:00:18. > :00:22.On tonight's show: Another weekend of woe for Alan Pardew and
:00:23. > :00:25.Newcastle. Things look even bleaker at the
:00:26. > :00:30.Stadium of Light. Carlos Cudllar talks exclusively to Late Khck Off.
:00:31. > :00:33.Better news in the FA Sundax Cup. We're with Humbledon Plains Farm
:00:34. > :00:41.ahead of their big day at Ewood Park.
:00:42. > :00:46.So, very good evening. Plenty to discuss, and we have a star`studded
:00:47. > :00:48.line`up for you. The former Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper,
:00:49. > :00:51.the former Sunderland and Middlesbrough man Julio Arc` and a
:00:52. > :00:54.welcome back to Late Kick Off's current Middlesbrough defender
:00:55. > :00:58.George Friend. A reminder for you to get in touch
:00:59. > :01:03.as well, via Twitter. Use #LKONEC. You can also follow us. And keep
:01:04. > :01:09.those video tape archive repuests coming. We're getting plentx from
:01:10. > :01:12.you. Tonight we're going back 3 years to celebrate Super Kev, the
:01:13. > :01:16.player, at St James' Park. And we have to start with another
:01:17. > :01:20.man who spent many years at St James' Park, Steve Harper ` FA Cup
:01:21. > :01:25.finalist 2014! How does that sound? It sounds pretty good! Not `s good
:01:26. > :01:29.as FA Cup winner would sound, but it's great to be there. What a day
:01:30. > :01:34.for you yesterday? Pretty eventful day, yeah. It was the original game
:01:35. > :01:38.of two halves. At half`time I was thinking 'oh no, not again'. What a
:01:39. > :01:42.horrible place it is to go `nd lose. But we managed to turn it round
:01:43. > :01:46.It's fantastic for everybodx at the club and in the city. We'll go back
:01:47. > :01:50.and play Arsenal. On that d`y when you left Newcastle United, hf I d
:01:51. > :01:54.said to you in a year's timd you're going to be playing in an F@ Cup
:01:55. > :01:57.final what would you have s`id to me? I probably wouldn't havd
:01:58. > :02:01.believed you. But we're in ` decent position in the league and there's
:02:02. > :02:05.still work to do. Playing in an FA Cup final is pretty special. And we
:02:06. > :02:09.have a stat. We know you like your stats, Mr Harper! You should be very
:02:10. > :02:13.proud of this. Injury permitting, if you play you'll break the rdcord for
:02:14. > :02:15.the longest spell between two FA Cup final appearances. It's currently
:02:16. > :02:18.held by Charlie Buchan, the former Sunderland captain. He playdd in
:02:19. > :02:22.1913 for Sunderland, and 1927 for Arsenal. It was, of course, 15 years
:02:23. > :02:27.ago you last played in an F@ Cup final! It was, yeah. As I s`id, it's
:02:28. > :02:30.a horrible place to go and lose But hopefully I can put it right this
:02:31. > :02:32.time. Let's hope so. Well the Newcastle mood wasn't
:02:33. > :02:36.lifted this weekend, with another defeat. This time at Stoke ` their
:02:37. > :02:40.12th in the last 17 games. Here s the reaction of Alan Pardew. We re
:02:41. > :02:43.just not getting the breaks. We had three or four chances today and they
:02:44. > :02:47.were blocked on the line or whatever. But that's where we are at
:02:48. > :02:51.the minute. Hopefully we'll go to the next game and try to get
:02:52. > :02:55.ourselves a win. But I can't fault the character of the players and the
:02:56. > :02:59.honesty they put in. So it's four defeats on the spin now, just the
:03:00. > :03:02.one win in the last six gamds.. Can this season end quickly enotgh for
:03:03. > :03:06.you? No. We want the last four games. We want some respect back on
:03:07. > :03:10.the pitch. We want to try to get our fans a couple of wins beford the end
:03:11. > :03:14.of the season. Alan Pardew lentioned the fans. At Stoke on Saturday,
:03:15. > :03:17.Steve, they didn't really ldave the manager and the club in any doubt
:03:18. > :03:21.about their feelings, with the banners. What did you make of that?
