Wigan Athletic manager Roberto Martinez currently leads the betting odds as the next Aston Villa manager. Martinez is followed by Norwich City manager Paul Lambert and Brighton & Hove Albion manager Guy Poyet.

A new manager is unlikely to be announced right away but it could be as soon as later this week.

Arsenal v Tottenham v Newcastle: The Race for Third Place - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

It seems the competition for third place in the Premier League is now going to be decided on the final day of the season. Here I take a look at each team's final fixture and their chances of finishing ahead of their rivals.

I came across this picture in the A-Z of West Brom that I bought on ebay a few weeks ago. It apparently depicts the opposition to Len Cantello's Albion XI in his own testimonial. The matchday programme calls it a "Cyril Regis and Lawrie Cunningham XI" but the Albion A-Z just calls it a "Black XI" team assembled by Cyril Regis.

P TIMES PG J 1 Reading 89 46 2 Southampton 88 46 3 West Ham United 86 46 4 Birmingham City 76 46 5 Blackpool 75 46 6 Cardiff City 75 46 7 Middlesbrough 70 46 8 Hull City 68 46 9 Leicester City 66 46 10 Brighton & Hove Albion 66 46 11 Derby County 64 46 12 Watford 64 46 13 Burnley 62 46 14 Leeds United 61 46 15 Ipswich Town 61 46 16 Millwall 57 46 17 Crystal Palace 56 46 18 Peterborough United 50 46 19 Nottingham Forest 50 46 20 Bristol City 49 46 21 Barnsley 48 46 22 Portsmouth 40 46 23 Coventry City 40 46 24 Doncaster Rovers 36 46
Promovidos para a Premier League: Reading e Southapton
Playoffs:
West Ham x Cardiff City
Birmingham x Blackpool
Rebaixados para a League One
Portsmouth
Coventry City
Doncater Rovers
Promovidos da League One:
Charlton

Npower Championship 2011/2012: Promotion and Relegation Review - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

The 2011-12 Championship league fixtures have come to an end and finally the automatic promotion positions have been confirmed. However, at the other end of the table, the relegation picture had been clear for some time.

P TIMES PG J 1 Reading 89 45 2 Southampton 85 45 3 West Ham United 83 45 4 Blackpool 74 45 5 Birmingham City 73 45 6 Cardiff City 72 45 7 Middlesbrough 70 45 8 Hull City 68 45 9 Brighton & Hove Albion 65 45 10 Leicester City 63 45 11 Derby County 63 45 12 Burnley 61 45 13 Leeds United 61 45 14 Watford 61 45 15 Ipswich Town 58 45 16 Millwall 56 45 17 Crystal Palace 56 45 18 Peterborough United 49 45 19 Bristol City 48 45 20 Nottingham Forest 47 45 21 Barnsley 47 45 22 Portsmouth 40 45 23 Coventry City 40 45 24 Doncaster Rovers 36 45

P TIMES PG J 1 Reading 89 45 2 Southampton 85 44 3 West Ham United 80 44 4 Blackpool 74 45 5 Birmingham City 73 45 6 Cardiff City 72 45 7 Hull City 68 45 8 Middlesbrough 67 44 9 Brighton & Hove Albion 65 45 10 Leicester City 63 44 11 Derby County 63 45 12 Burnley 61 45 13 Leeds United 61 45 14 Watford 61 45 15 Ipswich Town 58 45 16 Millwall 56 45 17 Crystal Palace 56 45 18 Peterborough United 49 45 19 Bristol City 48 45 20 Nottingham Forest 47 45 21 Barnsley 47 45 22 Portsmouth 40 45 23 Coventry City 40 45 24 Doncaster Rovers 36 45

P TIMES PG J 1 Reading 88 44 2 Southampton 85 44 3 West Ham United 80 44 4 Birmingham City 72 44 5 Cardiff City 72 45 6 Blackpool 71 44 7 Middlesbrough 67 44 8 Hull City 65 44 9 Brighton & Hove Albion 64 44 10 Leicester City 63 44 11 Burnley 61 44 12 Leeds United 61 45 13 Derby County 60 44 14 Watford 60 44 15 Ipswich Town 58 44 16 Crystal Palace 55 44 17 Millwall 53 44 18 Peterborough United 48 44 19 Nottingham Forest 47 44 20 Barnsley 47 44 21 Bristol City 45 44 22 Portsmouth 40 44 23 Coventry City 40 44 24 Doncaster Rovers 33 44

West Brom boss Roy Hodgson is not expecting a warm welcome when he returns to Anfield on Sunday.
Hodgson makes his first return to Anfield this weekend since being sacked by the Reds last year following an ill-fated spell on Merseyside.
The experienced manager was dismissed in January 2011 after just eight months in charge before returning to management with the Baggies only 37 days later.

