Massive well done to former Southampton and Manchester United winger Danny Wallace who completed the 26 mile London Marathon course yesterday after five and a half days.

Ordinarily most punters wouldn’t think this much of a feat for a former professional footballer in his early 40s but Danny Wallace was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1996 and battles with the symptoms of the debilitating disease every day including fatigue, pins and needles in both hands and feet and severe back pain down his right hand side.

Danny was inspired to take part in the London Marathon by former boxer Michael Watson who took six days to complete the Marathon three years ago after battling back from a life threatening coma he fell into following a world title bout with Chris Eubank in 1991.

While Danny will be nursing sore limbs and muscles for a few days he can take great pride in what he has done and the publicity he is bringing to the fight to find a cure for Multiple Sclerosis through the Danny Wallace Foundation he set up in 2005.

All too often we hear stories of professional footballers involved in affairs, loutish behaviour and over indulgence in the “bling” culture their money and fame brings them but for me the real heroes are men like Danny Wallace who have been dealt a difficult hand but get themselves up and won’t let anything stop them from living their lives and trying to help others.

Danny Wallace gets my respect because I know from personal experience the difficulties he faces living with Multiple Sclerosis. When a disease affects your own family then it brings it home to you how lucky the rest of us are.

If you would like to make a donation to the Danny Wallace Foundation or get involved in fundraising please click on this link:

Danny Wallace Foundation Donations and Sponsorship

Australia’s slim chances of advancing in their second ever World Cup took a serious blow this past week when Everton midfielder Tim Cahill collided with Birmingham’s Damien Johnson. What was immediately believed to be a non-threatening knee injury was later diagnosed as a torn ligament and the Aussie is almost certain to miss out on the trip to Germany.

While this is of course a blow to Cahill, Australia will have to find some more of the magic that helped them qualify to get them out of Group F, which also includes Brazil, Japan, and Croatia. The Socceroos have a few weapons up front and in midfield, but are terribly thin defensively especially with the health of goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer a serious question.

Their star in the middle now that Cahill is gone is Parma’s Marco Bresciano who has scored six goals in his last eight Serie A matches and one in each of Australia’s last two friendlies. Also in the Parma midfield is Aussie Vinnie Grella who has missed just two matches all season. Middlesbrough’s Mark Viduka and Liverpool’s Harry Kewell are both in fine form and despite recent knocks, should be healthy in time for the trip to Germany. But after that the quality dips greatly and coach Gus Hiddink will be praying for no more injuries.

Australia’s problems are at the back where things look dim once you get past Blackburn’s Lucas Neill who has had a fine season in the Premiership, but is not necessarily considered world class. While the team is quick and athletic and could possibly score some goals, too many things have to go perfectly for them to get out of a strong group. Brazil is almost certain to go on to the round of 16, Japan have looked good in recent matches, and Croatia have a history of playing very well on the big stage, going unbeaten in qualification and recently defeating Argentina in a friendly.

Sepp Blatter has warned the World Cup referees that they are not irreplaceable at the tournament if their performances are not up to scratch.

The FIFA president has made it clear to all 23 match officials who will be taking part in Germany in the summer that although they can make an error, any regarding the protection of the players will not be tolerated and they could face being moved to a different level of the refereeing structure.

FIFA have presented the 23 with official instructions contained in an eight-point list of the worst offences to crack down on, including diving, elbowing, over-the-top tackles, mass dissent and time-wasting and are asking all referees, officials and players involved in the tournament to sign a pledge not to bet on any games.

Blatter said: “There will be special instructions to all the referees, linesmen, players, coaches and official delegations in the World Cup.

“They will have to sign a paper saying that they will never, themselves or their families, be involved in betting on the World Cup or any other problems.”

How much would people have to pay you to play football just like Ronaldinho? If I could I would do it for free but if you want the man himself you’ll have to pay around ?19.5m a year to match his current salary and outside earnings, making him the world’s current highest paid footballer.

Former top earner David Beckham has seen his earnings drop by almost a third to just over ?12m from last year’s table topping ?17.3m while another Real Madrid galactico, Ronaldo, comes in third.

Showing that English players still get as much attention at home as they do in Spain, Wayne Rooney comes in fourth with an estimated annual income of around ?11.2m from his Manchester United salary and endorsement deals. Not bad going for a player barely in his twenties and a nice sideline after lifting the PFA Young Player of the Year Award this week.