:03:22. > :03:25.Well, in all my time there, when you start to lose the fans... If you're
:03:26. > :03:29.clever you can use the medi` to get your message across and try to turn
:03:30. > :03:33.that round. But he seems to have picked a fight with the medha now as
:03:34. > :03:36.well. It doesn't look good for Alan Pardew. Yes, he says the media in
:03:37. > :03:40.the North East haven't helpdd the club in recent weeks? The mddia are
:03:41. > :03:44.very much like the fans ` they respond to what they see on the
:03:45. > :03:47.pitch. Obviously, the fans `re very disappointed with what they've seen
:03:48. > :03:50.recently. Four games in a row they've lost. They just want to see
:03:51. > :03:53.people out there putting 100% in. Hopefully they'll get that on
:03:54. > :03:57.Saturday against Swansea. I played against Swansea last week. They re
:03:58. > :04:00.not really a team you want to be playing at home when the fans are
:04:01. > :04:04.demanding a response becausd they'll come and keep the ball and look to
:04:05. > :04:08.frustrate you. If the fans `re ready to turn, it could be a tough
:04:09. > :04:12.afternoon. But they need a win and hopefully they can get it then. 12
:04:13. > :04:15.defeats in their last 17 and they haven't scored in 12 of those games,
:04:16. > :04:19.either. I wonder, though, when you look at the squad as it is `t the
:04:20. > :04:22.moment, what you think is a realistic place where Newcastle
:04:23. > :04:25.should be in the Premier Le`gue It's probably realistic where they
:04:26. > :04:29.are at the moment. Having lost the likes of Cabaye, and Remy bding
:04:30. > :04:33.out... The mandate at the start of the season was a top ten finish but
:04:34. > :04:36.the ups and downs of the se`son and everything around Newcastle United
:04:37. > :04:40.at the moment... I've mentioned in the past they're an up and down club
:04:41. > :04:43.and everything's very much down at this time. George, it would seem at
:04:44. > :04:46.the moment that those Newcastle players just can't motivate
:04:47. > :04:48.themselves. Nothing to play for You were in that kind of situathon last
:04:49. > :04:52.year with Middlesbrough. How difficult, from a player's point of
:04:53. > :04:56.view, when you're in that shtuation, is it to keep going when yot can see
:04:57. > :05:00.the end of the season is so close? To be completely honest, I think if
:05:01. > :05:03.you're running out at St Jales' Park and you're not getting up for it
:05:04. > :05:06.then there's something wrong. I m sure, Steve, you'll agree whth that.
:05:07. > :05:10.It's a fantastic stadium. Rtnning out at any Premier League vdnue
:05:11. > :05:14.you've got to be up for the game. It's the Premier League ` you're
:05:15. > :05:17.playing for your shirt, the fans... There's so much passion up here
:05:18. > :05:21.about football. You've got to play for them. You've got to go hn for
:05:22. > :05:24.all the points and every position up the league is so important. There's
:05:25. > :05:27.no excuse, really. Give us `n insight ` how will that Newcastle
:05:28. > :05:30.dressing room be at the momdnt? Pretty flat. And that's when you're
:05:31. > :05:33.looking for inspiration and leadership, not just from your
:05:34. > :05:37.manager but from the big ch`racters in the dressing room, as well. It's
:05:38. > :05:41.time for the players to stand up and be counted. They need to do that on
:05:42. > :05:44.Saturday because the fans are demanding it. Rightly so. They'll be
:05:45. > :05:46.demanding a response. It's certainly heightened the importance of
:05:47. > :05:50.Saturday, that's for sure. Now, since the League Cup fhnal Gus
:05:51. > :05:54.Poyet has used no less than 22 players in a bid to keep Sunderland
:05:55. > :05:56.in the Premier League. One of them, Carlos Cuellar, has spoken
:05:57. > :05:59.exclusively to Late Kick Off. His career's taken him from Spain to
:06:00. > :06:02.Sunderland, via Rangers and Aston Villa. Now Carlos Cuellar's facing
:06:03. > :06:08.the prospect of relegation for the first time. When you first came to
:06:09. > :06:14.Sunderland, what was it abott Sunderland that made you want to
:06:15. > :06:21.come here? First of all, I was coming to a big club. One of the
:06:22. > :06:25.reasons I decided to come hdre was because of the history of the club,
:06:26. > :06:29.and also because I had workdd before with Martin O'Neill at Vill`. He was
:06:30. > :06:33.here and he called me. He s`id he wanted me to come back and work with
:06:34. > :06:37.him. I said it would be a pleasure. It was one of the main reasons to
:06:38. > :06:40.come here. So what was it lhke, the change in managers' personalities,
:06:41. > :06:45.between Martin O'Neill and Paulo Di Canio? I think with Martin we were
:06:46. > :06:48.going to stay up. We were working hard. It was good. But with Martin
:06:49. > :06:58.we probably played more att`cking football. The strikers felt more
:06:59. > :07:03.free. With Di Canio, it was more about organisation, tactics,
:07:04. > :07:07.defending. Now you've got Gts Poyet, another change for all the players
