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    Wayne Rooney spotted in stands at Wigan vs Hull as Man Utd legend supports former Derby assistant Liam Rosenior

    WAYNE ROONEY was spotted in the stands for Wigan’s clash against Hull. The Manchester United legend, 37, was seen sitting in the stands with a hat on.
    Wayne Rooney spotted in the stands at Wigan vs HullCredit: Phil Bryan/News Images
    The Manchester United legend was said to be supporting ex-colleague Liam RoseniorCredit: AFP
    Rosenior moved into management after a stint as Rooney’s assistantCredit: Getty
    According to BBC Sport Journalist Matt Dean, Rooney was in attendance to support Liam Rosenior, who was his assistant while manager at Derby.
    Rosenior is now managing Hull after leaving his position as Derby’s caretaker boss in September.
    He joined Hull on November 3, and since taking charge has lost just once.
    And Rooney’s presence at the DW stadium earlier today appeared to bode well for the Tigers as they thrashed Wigan 4-1.
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    Rooney left Derby over the summer with the club’s precarious financial situation still unresolved.
    Despite being relegated to League One, Derby chiefs pleaded with Rooney to stay, but he ended up heading over to the MLS to take over DC United.
    Like Rosenior, another former colleague of Rooney’s is also doing well in the Championship, that being Michael Carrick.
    With only three games as an interim coach at Man Utd to his name, Middlesbrough gambled on the former midfielder, and it has paid massive dividends so far.
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    The club were 22nd in the division when he took over on October 24, but after a 3-1 over Birmingham today Boro are now fifth in the Championship.
    Rooney and Carrick played together at Old Trafford for 11 years, winning every trophy available, including the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and Club World Cup. More

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    Watch early contender for miss of the year as Rotherham striker blazes over against Millwall having rounded the keeper

    ROTHERHAM’S Conor Washington has already produced an early contender for miss of the year – on January 1.That’s after blazing over against Millwall despite having already rounded the goalkeeper and having the goal at his mercy.

    Conor Washington had a miss to forget in Rotherham’s defeat at MillwallCredit: https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/1609577744748187650?s=20&t=RiWDdcbETguA6BRRJjJdJQ
    Washington’s nightmare effort came on a dismal day for Rotherham, who suffered a 3-0 New Year’s Day defeat at the Den.
    But Millwall were just 1-0 up when the visitors blew their chance to equalise in the Championship clash.
    A great pass from a Rotherham team-mate saw Washington dart in behind Millwall’s bewildered backline.
    Washington showed great feet to control the ball and jink past the oncoming goalkeeper.
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    All he had to do was slot the ball home into an almost-empty net, with just one Millwall defender managing to reach the line.
    But Washington fumbled at the last moment.
    And instead of burying the ball into the back of the goal, he comically fired his shot high and wide.
    Washington’s effort prompted groans from the travelling fans and jeers from the home supporters.
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    Fans on the internet were also quick to react to the terrible miss.
    One said: “Our season summed up.”
    Another wrote: “You have to ask how accidental was that?”
    One laughed: “Better than Michael Smith they said.”
    Another added: “AND he laughs about it too.” More

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    Norwich sack Dean Smith as manager after loss to ten-man Luton extended horror run to three wins in 13 games

    NORWICH have sacked Dean Smith as manager.The former Aston Villa boss, 51, has been given the boot following Monday’s 2-1 loss at Luton although the club are fifth in the Championship.
    Dean Smith has been sacked by NorwichCredit: Rex
    Norwich fans had turned on the former Aston Villa managerCredit: Rex
    Smith has been in charge for 13 months but majority shareholder Delia Smith and husband Michael Wynn-Jones made the decision due to the team’s poor recent form and the fact the club’s fans turned on the manager.
    Former Norwich defender and Swansea manager Russell Martin is among the frontrunners but getting him out of the South Wales club could prove to be difficult.
    Assistant head coach Craig Shakespeare and first team coach Liam Bramley have also departed Carrow Road.
    Coaches Steve Weaver and Allan Russell will take interim charge as the club seek a replacement.
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    Sporting director Stuart Webber said: “This was a tough decision, but one that we felt was necessary to give ourselves the best possible chance of achieving our objective of promotion to the Premier League this season.
    “We would like to place on record our thanks to Dean, Craig and Liam, who have always put the best interests of the football club first.
    “With just under half of the season remaining and three consecutive home games on the horizon we now have a real opportunity to build some forward and positive momentum, both on and off the pitch.”
    After the sacking of Daniel Farke, Smith took over in November 2021 but was unable to keep the club in the Premier League and they have been unconvincing this season.
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    Norwich have won just three games in 13 matches and the atmosphere has turned toxic.
    The club’s fans turned on Smith during and after the defeat to Blackburn on December 17.
    Supporters were singing for him to be sacked just 10 minutes into the defeat at Luton and there were also scuffles among fans in the away end during the first half.
    Norwich, playing against 10 men, lost to a 90th minute winner from sub Cauley Woodrow at Kenilworth Road.
    They are back in action on Friday with a home game against Reading.
    The Canaries are 10 points off the top two and only in the play-offs on goal difference.
    Equally, Norwich sporting director Webber is coming under fire after a series of poor signings. More

