Football League will benefit from two former members going up from the Conference

By Steven Oldham

Conference champions Luton Town could break through the 100 point barrier in this weekend's last game of the season away at already-relegated Hyde.

Having already wrapped up the title and scored 101 goals, a three digit points total would be the perfect way to bookend their season (neatly against the bottom placed club).

It is the sort of romp to the championship that many have expected of Luton for several seasons since their relegation to non-league five years ago.

Few in the football world begrudge Luton their success, a famous old Football League name for nearly 90 years before their recent demise.

The battle to join them in League Two next season is far from over though with Cambridge United, Grimsby Town joined in the playoffs by two from FC Halifax, Gateshead and Braintree Town.

Reaching the playoffs is an achievement for any team - but it's even more impressive for Halifax and Braintree should they make it, who remain part time and have eclipsed bigger names such as Barnet and Wrexham this season.

In recent years, the Skrill Premier has become a bit of a graveyard for former Football League teams who've fallen on hard times.  As well as Luton, the likes of Cambridge, Grimsby, Wrexham, Lincoln, Hereford and Barnet have failed to bounce back in to the 92 in quick fashion.  Indeed, Hereford are in grave danger of being relegated once again sitting in the bottom four with one left to play.

This is why I'm glad this season two of the old names are set to contend for the second promotion slot.  Recent years have seen many clubs making their Football League debuts rising from the Conference, including Stevenage, Crawley, Fleetwood and Dagenham & Redbridge.

While these clubs are well-run, professional outfits who have earned and consolidated their places, they lack the Football League history of these clubs who have clashed many times over the years albeit in a higher division than they currently lie.

If Luton thought five years was bad enough, Cambridge have been attempting to rejoin the Football League since relegation in 2005.  Twice beaten playoff finalists, this will be the first time in five seasons they will be competing in the end-of-season showdown.

It is also likely the clubs already operating on professional status will stand a better chance of survival in League Two, rather than jumping from semi-pro to full time over the summer.  This would probably prove too big a leap for the part-timers in such a short space of time.

One pitfall of the bigger clubs leaving is the drop in attendances that will be felt by all Conference sides next season - none of the clubs in contention for relegation to the division attract as sizable a crowd as Luton.  While The Hatters may not think this is a good thing, their stay in non-league has boosted many club's bank accounts in recent years.

It's not a foregone conclusion that either Cambridge or Grimsby will make the final either - United have lost three straight games while Town tripped up against likely semi final opponents Halifax last week.

Putting the stats aside however I feel the Football League will be richer for having two of it's old members back next year rather than one.  Which one, should they reach the final, is anyone's guess.

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Avoiding the trapdoor - the battle to stay in the Football League

By Steven Oldham

At both ends of League Two, there are no certainties over promotion or relegation with just three games left for most teams.

With Scunthorpe, Chesterfield and Rochdale all fluffing their lines in today's games and failing to take a win between them, it is no clearer who will take the title with two points covering the three teams.

At the bottom end of League Two there is an even bigger battle on to avoid relegation to the Conference.  It will now take a miracle for Torquay to survive, and to add insult to injury, will see their relegation sealed if they fail to beat rivals Exeter in their next match.  They lie eight points adrift of safety with nine left to play for.

So, one slot to non-league is filled.  But who will join them? As things stand, just seven points separate Newport County in 13th on 54 points and Northampton Town in 23rd on 47.  Such a close season is now entering its most exciting phase with less than a month on the calendar.  Let's look at the teams in danger.

Newport can still be relegated mathematically but it's almost impossible they will drop back to the Conference after one season in the 92.  Their run in however is tough and they won't sit in 13th by the time the season ends.  A gaggle of matches against sides chasing the playoffs and promotion (Burton, York and Rochdale) will probably prove slim pickings for the Welshmen.

One place and one point behind Newport lie AFC Wimbledon.  The Dons have been steadily picking up points in recent weeks, and have lost one in five.  Tellingly though they have only won one too.  A trip to Plymouth next time out will be a tough ask but they should have enough to make home advantage pay over Morecambe.  An improvement on last year's 20th place is a good base for next season for Neal Ardley's team.

On 52 points are Cheltenham.  A disappointing season for The Robins after making the playoffs two years running.  The Robins have suffered lately with a run of games against teams fighting for honours - Scunthorpe, Southend and Fleetwood.  However they have a kinder run in than some others who are still not safe, with points to be gained against Mansfield and Dagenham.

Accrington's gamble on giving James Beattie his first taste of management appears to have paid off with the club doing better than many predicted before the season started.  They have only lost twice in their last ten and this late season run of consistent points scoring has probably done enough to keep them up for another year.  Trips to Oxford and Southend are not something they will relish while they remain relegation contenders but their important 1-0 victory over Exeter in late March could prove the key point of their season.



