City. Martin O’Neill’s side also go into the game on a high after beating Reading 3-0 in midweek, a win that took them out of the relegation zone in what has been a difficult season for the Black Cats. They have struggled to find goals and haven’t been creating enough chances. Although they will have been happy with the result against Reading, United are a different proposition. The Black Cats haven’t beaten United in the league since March 1997, and have won at Old Trafford just 11 times in 66 meetings, so there isn’t much hope they can take into this game. United fans won’t have forgotten the last game against Sunderland, a 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light on the final day of last season, but it wasn’t enough to beat City to the title. This year is a different situation though as United sit six points clear at the top courtesy of last week’s win at the Etihad Stadium. Team News Nemanja Vidic is expected to make his return after three months on the sidelines, however Jonny Evans is now a doubt with a hamstring problem. Anderson, Nani (both hamstring) and Kagawa (knee) are all out too. For Sunderland, another former Red Devil, Wes Brown, is out with a knee injury, as is Lee Cattermole. Ex-City winger Adam Johnson is a doubt after picking up a dead leg last week, while Danny Rose is a doubt with an ankle injury. Steven Fletcher should be okay after shrugging off an ankle complaint. Provisional Squad (United): De Gea, Lindegaard, Johnstone, Rafael, Evra, Jones, Ferdinand, Smalling, Vidic, Buttner, Wootton, Vermijl, Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Young, Scholes, Cleverley, Fletcher, Powell, Rooney, Hernandez, Welbeck, van Persie. Provisional Squad (Sunderland): Westwood, Mignolet, Brown, Kilgallon, O’Shea, Bramble, Cuellar, Larsson, Gardner, Colback, Vaughan, McClean, Sessegnon, Reed, Campbell, Wickham, McFadden, Ji, Saha, Fletcher. Quays News Prediction: 3-0 – Sunderland’s record at Old Trafford is against them and I can’t see them scoring. This game has come at the wrong time for the Black Cats after the win against Reading, but that’s just one of the things about the Premier League, and you’ve got to deal with it. As Fergie said after the City match, now Rooney has started to get a couple of goals, he will probably go on a run. With United out to secure top spot at Christmas, I think this will be a relatively routine win. by Will Moorcroft

Preview: Newcastle vs Manchester City

AFTER losing the Manchester Derby following a bitter injury time winner at the Etihad Stadium last Sunday. Roberto Mancini will want nothing less than maximum points at St James Park this weekend, as his side travel to a struggling Newcastle United. In one of the most anticipated games of the season, City lost to United 2-3 which subsequently opened a gap of six points between the arch rivals, with United extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table. That loss ended City’s undefeated home record in the league which had stretched to nearly two years when they last lost to Everton in December 2010. The game also ended City’s 15 game undefeated start to the 2012-13 season, a creditable achievement which only Manchester United and Arsenal have bettered in this league. One record which has recently gloomed over the blue side of Manchester, is their form in the month of December. City have yet to win a game in this festive period of the season, having failed to win in their last four games. City will however be encouraged by the fact that they have won all of their last five against Newcastle, who at the moment will be dreading the visit of the big spenders. This season Newcastle haven’t looked the side of last year with recent poor performances forcing the Magpies to the lower end of the table. With 10 points less at the same stage as last season (17 points), they sit in 14th place and are only two points off the relegation zone. This will worry Alan Pardew as the relegation battle has become congested of late with five teams including Newcastle separated by only a few points in the lower positions. The recent dip in form may be due to the distraction of the Europa League, in which Newcastle have qualified to the knockout stages of the competition. The Premier League looks to have fallen down the priority list, but nevertheless Newcastle still have a competitive squad and so they should be higher up the table. In the current standings, Newcastle won’t be favourites for a home win and with only five different players scoring for the North-East side in the league this season, its hard to see where else they are going to get the goals. If Newcastle are to remain a formidable force this season, it will be Pardew’s priority to keep top striker Demba Ba come January. Team News: Manchester City: Roberto Mancini will be without a number of first-team players as his side travel to the North East. The most noticeable absence will be Captain Vincent Kompany (groin) who limped off in last weekend’s Manchester Derby. Aleksandar Kolarov (groin), James Milner and Jack Rodwell (Both Hamstring) and Micah Richards (Knee) will all watch the game from the sidelines. Whilst influential midfielder Yaya Toure, carries a knock and will face a late fitness test before the early kick off on Saturday afternoon. Gareth Barry serves his one-match ban after verbally abusing a match official at the end of their last game. Newcastle United: Key playmaker Hatem Ben Arfa (Hamstring) is a doubt, Gabriel Obertan (Toe) could make his first appearance in over a month. Yohan Cabaye (Groin) will not feature any part in the game and isn’t expected back until early February. Whilst Danny Gosling, Ryan Taylor and Haris Vuckic (All Knee) also remain on the sidelines. Steven Taylor (Hamstring) is likely to be back in the New Year. Quays News Match Prediction: Newcastle United 1-2 Manchester City Mancini’s side have grown a reputation for scoring late winners in away games this season, so I think they may live up to that name on Saturday. Newcastle have gone through their own rough patch of form recently, having lost five out of the last six, so I can’t see them beating City, who only last week lost for the first time in the league this season. Provisional squad: Manchester City: Hart, Pantilimon, Wright, Zabaleta, Maicon, Kompany, Nastasic, K Toure, Lescott, Clichy, Y Toure, Nasri, Silva, Garcia, Razak, Sinclair, Balotelli, Tevez, Aguero, Dzeko, Tchuimeni-Nimely. Newcastle United: Krul, Elliot, Harper, Simpson, Santon, Ferguson, Tavernier, Coloccini, Williamson, Perch, Tiote, Anita, Bigirimana, Gutierrez, Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi, Obertan, Ba, Cisse, Shola Ameobi, Ranger by Liam McCallion