Episode 14 Late Kick Off North East and Cumbria

On tonight's Late Kick Off, a year on from Wembley we meet Murphy's

more but, and Carlisle still have a sniff of returning through the

play-offs. We have a good team. York City are chasing a Wembley

double, and the First Lady of northern football -- can the first

lady take the Munster men back in the league?

Newcastle now need heroics to join Europe's elite.

Hello, Balkan to the penultimate Late Kick Off of the series.

Joining Danny Mills and myself tonight, the former Middlesbrough

midfielder Craig Hignett. It was disappointing. They had been

really good season, top six for 90% of it, but just at the end, they

failed, injury suspensions to their own people, and a Hong format was

poor. They drew up far too many games at home. Cardiff where losing

at Crystal Palace at one stage, but ultimately it is not down to one

game. 2nd January, if they had won a blackball they would have gone

top. It was just after that period when they had his sticky spell.

They started to struggle. Defensively as well, which is quite

strange. Me a break is there, a very good defender, it just has not

quite worked. But Broadford gave -- put up a really good fight. --

Watford. You have got your own exacting

theories. It is unusual for us to have quite so much football

analysis on this programme. But you have his theory, they are just not

defending well from crosses. They just seem to struggle. Too many

chances, too many goals conceded from crossings, -- crosses. Even

during the Leeds game, although there were not necessary goals

coming from that, there was a lot of chances created from crosses. It

is difficult - you are not sure whether it is bad defending or bad

coaching or a mixture of the two. You would think it would get

drilled home. They will be absolutely particular at

Middlesbrough. They had the best defensive record up until December.

And then after that they had put spell in January, didn't win again,

they were second on 45 points. Ind of January this still had 45 points.

Started letting in bad goals, sloppy goals, and when you are not

scoring them at the other end and start letting in bad goals you are

always going to struggle. On the subject of that we have

another little theory. Middlesbrough have hit the woodwork

more times than anybody else in the league. On the Liverpool in the

Premier League have had more of. Does not come into spot? It evens

itself out. Although they chorus of one game, maybe. But you did term -

- deserve to finish where you finish in the league. Unfortunately

you get nothing for hitting the post. We sold their some chances

against Cardiff. Have they had won that game we could be talking about

a different scenario. The margins are ever higher in the top -- ever

finer in the top echelons of the league. If it was Ender on hands,

they would not have gone down to Watford. They only got beaten

because they pushed men forward. I think the Cardiff game is the one

that was disappointing. Do you think do you think Tony Mowbray

knows that they are not quite ready for this?

If you could get up to the Premier League with all the money you can

get, you could make the club so much stronger. After the

Southampton game, when nobody expected a win, they put in a great

performance at home. You thought it was on. I thought Palace would beat

Cardiff. When they went 1-nil up, you thought that was it. But the

what third keeper made three or four macro fantastic saves.

We are reading today that apparently he was not in the

starting line. Disappointed and refused to play. If that is true it

is so unprofessional. I would be surprised if he was there come next

season. There was some news last week that

puts all these football ups and downs into perspective. Lee

Miller's wife, passed away after suffering from a brain tumour.

Everyone on "sexting"'s thoughts go out to his family. -- every one of

Late Kick Off's thoughts. Peter Murphy's girlfriend was killed in a

car accident, but last season he was that Blue's clues mock -- the

Plews -- the Blues' highest scorer. We have been for a catch up with

As a player, he is Mr reliable. Everything he does, he does

professionally. I grew up in it tough area where there was a lot

going on crime wires. I was never involved in that, there was Gallic

football and rugby. I had a lot of things to take it -- me away from

that. In my neighbourhood I was the eldest in a group of lads who were

always playing. Around the driving in, and thinking,

this is in Nice Town. -- I remember driving him. This is a nice time.

It's been ten years now and I must have done all right in my first

couple of days! It got my career sort of started. Determined,

professional, stubborn. Opinionated. I would like to think of myself as

a perfectionist. I like things to be done right, I think a lot deeper

than most people but you don't normally sure that side of you. --

show at that side of youthful stop things can be taken away from you.

All of a sudden something big happens in your life that is big

team changes. So it makes you appreciate what you have it was an

accident - and nobody could legislate for an accident. It makes

you stronger. Depending on how people let things affect you, I

made -- it made me appreciate things more. You can go crazy about

little things - that for me is not the way.

