Hughes Looking To Robinho To Return To The Fight - Along With All The Latest Betfred Odds.

Although Robinho has been courting Barcelona’s advances like a bloke eyeing up a girl across a seedy dance-floor, Mark Hughes is optimistic the Brazilian could soon be back to help inspire Manchester City’s Premier League title bid.

The Brazilian forward has not played for City since September, after he injured his ankle while away on international duty with Brazil.

While out of action he has been heavily linked with a move back to La Liga and stories have done the rounds in the media that his representatives are to meet with officials from Barcelona, something which both his manager and City chief executive Garry Cook have been quick to dismiss.

Hughes has come out and declared Robinho could return to the City fold for the crunch Premier League tie with title-chasing rivals Liverpool on the 21st November.

Despite being unfit to play, the Brazilian is in Qatar with his international teammates ahead of his country’s match with England in Doha on Saturday, with his presence in the Middle East one of the key factors behind the continued speculation over his future.

Hughes claims he "would not close the door" on the prospect of Robinho featuring in the Liverpool game, as City look to upset the football odds and end a run of five consecutive draws in the league.

"It would be a big ask, but we will see how he goes next week," said the Welshman.

One player who will not be coming to Manchester from Barcelona is Yaya Toure, brother of City captain Kolo.

The Ivory Coast international’s agent claimed that bigger clubs are interested in Toure and the player is considering his future at the Nou Camp, something which is believed to have alerted City’s Premier League title rivals Chelsea and Manchester United.


By Charlotte Cook
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

A Tribute To Footballers Who Tragically Died Too Young!

While the rest of the footy world argue over the latest diving/cheating scandal, or debate the latest managerial sacking, that of Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson, as the clubs worry about the debts they owe as they try to avoid going into administration, and bookies price up who will last longest, Red's boss Rafa or X-Factor duo Jedward, I am going to discuss a topic most people try to avoid whenever possible, and that is the subject of 'death.'

The death that is of young footballers whose careers were either only just beginning, or in the case of others whose careers were cut off in their prime, when their lives tragically ended. Dying as a result of a playing injury is mercifully rare. The most famous example was Celtic goalkeeper John Thompson, who in 1931 sustained serious head injuries diving at the feet of Rangers' Sam English. He died hours later in hospital, aged 22.

However there has been an upsurge over the years of in players losing their lives through what in the medical world is called 'Sudden Death Syndrome' or 'Sudden Cardiac Death' but to many of us is better known simply as 'heart failure.'

How is the average supporter, who likes a pie and a pint, who never warms up or down before or after his weekly five-a-side game, begin to comprehend such incidents. They must struggle to understand why such tragic events occur!

These mega-rich footballers after all, are fit guys, professional athletes. "It's nothing to do with fitness," according to Dr Craig Panther, of Pure Sports Medicine who has worked with Fulham FC. "There will be some underlying heart problem, something they were born with, have developed, or are suffering as a consequence of a viral illness. It can happen at all levels, we just hear about the professionals."

The risk needs to be kept in perspective. Dr Brian Aarons, formerly Wimbledon's club doctor, who now works with the FA's disability teams, said: "We are not talking about conventional heart attacks – smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. These are rare conditions, a number of different ones, but all of them very rare.
The death that is of young footballers whose careers were either only just beginning or for of some whose careers were cut off in their prime, when their lives tragically ended.

One particular high profile player to lose his life from SDS was Marc-Vivien Foé, 28.
On 26 June 2003, Foé collapsed near the centre circle playing in the Confederations Cup semi-final for Cameroon against Columbia. The death was said to be caused by an enlarged right ventricle. He played for Lens and Lyons and had Premier League spells with West Ham United and Manchester City. Foé scored the last City goal at Maine Road. City retired the No 23 shirt he wore in 2002-03.

The following players also were victims of SDS:

Antonio Puerta, aged 22. The Seville player collapsed 35 minutes into Seville's match with Getafe in 2007. He died of multiple organ failure brought on by a series of prolonged cardiac arrests. Puerta, Seville born-and-bred, left a wife who was seven months pregnant at the time.

Robbie James, 40. The former Swansea City, Stoke City and QPR star died on the pitch playing for Llanelli AFC, where he was player-manager, in 1998. James won 47 caps for Wales.

Phil O’Donnell, 35. The Motherwell midfielder died after collapsing during a match against Dundee United in the Scottish League in 2007. An autopsy revealed he had died of heart failure.

David Longhurst, 25. A striker who began his career in the Nottingham Forest youth team, Longhurst suffered a heart attack playing for York City in 1990. York later named one of the stands at Bootham Crescent after him.

Anton Reid, 16. On 20 August 2007, Anton Reid passed away during training with his club Walsall on their Aston training pitch. He was in his first year with the youth team.


Other football players to have died indirectly at the hands of the 'The Beautiful Game' include:

John White, 27. In 1964 the Spurs star died after being hit by lightning while sheltering under a tree during a round of golf.

Laurie Cunningham, 33. The the first black player to represent England in a competitive match, died in 1989 in a car crash in Madrid. The 33-year-old was in Spain playing for Rayo Vallecano.