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    National League ‘to be offered THIRD promotion place’ in huge shake up to football league pyramid

    A HUGE shake up in the Football League pyramid could reportedly see the National League offered an extra promotion place.Only the champions of the then-named Conference used to win promotion to the EFL until 1997.
    Stockport County celebrate winning last season’s National LeagueCredit: PA
    The National League could get an extra promotion placeCredit: National League
    A second promotion spot was then awarded in 2003, which is secured via the play-offs.
    EFL chairman Rick Parry could be about to play a role in a huge revampCredit: Getty
    However a new report in the Daily Mail states an extra one could soon be up for grabs.
    It states that the EFL are ready to offer three promotion places to the National League “as part of their contribution to the financial reset being demanded by chairman Rick Parry”.
    Talks are currently deadlocked between the EFL and Premier League for more funding from the top-flight.
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    However, this claims that there is “an acknowledgement at the EFL that they also have a responsibility to assist clubs further down the pyramid” too.
    And the “best way” of achieving in many eyes is by offering an additional promotion place.
    It is a particular favourite with clubs in the Championship – “not least as it would not affect them”. 
    However, the change will not affect anything during the current campaign.
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    The rules regarding the EFL’s promotion and relegation system needs to be approved via votes from a majority of clubs.
    And it would not be introduced until next season at the very earliest.
    Notts County are currently four points clear at the top of the National League table going into the festive campaign. More

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    William Hill – Tuesday’s EFL Cup: Over 2 Goals in all four games at boosted to 7/1!

    WILLIAM HILL have a price boost available for tonight’s EFL Cup last 16 action.The bookie is offering punters boosted odds of 7/1 for each of the four games to have at least three goals!
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    EFL Cup Tuesday – Over 2 Goals in every game | 7/1!
    And that’s up from the usual price on their site of 11/2!
    Three of the four games see Premier League sides take on teams from much-lower in the English pyramid
    Wolves host Gillingham, Southampton entertain Lincoln City and Leicester travel to MK Dons.
    While in the other game, Newcastle are looking to continue where they left off when they welcome Bournemouth to St James’ Park.
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    EFL Cup offerWilliam Hill boost
    Wolves vs Gillingham
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    Your first £10 bet could be placed on this EFL price boost and if there are enough goals, you’ll pocket £80 and the free bets!
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    Soccer Saturday studio in hysterics after Tim Sherwood blunder as former gaffer can’t work out why penalty isn’t given

    THE Soccer Saturday studio were left in stitches by a comical blunder pundit Tim Sherwood made while watching Preston take on QPR. The action had only just got underway when Andre Dozzell caught Ben Woodburn late in the box.
    Tim Sherwood watched in confusion
    The studio burst into laughter when they realised Tim Sherwood’s error
    The foul was committed by the attacking team not the defending team
    Sherwood believed it must be a penalty and was extremely baffled as to why it wasn’t given.
    After much confusion, as the other pundits saw the tackle, fellow commentator Clinton Morrison realised it wasn’t a spot-kick as the foul was committed by the attacking team, not the defending side.
    The ex-Tottenham boss perhaps didn’t realise what way the team’s were shooting thinking the challenge was made in the opposite box.
    Dozzell was booked and a free-kick to Preston was correctly awarded. Of course, there was no penalty at the other end for Ryan Lowe’s team.
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    When the penny dropped in the studio Morrison, Paul Merson and Micheal Dawson were left in hysterics.
    The situation begun with Sherwood first bursting into action claiming it was “a nailed on penalty”.
    He then saw the referee flash the yellow card saying: “Yellow card, penalty.”
    But the eagle-eyed Morrison realised what was going on responding: “I don’t think it is a penalty, I think he is defending. It’s the other way round, look, it’s a free-kick. It’s the other way round.
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    Merson nearly falling off his chair with laughter, said: “Some counter-attack that would’ve been.”
    Host Simon Thomas remained confused before being brought up to speed by Morrison and Merson.
    The ex-Ireland striker exclaimed: “No, it’s a free-kick, the Preston guy is defending.”
    Merson joined in: “They are kicking the other way.”
    Fans saw the funny side of the mistake, one wrote on Twitter: “This is absolutely excruciating.”
    Another said: “That’s embarrassing.”
    While another added: “Tim Sherwood with a new Chris Kamara on Sky!”
    QPR ended up winning the game 1-0 More

