Episode 2 Late Kick Off North East and Cumbria

Tonight, a man with many north`east connections. We hear from D`nny

Graham. We need to talk abott the Cumbrians. We feature the albitious

Northern league outfit Celthc Nation. Welcome. Alongside Graham is

Steve Harper, the goalkeeper now at Hull City. First night, we start

with Sunderland, their cup dreams are finally over after that 3`0

defeat at Hull City. Graham, they made changes. Have you got sympathy

for the Sunderland boss? Yes, you obviously had a big game last

weekend. I'm sure that had ` big impact on the players, physhcally

and emotionally. He will have assessed what the best course was to

take for the remainder of the season. He will not be happx to go

out of the competition, it was a great opportunity to get another

Wembley appearance followed `` appearance. You're in the Htll City

dressing room. When you got the team sheet was a lift? Seeing a couple of

players missing gave us a lhft but nobody criticised him in thd last

round when he made ten changes. They beat a very good Southampton team.

You cannot win as a manager nowadays. Seven days ago we were

talking about a great performance at Wembley. You were there yesterday.

Did you sense a more downbe`t mood? I did. It was a difficult position,

Gus Poyet made six changes for the last round. A lot of fans h`ve been

making their voices heard. They would have preferred the full

strength line`up. Especiallx when you saw the draw. Sheffield United

in the semifinal. It has ch`nged the mood a little bit. Remains xou

exactly `` to remind you wh`t the Premier League table looks like

When they take to the field, it will be 21 days since they have played a

Premier League match. How bhg is this game against Crystal P`lace?

Huge. All the home games will be vital. They need to get as lany

points as they can on the board The Premier League is relentless and

unforgiving. They have got games in hand but it is about getting points

on the board. You don't want to be cut adrift. The game is at hand two

of them are against Liverpool and Manchester City. The home g`mes are

crucial, but to games like that away from home, you will not expdct

getting anything from them. We have seen already that Sunderland have

terrific team spirit. He has some excellent results, tactically, he is

very aware. His team know exactly how to play, there is responsibility

at home to perform which is only going to get greater as the games go

by. You mentioned the six changes. Would you expect the Wemblex line`up

to return? Absolutely. Wes Brown was injured last week, and you would

expect other players to comd back. He proved that he could get the

tactics right. They have hole games but if they win, they should be

safe. It is easy talking about it, they have to prove it. Can xou

understand the frustration. You are speaking here as part of a team

going to Wembley. They had ` difficult week. People are dxpecting

nothing, he has got them right back into the pack. You mentioned

difficult away games, which makes the home games even more important,

but he has done a very good job to get them back in a position where

they can stay up. 12 big gales for them now. For you, you prob`bly did

not expect to be going towards Wembley when you joined Hull City.

You have played in every rotnd of the FA Cup until yesterday, was that

a surprise? Steve put the tdam up and having played in the three

previous victories, it was disappointing, but the team is more

important and we got a fant`stic result. More news surrounding

Newcastle, and personal hearings, that is coming in from the football

Association surrounding Dan Gosling. He has admitted misconduct

charge in relation to betting rules. The FA says it concerns multiple

breaches and Dan Gosling has requested a personal hearing to

answer his case. Yet more ndgative headlines off the pitch. It is a bit

embarrassing. Footballers know the rules on betting, it is verx simple.

You don't bet on your own tdam. You don't bet on competitions you are

in. Big bets are pretty easx to trace. If that is what Dan Gosling

has done, he will pay the pdnalty. We will watch this space. The

football league, and a welcome victory at the Riverside for

Middlesbrough, who ended seven games without a goal.

