Episode 6 Late Kick Off North West

Off. Blackpool have him, Scotland want him, but do England? Tonight,

we can exclusively reveal that Matt Phillips is the Football League's

Young Player of the Month. We'll hear from the man of the moment and

his manager. Welcome to Late Kick We hear exclusively from one of

football's hottest properties, Blackpool's award winning winger,

Matt Phillips. I believe he is good enough for one of the top five

teams in this country, and that makes him good enough for one of

the top five teams in the world. Spot the Paul - how Stanley cooked

up their new boss. And just what was the question that

prompted that very wrong answer in Macclesfield's One on One?

With me in the studio tonight, the North West's newest manager,

Accrington Stanley's Paul Cook, and the youth team coach of Preston

North End, Jamie Hoyland. Welcome, guys. Thanks for coming.

Well, Paul's first game in charge at the Crown Ground was against

Plymouth Argyle who are fighting for their lives in the Football

League's bottom two. With Stanley pushing for the play-offs, it

looked like a home banker. But football has a habit of upsetting

the odds, as Andy Johnson reports from the Crown Ground.

It is the first time in 13 seasons at that Stanley had appointed a new

manager. Before Paul Cook took charge, we spoke to the club about

their choice. He said it would take six or seven weeks to appoint a new

manager, that Leam Richardson would be in charge. What happened?

could even be longer than that. We fully intended to go to everyone

who applied. But we spoke very briefly to Paul Cook, who has

become the manager. It became clear that if we were to have him, he was

high up on it our list of managers, then we would have to make a

decision quickly because the Irish League is starting so soon.

Leam Richardson had taken up charged are temporarily. Leam is 32

years old. But he has got a very good head on his shoulders. The

players have respected the fact he is still involved in the management

structuring as well. There was no shortage of applicants.

One guy in particular... Everyone will get a reply. Hopefully, they

can experience Accrington Stanley first-hand.

Paul Cook is already a fan's favourite. He was part of the

Stanley team six years ago. good man. Well done. Let us see the

can do something on the pitch. was a fan's favourite from the

start. He knows the club well. He is the right man for the job.

think it is a good choice for the club. He is popular as a player. We

hope he will do just as well here. On the first proper date in a new

job, you are keen to make a good impression. Fortunately for her

Paul Cook, his players did, but all the wrong reasons. Stanley keeper

conceded a shot. It was not just the assistant referee who was

sinking fast. It can be lonely as a manager - you kick every ball and

spent 19 at the shutting of support. -- shouting yourself hoarse. In the

end, even the weather turned against Stanley. It is easy to

going and shout at them. A new manager comes then, and Ed has

always a transitional period. Football is funny like that.

The throat is not much better today, is it? You have done it very good,

was there any doubt you would take the job? No, a lot of it was to do

with the timescale. We were suggesting that it is unfair that

if I did go back, to then leave them at the beginning of the season.

Now you are in Accrington, what have you found? It is a great,

traditional club. We have to make it the focal event of the week,

coming to watch us play a. We have got to give the town a reason to

watch us. You know, young lads make mistakes. Experience comes with

making mistakes, and we made a lot of them. Was a daunting coming in

after John? No, not really. I know what the club is all about. We all

know what a great job Jim and John did. I have been in Ireland for

quite a while. I felt it was time to come home and take an

opportunity. What do you capable of this season? We played Rotherham

away and with Plymouth. The teams are very similar in their set up.

They will be hard to beat. We have got to Pater -- play to our

strengths. As you have seen, it was a sorry Saturday for Stanley.

Morecambe are finding a little bit of form again, following up their

midweek win over Macclesfield with a point at Wimbledon. They took the

lead when Gary McDonald glanced home a cross from Danny Carlton.

