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      Tottenham interested in Alex Scott transfer raid after £25m-rated winger shines for Bristol City against Man City

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      TOTTENHAM are eyeing up a summer move for Bristol City whizkid Alex Scott.England youth starlet Scott, 19, shone in the Robins’ 3-0 defeat at home to Manchester City this week in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
      Tottenham are keeping tabs on Bristol City wonderkid Alex ScottCredit: Rex
      Jack Grealish described the midfielder as a “top, top talent” on social media after the game.
      Scott, who has racked up 75 games already for Bristol, has plenty of admirers in the Premier League, including Crystal Palace and West Ham.
      Tottenham have a history of signing young British talent and have been following the progress of £25milion-rated Scott for some time.
      The Guernsey-born youngster has represented England at Under-18, Under-19 and Under-20 level.
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      He is admired by Under-21s boss Lee Carsley too but will likely not receive his first Young Lions call-up until after competing in the Under-20 World Cup, which takes place between May and June in Indonesia.
      Meanwhile, Antonio Conte looks set to miss Saturday’s Premier League trip to Wolves as he continues his recovery from gallbladder surgery back in Italy.
      He is expected to return this weekend though and take the team for their crucial Champions League Last-16 second leg against AC Milan on Wednesday.
      Spurs lost the first leg in Milan 1-0 two weeks ago following Brahim Diaz’s winner.
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      Wing-back Emerson Royal hopes to shake off the minor knee injury that kept him out of Wednesday’s 1-0 fifth-round FA Cup defeat at Sheffield United.
      The Brazilian, 24, was nominated for the Premier League player of the month award for February after a fine run of form.
      This marks a significant turnaround for the defender who had been struggling to impress supporters.  More

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      Meet Alex Scott, the £25m rated Bristol City teen tracked by Newcastle, who Guardiola called “an unbelievable player”

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      ON Tuesday, sandwiched in a crowded midfield that featured internationals Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, and Phil Foden, was teen starlet Alex Scott.The Bristol City wonderkid could have been forgiven for feeling overawed by the company he faced in opponents Man City in their FA Cup 5th round tie.
      Bristol City’s Alex Scott has been a revelation for the Robins this seasonCredit: Reuters
      Scott showed he is capable of mixing with the big boys – starring against Man City in the FA CupCredit: Rex
      But, the teenager, particularly in the first half, was spectacular.
      Like he has done all season, Scott kept the ball beautifully, carried it with style and his decision making in a congested area of the pitch belied his years.
      At just 19, the Guernsey-born youngster seemingly has the world at his feet.
      Even the difficult to please Pep Guardiola was impressed – calling the boy wonder “an unbelievable player.”
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      It’s no wonder Premier League clubs, including Newcastle, Tottenham, and West Ham are keeping tabs on the £25million rated talent.
      Guernsey boy
      Like Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier, Scott grew up in the Channel Islands.
      In his formative years, he had to undergo heartbreak to reach the top.
      At 12, he was released by the Saints after spending four years with the club.
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      He told the Secret Scout: “Southampton wanted me on trial after a summer camp when I was eight-years-old. It was a bit mad being so young.
      “From there I was at Southampton for four-and-a-half years. We were flying over every weekend – we had to do it.
      “It was me and either my dad or my mum who’d have to fly over every weekend. The club paid for the hotel that we stayed in every weekend and my parents paid for the flight.”
      He continued: “I was 12 when I got released from Southampton. It’s quite draining. You want to get back in and go to another academy and mentally you think that I’m not good enough for this.
      “It was tough on my parents as well, having to pay for flights each week for four years. We sacrificed so much as a family to make it work which made it really hard to take when I wasn’t offered a contract.”
      A year’s stint at Bournemouth wasn’t enough to convince Scott that his future belonged on the south coast.
      Guernsey-born Scott was released by Southampton aged 12
      Scott has been a first team regular at Bristol City from 2021Credit: Rex
      A bold move
      Instead, he signed for Isthmian League side Guernsey when he turned 16.
      Scott soon made his debut for the Green Lions against Phoenix Sports – making him the youngster player to play for Guernsey.
      His time there would be short-lived. It took just a handful of games to convince Championship side Bristol City that Scott belonged in their academy.
      He was signed on a pre-contract agreement in December, 2019 and moved the following month to the Robins.
      By 2021, the same year he signed his first professional contract, he was a starter in the first team.
      Scott has since gone on to play 75 times for the club, while becoming an England youth international.
      Scott drew England level in their U19 Euros semi-final against ItalyCredit: AFP
      Scott’s exploits have seen him earn the nickname the ‘Guernsey Grealish’Credit: Rex
      He was represented the Three Lions at U18, U19 and U20 level.
      Most notably, he came off the bench in the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship semi-final against Italy to score an equaliser with his first touch of the game.
      The ‘Guernsey Grealish’
      At Ashton Gate, where Scott has earned the nickname the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, it was fitting he got to play against his idol, Jack, this week.
      Speaking to ITV after the match, he said: “For me, my favourite player is Grealish. For him to come on and to play against him is a bit of a dream come true for me.
      “Obviously that’s the level I want to be at. Obviously watching De Bruyne, Foden and Grealish growing up, to be on the same pitch as them in real life was a special feeling and that’s where I want to be in the future.
      “I’m 19 now and still have years ahead but playing against players like that and seeing that life in the flesh shows you the level you need to be at to play at the top.”
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      After his performance against Man City – Pep Guardiola called Scott an ‘unbelievable player’Credit: Rex
      Grealish, himself, returned the favour with a compliment of his own. A “top, top talent,” the £100m City player called Scott.
      Next season, maybe the rest of the Premier League will see Scott’s skills on a more regular basis. More

