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With Hartlepool United sitting in 11th place after another respectable year in League One, resident Pools blogger John Mason looks at how the season has been at Victoria Park.  

There have been many good performances throughout the year from Pools and I have consistently been impressed with the way the club have defended as a unit. I would like to highlight a couple of players who are my candidates for the Player of the season award:

Paul Murray: By marshalling the midfield, just in front of the defence the holding midfielder does a tidy job in protecting the back four for United. Dictating the midfield with his leadership and distribution, he has been second to none and instrumental in the team this season.

Evan Horwood: The left back has a consistent season, even scoring a few cracking goals this season and the fan’s favourite has rarely missed a game for the Pools.  As an attacking full back who possesses a mean delivery, he can hurt opposition teams in attack as well as doing a fine job in defence.

Sam Collins: The experienced centre-back, with a wise head, has once more excelled for Pools in another hard fought campaign. As one of the club’s longest serving players, he has been a prominent figure in the back-line for the team again and the team looks stronger with him among it.

However the winner for me is Evan Horwood, from many fans and journalists I have spoken to up North this season from the games I have been to seem to agree and they do not have a bad word to say about him.

With the young player of the season award I’m afraid there is only one winner. Although both Greg Rutherford and Jack Baldwin, who both look worthy stars of tomorrow, have run him close the one lad who totally stands out head and shoulders above the rest is Luke James. The 17-year-old career has really taken off since he was given the chance to play-upfront with Boyd, Noble and Sweeney. Nobody really expected him to be quite the talent he is but scoring three times already he is certainly one to watch next season.

The players whose impressive displays have gone under the radar include Paul Murray, Anthony Sweeney and Paul Murray who have been equally impressive but don’t seem to receive much praise when the team performed well. Hard-working, reliable and willing are a few words used to describe these different individuals.

As for the players who have disappointed this season I will have to go for Adam Boyd and James Poole. Boydy as surely his best years out behind him and in the words of Neale Cooper: ‘He is isn’t going to outrun anyone’ referring to his speed.  While I don’t think that Poole has shown his true potential yet after struggling with injuries throughout the season it’s slightly harsh to call him underperforming as he has shown moments of class when he was fit. However he has been unable to hold down a starting position which he badly needs if he is progress with the Pools.

The best moment of the season for me was watching James Poole come on from the substitute bench at the beginning of the season and practically scored with his first touch twice against MK Dons and Rochdale. Not just scoring, but his goals in those two games were pure class. I remember jumping out of my seat on both occasions in sheer amazement in what I just saw. Two fabulous goals worthy of being in the Premier League, they were that good.

For my best eleven from the season there are one or two players who perhaps may have got in had they not been injured like James Poole and other late arrivals to the team such as striker Ryan Noble who have only recently joined so they both unfortunately miss out.

Team of the season 

GK – Scott Flinders

LB – Evan Horwood

CB – Peter Hartley

CB – Sam Collins

RB – Neil Austin

LM – Andy Monkhouse

CM – Gary Liddle

CM – Paul Murray

RM – Ritchie Humphreys

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ST– Anthony Sweeney

ST– Luke James

The team pretty much picks itself this season as the squad has looked a bit thin on the ground in recent weeks towards the end of the year. I’m sure that manager, Neale Cooper, has been brought in to put his stamp on the team and therefore will see a different starting eleven from next season.

After another ordinary campaign, Pools fans will be thinking déjà vu to last year. How can we improve? In my opinion I am almost certain the manager will bring in one maybe two strikers. Hartlepool in my opinion lack goals, especially at home and I think this should be assessed. As for other positions the club may need strengthening and I understand Cooper likes to play with natural wingers with pace, something the club do not have. I think he’ll sign a couple of players he is familiar with to play in these vacant positions.

