:00:05. > :00:08.Midlands teams hoping to stay up are fighting hard. Some of our our
:00:08. > :00:18.teams hoping to go up are faltering. It's all coming up in tonight's
:00:18. > :00:25.
:00:25. > :00:34.The view from the Trent - Danny Higginbotham on Nottingham Forest's
:00:34. > :00:40.chances of staying up. I thoroughly believe that if we keep our form
:00:40. > :00:43.going the way we have been, we will be safe sooner than later.
:00:43. > :00:45.After 14 defeats and five draws, the Sky Blues finally return to
:00:45. > :00:48.Coventry with an away win. And from Anderlecht to the Black
:00:48. > :00:58.Country via Stoke, Walsall's on loan Florent Cuvelier on life in
:00:58. > :01:01.League One. The I believe that we will stay in League One for next
:01:01. > :01:05.season, because everyone their works very hard in training every
:01:05. > :01:08.day. And I'm joined in the studio
:01:08. > :01:11.tonight by two men who always have plenty to say for themselves.
:01:11. > :01:13.Martin Allen recently left Notts County and has also managed
:01:13. > :01:17.Leicester and Brentford amongst other clubs. As a player, he
:01:17. > :01:20.starred for the likes of QPR and West Ham. And Dean Kiely knows all
:01:20. > :01:23.about winning promotion from the Championship. He did it with West
:01:23. > :01:25.Brom, where he's now on the coaching staff.
:01:25. > :01:29.First tonight, a man who started with Manchester United and has
:01:29. > :01:32.spent most of his career in the top division. But now Danny
:01:32. > :01:35.Higginbotham is doing his best to keep Nottingham Forest in the
:01:35. > :01:45.Championship. Natalie Jackson spent an afternoon messing about on the
:01:45. > :01:47.
:01:47. > :01:51.river with the experienced Stoke defender. Danny, as you try to keep
:01:51. > :02:01.Nottingham Forest afloat, we thought we'd pick your aboard.
:02:01. > :02:06.
:02:06. > :02:10.Wajid for the cliche! -- watch out for. I you enjoy Nottingham? Yes, I
:02:10. > :02:16.do, I come from Manchester, and coming here and spending some time
:02:16. > :02:20.here, it is nice. It is a really nice city. Doing things like this
:02:20. > :02:25.is really nice. It is a Premiership club waiting to happen, the
:02:25. > :02:27.facilities, the stadium and everything. If you look at the
:02:27. > :02:31.players and the way they are playing, some of the lads are
:02:31. > :02:35.playing to their capabilities and it is showing. Garath McCleary is
:02:35. > :02:39.doing very well and there is no better winger than him in this
:02:40. > :02:44.division. It is a good set of lads. The dressing room is as good as any
:02:44. > :02:48.I have been in before, which is a bonus. That is starting to show now,
:02:48. > :02:55.how close the lads are, by the results on the pitch. Things are
:02:55. > :02:59.coming good, aren't they? Hopefully at the right time. It is not a case
:02:59. > :03:04.that we can rectify it next week, it is about getting results now,
:03:04. > :03:10.which we are doing. We're just in front door of the stadium, it
:03:10. > :03:15.reminds me of the Millwall game. How does that read? It was up there,
:03:15. > :03:25.I suppose! I have scored or few goals as a defender, so I enjoyed
:03:25. > :03:32.
:03:32. > :03:36.that. Thankfully, it went into the corner. Top three are for, maybe.