:07:08. > :07:14.to get used to. But it seems to be one they've embraced? They've
:07:15. > :07:22.enjoyed having him as managdr? Yeah. He likes to play football and he's
:07:23. > :07:25.close to the club. He tries to talk to everyone and make people feel
:07:26. > :07:34.comfortable in the team, evdn when you're not playing. So you've got
:07:35. > :07:39.away games against Manchestdr City and Chelsea coming up ` the fixtures
:07:40. > :07:42.aren't getting any easier, `re they? I think we always play bettdr
:07:43. > :07:50.against the big teams, away, rather than ` with respect ` the other
:07:51. > :08:03.teams at home. I remember wd beat Chelsea in the cup. Manchester
:08:04. > :08:10.United... Man City, we beat them at home. We have to try to get that
:08:11. > :08:17.spirit back. All the teams `re going at 100% when they play. But when you
:08:18. > :08:25.play against a really big club you probably concentrate a little bit
:08:26. > :08:29.more. We have to try to get that spirit back because we're fhghting
:08:30. > :08:34.for our lives ` to try to stay in the Premier League. So how
:08:35. > :08:37.frustrating was it for you to have to watch from the sidelines as
:08:38. > :08:40.Sunderland got to the Leagud Cup final at Wembley? It was a bit
:08:41. > :08:46.frustrating because the teal were playing very well and I had been out
:08:47. > :08:50.for a long time. It was going to be difficult to get back into the
:08:51. > :08:53.squad. From one side, it's frustrating because you cannot be
:08:54. > :09:03.there. It's difficult. But H was so proud of the players. They gave a
:09:04. > :09:10.great game. Your contract is up this summer, along with lots of other
:09:11. > :09:19.players. Do you want to stax at Sunderland? Would you want to stay
:09:20. > :09:23.here if they went down to the Championship? Yeah, the main thing
:09:24. > :09:27.is that I'm happy here. But at the moment the most important thing for
:09:28. > :09:30.the club is to stay up and stay in the Premier League. After that,
:09:31. > :09:34.they'll decide who's going to stay and who's going to leave. The first
:09:35. > :09:37.thing I'll do is listen to Sunderland, and see what thdy want
:09:38. > :09:41.to do with me, and after th`t I ll decide what I'm going to do.
:09:42. > :09:42.Here's a reminder of the bldak situation at the bottom of the
:09:43. > :09:45.Premier League table. decide what I'm going to do.
:09:46. > :09:48.Here's Sunderland are seven points from safety and there are shx games
:09:49. > :09:52.left to play. They weren't helped this weekend, with Fulham and
:09:53. > :09:58.Cardiff both winning. Julio, great to have you with us.
:09:59. > :10:02.You, of course, have gone up and down during your Sunderland career.
:10:03. > :10:04.Is there any light, for you, at the end of the Sunderland tunnel?
:10:05. > :10:08.Mathematically, they've still got a chance. But they have to pl`y
:10:09. > :10:12.against top teams in the le`gue fighting for the title. It's going
:10:13. > :10:16.to be complicated. But they have to go to the end and see what happens.
:10:17. > :10:22.As Carlos Cuellar was saying, those two games next couldn't really be
:10:23. > :10:25.more daunting, could they? Xeah but I've been in that position before
:10:26. > :10:28.and with Sunderland anything could happen! True! They can struggle
:10:29. > :10:32.against teams at the bottom of the league and then go and get ` point,
:10:33. > :10:36.or more, against the top te`ms. So hopefully that's what happens. It's
:10:37. > :10:41.a big club and it would be ` shame to see them go down again. There
:10:42. > :10:44.were some very interesting words from Gus Poyet after the defeat to
:10:45. > :10:47.Everton at the weekend, including this, Steve. "There is something
:10:48. > :10:52.wrong in this Football Club, and it's not an excuse. I need to find
:10:53. > :10:56.out what it is. If I don't, we've got a problem." What do you make of
:10:57. > :11:00.that? It would have been nice if he'd been a bit more specifhc! I
:11:01. > :11:03.don't know what he means ` whether it's maybe the expectation or he's
:11:04. > :11:06.hinting at the turnover of lanagers they've had. It's not reallx what
:11:07. > :11:10.you want to hear coming out from your manager. Julio touched on it
:11:11. > :11:14.there, it's a very tough tile, ahead of two pretty brutal away fhxtures
:11:15. > :11:17.this week. It's a strange one from Gus, definitely. He hasn't hinted
:11:18. > :11:19.whether or not he would be there next season. You played unddr four
:11:20. > :11:22.different Sunderland managers, Julio. How important, through all
:11:23. > :11:35.the chopping and changing, could the continuity be now for Sunderland? If
:11:36. > :11:40.relegation comes, I think Gts Poyet is a good guy to be there. He did
:11:41. > :11:43.really well at Brighton and he knows what he's doing. He's got a really
:11:44. > :11:47.good style of football. It could work out in the Championship, so I
:11:48. > :11:50.think he's a good candidate to stay and hopefully do well for the club.
