Friday 8 August 2014

Football League: Five new signings who could make big impacts in the Championship

By Steven Oldham

Ross McCormack's £11m move to Fulham may have captured the headlines this summer in the Championship, but the ex-Leeds striker is not the only man looking to make an impression for his new team on the season's opening weekend.

In this blog, I will look at five players who have moved onto pastures new over the summer break and who could play key roles in their club's fortunes as the season unfolds.

Of course, there are many players who have moved. Too many to mention in one blog post! So I've picked five players, all at different clubs, with a mixture of youth and experience.

Let me know who you think will be your team's most influential new signing here or on Twitter.

Britt Assombalonga
Peterborough United - NOTTINGHAM FOREST (£5.5m)

Britt Assombalonga (Getty Images)

The 21-year-old striker's cool £5.5m move from Peterborough to Forest is one that instantly catches the eye. Completed only yesterday, it represents something of a risk for Forest boss Stuart Pearce in that the Congolese player is unproven at Championship level.  However, he's signed a five-year deal at the City Ground, and it is high time he planted some roots. He's never stayed long at a club since debuting for Watford in 2011 - two loan spells in non-league followed before starting to make a name for himself at League Two Southend, where he spent the 2012/13 season on loan.  He scored 15 goals that season from 43 appearances, but would move on once more to Peterborough, who signed him from Watford for a club record £1.5m fee.  He proved to be one of the stars of the season in League One as the Posh missed out on promotion via the playoffs. Nevertheless, at a higher level, he played the same amount of games but increased his goal tally to 23. He has broken another club transfer record and it will be interesting to see how he performs at this level given he never really got the opportunity at Watford.  He's honed his skills further down the leagues but this could be his biggest chance to shine and an international call-up would not be a surprise - if he commits his future to DR Congo. (he is also eligible for England having moved here as a child)

Dean Moxey
Unattached - BOLTON WANDERERS


Dean Moxey (teamtalk.com)
Left back Moxey arrives at the Reebok after being deemed surplus to requirements by Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis after three and a half seasons with the London club. The versatile 28-year-old is now reunited with boss Dougie Freedman, whom he served under at Selhurst Park.  He is obviously well thought of by the Scot, who signed him for Palace from previous club Derby in 2011. He has plenty of experience at this level, having played four seasons in the division for Palace and Derby, including appearances in the playoffs when Palace went up. He will not be phased by the physical side of the Championship - he's not a player to duck out of a challenge.  He will also be an example to follow for the squad's younger players. Bolton could be challengers this season - they have seasoned campaigners such as Moxey, Neil Danns, and Kevin McNaughton, and Jay Spearing will continue to relish the responsibility of being captain. Jermaine Beckford is a proven goalscorer.  


Scott Hogan
Rochdale - BRENTFORD (Undisclosed fee)

Scott Hogan (Brentford FC)
Another front man rewarded for a fine season last time out, 22-year-old Scott Hogan is set to make the two division jump from League Two to the Championship.
His 17 league goals last season helped Rochdale to automatic qualification to League One, but Brentford stepped in and took him on after their own promotion to the second tier.
This will undoubtedly be the biggest test of the Salford-born attacker's career to date. A product of Rochdale's youth system,  he was eventually released without a game to his name, with an unused sub credit the nearest he came. He put the work in, and took in spells at no less than six non-league clubs before returning to his first club for the 2013/14 season. It proved an inspired decision by boss Keith Hill, as the striker weighed in with a quarter of the team's goals for the season. He will be frustrated to be ruled out of the season's early games with an ankle injury, and The Bees will be looking to him to use his pace and accurate finishing to help them establish themselves in the division.

