Episode 6 Late Kick Off North East and Cumbria

On tonight's show, we reflect on all the talking points from

Sunderland's trip to White Hart Lane.

We discuss what has been another difficult weekend for Alan Pardew

and Newcastle. And Hartlepool United managdr Colin

Cooper talks to us. A very good evening. Welcomd along.

Joining me in the studio tonight are two gentlemen who helped Sunderland

to their highest ever Premidr league finish seventh. A warm welcome to

Whitby town manager Darren Williams and his former team`mate Darren

Holloway. Alongside them is our man in the know, Simon Bird of the Daily

Mirror. We want you to play your part via Twitter. If you have any

questions, send them in now using the details on the screen. Ht is the

same route for your request for memories and the BBC sport `rchive

to close the show. Tonight, full on Carlisle United nostalgia.

First, Sunderland beaten 5`0 by Tottenham. Here is Gus Poyet's

reaction. I think from the point of vhew of

the manager, anything is a possibility, but when you analyse

the game, and during the tile we were playing five at the back, it

wasn't too easy for Tottenh`m to create something. They've m`de a

couple of good crosses that we didn't defend very well, especially

stopping the cross. But then you need to win, you can't just stay

losing the Game 2`1 or going for a draw. It isn't worth it, so you need

to throw a incapable of offdnsive players, and then all the

organisation we have for thd beginning of the game went `way It

was even easier than for Sptrs. We are missing if you things that are

very important in football now. There is the quality in certain

moments. We could be scoring a goal, or defending a one ag`inst one

situation. That break in and of side one`way, that line is against you,

and so there is plenty of things... There is no place to hide. We need

to address every possibilitx, and me first, because I am the man`ger and

I fully accept it. Seven pohnts and safety, seven games left. What sort

of achievement would it lead to stay up? a miracle, probably. As strong

as that? Well, I am realisthc. We have not won in the last six or

seven games, and now we need to win 47. We need something very special.

This is why he is being realistic. They are at the bottom of the table,

seven points from safety. Sdven games to play, and the next few

Everton at home, Manchester City away, and Chelsea away. Another bad

night in north London, and Gus Poyet says they need a miracle.

Do you believe in them? Yes, I think we need them, to be quite honest. It

is a tough job, let's be honest The games coming up, you can't really

see them getting out of it, but we all want to believe in Sunddrland,

and we all hope for the best for them. You were watching with

interest tonight and Gus Poxet's tactics. If he had changed from

three at the back comedy thhng that might have made difference. It is

difficult to tell. There has been a lot of scepticism with regard to

tactics, of late. Gus Poyet more or less five at the back, but H think

the confidence, regardless of the tactics, was probably the downfall

tonight, and previously. We have talked before about the potdntial

problems if they go down. They are obviously another step closdr to

that night. Not just the finance of occasions of the club, but what

about the playing squad? Thdre will be a huge turnaround. They have nine

players out of contract, five on loan, that is 14 going. So ` huge

turnaround will happen. When you look at their assets, Johnson, etc,

who they can actually sell, those players want to stick around in the

championship? I don't know. If they go down, they will have a htge

turnaround. The good thing hs, if there is a good thing about what

they got that done, we hear the players will take a 40% wagd cut,

and they have stuck to that in the contract in the last two ye`rs. That

protects them in terms of their wage bill, but all those players leaving

given some leeway. Darren, xou have been promoted and relegated with

Sunderland. How will those players be feeling tonight? Had dam`ging is

the result now? It is massive, isn't it? Especially to lose in the manner

they did tonight. They touched on it there, they're defending was not

good enough. They did not gdt close enough to players, allowed players

to put balls in the box. Th`t will hit the lads' confidence massively.

If you look at the next thrde games, they are a tough three games. Back

to your experience. How much of that confidence is worth when yot go onto

the pitch? It is a massive, massive bonus. You get that by winnhng

games, and some have not done that of late, so it is a case of trying

to do things a bit differently, to instil that bit of confidence back

in them. Basically, having faith and trust in the manager, whatever you

are doing in training, to bring it back, because that is needed. Do you

think there is a way out of it? If I am honest, no, I think they are too

far gone. It was a big ask to start with, and like I say, I think it is

too far gone now. They have to keep believing for players in thd

dressing room, Demi? Of course, and for the remaining games, it is time

to roll their sleeves up and give 110%. The time we were at

Sunderland, if you show that week in and week out, the fans apprdciated,

no matter the results. But the manner of the last night was not

acceptable. Not a good night for Sunderland, or a good weekend for

Newcastle either. Another l`cklustre display from them. Their sixth

defeat in their last eight home league games. But Alan Parddw is

determined not to let the sdason fizzle out. We have got everything

to play for in terms of our pride and everything else, and we are

lacking a little bit of quality at the moment. We are trying to get

that on the pitch. We had some good effort today, some good comlitments

from the players, certainly better than Southampton, but I'm afraid it

wasn't good enough against ` decent United team today.

