Ex-Leeds United and Sunderland hitman Michael Bridges has agreed to move to Sydney FC.
The 29 year-old Hull City striker was due to join former club Carlisle United but changed his mind after talking to Sunderland's Sydney old boy Dwight Yorke.
"I've spoken to Dwight Yorke about life there and he said I won't want to come back after sampling the lifestyle," Bridges told the UK's Sunderland Echo.
"I was all set to rejoin Carlisle, but the manager said he needed to take a closer look at the players already there before making his mind up. With Sydney waiting for an answer, I couldn't afford to wait."
According to reports, Bridges will spend six-months with the 2006 A-League champions.
"This is a big adventure and playing with someone like Juninho will be fantastic. My wife Kate and the twins will join me in Sydney in a few weeks and we're looking forward to spending Christmas on the beach!"
Bridges still wants to play in England again however."I plan to come back. English football hasn't seen the last of me," he said.
03 October 2007
Preston manager Paul Simpson watched his side destroy Southampton 5-1 before admitting he had questioned his own ability in recent weeks.
Simpson has been targeted by a section of irate Preston fans after his men collected six points from their opening eight games to lie in the Coca-Cola Championship relegation zone.
That pitiful run of form, from a side who topped the Championship in December and still lay second in February, forced Simpson into some gruelling self-assessment.
"It's difficult to ignore all the crap that is thrown at you," admitted Simpson, who was mobbed by his backroom staff when substitute Patrick Agyemang slotted in Preston's fifth goal.
"But you do start to question every little thing that you do. I don't remember them diving on me when the fifth goal went in but I think everyone knows what we have to put up with. But I sleep well every night because I have a wonderful family to go home to. This result and performance had been coming to be honest. The players did everything that we asked of them and they showed some character to come out after half-time and score four goals."
Indeed, a rousing second-half performance allowed Simpson to walk tall again and look his detractors in the eye.
A chronic lack of firepower had proved Preston's Achilles heel in the opening weeks of the season but a second-half masterclass sealed an emphatic victory.
After Billy Jones' own-goal on the stroke of half-time cancelled out Karl Hawley's 11th-minute opener, Preston enjoyed a riotous second-half as Darren Carter, Chris Sedgwick and substitute Patrick Agyemang, with two, found the net.
That it was Hawley, 25, who should be the man to lift the growing pressure from Simpson's shoulders seemed apt.
For it was the former Walsall trainee whose goals helped Carlisle to two promotions under Simpson, a run of success which prompted Preston to make a move for the former Manchester City and Derby man.
Simpson added: "Karl did everything that was asked of him and took his chance superbly well. He deserved his goal and his overall link-up was first class."
Southampton had beaten Sheffield United 2-1 at Bramall Lane on Saturday but a woeful collapse at Deepdale put paid to any hopes they had of repeating that feat.
Saints boss George Burley said: "I thought we started a bit sloppy and they way the back four were knocking the ball around gave Preston encouragement. It wasn't a penalty but if we give goals away and make mistakes we are going to lose matches. It is our aim now to bounce back against West Brom at the weekend."
01 October 2007
Hartlepool United boss Danny Wilson has signed defender Danny Coles on loan from Hull City.
Coles played for Wilson at Bristol City and faced Pools in the 2004 play-off semi-finals, being booked in the first leg at Victoria Park.
He moved to Hull for £250,000 in 2005, but has made only 31 starts for the club and his sole outing this season was on the opening day.
Coles can play at full-back or in the centre of defence, and is in contention for a place against Carlisle at Victoria Park on Tuesday night.
01 October 2007
Newcastle United boss Sam Allardyce says midfielder Joey Barton is still a month from a first team debut.
The 25-year-old is yet to make his competitive debut for the club after fracturing a metatarsal in a pre-season friendly at Carlisle just weeks after his £5.8million move from Manchester City.
Barton revealed last week he had set himself a target of being back for Sunday's visit of Everton and has travelled with the squad to their last three away games to add moral support.
However, on the day England striker Michael Owen returned to the club's training headquarters to begin his rehabilitation from his double bout of surgery in Germany, manager Sam Allardyce wrote his summer signing out of his plans until well beyond the forthcoming international break.
He said: "Joey Barton has got no chance for Everton on Sunday. It will be four or five weeks, or at least three or four reserve games."
