:00:05. > :00:15.Hello and welcome to Late Kick Off, as we approach the final third of
:00:15. > :00:22.
:00:22. > :00:25.On the show tonight: Some of our clubs rely on them, but football's
:00:25. > :00:35.world governing body wants to ban them - what's the future for
:00:35. > :00:40.
:00:40. > :00:45.emergency loans? You might as well just keep it open all season long.
:00:45. > :00:49.A new look in the dressing room - perhaps a new stage for next season.
:00:49. > :00:51.We go behind the scenes at the King Power Stadium. And who'll be the
:00:51. > :00:56.Midlands kings in the championship? Natalie hopes the answers on the
:00:56. > :01:01.cards. You never expect this Birmingham side to go on a long
:01:01. > :01:04.sequence where they can't win. I'm joined in the studio tonight by
:01:04. > :01:06.two men with more than 1,100 first- team appearances between them. Dean
:01:06. > :01:11.Smith played for and is now manager of Walsall, masterminding last
:01:11. > :01:15.season's great escape. And Michael Johnson was a terrace hero at Notts
:01:15. > :01:18.County, Birmingham and Derby. Gentlemen, welcome. First this
:01:18. > :01:21.evening, the chairmen of the 72 Football League clubs meet in Derby
:01:21. > :01:25.this week with a proposed new ruling from FIFA on top of the
:01:25. > :01:28.agenda. Football's world governing body wants to end the practice of
:01:28. > :01:32.emergency loans, which are loan deals which take place outside the
:01:32. > :01:35.two transfer windows. FIFA wants to bring the English game in line with
:01:35. > :01:37.the rest of the world from the season after next. But many clubs
:01:37. > :01:41.are saying that the change will significantly damage their
:01:41. > :01:46.prospects. For Late Kick Off, Laura May McMullan has been to one of
:01:46. > :01:54.those clubs, Burton Albion. It's hard to compete with the big
:01:54. > :01:59.spenders. Down the divisions money is tight. The impact of the FIFA
:01:59. > :02:03.ban on all 72 league clubs could be huge. It could be a major set-back,
:02:03. > :02:07.financially. Lower division clubs that can only afford small squads
:02:07. > :02:14.are often left to rely on the emergency loan system. As many as
:02:14. > :02:18.400 players move clubs each season. And it'll be a big blow for Burton
:02:18. > :02:23.in League Two. They've had 16 players come and go out on
:02:23. > :02:27.emergency loans over the last three seasons. The club can't afford to
:02:27. > :02:35.keep buying player. Quite simply, it needs the emergency loan system
:02:35. > :02:38.to be competitive. If you gear yourself to having a smaller squad,
:02:38. > :02:41.16-18 players, which sometimes we have to do because of our wage
:02:41. > :02:50.bills, if you really do hit a sticky patch with four or five
:02:50. > :02:54.injured, you really will get caught short. It would be a huge blow.
:02:54. > :03:00.manager says he's also bemused by the whole system. He's calling for
:03:00. > :03:10.transfer windows to be scrapped. have a transfer window close and
:03:10. > :03:23.
:03:23. > :03:33.then a week later another one opens. If you go back and you have got to
:03:33. > :03:36.
:03:36. > :03:46.ask yourself what was wrong with the original system. It is
:03:46. > :03:46.
:03:46. > :03:49.ludicrous. There are two transfer windows across the football world,
:03:49. > :03:52.one during the summer and another throughout the month of January.
:03:52. > :03:56.But in the Football League, a week after a transfer windows shut,
:03:56. > :03:59.another emergency loan window opens and this is what FIFA wants to ban.
:03:59. > :04:09.But it'll also affect the Premier League clubs who rely on loaning
:04:09. > :04:13.
:04:13. > :04:17.out their promising young players to get vital first team experience.
:04:17. > :04:23.I do understand from my time in Switzerland that FIFA do not just
:04:23. > :04:28.concern themselves for the Premier League or English football, they
:04:28. > :04:33.have 230 or 240 countries to worry about. We must accept being part of
:04:33. > :04:37.the general family that they might go to other people, but I would
:04:37. > :04:39.like to see the English authorities fighting their corner for this one.
