Episode 2 Late Kick Off North West

Researchers claim eating curry can improve performance. If that's true,

this show's going to be a cracker. I'm Tony Husband, welcome to Late

Kick Off. Coming up: Mark Saunders has just

days to live so find out how this fan has united the Bristol City and

Rovers supporters. I have had a good day.

The thin white line - who did score? Who didn't score by the narrowest of

margins? And Benali could see red on the

pitch but find out why this red hot performance in the curry kitchen is

making scientific headlines. Hello again.

Joining us in the studio three guests: Franny Benali, Southampton

hard man, here to give us his football wisdom, of course. He's

also pretty crucial to our curry experiment. And he's alongside our

resident stopper international defender Ady Williams.

With me in the studio tonight, a former striker with Blackburn Rovers

and England who is now cutting his managerial teeth at Accrington

Stanley, welcome to James Beattie. Next to James, a man who played for

Bury and Burnley and coached at Rochdale and Preston. Hello to Jamie

Hoyland. More from the boys in just a second. Now, in an exclusive

interview for this programme, the FA Chairman, Greg Dyke, has refused to

rule out a blanket ban on footballers and all football club

staff betting. Up until 2001, footballers weren't allowed to bet

on football but nowadays around a third enjoy a regular flutter.

Former Everton and Blackpool player Dan Gosling today became the latest

player to admit an FA charge relating to betting breaches. So is

it time to follow Scotland's lead and ban betting? Here's Ian Haslam.

When it comes to betting rule breaches, the stakes are high.

Premier League players Andros Townsend and Cameron Jerome were

called betting on games they had no involvement in and got fined.

Neither missed a match, unlike Tranmere boss Ronnie Moore, who is

being investigated over a potential reach of betting rules. Ronnie Moore

has been suspended by the club until the conclusion of an FA

investigation. While Rob Heys lost his job as Accrington managing

director. Rob Heys has been suspended from football for 21

months. I placed a bet on Manchester City versus Leicester, I think it

was, in the Capital One Cup. We'd played and then been knocked out in

the first round. This was the quarterfinal, something like that. I

tweeted about the bet that I placed and that was how it came to the

attention of the footballing authorities. Rob's still in and

around Accrington but away from football after 735 betting breaches,

some involving Stanley. It is frustrating, you don't want to get

into the whole victim mentality, start complaining that it is unfair,

you're being picked on. But it did always seem a lengthy ban, a

21-month ban. The FA's betting rules are issued to players and published

online. The rules, it says, relate to every employee at the club. They

stress... Such as if they are injured or

suspended. We received the booklet of the FA preseason. The players

looked at it but, preseason, there are a lot of things on their mind.

They are getting ready for the football. The players did not look

at the booklet enough. The FA should take a more hands-on approach, and

speak to the players themselves, rather than just giving out the

booklet. Here at Bury's JD Stadium, there are dozens of staff members

behind the scenes, from Gordon the press officer to Megan and Sarah on

the hospitality side of things. But the same betting rules apply to them

as they do to the playing staff. Which presents more worries for

clubs. A groundsman or a kit man or a maintenance man, I think it's

across the board. I don't think there is a big meeting at every

football club with all the staff. Anybody who gets punished for

something that they are not too sure aboutor they don't know about, it's

a travesty. We invited one of the region's footballers to a betting

shop to look at the basic dos and don'ts. Nicky Hunt has made it 128

Premier League appearances for Bolton and has played in every

division of the football league. Tell us, looking at this, whether

you can or cannot bet on these as a footballer. We have

Chesterfield-Portsmouth, they are in my league. I cannot bet on that. A

couple of French teams... You can bet on them? Yes, I can bet on

European leagues because I have not played in Europe and don't really

know anyone that plays is the European leagues. It seems there is

no escaping the authorities regardless of how you place your

bet. They know about your online accounts, your betting patterns,

they are really into it now. If you wanted to place a bet on League Two

now, the division you're playing in, you could not do that. But you could

potentially get someone - say me - to put it on for you. I'm sure if

you wanted your mate to go up and do it, they can go and do it for you. A

huge price to pay... Oh, massively. When it comes to policy in English

football, there is nobody bigger than FA Chairman Greg Dyke. In an

exclusiive interview for this programme, I asked him if the

betting ban is the solution. No final decision has been made but is

one of the things that is being discussed. I don't take any of us

know how bad it is. Because obviously unless it is either we

find it or someone else finds it, we don't know. The FA is looking again

at the whole of betting and whether or not... Who should be allowed to

bet on football in the football industry. In the next few weeks, we

will come out with a policy. In the meantime, betting cases continue,

many unreported. As a former FA compliance officer, dealing with

betting breaches was Graham Bean's responsibility. He now represents

those involved in disciplinary matters. The rules are so

ridiculously incompetent, the fact that there are all these various

connotations that allow you to bet brings complexity to what is, in

effect, should be a simple issue. Are you representing anyone who

could face a ban? Yes, we are. It would be inappropriate to say who

those individuals are. In Scotland, a complete ban is already in place

but still some are falling foul of the rules. The Rangers midfielder,

Ian Black, will serve a three-match ban for breaching Scottish Football

Association betting rules. No players in Scotland can bet on any

football match anywhere in the world. I think it's raised the

spectre of this regulation. Whatever happens in England, betting has

already cast doubt on the football futures of some. Could others

follow? The answer is to ban all betting from football for anyone who

is involved in football. We need to take it very seriously and that is

what we are doing. Clearly, a complete blanket ban on betting

would be a start. But the reality of it is you will never, ever stop it.

