Birmingham Mail

There's No Stopping Brad Now, Says O'neill

MARTIN O'Neill believes penalty saving supremo Brad Guzan would walk into many Premier League teams after challenging the young keeper to achieve his World Cup dream. Guzan was the hero at Sunderland when he saved four spot-kicks - including one in normal time and three in a shoot-out - to help Villa progress into the Carling Cup quarter finals.

Make Me an Offer I Can't Refuse

SEBASTIAN Larsson is hoping he can reignite contract talks now Blues have changed owners. Negotiations over a five-year deal had to be shelved when Blues were deemed to be in a takeover period.

O'neill Factor Lured Warnock

NEW fans' favourite Stephen Warnock has revealed how the desire to work with Martin O'Neill was the ultimate deciding factor in his move from Ewood Park to Villa Park. The 27-year-old left-back admits that working with the Northern Irishman was such a tempting career move that he did not have to think twice before making the decision to move southwards in the summer. Warnock haS s been instrumental since taking up his place in the berth left vacant by the injured Freddie Bouma and has already...

Striker Advice From Atkinson

FORMER Villa goal hero Dalian Atkinson has advised his striking successors that 'it's good to talk' after expressing his dismay at John Carew and Emile Heskey's loss of form. Carew and Heskey have yet to recapture their best form so far this season with six-goal top scorer Gabby Agbonlahor stealing the spotlight from his misfiring forward colleagues.

Petrov Is Backing Rotation Policy

STILIYAN Petrov believes manager Martin O'Neill will use a rotation policy more and more this season as the way forward with the club pursuing both league and cup success. Villa skipper Petrov was substituted before the dramatic penalty shoot-out at the Stadium of Light in his side's thrilling Carling Cup win over Sunderland in midweek and accepts that the manager will bring in other players when and if he feels it is necessary.

Yeung Gets Star Rating

RALPH Gold has insisted Blues new owners, led by Carson Yeung, had been left with a perfect launchpad for success. Gold sold his 12.5 per cent shareholding to Yeung's Grandtop International Holdings for pounds 10.2 million. And he said the Chinese should lift Blues to new heights.

I'm Leaving Football for Quieter Life

THERE will be no return to football for Ralph Gold. The 70-year-old former Blues director said he had done his bit.

Gold Shone in Background ...

RALPH Gold was very much the quiet man of the former Blues regime. As others took the limelight in roles that thrust them into the spotlight, David Gold's younger brother remained largely in the shadows.

It's Tough at the Top, Rob

THE Championship is as tight, fiercely-competitive and unpredictable as ever, but surely Roberto Di Matteo didn't expect anything less? Gone are the days when a team would romp away with the title of English football's secondtier. Albion are one of the big boys, but the Championship is a playground full of bullies.

Hawthorns Plan to Be the Wizards of Dribble ...

'BARCALBION' is a jibe that Baggies fans will have grown used to from their mickey-taking rivals. In seasons gone-by, Albion's free-flowing passing game has seen them compared to Barcelona - with tongue firmly in cheek.

Shelton's Run Out of Energy

IT TOOK 20 months for the Baggies to discover exactly what Shelton Martis had to offer. Signed from Hibernian in July 2007 for just pounds 50,000, Martis had become a forgotten man at the Hawthorns until Tony Mowbray gave him a shock Premier League call-up towards the end of last season.

Fine Line Between Winning and Losing

WALSALL manager Chris Hutchings has stressed the "very finemargins" that can makethedifferencebetween winning and losing in professional football. Attention to detail is one of the vastly experienced Hutchings' strengths as he plots a course through his first full season as Saddlers' boss.

History Warns of Cup Shocks

WALSALL'S FA Cup trail will begin with a fascinating, but potentially fraught, visit to Zamaretto League Premier Division side Stourbridge next Saturday. And since the fellowWest Midlands clubs, four tiers apart in the football pyramid, were paired in last Sunday's first-round draw, many a Walsall supporter's thoughts have drifted back to November 13, 2004.

Deeney's Learning Curve

TROY Deeney is now a well-established member of Walsall's first- team squad - but the 21-year-old insists that week after week his football education continues. As a youngster, the Birminghamborn striker used to watch the likes of Ian Wright on the box to see how the top goal-poachers go about their business.

Wright Race for Lambs

TAMWORTH striker Nick Wright faces a race against time to be fit for today's clash with Hayes and Yeading. Wright lasted only four minutes of the Lambs' FA Cup clash with Ilkeston Town last week before suffering an ankle injury.

Moors Get Timing Right for Collins

SOLIHULL Moors' slender 1-0 success over fellow strugglers Harrogate Town was like winning a sixpointer, according to chairman Nigel Collins. The contest was settled by a penalty struck by new boy Ryan Beswick in the 89th minute.

Home Decision Suits Hackett

MANAGER-of the moment Gary Hackett couldn't hide his delight over the decision to play Stourbridge's FA Cup firstround tie with Walsall at Amblecote next week. Hackett said: "If we'd moved the tie to somewhere like Kidderminster Harriers or Halesowen Town, it would have taken some of the gloss off the game.

Yates Warning to Harriers

KIDDERMINSTER Harriers' manager Mark Yates lamented Lee Baker's challenge which played a large part in their FA Cup exit to Fleetwood Town this week. Baker was sent off after 16 minutes of their replay in Lancashire, leaving Harriers facing an uphill battle.

Whild: Ref Must Have Been On Fergie Time

GARY Whild praised players and supporters alike after Redditch bowed out of the FA Cup this week following two heroic efforts against Conference titlechasers Kettering. Twice the Reds stretched Kettering to the limit and they were only saved by some generous referee's timekeeping on both occasions Reds were denied victory by a 96th-minute equaliser from the opening game at Kettering. This was followed by a last-gasp replay winner after extra-time appeared to have been exhausted.

Thomas and Hoy Stun Rivals

n CYCLING: Sir Chris Hoy and Geraint Thomas showed Great Britain remain the world's leading nation at Manchester's Velodrome last night with stunning victories at the Track World Cup. One thousand days before the London Games open, Hoy, who was knighted after winning three gold medals as the British team dominated in Beijing last year, marked his return to international competition following injury with a supreme display in winning the keirin.