:04:39. > :04:43.Aston Villa midfielder Gary Gardner joined Coventry on a month-long
:04:43. > :04:48.emergency loan last November. He's since returned to Villa and has
:04:48. > :04:53.earned promotion to the first team. Jamie Ward joined Derby County from
:04:53. > :05:00.Sheffield United on an emergency loan last February. The loan went
:05:00. > :05:02.so well that Ward is now permanent Ram. And with goals in short supply
:05:03. > :05:12.for Port Vale before Christmas, striker Guy Madjo was brought in
:05:13. > :05:16.
:05:17. > :05:19.from Stevenage. He scored four Under FIFA's plans, so-called
:05:19. > :05:24.standard loans, those that begin and end in the transfer windows
:05:24. > :05:27.will still be allowed. Burton have made good use of standard loan
:05:27. > :05:37.signings with Calvin Zola and Cleveland Taylor both staying on
:05:37. > :05:40.
:05:40. > :05:45.permanents deals. It is very valuable to go out and get games.
:05:45. > :05:49.You don't learn much on the bench. And defender Tony James was
:05:49. > :05:59.struggling to get in the squad last season. A month on an emergency
:05:59. > :06:00.
:06:00. > :06:04.loan to Hereford and this season he's made 23 appearances. They must
:06:04. > :06:09.have seen my performances for the other team and put me straight back
:06:09. > :06:12.and the team. It worked wonders for me. FIFA is determined to close the
:06:12. > :06:15.emergency window but have promised to look again at widening the two
:06:15. > :06:25.existing transfer windows. The Football League will consult the 72
:06:25. > :06:34.
:06:34. > :06:41.club chairmen in Derby on its next step on Thursday. Would it tile
:06:41. > :06:46.hands of the emergency loan was scrapped? Yes, nobody can foresee
:06:46. > :06:52.what is going to happen though, and you need something to go back to to
:06:52. > :06:55.bring players in. Michael, do you agree? Yes, it is a system which
:06:55. > :07:00.benefits not just the club but players as well. When I was at
:07:00. > :07:06.Derby, it was great to get out and go to Sheffield Wednesday and help
:07:06. > :07:11.their cause. We talked about this just now because there is also the
:07:11. > :07:16.fact that as a manager, you want to be seen to the fans and the poor to
:07:16. > :07:22.do something if things aren't going well, so does emergency loans to be
:07:22. > :07:28.that scope. Yes, it gives your -- gives you the opportunity to change
:07:28. > :07:32.things around. Some of the bigger squads, if they are carrying 25
:07:32. > :07:36.players, some of the players are not playing and they need to go out
:07:36. > :07:42.and develop their careers, so it puts a restriction on them if they
:07:42. > :07:48.can't go out on loans. Fifa might say, why don't you just rely on the
:07:48. > :07:52.standard loans? It will cost you a lot more. If you go on and take on
:07:52. > :07:56.a player from a Premier League club he is a young player, you don't
:07:57. > :08:00.know how we will fit in, if he is going to have further develop his
:08:00. > :08:04.career will be ready for you. Come off down the line, if he is not
:08:04. > :08:11.quite on the fringe of your team, we have got him for the rest of
:08:11. > :08:20.that window and you are still playing -- paying the wages. Should
:08:20. > :08:25.they be scrapped totally? You might as well scrap it and let the clubs
:08:25. > :08:29.have loan signings as and when you need them. I understand why it was
:08:29. > :08:33.brought in. We have had to come in line with Fifa and the rest of the
:08:33. > :08:40.world, so we understand why it has been done, but where quite unique
:08:40. > :08:43.in that we have got four professional leagues. It is the
:08:43. > :08:53.unique position for us to use that emergency loan system because of
:08:53. > :08:53.
:08:53. > :08:57.the leaks. Still to come: The best of the weekend's action, including
:08:57. > :09:00.the goal which took Cheltenham back to the top of League Two. Now, for
:09:00. > :09:03.many, Leicester City have been a disappointment so far this season.