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    Cardiff City hit with transfer embargo for failing to pay £15m fee for tragic Emiliano Sala who died in plane crash

    CARDIFF CITY have been hit with a transfer embargo after failing to pay the first part of the £15million transfer fee for Emiliano Sala.The Argentine striker died in a tragic plane crash in January 2019 as he flew to Britain after completing his record move.
    The consequences of Emiliano Sala’s tragic transfer to Cardiff continueCredit: AFP
    However, the fall-out resulted in the Bluebirds refusing to pay the first instalment to Sala’s previous club Nantes.
    Cardiff lost an appeal and were ordered by Fifa to make the initial payment of £5.3m but the club continue to dispute the ruling.
    Now, though, they have confirmed they are currently under an embargo and therefore unable to make any new signings.
    Chairman Mehmet Dalman, though, is “confident” the punishment will be lifted before the January transfer window opens.
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    He told BBC Radio Wales Sport: “I wish I had the power to lift the shadow of this situation from the club.
    “People at this club want this resolved.
    “People should not forget that a 28-year old man was killed when he there was no need for that accident to happen.
    “There is a human side to this story, it is not just a financial one.”
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    Cardiff are currently in talks with the EFL and Fifa to find a solution while they wait for a Swiss Federal Court verdict to their Court of Arbitration for Sport appeal which is expected to be returned early in 2023.
    Dalman’s club signed 17 new players in the summer transfer window – and yet sat just a point above the Championship relegation zone going into this weekend’s fixtures.
    He added: “There are lots of legal discussions going on and they will continue to go on, but we have received our first invoice from Nantes.
    “We haven’t paid it and at this stage have no intention of paying it, until certain negotiations come to fruition.
    We haven’t paid and have no intention of payingMehmet Dalman
    “This puts the EFL in a position where they automatically put us under a transfer embargo, but until January that is pretty meaningless anyway.
    “Until January I am sure there will be other developments. We are working hard to ensure we can do business then.
    “Should fans be worried we won’t be able to buy anyone in January? Yes and no.
    “We certainly would like to add more players, the manager [Mark Hudson] is keen to do that and we’ve told him to plan accordingly because we believe this is temporary not permanent.
    “But of course it is unpredictable.
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    “I don’t know Mark dreadfully well, but he’s a professional, he understood our position.
    “He didn’t necessarily like it. But we have told him to get his targets in place.” More

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    Andy Carroll reveals he regretted West Brom transfer ‘from the second day I was there’

    ANDY CARROLL has admitted he regretted his move to West Brom from his “second day there”.The Reading forward, 33, ditched the Royals in January for the Baggies – only to return this season.
    Andy Carroll has played 12 times for Reading this seasonCredit: Rex
    Carroll was recruited by ex-West Brom boss Valerien Ismael after an injury suffered by striker Daryl Dike.
    Just one game later, however, Ismael was sacked – forcing the former England striker into a reunion with old Newcastle boss Steve Bruce.
    Speaking to Berkshire Live about his time at the Hawthorns, Carroll admitted: “To be honest, the second day I was there I regretted being there.”
    Carroll left West Brom after scoring three goals in 15 games, being released at the end of his short-term deal.
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    He was a free agent until September, when he penned a deal to return to Reading until January.
    Following Bruce’s West Brom sacking in October ahead of their clash with Reading, Carroll made a stunning dig at his old boss.
    He said: “It’s always sad to see people get the sack.
    “Especially when we were guaranteed three points at the weekend. It is a shame but that’s football.
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    “You don’t get the results, it’s a business at the end of the day.
    “That’s why you have to keep the lads together and work hard as a manager and get the lads working hard for you.”
    While Carroll could be a free agent again next month, this time he is hoping to extend his stay with Paul Ince’s side.
    He said: “Hopefully you guys have asked the gaffer and he has given you the answer, but I am willing to sign if there is a deal there.”
    Carroll has played 12 times for the Royals this term, scoring twice.
    Reading went into this weekend eighth in the Championship table – two points off the play-off positions.
    Carroll, 33, played under Steve Bruce at NewcastleCredit: Getty – Contributor More