The home side were level 16 minutes from time, Rashid Yussuf scoring in

front of a half steamed-up camera. The Shrimps could - and actually

should have - owned it late on, Gary McDonald's reaction showing he

knows he should have better when clean through. Crewe gave high-

flying Southend a serious scare by the seaside, but made the long trip

home without anything to show for their efforts. They almost took a

first half lead when Luke Murphy's effort was parried by Glenn Morris,

but Greg Perason's follow-up was also stopped. The game's only goal

came in similar fashion. Ryan Hall's free kick wasn't held by

Phillips, and Bilel Moseni mopped up the rebound, much to the ire of

the Crewe keeper who was later warned by manager Steve Davis over

his reaction. These are worrying times for Macclesfield who slipped

to a seventh successive defeat, leaving them just six points above

the drop zone. They had much better off the first half against

Aldershot with Colin Daniel going close and then Matt Hamshaw wasting

a great opportunity when clean through. The momentum shifted on

the hour with Carl Tremarco's straight red card. The visitors

capitalised soon after, Aaron Morris finishing off from close

range. Well, if we look at the League Two

table, we'll see a couple of big games coming up this midweek.

Stanley away at Crewe is key to both sides' play-off hopes. Into

the bottom half to show what a huge game Northampton-Macclesfield is

tomorrow night. Football's food chain has long seen

the best lower league talent gobbled up by the big boys. But

soon, they'll be able to take that talent at bargain prices AND jump

the queue on recruiting that talent in the first place. It's all down

to the soon-to-be-implemented "Elite Player Performance Plan",

and as Ian Haslam reports, it could have major implications for the

North West's League One and Two Big prospect, snapped up by big

clubs - Micah Richards sold to Manchester City. More recently, it

Aldham's player sold to Chelsea. And Nathan Eccleston bought by

Liverpool. All well under 17, all but demanded compensation.

smaller clubs will be the compensation package. We are

putting a lot of hard work and effort into players, and at the

moment, we could lose them quite cheaply. From next season, is

selling club will get paid for �3,000 for every year of a player's

development between the ages of nine and 11. Plus the 90 minute

rule will be abolished, meaning a player does not have to live within

one-and-a-half hours' drive from the club. What you could find there

is a lot of clubs, we can offer them scholarships, apprenticeships,

earlier - at 14 of 15, and to protect themselves. A club might

make an early decision on boys. We are trying to protect ourselves

from a compensation. Have you. -- point of pupils stop it is a major

issue. In all, 46 clubs voted in favour of the plan, and many felt

they had no choice. That is because if the proposals had not been

brought him, the Premier League would have withheld funding, which

will now be over �5 million a season for a four year period.

increase in funding, they are changing the criteria - they are

saying they have to have more contact hours with age groups, at

which means more full-time and part-time members of staff. That

extra funding we will get will be swallowed up. Which category well

our clubs be aiming for? Perry and Preston are considering their

options, as are Crewe Alexandra. Only Morecambe, who do not have a

youth system, are not eligible for categorisation.

BBC Late Kick Off has also obtained the cost implications of each

category. The overall funding needed to become a category one

fund is to buoy three �5 million a Category three, which most of our

clubs favour, it offers a better contribution ratio. Finally, it

there is category four. Overall, it is a good thing. I have been doing

this for seven years, and we have had eight lads promoted. Yet you do

this to get players in your first team. It is happening anyway. The

only problem we have got as a lack of control over compensation.

there is the issue of what is best for the young players - being that

nurtured and gaining experience, or going to a Premier League club and

risking getting lost in the system. Category one will bring in younger

players. If we are given the opportunity to train full-time

every day, all we can offer them is a couple of nights maximum, meaning

that system might increase their development a lock worker. It might

be better to stay at a full -- smaller club, develop, and achieve

the first team standard of football earlier. We understand a further

meetings would take place on the plan, but whether minor changes are

made on not, one thing is for sure - it will happen, no matter what

Are they making this easier to cherry-pick? Also, it is supposed

to create better players to play for the national team. Whether it

does that, we do not know. But certainly they are trying to

cherry-pick the best players. not pay as much in compensation to

clubs? That is a problem, they have always done this, since the youth

system started. But now they're doing this on the cheap and instead

of just picking the elite players and paying the right amount, they

will take a chance on getting quite a few and just throwing them men

and thinking, if we get one out of this, we will be happy. What are

the implications for a club like Preston? You are doing a brilliant

job. Are you worried that they will take half a dozen? Well... We are

trying to sell the club and we hope they stay with us. And you have a

chance of developing and using your potential. Now, if Chelsea are Man

United or Man City knock on the door with money, then the parents

can sweat a little bit and it's up to the families. We're just trying

to put the club in the right way. Higher frustrating is this, you are

going to Accrington, that will be a source of new material yet you are

facing this? One of the problems is there are pressures on academies.

