Norwich manager Peter Grant will be without left back Adam Drury for the Championship visit of Southampton to Carrow Road.
The 28 year old was withdrawn during the 2nd half of the Canaries' 5-2 demolition of League 2 side Barnet in the Carling Cup in midweek with an ankle problem and is rated as a doubt to face Saints.
If he is unavailable Simon Lappin, who scored in that triumph, will revert to left back with Luke Chadwick coming into midfield.
Julien Brellier is also set to miss out after complaining of a stiff back after turning in a fine display in last Saturday's 0-0 draw at Preston so Mark Fotheringham will continue in his place in central midfield.
Darren Huckerby remains sidelined with the groin problem which has prevented him from kicking a ball since last season and Chelsea loanee Jimmy Smith faces at least another month out with his calf problem.
Jamie Cureton will play his 1st league game for the club since 1996 and will be hoping to emulate his display Tuesday when he scored twice inside the 1st 16 minutes.
New signing Wayne Thomas goes straight into the Southampton squad.
The 28 year old signed in a £1 million deal from Burnley Thursday and is probably going to be pitched straight into Saints' makeshift defence.
With Claus Lundekvam (ankle) still injured and Darren Powell suspended for one final game, Thomas will probably line up alongside on-loan Alan Bennett, allowing Chris Makin to revert to his favoured full back position.
Goalkeeper Kelvin Davis is in full training after a virus and would replace Bartosz Bialkowski following some indecisive displays from the young Pole.
Adam Hammill is also back in training after missing the Carling Cup defeat by Peterborough with a foot injury and fellow midfielder Inigo Idiakez has recovered from hamstring trouble, even though the veteran Spaniard is short of match fitness.
11 August 2007
Luke Chadwick would like Carrow Road to be turned into a fortress if Norwich city are to realise their dream of returning to the Premier League.
Last season the Canaries lost 8 home games, that included to the likes of Crystal Palace, Burnley, Sheffield Wednesday and Chadwick described results at home as 'massively important' as the 9 month long quest for promotion begins.
City's 1st home game of the season is against Barnet in the Carling Cup Tuesday, followed by the return of Southampton, who spoiled last season's final home game with a 1-0 win, in the Championship.
'Everyone's raring to go,' he said. "Everyone's really upbeat and cannot wait for the start of the season. It is been a long time coming and it was a disappointing campaign last year so hopefully we can put this right this year. Home form's going to be massively important especially with the crowd we get which must be one of the largest in the league. It is a good atmosphere down there so hopefully we can have given the crowd something to shout about and make it a fortress once again.'
Chadwick, 26, who signed on a full time basis from Stoke City in January, expects for a much better season than last year's injury plagued campaign.
And he is also hoping to find the goal trail after finding the net during the derby defeat to Ipswich Town at Portman Road, however is not setting himself any targets.
'Every time I go out on the pitch I am looking to score goals and make goals, and that is my position on the field,' he said.
'Hopefully I'll get several more goals this year and set several up and the other lads will get several as well and we will be up at the top of the league at the end of the season. Obviously the midfield players have got to chip in with several more goals. We have lost a lot of goals with Earnie (Robert Earnshaw) going as he was one of the league's top scorers. However, we have got people like Hucks (Darren Huckerby) and Brownie (Chris Brown) and David (Strihavka) who will score a lot of goals. All the new lads have settled in. It is a good dressing room to come into and everyone's really friendly and it is a good atmosphere at the club so they have settled in well and hopefully they will be able to perform. David is learning a lot of English so he's always got his phrasebook with him and he's coming on quickly so hopefully he will get some goals for us.'
The former Man Utd and The Hammers winger thinks the teams relegated from the Premier League last season are among City's largest rivals this time around.
'Everyone's got a chance going into it,' he said. 'There must be about 10 or 15 teams who think they can get into the top six. Obviously the teams that were relegated have got a bit of money to spend like the Watfords, the Sheffield Uniteds as they have got parachute payments so they will have strong squads. However, I think we have got a good team together so hopefully we will be up there challenging.'
03 August 2007
West Bromwich Albion sign Marseille centre half Bostjan Cesar on a season long loan deal, with a view to a permanent transfer.
The 25 year old Slovenia international, who has won 24 caps, joins fellow countryman Robert Koren at the club.
Boss Tony Mowbray informed the club's website, "Bostjan is a left sided centre half and a real competitor. What I like about him is that he has natural defensive instincts. He's a defender's defender."
Mowbray added, "He's a regular alongside Robert in the Slovenian national team and has played for some substantial clubs."
The Baggies have already signed centre-backs Leon Barnett and Shelton Martis in the summer.
Cesar will be eligible for Saturday's friendly with visiting Heerenveen if international clearance is granted in time.
02 August 2007
Website MyFootballClub has achieved its target of recruiting 50,000 fans, only 3 months after launching its bid to take over a football club.
4 clubs have already approached the website, which will now collect £35 from each member towards a £1.4 million takeover fund to buy a club.
Members will have the right to vote on all major decisions affecting the club.
"There was much takeover talk however this has caught the fans' imagination," creator Would Brooks informed BBC Sport.
"The website got over £100,000 in 6 hours."
Currently, Leeds is the club members would most like to take over, followed by Cambridge United, Nottingham Forest, Accrington Stanley, Barnet and Brighton.
After reaching the milestone of 50,000 members, Brooks has now set his sights on surpassing FC Barcelona's 155,000 membership base.
Brooks added, "In 3 months, over 50,000 have registered with MyFootballClub and now hundreds are becoming members every day. In time, we would match FC Barcelona's 155,000 owners."
4 clubs, from the Football League and the Conference, were in touch with Brooks to explore the possibility of being taken over by the website.
"To be in a position where clubs are now coming to us is quite an endorsement," mentioned Brooks.