P TIMES PG J 1 Reading 88 44 2 Southampton 85 44 3 West Ham United 80 44 4 Birmingham City 72 44 5 Blackpool 71 44 6 Cardiff City 71 44 7 Middlesbrough 67 44 8 Hull City 65 44 9 Brighton & Hove Albion 64 44 10 Leicester City 63 44 11 Burnley 61 44 12 Leeds United 60 44 13 Derby County 60 44 14 Watford 60 44 15 Ipswich Town 58 44 16 Crystal Palace 55 44 17 Millwall 53 44 18 Peterborough United 48 44 19 Nottingham Forest 47 44 20 Barnsley 47 44 21 Bristol City 45 44 22 Portsmouth 40 44 23 Coventry City 40 44 24 Doncaster Rovers 33 44

It is now almost forty years since Bristol Rovers ran up one of the most remarkable unbeaten runs in the entire history of the Football League, and their attack at the time was one of the most feared around. Here's Paul Caulfield on a team that is fondly remembered by its supporters, and the strikers that took them to promotion from the Third Division.

P TIMES PG J 1 Reading 85 43 2 Southampton 82 43 3 West Ham United 79 43 4 Birmingham City 71 43 5 Blackpool 68 43 6 Cardiff City 68 43 7 Middlesbrough 66 43 8 Brighton & Hove Albion 63 43 9 Leicester City 62 43 10 Hull City 62 43 11 Burnley 60 43 12 Leeds United 60 43 13 Derby County 60 43 14 Watford 59 43 15 Ipswich Town 57 43 16 Crystal Palace 55 43 17 Millwall 50 43 18 Peterborough United 48 43 19 Nottingham Forest 47 43 20 Barnsley 47 43 21 Bristol City 44 43 22 Coventry City 40 43 23 Portsmouth 37 43 24 Doncaster Rovers 32 43

P TIMES PG J 1 Southampton 82 42 2 Reading 79 41 3 West Ham United 76 42 4 Birmingham City 70 42 5 Blackpool 67 42 6 Cardiff City 65 42 7 Brighton & Hove Albion 63 41 8 Middlesbrough 63 42 9 Leicester City 62 42 10 Hull City 61 42 11 Derby County 60 42 12 Burnley 59 42 13 Watford 58 42 14 Leeds United 57 42 15 Ipswich Town 56 42 16 Crystal Palace 54 42 17 Peterborough United 48 42 18 Barnsley 47 42 19 Nottingham Forest 46 42 20 Millwall 44 41 21 Bristol City 43 42 22 Coventry City 39 42 23 Portsmouth 34 41 24 Doncaster Rovers 32 42

El equipo Sub-17 de Tigres en la Copa Dallas no pudó culminar una gran semana con el bicampeonato en esta categoría, pues perdió la final 1-0 ante el Rot Weiss Essen. El partido se realizó en el FC Dallas Park Stadium hoy domingo por la tarde.

Los felinos llegaban con récord perfecto a este partido e incluso en todos goleando a sus respectivos rivales.

P TIMES PG J 1 Southampton 78 40 2 Reading 76 40 3 West Ham United 74 40 4 Birmingham City 69 41 5 Blackpool 66 40 6 Cardiff City 63 40 7 Brighton & Hove Albion 62 40 8 Middlesbrough 60 40 9 Leicester City 59 40 10 Hull City 57 40 11 Burnley 56 41 12 Leeds United 56 40 13 Watford 56 40 14 Ipswich Town 55 40 15 Derby County 54 40 16 Crystal Palace 53 40 17 Peterborough United 48 40 18 Barnsley 46 40 19 Portsmouth 44 40 20 Nottingham Forest 43 40 21 Millwall 41 40 22 Coventry City 38 40 23 Bristol City 37 40 24 Doncaster Rovers 29 40

P TIMES PG J 1 Southampton 77 39 2 Reading 73 39 3 West Ham United 71 39 4 Birmingham City 63 39 5 Blackpool 63 39 6 Brighton & Hove Albion 62 39 7 Cardiff City 60 39 8 Middlesbrough 60 39 9 Hull City 57 39 10 Leicester City 56 39 11 Leeds United 56 39 12 Watford 56 39 13 Ipswich Town 54 39 14 Burnley 53 39 15 Crystal Palace 53 39 16 Derby County 53 39 17 Peterborough United 47 39 18 Barnsley 46 39 19 Portsmouth 43 39 20 Nottingham Forest 43 39 21 Millwall 38 39 22 Coventry City 37 39 23 Bristol City 34 39 24 Doncaster Rovers 29 39

Andrija Novakovich (Muskego) had quite the weekend as Kenosha's United FC Under-15 boys team went unbeaten in three matches last weekend in Las Vegas to close out U.S. Youth Soccer National League play.

