It is starting to look as if West Ham striker Dean Ashton could be forced to retire from the game at just 25-years-old.

The former Norwich forward broke his left ankle while training with the England squad in 2006 and has been unable to recover from the injury.

Hammer boss Gianfranco Zola had this to say on his situation: "When something like this happens, it is very much personal.

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Was Sir Alex Ferguson crazy when he lured Paul Pogba from Le Havre to Man Utd? Pogba? That must be the most uninspiring name- (or made up name) of a footballer I have ever heard.I felt worse when Manchester United promised the kid £15500 a month contract when he turns 17 next year. On top of that, Pogba's seperated parents will each be paid more than £85,000. Click to continue reading...

Welcome to Ask the Oppo! Perry Groves' Lovechild is still on an extended break so today Eldo71 talks to Simon Reece, a Blackburn season-ticket holder, from Crewe ahead of the Premier League clash against the Arsenal...

Eldo71: You'll be aware that Arsenal fans don't have bundles of time for Sam Allardyce. Click to continue reading...

Unknown territory
The 13 Current Football League Clubs That Have Never Reached The Fourth Round Of The League Cup
1. Accrington Stanley
2. Aldershot
3. Barnet
4. Burton Albion
5. Cheltenham Town
6. Crewe Alexandra
7. Dagenham & Redbridge
8. Hereford United
9. Click to continue reading...

Born in England, a genuine product of the Arsenal academy. Technically, the most gifted English player since Gazza. And suddenly he is gone. Off to Barcelona or Milan. His whole family - enticed with stable jobs, a mansion and there is the certainty of good weather. Meanwhile Arsenal get nothing. Wilshere goes on to win titles and is hailed as a legend. Click to continue reading...

Crewe's Director of Football thinks we should be afraid, very afraid!

Crewe have reported an unnamed Premier League club to the Football Association for an alleged illegal approach for one of its young players.
Director of football Dario Gradi revealed the Coca-Cola League Two club had complained in the wake of Fifa's decision to ban Chelsea from signing any players until January 2011.

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They Think It's All Over... chews over the whole furore around the Gael Kakuta affair and wonders what's to be done about U18 transfers. Click to continue reading...

Stockport County will take on Cheshire Neighbours Crewe in the first round of the Johnson's paint trophy.

The tie will be held at The Alexandra Stadium formerly known as Gresty Road.

Which will take place on Tuesday 1st September.

Kick off will be earlier at 7pm

Below is the ticket information :

Adults £8.

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One of the biggest recurring myths about Liverpool FC is that the team struggles without Steven Gerrard in the side. The tabloid media are notorious for perpetuating this blatantly false myth, the result of which is many people - home fans included - actually believe that Liverpool FC is a one-man team. Click to continue reading...

It seems that Philipp Degen has a selective memory.
The Swiss right-back insisted this week he is not injury prone and is relishing a "new start" at Anfield after his first campaign was a nightmare.
Degen managed just two senior appearances last season and both were eventful.
He collided with Sami Hyypia in the Carling Cup match against Crewe and broke two ribs and punctured his lung. Click to continue reading...

Rightback

0 Goals

2 Appearances (as of the end of 2008-2009)

Signed from Borussia Dortmund in 2008 for free

BACKGROUND BEFORE LFC

Philipp Degen was a flying rightback for Basel and Borussia Dortmund before joining the Reds in 2008, but much like his 2008-2009 season, his career has been set back considerably by injuries.

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30-year-old defender Julien Baudet will be joining Colorado when the transfer window opens on July 15th. The Crewe Alexandria captain leaves the club after three seasons and has been in English soccer since the 2001-02 season. Click to continue reading...

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Got an article from the past 24 hours that we missed?
Send the link(s) to us at majorleaguewriter@gmail.com
Total articles found today: 65
Americans Abroad / USMNT
'Gers Keep Pace On Edu Winner - No Short Corners
Americans Abroad - Soccer Insider
The Silver's On The Table For Timmy - No Short Corners
Timmy Terrific! Click to continue reading...

Remember this rumor from March 20?
Well it is confirmed according to the BBC:

Crewe defender Julien Baudet will join MLS side Colorado Rapids, according to BBC Radio Stoke.
The 30-year-old will sign a two-year contract, with the option to extend it by a further two years.

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20:45 CET  Birmingham - Wolves 20:45 CET Bristol City - Portsmouth   20:45 CET Burnley - QPR   20:45 CET Cheltenham Town - Doncaster R   20:45 CET Crewe - Millwall   20:45 CET Histon - Swansea   20:45 CET Leyton Orient - Sheffield Utd   20:45 CET Norwich - Charlton Athletic   20:45 CET Peterborough United - West Brom   Watch the match LIVE here – Highlights here Click to continue reading...

Jeff's geography lessons Soccer Saturday presenter and all-round legend Jeff Stelling had a momentary blip on Saturday when he seemed to suggest that Crewe was an independent country. As far as we were aware, the Cheshire town was still part of the United Kingdom but it sounds like Jeff has bestowed independence upon it. Click to continue reading...

With Manchester United and Aston Villa joining most of the other Premier League clubs in the fourth round, the FA Cup draw has cooked up some interesting draws. The pick of the bunch is perhaps the Merseyside derby. Everton will be making the short trip to Anfield in the fourth round to take on cross-town rivals Liverpool. Click to continue reading...