At the time John asked me, you don't have to come back, because it

was the off-season. I was doing my own running down there. She came

over and said you don't have to come back -- he came over. I said,

why would I not want to comeback? I just wanted to concentrate on

football, because it was something different. Some think I enjoyed

doing. -- something I enjoyed doing. Out of a really bad situation, I

have found an unbelievable partner and had been little child who's the

best thing that has happened to me as well. Fit's a big thing for me,

but I also think it gives you morals and in grounding. -- faith

is a big thing for me. I am not preaching, but it is a good thing

to have, no matter what faith people have in their lives. It

worked for me, I believe in God and everything else like that. That has

The man that became a father in the week Peter Murphy!

I didn't realise I was that far out, I thought I was inside the six-yard

box. I have not watched this back. It's an unbelievable feeling,

because of everything. It was unbelievable for my wife to see the

game. When I ran off and did a celebration, I was running up to

God, because it is unreal. We have a good team spirit, and all

the years I have been here it was never really people saying, he is

not involved in the big thing... There were never really cliques of

people sticking together, I am quite fortunate in that way. Maybe

that makes up for all the wages that we don't get!

Probably people dream of doing this and don't get the chance - I have

had the chance and done it, so a whole career of trying hard to do

things, I have been lucky enough to I think it says a lot about Peter

Murphy's character that I do not think too many people know about

his personal tragedy. Lee Miller was at the game, came off the pitch

at half-time and got a huge ovation. You lost your son 10 years ago.

What is it about football that allows you to draw strength? There

was also Billy Sharp. He had a tragedy, scored and did very well.

It's partly escapism. Footballers are so focused, dedicated to what

they do for that 90 minutes, whatever they play, they are so

dedicated to the job on hand, at the block out the real world. It is

an opportunity to forget. It is like footballers go back into the

real world. It is obviously a very emotional environment. I saw Billy

Sharp on Saturday, Southampton promoted, he came up the tunnel

virtually in tears. He lost his son in October. How are you able to do

you work in those circumstances? Purely because you focused. People

have had parents die, a good friend of mine, Andy Gray, his wife had a

brain tumour. It is about that release of emotions. Once the game

is Spanish, reality hits home again. That's when the emotions come out.

-- once the game has finished. Football is a microcosm of everyday

lives. Carlisle can still sneak into the play-offs. They beat

Exeter in their new strip. They are relegated Exeter in the process.

They have had bumps and grinds but they keep getting back on a horse.

They have been regarded. They stuck at it all season. I think they

deserve to be in the play-offs. The character they have showed, they

have been fantastic. Is it a matter of focusing on what you have to do?

You know there are teams ahead of you you need to split up. Do you

just need to do you think? You get to have time and you find out one

of the teams above you is winning 3-0. It all goes out the window.

For the first have, you are focused and do your job. Get to have time,

the lads will be asking what the score is elsewhere. That is that

table. Notts County play Colchester. Stevenage played beret. If either

of them when, it is game over for Carlisle. If they both failed to

win, they will be in the play-offs. Last home game of the season for

Hartlepool. First home win since February 18th. It was a morale

booster at the end of their worst- ever home campaign. It mirrors

Middlesbrough. They had that terrible run. They could not score

enough goals. It's always a problem if you have a team that doesn't

score goals. I love the story of Brian Noble. So frustrated, he has

been practising with his dad in a field. That's what we want.

Dedication. As his Twitter was not controversial enough, Mario

Balotelli is on there now. You can find us at @LKONEC. Still to come...

We are with York City's Shearman as they chase League third ball. --

Director. Newcastle's Champions League hopes

have been hampered. Chelsea are in the final, if they win it, they

lose a place. Obviously, Newcastle got a thumping loss. Wigan are

doing really well. They are the form team at the moment. Manchester

United, Arsenal, they have been them. How can they suddenly let in

four goals? They keep having these massive capitulation so. What does

it say about them? Every now and then, they have a blip. It does not

carry on, it happens. That could cost them. The top of the Premier

League is so tight. It's really tough for them to get in. A lot of

those teams play each other. It will change. What is your theory?

Do you think they can make it? think Chelsea versus Newcastle is

massive. If Newcastle beat Chelsea it puts them in the driving seat.