:09:03. > :09:07.Back in August they were favourites for promotion. Sven Goran Eriksson
:09:07. > :09:11.spent millions on a whole new squad. But within ten weeks, Sven was out
:09:11. > :09:15.and Nigel Pearson rejoined the club. Now the Foxes are mid table and
:09:15. > :09:18.have a battle on to reach the top six. Can they still do it? Well, on
:09:18. > :09:28.Saturday, we sent Natalie to the King Power Stadium to assess their
:09:28. > :09:39.
:09:39. > :09:42.Well, behind the scenes at Leicester the dressing rooms have
:09:42. > :09:50.had a fantastic makeover - they are certainly set up for the Premier
:09:50. > :09:55.The Thai owners have spent thousands on the new look home
:09:55. > :09:59.dressing rooms for manager Nigel Pearson. It looks brilliant in here,
:09:59. > :10:09.doesn't it? The whole white board is new, isn't it? Yes, technology
:10:09. > :10:10.
:10:10. > :10:15.is coming in. Our cameras were the first to be allowed inside. Are you
:10:15. > :10:17.still enjoying it? Yes. Nigel is really upbeat and according to
:10:17. > :10:27.football director Andrew Neville, there is still a real belief they
:10:27. > :10:33.can get to the play-offs. If he had stayed first time round, we might
:10:33. > :10:37.have been a better position than we are now. There are signs of
:10:37. > :10:45.progress, so if we can start to move forward, who knows what the
:10:45. > :10:51.rest of the season will bring us? The thing there is time for you to
:10:51. > :11:01.get a play-off spot? Yes, definitely. Six wins on the trot.
:11:01. > :11:12.
:11:12. > :11:14.We can do it if we have that bit of So this is one of the games of the
:11:14. > :11:21.day in the Championship. If Leicester are to arrive fashionably
:11:21. > :11:24.late into the top six, they must win games like this today. Cardiff
:11:24. > :11:34.have only lost two away games all season but within minutes Leicester
:11:34. > :11:36.
:11:37. > :11:42.overwhelmed them with power and The home team dominated the high
:11:42. > :11:52.flying Welsh men. The breakthrough came when Wellens, who was running
:11:52. > :12:01.
:12:01. > :12:06.the show in midfield, was brought Paul Gallagher put away the penalty
:12:06. > :12:09.with style. In the second half, Leicester continued to test
:12:09. > :12:19.Marshall in the away goal but he got know where near Gallagher's
:12:19. > :12:30.
:12:30. > :12:33.Cardiff had a bit of luck when they were awarded a penalty themselves.
:12:33. > :12:36.So there was a nervy finish, but Leicester deserved the win and
:12:36. > :12:46.based on this display, look a better bet than Cardiff to get
:12:46. > :12:49.
:12:49. > :12:59.promoted. One win is great, but we need to back that up on Tuesday
:12:59. > :13:01.
:13:01. > :13:09.night. Trade mark penalty and the free-kick. Yes, good game.
:13:09. > :13:13.Hopefully, this is the start of last season. -- our season. It was
:13:13. > :13:23.a tough game last week, so for them to bounce back like this, it is
:13:23. > :13:29.
:13:30. > :13:31.credit to the players. A good day today. Yes, I think so. With
:13:32. > :13:34.Birmingham's game at Barnsley a late postponement, Midlands
:13:34. > :13:37.attention was on the bottom of the Championship where Nottingham
:13:37. > :13:40.Forest and Coventry urgently needed victories. There was a sombre mood
:13:40. > :13:50.at the City Ground - the death of the club's owner Nigel Doughty was
:13:50. > :13:58.
:13:58. > :14:06.Before the game, the Forest manager spoke of the need of channelling
:14:06. > :14:10.emotions. So they quickly produced five -- their first goal in eight
:14:10. > :14:14.matches courtesy of Gareth McLeary. Forest's failure to add to that
:14:14. > :14:18.advantage proved costly and Troy Deeney equalised just before half-
:14:18. > :14:23.time. Forest had chances to win the game in the second half. Chris
:14:23. > :14:33.Gunter was saunter and by the crossbar, -- thwarted by the
:14:33. > :14:51.
