0:00:19 > 0:00:29And tonight, an American dream in Cumbria. We need Carlisle's Frank
0:00:29 > 0:00:34
0:00:34 > 0:00:42Simek. -- we meet. It is what I call the real world. At Hartlepool,
0:00:42 > 0:00:47flying high one minute, sinking the next.
0:00:47 > 0:00:57Hello and a warm welcome to another Late Kick Off. I am Mark Clemmit.
0:00:57 > 0:00:58
0:00:58 > 0:01:01As ever, Danny Mills is here. And we have a packed sofa tonight.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04After that cracking FA Cup tie yesterday, one of the North East's
0:01:04 > 0:01:07most familiar names over the past decade, Middlesbrough and former
0:01:07 > 0:01:10Sunderland star Julio Arca, is here. And we are also joined by the
0:01:10 > 0:01:16Mirror's man on our patch Simon Bird. You are armed with lots of
0:01:16 > 0:01:24gossip as it is transfer deadline day. Has it been quite relaxed?
0:01:24 > 0:01:29expect Sunderland to be busy, with three possible arrivals. Newcastle,
0:01:29 > 0:01:37possibly someone from Watford. Not millions spent. Maybe some deals
0:01:37 > 0:01:44bubbling. I may be scratching for other details. At Julio, welcome.
0:01:44 > 0:01:50Six years at Sunderland. How gutted were you to miss the game to
0:01:50 > 0:01:57suspension yesterday? Obviously, you look forward to play, and
0:01:57 > 0:02:03disappointed. It has been a while since I was last suspended. And for
0:02:03 > 0:02:13it to happen before the Derby, obviously disappointed. We have the
0:02:13 > 0:02:18
0:02:18 > 0:02:26incident that led to your red card. Are you guilty? At the moment, that
0:02:26 > 0:02:33kind of target, that kind of tactic, it can get the red card. Yuan not
0:02:33 > 0:02:41malicious, just a desperate attempt to get the ball? -- you are not
0:02:41 > 0:02:51malicious. I went and did not think twice about it. Then the red card
0:02:51 > 0:02:53
0:02:53 > 0:02:57came after. I then knew I was going to miss the Sunderland game. When?
0:02:58 > 0:03:01There are some important games coming up for the league. Being
0:03:01 > 0:03:11away Porter redeems us quite a long time, especially when you can lose
0:03:11 > 0:03:18
0:03:18 > 0:03:24your position. It was a cracking game. Problems can happened. You
0:03:24 > 0:03:30score goals, the 01 minute, the villain do next. But you almost
0:03:30 > 0:03:38always get remembered more for being the villain. Barry Robson
0:03:38 > 0:03:46does hold his hand up to mistakes. Yes, he is that kind of sky, who
0:03:46 > 0:03:52apologises if he does something wrong. -- that kind of man. We can
0:03:52 > 0:04:02see lots about him. I heard he threw the man-of-the-match
0:04:02 > 0:04:03
0:04:03 > 0:04:11champagne away? I do not know about that. It must be rubbish champagne.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14I would have taken it. I do not think people realise from a
0:04:14 > 0:04:22distance and that the Newcastle and Sunderland Fink, many people think
0:04:22 > 0:04:30that is the big one. But it is quite an atmosphere. There was a
0:04:30 > 0:04:35real edge, a fantastic atmosphere. I was impressed, there was a very
0:04:35 > 0:04:40good tactical formation. Robson had a great coal. Very unlucky to muck
0:04:40 > 0:04:47up the back pass. We are seeing at Trent with Sunderland, counter-
0:04:47 > 0:04:53attacking, soaking up the pressure. Not having a lot of the ball, but
0:04:53 > 0:04:58breaking with three or four fast players when having the ball.
0:04:58 > 0:05:06Arsenal the winners of the replay. What about Newcastle, I would have
0:05:06 > 0:05:11not Alan Pardew would do his utmost, so he will be disappointed. It was
0:05:11 > 0:05:15a strong team at Brighton. They were not going down with a second
0:05:15 > 0:05:21string side. They were going knowing Brighton are a good team,
0:05:21 > 0:05:30played good football, but you would expect Newcastle to win. Newcastle
0:05:30 > 0:05:35did not, had all the possession, but got hit with a sucker punch.