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      Sheff Utd 1 Tottenham 0: Spurs knocked OUT of the FA Cup as Ndiaye sends Championship high-flyers into quarters

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      TRUST Tottenham to serve up a car crash of a performance in this week of all weeks.Spurs announced on Tuesday a 15-year “strategic partnership” with Formula One, a tie-up which would see them build London’s longest indoor electric go-kart track beneath the South Stand.
      Substitute Iliman Ndiaye scored to shock Spurs and send the Championship side throughCredit: Reuters
      Harry Kane looks on in disappointement as his side were knocked out of the FA CupCredit: Getty
      It raised a few eyebrows among fans, who will likely be appeased if it end up helping their team’s drive for success on the pitch.
      Yet now, thanks to sub Iliman Ndiaye’s fine, late solo goal, their side are out of the race for their most likely route to silverware for another season.
      It was no more than Spurs deserved, who were poor throughout against what was effectively Sheffield United’s reserve side.
      They rarely threatened, even when Harry Kane came on midway through the second half – though the England skipper did fluff his line with an injury-time header.
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      Both these sides were missing their managers from the dugout. 
      Antonio Conte was still back in Turin recovering from gallbladder surgery, with his assistant Cristian Stellini once again deputising.
      The Tottenham chief is expected to return this week, though possibly not until Sunday, the day after his side’s trip to Wolves. 
      While Blades chief Paul Heckingbottom was serving the first of a three-match ban given for volleying the fourth official’s board out of his hands in fury during last month’s home defeat to Middlesbrough.
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      Spurs sprang a few surprises with their team selection. 
      Richarlison started through the middle, despite Stellini hinting in the pre-match press conference that he would not, while Kane did not start at all, despite Stellini hinting he would.
      In-form Emerson Royal was also ruled out with a minor knee injury – though he should be fine for Wolves on Saturday – meaning deadline-day signing Pedro Porro came in.
      Sheffield United’s focus was clearly more on promotion to the Premier League, which was understandable given their seven-point cushion to third spot in the Championship.
      With a trip to rivals Blackburn to come on Saturday lunchtime, Paul Heckingbottom opted to leave big-hitters including Sander Berge, Iliman Ndiaye and Oli McBurnie on the bench.
      Instead, academy lad Andre Brooks was handed his first start.
      But it was the 19-year-old’s loose pass which handed Spurs their first chance of the game.
      It went  straight to the lesser-spotted Lucas Moura, who dribbled into the box and cut it back for Richarlison, but the ex-Everton man’s effort was blocked by Jack Robinson.
      Porro suffered a Spurs debut to forget in the 4-1 lashing at Leicester last month, having signed on loan from Sporting Lisbon with an obligation to buy for £45million.
      You feared how the Spaniard might cope in the wind and driving rain against a canny, Championship side like United.
      But he showed some neat touches, an intent to get forward and when he was cleaned out by Robinson’s firm-but-fair challenge, encouragingly, he just got up and got on with it.
      Davinson Sanchez was playing behind him and it was the Colombian who teed up Richarlison for Spurs’ best chance of the half.
      Brazil’s No9 beat the offside trap to race in down the right-hand side of the box, but smashed his shot from an acute angle over the bar.
      Moura then clipped the top of the crossbar when standing the ball up to the back post, looking for his compatriot Richarlison, causing the home fans to breathe a sigh of relief.