"A new fan base of tens of thousands will greatly enhance the club's prospects.
"On top of money from the MyFootballClub members, there will also be a significant boost in ticket and merchandise sales, as well as the possible for more lucrative sponsorship and television deals."
FC Barcelona's fans vote on who will be the club's president every 4 years however Brooks' vision for any club taken over by MyFootballClub offers supporters a more radical model of involvement.
"The football club will be run in an extremely prudent manner, with all the requisite personnel and expertise at every level," he revealed.
"Club employees will brief members and all major decisions, on and off the pitch, will be put to the members' vote."
Over the last 3 months the website has negotiated a sponsorship deal with EA Sports and brought in former Fulham managing director Michael Fiddy to provide legal advice.
The Financial Services Authority has also approved the setting up of the MyFootballClub Trust to safeguard members' interests.
"Members will own the football club through the MyFootballClub Trust," mentioned Brooks. "Every member has one share in the Trust and therefore one vote."
31 July 2007
Marseille defender Bostjan Cesar has agreed a deal to join West Bromwich Albion.
According to French sources, Baggies manager Tony Mowbray has beat everyone for the highly rated Slovenian as he continues to strengthen for the new season.
It is reported that Cesar will initially come to The Hawthorns on loan, however West Bromwich Albion have the option to buy him for a fee in the region of €1 million (£700,000).
The 25 year old centre back made only 7 appearances for Marseille last season and was allowed to go out for a new challenge.
Mowbray has already brought in defenders Leon Barnett and Tininho this season, even though Paul McShane has left for Sunderland.
29 July 2007
Injured forward Michael Owen was again missing from the Newcastle team however they did not miss the England man as goals from Obafemi Martins and Albert Luque secured a comfortable triumph over Serie A side Juve at St James' Park.
United manager Sam Allardyce had hoped to have one or both of Shola Ameobi and Owen fit for selection, however the pair were one again on the sidelines.
With summer signing Mark Viduka also yet to link up with the side following international duty, Martins and Luque had taken the chance to impress up front.
But it was Juve who had the 1st chance, Italy forward Vincenzo Iaquinta making light work of Paul Huntington's challenge before rolling the ball straight at Shay Given in the Newcastle goal.
The Turin side set the pace early on and it was against the run of play when Mark Clattenburg awarded the hosts a 9th minute penalty as Jonathan Zebina impeded James Milner in the area. That gave Luque the opportunity to convert from the spot and he did so calmly to grab his 3rd goal in 2 games following a brace against Celtic.
Milner continued to threaten on the left flank, twice breaking dangerously on the counter attack, whilst Iaquinta looked to have the triumphing over of Huntington when the visitors had possession. Marco Marchionni also impressed however his finishing would not match some fine approach play.
Soon after, an underhit clearance by Huntington gave Juve possession and when captain Pavel Nedved hooked a shot hard and low at the Newcastle goal it had taken a diving save from Given to preserve his side's advantage.
The lead doubled when an astute pass from Charles N'Zogbia put Martins clear on goal. His powerful shot was parried by Gianluigi Buffon and when the loose ball found its way to Andy Carroll, on the pitch for 2 minutes as Luque came off with a minor knock, he composed himself before firing across the World Cup winning goalie and into the net.
Allardyce made changes at the interval, with Kieron Dyer, who was linked with a transfer to The Hammers or Spurs, among the new arrivals.
Although he received a mixed greeting from the fans he started brightly and was central to a move that saw N'Zogbia narrowly miss with a drilled shot from 30 yards.
The Magpies continued to load their opponents and Nolberto Solano 's 53rd minute free kick missed everyone in the box before forcing a good save from Buffon.
Juve briefly came to life on the hour mark when a nice piece of control allowed Marchionni time to line up a shot from only outside the area.
He hit a curling, right footed effort however Given was equal to it and pushed it forcefully to safety.
2 minutes later, Dyer picked up the ball and dashed 60 yards, exchanging passes with Matthew Pattison before showing neat footwork to glide into the box. The England midfielder stopped before releasing his shot however Buffon's outstretched hand denied him.
In an increasingly youthful team, Solano and Steven Carr making way for Darren Lough and Charlie Barnett, who joined Pattison, James Troisi and David Edgar on the pitch, Dyer was becoming influential and had a penalty appeal turned down as he again attacked at speed.
N'Zogbia, another one of the few remaining 1st team regulars, also shouldered responsibility and tested Buffon with a well judged free kick 15 minutes from time.
The Italians also opted to blood some less celebrated players in the 2nd half however it was captain Nedved who spurned their best chance, scooping the ball over the crossbar after being allowed to enter the area unattended.
Dyer nearly capped things off for Newcastle with a cheeky back-heel into the net, however his effort was disallowed for offside.
26 July 2007
West Bromwich Albion have completed the signing of defender Leon Barnett from Luton for an initial £2.5 million.
The 21 year old's transfer fee would in the end rise to £3 million and he signed a 4 year contract with the option of an extra year in the club's favour.
"He possesses outstanding physical attributes," Albion manager Tony Mowbray informed his club's official website wba.co.uk.
"We have brought in raw possible and there are parts of his game he needs to develop. However, we are looking forward to helping him improve over the next few years, and hopefully seeing Leon play his part in the future success of the club."
19 June 2007
Barnet have revealed that they will hold talks with former England and Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour when he returns from holiday.
The 34 year old was recently released by Championship side Hull.
He made 15 appearances for the Tigers after joining them on a short term contract in February.
"Parlour has made it clear that he has options in the Championship, however has not ruled out Barnet," a statement on the Bees' website read.
Meanwhile, Barnet defender Joe Devera, 20, will have his tonsils removed next week however will be fit to return for pre season training on 4 July.