To produce these so-called bigger clubs. And all they're doing is

dropping the age of players. Where they would have insisted on LANs of

16, this is my opinion, they are now interested in lands at 12 and

13. Is it right that it out the role should be a full-time

footballer? I disagree. I had a conversation with somebody at the

weekend and if I had it cultural sun, when I won 10 going to

Chelsea? And getting back home when 16? And it has gone wrong? Plenty

of fathers would say, off you go... Big money! Are we thinking about

the big money that might come. If he is good enough at 18, yes, but

at 12 years old, he should be enjoying his life. There is a lot

of wreckage and players do not make it? That is such a big thing, at 16

- 18, there has been a lot of players that you have overtaken and

to get to the next level, there will be even more. Only if you come

through... If England win the World Cup and 35 years, we will think it

is worth it. Congratulations to Matt Phillips. Late Kick Off can

reveal that the Blackpool winger is the Football League's Young Player

of the Month for January. It's no surprise, really, as the 20-year-

old starred for the Seasiders as they went unbeaten through the

month. He's carried the form into February, scoring three times in

the process. Sarah Mulkerrins went to meet Matt and his manager Ian

Holloway. He is good enough for one of the top five teams in the

country. That makes you good enough for one of the top five teams in

the world. He is that good. How I prayers. He was spotted at the age

of eight years old by Wycombe and played with them until his book to

the Seasiders in 2010. It was a massive decision at the time. The

rumours about four of us going. But when I got there, I hit the ground

running. What were the qualities that you spot it? I saw him scoring

all three types of goal, left, right and head. I could not

understand why he was still at Wycombe because he was in the

England set-up, he is athletic and the size of him, they spotted him.

It was easy. Over 18 months ago, Matt Phillips made the move to

Blackpool to these sandy shores. He scored on his Premier League debut

last season but the current the Viola form that he finds himself

then started at Sheffield United this season. He spent a month on

loan in October and racked up an impressive six goals in seven games.

I had not scored up until then from my debut. Yes, it was good to go.

And get that sharpness. Ian Holloway told me from before I went,

as long as I am sharp and I play, he will not keep a player out. When

I come back, it's important to carry that on. And he has, scoring

10 goals since his return to Blackpool. Any young fellow its

confidence and he went on loan and he scored lots of goals. He lost

his fear. What about the fear of losing to a bigger club? He will

help us grow. Effie outgrows as quickly, we will not stand in his

way. That is the way this club is. And people want to come here for

that reason. It is the way that we play, that suits them, he can play

left and white -- right. What about Matt Phillips? You cannot blame

anybody for wanting to play in the Premier League. That is the highest

point. Well done, that is a real prospect. Before we have a look at

the Championship table, we can't ignore this amazing defending from

Burnley's Ben Mee at Reading on Friday. Yes, it might have been the

only thing he could do but how many of us would have done it? Jamie,

you were a defender once upon a time. That is putting your head

where it hurts. Look at that. Did you ever do anything like that?

With a face like this? Of course! You have to get anything in front

of the ball. Exactly. Was that great defending? Absolutely,

phenomenal. Fantastic, for the lad to put his head there. It is on

real and you can see from the reaction, what that meant. That is

what goalkeeping is about. Fantastic. A glance at the top of

Championship shows us that Blackpool are nicely placed ahead

of that game at home to West Ham tomorrow. Burnley are still in with

a play-off shout, despite two defeats from their last three games.

We shouldn't really say this, but even the small but perfectly-formed

Late Kick Off team is surprised by the enormous success of our quiz,

One On One. We love it, the players love it, and by your comments on

Facebook and Twitter, you love it, too! So sit back and wallow as

Macclesfield Town's Sam Wedgebury with the mango buzzer and Wade

Fairhurst with the azure buzzer entertain their teammates and the

rest of us as well. Who is a manager of Northampton Town?

don't even know! Boothroyd? Yes! One is the capital city of South

Africa? Johannesburg? Jonesborough? Johannesburg?! What is 12

multiplied by eight? That will work... 96? That is where I live!