:11:51. > :11:53.Is that crucial for Sunderl`nd, George? You've played against Gus
:11:54. > :11:59.Poyet's Brighton team in thd Championship? Yeah. They're hard
:12:00. > :12:02.teams to play against. They're very organised and they really lhke to
:12:03. > :12:07.pass the ball. He had great success at Brighton, I think it's a shame it
:12:08. > :12:10.didn't work out there. I just think Sunderland need to get 'back'. They
:12:11. > :12:13.need that identity again. They've lost their identity. I think if Gus
:12:14. > :12:17.Poyet does take them in the Championship, I'm sure he c`n take
:12:18. > :12:20.them back up. He might have the opportunity to bring in his own
:12:21. > :12:24.players as well, to a larger extent than he already has. It's going to
:12:25. > :12:27.be a very interesting summer, Julio. When you went down with Sunderland,
:12:28. > :12:31.you stayed. Was that a hard decision at the time, because the likes of
:12:32. > :12:35.Phillips, Gray, Kilbane and Sorensen all went? We lost probably our best
:12:36. > :12:40.players that year. I think 05 or 18 players left. Did you consider? It
:12:41. > :12:43.crossed my mind but at the same time I thought why not stay and see what
:12:44. > :12:50.happens ` especially knowing Mick McCarthy was coming over. Hd's a big
:12:51. > :12:55.manager. Things were working out really well. We stayed for ` couple
:12:56. > :12:59.of years in the Championship, but we ended up getting promotion `nd to an
:13:00. > :13:03.FA Cup semifinal. It was good. But if they do go down this year do you
:13:04. > :13:06.fear a big exodus? Do you think there'll be a big overhaul `t
:13:07. > :13:09.Sunderland? The Championship is getting harder every year. Ht's a
:13:10. > :13:18.more competitive league. It has a lot of Premier League calibre. It'll
:13:19. > :13:21.be hard for them but if it does happen I'm sure they can get
:13:22. > :13:24.promoted straightaway. Let's hope you're right.
:13:25. > :13:28.So a very difficult few days coming up for Sunderland with trips to the
:13:29. > :13:31.Etihad and Stamford Bridge, before a vital relegation clash against
:13:32. > :13:35.Cardiff. Newcastle play Swansea at home before a trip to the Elirates.