Andres Escobar, 27. In 1994 after returning from the World Cup, the Colombian defender was shot dead. His shooting was rumoured to have been ordered by a betting syndicate after Escobar’s own goal led to Colombia’s unexpected first-round exit.

David Rocastle, 33. In February 2001, the former Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea player announced that he was suffering from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer which attacks the immune system. He underwent a course of chemotherapy for the illness and was hopeful of a recovery. But he died in the early hours of 31 March 2001, leaving a wife and four children. Arsenal opened up a new youth team indoor training facility named after him, as a tribute to his contributions to the club.

Aaron Flahavan, 25. In 2001 the Portsmouth keeper died in a car accident near Bournemouth. An inquest heard that Flahavan died as a result of a fractured skull, and his blood alcohol level was nearly three times over the legal limit when he lost control of his BMW sports car. His brother Darryl plays for Crystal Palace.


The hearts of young footballers are screened when they come into the game under a joint initiative by the Football Association and the Professional Footballers' Association, which dates back to 1997. Premier League regulations, and common sense, dictate that clubs continue to monitor players' health. But an ECG screening will not pick up every abnormality.

Antonio Puerta

Laurie Cunningham

David Rocastle

Marc-Vivien Foe

May all those players mentioned in this article R.I.P.

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Babe Of The Month - Trick or Treat?

North London Bragging Rights On The Line - Betting Tips with Betfred

The crunch tie to settle bragging rights in the North of London has to be one of the fiercest derbies of the football season.

With Tottenham and Arsenal currently level on points in the English Premier League, the lunchtime kick-off on Saturday (12.45pm), will show which team has the greater potential to finish in one of the top four spots come the end of the season.

Arsenal have already lost out to title rivals Manchester United and Manchester City this season while Spurs have been putting on strong performances to challenge at the top of the table, but a disappointing result last time out against Stoke City means they sit level with their bitter rivals five points behind league leaders Chelsea.

Tottenham captain Robbie Keane has come out to stoke the fires between the two clubs by claiming that his side has a greater strength in depth than their counterparts.

He said: "Arsenal have had the better of Tottenham over the last several years but Harry Redknapp's revolution at White Hart Lane means they are now on a par at least with their North London rivals."

Firing a clear warning to Arsene Wenger's men and their fans, the Irish striker claimed: "It will be judged at the end of the season but if you look at the bench we have, it is probably a bit stronger than their bench."

Spurs are entering the game on the back of a 2-0 victory over Everton in the Carling Cup, while Arsenal will be buoyed after their youngsters put on a fine display to earn a 2-1 victory over Liverpool.

An Arsenal win is priced at Premier League odds of 4/7 with Betfred, while Spurs although likely to be without the influential Lennon and Defoe, could be well worth an outside punt at odds of 4/1 to put one over their North London Rivals. As is often the case current form tends to go out the window in derby matches.
The draw is priced at 13/5.


By Charlotte Cook
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

Come Dine With Me - ' The Athenaeum Restaurant' London

I am always on the lookout for a new restaurant, all in the course of research - the type that involves finding a plush venue to woo the ladies with......and in doing so trying to avoid such a place that will inevitably lead to the 'de rigueur' phone call on a Monday morning from my bank manager, regarding my incalculable overdraft created in the last 48 hours, usually due to a lavish shin-dig of a weekend.

So when I heard the five-star Athenaeum in Piccadilly had just had a revamp I sort vengeance last Friday, as a result of another rather dire week at the 'orifice' - a seemingly all to familiar feeling of late!
My mobile, little black book and my plastic were now at the ready and fully charged!

I met my date outside Green Park tube station, a few minutes walk from The Athenaeum.
On arrival we were greeted by the suited and booted door stewards and the attentive waiting staff who took our coats.



We both indulged in a pre-dinner cocktail in the stylish bar (left) - all tasteful low slung red velvet seating with plenty of cushions and touches of vintage-style decor all around.
Delightful attention to detail.
I opted for a dry vodka martini, while my date had a 'Garden Of Eden' comprising apple vodka, fig, cranberry, peach liqueur and elderflower.
Both were made with panache and tasted superb.



We made our way through to the opulent restaurant(below right), designed so most tables nestle in a booth. My date's starter of Brixham Crab Salad served with a Golden Beetroot, Heritage Tomatoes and Tarragon Dressing (£11.75) was delightfully presented and my Diver Scallops served with Jerusalem Artichoke, Sweetcorn and Grapes (£10.50) was almost a work of art. It seemed a shame to disfigure it!


For our main courses my date ordered Pan Fried South Coast Lemon Sole served on the bone with Ceps, Caper and Parsley Butter (£28.00), whilst I opted for Smokey Hay Baked Venison served with Cheltenham Beetroot and Roasted Figs with Vanilla Sauce (£24.00).

We also shared three sumptuous side orders of: Sweet Stewed Pumpkin, Roasted Field Mushrooms, grilled with rock salt and Hand Cut Chips.

We washed it down with a lovely 2007 Chablis vino (£37.50).