Novakovich scored a goal in each match as United FC tied Georgia's Concorde Fire Elite 1-1 and beat Maryland's MSC Magic Green 3-1, then added two more goals in a 2-2 draw against California's Albion SC White.

For a long while the Championship promotion battle seemed to be in effect a race for the play-offs and the chance to join Southampton and West Ham United in the Premier League. The big spending duo seemed to be a class above the opposition, but things have got interesting recently as the Hammers have faltered.

Earlier this morning US Central Time, I made a comment on Twitter whilst watching the Man Utd vs West Brom game from Old Trafford that sometimes proves to be prophetic or makes you look like a complete ass. United were precariously poised at a 1-0 lead whilst Man City were still at a 0-0 deadlock in Wales.

Very friendly fire szólj hozzá: ]bg5-1[Matchhighlight.com] Liverpool eased past Brighton in yesterday's FA Cup fifth round clash thanks to a hat-trick from little known poacher Own Goal. The Seagulls managed to find the net four times, but still lost 6-1 since three of their efforts were own goals.

Liverpool routed Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion by a score of 6-1 to advance to the quarter-finals of the English FA Cup. Manager Kenny Dalglish's side will meet fellow...

There's history here, you know. When Liverpool were the kings of English and European football, Brighton & Hove Albion had a curious habit of being able to dump them out of the FA Cup. They did it at Anfield on the way to Wembley in 1983, and then again at The Goldstone Ground the following year. Times have changed since then, of course.

Liverpool vs Brighton 6-1 FA Cup Highlights 2012 Video Goals Skrtel Lualua Carroll Suarez own goal Bridcutt Dunk is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Liverpool vs Brighton 6-1 FA Cup Highlights 2012 Video Goals Skrtel Lualua Carroll Suarez own goal Bridcutt Dunk is a post from Soccer Blogger.

Ahead of this evening's 5th round tie between Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield, Gus Puyet was in resilient form ahead of the FA Cup tie:
"I will do everything I can to win a football match, whatever you can imagine."
Brighton lie two points of the play-off places and are undefeated in ten games to date.

I don't get excited about many Premier League fixtures but the Black Country derby certainly gets my heart racing. It's even more special when it takes place in the Premier League – todays match only the fourth in Premier League history.

So as Wolves slumped to what turned out to be an embarrassing defeat my major interest in Premier League football for this season ends in disappointment as West Brom triumphed for their eighth time to Wolves three wins since I first went to Molineux in 1999.

For the second game in a row Newcastle fans are talking about James Perch. Pardew thanks James Perch after the game last night James has had his fair share of critics at Newcastle, since he arrived eighteen months ago from Nottingham Forest. But at Brighton last Saturday in the defeat to Albion, Perch was Newcastle's Man of the Match with a good no-nonsense performance in place of Coloccini at center-back.

As London went Siberian (although not for me; watched at home while looking after the boy) Fulham were much as Fulham are. Yes, we lacked a true number 25, but individual players are always less important than we think they'll be. In truth we looked more or less okay.

Fulham lined up with what was more or less a 4-4-2, Murphy and Sidwell flanked by Duff and Davies, with Dempsey and Ruiz a surprising but skilful front two.

Newcastle United midfielder Yohan Cabaye has invited trouble after kicking out at Brighton & Hove Albion left-back Adam El-Abd during the Magpies' 1-0 defeat in the FA Cup on Saturday.

The incident occurred in the second half following a tackle from El-Abd. Unfortunately for the 27-year old defender, the tussle ended with a bloody lip.

By Alan Duffy

Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 Newcastle United FA Cup 29th January 2012

Oh how Newcastle boss Alan Pardew must be counting down the hours 'til his double dose of Dembas, Ba and Papiss Cisse, return to the north-east of England.

For the second game in a row Newcastle let their fans down badly, as they went down 1-0 to Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium this afternoon in the 4th round of the FA Cup. The game had been very even in the first half and then in the first 20 minutes of the second half Newcastle raised their game, but [.