James Beattie has done well on a small budget at Accrington
Photo Credit: Getty/BBC



It's sad to even include Portsmouth in this post.  Few, if any, clubs have fallen from grace as quickly as Pompey have in recent years.  Stockport County's similar, more prolonged demise is a sore spot for this writer so I empathise with Portsmouth fans.  Two successive relegations however should not become three, with caretaker boss Andy Awford leading his team to three successive wins since he took over.  In his second reign as caretaker in one season, Awford's loyalty should be rewarded with the full time job.  His in-form team should increase Bristol Rovers' relegation worries tomorrow and there are points to be had from games against Northampton and Plymouth.

Morecambe have 50 points and should be the first of the teams seriously looking over their shoulder.  Winless in eight games, they look set to record their worst season under Jim Bentley to date, who has led the team to respectable mid-table finishes in his two seasons in charge.  Positively, they have held high flying Scunthorpe and Fleetwood to draws in their last two games.

Their next game against Hartlepool is crucial for both teams.  Luckily for Morecambe, 'Pool are in even worse form than they are, losing five on the bounce.  Trips to Burton and Plymouth are unlikely to improve this run and they made need their final game against Exeter to guarantee League Two football for another season, just one season after coming down from the tier above.

Hartlepool vs Exeter on the final day of the season could be crucial
Photo Credit: Hartlepool Mail

Exeter could not hope for a better time for a Devon derby.  They will seal Torquay's fate as long as they avoid defeat to their rivals and this should boost the St James' Park team in their own survival bid.  The Grecians have been declining however and have picked up just two points from 12.  A victory over Torquay would leave their fate in their own hands as they face a tough game against Scunthorpe before finishing the season with the long trip to Hartlepool.

Wycombe are the first of a trio on 47 points and will be hugely disappointed to be battling a second relegation in three years.  Gareth Ainsworth's team drew with Northampton today - a result which neither team any favours - ahead of an unwanted trip to Fleetwood next time out.  Wanderers will have no one but themselves to blame if they don't avoid the drop though, with their final games against Bristol Rovers and Torquay.  To survive you need to beat the teams around you, and if Wycombe can't they may find themselves back in the Conference for the first time since 1993.



Northampton & Bristol Rovers - will they survive?
Photo credit: Andrew Kearns

Trailing Wycombe only on goals scored are Bristol Rovers who meet Portsmouth away tomorrow.  After that they might be able to squeeze a point against Rochdale who have stuttered in their bid for promotion in recent games.  John Joe O'Toole's ability to find the net could be the difference between survival and relegation.  His record of 13 goals from midfield is almost a third of his side's tally for the entire season and gives the most obvious reason Rovers are in real danger of losing their league status.  I think Rovers and Northampton will both end up with 49 points.

In 23rd place at the moment are Northampton Town who one year ago were preparing for the playoffs.  It's fair to say a lot can change in 12 months as Town are, like Bristol Rovers, at real risk of being relegated to non-league for the first time.  The Cobblers are actually one of the form teams of the bottom half of League Two over the last five games, gaining eight points from 15.  Wins over Accrington and Burton prove there is some fight left in the team, but their goal difference is a big worry.  They need an eleven goal swing just to overtake Rovers should they end on the same points which is unlikely at best.

So who's for the drop? Ultimately I think it's between Bristol Rovers and Northampton.  I think both teams have left it too late to put together a run that will realistically drag any of the other teams into the fight.  They both have games against a team with nothing to play for (Rovers v Mansfield and Northampton v Dagenham & Redbridge) so they may be able to pull off a victory and worry the likes of Hartlepool and Morecambe.

Unfortunately for Northampton I don't think they will survive this year.  It will be close, but their poor goal difference and tough games against Oxford and Portsmouth make it unlikely to me they can stay up.  They've left themselves too much too do and I think Rovers will survive by the skin of their teeth.

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I'm the world champion, but I want Paralympic gold too says British powerlifter Ali Jawad

By Steven Oldham

British powerlifter Ali Jawad still has unfinished business with the Paralympics despite becoming world champion earlier this month.

The Londoner became the -59kg champion by lifting 190kg at the Powerlifting World Championships in Dubai, setting a new world record in the process.

Jawad admits after winning his first world title his thoughts are now firmly fixed on the Rio 2016 Paralympics - and putting some past demons to bed once and for all.

He came fourth at London 2012, missing out on the medals after having a lift that would have seen him won silver thrown out, reinstated and then thrown out again by the jury, who ordered him to relift 189kg minutes after he had done so the first time.  He couldn't, and missed out on the medals due only to being heavier than the eventual bronze medallist from China.

He said: "It hasn't really sunk in that I'm the world champion yet.  It doesn't seem like I am.  Nothing has really changed for me.

A lot of people have asked me if being world champion has made up for what happened at London 2012.  My first thought was that I need to win in Rio.  My focus is definitely now on 2016."

Competing in Dubai (thanks to Ali for photograph)

Jawad - Lebanese born but London bred - went into his latest competition in Dubai as world record holder in his weight class but momentarily lost it to Iranian lifter Hamzeh Mohamaddi, who lifted 186kg in the first round, 0.5kg than Jawad's record.

The 25-year-old responded with an unmatched lift of 190kg in the next round and reclaimed his world record, an impressive feat given he weighs less than a third of what he lifted.

"Our plan was to go in at the world record, but he went in higher in the first round.  We weren't expecting that!", he said.

