Blackpool goalkeeper Rhys Evans stoked up potential controversy with the Seasiders' fans with the candid admission: "We dislike each other."
Evans, currently on loan with League Two side Bradford City after losing his place as first choice to Paul Rachubka, said of his time at Bloomfield Road:
"I haven't been happy at Blackpool for a long time and I've not been made to feel welcome there in many ways. It's not necessarily down to the players and the staff, but the surrounding factors at the club. After an early period of last season the Blackpool fans decided that I wasn't the goalkeeper for them. We had a poor start and I think they tried to pin that on me a little bit. I had replaced the player of the season in Lee Jones, so I was the convenient target. We let in a few goals when the ball was bobbling over my hand and things like that and it all built up into a negative attitude towards me. That made it increasingly difficult for me to succeed there. I played 39 games last season but I don't think I enjoyed many of them.
"That's why I wanted to go somewhere just to enjoy playing football again."
However, Evans spoke of his determination to win over the Blackpool fans when he gets back.
"Hopefully by coming to Bradford and doing well, the fans will give me a clean slate when I go back and I may do the same for them. At the moment there's a mutual dislike with one another."
Evans was brought to Bradford on a month's loan by manager Stuart McCall and made his debut in the 2-1 defeat at the hands of MK Dons.
He was brought in because of a lapse in form of the Bantams' regular stopper Donovan Ricketts, the Jamaican international.
Evans said: "It must be very difficult for Donovan and I just hope I handle the situation with dignity. I'm certainly not here to rub his nose in it. I've been there and know what he must be going through. It happens to everybody."
Evans, the former Swindon and Chelsea keeper, added: "I know the manager wanted someone to come and take crosses and go for deep balls in the box. That's something I try to do generally in my game and I was pleased with that."
Despite his misgivings about the Blackpool fans' reaction to his displays, Evans says that there is an excellent team spirit at Bloomfield Road.
"I've come from a club where there's a positive feeling about it.
"If anybody was to ask me about the success at Blackpool, it's been built on a close unit and the good camaraderie among the lads. If I can put that across to the players here then maybe it will help."
04 October 2007
Wigan midfielder Josip Skoko claims Chris Hutchings' calmer approach is proving more beneficial than former boss Paul Jewell's more aggressive manner.
Hutchings took over from Jewell early in the summer following the latter's shock decision to quit at the JJB Stadium at the end of last season, despite helping the Latics avoid relegation.
Following a bright start to the campaign, Wigan have failed to win any of their last six games, with their next stop a daunting clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
But for Jewell and Hutchings the 'Theatre of Dreams' has offered up nothing but nightmares.
Jewell suffered two 4-0 defeats at the venue during his time in charge at Wigan, while Hutchings' last visit was in charge of Bradford in 2000 when the Bantams were battered 6-0.
Whether Hutchings has improved as a manager, and after working for so long as Jewell's right-hand man at Wigan, remains to be seen.
Australian Skoko concedes the principles of the two men "are fairly similar," but added they "are different characters".
"Paul brought something of his own person to the team, as has Chris," added Skoko.
"Chris is relaxed. He wants to bring football and confidence into the team, to get us playing and going into each game being positive. Paul was a little more aggressive getting things out of us. He was always fired up, and not in a bad way. It was just a different style he had. Both ways work, it depends on the day I suppose, but I've always preferred a coach who is calm. In my past experience the very good coaches have been very calm, they teach the football and we've got good results from it in the past."
Saturday's 1-0 home defeat to Liverpool means Wigan have now lost all 17 matches against the 'big four' since their promotion to the Barclays Premier League in 2005.
A visit to a United side not playing at their best, yet still managing to win games, hardly bodes well.
Skoko added: "We've never had any luck against the top four, so I think we're due some and a point. We've now come close four or five times, losing in the last few minutes against Chelsea, Arsenal and United. To play well against these big teams does give you confidence, but now we have to take a point or two. We're certainly a stronger team this year than we have been in the last two seasons, and we've a better squad. This season we've not shown what we can do. We should have taken more points than we actually have. Again we've been unlucky on a few occasions, and perhaps in front of goal we've not done enough, but I'm sure we will show better form as the season goes on."
04 October 2007
Robbie Fowler could find himself in hot water with the Football Association after a row with Sheffield United supporters during the aftermath of Tuesday's game at Bramall Lane.
The Cardiff City striker, who scored a controversial penalty during the 3-3 draw with Bryan Robson's side, was allegedly involved in a verbal altercation with at least two home fans as he made his way from the stadium to the team bus.
Eyewitnesses say that Fowler and his team mate Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink were singled out for particular attention by United fans at the players' entrance.
But unlike the former Holland international, they claim that Fowler swore and responded in a manner which has prompted one to write a letter to Soho Square demanding that officials launch an investigation into his conduct.
Tempers were running high after a dramatic game which saw United surrender the lead before coming from 3-1 down to snatch a point with two goals in the last five minutes.
But with Keith Gillespie (hamstring) joining Gary Naysmith, Nick Montgomery and Derek Geary on the list of likely absentees from Saturday evening's visit to Bristol City, Robson has stepped up his effort to make at least one loan signing before the weekend.
Assistant manager Brian Kidd was scheduled to host this afternoon's press conference at Shirecliffe.
Meanwhile, United's decision to extend their youth development network to the east coast is already reaping dividends after the club's decision to offer Darren Clough extended schoolboy terms.
The 16-year-old from Scarborough impressed during a trial match against Bradford City and is now eligible to play for United's academy.
Clough was recommended to United by coaches at the town's school of excellence.
United stepped in to save the scheme after Scarborough Football Club went bust earlier this year and plc chairman Kevin McCabe has pledged funds to help build a new sporting facility in nearby Eastfield.
Representatives of Scarborough Athletic supporters' trust were at the Cardiff game.
01 October 2007
Bradford City are in talks to seal the signing of Chilean striker Willy Topp.
The 21-year-old is available on a free transfer after leaving Universidad Catolica, and he has been training with Bradford for the last few weeks.
Topp has now done enough to convince manager Stuart McCall that he is worthy of a contract and talks are ongoing.
"The red-tape side of things is okay, it's just whether the contract his agent wants is within the budget," said McCall.
"Willy has got undoubted talent but there are a lot of things to weigh up. He's a young lad learning basic English. It's going to be a gamble bringing him over but sometimes you need to take gambles."