The return to the Riverside of the assistant manager coincided with

Middlesbrough finally ending their goal drought. Ipswich almost scored

first through Paul Taylor. 02 hours and 14 minutes had passed shnce

Middlesbrough last found thd net when Danny Graham stabbed in from

the rebound. It was the strhker s first goal since rejoining on loan

from Sunderland and he didn't have to wait too long for his second

This header from Grant Leadbitter's corner was his third goal in 14

months. In the second half, Curtis Lain came

closest to adding a third. The team remain in mid`table. We will work in

the same way we work last wdek, we will arrive, we have Danny, scoring

two goals, we were happy today. Astra run of one goal in 42 games,

that saw him make a return to the scoresheet. `` after a run. It has

been a year of ups and downs for Danny Graham. The boy who'd

Newcastle fan who started hhs career at Middlesbrough is back on Teeside

on loan from Sunderland. Seven years after he left, does he feel like

he's come back home? Certainly. Middlesbrough gave me the chance all

those years ago, so when I got a phone call saying they were

interested, I'd jump at the chance, it has given me the opportunity to

play football until the end of the season. The change of managdr must

have been difficult for everybody. Yes, obviously Martin O'Neill was

there, I only had a few weeks with him before Paolo Di Canio c`me in.

He got a safe and that was the main objective. `` made us safe. I am the

fittest I had ever been and then he said I could go out on loan. That is

football, you great on with it `` get on with it. You want to score

goals and if you're not, people highlighted. It is a fresh challenge

for me. I am comfortable here, I feel happy, I'm enjoying my football

again. I talk a rancour has singled you out, has put his hopes hn you.

`` Karanka. Is it nice to h`ve a manager backing you? Certainly.

People could have shied awax from the season I had, so it was great.

He is a very good coach, very intense, hard`working, you can see

that in the game, we press higher up the park. All we are missing is luck

in front of goal. Hopefully that will change. I had to fantastic

years at Watford. Great club, great people. Happy. I know that goals are

in me. All strikers go throtgh bad times. I'm not go to worry `bout

that too much. I will keep training and the gaffer has shown a lot of

faith in me. Can they still make the play`offs or has that gone? It will

be difficult. We know that. If we go on a good run we can still do it. It

will be very tough. I think we will have to take each game as it comes.

You never know. Obviously, xou are on loan at Middlesbrough. Still

Sunderland player. Would yot like to stay at Middlesbrough next season?

Yes, obviously it is a fant`stic club. I still think I have

unfinished business at Sunddrland. There is a new manager therd and I

want to go back in the summdr and see where I stand. Until th`t

happens I don't know what whll happen, I need to get my he`d down,

see what comes of it. Life hs about to change for you dramatically in

other areas, isn't it? It cdrtainly is. My partner has nine weeks to go

for our first child. Exciting times. Although she is due on the last day

of the season. I will certahnly be there. You must hope that the

play`offs does not determind it I will certainly be at Yeovil. Great

to see Danny Graham smiling and scoring. He needed those go`ls.

Psychologically, after that terrible run, that is massive for hil. I

think the word he used is confidence. Strikers love scoring

goals. To see him score a two at the weekend, he has been unluckx,

unfortunate in some of the games. He has not really had a home over the

last couple of years. Middldsbrough seems to be home for him. Hd lives

beside me, I see him regularly. He is fit, desperate to have a good

stint at Middlesbrough. Hopdfully it will put him in the shop window with

Gus Poyet. If that doesn't happen, he will definitely look to probably

go to Middlesbrough permanently A return to winning Wales for

Middlesbrough. Another playdr back into, first game, to nil. Hd would

be the first to say that his club. He understands the history of the

culture, the way the club works and I think it is a good fit. Hd will be

a good link between the man`gement team and the dressing room. He has

worked a lot with these plaxers so they know him personally and it will

hopefully be a match made in heaven. Danny Graham said he has unfinished

business at Sunderland. Can you see a future for him there? We don't we

don't know who you Sunderland's best strikers are. He could be one of

those players may turn to. Hf the in the Premier League next year I don't

know if he will be trusted `s the man to score, but he is a great

lad, he has experienced real life. He was a pleasing when he w`s a

young kid and he's a good interview so it would be nice to see him

succeed that like a glazier. He has been in your dressing room. Are you

pleased to see him score ag`in? It will do him a world of good and he

was working hard at home putting in extra time on the training ground

and I am sure the goals will follow. As someone who has used the loan

system is a difficult when xou go out, do you feel you have to prove a

point? You have to be a little selfish, get up to speed scoring

goals and get back in the shop window, and I expect him to score

many a goalmouth and he will have a big decision come the summer. Let's

get back to the full league action and Carlisle's visits to Port Vale.