One of the golden rules of writing a blog - whatever you write - is to post an entry everyday, at least.
Me, I have been naughty. This is my first entry since Christmas Eve.
Well I think I can be excused. There has been too much happening over the last six days - Food, drink, merriment, sale shopping and getting ready to go on holiday at the weekend. Click to continue reading...

About this time last year I went to the works do at a local hotel and low and behold my mates beloved Latics were staying in the same hotel as the party was being held in.
They were in 'town to play Millwall at The New Den on Saturday afternoon. Click to continue reading...

Rafael Benitez has admitted the form of his four centre backs has given him a selection headache ahead of this weekend's derby at Goodison.
Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel have been the first choice pairing at the heart of the Reds defence in the Premier League this season, but Daniel Agger and Sami Hyypia both staked their claims for a place in the starting eleven with impressive displays against Crewe in midweek. Click to continue reading...

There have been many critics of Jermaine Pennat – a good portion of them Liverpool fans – yet I have always failed to understand the reason for all the negativity. I appreciate that he's probably not good enough, or at least not consistent enough, to be playing each week for a team with title ambitions but, as a squad player, he isn't a bad option. Click to continue reading...

Jermaine Pennant is hoping his first taste of action this season can resurrect his Anfield career.
The Liverpool winger has been cold-shouldered by boss Rafa Benitez since he refused a move during the summer.
But he was finally given a first-team outing in Tuesday's 2-1 Carling Cup win over Crewe and turned in an impressive performance. Click to continue reading...

Jermaine Pennant intent on regular berth
Jermaine Pennant is hopeful he can force his way back into contention for a regular place in Liverpool's starting line-up after an impressive performance in their 2-1 Carling Cup win over Crewe.
From Telegraph.co.uk
Click here to read the entire article
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Liverpool's players responded to manager Rafael Benitez's pre-match challenge to earn themselves a place in his plans for Saturday's Merseyside derby with a comfortable 2-1 victory over Crewe in the third round of the Carling Cup.
Jermaine Pennant was a constant menace on the right flank while Lucas and Daniel Agger produced assured performances to give the Spaniard a selection poser for the game against Everton. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool defender Philipp Degen is facing a frustrating spell on the sidelines after breaking two ribs.
The Switzerland international picked up the knock while on Carling Cup duty against Crewe on Tuesday.
Degen had to be replaced by Jamie Carragher after 73 minutes and appeared to be in some discomfort after suffering the blow in an innocuous looking challenge. Click to continue reading...

Şu görüntüleri gören adamın isyan etmemesi mümkün değil. Başta Ferguson olmak üzere United cephesi Pogatetz'e verip veriştirmiş zaten. Southgate oyuncusunun neden böyle psikopatlaştığını anlayamadığını söylemiş, İngiliz centilmenliği ile özür dilemiş. Bu arada Carling Kupası'nda, Middlesbrough karşısında C-Ron döndü, hem de golle. Click to continue reading...

Degen is after breaking a couple of ribs and joins Aurelio on our injury hit list, which leaves us looking a little light in our full back positions. Dossena and Insua have the left-side sewn up. But what about the right-side ?
Many Kopites would love to see Stephen Darby make the breakthrough to the first team. Click to continue reading...

Cavalieri
Degen Agger Hyypia Insua
Pennant Lucas Plessis El Zhar
Ngog Babel
Subs:
Torres for Ngog 66'
Carragher for Degen 73'
Keane for El Zhar 87'
Goals:
Agger 15'
O'Conner 25'
Lucas 58'
This is a placeholder; for the first time in recent memory, there weren't even any streams, just radio commentary. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool play Crewe in the Carling Cup tonight at Anfield; and there's no way Rafa is going to play his big guns against lower league opposition so why not give David Ngog and Vitor Flora a chance upfront?

read more

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Liverpool play Crewe in the Carling Cup tonight at Anfield; and there's no way Rafa is going to play his big guns against lower league opposition so why not give David Ngog and Vitor Flora a chance upfront?

read more

Click to continue reading...

There were many dissenting voices to my article about the academy and whether players coming through it are being ostracized both in the comments on this blog as well as on the forums that picked it up.
The main arguments were that, if good enough, players will come through and, even though I've got my reservations about that (would Jamie Carragher have made it at Liverpool if he'd come through now? Click to continue reading...

Arsenal v Sheffield United
Brighton and Hove Albion or Manchester City v Derby County
Burnley v Fulham
Portsmouth v Chelsea
Blackburn Rovers v Everton
Rotherham United v Southampton
Swansea City v Cardiff City
Ipswich Town v Wigan Athletic
Stoke City v Reading
Leeds United v Hartlepool United
Watford v West Ham United
Manchester United v Middlesbrough
Liverpool v Crewe Alexandra
Aston Villa v Queens Park Rangers
Sunderland v Northampton Town
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
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Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is ready to offer the younger members of his squad the opportunity to impress against Crewe in the Carling Cup on Tuesday.
Benitez is expected to name the likes of left-back Emiliano Insua, midfielder Damien Plessis and forward Daniel Pacheco in his plans as he looks to rest a number of his first-team stars when the Railwaymen arrive at Anfield. Click to continue reading...