By Hartlepool United blogger John Mason 

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Robin van Persie has distanced himself from quotes criticising the conduct of Barcelona and Chelsea players towards referees.Arsenal striker van Persie allegedly told Dutch television station Sport 1 that Chelsea players were ‘always bitching’ to officials, telling his London rivals to ‘shut the f*** up and focus on playing football’.

The 27-year-old – sent off in the Champions League knockout stages against Barcelona – reportedly took aim at the competition’s eventual winners, accusing the La Liga outfit of trying to ‘screw colleagues’ by attempting to get opponents sent off.

On international duty with the Netherlands in Brazil, van Persie denied making the statements through Arsenal’s website on Friday.

“I’m on international duty at the moment but following several reports in the media I think it’s important to clarify some recent comments attributed to me,” he said.

“These reports falsely suggest that I recently made negative comments about Spanish and Chelsea players, I would like to make it perfectly clear that I haven’t done an interview with Sport 1 or any other outlet in recent weeks and I’ve certainly not been rude as the comments suggest.”

“I respect my colleagues of Spain and Chelsea and look forward to playing against them for many years to come. I sincerely hope that all football fans worldwide don’t take these misleading reports seriously.”

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway believes that Everton's David Moyes is the perfect man to eventually succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

Holloway was speaking after his side drew 2-2 with the Toffees at Bloomfield Road, talking up Moyes as the right man to take over in the Old Trafford hotseat.

He told The Independent:"David Moyes is one of my favourite managers and he is destined for even bigger things.

"I heard Sir Alex Ferguson talk about David as someone who could replace him when he retires. In all honesty I'd be surprised if anyone other than David becomes Manchester United's next manager.

"He is top drawer. The job he has done at Everton is outstanding and he has done it without the resources that would be in place at United.

"But more important than that, I believe he is a chip off the old Fergie block. He has the character to be the United boss.

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"Sir Alex rates him highly. He must have done because he wanted to take him as his assistant at one point. Who can argue with the main man about who he wants as his successor?

"David ticks all the boxes. It speaks volumes that he has been a Premier League manager at the same club for eight years."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Since I have started watching football, there have been some pretty good goals from the likes of Rooney and Messi and so on. But where there are screamers, there are also finishes that if they were in the right net, would surely be contenders for goal of the season. Here I have put together ten own goals that have probably made it into several bloopers videos and will certainly make it into many more.

10. Carl Jenkinson – You’ve just been signed for Arsenal from Charlton by Arsene Wenger and you’re trying to make a good impression and show the manager you’re not a complete waste of money. So what do you do? If you’re Carl Jenkinson you would lob the ball over your own goalkeeper from 30 yards!

[youtube EQAeGbjU3bY]

9. Tony Popovic – Had this beauty from former Crystal Palace defender Tony Popovic been in the right net, it surely would be an early contender for goal of the century. With Portsmouth already 2-1 up, Popovic decides to try and cleverly flick the ball to God knows where, only to flick the ball over his own goalkeeper. It’s worth a watch.

[youtube oP3jbpcCo2E]

8. Festus Baise – Another goal where it’s not quite clear what the defender is trying to achieve. Sun Hei defender Festus Baise, like the previous own goal, is trying to look clever, only to flick the ball over his own keeper. The difference with this one, though is this one is from the edge of the penalty area. You can tell the standard in Hong Kong football is not terribly high.

[youtube Feurle7qkfQ]

7. Jamie Pollock –  This own goal from Manchester City’s Jamie Pollock was just brilliant. Just outside his own area, Pollock volleyed it over on opposing striker and then headed the ball over his own keeper. There was only one question City fans were asking Pollock after this game. Why?

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6. Assaf Mendes – On this extremely windy day when Maccabi Haifa were playing Dynamo Kiev in a practice match, Haifa goalkeeper Assaf Mendes put the ball on the ground to kick it to one his teams players. He kicked it about 25 yards up the pitch when the wind took control and took the ball back the way it came, straight past the arms of poor goalkeeper Mendes.