:13:36. > :13:39.Late Kick Off will have reaction to that match with a live show in two
:13:40. > :13:41.weeks' time. Now, the momentum is certainly with
:13:42. > :13:43.Middlesbrough at the moment. Their recent revival continued at
:13:44. > :13:53.Burnley. Here's Simon Pride. Burnley fans were hoping for a
:13:54. > :13:56.promotion party at Turf Moor but fresh from a midweek 3`1 win over
:13:57. > :14:06.Birmingham, Middlesborough had other ideas. Michael Kightly came close
:14:07. > :14:09.for the home side early on while Danny Graham had Boro's best
:14:10. > :14:12.opportunity of the first half. And it was Aitor Karanka's side which
:14:13. > :14:15.took the lead five minutes `fter the interval, with some great work from
:14:16. > :14:18.Lee Tomlin. With Jacob Buttdrfield providing a finish to the m`tch
:14:19. > :14:21.Burnley pressed hard for an equaliser but Dimi Konstantopoulos
:14:22. > :14:25.wasn't going to be denied a clean sheet. Daniel Ayala's dismissal for
:14:26. > :14:27.a second yellow came too late to influence the game. And while
:14:28. > :14:31.Burnley's celebrations are on hold, Boro's fourth straight win puts them
:14:32. > :14:34.in the top half of the tabld, with the play`offs still mathematically
:14:35. > :14:41.possible and the division's bottom three to face in their last four
:14:42. > :14:43.games. Four straight wins for
:14:44. > :14:46.Middlesbrough. George, you were injured, we should point out, not
:14:47. > :14:50.left out, on Saturday! Some turnaround. Can you put your finger
:14:51. > :14:55.on what has changed? I think we are scoring goals now. We were good at
:14:56. > :15:01.the back throughout the whole of Karanka's reign so far. So that was
:15:02. > :15:03.never a problem. But we did go that seven`game spell which was
:15:04. > :15:07.well`documented. But we are scoring goals and winning games bec`use of
:15:08. > :15:12.that. So we knew it was going to happen and we're getting success. We
:15:13. > :15:15.keep trying not to talk abott Craig Hignett and the importance of him
:15:16. > :15:20.but we should point out, since he joined you, 18 points from 27. Just
:15:21. > :15:24.one defeat. That isn't just coincidence, is it? Yeah, I'd love
:15:25. > :15:28.not to talk about Hignett bdcause I see him every day and yeah, he gives
:15:29. > :15:33.me a bit of stick every day. But he's been brilliant. He has really
:15:34. > :15:37.made an impact. Why? What h`s he done? I don't want to take `nything
:15:38. > :15:41.from Aitor because we were ` pretty good side before he came. Btt just
:15:42. > :15:45.to have that life around thd place. If anyone has met him, he is such an
:15:46. > :15:48.energetic, friendly guy but he knows his football, as well. He h`s been a
:15:49. > :15:53.great go`between with the... He s English, obviously! But yeah, he has
:15:54. > :15:56.just been fantastic to have around the place and unfortunately for
:15:57. > :16:02.Hartlepool, it's not looking so good since he left them. So, you know, he
:16:03. > :16:05.must have some influence. OK. A bit more stick coming your way `t
:16:06. > :16:09.training this week. Julio, xou of course had six years there. You were
:16:10. > :16:12.at the recent derby game at the Riverside. You played in thd Premier
:16:13. > :16:16.League for Middlesbrough. How far are they away, do you feel, from
:16:17. > :16:19.getting back to that level? Well, obviously this year is prob`bly one
:16:20. > :16:22.of the best years since thex're in the Championship. They are getting
:16:23. > :16:26.closer. I think... They might have a chance. But, you know, you can see
:16:27. > :16:31.with the manager they've got now, they are more, like, solid. I should
:16:32. > :16:36.say they are scoring goals now and they are looking a better tdam. Big
:16:37. > :16:40.summers ahead for all of thd clubs in the region, you get that feeling.
:16:41. > :16:45.OK, here's Simon again with the rest of the weekend action.
:16:46. > :16:51.Ahead of Carlisle's game at Preston North End, fans at Deepdale, as at
:16:52. > :16:54.all other grounds in the cotntry, paid their respects to the victims
:16:55. > :16:59.of the Hillsborough disaster 25 years ago. With just one victory
:17:00. > :17:03.since February the 18th, Carlisle's League One future is very mtch in
:17:04. > :17:06.the balance. They were two down after 20 minutes at Preston,
:17:07. > :17:11.courtesy of Stuart Beavon's header and a close range effort from Alan
:17:12. > :17:15.Browne. Gary Madine pulled one back for Carlisle before half tile but it
:17:16. > :17:19.was a brief respite. United were swamped in the second half. Lee
:17:20. > :17:22.Holmes put his name on the scoresheet after Jordan Pickford's
:17:23. > :17:26.error, before Craig Davies began his one`man show. His first two goals
:17:27. > :17:29.perhaps were not things of beauty but he completed his hat`trhck with
:17:30. > :17:31.a thumping effort, leaving the shell`shocked other team back in the
:17:32. > :17:40.relegation zone. York City hosted Accrington Stanley
:17:41. > :17:43.and seemed set to establish themselves in the League Two
:17:44. > :17:46.play`off positions when Kayode Odejayi handled the ball and Michael
:17:47. > :17:52.Coulson dispatched the resulting penalty. But the visitors kdpt
:17:53. > :17:55.plugging away and were rewarded for their efforts when Shay McC`rtan
:17:56. > :18:06.headed home a corner to earn them a share of the spoils. So York remain
:18:07. > :18:08.a point adrift of the top sdven Hartlepool's run of results
:18:09. > :18:13.continued against promotion`chasing Chesterfield at Victoria Park. It
:18:14. > :18:17.started well enough for Colhn Cooper's men. Jack Barnby found Luke
:18:18. > :18:21.James and Hartlepool's top scorer did the rest. But they could hold
:18:22. > :18:24.onto their lead for only six minutes. Liam Cooper couldn't miss
:18:25. > :18:28.this close range opportunitx and want oil's clever finish early in
:18:29. > :18:43.the second half was enough to secure all three points. `` Owen Doyle s
:18:44. > :18:46.Hartlepool's last two home latches of the season, against Morecambe and
:18:47. > :18:50.Exeter, looked like being crucial in their quest to preserve League Two
:18:51. > :18:53.status. There are now just three points from the relegation zone
:18:54. > :18:56.And there is no stopping Gateshead at the moment. James Balmer Wood
:18:57. > :19:00.scored the only goal of the game at Hereford, their fifth win on the
:19:01. > :19:03.bones keeps them in fourth place on the Conference with a trip to fellow
:19:04. > :19:09.play`off hopefuls Braintree to come tomorrow night.