:03:36. > :03:46.It seemed like Forest were treading water. Now, can you keep them
:03:46. > :03:50.afloat, the thing? Mead, myself, personally could? No! Yes I believe
:03:50. > :03:53.so. I believe that the minute I walked in the door. With their own
:03:53. > :03:57.are sadly passing away a few months ago, it is imperative the football
:03:57. > :04:01.club stays up and everything can get sorted out in the summer and
:04:01. > :04:10.the team get to the right side of the table next season. What about
:04:10. > :04:14.Steve Cotterell of? He has had a lot of stick from the fans? But was
:04:14. > :04:24.not great when he came in. Steve McLaren had signed the players that
:04:24. > :04:28.were here before. Football is a fickle sport. I think, if Stevo get
:04:28. > :04:34.this club saved, people will say, that is a bonus. Would you like to
:04:34. > :04:37.stay here? If there is an opportunity to come here, it would
:04:37. > :04:41.be something I would definitely think about, the history of the
:04:41. > :04:48.football club, the fact you're still getting over 20,000 fans,
:04:48. > :04:52.albeit been at the wrong end of the table, whether I get the
:04:52. > :04:56.opportunity to stay or not, I am hopeful that the football club can
:04:56. > :05:00.do that next year. Danny, you have been a footballing captain but to
:05:00. > :05:05.be have been the captain of our ship. Have you enjoyed it? I have
:05:05. > :05:14.thoroughly enjoyed it. It has been a great experience. Thank you for
:05:14. > :05:18.Danny Higginbotham will have enjoyed watching Forest's latest
:05:18. > :05:28.game. A 3-0 win at Crystal Palace gives them a six-point cushion over
:05:28. > :05:30.
:05:30. > :05:33.the Forest manager Steve Cotterill could perhaps sense an upturn in
:05:33. > :05:43.his team's fortunes and despite an early scare when Owen Garvan might
:05:43. > :06:08.
:06:08. > :06:14.have given Palace the lead, this out! Radoslaw Majewski with a
:06:14. > :06:18.belter! Chris Gunter back for Radoslaw Majewski, on a hat-trick!
:06:18. > :06:21.He has got three! After a season of largely fruitless
:06:21. > :06:23.away trips, few would have given Coventry much chance of breaking
:06:23. > :06:27.their duck at promotion-chasing Hull. But from the moment Liam
:06:27. > :06:29.Cooper marked his first game in 18 months with an own goal, the Sky
:06:29. > :06:32.Blues were on the up. Substitute Cody McDonald confirmed the victory
:06:32. > :06:41.with four minutes remaining and for the first time since October,
:06:41. > :06:46.Coventry are out of the bottom But has been a long time coming,
:06:46. > :06:50.being stuck in that bottom three. We have shown a lot of character
:06:50. > :06:54.and belief. There is a great buzz in the dressing room. I am pleased
:06:54. > :06:57.for the fans as well, because they have been right behind us through
:06:57. > :07:07.the whole season, through the ups and downs, and they have stuck with
:07:07. > :07:10.
:07:10. > :07:18.us and driven as on today. It was a struggling Bristol City despite
:07:18. > :07:28.taking an early lead. He's inside the box - polls are back. I Gall,
:07:28. > :07:30.
:07:30. > :07:33.fantastic fable by Derby! -- a goal. He pulls it back - what a goal! 1-1.
:07:33. > :07:37.Birmingham represent the Midlands' best hope of a play-off place after
:07:37. > :07:42.Friday's 3-1 victory at Doncaster. David Murphy's equaliser was
:07:42. > :07:52.followed by a memorable individual goal from Chris Burke. Marlon King
:07:52. > :08:02.
:08:02. > :08:07.secured the victory with ten But a terrific hat-trick from
:08:07. > :08:11.Radoslaw Majewski. Yes, he has always been a fantastic tactical --
:08:11. > :08:15.technical player. He has had their ability to make goals, but a hat-
:08:15. > :08:20.trick on Saturday. Steve deserves a lot of credit for bringing in some
:08:21. > :08:27.good loan signings and the arrival of O'Driscoll was well was key. I
:08:27. > :08:32.think they will definitely be safe. Danny Higginbotham's experience has
:08:32. > :08:38.been key. It is vital to have someone like that in the dressing
:08:38. > :08:43.room, isn't it? It is, and you have to get the right type of person and.
:08:43. > :08:47.Danny Higginbotham has a solid citizen. The other people from
:08:47. > :08:57.other clubs to have, on loan have a point to prove that their pay in
:08:57. > :09:02.club. They have a fresh pair of legs on them. Nottingham Forest
:09:02. > :09:08.certainly needed it. They have had a tough season. Similar story with
:09:08. > :09:13.Coventry. They are now out of the bottom for the -- the bottom three,
:09:13. > :09:18.after no wins and 11. Now they have a monkey off their back by winning
:09:18. > :09:26.at home. Coventry have got the summer sun stars of the future
:09:26. > :09:31.playing for them. -- some stars of the future. Two of their loan
:09:31. > :09:35.players look like the catalyst for turning it round for Coventry. I am
:09:35. > :09:41.pleased for Andy Thorn, he never moans, he never get up or down. He
:09:41. > :09:47.came from being the chief scout, which was very similar to Brian
:09:47. > :09:54.McDermott at Reading. The key for Coventry is now not to become
:09:54. > :09:57.complacent. With Portsmouth situation, that was a boost for all
:09:57. > :10:05.the clubs around, because it proportionate than a top spot and
:10:05. > :10:10.they benefited from it. -- it pipped Portsmouth N a tough spot.