Top earning coaches, unsurprisingly, all look up to Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho on ?7.56m a year and current England coach Sven Goran Eriksson on ?4.78m.

Hands up who doesn’t begrudge them a penny of it.

Yeah, I thought so.

In the buildup to the World Cup, news regarding roster decisions are often more about who doesn’t make the final team than whomever gets the call to go Germany.

This was never more evident than last week when Holland coach Marco Van Basten named the 33 players who will make up the pool from which the final 23 will be named on May 15. Notable on the absentee list were AC Milan’s Clarence Seedorf and Bayern Munich’s Roy Makaay. Their non-invitations were as much about the depth of the current Dutch Squad than the recent failings of the two players.

Despite Seedorf holding his place with the Champions League runners-up, he has not been called upon to take his place on recent Dutch squads, with Van Basten preferring Edgard Davids, Marc Von Bommel, Wesley Sneijder, and Middlesbrough’s George Boateng.

Makaay has had to fight for his place at Munich this season, with the Peruvian Paolo Geurrero often starting ahead of him or replacing him, including at halftime during Bayern’s recent Champions League loss to AC Milan. But recently Makaay has been in fine form, scoring 5 goals since March 19, including two this past Saturday, a few days after finding out he has no place on the Dutch squad.

But what strikes fear into their World Cup counterparts is the fact that it’s probable that the Dutch will not miss Makaay at all. In his place, Van Basten has called upon current Dutch league top scorer Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who is at Ajax. Also at his disposable up front are some fellows you may have heard of named Arjen Robben, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Robin Van Persie, and the oft-rumoured Premiership target Dirk Kuijt. Make sure to mark Wednesday, June 21 on your calendar, as that’s the day Holland meets Argentina in the likely Group C decider. The loser will probably meet Group D winner Portugal, while the loser seems destined to see Mexico in the round of 16.

Mexican legend Cuauhtemoc Blanco has also been left off of his country’s World Cup squad. Though not as much of a surprise as the striker has never seen eye to eye with his coach, the Argentine Ricardo La Volpe, the decision has caused a bit of an uproar amongst the Mexican fans and media.

Potential World Cup goalkeepers had a tough week with the Australian, Italian, and Czech Republic stoppers all receiving injuries that will keep them on the sidelines for some time.

Middlesborough’s Mark Schwarzer received an elbow to the cheekbone from Dean Ashton during Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final that should keep him out for the rest of the Premiership season, which includes the second leg of the UEFA Cup semifinal. Schwarzer was the hero in Australia’s World Cup playoff, saving twice in the penalty shootout against Uruguay. His backup on the Australia team, 33 year old Zeljko Kalac, is on the books at AC Milan but has only played twice this season.

Italian and Juventus keeper Gianlugi Buffon pulled out of this weekends Serie A match against Lazio and there are concerns in the Italian media that he will not be fit for Germany. The world’s most expensive keeper (Juventus bought him for ?32m) missed the first five months of the season with ligament damage to his shoulder and recently has had problems with a recurring ankle injury. Italy is short in the keeper department with the only real alternatives being Lazio’s Angelo Peruzzi (who played extremely well against Juve) and Morgan De Sanctis who has not impressed this season at Udinese.

Chelsea’s Peter Cech missed out on this past Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final loss to Liverpool after getting a few studs in his shin courtesy of Everton’s James Beattie. He is still likely be healthy in time but just in case, he is backed up by Sparta Prague’s Jaromir Blazek and Antonin Kinsky who plays at Saturn Ramenskoye (I had to look it up also?its a Russian team).

Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric, chief executive Peter Storrie and manager Harry Redknapp have all been in to see the FA to questions regarding alleged insider betting on Redknapp’s return to the Fratton Park hotseat from Southampton.

Bookmakers at the time said there had been some unusual betting activity quite soon before Redknapp was announced at a press conference as the new Portsmouth manager and the FA immediately stepped in to investigate the claims of insider betting.

The Pompey trio deny all knowledge or involvement in any irregular betting practices and are adamant they have nothing to prove to the FA.