      That was then exactly what Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was doing when his weak header let in Ismaila Coulibaly.
      Fortunately for Spurs, the Malian shanked his shot into the side netting, blowing the best chance of the half.
      But after a run of games WITHOUT individual errors cropping up, Conte will have been worried to see bad, old habits creeping back in as he watched on from his sofa.
      There was no VAR at this game and lucky for George Baldock, as the Blades right-back caught Ivan Perisic on the shin with a nasty tackle but got away with it.
      He was not so fortunate soon after the break when hacking down Son Heung-min and was booked, and the same fate awaited Pape Matar Sarr for a late challenge on Tommy Doyle.
      Things were not going well for Richarlison, who fired a shot so far wide it got the ‘What the bleeping hell was that’ treatment, before his attempted cross deflected back off him for a goal-kick.
      His frustrating night was brought to an end seconds later as Kane entered the fray.
      But the England captain’s introduction made little difference to Tottenham’s toothless attack and the home side grew in belief.
      They brought on their own star striker in Ndiaye and with ten minutes to go, he made the difference.
      In a match that was the football equivalent of go-karting, he provided the one moment of Formula One-esque quality, weaving through a crowd of Spurs defenders in the opposition penalty box before burying it in at Fraser Forster’s near post.
      Heckingbottom, wearing his ear buds, applauded from up in the stands.
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      Conte no doubt will have been screaming at the TV back home, frustrated that his side were not at the races once again in what has been an infuriatingly inconsistent season.
      The Blades shocked Spurs with a 1-0 victory at Bramall Lane that led them to the competition’s quarter-finals thanks to Iliman Ndiaye’s winner on 79 minutes. More

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      Reading set to be deducted six points for breaching Championship spending rules putting them into relegation fight

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      READING are reportedly set to be hit with a six point deduction – putting the club at risk of relegation.The reported deduction comes amid fears the Championship side have not complied with an EFL business plan.
      Reading are set to be hit with a six-point deductionCredit: Rex
      Reading are currently 14th in the Championship table, 13 points above the relegation zone
      Reading were docked six points for breaching financial rules last season, with another six-point deduction suspended until the end of the current campaign.
      That suspended deduction is now close to being triggered, according to the Daily Mail.
      It’s claimed Reading have not reduced their spending in accordance with the agreed business plan with the EFL.
      After agreeing a plan based on revenue and expenditure, the Mail say spending has been a problem for the Berkshire outfit.
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      The EFL declined to comment on the matter.
      A six-point deduction this season would see Paul Ince’s side drop from 14th to near the bottom of the Championship table, reducing their current points tally from 44 to 38.
      However, the Royals would still have an eight-point cushion over Huddersfield in 22nd.
      Although it remains to be seen if the reported punishment will be enforced this campaign, as the Mail claim disciplinary proceedings have not yet started.
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      Reading finished the 2021-22 campaign in 21st, one place above the drop zone, following the original six-point deduction.
      The Royals were penalised in 2021 for going over the £39million threshold on losses.
      Championship clubs are not allowed to make more losses than the aforementioned figure over three years. More