:10:10. > :10:20.It is a good time to get some points on the board, the need to do
:10:20. > :10:21.
:10:21. > :10:24.it sooner rather than later. Birmingham's victory at Doncaster
:10:24. > :10:26.lifts them up to fourth place, but what of Leicester City? They
:10:26. > :10:29.started the season as hot favourites for promotion but a lack
:10:29. > :10:32.of consistency has cost them dearly. Saturday's defeat at Peterborough -
:10:32. > :10:42.a story of missed chances - just about sums up the Foxes' season.
:10:42. > :10:45.Natalie was at London Road for Late Kick Off.
:10:45. > :10:51.Elek the morning -- early in the morning at London Road and the kit
:10:51. > :10:59.man and I are pretty out Piquet. To stake -- to say the away dressing
:10:59. > :11:06.rooms are cramped and old fashioned as an understatement. They're very
:11:06. > :11:11.old fashioned, I would be surprised if there was more than one shower.
:11:11. > :11:19.Will any of those players in a dressing room be giving up on the
:11:19. > :11:26.play-offs yet? No, no, No. Not at all. What will be on their minds is
:11:26. > :11:31.getting out there and winning this game. The fans are looking at the
:11:31. > :11:38.games to go on thinking about how many points are left. When Martin
:11:38. > :11:43.O'Neill was here, we're out of it until the last few games, I ended
:11:43. > :11:47.up winning those and ended up winning promotion. The best time to
:11:47. > :11:50.get in the play-offs is the last but one game of the season. If you
:11:50. > :11:55.get there too early, you can get pushed out again. But time is
:11:55. > :12:05.running out and Leicester City do not have an easy run-in. Doncaster.
:12:05. > :12:08.
:12:08. > :12:18.These players can't afford to think about the games coming up - all we
:12:18. > :12:19.
:12:20. > :12:28.can worry about is the game today. But Nigel Pearson knows his team
:12:28. > :12:32.have it all to do. Ben Marshall put an early chance just over. On seven
:12:32. > :12:36.minutes, the keeper tipped the free-kick over the bar. The
:12:36. > :12:46.managers' body language said it all. The chances kept coming, but no
:12:46. > :12:50.
:12:50. > :12:55.Paul Taylor stunning the huge away following. Peterborough could have
:12:55. > :13:01.made it 2-0 when the goalkeeper brought down the striker. But the
:13:01. > :13:05.captain redeemed himself by saving a penalty. As the minutes ebbed
:13:05. > :13:10.away, the manager was heading every ball. Leicester even had a goal
:13:10. > :13:20.disallowed. At full-time, he conceded the play-off dream seems
:13:20. > :13:26.Can you still get into the top six? It is going to be very hard. There
:13:26. > :13:32.is an awful lot to play for still in terms of how we finish the
:13:32. > :13:42.season, so it is a big gap at this stage. It is not arithmetic
:13:42. > :13:46.