Redknapp said this weekend: “We have all been up there to see them at the FA over this and we have given them everything they have asked for. They even showed me a list of names of certain people who had placed bets and asked me about them. But I don’t know anything about it. I have done nothing wrong. I didn’t have a bet and that’s an end to it.”

He added: “Unfortunately this just keeps dragging on and, to be honest, I could do without it. I actually think Milan has told the FA now that enough is enough.”

Mandaric said: “All this stuff is absolute rubbish. It is all speculation and I am trying to stay above it all. I have had a lot of discussions with Harry about this and he has nothing to do with any of it.

“How the hell can he tell anyone to go and bet - the final decision was only made 20 minutes before the press conference.”

FA spokesman Andrin Cooper confirmed: “There is an investigation into allegations of insider betting in this case and it is ongoing.”

David Fox is the new writer of In The Red Corner, our Manchester United guest column

Well, well, for a moment there we had a title race didn?t we? For a few brief days we were allowed to believe that maybe, just maybe, we could win the title. After all, we were in great form, Chelsea weren?t playing that well and our first fixture of the Easter program was against all-but-relegated Sunderland at home. We were bound to win that, right? Right? Wrong. Somehow we scraped a point against one of the worst sides in Premiership history, and that signalled the end. The players knew it when the ref blew his whistle in that game, and we?ve no one to blame but ourselves. Of course, as I write this, the title is still not Chelsea?s, but now it is merely a matter of when and not if.

So now, with little left to play for but 2nd place, I find myself thinking that maybe its better in the long run that we fell short again. Had we somehow sneaked a title win it would have served only to mask our many deficiencies and maybe persuaded Fergie not to make any big changes for next year, when anyone can see some are needed. I mean, can we seriously expect to win the title with John O?Shea ? a player who makes otherwise sane men long for the halcyon days of Phil Neville ? as our midfield lynchpin?

As good a job as Ryan Giggs has done in the middle, we need to be able to compete with Chelsea, who will have Makelele, Essien, Lampard and very probably Michael Ballack to call on in central midfield next year. By comparison, whom do we have? An ageing Paul Scholes, an out-of-position Ryan Giggs, John O?Shea and Darren Fletcher?its not a list that exactly strikes fear into opposing managers hearts, is it? This position seems to be the only one where we seem particularly weak, yet it?s hugely important. Van der Sar is a safe enough pair of hands, we have a bevy of solid defenders these days (Mikael Silvestre excepted), Ronaldo and Park Ji-Sung are always busy and threatening, and our strikers look as if they?ll score plenty of goals?and yet, against the better sides in the Premiership we?ll end up falling short because we?ll lose the vital midfield battle.

Do we have a Fabregas, a Lampard, a Gerrard or a Carrick? The other sides in the top four all have one or more central midfielders who you feel can change a game and produce something from nothing, whereas we have John O?Shea. Likewise, the other sides have a midfield enforcer of the highest calibre, like Makelele or Sissoko, whereas we have John O?Shea (can you sense a pattern emerging here?).

All the signs are that Ferguson will have a decent amount of cash to play with this summer, and I just hope he spends it wisely. We?re being linked with Argentinean hard man Aldo Duscher, a player who I?ve not seen enough of to comment on, but at least it shows Fergie is going after the right type of player. Personally, I?d like to see us get Lyon?s Mohammadou Diarra or, for a cheaper option, Fulham?s Papa Bouba Diop (a very underrated player, in my opinion).

As for that other midfield berth, we?ve been linked with Villareal?s excellent Juan Roman Riquelme, and you won?t hear me complaining if we get him, expensive though he?ll doubtless be. Though regardless of whom we do or do not buy, I?d like to think that we?ll be challenging for the title again next year, along with Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and who knows, maybe even Spurs. It?ll be nice to have a really exciting title race as opposed to the procession behind Chelsea we have now ? even Mourinho agrees.

This article was due for publication last weekend, but due to “technical difficulties” it has been held up in the system.
Both the author and site admin are in agreement that this remains important, no matter the time of year.

Today marks the seventeenth anniversary of the worst disaster ever to befall English football. Ninety-six Liverpool fans attending an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough, Sheffield, never returned home to their families.

I was just ten when this, an event that has shaped football since, happened. Although it is a day that sticks in my mind - it was a sunny outside and I had spent the morning playing football with my brothers in the back garden - I can offer no real insight into what actually happened in the Leppings Lane end to cause the came to be abandoned a 3:06pm on 15th April 1989.