Following coffee we then returned to The Bar for an aperitif. The bar's extensive list including a choice of 270 different whiskies proved a real talking point - one of them was £150 for a double! (In my head I could hear the cutting voice of my bank manager). We instead opted for a couple of Vanilla Mojito's.

As Oscar Wilde once said, "Work is the curse of the drinking classes."


'The Athenaeum Restaurant' is located on: 224 Piccadilly, London, W1J 7BJ
Nearest tube: Green Park.
Breakfast Menu: 7.00-11.00 Mon to Sun.
Restaurant Menu: 12.30-14.30 & 17.30-22.30 Mon to Sun.
Tel no: 020 7499 3464
Web address: http://staging.ralphtrustees.com/Athenaeum/food__whisky.aspx

Congratulations to Jenson Button - F1 Champion 2009

Hats off to Jenson Button as he joins an elite group of British Formula One Champions, following Sunday's Grand Prix at the Interlagos circuit in Brazil.

His fifth placed finish was good enough to secure the title from his nearest rival Rubens Barrichello, and at the same time secured the constructors title for his Brawn GP Team, in the penultimate race of the season.

Jenson won six Formula 1 races during the 2009 season in: Australia, Malaysia, Bahrain, Spain, Monaco, and Turkey.


The Ten British Formula 1 Champions:

Jenson Button 2009
Lewis Hamilton 2008
Damon Hill 1996
Nigel Mansell 1992
James Hunt 1976
John Surtees 1964
Jim Clark 1963, 1965
Graham Hill 1962, 1968
Jackie Stewart 1961, 1971, 1973
Mike Hawthorne 1958

After-Dinner Sports Tales - Gareth Southgate

This month is my fifth installment of light hearted after-dinner sporting tales, as told by current or ex-professional sportsman.
My after-dinner sports tale for this month is one told by Gareth Southgate, a well respected football player and now club manager, who has been a model professional since making his debut in 1988.

Born in Watford, Hertfordshire in 1970, Southgate began his career at Crystal Palace, playing in central midfield. He became captain and led the club to the 1994 Division One title.

He moved to Aston Villa in 1995 for a fee of £2.5 million, having made 152 appearances and scoring 15 goals over four seasons for the South London club.
In 2001 he joined Middlesborough as a player, before becoming the Teeside clubs manager in 2006.

"I went to watch a match with my wife and the family of a friend (who was playing).

People started turning around to ask me for autographs, which is always flattering but can start to interfere with your enjoyment of an event.

By now the game had kicked off and yet still I was being passed scraps of paper and programmes to sign.
I obliged, but must confess I was getting irritable as I tried to watch the game.
A flag was passed along then a ticket.

'Pen?' I asked down the line, somewhat abruptly, and a pen was duly passed down the line.
'What's his name?' I asked my friend's wife, and the query was passed down the line.
'To John, all the best, Gareth Southgate,' I wrote and passed the ticket back along the line.

Out of the corner of my eye I see the guy look at the ticket and start to edge along the row.
I'm just about to say to him: 'Look mate, no disrepect, but I'm trying to watch the game,' when he says apologetically: 'Excuse me, I'm very sorry but you're in my seat."


During the 2003–04 season Gareth became an author, penning Woody & Nord: A Football Friendship with close friend and former West Ham goalkeeping coach Andy Woodman. This book describes an enduring friendship forged in the Crystal Palace youth team that has survived Southgate and Woodman's wildly differing fortunes in the professional game. The book won the Sporting Book of the Year Award for 2004 from the National Sporting Club.

'Hull & Portsmouth Set For Another Fruitless Weekend' - Betting Tips with Betfair

So far this season Hull and Portsmouth have been shambling along like a pair of old drunks trying to find their way home after a night out. Hull got lucky and managed to find a late bus but after a promising start to the journey, they promptly fell asleep and missed their stop. Portsmouth meanwhile have fallen into a ditch and are still trying to get up.

This weekend has actually thrown up two winnable fixtures for the duo, with Hull at home to Wigan, while Portsmouth travel to Wolves. Both sides will be hopeful of picking up points but the smart money is on another miserable day for the pair at the bottom of the Premier League table

Roberto Martinez has taken a while to settle in at Wigan but last weekend's shock win over Chelsea will rejuvenate the side and that confidence should be enough to see off Hull, who were knocked for six at Anfield last week.
The match is also likely to be a high scoring affair, with the two teams conceding a combined total of 32 goals already this season.

Wigan to win can be backed at 2.6, while the +2.5 goals market looks a steal at 2.1.

Down on the south coast, Portsmouth's problem has not been conceding goals but scoring them. Only Aston Villa and Arsenal have scored more than a solitary goal against Pompey this season and yet Paul Hart's men are still pointless, courtesy of just 3 goals in the 'for' column.

Their opponents have been no great shakes either but with a couple of wins already this season and the added bonus of home support, Wolves should have enough about them to pile on the misery.

A home win is priced at 2.14 but the pick of the Premier League bets may just be the 2.64 on offer for a Wolves clean sheet.


By Josh Allen.
(Guest writer from Betfair on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

Babe Of The Month - An Early Shower For Handball & For Being Cheeky!