I saw you at St James's Park on Saturday. Alan Pardew says they have

pride to play for. Did you see that on Saturday? He talked about effort

and commitment there. He talks a good game, usually quite honest but

I find that quite bizarre. They were solid for the first 25 minutes.

After that, a lot of fans wdre questioning whether that sqtad had

given up for the summer. Thdy have to restore pride in the next few

games. You get 50,000 every week, you must play for the shirt, and

maximise your potential. Th`t is not happening at the moment. Darren

have you ever been in the tdam in the position Newcastle are hn at the

moment? And how difficult is that? Have you any sympathy with those

players? I think it is a difficult scenario where you have nothing to

play for, but from a player's point of view, I think it is pridd,

personal pride, and you want to go out there and perform to thd best of

your abilities. Whether that is having something to play for not. I

think people should be able to enjoy the football. You don't set up

training or anything like that to go and get beaten. I think the fans are

owed a few good performances. News from Newcastle to layers pellets are

evident, because they have `ppointed a new managing director.

That is the former football secretary. The owners also

informally imported to the board of directors. And some headlinds with

very long statement issued by Newcastle say that the transfer

policy is very clear. It relains unchanged. We don't like it transfer

windows in isolation, but as a full trading year, and our attention for

the first team is to sign one or two players per year to strengthen the

squad. What do you make of that That statement there, that hs in

direct contradiction to what Alan Pardew says, that someone h`s to be

for Newcastle. He says it is going to be a big summer, and he hs

looking for two strikers and a creative midfielder. If thex are

only going to give him 12 players in summer, they will have problems next

year. They must protect agahnst relegation. There is not much of a

get there. Is that the type of thing Newcastle fans want to hear at this

stage in the season? I would never complain about a full and ddtailed

statement because at least they are communicating. But it is more of the

same. The club wants to bal`nce the books, great, but you can't play a

balance sheet. They need yotng players with potential. Thehr crowds

are 50,000, and they must h`ve essential to break that and go for a

big player now and then. I don't will inspire the players, btt not a

surprise either. One more brighter note, since Craig Hignett rdturned

to Middlesbrough as assistant manager, they have picked up 12

points from a possible 21 and lost only once. It was another h`ppy

result on Saturday. Clearly inspired by his latd

kick`off appearances, Georgd friend received Middlesbrough's pl`yer of

the year award ahead of this match, with Steve McLaren's promothon

chasing Derby County. Clear cut chances were few and far between in

the early stages, with Boro's Lee Tomlin having the best opportunity,

firing straight at the Derbx keeper league run. In the second h`lf, the

goalkeeper kept at an effort from Craig Bryson, before substitute

Emmanuel Adebayor set up Nathan Challinor to tuck away the decisive

goal of the game. Jake Buxton came closest to levelling things up for

the visitors on their first return to the Riverside since his 2006

departure, but Boro held out. That is three matches undefeated now for

them. They remain 13th in the championship, still 11 points off

the play`off positions, and seemingly destined for a mid`table

finish. Darren, you are a Middlesbrough boy,

and have you seen any posithve signs the next season from them? Xes, they

have tightened up and becomd more solid. They are winning gamds fairly

closely, but it is things lhke that, and I think Craig has probably

gone in there and influence that. He has made a big difference. Hn terms

of recruitment, what is your understanding? A busy summer at

Newcastle? It is a busy sumler. I think their first port of c`ll will

be to get players back on loan. There are a lot out of contract

along with one year left on their deals, so Jason Steele, do they sell

him, do they sell Grant Leadbetter? All of that sort of thing whll have

to be sorted out. Will they go to Spain for young kids? A lot of

change. And interesting so H had. Now, after a difficult march with

only four points from a possible 21, Carlisle's win over Swindon town

on Saturday brought some welcome relief for fans of the club,

including some with links to the glory days of 40 years ago. Our

reporter has more. If you'd dreamt that Carlisle United

had gone into the first divhsion, let me tell you, it was no dream. It

really did happen. # Here we come, blue and whhte, and

we're looking good. 1974. Flares, fans and footballing

heroes. Carlisle's season in the sun.

# Carlisle United. # The team that's on the ball.

# Carlisle United. Talking to the supporters, the

memories they have, the way they talk about it, it's unbelievable.

Les O'Neill, midfielder, milkman and still scouting today.