This is a poem about that day which sends shivers down my spine:

That Lad

April fifteenth, nineteen-eighty-nine.
Semi-final day, the weather was fine.
Set off for Hillsborough in our mini-bus.
Laughing and singing, all twelve of us.
Bevy in the alehouse. Reds having the crack.
We didn’t know then some wouldn’t come back.
Walked down the hill on the way to the ground.
This was dead weird, not many bizzies around.
There’s normally hundreds. Usually loads.
They must all be busy blocking off the roads.
Forest fans in one way, Liverpool another.
Can’t have them meeting. “Don’t want the bother.”
One bizzy on horseback shouting over the din.
“Stop bloody pushing. You’ll all get in.”
“Come on lads, they’ve opened a gate.”
“Hurry up, we don’t wanna be late.”
Straight up the tunnel and into the dark.
Couldn’t even see the players out there on the park.
Something’s not right. This is all going wrong.
My ribs are getting crushed in this massive throng.
I fell on the terrace, looking up at the sky.
God, I was scared. I don’t wanna die!
Punch, kick, scrap, fight.
Got to do anything to get back upright.
I was like a wild animal. What’s happening here!
Survival instinct. Stark bloody fear!
“Get outa my way lad. I can’t get my breath!”
I didn’t realise he was so near to death.
“Open the fence! Please! Let us out!”
That lad went under. It was his last ever shout.
Help me! Pull me up! Grab hold of my hand!
Get me out of this hellhole and into the stand!
I was safe. I survived. I was free from that hell.
How many dead? I just couldn’t tell.
Looked down at the pitch, there was that lad.
A man weeping over him. That man was his Dad.
He was trying to revive him with the kiss of life.
But that lad was gone. How would his Dad tell his wife?
Many years on. Still no justice done.
That man’s still grieving for his dear son.
Was it me? Was it my fault? Was I to blame?
I still ask myself at the Eternal Flame.

I would urge all to think about this, to be thankful that it wasn’t you or a loved one who was crushed to death by a fellow fan, a friend, that you have returned home to your family after the countless football matches you may have attended, and to remember the 96 who didn’t.

Rest in Peace

John Alfred Anderson (62)
Thomas Howard (39)
Colin Mark Ashcroft (19)
Thomas Anthony Howard (14)
James Gary Aspinall (18)
Eric George Hughes (42)
Kester Roger Marcus Ball (16)
Alan Johnston (29)
Gerard Bernard Patrick Baron (67)
Christine Anne Jones (27)
Simon Bell (17)
Gary Philip Jones (18)
Barry Sidney Bennett (26)
Richard Jones (25)
David John Benson (22)
Nicholas Peter Joynes (27)
David William Birtle (22)
Anthony Peter Kelly (29)
Tony Bland (22)
Michael David Kelly (38)
Paul David Brady (21)
Carl David Lewis (18)
Andrew Mark Brookes (26)
David William Mather (19)
Carl Brown (18)
Brian Christopher Mathews (38)
David Steven Brown (25)
Francis Joseph McAllister (27)
Henry Thomas Burke (47)
John McBrien (18)
Peter Andrew Burkett (24)
Marion Hazel McCabe (21)
Paul William Carlile (19)
Joseph Daniel McCarthy (21)
Raymond Thomas Chapman (50)
Peter McDonnell (21)
Gary Christopher Church (19)
Alan McGlone (28)
Joseph Clark (29)
Keith McGrath (17)
Paul Clark (18)
Paul Brian Murray (14)
Gary Collins (22)
Lee Nicol (14)
Stephen Paul Copoc (20)
Stephen Francis O’Neill (17)
Tracey Elizabeth Cox (23)
Jonathon Owens (18)
James Philip Delaney (19)
William Roy Pemberton (23)
Christopher Barry Devonside (18)
Carl William Rimmer (21)
Christopher Edwards (29)
David George Rimmer (38)
Vincent Michael Fitzsimmons (34)
Graham John Roberts (24)
Thomas Steven Fox (21)
Steven Joseph Robinson (17)
Jon-Paul Gilhooley (10)
Henry Charles Rogers (17)
Barry Glover (27)
Colin Andrew Hugh William Sefton (23)
Ian Thomas Glover (20)
Inger Shah (38)
Derrick George Godwin (24)
Paula Ann Smith (26)
Roy Harry Hamilton (34)
Adam Edward Spearritt (14)
Philip Hammond (14)
Philip John Steele (15)
Eric Hankin (33)
David Leonard Thomas (23)
Gary Harrison (27)
Patrik John Thompson (35)
Stephen Francis Harrison (31)
Peter Reuben Thompson (30)
Peter Andrew Harrison (15)
Stuart Paul William Thompson (17)
David Hawley (39)
Peter Francis Tootle (21)
James Robert Hennessy (29)
Christopher James Traynor (26)
Paul Anthony Hewitson (26)
Martin Kevin Traynor (16)
Carl Darren Hewitt (17)
Kevin Tyrrell (15)
Nicholas Michael Hewitt (16)
Colin Wafer (19)
Sarah Louise Hicks (19)
Ian David Whelan (19)
Victoria Jane Hicks (15)
Martin Kenneth Wild (29)
Gordon Rodney Horn (20)
Kevin Daniel Williams (15)
Arthur Horrocks (41)
Graham John Wright (17)