:14:51. > :14:59.games for Coventry, who fell behind chances than the host in the second
:14:59. > :15:03.half with Alex Nimely going close, but Coventry are now unsexed --
:15:03. > :15:10.eight points from safety. The Rams could have claimed a victory if
:15:10. > :15:16.Craig Bryson had managed to convert their best chance. I don't think he
:15:16. > :15:26.will appreciate us showing that one again! It is harder to miss that
:15:26. > :15:28.
:15:28. > :15:31.You are talking to get two ex- offenders. Speak for yourself!
:15:31. > :15:35.good. For Derby, Craig Bryson, despite that Miss has been in great
:15:35. > :15:39.form since his move from Kilmarnock. Leicester, a new dressing rooms,
:15:39. > :15:45.but that left the players when they come in to new facilities like they
:15:45. > :15:53.have got at the stadium? It will do, it shows where they want to go. The
:15:53. > :15:57.players will buy into that. Natal - - Nigel will do a great job there.
:15:57. > :16:01.Much-needed win against Cardiff, it was just as comprehensive against -
:16:01. > :16:11.- as their win against a pub to not that long ago. How do you see their
:16:11. > :16:19.
:16:19. > :16:23.Out it is a big club, they deserve to be up there battling away.
:16:23. > :16:26.Nottingham Forest came away with a point against Watford, are much
:16:26. > :16:30.improved performance this time round. It is that consistency
:16:30. > :16:35.factor, having to build on a good performance from Forest. They are
:16:36. > :16:40.in a position where they need wins at the moment. It is tough, and it
:16:40. > :16:44.was a poignant day, with the chairman passing away. They got a
:16:44. > :16:48.point, it was a battling point, and they can build on that. What are
:16:48. > :16:53.your feelings on Coventry City? They are eight points adrift and it
:16:53. > :16:58.is not looking good. Their problems behind the scenes, if players are
:16:58. > :17:03.low on confidence. You cannot see them getting out of it. You feel
:17:03. > :17:07.for Andy Thorn. I have been there, eight points adrift, they can do it,
:17:07. > :17:12.it is getting some belief in to it. That is from someone who has been
:17:12. > :17:15.there and done it. Thank you for your kind words against -- about
:17:15. > :17:25.our tribute to Nigel Doughty. We always like to hear from you on
:17:25. > :17:28.
:17:28. > :17:32.Neither Warsall or Notts County were in action in League One, and
:17:32. > :17:35.only three games survive in League Two. One of them was at Edgar
:17:35. > :17:45.Street where Cheltenham had the chance to return to the top of the
:17:45. > :17:50.
:17:50. > :17:59.Cheltenham had an ideal opportunity to bounce back because the new
:17:59. > :18:05.leaders were without a game. Things did not start well for the Robins.
:18:05. > :18:09.He gives her fridge United the lead! Hereford continued to
:18:09. > :18:15.threaten the goal, and Nicky Featherstone's goal was cleared.
:18:15. > :18:23.Three minutes into the second half, they were level. That is a great
:18:23. > :18:27.equalising goal by Mohammed, superb action, goal No. 8 for him. It is
:18:27. > :18:33.Hereford 1, Cheltenham one. Sri spree might have opened the scoring
:18:33. > :18:43.at Torquay, but James Collins's header hit the crossbar.
:18:43. > :18:51.
:18:51. > :18:57.Let's talk about Walsall's game, the game that did not happen. So
:18:57. > :19:01.much to talk about. Postponements, twice, you must be frustrated by
:19:01. > :19:06.that. I am. Hours was postponed on Friday for the game against
:19:06. > :19:11.Colchester, but the pitch was that hard it was never going to get up.
:19:11. > :19:15.It was minus seven degrees overnight. The players wants to
:19:15. > :19:20.play, it was two weeks since our luck -- last game against Notts
:19:20. > :19:23.County. Tomorrow night, we are at Oldham where they played the night
:19:23. > :19:27.before. We should be coming out of the blocks. What about the season
:19:27. > :19:30.generally? After the Great Escape last season, fans were hoping it
:19:30. > :19:35.would herald the start of a new dawn, but it has not happened. Why
:19:35. > :19:38.is that? That is what we wanted, we want to carry on the momentum from
:19:38. > :19:44.last year that we gain and take it into this season. We started the
:19:44. > :19:47.season quite well, we got a win in the first game, we won at
:19:47. > :19:52.Bournemouth. But unfortunately we have drawn too many games against
:19:52. > :19:56.the big clubs. The big five in the League. We beat Preston, Sheffield
:19:56. > :19:59.Wednesday, we have drawn at Huddersfield and Charlton. This is
:19:59. > :20:06.the game we are seeing, it was a good performance of stock we got
:20:06. > :20:12.beaten away at Sheffield United, a good game, 3-2. We are putting in
:20:12. > :20:16.good performances against a good Cup. I bet you wish you could
:20:16. > :20:22.bottle up what happened against shuttled Wednesday and use it again.