Keiren Westwood
Unattached - SHEFFIELD WEDNEDSAY

Keiren Westwood (Sky Sports)
Sheffield Wednesday will not be short of quality in goal this season after they signed up Irish international Keiren Westwood on a free following his release from Sunderland. Existing 'keeper Chris Kirkland has also signed up for another season and the strength in depth the Owls now have in this department should give them a solid grounding to build on. At 29, Westwood should be entering his best years, and he will be looking to put a frustrating period at Sunderland behind him where he only made 19 appearances in three seasons, behind Simon Mignolet and then Vito Mannone in the pecking order. He will also be hoping to regain the Irish number one shirt from Millwall's David Forde who has made the most of Westwood's inactivity. Good both in the air and one-on-one, Westwood is already familiar with the Championship style of play, having spent three seasons at Coventry where he was highly impressive, making the PFA Team of the Year in his first season at this level. Should he get the nod over Kirkland tomorrow against, it will give a clear sign that Stuart Gray sees him as first choice.

Conor Coady
Liverpool - HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (Undisclosed)


Conor Coady (TeamTalk.com)
Promising midfielder Conor Coady is set to spend his second season in Yorkshire having signed for Huddersfield Town on a three year deal. The 21-year-old spent last season on loan at Sheffield United in League Two so this move represents a step up from both last season and youth football at Liverpool. He's signed up for three years, and the Terriers should be applauded for their foresight in doing so - he's highly thought of both at Liverpool and in the England youth set up, where he is the current under 20 captain. Leadership seems to come naturally to him having held the same role in Liverpool's under 21s. He proved he had the legs last season, making 50 appearances for Sheffield United in all competitions, and weighed in with six goals. A disciplined, committed player, his presence in a holding role will provide more attacking minded players such as club player of the year Adam Clayton the confidence to get forward and join the attack.

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Sunday 3 August 2014

Glasgow 2014: DAY 11: Australia finish with a flourish, England and Wales take road race gold medals as Commonwealth Games come to a close


Australia's men have won every Commonwealth hockey tournament
By Steven Oldham MISS DAY 10 HIGHLIGHTS? CLICK HERE

Australia enjoyed a successful as the Commonwealth Games came to a close today, but still had to settle for second on the medals table.

The team from Down Under completed a double in hockey, with their men's team beating India 4-0 in the final, a day after their women beat England.

Their victory ensured Australia's 100% record in men's hockey gold is maintained - they have won every Commonwealth tournament since the sport was added to the programme in 1998.

They also regained the netball title from reigning champions New Zealand, winning 58-40.  Australia now have bragging rights in this sport too, having won three gold medals - one more than great rivals New Zealand.

They also picked up the final with David Palmer and Cameron Pilley picking up the men's doubles in squash, with Palmer picking up double gold, having won the mixed doubles with Rachael Grinham, with both victors  defeating teams from England.

Joy for husband and wife Chris & Gabby Adcock (Guardian Sport)

 
England sealed their place on top of the medal table by taking two more gold medals on the final day of action.

Husband and wife badminton players Chris and Gabby Adcock won an all English final in the mixed doubles, beating team-mates Chris Langridge and Heather Oliver 2-0. They became the first married pair to win the title and add Commonwealth gold to the national title they won earlier this year.

In this morning's first action, Lizzie Armitstead took the first gold of the day in the women's road race from team-mate Emma Pooley. The 25-year-old won silver in both the Delhi Games and London 2012 so this becomes her biggest achievement on the road.

Wales' Geraint Thomas wins road race (Team Sky)

Wales celebrated the final day with gold in the men's road race for Geraint Thomas, the country's fifth of the Games as they finished 13th on the medal table - the same position as in Delhi four years ago, but with two more gold medals.

Thomas - who also won bronze in the time trial - survived late drama with a puncture with 6km left to run to take gold ahead of New Zealand's Jack Bauer and Simon Thwaites of England.


Malaysia's women's double winners (Starsport)


Malaysia won both doubles titles in badminton to take home half of the six gold medals available in the sport, but even this impressive performance failed to match their success in Delhi.

Tan Wee Kiong and Goh Wei Shem won the men's competition with Vivian Hoo Kah Mun and Woon Khe Wei taking the women's doubles.

Kirsty Gilmour of Scotland wins silver


Scotland's Kirsty Gilmour lost to Canada's Michelle Li but still made history by being the first woman from her country to make a Commonwealth badminton final.

She was easily beaten in the end, but had the honour of picking up her country's 53rd and final medal of a record breaking Games as they finished in fourth in the medals table.

