EFL

ALAN PARDEW has reportedly expressed an interest in taking the Portsmouth job.Pompey sacked Kenny Jackett after their EFL Trophy final defeat to Salford at Wembley on Saturday.
Alan Pardew is ‘interested’ in the Portsmouth jobCredit: Getty
And former West Ham and Newcastle boss Pardew, 59, fancies a crack at the Fratton Park gig, according to reliable south coast football journalist Alex Crook.
The TalkSport presenter tweeted: “Am told Alan Pardew and Phil Parkinson have both expressed an interest in the #Pompey job.”
With his side in dire form in League One and slipping out of the play-off places, the Fratton Park board pulled the trigger on Jackett, 59, on Sunday morning.
In nearly four years in charge, Jackett led Pompey to EFL Trophy glory in 2019.
But back-to-back play-off slip-ups against Sunderland and Oxford ensured the club remained in the third tier with many fans calling for a change.
On Sunday, SunSport exclusively revealed Portsmouth want ex-Cardiff and Millwall boss Neil Harris.
Pardew’s colourful career took a new direction in November with his latest adventure as technical director for CSKA Sofia.
He left Dutch side ADO Den Haag in April 2020 just two months after ultras hijacked his training session and tried to teach tactics to the players.
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Am told Alan Pardew and Phil Parkinson have both expressed an interest in the #Pompey job— Alex Crook ⚽️🎙 (@alex_crook) March 16, 2021

And for the first time in his life he is challenging for the title — even if it is in a league only slightly more competitive than Scotland’s annual two-horse race.
Elsewhere former Pompey boss Harry Redknapp has offered to take the reins for free until a permanent boss is appointed.
He told talkSPORT: “I’m ready – I’m getting bored.
“I’ll walk up there tomorrow for nothing. I’ll do the job for nothing.
“It’ll keep me busy and get me out of the house. Although I can’t do it until Cheltenham is over.”
Former Portsmouth and Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara has also chucked his hat in the ring.
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SUNDERLAND finally broke their Wembley jinx as Lynden Gooch’s second-half strike saw them win at the national stadium for the first time since 1973.
Gooch converted from the edge of the box just before the hour mark and his team held on to lift the 2021 Papa John’s EFL Trophy – beating Tranmere 1-0.

Sunderland won at Wembley for the first time in 48 years to lift the Papa John’s TrophyCredit: Rex Features

Lynden Gooch scored the winner just before the hour markCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The Mackems had not won in seven attempts at the national stadium since beating Leeds in the 1973 FA Cup final.
And although – as boss Lee Johnson put it – ‘it’s not the biggest trophy’ Sunderland fans will be gutted they couldn’t be there to see them shake off the Wembley voodoo.
Prior to match Rovers fans were simply asking the North East side not to batter them considering they’re chasing promotion in the league above.
But in reality, the League Two side did themselves proud.

Their five shots on target dwarfed Sunderland’s one but Gooch’s right-foot effort was the only one that went in and therefore the only one that really mattered.
There was little to separate the teams in an entertaining contest – but a moment of quality proved decisive in the 57th minute when Aiden McGeady split the Tranmere defence with a through-ball and United States international Gooch finished off the chance.
League Two beat League One in Saturday’s 2020 final as Salford saw off Portsmouth – but there was no repeat the following day despite a spirited display from Keith Hill’s team.
Tranmere had the best chance of the first half in the 15th minute when Grant Leadbitter’s attempted clearance of Danny Lloyd’s shot was well kept out by stretching Sunderland goalkeeper Lee Burge.

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The Mackems had not won in seven attempts at the national stadium since beating Leeds in the 1973 FA Cup finalCredit: Rex Features
Chris Maguire, starting a game for the first time since December in the absence of the injured Aiden O’Brien, fired Sunderland’s first attempt wide before Tranmere threatened again through Kieron Morris’ blocked effort and Lloyd’s header, straight at Burge.
Maguire saw a 29th-minute shot deflected wide for a corner before an unmarked Max Power failed to make the most of a header at the far post.
Veteran Rovers defender Peter Clarke was penalised for a foul on Charlie Wyke in the 38th minute, giving McGeady a free-kick in a similar position to one he scored from in the 2019 final against Portsmouth – but this time the 34-year-old fired well over.
The Black Cats were forced into their first change in the 44th minute when central defender Tom Flanagan, who needed early treatment for a head injury, was replaced by Conor McLaughlin before Leadbitter produced a timely block to deny Lloyd.
Otis Khan nutmegged Luke O’Nien before drawing a diving save from Burge within three minutes of the restart, as Tranmere continued to look dangerous.
However, Lee Johnson’s team responded in the 51st minute when 26-goal top scorer Wyke failed to make the right connection with McGeady’s driven cross.