:20:22. > :20:26.You do. It was a great win, Boxing Day, a great crowd. Two late goals
:20:26. > :20:32.for us, fantastic. Psychologically, you are dropping into the
:20:32. > :20:35.relegation zone of on the back of those postponement, the other teams
:20:36. > :20:41.have played their games. What does that do to the players and manager
:20:41. > :20:44.when you look at the tables? You go and watch games while your game is
:20:44. > :20:48.postponed, and you look at some of the teams around you getting
:20:48. > :20:54.beaten! You can only control the controllable, and that is your
:20:54. > :21:00.results. We have to concentrate now, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday 2,
:21:00. > :21:04.Tuesday for a few weeks and we can put a run together. We are the draw
:21:04. > :21:11.specialists along with Scunthorpe with the League, and if you turn
:21:11. > :21:18.those into wins, you what sitting 16th in the League. Specifically
:21:18. > :21:23.those it big teams in the division, surviving, that would be a huge
:21:23. > :21:31.achievement in itself, not meant to be patronising. Yes, we are once --
:21:31. > :21:36.We are one of the smaller teams in the league, and you are playing
:21:36. > :21:40.against teams who average 18,000. We average 4000. It is tough, but
:21:40. > :21:46.we need to start winning football players. We have players who are
:21:46. > :21:50.capable but we have not put some results together. All five of our
:21:50. > :22:00.Championship clubs are in action tomorrow evening, frozen pitches
:22:00. > :22:17.
:22:17. > :22:22.Neither Notts County nor Walsall have played this month. Weather
:22:22. > :22:28.permitting, they will play. It is congested at the top of League Two.
:22:28. > :22:32.Five points to operate their top six teams. -- separate the top six
:22:32. > :22:36.teams. We are down to the last third of
:22:36. > :22:40.the season, 16 or 17 games to go and in the Championship, the table
:22:40. > :22:44.is starting to take shape. At the top, can Birmingham push for the
:22:44. > :22:48.Premier League and a top to spot? Can Leicester and Derby make the
:22:48. > :22:58.play-offs? And at the bottom, will Forest and commentary avoid the
:22:58. > :22:59.
:22:59. > :23:05.crop? -- Coventry avoid the drop?
:23:05. > :23:10.Our championship teams are just about starting to show their hands.
:23:10. > :23:14.Who will be leading the pack at the end of the season? Tonight, the BBC
:23:14. > :23:24.5 Live football expert Darren Fletcher is helping us and the
:23:24. > :23:25.