What is the name of a baby elephant? The one, then... Have a

guess... Calf? Name the missing member of this could be do team.

Shaggy, Daphne, Thelma, Fred and... Scratby? Scrappy?! Betty?! It is!

Something like that...? Scrooby do?! Yes! Who was Prince

Charles'Mac first wife? Camilla? Elizabeth? He yes! Princess...

Diana?! In what year was the club formed? The Swann? It is 74.

this one? It gets better and better. From the sublime to the ridiculous

and a pretty miserable weekend for our League One teams. BBC Radio

Manchester's Steve Wyeth starts his roundup with the good news, though.

off the bottom of League One, the nature of it puts them in good

spirits for tomorrow's trip to League leaders Charlton. Niki Adams

went close. Gary Jones won this in injury time. Joe Thompson was

pushed in the box. Jones took the responsibility.. Tranmere can count

themselves unlucky yet again, deserving more than a draw against

top of the table Charlton. They took the lead after great work on

the right from Martin Devaney, whose acrobatic cross was converted

by Ryan Brunt. The visitors drew level in controversial

circumstances, Michael Morrison's header adjudged to have crossed the

line after crashing down off the bar. Preston might have thought it

was their day early on, despite Darryl Brown giving away the

penalty. But Torsten Stuckmann saved a poor spot kick and not long

after his side went ahead. Nicky Hunt's fine cross was superbly

headed home by Graham Cummins to give Graham Westley's side the edge.

But it was an advantage they couldn't hold until half time,

Evans atoning for his earlier miss with an equaliser moments before

the break. North End scrapped hard in the second half but were undone

eight minutes from time. Stuckmann made an amazing save in front of

the travelling fans but could do nothing from the resultant corner.

His defenders failed to clear and Evans smashed home a winner.

Manager Paul Dickov is the best man to explain Oldham's 5-0 defeat at

MK Dons. He gave his reaction to BBC Radio Manchester. As a group we

have to look at ourselves. It was not good enough. We will work on

things during the week and we want players to carry on with their jobs

because if we had done the property, we would have got a result. Too

many of them, not all of them, wanted to do their own thing. And

they just have to turn up, but that does not happen. It's four games

without a win now for Bury after a narrow 3-2 defeat at Exeter.

Manager Richie Barker pointed to a lack of concentration early on by

some players after his side went two down within eight minutes.

David Amoo halved the arrears as The Shakers found their feet, but

the home side would go into the break with a two goal lead after

Richard Logan's close range header. Despite having most of the second

half possession and a total of 18 shots on goal, the visitors

couldn't get anything from the game. Ashley Eastham's injury time effort

After a weekend like that, it's little surprise that there's no

north west representation in the top half of League One. The bottom

half shows that Oldham and Tranmere could do with some points. They

meet at Boundary Park next Saturday. We've already touched on some of

this week's big games. None bigger than that huge game at the top of

the Championship tomorrow night, Blackpool at home to West Ham.

Crewe against Accrington and Northampton and Macclesfield are

big in League Two and don't forget Morecambe, who travel to Crawley on

Wednesday. The best coverage, commentary and reaction of all

those games and all week on your BBC local radio station. A chance

to get back in the saddle at Crewe? Very much looking forward to that.

The great thing about defeat is that you get the chance to put

things right quickly. We are very aware of how they play. Tomorrow

night, that is a big test for my lads. We don't want to make the

same mistakes. Blackpool, they play West Ham, that is a rare chance for

them to judge their automatic promotion chances? He has got the

momentum going. They are unbeatable at the moment. Whatever team they

play, the team is changing around and players are doing that good job.

What do you say to Macclesfield at Northampton? When! Win! Strong

words! That's it for tonight. Thanks very much for watching and

stay tuned for The Super League Show, which comes up next. If you

want to watch again, we're on the BBC iPlayer and don't miss next