Next in Ali's sights is the final qualifiers for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in the summer.  He is set to compete in the qualifiers in Coventry on 11 May at the Ricoh Arena, having already gained 160 points towards a place in Team England.

Only three powerlifters are able to go forward to the Games for England and Jawad reckons it will take a big effort from other lifters to make the 160 points target.

"I've already reached 160 and so has another lifter.  It will be a big ask for anyone else to reach it.

In the grand scheme of things, the Commonwealths are not that important - they are in the same four year cycle as the Worlds which have to take precedence.  It's still a competition I'm training hard for and it will be very difficult to win.  I reckon my main competition will be from Nigeria."

Nigerian lifter Anthony Ulomman took bronze in Dubai to underline his podium credentials for Glasgow, albeit having lifted 7kg less than Jawad, who is relishing performing in front of a British crowd once more.

"I still see Glasgow as a home Games.  Hopefully I can do well and if I medal it might start to make up for what happened in London," he said.

You can follow Ali's progress via his Twitter page, @AliJawad12

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Badminton's Olympic legacy boosted by creation of NBL

By Steven Oldham

Badminton England's plans for the sport's first UK national league competition is a positive way of sealing a post London 2012 legacy.

The first National Badminton League (NBL) season is due to begin in October and will comprise six franchises - albeit all from England. 

The inaugural line up for the first season then sees university teams from Birmingham, Derby, Loughborough, Nottingham and Surrey compete with a Milton Keynes entry.
 
This promising new development for the sport in the UK, but the lack of geographical spread in the teams may limit popularity in the short term.  With no teams from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland initially, (the league is open to expansion in future seasons) it may be left to top players such as Imogen Bankier to bring in interest outside the franchise boundaries.



The first NBL starts in October

A new, shorter format - Twenty20 style - will be used for the competition with matches both live on Sky Sports and streamed online globally.

While detailed coverage information is not yet confirmed, a Sky deal has good and bad points.  The extra money from a satellite deal is always a bonus for a minority sport, but the lack of terrestrial presence - even on the red button - can not be offset by streaming. 

Team GB Olympians and the cream of Team England and imported talent will be on show, and the chance to see future stars is made possible with the mandatory inclusion of two players under 21 in each eight person team.  University players may also be used.

The decision to box off two slots in every team for young talent is a great way of attaining a working legacy in badminton following London 2012, creating stars of the future and inspiring young talent to pick up their shuttlecocks.

Initial reaction to the NBL's creation has been positive and if successful, it may become a blueprint for other sports to follow in future years.

Another positive decision is to implement a spending cap so franchises remain viable in the long term.  This should create a more level playing field with teams unable to spend all their funds on one marquee signing after another.

Attention will now turn to June's player auction, with teams able to bid for their desired players, while bearing in mind the spending cap.  Providing the action is exciting and the league does indeed expand outside it's current narrow catchment area, the NBL can only do good for the future of badminton in the UK.

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Caterham and Marussia need to up their game with Haas Racing and another new team joining the F1 party in 2015

By Steven Oldham

The announcement that Nascar team boss Gene Haas' entry to Formula 1 has been accepted by the FIA should act as an incentive for Caterham and Marussia to up their performance.

Haas - whose estimated $740 million personal worth dwarfs budgets up and down the grid - is set to lead an American team to the grid for the first time since the ill fated US F1 outfit went bust before the season opener in 2010.

Both Marussia and Caterham debuted in that year under different names (alongside the now defunct HRT) but have still yet to score a point. 

The battle between the two teams to finish tenth in the constructors table - and the extra funds unlocked for doing so - has been an interesting side note in recent seasons - but finishing tenth this year could be more important than ever.

With the Haas entry and the as yet unconfirmed 13th team, the chances of either outfit coming in the top ten next year are reduced - either by outright performance, reliability or sheer pot luck.

Caterham's 2014 car (thanks to Autosport for the photo)

Caterham boss Tony Fernandes has been outspoken about the sport's failure to implement a budget cap since the last intake of teams and is unlikely to relish the thought of a cash-rich new entry leapfrogging his team in their first season.  The lack of a cap has undoubtedly hindered both backmarker teams as the likes of Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari continue to pour vast amounts into their budgets.

Talented American racer Alexander Rossi - and Caterham reserve driver - may also have his head swayed if Haas takes the patriotic route new teams often do with a home driver in a race seat.

Marussia and Caterham are not the only pointless teams after the opening races but, as bad as Lotus and Sauber have started the year, they are surely more likely to collect points, so it's imperative they hit the ground running from the European season onwards when the first new upgrades to their cars are likely to arrive.

Max Chilton's ability to get his car to the end of a race - he has still yet to retire over a year into his F1 career - could prove critical and his pair of 13th places in Australia and Bahrain have given Marussia an early lead, with Caterham's Kamui Kobayashi finishing in the same place in Malaysia.

More teams in F1 can only be a good thing - more cars means more overtaking and more interesting racing - but the existing strugglers need to be able to hold their own or face a further slide down the rankings and maybe into total non-existence.

Marussia MR03 in testing (thanks to Getty Images for photo)