:19:10. > :19:21.Berwick travelled to Elgin, knowing they had to win to retain any
:19:22. > :19:25.realistic hopes of promotion. Add calls from Lee Curry, Andrew Russell
:19:26. > :19:28.and others did just that despite going behind. They will need favours
:19:29. > :19:33.from others to secure a plax`off spot, though.
:19:34. > :19:39.Steve, we were on the so far with the Carlisle manager a few weeks ago
:19:40. > :19:42.and they had been going well. Their goalkeeper from Sunderland conceded
:19:43. > :19:46.only four in eight games and then he concedes six at Preston. Looks as
:19:47. > :19:50.though it is going to go right to the wire at the bottom of Ldague
:19:51. > :19:53.One. They've got a lot of bhg home games coming up, certainly this week
:19:54. > :19:56.as well. I've heard good reports about young Jordan, actuallx. I
:19:57. > :19:59.worked with Tony Key get Middlesbrough, who is now coaching
:20:00. > :20:03.him as well. But you'll learn a lot from that. Everybody has afternoons
:20:04. > :20:07.like that and you'll learn ` lot from that and it will stand him in
:20:08. > :20:10.good stead for the future. @nd we were saying that night, thex haven't
:20:11. > :20:14.got a lot of experience in the squad. No, it is going to bd tough
:20:15. > :20:18.for them. A big home game, hopefully the fans will get behind thdm this
:20:19. > :20:22.weekend, get three points and lift them out of the bottom four. We have
:20:23. > :20:25.to go back to Craig Hignett again because Hartlepool, since hd went,
:20:26. > :20:29.they have lost their last fhve under Colin Cooper. Now just thred points
:20:30. > :20:32.above the drop zone. Yeah, H mean there must be some impact there with
:20:33. > :20:36.Hignett leaving. I know him and Colin Cooper were very closd and
:20:37. > :20:39.they had a very good thing going. They also loaned quite a few players
:20:40. > :20:43.from Middlesbrough and I thhnk they have all gone as well. In f`ct, Luke
:20:44. > :20:46.Williams... Matthew Doyle is now at Bradford. Christian is now back
:20:47. > :20:49.Middlesbrough because he is injured. So that could have had an
:20:50. > :20:52.effect as well. And in terms of Gateshead, Julio, one of yotr
:20:53. > :20:55.team`mates John Oster spearheading their challenge back to the football
:20:56. > :20:58.league. Yes, good to see hil doing that well. Great technical player.
:20:59. > :21:02.Probably one of the best technical British players I have ever played
:21:03. > :21:05.with. He was really good. And he's doing really well in Gateshdad so
:21:06. > :21:06.hopefully, you know, he will help them to get promoted.
:21:07. > :21:09.injured. So that could have had an effect A big game on Tuesdax against
:21:10. > :21:10.Braintree. It is obviously ` Football League programme over
:21:11. > :21:27.Easter. You can of course follow yotr local
:21:28. > :21:29.team on your local BBC Radio station. It is a massive night on
:21:30. > :21:40.Tuesday in Conference. Now, we have another cup final
:21:41. > :21:44.coming up in the region. Sunderland Sunday League side Humbledon Plains
:21:45. > :21:49.Farm FC are going to the hole of Blackburn Rovers to play thd final
:21:50. > :21:56.of the Sunday Cup. Simon Prhde reports.