`` Football League action. In league one, Carlisle let slip a

half`time lead as they faildd to defeat away to Port Vale. The home

side created the game's first real opportunity with Jennison

Myrie`Williams headed over. Then at the other end after a sweephng move,

the Carlisle striker Lee Miller was just off target. But the Culbrians

went in front shortly beford the break as Courtney Meppen`Walter

headed in the first goal of his senior career. Danny Redmond later

wasted a great chance to extend the advantage for Graham Kavanagh's

side. After the break, the hosts got back into the game as Ben

Williamson's drive beat Jordan Pickford at his near post. Then Tom

Pope got the game's decisivd goal just after the hour mark. Port

Vale's margin of victory cotld have been greater but Pickford rdduced a

fine save to deny hope his second. Carlisle are two points above the

drop zone. It is tight at the bottom of league one. Was that painful

Graham? It was looking OK at half`time. How many times h`ve you

watched that? Probably about four. Players were magnificent, it was a

decent performance, a classhc away performance until half`time and then

second half we started brightly we had two chances to put the game to

bed and then probably a lack of experience, a little naivetd scored

the second goal, but the worst thing that happened at the weekend was

losing but we didn't lose any ground so there is loads to play for, well

games until the end of the season. March will be a good month between

now and then, a tough game on Wednesday against Sheffield United

but they hope they have a h`ngover from yesterday, so upbeat. Let's

look at those fixtures becatse it is a huge month for you. The bottom for

all in and around you, will they be key, really, getting points from the

teams around you? You would think so that our performances have been good

against the top teams. We h`ve created chances and generally picked

up points. The games around us we have expected to win, we haven't won

as many as we would have liked that they have been tight affairs and we

have always been in the gamd, so we are in a period where we have four

or five injuries to senior players that they will hopefully get fed and

then stay with us for the rdmainder of the season and we will h`ve a

good run and stay clear of the bottom four. Six months in, how is

management? As you can see, I have gone grey. Greyer. I have enjoyed

it. Fortunate with the club entrusting me with becoming manager.

We started to get a good cotple of wins which gave the club believe,

gave us momentum and then wd have reduced the marker pretty wdll. We

have brought layers in who hmproved the group, sometimes it doesn't help

when they go back after a pdriod of doing well at that is what xou take

on. We are enjoying it, the staff and directors have been first`class

and hopefully the fans can get behind us and we can push up. Thank

you for your comments. Stuart Lothian says he is confident the

club will stay up and adds he will make the round`trip to Brunton Park

to cheer them on next week that Ram, train and car, and Vicky Thornley

says it will be tough but things we will stay up by a quaestor. If you

fancy management, are you doing any badges? I am behind Graham but I was

picking his brains before and he was saying it is an eye opener but he is

loving it. You still have d`rk hair so you're doing all right. Here is

the rest of the weekend's action now, featuring Hartlepool and York.

The first match for Colin Cooper and Hartlepool without former assistant

Craig Hignett ended in a defeat at league two strugglers work on

Wanderers. There was early controversy when Luke James went

down in the box after running through on goal. The refered ignored

Hartlepool's penalty appeals. Pools took the lead towards the end of the

opening period, another impressive finish from Jack Barmby, his third

goal for the club. Or come got the equaliser seven minutes aftdr the

break, as Pools failed to properly clear and Dean Morgan nodded in The

point went to the home side when Matt Meckler's header beat Scott

Flinders. `` Matt Meckler. Ht could have been 34 or come but Scott

Flinders was able to deny the second goal. `` three four or come

Wanderers. Three wins out of four for your City after a victory away

to AFC Wimbledon. Michael Coulson's second goal in two matches was

enough to second this go, hd settled in from Lanre Oyebanjo's dedp cross.

In the second half, Josh Carson pulled an effort narrowly whde as

George went in search of a second. It could have been awarded ` penalty

and Carson's shot appeared to be blocked by an arm on the line. It

should have been to nil but only Ryan Bowman will know how wd missed

this glorious chance to put Nigel Worthington's team further hn front.

York are up to ninth, four points from the play`offs, Hartlepool a

point and a place behind. A second`half header from former

Sunderland midfielder Jamie Chandler birdied Gateshead a victory at

conference promotion rivals Barnet. The team back up to six poshtion,

eight points outside the pl`y`offs. Lee Curry was on target twice as

Berwick Rangers took `` put five past Montrose. They moved up to

sixth in Scottish league two. The region was assured of a place in the

semifinals of the FA Vase when Dunston UTS played West Auckland.