[youtube O4tVtfDTqJs]

5. Lee Dixon –  MOTD pundit Lee Dixon is still made fun of for this one, despite it happening 21 years ago! Just outside his own area, Dixon attempts to pass it back to goalkeeper David Seaman, only for the ball to loop over Seaman’s head.

[youtube MpSo1aciPqU]

4. Ashraf Soliman – This next one is all the way from Israel. With the score tied at 2-2, Ashraf Soliman scored 7 minutes into extra time to send through opposition Umm al-Fahm to the next round. The own goal would normally be described as a poacher’s finish. Soliman didn’t seem to fully understand…

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3. Diego Sosa – If this next one isn’t deliberate, I don’t know what is. Diego Sosa of San Martin just sees his goalkeeper parry the ball to him after an Estudiantes shot, only for him to power the ball straight past him. What was going through his mind?

[youtube XAAuHp-FsKo]

2. Kenny Farrell – This one is more unlucky than anything else. Mervue United’s Kenny Farrell attempted to clear the ball in a tense game against Waterford, only for the ball to smack team-mate Mike Elwood on the face and go over the goalkeepers head. The twist? This happened from about 35 yards from their own goal!

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1. Chris Brass – It’s pretty fair to say that no own goal list or bloopers video is complete without this beauty from Bury’s Chris Brass against Darlington. Trying to clear the ball over his head, the ball whacks Brass in the nose and goes past his goalkeeper, breaking Brass’ nose in the process. Unlucky, eh?

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If you have a spare 5mins then take a look of the latest ‘Football Coffee Break’

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Somen Tchoyi hit a second-half hat-trick as West Brom staged an incredible comeback to grab a 3-3 draw.The 28-year-old, starting a game for only the second time this year, played in the absence of top scorer Peter Odemwingie, who was released early for his summer break by manager Roy Hodgson.

And the Cameroon international assumed centre-stage – hitting three goals in 28 minutes to steal a point against Newcastle and deny the north-easterners a top-half finish.

The game started brightly for the home side, who took the lead after 15 minutes with a goal that was literally “Taylor-made”.

West Brom failed to deal with a teasing corner from Ryan Taylor, allowing his namesake Stephen to slam home from six yards.

The central defender, whose future at Newcastle was up in the air at the start of the season, ended the campaign with a bang at both ends. This was his third in as many games.

Newcastle should have doubled the advantage after 35 minutes when Shola Ameobi muscled past goalkeeper Scott Carson, but could not do the same against a combination of Abdoulaye Meite and Jonas Olsson on the line.

Four minutes later, however, Newcastle did grab their second through Ameobi’s strike partner Peter Lovenkrands.

Carson appeared to save the striker’s initial shot, but failed to stop the ball looping marginally over the line before managing to gather.

West Brom’s luck did not improve when, just three minutes after the re-start, Olsson scored an own-goal.

There seemed little danger when Jose Enrique hoisted an optimistic cross into the West Brom area, but Olsson got the clearance all wrong, slicing the ball backwards into his own net.

It was some similarly miserable defending at the other end which handed West Brom their lifeline.

While the rest of the Newcastle defence attempted to play Tchoyi offside, right-back Danny Simpson stayed too deep, allowing the forward a clear run at goal, which he finished with aplomb.

The comeback was well on 19 minutes from time when Tchoyi grabbed his second with a smart finish past Tim Krul, and he completed the turnaround – and his hat-trick – in stoppage time with a
header.

The visitors might well have won the game had Steven Reid scored with a free header in the 93rd minute.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy has offered his support to Belgium international Jelle Van Damme, who has admitted to being homesick just months after signing from Anderlecht.

The 26-year-old wing-back has also struggled with injuries during his short time at Molineux, but McCarthy remains hopeful of being able to help Van Damme through a difficult time.

He told the club's official website:"Jelle is just having a tough time settling in, that's all, away from the club.

"When I was a player, I moved to Lyon and I had all my family with me and it still wasn't easy to settle in and have all the comforts you had in your previous home.