:21:57. > :22:02.A midweek evening in the he`rt of Wearside and the Sunday teal with a
:22:03. > :22:05.fixture backlog. That's what a cup run can do for you. Humbledon Plains
:22:06. > :22:11.Farm FC are getting league latches in when they can ahead of a chance
:22:12. > :22:14.at national glory. The FA Stnday Cup final against Oyster Martyrs from
:22:15. > :22:20.Liverpool at Ewood Park the weekend after next. Stephen Hutchison played
:22:21. > :22:26.from the club from the age of 1 . Now, he is the boss. All right,
:22:27. > :22:31.lads, listen in. We've got ` good final to look forward to. Two
:22:32. > :22:35.semifinals. We need to keep our feet on the ground in the league as well.
:22:36. > :22:39.Don't get switched off. I'vd always known we've got a really good team
:22:40. > :22:43.and I know the lads are good enough to win the competition. It's just
:22:44. > :22:46.like coming up to the games, you wonder how they're going to perform
:22:47. > :22:50.on the day and whether they're going to have injuries or anything like
:22:51. > :22:54.that. My name is Michael Cotghlan and I work at Nissan through the
:22:55. > :23:01.week and come to Plains Farl on a Sunday. Getting to widen thd ball,
:23:02. > :23:05.getting to widen it. To be honest, all the way through we've played the
:23:06. > :23:09.best teams in Liverpool. We've been to Leeds. Had really hard g`mes I
:23:10. > :23:12.just think it's how we are, really. I just want to get hold of that
:23:13. > :23:17.trophy, to be honest. It's really for the club. There's a lot of
:23:18. > :23:21.people who put a lot of hard work in but don't even get seen, to be
:23:22. > :23:25.honest. It's for them as well. So I just can't wait to get my h`nds on
:23:26. > :23:28.it. Chris Winn, self`employdd worker by week, striker for Humbledon
:23:29. > :23:32.Plains Farm on a Sunday morning What are your tactics going to be in
:23:33. > :23:36.terms of the final? There are no tactics, really. During the game,
:23:37. > :23:40.you have just got to go for it, really. And what would it mdan to
:23:41. > :23:44.win? I don't think you would see me for a couple of days! Chris Winn
:23:45. > :23:47.hoping to live up to his nale. But could the difference be at the other
:23:48. > :23:52.end of the pitch? I am Neil Atkinson. Through the week H am an
:23:53. > :23:55.engineer, on a Sunday I plax in goal for Plains Farm. I always practice
:23:56. > :23:59.the penalties. I never think about it through the game until it gets
:24:00. > :24:03.close but like I say, I think on the day we can win that comfort`bly
:24:04. > :24:05.Wearside has a good tradition in the competition. Hetton Lyons are
:24:06. > :24:09.multiple winners, most recently in 2012. There is no prize mondy. It's
:24:10. > :24:13.all about the glory in front of what they hope will be a four figure
:24:14. > :24:28.crowd. This Sunderland Sund`y match ended in a 4`3 win over RCA Grinton
:24:29. > :24:31.August FC. This. And since. But what of the cup final opposition? Well,
:24:32. > :24:35.Oyster Martyrs are defending champions and have a famous name in
:24:36. > :24:46.the ranks. I know a lot abott them. I knew about them before thhs year.
:24:47. > :24:50.I know they've got relatives of Wayne Rooney. I think it's his uncle
:24:51. > :24:53.who manages the side, his brother plays. I know about a few of the
:24:54. > :24:57.players themselves. I don't try to worry too much about the opposition
:24:58. > :25:01.that we are playing, as I s`y, because we have got a reallx good
:25:02. > :25:04.side. We've got to look at the strengths and weaknesses of the
:25:05. > :25:09.opposition but it's more so what we are going to do on the day. And I
:25:10. > :25:12.feel as long as we are all right up to the game, we've got nothhng to
:25:13. > :25:16.worry about. Probably the only chance for a trophy for the Rooney
:25:17. > :25:18.family this year! Yeah... I hope they don't get it, just likd Man
:25:19. > :25:22.United! And we wish them the very bdst of
:25:23. > :25:25.luck but what a moment for Sunday morning footballers, to get the
:25:26. > :25:29.chance to play in Ewood Park. Yes, it's always a decent surfacd as well
:25:30. > :25:33.and as we saw in the video there, they do play some good football as
:25:34. > :25:36.well so a good opportunity for them and I wish them luck. Reallx good
:25:37. > :25:39.competition, isn't it? Good initiative, that. Yes, well, the
:25:40. > :25:43.standard at Sunday... We did a piece a couple of weeks ago and they
:25:44. > :25:45.mentioned the Hetton Lyons there, good standard non`league football,
:25:46. > :25:49.both Saturdays and Sundays. OK, we are running out of time but we need
:25:50. > :25:52.to get some Twitter questions in. Thank you very much indeed for all
:25:53. > :25:56.of your correspondence. Keep them coming every week to Late khck`off.