:13:46. > :13:52.Is the dream over? It is looking that way. I expected Leicester to
:13:52. > :14:00.be above the right side of the lines regarding promotion. They
:14:00. > :14:06.have under-achieved. The manager is a straight Ford Open Fowler. You
:14:06. > :14:11.cannot say he has been let down -- straight forward fellow. They must
:14:11. > :14:17.be something. For the budget and talents they have in the squad to
:14:17. > :14:22.be were they are, they are under- achieving. What is it, high
:14:23. > :14:29.expectancy, too much too soon? There is a high expectancy when you
:14:29. > :14:34.spend that amount. I think Nigel will be looking forward to pre-
:14:34. > :14:40.season training where he can make his own personality and make his
:14:40. > :14:46.mark on the club putting himself and recruitment in the summer to
:14:46. > :14:50.bring in some players. It looks like I am sure Leicester City
:14:50. > :14:55.supporters will be understanding. Too much spent too soon and I am
:14:55. > :15:01.not sure the money was spent wisely. But you talk about regrouping over
:15:01. > :15:07.the summer but you don't want the revolving door to be bringing in it
:15:07. > :15:12.double-figure players. It has to revolve because Nigel has taken
:15:12. > :15:18.over somebody's squad and thoughts and ideas. It has not worked. In
:15:18. > :15:27.this period, he is playing with players that maybe he would not
:15:27. > :15:33.have signed. He Hasted, in my opinion, be given the time and the
:15:33. > :15:37.chance -- he hopes to. frustrated with the content is
:15:37. > :15:40.splitting up. Still to come on tonight's Late Kick Off: Not a
:15:40. > :15:43.quite a picture perfect performance by Walsall but the Saddlers stay
:15:43. > :15:46.out of the relegation zone at Rochdale.
:15:46. > :15:50.Now he may be a small midfielder but his pace and performances for
:15:50. > :15:52.Walsall have become a big talking point. Florent Cuvelier has already
:15:52. > :15:56.attracted offers from Manchester City, Tottenham and Fulham in the
:15:56. > :15:59.past and is currently on the books of Stoke City. But the 19-year-old
:15:59. > :16:03.has been on loan at Walsall since January and is helping to inspire
:16:03. > :16:13.the Saddlers fight for survival in league one. Laura May McMullan went
:16:13. > :16:21.
:16:21. > :16:27.Walsall are more than happy to go with the flow. His arrival on loan
:16:27. > :16:32.from Stoke City has coincided with only one defeat in the last 11.
:16:32. > :16:36.has enthusiasm, energy and a desire. He loves playing football. You can
:16:36. > :16:39.see that in his body language. he's one of the loan stars who's
:16:39. > :16:43.shining. His connection with Sam Mantom and Emmanuel Ledesma is
:16:43. > :16:48.providing real creativity and flair in the midfield. The 23-year-old
:16:48. > :16:52.Argentine has scored twice in the last two games. And Cuvelier scored
:16:52. > :17:02.two goals in his first 4 performances for the Saddlers.
:17:02. > :17:05.They've become firm fan favourites. I think we have a good chance now.
:17:05. > :17:14.We have signed three players that have made a huge difference to the
:17:14. > :17:21.club. The best is him. For someone of his size, he is quite a strong
:17:21. > :17:26.player. The 19-year-old on loan from Stoke City is giving him a
:17:26. > :17:32.vital first team experience. enjoyed to play up front of the
:17:32. > :17:38.fans. I like the feeling to play and win the game. His vitality on
:17:39. > :17:44.the pitch is balanced by a great attitude of it. He invited us to
:17:44. > :17:54.spend some time with him. Welcome to my house and I'll show you
:17:54. > :17:58.
:17:58. > :18:05.around. This is my girlfriend. Hello! This motivates me every day.
:18:05. > :18:11.For me, it pushes me forward. has come a long way since first
:18:11. > :18:16.kicking a ball as a toddler. And nine, he left home to enrol in a
:18:16. > :18:20.sports academy in Belgium. At 15, he was scouted to come to England
:18:20. > :18:26.and joined Portsmouth's academy. There was a problem when I arrived,
:18:26. > :18:31.I could not speak any English. To be honest, since I was five years
:18:31. > :18:36.old my dream was to play football. I always wanted to play football in
:18:36. > :18:40.England at top level. His family still live in Belgium since his
:18:40. > :18:46.girlfriend is a great support. With ambitions of heroin to do a law
:18:46. > :18:52.degree, she admires how hard he works. He works very hard. He
:18:52. > :18:58.always puts in the extra mile. He is the nicest person I have ever
:18:58. > :19:03.met. He has a good heart. He has strong beliefs and morals. He is a
:19:03. > :19:08.great believer in God. That's important with that ball. His work
:19:08. > :19:15.ethic has been praised by his fellow team-mates. A month after
:19:15. > :19:21.making his debut, he was nominated for League 1 Player of the Month.
