Wednesday fined for loan “mistake”

The Football League have, as expected, followed the precedent set when Leeds committed a similar offence and fined Sheffield Wednesday the paltry sum of £2,000 rather than deduct any points for naming six loan players in their squad for the game against Stoke City a few weeks ago.

I hope the league take a look at this rule at the end of the season, as a two grand fine is hardly going to scare other clubs into not making the same mistake in the future is it?

If Wednesday survive by a point this season – or heaven forbid on goal difference – there could well be some pretty unhappy people about.

Ipswich Preview

Sunday is the big one, the East Anglian Derby at Portman Road.

The Tractor Boys welcome Pablo “the human shower” Counago back from his three match suspension for spitting and Shefki Kuqi, David Norris and Jon Walters may all return.

Glenn Roeder reported no new injury worries ahead of the big game, so it’ll be two from Gary Doherty, Jason Shackell and Alex Pearce at the back and two from Ched Evans, Jamie Cureton and Dion Dublin up front. Darren Huckerby is expected to start in what would be his 200th game for the Canaries.

This afternoon’s results were a mixed-bag for both sides. A win for the hosts will taken them back to within a point of the play-off places, whereas a Canary victory will lift the visitors seven points clear of the drop-zone.

Local police have appealed to supporters of both clubs to enjoy the game but to behave “respectfully and responsibly”, so if you’re going to the game be good – and don’t call each other “scum”, it’s not nice.

A few derby facts…

Derby Victories: Ipswich 58, Norwich 51 (27 draws).

Highest Derby Attendances: Ipswich 35,077 (Division One, September 1975) , Norwich 39,890 (FA Cup, January 1962).

League Position: Ipswich 7th, Norwich 16th.

Last Meeting: 4th November 2007 – Norwich 2 Ipswich 2.

Last Meeting at Portman Road: 19th November 2006 – Ipswich 3 Norwich 1.

Top Goalscorer: Ipswich – Walters/Counago (12), Norwich – Cureton (14).

Recently Played for Both Clubs: Andy Marshall.

My Prediction: I originally went for a draw in this game, and I think realistically that is most likely outcome, but there’s no way I’m going for that. Ipswich Town 1 Norwich City 2. Come on you Yellows.

6 minutes and 29 seconds of YouTube gold

If you’re not up for the big game yet, watch this…

What about now?

It’s our Cup Final, it’s our anthem. Simple.

The Welsh Sports Minister (I know, I didn’t know they had one either) Rhodri Glyn Thomas has called for “common sense to prevail” and for the Welsh National Anthem to be played before the FA Cup Final.

He said:

I hope the FA is going to be sensible about things because there will be great disappointment in Wales if we’re not allowed to sing the national anthem.

What a complete crock. “Common sense” would suggest that the team represesting the capital city of Wales would play in the Welsh League, but Cardiff City very happily play in the English league where the money they obtain far outweighs that of the Welsh Premier League.

If the Canaries decided to play in the Welsh League and insisted that “God Save the Queen” was played before the Cup Final I think we all know what would happen. You want the Welsh anthem? Get to the Welsh FA Cup Final. It’s the English FA Cup Final, it’s the English ruddy anthem that must be played.

Gwyn Davies from the Valley Rams Supporters Club has got his head screwed on:

I don’t think we should distract from what’s going on – on the pitch. There’s no prouder Welshman than me but this is not the time and the place.

It’s not Wales v England, it’s two teams in the English FA Cup final.

This smacks of a politician trying to jump on some sort of bandwagon in the hope of keeping “his” people happy. Well I’m sorry Mr. Thomas but no. Not having it I’m afraid.

Incidentally I don’t think Cardiff should be allowed to play in Europe should they win either but that’s a whole other debate that we’ll have if and when we need to. They knew the rules when they chose to stay in the English league so to quote my dear old mum, “sorry, but tough”.

OTBC.