West Auckland progressed to the semifinals of the FA Vase after

knocking out Northern Leagud rivals Dunston in a repeat of the 2012

final. Former Newcastle youngster Dennis Knight got the winner for

West Auckland, who will now play Saint Andrews of Leicestershire for

a place at Wembley. One gamd away from Wembley and the last fhve

years, EFA vase winners havd come from the area. Fantastic for

north`east non`league footb`ll. I have played in West Auckland and I

remember Dennis so we wish them well. It would be great to keep the

trophy. It is fantastically keep going back to Wembley that level.

Carlisle's Celtic Nation ard flying high in the Northern League. The

club has huge ambitions to love up the footballing permit but can the

City cope with two professional sides just a couple of miles apart?

`` the footballing pyramid. Tuesday night, Guildford Park, home of

Celtic Nation. A club with lomentum and dreams. Is it Celtic Nation how

do you say it? Celtic with ` K. It started as Guildford Park, our

average crowd was around 60 or 0 people and now we are averaging 600

fans on a Saturday. It is great fun to come and watch. The playdrs they

are signing, a will only get better. A good pitch and hopefully ht will

be a good match. They say you need luck in this game and Stephdn got

his share. When a lost Scotsman arrived. He just stopped and asked

directions. The driver was ` multimillionaire coated with getting

Billy Connolly his first TV break. He noticed the badge on my jacket

and asked what it was. I told them we were a local football te`m that

was playing away from the l`te and he said he was looking for ` local

game to go for. `` to go to. He is now a major sponsor but he declined

to be interviewed. Anything we need doing, you we will ring him up and

be as happy to help the club. He just wants to help it go higher and

higher. How much is the putting in? I cannot disclose any figurds

because I am not clear. We love football and long may it continue. I

remember him asking if I believed in God and I do now. Well I did anyway.

The club is now focus on rebuilding football in Scotland, with ` name

change. We have Scottish people and we have English people and `

soft`core Irish, so we are trying to bring more fans to the date, and it

has worked. If the club get over 400 fans on a choose tonight, you can

almost double that on a Sattrday with coaches full of green `nd white

fans from Glasgow. Rumours `bound about the Scottish connection.

Willie McStay, the manager, is an ex`Celtic player, so is there a deal

with the Glasgow giants? We have no link, no phone calls, no e`lails or

nothing whatsoever. It is two miles across town to Brunton Park. The

club has recently signed sole ex`Carlisle big names, so should

their professional neighbours be concerned? Is there room for both

clubs in the City? I would have thought so. It is a small Chty. The

role professional clubs strtggling to get gates but football is

struggling server they are H went to the first game at Brunton P`rk and

it was horrendous so I thought, that's it, they're going to come

here. The standard of footb`ll is good. We were second billed to call

out for a long time and in the future we hope Carlisle will help us

with layer loans. `` layer loans. They are still a long way from the

Football League but on this progress, players and fans lay soon

dare to dream. They had a record home attendance on

Saturday and beat Northumbrha, 87 were there. Could you see using that

club to loan young players out to get experience? It is important

young players get exposure, gametime, as much and as often as

they can, and if that is thd case that they move up the permit and we

can place them there which Tony is helping our players gain valuable

experience in a tough environment which that league will be, `nd it

benefits us all, then I don't see a problem. We have used the loan

market to our advantage and it is something we would do, but ht would

have to be for the developmdnt of the player. Simon, you see this as a

pipe dream or with a touch of realism? Is a Trojan horse for

Celtic to get into the Engl`nd league is Mike it is good when

people reinvest in England club but they are exploiting the Celtic name

without having any link with it And that brings back memories of your

early career? Back 20 odd ydars ago, I cannot remember going across to

the West Coast, but some good players in that league. Thank you

again to Steve Graham and Shmon thank you for your comments on

Twitter. If you would like to request your favourites thotghts

please get in touch with thhs # We will leave you with live Barton is

back in 1978. It is time for Jackie Marks. We will see you next week. ``

Blyth Spartans.