:19:21. > :19:31.It's a big achievement for me. I kept my feet on the floor. I didn't
:19:31. > :19:37.
:19:37. > :19:41.First on his agenda now is to help the Saddlers fight for survival.
:19:42. > :19:50.hope and believe Walsall will stay in League 1 for the next season.
:19:50. > :19:56.And every player works really hard in training every day. His talent
:19:56. > :20:06.and ability has understandably earned him a few nicknames. One of
:20:06. > :20:06.
:20:06. > :20:09.The latest stop on Walsall's journey to beat the drop was
:20:09. > :20:18.Rochdale, another team fighting to avoid relegation. A draw -
:20:19. > :20:21.Walsall's 19th in 40 games - inched them a little closer to safety.
:20:21. > :20:25.One defeat in eleven games for Walsall certainly isn't relegation
:20:25. > :20:28.form - if only the Saddlers could win more. On-loan Emanuel Ledesma's
:20:28. > :20:31.second goal in a week gave them a flying start at Spotland and
:20:31. > :20:39.Ledesma's freekick forced an own goal to make it 2-0 and the
:20:39. > :20:49.Argentine just had to capture the moment. But Walsall had to snap out
:20:49. > :20:50.
:20:50. > :21:00.of it quickly. Corner from the left-hand side. It is in! Rochdale
:21:00. > :21:09.
:21:09. > :21:17.get one back. A penalty for are level with nine minutes to go.
:21:17. > :21:19.It is in! The home side had scored! Amazing scenes. So three minutes
:21:19. > :21:27.into injury time and 3-2 to Rochdale surely there wasn't time
:21:27. > :21:34.for the Saddlers to come back was there? Inside the penalty area! Key
:21:35. > :21:38.races away to Walsall fans on the far side. In the fourth minute of
:21:38. > :21:41.stoppage time, the Saddlers have rescued a point. A dramatic finish
:21:41. > :21:51.too at Meadow Lane where the score remained goalless with a minute to
:21:51. > :22:00.
:22:00. > :22:09.They have broken the deadlock. It Martin, how does it feel watching
:22:09. > :22:14.Notts results now? Bitter? bitter. And not really disappointed.
:22:14. > :22:19.I enjoyed my time there. I worked very hard. I am pleased with the
:22:19. > :22:23.work we achieved, myself and the staff and the players and I'm
:22:23. > :22:27.delighted for the supporters. Five new players. A new manager and
:22:27. > :22:30.staff and I hope they do well. player and manager, you often seem
:22:30. > :22:37.to have had positive relationships with fans but not with directors -
:22:37. > :22:45.fair comment? There was only one direct and there was the chairman's
:22:45. > :22:51.wife. She was a lovely lady. Some of the club's it's a bit like that.
:22:51. > :22:56.Teams get relegated and find their way tough. That's what I have been
:22:56. > :22:59.asked to go in and try and sort things out. To get the club going
:22:59. > :23:06.again and work in the right direction and organise. I have
:23:06. > :23:15.enjoyed doing it. Fire-fighting. Yes, with Bonet last year and Notts
:23:15. > :23:20.County in the relegation places. -- bonnet. I am happy for the players
:23:20. > :23:30.and staff. And also the owner, he spent a lot of money in that club
:23:30. > :23:30.
:23:30. > :23:38.and they deserve to be successful. The loan signing has often proved
:23:38. > :23:42.inspiration. Many managers, the credit comes their way and for Dean
:23:42. > :23:48.Smith he kept them up last year and has struggled with the Budget and
:23:48. > :23:58.the resources. For them to be where they are, that is his success. He
:23:58. > :23:58.
:23:58. > :24:03.has come in as a lone player, I am a bias but I would say he lets him
:24:04. > :24:08.go off and do what he does well. He sits in and anchors it. Sam does it
:24:08. > :24:16.well. They complement each other great. An added extra they have
:24:16. > :24:20.needed at the right time. And deja- vu. We'd love to hear from you here
:24:20. > :24:23.on Late Kick Off. We're open for business seven days a week on
:24:23. > :24:26.Facebook, and you can continue the conversation right now on Twitter.
:24:26. > :24:29.The race for automatic promotion from League Two is closer than ever
:24:29. > :24:39.with Shrewsbury outside the top three by the smallest of margins -
:24:39. > :24:39.