0:05:35 > 0:05:43Newcastle's trip to Tenerife have produced some headlines. What do
0:05:43 > 0:05:49you think? If Newcastle had got a result at Brighton, it would have
0:05:49 > 0:05:54been seen as a great trip. It was some rest and recuperation and a
0:05:54 > 0:05:58different environment. You can make any trip look bad with trips --
0:05:58 > 0:06:03with pictures of people drinking. But the only one drinking is a
0:06:03 > 0:06:09player out for the season. I do not think that trip had anything to do
0:06:09 > 0:06:16with the defeat at Brighton. agreed. The newspapers get involved,
0:06:16 > 0:06:20but what other players did anything wrong? Some pictures with fans,
0:06:20 > 0:06:24tweets that could say anything. But what did the players do wrong? It
0:06:24 > 0:06:31makes no difference to the result, but the team lost, so it got
0:06:31 > 0:06:34brought up. It has been a dramatic time down at Darlington. With the
0:06:34 > 0:06:39club facing liquidation, the fans have been trying to raise �500,000
0:06:39 > 0:06:47by the end of the month. And over the last few days, things have been
0:06:47 > 0:06:51looking up. Sheffield-born businessman, Paul Wildes, could be
0:06:51 > 0:06:54about to invest �300,000 for a 40% stake in the club. Well, Mr Wildes
0:06:54 > 0:06:57watched his first match on Saturday as Craig Liddle's men took on York
0:06:57 > 0:07:00City. There was another fantastic crowd of over 6,000 at the arena.
0:07:00 > 0:07:05And we grabbed a word with the would be chairman.
0:07:05 > 0:07:10An how would you be different? a hospitality point of view, the
0:07:10 > 0:07:15stadium is an asset. Getting that to work would be positive. I have
0:07:15 > 0:07:18had some good meetings with people are interested in taking the space
0:07:18 > 0:07:25to make it more of their destination for non match days as
0:07:25 > 0:07:30well as match days. What do you think up Darlington's support?
0:07:30 > 0:07:35team, that is something to work with. If Craig Liddle -- if Craig
0:07:35 > 0:07:40Liddle does the same job, that can only be positive. There is
0:07:40 > 0:07:44something to build on, a huge sense of togetherness, which we have not
0:07:44 > 0:07:50had for a long time. It we can come through the next three days, who
0:07:50 > 0:08:00added takes over, we have something big to build on. I am sure we will
0:08:00 > 0:08:03
0:08:03 > 0:08:09If Darlington can get themselves on the other side of this, maybe
0:08:09 > 0:08:14people have realised what is at stake. If they can keep the has
0:08:14 > 0:08:196,000 fans, maybe 4,000 fans, will begin a week out, they will have a
0:08:19 > 0:08:25great chance. The stadium has to be used, not just on a match day. That
0:08:25 > 0:08:28is where Lord Division clubs have struggled in the past. It has to be
0:08:28 > 0:08:33commercially viable and if they can make that happen, then certainly
0:08:33 > 0:08:41the have a great chance of survival. For a deal in principle should be
0:08:41 > 0:08:51agreed to model according to reports, subject to Rach sing's
0:08:51 > 0:08:58
0:08:58 > 0:09:06agreement. -- Raj Singh. There is a lot of money involved. Do you think
0:09:06 > 0:09:10�500,000 is enough? What they need is a sustainable, long-term plan
0:09:10 > 0:09:14and if they cannot do that it is not good propping up the club for a
0:09:14 > 0:09:17few months. They have to know that it can last a few years. The people
0:09:17 > 0:09:24of Darlington have shown in the last few weeks that they want the
0:09:24 > 0:09:29football club. They have to keep their side of the bargain as well.
0:09:29 > 0:09:38Father borrowed voice talking about this in the training ground? -- are
0:09:38 > 0:09:43the boys talking about this in the training ground? Hopefully they
0:09:43 > 0:09:47will find the right man to invest in the club and keep them alive.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50There has been a huge amount of interest in this, certainly from a
0:09:50 > 0:09:57European perspective. But there was a Norwegian camera crew at the
0:09:57 > 0:10:01weekend. Well, football is big. Thank you for that. Always
0:10:01 > 0:10:04economical with his words! And if you want to have your say
0:10:04 > 0:10:08about Darlington, or any of our other discussions and debates, the
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Twitter address is @LKONEC. We are also on Facebook and if you want to
0:10:10 > 0:10:16drop us an email, it's clem@bbc.co.uk. Still to come on
0:10:16 > 0:10:26tonight's show: Hartlepool hit four, but can they had the flagging?