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      Watch Mick McCarthy’s brilliant and brutal two-word reply after Blackpool’s horrendous form continues

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      MICK MCCARTHY gave a brilliantly blunt response when asked about Blackpool’s terrible form.The Seasiders have only won one game in their last 17 matches, leaving them 23rd in the Championship.
      Mick McCarthy has said that Blackpool’s horrible form ‘can’ continueCredit: Getty
      And it does not get much easier for McCarthy’s side as they now face league leaders Burnley on Saturday.
      After their 3-1 defeat to Reading, the club’s form was questioned by reporters to the Englishman.
      A reporter asked: “In terms of results Mick, one win 17, it can’t go on like this, can it?”
      After a brief pause, McCarthy bluntly replied: “It can.”
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      The response will not comfort Blackpool fans with many worried that the club could be relegated to League One this season.
      Fans on social media found the response hilarious, as one tweeted: “Bloody hell if that doesn’t give pool fans hope 😂😂😂😂.”
      A second wrote: “Hahahahahaahaaha doesn’t give a f*** big Mick does he?”
      A third said: “Hahahahahhaha when you think your teams in the mud you just have to look at them lot down the road and realise things can always be worse.”
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      McCarthy was named as Blackpool’s manager in January on a deal until the end of the season.
      With Vincent Kompany’s side up next, McCarthy will have to spend the week trying to get his players ready for one of their toughest games of the season.
      Neil Warnock has claimed that the Clarets are already ready for the Premier League.
      He said, via the Yorkshire Post: “What I like about Burnley is that they know if they’ve got to battle, they’ve got to battle.
      “That team could easily play in the Premier League now. It’s very exciting for Burnley.” More

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      Chelsea set to loan star back to Burnley for Prem return despite left-back’s stunning goal record

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      BURNLEY want to bring Ian Maatsen back to Turf Moor next season as the Clarets draw up plans for their Premier League return.Vincent Kompany’s side are out on their own at the top of the Championship and bosses at the club are already mapping out their summer ahead of an instant return to the top flight.
      Ian Maatsen has impressed with Burnley this season – scoring four goalsCredit: Reuters
      Chelsea’s Maatsen could be set to play for the Clarets in the Premier League next seasonCredit: Getty
      Left-back Maatsen, who joined on loan from Chelsea at the start of the campaign, has been key to their superb season with four goals and five assists so far.
      Such has been his form that Kompany is desperate to bring the 20-year-old back to the club for next season.
      The Dutchman will have one year left on his Blues deal in the summer.
      But, with Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella both ahead of him at Stamford Bridge, the club are expected to be open to another loan move.
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      And that will likely involve signing a new deal in west London before heading back out.
      Burnley are expected to give Kompany plenty of backing following his flying start to life as a manager in English football.
      Nathan Tella, on loan from Southampton, has been another star with 12 goals and two assists in 30 Championship appearances.
      Kompany is yet to decide whether or not to make a move and bring him back for a Premier League push.
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      January arrival Michael Obafemi, who joined on loan from Swansea last month, has one goal in his two sub appearances so far.
      The Clarets have an option to make his loan permanent in the summer. More

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      ‘Going to be a god’ – Watch Man Utd loanee score stunning goal as fans say he can challenge Antony

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      MANCHESTER UNITED fans were salivating at the thought of their options next year as Amad Diallo scored a stunning goal. The 20-year-old has been on loan at Championship side Sunderland throughout the season.

