Championship Round-Up
The Chris Morgan affair rumbles on with Blades manager Kevin Blackwell backing his defender after his assault on Barnsley’s Iain Hume in last weekend’s win at Oakwell. Blackwell, who had been strangely quiet given his forthright views following the derby defeat at Hillsborough said: "Chris is a great leader, a great skipper and a first-class lad too. We know it and they know it at Barnsley." The victim of all this, Hume, told over the weekend how he ‘could have died.’ "I pleaded with the referee to give me some protection," Hume told the Sunday Times. Barnsley have now sent their evidence to the FA and await the verdict from Soho Square.
Wolves defender Michael Mancienne has earned the praise of his team-mates following his call-up to the England squad for their friendly in Germany tomorrow night. Winger Carlos Edwards told the Wanderers’ Official Site: "I rate him as one of the best young centre-halves of his generation and I can see big things happening for him in the future. I can see him in a full England shirt and hopefully playing in Europe.” Meanwhile his defensive partner Richard Stearman told of his delight for the man on loan from Chelsea. "Hopefully he gets the chance to play because it wouldn't just be great for Mike, but for Wolves as well.”
Coventry manager Chris Coleman has told of his desire to fill the Ricoh Arena. "The problem we have got is it is a massive stadium, and a great stadium, but it is half full," the Welshman told the Coventry Telegraph. "It would be fuller if we were in the top six and full if we were in the Premier League.” The Sky Blues have an average attendance of 17,538 and will feel at home when they visit a half-empty Hillsborough on Saturday...
Neil Warnock did something totally out of character this weekend by having a go at a ref. The mild-mannered Palace chief reckons Michael Chopra dived to earn Cardiff’s first penalty in their 2-1 win over the Eagles on Saturday. “There was no contact,” said Warnock. “Chopra realised he had not got anywhere, stumbled and went down. Chopra made Andy Johnson look an innocent little virgin.”
Reading defender Ivar Ingimarsson reckons it's far too early to be writing off the chasing pack despite the top three threatening to pull away from the chasing pack. The Royals beat Sheffield United 2-0 on Saturday which takes them four points clear of fourth placed Burnley with Birmingham City a point ahead of Reading and Wolves running away with the league with 40 points. “Before Saturday’s game we were third with six or seven teams only three or four points behind us. If you lose a couple of times you can drop quickly," said the man from Iceland. “The team that wins this league will be the one that is most consistent throughout the season and that’s what we need to be.”
And finally Doncaster Rovers fans are being given the opportunity to bid for a glove worn and signed by their 'keeper Neil Sullivan. Their Official Site reveals that the glove has been worn during the current season and during their promotion-winning campaign last season. The site describes it as a "rare chance to own a bit of Doncaster Rovers history." Get your bids in quick!
Owls Alive