Saturday 2 August 2014

Glasgow 2014: DAY 10: Usain Bolt heads record breaking night for Jamiaca, Daley & Adams help England seal first place, boxing success for Scotland and Northern Ireland


Jamaican closing leg runner Usain Bolt (9 News Brisbane)
By Steven Oldham MISSED DAY 9 HIGHLIGHTS? CLICK HERE
 
Sprint superstar Usain Bolt led Jamaica to gold and a new Commonwealth record in the 4x100m relay tonight as his country dominated the final night of athletics.
 
Bolt and team-mates Jason Livermore, Kemar Bailey-Cole and Nickel Ashmeade finished nearly half a second ahead of runners up England. Trinidad and Tobago finished third.
 
Their female counterparts - led by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce - also ripped up the history books - setting a new Games record in the 4x100m and finishing over a second ahead of the Nigerian team.
 
It was a day of broken records for the island nation as the women's 4 x 400m relay team got in on the act -  with Christine Day,Novlene Williams-Mills, Anastasia Le-Roy and Stephanie McPherson taking gold and again setting a new Commonwealth best.
 
Today rounded out a successful athletics programme for the Caribbean island, whose ten gold medals have all come in track and field.
 

Tom Daley retains his 10m platform title (BBC Sport)

England meanwhile are celebrating finishing first in the medals table - nearest rivals Australia cannot make up the eleven gold gap in the final day of competition tomorrow.
 
It is the first time since 1986 the English have finished as the most successful country - when the Games were also held in Scotland.
 
Stars from London 2012 helped the team cement their victory - Nicola Adams again made history by becoming the first woman to win Commonwealth gold after beating Northern Ireland's Michaela Walsh in the women's flyweight division.
 
Tom Daley won the 10m platform event, retaining his title from Delhi four years ago. He finished with 516.55 points, comfortably ahead of nearest rival Ooi Tze Liang of Malaysia who scored 433.70 points. Daley secured his second medal in as many days after winning silver in the synchro event with James Denny.
 
Back in the boxing ring, England took four other gold medals thanks to Anthony Fowler (middleweight), Scott Fitzgerald (welterweight), Joe Joyce (super-heavyweight) and Savannah Marshall (women's middleweight).
 
Husband and wife table tennis players Paul & Joanna Drinkhall beat team-mates Liam Pitchford and Tin-Tin Ho to the mixed doubles title, while the men's 4x400m relay team also took the top prize by beating the Bahamian team by just 0.05 seconds.
 
Scotland's Josh Taylor shows what victory means (Edinburgh Paper)
 
Scotland continue to add more medals to their best ever Games and took two more gold medals in boxing today.
 
Charlie Flynn and Josh Taylor won the lightweight and light welterweight divisions respectively, beating fighters from Northern Ireland and Namibia to take their country past the 50 medal mark.
 
Wth a bronze medal also coming in the mixed doubles in badminton, the hosts can be rightly proud of their 52 medal haul and are guaranteed at least one more in badminton tomorrow - Kirsty Gilmour is guaranteed at least silver in the badminton singles.
 
Northern Ireland's Paddy Barnes (GymCo Belfast)
 
 
Northern Ireland shot up the medal table to fifteenth as their boxers took the country's first two gold medals of these Games.
 
Reigning light-flyweight champion Paddy Barnes held onto his title with victory over Devendro Laisham of India before bantamweight doubled his country's gold tally in one afternoon by beating Qais Ashfaq of England.
 
Boxing has again proved to be Northern Ireland's strongest sport by far, accounting for nine of their twelve medals in Glasgow this summer.

Australia's dominant women hockey players (BBC Sport)

 
Australia's women's hockey team won a third consecutive Commonwealth gold by beating England on penalty strokes in today's final.
 
Since the sport debuted in 1998, the Australians have only missed out on winning once - in 2002, India picked up the gold.
 
Diver Esther Qin won the 3m springboard to claim Australia's second gold in this sport in Glasgow.
 
There was also success in athletics and boxing for the team from Down Under today, with Alana Boyd winning the pole vault, while Andrew Moloney (flyweight) and Shelley Watts (lightweight) beat opponents from Pakistan and India respectively.