:23:25. > :23:29.team's play their cards right. So, can Birmingham City and Chris
:23:29. > :23:34.Newton arrived in the top two and stay there? I can't see any reason
:23:34. > :23:38.why not. They have got a good manager with Chris Wootton, who has
:23:38. > :23:41.experience of being promoted with Newcastle. They have gone and 12
:23:41. > :23:46.match run when they have not conceded -- only conceded four
:23:46. > :23:50.times. That is astonishing. If they can cement themselves in the top
:23:50. > :23:54.two, they have enough in mixed -- experience to stay there. They have
:23:54. > :23:58.got the momentum, I think they will go a throwback to the Premier
:23:58. > :24:04.League. Our Derby a wild card for the play-offs? I don't think they
:24:04. > :24:07.can, but Patrick Nigel Clough is doing a fantastic job. If they can
:24:07. > :24:11.put a run together, they might potentially sneak into the play-
:24:11. > :24:16.offs. I think what Nigel is doing is looking for something long term,
:24:16. > :24:20.trying to build the club properly. It is a little bit too soon this
:24:20. > :24:26.year for a good season of progress. More to come next year. On to
:24:26. > :24:30.Leicester, can Nigel Pearson became? I don't know what is wrong
:24:30. > :24:34.at Leicester. Maybe there are too many players. One thing Nigel will
:24:34. > :24:38.do is settle on a team and he will have a consistent team selection,
:24:38. > :24:43.which I think will help them in the second half of the season. Possible
:24:43. > :24:47.late run in the play-offs, I think they will finish just about outside,
:24:47. > :24:54.a little bit too much inconsistency will cost them. What a dreadful
:24:54. > :24:58.season Forest has had. It is tragic in every sense, the sad passing of
:24:58. > :25:01.the owner at Nigel Doughty which put an entire question over the
:25:01. > :25:05.club. We have got to analyse what is happening on the pitch, and it
:25:05. > :25:08.has been a shambles from the beginning. If you look from the
:25:08. > :25:16.beginning of the season, they have never looked competitive pulled a
:25:16. > :25:20.do you think they will go down? I do. I do not see how they can
:25:20. > :25:27.bridge the five. Gap. I do not see how they can change the thought --
:25:27. > :25:33.fortunes of the Club. Canned commentary have a turn up in
:25:33. > :25:37.fortunes? -- can Coventry? I don't think they are good enough. They do
:25:37. > :25:42.not have enough players of quality to stay in the league. I think they
:25:42. > :25:46.will finish bottom, well adrift. They will have to come back
:25:46. > :25:54.stronger next year. There is always a joker in the patch, and I think I
:25:54. > :25:59.have found him! There is no sitting on the fence as
:25:59. > :26:04.far as he is in concerned! Not at all! He has got Coventry and Forest
:26:04. > :26:12.doomed. He expects great things from them and, they are doing great
:26:12. > :26:16.under Crest. We never thought we would do well. He has come in and
:26:16. > :26:19.been an absolute breath of fresh air. He has taken all the pressure
:26:19. > :26:24.from the lads, made them contemplate -- concentrate on
:26:24. > :26:28.playing football. I do not want to throw a spanner in the work with
:26:28. > :26:35.Birmingham's fans, all with what is going on in Tottenham, if Harry
:26:35. > :26:41.goes to the England job, would he take Chris with him? Chris wants to
:26:41. > :26:46.take his job done. Be he Street he has with Tottenham has appalled, --
:26:46. > :26:56.the history he has. It has a poor for him, but we hope that these
:26:56. > :27:00.
:27:00. > :27:04.days. -- we hope that he stays. is a big call to say that Coventry
:27:04. > :27:10.are doomed. A lot of people at those clubs will wants to throw
:27:10. > :27:14.that back in his face. In League One, we have got Walsall and Notts
:27:14. > :27:19.County. You do not expect to see Walsall go down to the final day
:27:19. > :27:24.like last season? I certainly hope not. We are hoping to put a run of
:27:24. > :27:30.results together, to help us climb out. We certainly feel there are
:27:30. > :27:34.four worst teams than us. What about Notts County? They have had a
:27:34. > :27:40.sticky run as late, but the signs are there, they have started
:27:40. > :27:44.scoring, they can have a few games, getting momentum and get back in
:27:44. > :27:52.the top six. One of the headline makers has got to beat Charlton
:27:52. > :27:56.town, what a job Mark Yates has done. With the resources he has got,
:27:56. > :28:03.it is top class. Shrewsbury have done it before, can they get that
:28:03. > :28:07.elusive promotion? I think they can. We played Cheltenham pre-season, we
:28:07. > :28:14.have played frisbee pre-season, they are a very good team. --
:28:15. > :28:19.Shrewsbury. How do you sensed Port Vale's chances? They have still got
:28:19. > :28:23.a chance. All it needs is a couple of wins and they are in play-off
:28:23. > :28:27.places. We have got Burton as well. They have said goodbye to Darren
:28:27. > :28:31.Moore, they are looking to the future, so they could be good times.
:28:31. > :28:38.The boss has done a good job. He has got the boys believing in what
:28:38. > :28:46.he has doing. With him at the helm, they will be there at the end of