      Amad Diallo in action for SunderlandCredit: Getty
      And Diallo continued his strong vein of form today with a superb curling effort against Coventry City.
      United fans saw the effort from the right hand side of the penalty area and lavished praise on the winger.
      One fan said: “Lovely finish, little superstar 🤩.”
      A second wrote: “Quality finish 👏🏻,” while a third added: “This kid is some talent…”
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      Looking ahead, some have already envisioned a role for him in the Man Utd squad next season.
      One said: “Lovely competition with Antony, next season or maybe a season out on loan at a Premier League. Great future ahead.”
      A second declared: “United have a bit of a winger headache…”
      A third commented: “Antony, Amad as a right wing depth. Sancho, Rashford [and] Garnacho as left wing depth.”
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      A fourth wrote: “He’s coming to battle it [out] with Antony next season.”
      While a fifth added: “Unbelievable. Definitely playing a role for us next year along side Antony. Really exciting times ahead.”
      Diallo’s finish struck similarities with both Antony’s match-winner against Barcelona and a sensational effort from Man Utd flop Angel Di Maria, which both came on Thursday.
      Despite, Diallo’s strike, Sunderland were unable to get anything from the match as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to see them lose ground on the play-off places this season.
      Diallo has scored eight goals this season, though his latest goal ends a barren-run of five games. More

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      I was relegated from the Premier League five times before quitting football and winning a Best Supporting Actor award

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      MANY footballers will go into punditry work or coaching after retiring from football. But many footballers are not former Bolton and Blackburn striker Nathan Blake.
      Nathan Blake had a career with a number of Premier League clubsCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      He moved into acting after retiring from footballCredit: Alamy
      Blake forged a career as a Premier League striker across the 1990’s and early 2000’s.
      He started his career with Cardiff before moving to Sheffield United to kickstart his Prem career.
      Five goals in 12 games in his breakthrough season marked a decent return, but he was unable to prevent the Blades from staving off relegation.
      A transfer to Bolton beckoned in 1996, but he failed to make an immediate impact and soon ended up back in the old First Division, now the Championship.
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      There he once again found his shooting boots, bagging 19 league goals in 1996/97 to fire Bolton back to the Prem.
      However, he suffered a second relegation with Bolton despite scoring 12 goals in what would be his best goal return in a Premier League season.
      A mid-season transfer in the 1998/99 season saw him complete a move to Blackburn mid season, though once again he would suffer the ignominy of relegation after scoring just three goals.
      Blake spent a further two years at Blackburn before he was shipped out to Wolves in 2002.
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      Blake in action for WalesCredit: PA:Press Association
      Blake in training for Wales as then-manager Mark Hughes looks onCredit: PA:Press Association
      The Welshman helped fire them into the Premier League in the 2002/03 season as he notched 12 goals.
      But history repeated itself as Blake scored just once and saw himself relegated from the Prem for the fifth time, making him the holder of the record for most relegations from the division.
      Blake would eventually retire in 2006 following spells with Leeds, Leicester and Newport County, having scored 82 goals across the Premier League and the second tier of English football.
      Outside of football Blake went on to speak out against vile racist abuse he had received after withdrawing from the Wales squad.
      Curiously, Blake turned to acting after football.
      And in 2014 won the award for best supporting actor at Film Fest Cymru for his role in the film Homing Bird, in which he plays a football coach.
      He told Wales Online at the time: “I quite like doing things outside my comfort zone unless it’s skydiving or swimming with sharks.
      “I only have a couple of lines but I had to change my Welsh accent to my father’s Jamaican accent but that was fine.
      “I’ll do as much as I’m offered. If someone said tomorrow ‘We’ll have you in EastEnders’ then great.”
      Blake has since turned his hand to journalism.
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      He has worked for BBC Wales, BBC 5 Live and Sky Sports as a match analyst and commentator, as well as reporting on Cardiff City for Wales Online.
      For a short while Blake also held a role as non-executive director at Newport County, before the supporter’s trust took control of the club.
      Blake has also taken to commentary workCredit: Getty More