Then came the key moment, McGeady’s vision and incisive pass setting up Gooch who advanced and coolly lifted the ball over goalkeeper Scott Davies.
Maguire was replaced by Jack Diamond five minutes later, with Tranmere bringing on on-loan Preston striker David Nugent and Corey Blackett-Taylor for Lloyd and Paul Lewis.
The League Two side responded with a good spell of pressure, with O’Nien blocking a George Ray shot, Nugent narrowly failing to connect with a cross and Blackett-Taylor testing Burge.
However, Sunderland, who came close themselves when McLaughlin’s 76th-minute effort was tipped onto the bar and over by Davies, held on to end their long wait for Wembley success.
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NEWPORT veteran Kevin Ellison SCREAMED in Morecambe manager Derek Adams’ face after scoring against the Shrimps on Saturday afternoon.
The 42-year-old’s nine-year association with Morecambe came to an end last year, after Adams deemed him surplus to requirements.

𝗕𝗼𝗹𝗱 celebration…Kevin Ellison enjoyed scoring against his former club Morecambe today – getting up close to the home bench 👀 pic.twitter.com/BGZ7noosXd
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) March 13, 2021

Kevin Ellison screamed in his former manager’s face after scoring for Newport against MorecambeCredit: Huw Evans Picture Agency

Derek Adams watches on as Ellison rubs in his goalCredit: Huw Evans Picture Agency

A stalwart at the Lancashire club – where he played 388 games – Ellison had even taken temporary charge of the team alongside Barry Roche, following Adams’ long-term predecessor Jim Bentley’s departure.
Having been a regular under Bentley, Ellison would quickly be cast aside by Adams, even being made to train on his own during the second half of last season.
So when he came up against Adams and Co for new club Newport, Ellison was extra fired up.
Initially a substitute, Ellison entered the action in the 69th minute, with his side leading 2-1 against the ten-man Shrimps thanks to goals from Matt Dolan and Josh Sheehan either side of Yann Songo’o’s equaliser.

And just ten minutes after entering the action, Ellison showed Adams what he can still do – by scoring a trademark left-footed effort to seal all three points.
If there had been any suggestion that he wouldn’t celebrate against his old club, it quickly went out the window when Ellison ran towards Adams on the touchline – screaming in the former Plymouth Argyle boss’ face.
The result saw Newport leapfrog Morecambe into fourth in the League Two table, with results elsewhere seeing Adams’ men fall to seventh.
Speaking after the game, Ellison said: “I think he was disrespectful to me, the way he treated me and I thought if I get a chance I wasn’t going to paper over cracks. I showed him what I thought.”

Ellison, 42, confronted his former manager AdamsCredit: Alamy Live News

The winger’s strike was his second in 21 appearances this season.
As for Adams, he was left lamenting his skipper Sam Lavelle’s 38th minute sending off.
The 45-year-old said: “Sam goes up for a header, his hand’s in the air, the ball hits his hand and it’s a penalty kick.
“Yann scores a magnificent goal and gets us back in it. Then, unfortunately, Sam gets himself sent off and that’s the major turning point in the game.

If you give away a penalty and a sending off, it’s going to be a tough afternoon
Derek Adams

“After that, it was going to be a difficult afternoon for us. We tried to get back in the game, I thought we pushed really hard, but just before half-time they scored to make it 2-1.
“Second half, we had a lot of domination but couldn’t get the second to equalise and, eventually, they get the third goal.
“If you give away a penalty and a sending off, it’s going to be a tough afternoon.”

Adams was left frustrated by his side’s afternoonCredit: Rex Features
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