"He's going home every night eating a bowl of pasta on his own. But Jelle is delighted with the club and the football and he likes being here and he wants to play.

"He loves the club, training, the fans, the team.

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"He has had a few injuries and his wife is back home in Belgium having a baby – she won't be back until January.

"Is it that unusual that someone would find that a bit unsettling when all those things are going on? We will help him."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Harry Redknapp claims he is flattered by the messages of support from everyone in football with regards to taking the England job. The Tottenham manager claims he is yet to be approached for the post and will cross that bridge when he comes to it. Redknapp certainly isn’t fazed by the job at all and is fully aware of the baggage that comes with it.

Elsewhere in the news Sir Alex Ferguson questions why Liverpool did not appeal the Suarez ban; Arsene Wenger hits out at the rumours regarding Van Persie, while Andre Villas-Boas believes that referees should be made to pay for their errors.

Harry Redknapp claims he is unfazed with the aggro the England job brings with it. The Tottenham manager is the favourite to take the job from Fabio Capello and is fully aware of what the job entails – Guardian

Sir Alex Ferguson has questioned why Liverpool didn’t look to appeal Luis Suarez’s ban if they believed he was innocent of the charges – Guardian

Thierry Henry will return to New York next week after Arsenal failed to extend his loan period at the football club – Guardian

Andre Villas-Boas believes that referees should be made to pay for their errors during games. The Chelsea boss was speaking in light of Howard Webb’s dubious penalty at Stamford Bridge that allowed United back into the contest – Daily Telegraph

Kenny Dalglish believes that the FA should look to Sir Alex Ferguson to take over the reins of the England job vacated by Fabio Capello – Daily Telegraph

Arsene Wenger has hit out of stories coming out of Spain that Real Madrid are preparing a bid for Robin van Persie. The Arsenal boss says the Spanish press like to invent stories and this is another one of those made up ones – Independent

Micah Richards has closed down his twitter account after suffering racist abuse from rival supporters – Daily Mail

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Tottenham and Arsenal are set for a transfer battle for the services of Ajax defender, Jan Vertonghen – Metro

Martin O’Neill has revealed that he doesn’t see eye to eye with his opposite number at the Stadium of Light this afternoon. The Sunderland boss says that Wenger has never taken up an offer of a post match drink and isn’t expecting that to change today – Sun

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The debate surrounding the use of goal-line technology was on the agenda as the new FIFA Task Force Football 2014 met on Tuesday.Ever since Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal against Germany in the 2010 World Cup, the debate over whether to introduce goal-line technology in football has raged.

And the new taskforce – headed by FIFA president Sepp Blatter and including football dignitaries such as former German coach Franz Beckenbauer and Brazilian Cafu – discussed the issue at length and indicated a decision on the use of the technology will be made in 2012.

“Where goal-line technology is concerned, we have just issued a documentation to say where we are in the different technicalities,” Blatter revealed.

“Also in 2012, the international board will then make a final decision on goal-line technology to see if it can be implied for the next World Cup in 2014″

Other issues discussed at the meeting were the possibility of allowing extra substitutions, the interpretation of the offside rule and changes to red card dismissals.

Roy Hodgson has vowed to fight on as Liverpool manager despite their disappointing start to the season.

Speculation mounted in the build-up to Thursday's goalless Europa League draw with Napoli in Italy that Hodgson was contemplating stepping aside less than four months after taking the Anfield reins.

Liverpool produced a battling display despite being without Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres as they secured a well-deserved point from their Group K clash.

Speaking after the match, a defiant Hodgson insisted he would not be walking away from the ailing club.

"You read these ridiculous websites that we have and resignation has never once entered my thought and, what's more, never will," he declared.

"I pride myself on being a bit of a fighter, I pride myself on being able to stand the bad times."

Liverpool are languishing down in 19th place in the Premier League table after winning just one of their first eight games and were dumped out of the Carling Cup by League Two side Northampton Town.