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Wannabe veterans. 5th feet -- One of Our veterans.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Carlisle's USA international defender Frank Simek had a tough
0:10:32 > 0:10:35start in English football. He made just one League Cup appearance in
0:10:35 > 0:10:38two years at Arsenal, before being released by the Gunners. But now
0:10:38 > 0:10:48Simek is loving life in Cumbria. And, as he told Matt Newsum, he's
0:10:48 > 0:10:48
0:10:48 > 0:11:28Apology for the loss of subtitles for 40 seconds
0:11:28 > 0:11:33It has been a journey for you, hasn't it? Coming over to a
0:11:33 > 0:11:37different country was a big change for me. But I was only young and
0:11:37 > 0:11:47they did not know what to expect. I grew up in America, played football
0:11:47 > 0:11:48
0:11:48 > 0:11:54have the ear and baseball the other half of it. I pretty much gave up
0:11:54 > 0:12:02baseball and played football year round. What was it like that
0:12:02 > 0:12:06Arsenal? They gave me a good footballing education. They have
0:12:06 > 0:12:11the best facilities, the training ground and the food after training
0:12:11 > 0:12:15is unbelievable. It is kind of love a wake-up call when you are sent
0:12:15 > 0:12:25out on the loner. You move out from there and see what the real world
0:12:25 > 0:12:32
0:12:32 > 0:12:37is like. People think that the attack on this occupation, but it
0:12:37 > 0:12:41is difficult it it if you are out on one. It was a very uncertain
0:12:41 > 0:12:46summer. A few sleepless nights not knowing what know where you are
0:12:46 > 0:12:51going to be. -- not knowing where you're going to be. I was lucky
0:12:51 > 0:12:56enough to be hooked up with Sheffield Wednesday, went out on
0:12:56 > 0:13:06pre-season tour with them and spent five years there. You have to keep
0:13:06 > 0:13:11the believing in yourself, that I got injured with Sheffield
0:13:11 > 0:13:15Wednesday, it took me forever to get back. I eventually got back, we
0:13:15 > 0:13:25had a change of manager. I never really got back in the team, so my
0:13:25 > 0:13:31contract ended and I did not expect to be signed on again and I wasn't.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34I was lucky enough deadeye was given the opportunity, because
0:13:34 > 0:13:39people so that I was injured and had not played a lot of games and
0:13:39 > 0:13:49were reluctant to take a chance. I was lucky enough that I was given
0:13:49 > 0:13:56
0:13:56 > 0:14:04This is all about the American in York, what about the Englishman in
0:14:04 > 0:14:09New York, what were your first impressions? I enjoy living here.
0:14:09 > 0:14:19It is nice. I love the five minutes from this beautiful castle. I have
0:14:19 > 0:14:21
0:14:21 > 0:14:27never been inside. This is my first time, I enjoy it. Is there a part
0:14:27 > 0:14:35of you that is Carlisle United through and through? They are my it
0:14:35 > 0:14:45-- my extended family are decked out in the car Lale dear. --
0:14:45 > 0:14:48
0:14:48 > 0:14:54What can curl alienated do this season? We'll keep going, keep
0:14:54 > 0:14:58plugging away. Right now, we have a very good squad that is capable of
0:14:58 > 0:15:02making the play it and that is something that we're looking to do.
0:15:02 > 0:15:12It will be tough, it is a long season, but if we can keep the team
0:15:12 > 0:15:15
0:15:15 > 0:15:18together and keep everybody injury- I do not want to follow it with
0:15:18 > 0:15:28Carlisle can so, but that Castle looks like it could use a steam
0:15:28 > 0:15:36
0:15:36 > 0:15:44clean! You came over here at 20, 2,000? Yes, I was 20. In 2,000. The
0:15:44 > 0:15:51first three months were the hardest ones. Bidding to a new place,
0:15:51 > 0:16:00having your own place, looking after everything. And also the
0:16:01 > 0:16:07language, that was a problem for me. The lifestyle is totally different
0:16:07 > 0:16:12to the one in Argentina. What shocked you when you arrived here?
