Norton United get to try out their new changing rooms

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Whilst debuting in the Premier Division of the North West Counties League Norton United were able to use for the first time their new changing facilities. The new rooms have been donated by Stoke City after  the completion of their Trent Vale Michelin complex. The training ground cost £6m.

Terry Robinson, director of youth at the club, cut the ribbon at Community Drive. Steve Beaumont, Norton chairman was pleased with the way the day went. A development team from Stoke played Norton’s under-14s before the opening ceremony was performed.

The Community Drive headquarters used by the club are receiving a major revamp of which the changing rooms are a part. The club has also installed new floodlights with the help of a grant. In all the club received £88,622, including, from the Coalfield Regeneration Trust, £23,000; £51,000 from the Football Foundation and £14,622 was granted by the Football Stadium Improvement Fund.

Peter McNestry of the Coalfield Regeneration Trust and MP for Stoke-on-Trent, Joan Walley were among the guests at the celebration. The Chairman revealed that the club now has a three-year sponsorship deal in place with Autonet Insurance from Stoke. The ground is to be renamed Autonet Insurance Community Sports Ground.

Their Premier Division debut, however, started badly when they were beaten by AFC Blackpool. AFC Blackpool’s Marco Cobb scored in the 67th-minute to take the lead, leaving Norton unable to respond. Elsewhere Alsager Town and Stone Dominoes both drew, while Congleton, Eccleshall and Leek CSOB all lost.

 

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Rio Ferdinand the latest star in trouble over comments on Twitter

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There have been quite a few instances of footballers getting into trouble because of comments that they have made on the social networking site, Twitter. The latest is Rio Ferdinand, the Manchester United and England defender. He has been charged by the FA after he allegedly endorsed the term ‘choc-ice’ on the site.

This comes at the same time as former England captain, John Terry, is defending a charge of racism after allegedly abusing Anton Ferdinand, Rio’s brother. Now FA chairman, David Bernstein, has spoken at a meeting of guests from FIFA and ‘Kick it Out’, the anti-racism group within football.

At the meeting, at Wembley, Mr. Bernstein said that there will be ‘tough’ consequences for anyone found guilty of discriminatory abuse. He said that the regulatory bodies must continue to take a hard stance on this and that it also included sites such as Twitter as well as on the pitch and in the stands.

Beckham speaks of expectations of his sons where football is concerned

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If you are a top footballer of the class and calibre of David Beckham and your children have aspirations of following in your footsteps, then it is obvious that you are going to worry. David Beckham has been talking about this to Esquire magazine. David and his wife, Victoria, have three sons and a daughter together and he says that sometimes expectations are high when it comes to the boys playing football.

Thirty-seven-year old David thinks that there is a lot of pressure on the boys, thirteen-year-old Brooklyn, Romeo, nine, and Cruz, seven. He says that if they go for a trial, then people think that they should be able to play just like their dad. He adds, however, that he doesn’t think that they feel the pressure and are confident enough to take it in their stride.

David was also talking about stripping off for advertising campaigns. He says that it is not as difficult for him now as it once was and that it has become easier for him over the years. He remembers that it was quite daunting, at first, seeing big posters of himself on the sides of buildings in places like New York.

Gareth Bale brands Charlie Adam a coward

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Not for the first time, Gareth Bale has been at the receiving end of a Charlie Adam tackle which has left him injured. The latest took place in match between Spurs and Liverpool which resulted in a goal less draw. Welsh international ended up on crutches after the latest tangle between the two, with their previous clash in May 2001 resulting in Bale suffering an injury to his ankle that saw him side lined for 3 months.

Following this latest incident, Bale branded Adam a coward, a remark that was quickly refuted by Adam’s agent, Kenny Moyes, who says his comments were both outrageous and schoolboyish. Moyes was quoted in the Daily Star as saying that the comment didn’t warrant a reply, as everyone who knows Charlie knows he isn’t a malicious kind of player, and Bale was bang out of order.

Both Bale and his manager at Tottenham, Andre Villas-Boas, have called for an apology from Adam over the incident. They have now, however, received encouraging news about the injury that has seen Bale on crutches, as a scan has revealed the damage is not as severe as first thought. The 23 year old has now resumed light training and looks set to be able to take his place in the Spurs team for the beginning of the new season.

Villas-Boas has been reported as saying that obviously they are hugely relieved that the injury is not as serious as they first thought, as winger Bale was integral part of their squad. With the sale of Steven Plenaar to Everton looking ever closer to completion, the last thing the Spurs boss will want to worry about is a serious injury to one of his key players, whilst the Bale/Adam feud shows now sign of abating.

Andy Carroll heads to West Ham

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After much speculation that the Liverpool striker Andy Carroll would be heading back home to Newcastle, the story took a surprise twist today with the news that he will be instead pulling on a West Ham shirt for 2012/1 season. The Hammers have signed Carroll on loan for the season for a reported £2, and could sign him permanently if they stay in the Premiership.

Carroll, on the other hand, has been reported as saying that he want to go home to the Toon, and that he also wants to stay in Liverpool, so where he really wants to play is anyone’s guess. Liverpool have already apparently rejected an offer from Newcastle, who sold Carroll in January 2011 for a Liverpool club record of £35. After being the darling of St James’, he has struggled at Anfield scoring only 11 goals in his 56 appearances.

When Carroll left the north east for the north west, a social media campaign branding him a ‘Judas’ swept across the nation, and many posters displaying his face with the word Judas beneath it were waved at matches. The fickleness of sport, however, is evident as in recent weeks, staunch Toon supporters have said they would welcome the 23 year old’s return to a team looking to further improve on the top 5 finish they enjoyed last season.

Ex Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce is the man in charge at Upton Park, and has spoken of welcoming Carroll into his squad. Allardyce was just one of many managers Newcastle went through in a very short period while they tried to settle into a routine of winning ways. Alan Pardew is the man at the helm now, and he is credited with turning the club around and once again making them a team to be reckoned with