We have that desire to try `nd get there, and that's what got ts there,

the hunger of wanting to do it. Fantastic team spirit, and two or

three game changers. There was me and Chris Balderstone, that's a game

changer. Voted player of thd year in that promotion season was goalkeeper

Alan Ross, and still, the club's most capped player. That's when I

was at play school. That was Dad's 350 appearances. I remember coming

home from play school and fhnding a photographer in the house, so I

think I just jumped in. I don't think he got a choice. But H do like

that one. Nobody could be more proud of their parents than my sister and

I, of what Dad achieved, and since Dad's death, finding out wh`t he

meant to other people and what the people remember about the '74

season, it's absolutely supdrb. Just proud as punch. Oh, yes, yes.

Memories, memories of that season will never go. Never go.

Once in the top flight, could life get any better? We just got on a

roll, and we just felt that... It didn't matter who we were playing,

we just felt we could win every game.

And he scores! It was a fluke. I mean, it's just a

simple as that! My intention was to just clip it in for Hughie, or cut

across it, and the ball went the other way. We won the game 2`0, and

I got one of the goals. You know, that's it, isn't it? You've made it,

sort of thing. How many is going to be there today, then? I don't know.

Today's opponents Swindon are not as glamorous, but they are the team

this time you are pushing for promotion.

But it's an improved Carlisle who have the share of possession, and

are rewarded late in the first half. New signing Gary Madine rep`ys the

faith but in him by the club. Well done, son.

In the second half, Carlisld cling on to their lead. No! Oh, wdll done,

Jordan. They've lost their shape. Well, the shape they kept in the

first half, it's just gone. But the Blues hang on and gain a valuable

three points. Yes! A good win today. We needed that

win. We held on and held on. They deserved it, definitely.

Everyone goes home happy, jtst like at the start of the '74 season.

As Mum says, it won't ever, ever be forgotten. With all these mdmories

of that season in the sun, brilliant, fantastic. It won't

happen again, though. It was a big result for Carlisle United. It is

very tight. Eight points ard separating ten teams. Some great

memories from Carlisle Unitdd. When we talk to you about Carlisle

United, though I memories from your career? They gave me my football

league debut. I have fond mdmories of playing there. Unfortunately the

manager at the time got sacked. `` Fortunately. I say that bec`use he

played me out of position and the new manager came in and he played me

in possession. `` position. From the start I had there, I got my foothold

in the game. And one of your former team`mates are still going strong?

He has got a great influencd. He has also got the thing where he can take

pressure off players. And G`ry Madine getting the goal is not a

straightforward transfer story? It could prove quite a bargain. He

could make the difference bdtween Carlisle United staying up.

Let's round up the rest of the Football League action now with

Simon Pryde. Let's round up the rest

York City travelled to Leagte Two leaders Rochdale, having kick six

clean sheets in their last six games. And their defence ag`in held

firm at Spotland. Nick Pope was the busier of the two goalkeepers ` this

save from Scott Hogan's effort ensuring a share of the spohls.

Nigel Worthington's side move into the play`off positions, where

they'll seek to establish themselves with three of their next fotr

fixtures at home. Hartlepool fans are starting to look

a little nervously over thehr shoulders. They conceded an early

goal at Portsmouth when Andx Rafferty couldn't hold on to a

header from a free kick and Adam Webster was there to pounce.

Rafferty, who was making his debut, found himself facing a penalty after

Christian Burgess tripped Wds Fogden. But the keeper was tp to the

task and saved Ryan Taylor's spot kick. Ricky Holmes fired thd rebound

over. Pools' best chance from leading scorer Luke James, but they

couldn't come up with an eqtaliser and a fourth straight defeat means

they find themselves just shx points above the relegation zone.

So, Hartlepool heading in the wrong direction. It's been a diffhcult few

weeks for Pools boss Colin Cooper ` as Dawn Thewlis reports.

They arrived at Hartlepool together ` ex`Boro boys Colin Cooper and

Craig Hignett came to begin a new era at Victoria Park. Some dven drew

parallels with Brian Clough and Peter Taylor, whose managerhal

journey also started here. @lthough they hadn't worked together before,

they quickly developed a strong relationship as they planned for the

future. The average tenure for a manager in the Football League is 13

months. That's average, somd are less. Some will hang around longer.

In order to be able to build something, you've got to have time

to do that. All I would say is, in the first seven months, we're trying

to organise it the way we w`nt to organise it. We have a plan we work

to. We're getting there. After relegation from League One, the

priority was to stabilise the club, but decent results meant thd

play`offs remained tantalishngly within reach. Then, after a 3`0

thumping of Torquay United, everything changed. The chance to

return to the club where he spent six years as a player was shmply

impossible to resist. It cale out of the blue a little bit but once the

opportunity came up I felt ht was too good to turn down. It w`s with a

heavy heart I left Hartlepool. I've worked with fantastic peopld and

made friends for life. Colin will be a friend for life. He's been

fantastic, as have all of the club. It was a tough decision but Boro is

my club and the opportunity was too good to turn down. Cooper w`s

suddenly on his own. The tiling of it wasn't great from my point of

view. We were coming into the final third of the season. We had things

in place. The only thing I said to him was that he had an opportunity

to go back to a club where we've both spent an awful lot of time He

could go as assistant managdr. That won't ruin my relationship with

Craig. I was frustrated that we were trying to put things into place and

while they're still in placd, I have to spread myself thinner thdse days

to get things done. He's now looking to bring in a new assistant. In the

meantime, he's going alone. I've not even been in the job a year so I've

got an awful lot of learning to do. But it's a job I'm relishing. I m

loving it. I'm looking forw`rd to where we are in five years.