Newcastle have a chance to reach the last 16 of the FA Cup tomorrow afternoon if we can beat Brighton & Hove Albion. And then with our best team out and a home draw, we can beat any team in the competition, so we must fancy our chances in the FA Cup this season, if [...]

P TIMES PG 1 West Ham United 54 2 Southampton 50 3 Cardiff City 50 4 Middlesbrough 45 5 Hull City 43 6 Blackpool 42 7 Reading 42 8 Leeds United 42 9 Brighton & Hove Albion 41 10 Derby County 41 11 Birmingham City 40 12 Burnley 40 13 Crystal Palace 37 14 Barnsley 36 15 Leicester City 35 16 Portsmouth 32 17 Peterborough United 31 18 Watford 30 19 Bristol City 30 20 Millwall 29 21 Ipswich Town 26 22 Nottingham Forest 24 23 Doncaster Rovers 23 24 Coventry City 22

Two matches in the Blue Square Premier brought together four clubs from directly opposite ends of the football spectrum yesterday and, while the results of those matches were hardly unexpected, it was difficult not to feel at the end of this week that these were not as important as the fact that the matches had taken place in the first place.

Newcastle United will play at Brighton & Hove Albion in the 4th round of the FA Cup a week on Saturday. Brighton beat Wrexham last night in the 3rd round replay, but the game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes and that was the score after extra time, and Brighton eventually won 5-4 on penalties. That's the very closest you can get [.

There is, perhaps, little surprising in the fact that the most confusing tie of the Third Round of the FA Cup should involve Wrexham. The Blue Square Premier club the last non-league club still involved in this year's competition have had possibly the most convoluted twelve months of any side in the entire English league system, and this extended into the arrangements for this match against Brighton & Hove Albion, following their 1-1 draw at The American Express Community Stadium a week and a half ago.

P TIMES PG 1 West Ham United 51 2 Southampton 50 3 Cardiff City 47 4 Middlesbrough 45 5 Hull City 40 6 Derby County 40 7 Blackpool 39 8 Burnley 39 9 Reading 40 10 Leeds United 39 11 Brighton & Hove Albion 38 12 Birmingham City 37 13 Crystal Palace 37 14 Barnsley 36 15 Leicester City 35 16 Watford 31 17 Portsmouth 32 18 Peterborough United 31 19 Bristol City 27 20 Millwall 26 21 Ipswich Town 26 22 Nottingham Forest 24 23 Doncaster Rovers 23 24 Coventry City 19

The FA Cup Third Round this weekend sees a handful of fascinating ties for the non-league clubs still in the competition, with Blue Square Premier title chasers Fleetwood Town taking on Blackpool, Tamworth travelling to Goodison Park to play Everton and Salisbury City of the Blue Square South making the journey to Bramall Lane to play Sheffield United.

P TIMES PG 1 Southampton 42 2 West Ham United 41 3 Cardiff City 35 4 Middlesbrough 32 5 Leeds United 31 6 Leicester City 29 7 Brighton & Hove Albion 29 8 Blackpool 27 9 Reading 27 10 Crystal Palace 27 11 Birmingham City 26 12 Hull City 25 13 Derby County 25 14 Burnley 24 15 Barnsley 24 16 Peterborough United 22 17 Millwall 22 18 Portsmouth 21 19 Watford 21 20 Bristol City 20 21 Nottingham Forest 20 22 Ipswich Town 18 23 Coventry City 13 24 Doncaster Rovers 13

As one wag put it on Twitter last night, "Steve Kean is so incompetent that he can't even win the sack race". It was, however, another Steve who did manage to stumble over this unwanted finishing line ahead of the perpetually embattled Blackburn Rovers manager. Steve Bruce became the first Premier League manager to lose his job for this season following his departure from Sunderland late yesterday afternoon, and recent events meant that this was no great surprise.

IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO SEE THE BORO KNOCK IN A FEW GOALS PAST JAMIE GREEN, AND TODAY WAS NO EXCEPTION, THIS VICTORY MEANS THAT IF WE BEAT TADCASTER ON TUESDAY NIGHT AT QUEENSGATE THEN WE WILL BE TOP OF THE LEAGUE.
BORO DOMINATED THE GAME AND TOOK THE LEAD IN THE 15TH MINUTE, A BEAUTIFULLY HEADED GOAL FROM CURTIS BERNARD WHO WENT ON TO REGISTER HIS 2ND SUCCESSIVE HAT TRICK.