For information, support or to offer help please contact:

The Hillsborough Justice Campaign
PO Box 1089
178 Walton Breck Road
Liverpool
L69 4WR
Tel / fax : 0151 2605262

email: info@hillsboroughjustice.org.uk

http://www.contrast.org/hillsborough/

Hillsborough Family Support Group
69 Anfield Road
Liverpool
L4 0TH

Tel: 0151 2642931

email: hfsg@liverpoolfc.tv

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/club/hfsg.htm

Ande Smallwood is our new guest columnist for Marching On Hopefully, a Leeds United column

So we didn?t manage to gain automatic promotion, and a lot of people me included never thought we would get as far, but the chance for us to sneak in was there, unfortunately due to being unable to score for nearly 10 hours it was not to be, and we find ourselves thrust into a 4 team cup competition to try and muster our way to play against the big boys next season,

With our apparent success I have however been on the receiving end of one of the stranger questions in the world of football, do you want Leeds to be promoted? Now normally that wouldn?t even be a question, how many other teams? fans, do you know get asked if they want to play Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal, or travel to Plymouth, Ipswich and Hull? Not to mention the increased TV coverage and financial implications.

The problem is that a lot of people seem to think I should be worried that once, or should I say if, for the time being we were to get promoted will we find ourselves coming straight back down again, and I have to admit that yes that is a possibility, but one that is surely worth the risk. Peter Risdale is out and Ken Bates is in, meaning less spent on feeding fish and sensible decisions like not opening all the ground on a match day, as it wouldn?t fill, are put in place.

It may only be one season and we may end up with a record worse than Sunderland have managed this season, if that?s even possible, but it will be financially beneficial, who knows we may even resign Robbie Fowler, we are of course paying his wages anyway, so the answer is yes, of course I want Leeds to be promoted, do you want your team to stay in the same league and not get promotion, didn?t think so.

Jeff Whitley has refused Lawrie Sanchez’s offer of a Northern ireland international olive branch and has seemingly closed the lid on his international career.

Sanchez has recently written a letter to the Cardiff City midfielder telling him that he would arrange for the IFA Media Officer to consult with Whitley and help him draft a formal apology to the IFA and the Northern Ireland supporters who he let down with his pre-match antics in breaking a curfew with Phil Mulryne last year.

If he had agreed then Sanchez would have welcomed him back into the fold for next month’s tour of the US but Whitley has flat out refused to apologise and instead told Sanchez he had already booked a holiday for that time.

The latest incident has effectively signalled the end of Whitley’s time in the green and white shirt and despite Lawrie Sanchez telling him that he was one of his best players in his first 18 months in charge, Whitley doesn’t seem too bothered.

As a Northern Ireland fan I can assure Jeff Whitley that players with attitudes like his aren’t welcome at Windsor Park. Lawrie Sanchez has taken a welcome tough stance against several players during his time as manager and I back him fully with every one. You’re either with us or against us, there can be no half hearted measures on the pitch or off it and I’d rather have 11 Irish League players with a desire to play for the jersey than English lower league prima donnas who think they are doing our wee country a favour.

Good riddance.