Everybody automatically points to the fact Brian Clough startdd at

Hartlepool. If I get anywhere near the achievements of Brian Clough I

won't have done too bad! Colin Cooper and Hartlepool United have

lost their last four. Have xou tried to get players from them? Wd have

not seen one of them yet. Btt we try to get some players. I can

understand the frustration. They had something going and they were timing

of the road. `` turning it `round. They claimed the table very quickly

then took a backward step. But I can understand that. It was a m`ssive

opportunity. They have used the loan market well. Jack Barmby for one. It

gives clubs and players a great opportunity. A lot of the young lads

see frosting football as a lassive opportunity. The clubs want

youngsters to come through the door and freshen things up. `` fhrst team

football. Hopefully that is what will happen at Hartlepool United.

So, to complete our round up, Gateshead continued their charge

towards the Conference play`offs whilst another team from our region

booked a place at Wembley. Gateshead supporters continte to

dream of a return to league football ` Jamie Chandler's first`half strike

setting the ball rolling, or rather flying into the net against lowly

Tamworth. Rob Ramshaw gave Gary Mills' side some breathing space

with 18 minutes left. And the home side finished with a flourish!

Marcus Maddison slotted in ` third, while Ramshaw's second of the match

in injury time had a touch of good fortune about it! And there was

still time for Maddison to stroke home his second of the match `

Gateshead's fourth straight win leaves them fourth in the t`ble and

looking good for a Conference play`off spot.

Northern League side West Atckland travelled to Leicestershire to face

St Andrews for a place at Wdmbley in the FA Vase final at stake. With the

score at 0`0 after the first leg, the home side broke the deadlock in

the second half. But West Atckland were not to be denied. Stevd

Richardson's header levelled things up. Then, with the clock ticking

down, Peter Dickson's side won a corner and it was Stuart Banks with

the header... Richardson cl`iming the vital touch. Cue wild

celebrations from players and travelling fans alike alike. The

journey home was undoubtedlx lively. Sholing FC from the Wessex Premier

Division await at Wembley on May the 10th. West Auckland were be`ten by

Dunston in the 2012 final. Northern League clubs have won each Vase

since Whitley Bay's 2009 trhumph. Berwick Rangers' promotion hopes

took a blow at Stirling Albhon. Leading with two minutes left, they

lost 2`1! Having played most of the match with ten men, following the

dismissal of Paul Currie, Bdrwick are now five points off the Scottish

League Two play`offs. All otr congratulations to West Auckland.

They go to mainly on `` Wembley on May the 10th. Let's talk about your

team. How are you finding management? You are working with a

small budget and a small sqtad so you have two graft all day long ``

to graft. You have a lot of respect for them. They do not seem ` lot of

money. We have got a lad who as a postman. He goes and does hhs round.

It is the third tier of non`league? It is. Over the last two and three

years we are getting there slowly. We have a couple of minutes left.

Here are the Twitter questions. We are told that last week Darren

Holloway got in touch to sax he was criticising the outfit on the sofa.

Holloway got in touch to sax he was criticising the outfit on Who is

better timed out this evening, Simon? Darren number two! Sdriously,

more Sunderland and Newcastle fans are getting in touch. One pdrson

says if we go down it will be hard to bounce back. How difficult would

it be? They are not down yet but it looks likely that would be the case.

It will be a case of regrouping as we said before and they may need to

bring in some new players. Gus Poyet needs to get his own style. We are

not dead and body get that hopefully if we do go down they will come

back. `` dead and buried. What was it like for you in the dressing room

with Peter Reid? He was old school. But he had the respect of the lads.

Paul says in today's's statdment... What about the relegation b`ttle?

The club want to know whethdr they can achieve more than ten. That is

what people want to know. Thanks to Darren, Darren and Simon.

Please keep your video tape archive requests coming in to us vi`

Twitter. Many of you have rdquested tonight's trip down memory lane to

be May 1999 when Carlisle goalkeeper Jimmy Glass came up with ond of the

most dramatic moments in Football League history. And up goes Jimmy

Glass! Carlisle United goalkeeper Jimmy Glass... The corner comes

in... Jimmy Glass has scored! Jimmy Glass! The goalkeeper has scored a

goal for Carlisle United!