0:16:12 > 0:16:22Early afternoons when everything shuts at five o'clock. You go to a
0:16:22 > 0:16:24
0:16:24 > 0:16:31shop after 5:00pm and everything is closed. That was a surprise. The EU
0:16:31 > 0:16:38have to get used to the lifeboats they were here. -- you have to get
0:16:38 > 0:16:48used to the lifestyle here. But there has been nearly 12 years here
0:16:48 > 0:16:53
0:16:53 > 0:16:59now. It is great. Friendly. Having my family and friends over there in
0:16:59 > 0:17:07Argentina, that makes you think of going back. I have not made my mind
0:17:07 > 0:17:11up yet. Do you feel a responsibility as one of the more
0:17:11 > 0:17:21senior players helping new players get settled in? That is the main
0:17:21 > 0:17:31thing. It helps the performance on the pitch. We tried to help
0:17:31 > 0:17:42
0:17:42 > 0:17:45everybody. The two that you mentioned are doing well now.
0:17:45 > 0:17:55Unexpectedly, Newcastle are expecting a couple of strikers to
0:17:55 > 0:17:58
0:17:58 > 0:18:08come back. I'd be surprised if the through ball put them straight in.
0:18:08 > 0:18:16-- to put both of them straight in. I think he might get involved at
0:18:16 > 0:18:21the weekend, rather than straight away at Blackburn. When you have
0:18:21 > 0:18:25suffered a disappointment at international level, and as a
0:18:25 > 0:18:33former England full-back, there must have had a few of them, when
0:18:33 > 0:18:37you come back, does it have a hangover? I think it will help that
0:18:37 > 0:18:41they are not in Senegal. An English player coming back to an English
0:18:41 > 0:18:44Premier League team, the media that surrounds that is always a lot
0:18:44 > 0:18:48harsher and you have to take a lot of criticism from your home fans. I
0:18:48 > 0:18:58think, yes, they will be disappointed and they will get back
0:18:58 > 0:18:58
0:18:58 > 0:19:03into it. You would have thought maybe just come on for 10 or 15
0:19:03 > 0:19:10minutes, a little cameo role and tried to give the fans a lift after
0:19:10 > 0:19:20discipline that that the Wrekin. -- after a disappointment at the
0:19:20 > 0:19:23
0:19:23 > 0:19:28weekend. Do you still socialise? are from the same country. It is
0:19:28 > 0:19:33good to see them once in a while. It is making me quite hungry. Do
0:19:33 > 0:19:36not be afraid to send the invitations out!
0:19:36 > 0:19:41Well, Saturday was a miserable day for Frank Simek as Carlisle lost
0:19:41 > 0:19:51four nil. But the flip side of that was a belting afternoon for one of
0:19:51 > 0:20:29
0:20:29 > 0:20:36our other teams, because it was of It was a great win for Hartlepool.
0:20:36 > 0:20:42They have already released the game on DVD. Let us take a look at the
0:20:42 > 0:20:50boy of the moment, Luke James, 17 years old, becoming the youngest
0:20:50 > 0:21:00scorer against Rochdale. Two moored on Saturday. He is damned
0:21:00 > 0:21:01
0:21:01 > 0:21:05impressive. And he looks about 14. He makes me feel very old. He has a
0:21:06 > 0:21:11great ally, up a great strike, and it will be interesting to see if
0:21:11 > 0:21:21Hartlepool can keep hold of him. Some Premier League scouts floating
0:21:21 > 0:21:21
0:21:21 > 0:21:25around? Maybe he should have a season or two at Hartlepool. One of
0:21:25 > 0:21:31my colleagues said he was like a younger Michael Owen. He has worked
0:21:31 > 0:21:37hard to be part of the academy. He was kicked from pillar to post, no
0:21:37 > 0:21:42fear, got up and laugh it off. There is good spirit in him.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46We are staying with Hartlepool for a moment. It is their turn on foot
0:21:46 > 0:21:50golf. The game that is gripping the region, as James Stephenson
0:21:50 > 0:21:55described it on Twitter, without a hint of sarcasm. So can the boys
0:21:55 > 0:21:58hit the flag or find the green, avoiding the bunker and the water?