Sunderland drew against Bolton. They have gone off the boil. Is it

because of the new manager, Martin O'Neill, get the momentum going,

then the reach a point where you just cannot keep going with that

sort of ability? They have got to a point in the season now, there is

nothing to play for, they're not going to go down, get involved in

Europe, just one of them. The players are winding down for the

holidays, and it's hard to keep going. Plenty for Martin O'Neill to

be doing. He will take stock. He will think about what he needs to

do in the summer. He has done brilliant. He made it stable again,

they got great results. He will know what the squad needs for next

season. I'm sure they will be stronger. York City have already

booked a place in the FA Trophy final. Now their goal is to make it

back to Wembley for the Blue Square Premier play-off final. The prize

is regaining their Football League status. York directors Sophie Hicks

is excited about the future both on She is on the board at a club on

the verge of two Wembley finals in eight days. There is another bake

bake on her mind. It seems to be a habit now. Every time we go to

Wembley, I'm pregnant. I will be about six weeks off the arrival

date. Fingers crossed, we will have a positive result, not too much

excitement. I don't want to have a baby at Wembley. I have a boy at

his 19 months old. The next baby will definitely come to the

football as well. We need to breed to produce more York City fans.

Sophie Hicks is part of a family team at York. Her brother is the

chairman. She is one of very few women in the boardroom at

professional football. Everybody is very respectful, very good to me. I

haven't personally experienced a high level of prejudice. Of course,

when you walk into an unknown boardroom, somebody thinks you are

somebody's wife or girlfriend, but I'd put them right. On May 12th,

they play Newport County for the FA Trophy. They will be back there at

Wembley for the Blue Square Premier final if they can win their semi-

A lifelong fan, so the was part of the supporters' trust that took

over the club shortly before 75 years of League football came to an

end in 2004. -- Sophie Hicks was It years later, will those tears

We're delighted with the season. It's been tremendous. To be in an

FA Trophy final at Wembley, to also be in the play-offs, just amazing.

We need to put the success down to the manager. He has been the

outstanding. He has instilled a new level of optimism, confidence, and

we have a team of players that are really play for each other. Some of

the players made an early visit to Wembley last week to meet the media

ahead of the FA Trophy final. His Wembley becoming a distraction from

the main business or promotion? People keep saying that in May. I

have gone the other way. I think it is motivational. We keep talking

about why we have got to Wembley. We got there by being a good side.

We keep talking about Wembley. It inspires us to get there again.

we get there in the play-off final, we will applied there a week before.

That will take any nurse and remove them. -- make us less nervous.

footballer, you want to play in the biggest games. The more we can get

there the better. The month of May will be huge for York City. The

council will meet and decide whether to give them a new stadium.

It's a difficult time, a delicate time, but all fans realise to give

this club the future we need, to progress, unfortunately, we need to

It has been an amazing time, I'm really proud of the efforts of

everyone here. Everyone has worked so hard the season. I hope for

everyone here we get some success, I think it's worth watching the

programme back again on the iPlayer just to see the chairman's West. --

the chairman's hairstyle. The banner said they would be back, but

it is a long road. Dropping out of the Premier League? What about

dropping out of the Football League? It is a graveyard. We have

seen what happened to Darlington. York City deserve great credit.

They are in one final, there is every chance they will get there

again. The first leg against Mansfield is on Wednesday.

Congratulate Sue to Sunderland's women's team, they clinched the

The Football League, they are introducing Financial Fair Play

regulations based on the way a model. They are coming in from next

They will carry transfer embargo was from then on. Clubs will only

be able to lose �6 million. That includes new Warner Investment.

This will have a profound effect on Middlesbrough. Steve Gibson is

believed to be bankrolling the club took the tune of �1 million per

month. I'm sure there will be loopholes, but I think in general

it is a good thing for football. They cannot keep losing the type of

money they are losing. Everyone needs to get their house in order.

It will benefit the bigger clubs because they can spend more money,

but why shouldn't an order be allowed to put whatever he wants

into the club? Because you will have something like Notts County.

They had all the bank references, then it never showed up. They had

spent all the money on wages, and in effect, bought their way to the

title. You look what happens at Manchester City, Financial Fair

Play rules are slightly different there, but the owners have renamed

the stadium and paid �300 million for the right to do so.

everybody is so reliable. Of course not. The last thing we want is

another Portsmouth. Everyone needs to be on a level. If you buy a

football club and put your money in and lose it, why should you be

allowed to do that? As long as the owners are reliable and have deep

enough pockets. That's what happened at Darlington. Again, they

need to put the money upfront. Sure that they have the money. If

anything happens, you have the money. I think it's a good thing,

but it will catch a lot of clubs out. The clubs coming down from the

Premier League have at year of grace. A very quick word on the new

England manager. We thought it would be Harry Redknapp but it

looks like Roy Hodgson. It's not definite but there are only

interviewing one candidate. He could say no. Why have they done

this? I do not know. Harry was the plan's choice. He was the media

choice. But he is not the choice of the FA. It's a strange one. There