But despite the dismal start to his reign, Hodgson is confident of bringing the good times back to Anfield.

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He continued:"I'm here for the long haul, I'm here to do a good job. I came believing I can help Liverpool rebuild and get going again. The players are very much behind everything we're doing.

"So as far as I'm concerned it's work in progress. It's problematic at the moment because it's work in progress at the wrong end of the table. It's problematic because we're losing and not winning but there's only one thing to do with that – get out and play each week, play better, get the wins, get up the table and then you'll see my smiling face more often than my scowling one."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

After a nine day break, the Premier League returned,

A date for which Fergie must have yearned,

Against the Wanderers, United looked strong,

Paul Scholes goal meant another swansong,

Disappointment was the emotion further to the west,

As Liverpool drew to cause Anfield unrest,

Ex-Red Fernando with an overhead kick,

Surprisingly enough we’re not taking the mick,

Didn’t go in though as you’d have thought,

Rebound turned in by Lampard, three points brought,

One nil win sends the Blues to fourth,

But frustration overrides a touch further North,

Wolves hold firm against the Spurs,

Whilst Harry’s philosophical, McCarthy purrs,

Defeat for Midlands rivals West Bromwich,

Another three points for the Canaries of Norwich,

Four miles to the east Everton went to Villa,

A one all draw by no means a thriller,

Newcastle squeeze past Hughes’ Rangers,

Whilst Arsenal look like passing strangers,

Blitzed by the effervescent Swansea,

Pass after pass with great majesty,

To the North West, with not so much style,

Steve Kean’s Blackburn had all the guile,

Vital three points for the Rovers’ ten,

Misery away for Fulham again,

Just one game left in the weekend for now,

Can Wigan stop the City juggernaut somehow?

Goal of the Weekend

Although there were some good efforts this weekend, it was a particularly tricky choice to pick the best goal in the Premier League, from Andrew Surman’s technically brilliant volley to Michael Carrick’s low curler. However, for a piece of individual skill, Newcastle’s Leon Best takes it.

The ex-Coventry City forward knows he has a big chance to prove himself with Demba Ba away at the Africa Cup of Nations for a few weeks. Best managed to rekindle some of his early season form which for a brief period put his Senegalese teammate in the shadows. His turn and finish was sublime and was fit to win what was an otherwise dour encounter against QPR.

Player of the Weekend

Swansea City have many a journalist foaming at the mouth. Playing with such style and panache never before seen from a promoted team, they continue to prove doubters wrong. Nathan Dyer was the standout player for the Swans at the weekend.

A constant menace throughout, the tricky winger managed an assist in the first half, being brought down for a penalty, something Arsene Wenger unsurprisingly disagreed with. In the second period, Dyer went one better this time plunging the ball past Szczesny to double Swansea’s goal tally for the afternoon.

Save of the Weekend

Adam Bogdan has had a tough few weeks. He faced the ignominy of being the keeper to on the receiving end of Tim Howard’s freak goal and to boot, conceded three at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon. However, the diminutive goalkeeper made a fine save from Wayne Rooney’s penalty in the first half. He flung himself low to his right as he managed to claw out the United No.10’s spot kick.

Quote of the Weekend

Ray Wilkins commentary can infuriate some fans at the best of times if what’s trending on Twitter is anything to go by. First renowned for his regurgitation of “Stay on your feet!” he seems to have settled on “My Word!” as his new catchphrase. Along with commenting that Yohan Cabaye should “get on with the game” before he was carried off on a stretcher, he produced another cracker during the Newcastle and QPR game.

“Eddie [Niedzwecki] you gotta leave your hair alone fella, it’s disappearing.”

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Ray, as the great football philosopher Jonathan Terry once said, “People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”

If you’d like to suggest a new catchphrase for Ray Wilkins or merely more musings on the Premier League then why not follow me on Twitter! @arhindtutt