:25:57. > :26:00.Julio has had quite a few. Lacca says, Julio, we are all but down.
:26:01. > :26:03.Three home wins in a calend`r year yet against Everton we get the
:26:04. > :26:06.biggest league crowd of the season at Sunderland. Yes, well, I mean,
:26:07. > :26:10.normally that's what you get from the Sunderland fans. And I `m sure
:26:11. > :26:14.the next few games at home will be the same. You know, they always
:26:15. > :26:17.support the team and it is `lways going to be like that. Robert
:26:18. > :26:20.Paterson says, George, how luch can Middlesbrough learn from thhs season
:26:21. > :26:23.to launch a promotion push next season? I think we've learndd huge
:26:24. > :26:27.amounts. I think being resolute at the back has been big for us... You
:26:28. > :26:31.are bigging up the defence tonight! Well, I have to. But also the
:26:32. > :26:35.importance of a good goalkedper And we had Shay come in. He was superb.
:26:36. > :26:38.And we've got great competition for places with Steely there so there's
:26:39. > :26:43.lots to learn. And hopefullx we can take this good run at the end of the
:26:44. > :26:46.season into the start of thd next. A lot of Gateshead fans getting in
:26:47. > :26:49.touch again. Ryan says, another fantastic win for Gateshead. Good
:26:50. > :26:52.luck Tuesday, Gary Mills an utter hero. Steve, if Gateshead go up
:26:53. > :26:55.could that prove useful for Newcastle and Sunderland pl`yers to
:26:56. > :26:59.go out on loan? Very much so, yes. It would be fantastic for them, I
:27:00. > :27:02.think. With them being in the play`offs, one or two of thd teams
:27:03. > :27:06.looked like catching them btt now they are well and truly stuck in
:27:07. > :27:10.there. And if they can get tp, they would have a good chance of staying
:27:11. > :27:14.up there if they embrace thd local clubs and return the favour. That's
:27:15. > :27:17.a good point. Mark says, Julio, what is your fondest Sunderland lemory?
:27:18. > :27:20.Well, it would have to be... Probably... The first year, when we
:27:21. > :27:23.nearly got into UEFA. And the semifinal FA Cup win. They were
:27:24. > :27:27.probably the best moments while I was there. OK. And John says, Steve,
:27:28. > :27:30.how many players do you think Newcastle need to sign in the
:27:31. > :27:34.summer? I think that is verx much dependent on who they can kdep hold
:27:35. > :27:37.of. There are too many question marks about the players there. We
:27:38. > :27:41.know one to 11 are the playdrs they've got, that they do h`ve a
:27:42. > :27:45.very good side. Two or thred, if they can keep them all. If those
:27:46. > :27:49.players leave that may well leave in the summer, it could well bd seven
:27:50. > :27:52.or eight and hopefully they can do that. It is a burning questhon,
:27:53. > :27:56.isn't it, for Newcastle in the summer. And as I say, it is a big
:27:57. > :28:00.summer ahead for all three of the clubs in the region. Gentlelen,
:28:01. > :28:03.thank you very much indeed for your company. That is it for tonhght Our
:28:04. > :28:06.thanks once again to Steve, Julio and George. Late kick`off rdturns in
:28:07. > :28:09.two weeks' time after the E`ster break, for a live show after
:28:10. > :28:13.Newcastle's visit to Arsenal. Keep your video tape requests coling in
:28:14. > :28:15.as well, through Twitter. Wd will leave you tonight with Kevin
:28:16. > :28:17.Keegan's promotion party at St James' Park 30 years ago. Wd will
:28:18. > :28:20.see you in a fortnight, good night. summer ahead for
:28:21. > :28:24.MUSIC: "Two Tribes" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. # When
:28:25. > :28:27.you hear the air attack warning you and your family must take cover .. #
:28:28. > :29:01.COMMENTATOR: Its Kevin Keeg`n, who else? ! Keegan again!
:29:02. > :29:17.Every time I see you, it's shorts and a dressing gown
:29:18. > :29:21.Oh, I've just seen your answer. OK. LAUGHTER