DAY 10 DIGEST IN 60 SECONDS...
  • Nigeria continue to dominate powerlifting - they won every gold medal available today
  • There was a first gold medal in squash for India. Dipika Pallikal and Joshana Chinappa beat English pair Laura Massaro and Jenny Duncalf in the final of the women's doubles.
  • Reigning netball champions New Zealand booked a place in tomorrow's final against Australia, but only just - they beat England 35-34 with the deciding goal coming in the last second of play.
  • Singapore won two more gold medals in table tennis - mens singles and womens' doubles
  • Kenya's Mercey Cherono led home team-mate Janet Kisa in the 5000m. Veteran English runner Jo Pavey took bronze.

Friday 1 August 2014

Glasgow 2014: DAY 9: Gymnast Claudia Fragapane wins fourth gold, bowls success for Scotland, Sally Pearson wins hurdles gold for Australia


Claudia Fragapane wins her fourth gold of Glasgow 2014 (BBC Sport)

By Steven Oldham MISS DAY 8 HIGHLIGHTS? CLICK HERE
 
Teenage gymnast Claudia Fragapane won her fourth gold medal of Glasgow 2014 today, by taking victory on the floor, and in doing so became the first woman in 84 years to win as many golds for England.
 
She had previously won the vault, all around and team all around gold earlier in the week and the 16-year-old contributed to a highly successful gymnastics programme for the Home Nations, with England, Scotland and Wales all picking up medals.
 
Fragapane's gold medals are proving crucial to her country as England continue to lead the medals table from Australia and Canada.
 
Fellow gymnast Nile Wilson opened his invidiual gold account by beating team-mate Kristian Thomas to the horizontal bar competition.
 
Divers Jack Laugher and Chris Mears added another top medal in the 3m synchro event, with team-mates Nick Robinson-Baker and Freddie Woodward picking up bronze in the same event.
 
Steve Lewis added gold in the pole vault, with Tiffany Porter claiming silver in the 100m hurdles.
 
Darren Burnett is the men's singles winner (Jeff Holmes)
 
Host nation Scotland enjoyed another successful day on the bowling green, picking up two more gold medals.
 
Darren Burnett won the men's singles competition by easily beating Canada's Ryan Bester 21-9, while the mens' fours beat England 16-8 to secure their title.
 
Gymnast Daniel Purvis took his first Commonwealth title by winning the parallel bars from English pair Nile Wilson and Max Whitlock.
 
Runner Lynsey Sharp also put in a stunning performance to break up the African monopoly in the 800m, taking silver behind Kenya's Eunice Sum.

Reigning champion Moses Kipsiro took a grandstand finish in the 10,000m
(Uganda Records)
 
 Uganda won their first gold medal of the 2014 Games as Moses Kipsoro retained his 10,000m title in an incredibly close race.

Kipsiro had trailed Canada's Cameron Levins into the final straight but both he and Kenya's Josphat Bett managed to beat the man from North America across the line.

Kipsiro won the race by just 0.03 seconds, the closest margin at this Games, closer than Kemar Bailey Cole's 0.10 gap to Adam Gemili in the 100m.

Double Commonwealth champion Sally Pearson celebrates
(Fox Sports News)

Olympic champion Sally Pearson was Australia's star performer on day nine, taking the 100m hurdles final ahead of England's Tiffany Porter and Angela Whyte of Canada.

In doing so she retained the title she won four years ago in Delhi, India.

There was also gold for Eleanor Patterson in the high jump, and divers Matthew Mitcham and Dominic Beddggod took the 10m synchro title.

Olympic champion Mitcham now finally has a gold Commonwealth to add to his collection, having won four silver medals in the last Games four years ago.

Tianwei Feng win's womens singles gold (BBC Sport)

Singapore continue to do well in table tennis, winning both the women's singles and men's doubles events today.

Indeed, their women locked out the podium, with Delhi champion Tianwei Feng retaining her title by beating Mengyu Yu 4-1 in the final. Ye Lin took bronze ahead of Australian Jian Fang Lay.

Gao Ning and Li Hu are the new men's doubles champions after they beat Indian pair Sharath Achanta and Amalraj Arputharaj 3-1.