0:21:58 > 0:22:01When I say green, bunker and water, I mean centre-circle, bucket of
0:22:01 > 0:22:11sand and kids' paddling pool. Who said the licence fee is a waste of
0:22:11 > 0:22:19
0:22:19 > 0:22:29is food golf. One veteran is all the way from Carlisle, Paul Murray.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33
0:22:33 > 0:22:43-- footgolf. Excellent, good start. Next,
0:22:43 > 0:22:44
0:22:44 > 0:22:54representing Stockton, Antony Sweeney. Straighten up! Come on!
0:22:54 > 0:23:15
0:23:15 > 0:23:22Next, a younger player, Gary Lidl. Dr Paul Johnston. Straighten up!
0:23:22 > 0:23:32And representing Barnsley, Neil Austin. He has used the wings too
0:23:32 > 0:24:10
0:24:10 > 0:24:20much. -- used the wind. Come on, changing the run-up. Decent.
0:24:20 > 0:24:31
0:24:31 > 0:24:41Next, the team coach, Nikkei baron. -- Micky Barron. Drive! Drive!
0:24:41 > 0:24:43
0:24:44 > 0:24:47And last, Richard. Sorry. Very windy conditions today,
0:24:47 > 0:24:57as you can see, not ideal. But thank you for coming down to
0:24:57 > 0:24:58
0:24:58 > 0:25:08Hartlepool. Saussure is the leader board. Hartlepool could not beat
0:25:08 > 0:25:09
0:25:09 > 0:25:16I guess it is nice on the training ground to break things up a bit and
0:25:16 > 0:25:20had something like that. You can forget about the real thing for
0:25:20 > 0:25:30half an hour or so, so I can imagine the boys will be more than
0:25:30 > 0:25:34up for that. I am glad to hear that. But we are still unsure about it. I
0:25:35 > 0:25:40think the producer would like the paddling pool for his daughters. We
0:25:40 > 0:25:45know about some transfer news. Alyn Smith will move up to MK Dons from
0:25:45 > 0:25:51Newcastle. I gather he liked their style of football seeing them on
0:25:51 > 0:25:56television. Yes, a strange one, some Championship clubs would have
0:25:56 > 0:26:02loved to have taken him. A professional, not suffering since
0:26:02 > 0:26:07his injuries, with a lot to offer in terms of experience. Maybe he
0:26:07 > 0:26:17has dropped down for me, maybe dropping down a level too much, but
0:26:17 > 0:26:20
0:26:20 > 0:26:26he could do a good job in the Premier leaks. -- leaks.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29We talk about how important younger players are. But someone on a
0:26:29 > 0:26:36short-term basis can make the difference in terms of points, but
0:26:36 > 0:26:46also be spread in the dressing room. Of course. Experience always helps.
0:26:46 > 0:26:53I believe that. You would start to say that. Yes. I believe experience
0:26:53 > 0:26:57helps. Even six months or one season, it can help the team.
0:26:57 > 0:27:03Especially the young players. If Sunderland goal for Kevin Davies, I
0:27:03 > 0:27:10am sure he could be a great signing. What about the problems at the
0:27:10 > 0:27:17borough? What about these defeats? Apart from the back you and Kevin
0:27:17 > 0:27:26Thomson were sent off? We were doing well until the end of the
0:27:26 > 0:27:31year, then for some reason, we lost the last three games. We were
0:27:31 > 0:27:36disappointed with that, but we have plenty of games still to play, so
0:27:36 > 0:27:44we can hopefully turn around. We believe confidence will be hag.
0:27:44 > 0:27:54Hopefully, -- confidence will be high. Hopefully, we can start to
0:27:54 > 0:27:55
0:27:55 > 0:28:01climb in the table again. Simon, you were impressed with Sunderland.
0:28:01 > 0:28:07We have seen the form table for the last 6 games. It is going well for
0:28:07 > 0:28:11them. The thinking behind, Kevin Davies will be the big saga, the
0:28:11 > 0:28:17idea of getting him in but 18 months is to try and plea on the
0:28:17 > 0:28:24pitch as well as up and influence behind the scenes and try to help
0:28:24 > 0:28:29improve the strikers. Martin O'Neill has a habit of bringing in
0:28:29 > 0:28:36unhappy players and making them fantastic again. Kevin Davies will
0:28:36 > 0:28:41be fantastic for Sunderland. Simon, thank you for coming to see us.