:24:39. > :24:42.Shrewsbury - unbeaten at home in the league - fell behind to a Josh
:24:42. > :24:45.Payne penalty for Aldershot. The Shrews prospects apparently receded
:24:45. > :24:55.further when David McAllister was sent off for elbowing Adam Mekki.
:24:55. > :25:02.
:25:02. > :25:05.But even with ten men, the Shrews COMMENTATOR: Goal! Cheltenham's
:25:05. > :25:08.promotion push is fading alarmingly - a four nil defeat at fellow
:25:08. > :25:11.challengers Southend on Friday drops the Robins to 6th. After
:25:11. > :25:14.eight consecutive defeats, Burton have managed a win and a draw
:25:14. > :25:19.without conceding a goal. Crawley were largely on top at the Pirelli
:25:19. > :25:22.Stadium though Justin Richards threatened an upset for the Brewers.
:25:22. > :25:24.The season probably can't finish quickly enough for Port Vale. They
:25:25. > :25:26.fell behind to a Micky Spillane goal for relegation-threatened
:25:27. > :25:34.Dagenham and Redbridge and the normally-reliable Marc Richards
:25:34. > :25:37.then failed to rescue a point from a late penalty. Dagenham's victory
:25:37. > :25:41.was bad news for Hereford whose immediate future in the Football
:25:41. > :25:51.League is looking bleak. A one goal defeat at Rotherham leaves the
:25:51. > :25:52.
:25:52. > :25:58.Bulls bottom and four points from safety. Shrewsbury held to a draw
:25:58. > :26:02.against Aldershot. Interestingly, they have one four. There is
:26:02. > :26:07.nothing wrong with a character. Graham Turner has done a fantastic
:26:07. > :26:15.job. He will be disappointed to not hold on to it. Aldershot are on a
:26:15. > :26:20.fantastic run. Scoring a goal for Shrewsbury, he left Aldershot last
:26:20. > :26:28.year under tricky circumstances. Acrimonious, fair to say it was job
:26:28. > :26:34.I smiled when he scored that goal. Cheltenham are plummeting. 8 1/2
:26:34. > :26:41.hours without a goal. You try and gather it up. They are struggling
:26:41. > :26:46.at the wrong time. It's difficult because they have done great. They
:26:46. > :26:56.have done extremely well. But you will be judge of what's happening
:26:56. > :26:57.
:26:57. > :27:04.now. It's a tough run. You have trouble your sleeves up. He has
:27:04. > :27:08.done well, the club is a good one, Cheltenham. It didn't go well for
:27:08. > :27:15.me there, to be honest. I am pleased Mark and it's good for the
:27:15. > :27:19.supporters. They could turn it back. They play great football. It is
:27:19. > :27:22.looking ominous for Hereford. Four points adrift of the division.
:27:22. > :27:24.Finally tonight - some good news for all fans, whoever you support.
:27:24. > :27:28.It seems the so-called "pasty tax" announced in last week's Budget
:27:28. > :27:31.won't affect the price of your pre- match pie. A pie, possibly combined
:27:31. > :27:34.with a pint, is now seen as the ideal preparation for the 90
:27:34. > :27:37.minutes to follow by many fans. There were fears that the price
:27:37. > :27:40.would go up but a Treasury spokesman told Late Kick Off that
:27:40. > :27:50.most clubs already charge VAT on their pies and the "pasty tax"
:27:50. > :27:51.
:27:51. > :28:01.shouldn't make a difference. We have got some to drive. I know you
:28:01. > :28:03.
:28:03. > :28:07.worry, sir. -- to try. Do the managers indulge in the pies?
:28:07. > :28:12.get the waft of a high across the pitch. That makes you think about
:28:12. > :28:18.what she would have after a win. I haven't eaten many pies at a
:28:18. > :28:22.football ground, I am playing all sitting in the stands. A favourite
:28:22. > :28:30.question mark I don't mind one from the chip shop. I don't have them at
:28:30. > :28:34.football matches. Chicken ball to goes down well. You might have
:28:34. > :28:38.talking to some. Great to see. We're taking a week off for Easter
:28:38. > :28:41.so there won't be a Late Kick Off next Monday but we're back in a