DAY 9 DIGEST IN 60 SECONDS...
  • Kenya's impressive form in the distance running events continues. They locked out the podium in the men's 3000m steeplechase with Jonathan Ndiku taking gold.
  • There was a first medal for St Lucia today. Levern Spencer took bronze in the high jump - matching her achievement from Delhi, where she was again her country's only medallist
  • Usain Bolt helped Jamaica through to the final of the men's 4x100m relay
  • South Africa added another gold medal; Tracy-Lee Botha and Colleen Piketh won the women's pairs.
  • Jennifer Abel was another athlete to retain a title won in India four years ago - she picked up gold for Canada in the 1m springboard diving event.

Glasgow 2014: DAY 8: David Rudisha upstaged by Botswana's Nijel Amos, Daniel Keatings secures individual gold for Scotland, England pull ahead in medal table

Nigel Amos beats favourite David Rudisha (Eurosport)

By Steven Oldham

Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha had to settle for silver today as Botswana's 20-year-old Nijel Amos upstaged his more illustrious rival at Hampden Park.


Amos scored Botswana's first medal of any colour by taking the 800m title, an upgrade of the Olympic silver he won in London two years ago behind Kenya's Rudisha.

This result nicely sets up future clashes between the two, a battle which is sure to continue until the next Olympics in two years time.



Scotland's Daniel Keatings on the way to gold (BBC Sport Scotland)

Scotland again tasted gold with Daniel Keatings taking the men's pommel horse ahead of England's Max Whitlock and Louis Smith.

Eilidh Child took silver in the women's 400m while Alex Gladkov took bronze in wrestling in the 65kg weight class.




Claudia Fragapane, 16, is already a 3x CWG champion (Guardian Sport)

England enjoyed another successful day and continue to lead the medal table past the halfway stage.

Gymnastics continues to be a happy hunting ground and Max Whitlock and Claudia Fragapane both won their third gold medal in the floor and vault events respectively.  

Rebecca Downie's victory in the uneven bars - her second gold - mean the English have locked out every gold medal available in the women's events.

David Weir added a first Commonwealth gold to his Paralympic title in the T54 1500m in Hampden Park, while cyclist Alex Dowsett won the men's time trial after missing out on the Tour de France.

There was also success on the bowling green for the women's triples who took gold by thrashing Australia 22-4.

India's Yogeshwar Dutt celebrates another gold (Economic Times)


India continue to do well in wrestling and also picked up a first gold medal in athletics today.

Yogeshwar Dutt (65kg) has stepped up a weight class since winning Commonwealth gold on home soil, but like compatriot Sushil Kumar the result stayed the same and he won gold today beating Canada's Jevon Dalfour in the final.

Babita Kumari secured a first major international gold by winning the women's 55kg from Brittanee Laverdure of Canada, while discus thrower Vikas Shive Gowda improved his silver to gold four years on.

Meaghan Benefito wins two gold in as many days (BBC Sport)



Canada had another successful day picking up gold in weightlifting, diving and wrestling.

George Kobaladze broke the Games clean and jerk record by lifting 229kg on his way to winning the men's heavyweight weightlifting competition.

Diver Meaghan Benefito won the 10m platform and her team-mate Roseline Filion took bronze a day after they won  gold in synchro at the same height.

The Canadians shared the spoils with India today with both nations winning two gold medals. Tamerlan Tagziev (men's 85kg) and Danielle Lappage (women's 63kg) have helped Canada to seven gold medals in wrestling this time, three more than in Delhi.

DAY 8 DIGEST IN 60 SECONDS...
  • Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare took a sprint double by taking the women's 200m
  • Geraint Thomas took bronze for Wales in the men's time trial ahead of Sunday's road race
  • Malaysia's Ooi Tze Liang took the men's 3m springboard ahead of English pair Jack Laugher and Oliver Dingley
  • They may only have two medals so far but Northern Ireland are set for a bumper Friday with NINE medals guaranteed in boxing
  • Linda Villumsen took gold in the women's time trial for New Zealand; she had previously won silver in Delhi four years ago.

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