There is no doubt it is a problem. Do you support a blanket ban? I

think, as with anything, if there is a ban, people will find a way

around. You need to be sensible. Then needs to be some clarification

and definite rules that people understand. Is it time to sit

players down as a group and say, "This is what you can and cannot

do"? I think so. There has to be a rule book. I know there is a rule

book but it has to be more widely known. As Dave Flitcroft said there,

if they do not know the rules, and get something they are not sure

about, if you're not sure about it, don't do it, that is what I say. I

don't want to focus on Accrington, but just generally in football, is

part of the dressing room culture, having a bet? I think it is. I have

laid the odd gamble, maybe on the National or something like that, but

I have far better things to do with my money than gamble. You are right,

a lot of the lads do it. I have been clubs where a hell of a lot of money

is gambled and it is quite scary at times. They have time on their hands

and the higher you go up, they have a hell of a lot of money as well.

Jamie, so many things you can bet on now in football, was at the same in

your day? It was not betting on football, it was horse racing. That

is what they were doing, they were betting on horses. The football

ones, they were fixed odds. But now, there are adverts that come on

straightaway on the game you're watching, the lads are at home, and

they are just looking to bet all the time. So no clash of interest when

it comes to horse racing, unless you own one of them! Would you support a

blanket ban, yes or no? I would add the moment, until they get some

rules and regulations in and everybody knows it and defines it,

and the players know what they are doing. OK, guys, thank you very much

for now. Well, due to my well-documented allegiance to

Burnley Football Cub and in the interests of BBC balance, my

producer has banned me from even mentioning yesterday's events at

Ewood Park. So, to introduce our next feature, I'll hand you over to

one ex-Rover and a former Claret. The wait is finally over for Burnley

fans - for the first time in almost 40 years, the East Lancashire

bragging rights are finally theirs. Goals from Jason Shackell and Danny

Ings and the width of an Ewood Park post mean Rovers have fallen to

their great rivals for the first time since 1979. Boo!

# I can't stand losing... # Congratulations. Thank you very

much. Argh! Listen to the noise being generated around East

Lancashire. Two sets of teams, two proud histories. Burnley looking to

change history today. Back post. In towards Rhodes, a shooting chance.

The goal drought is over! Needs to take it first time. Off the

post! What a chance to kill off the game for Jordan Rhodes. It is the

goalkeeper. It is an equalising goal.

Sends it in right footed. He has missed it. Laid on a plate, surely.

Ings scores. Danny Ings sweeps it in with his left foot. Burnley have won

against their neighbours for the first time since 1979.

I've been waiting for defining moment. We've had seven penalties

this season not given. I have been waiting for something to go our way.

When Rhodes hit the post, I said to my coach, that is the change we have

been waiting for. To lose like that at home, I don't want to about it.

Painful. We were unlucky, hitting the post. It would have been over

with. No way they deserved to win. But it took them 35 years so they

had to win at some point! We played well for ten minutes today. Ten

minutes were enough. The rest of the time, we were rubbish. The shot

themselves in the foot. They took David Dunn off. He were running the

game. The minute they took him off, or I knew we were going to win. I

work in Blackburn, have a business in Blackburn. I must say, apart from

my lad, this is the best day of my life. We are going up. There we go.

Thanks to Andy Bayes from BBC Radio Lancashire, by the way, for talking

through the action there. Bloomfield Road isn't the happiest of places

now with Blackpool's winless run now at 18 League games. Lewis Grabban

scored the only goal of the game for Bournemouth at Bloomfield on

Saturday. He converted from the penalty spot after Matt Gilks was

adjudged to have fouled him just inside the box. Life gets no easier

for interim boss Barry Fergsuon who couldn't hide his frustration post

match. They're short on confidence. It is simple. At the end of the day,

you can only prepare them as best as you can. And try and be positive

with them. At the end of the day, they need to do it themselves when

they get on the pitch. I have got good players, I know that. But it is

a worry that, week in, week out, we're not getting results. They

can't feel sorry for themselves. I don't know how often I have to

repeat myself about this. They need to stand up because I don't want to

go to League One. That is for sure. I'm sure they don't want to do the

same thing. Finding it difficult to keep the

despair out of his voice. I don't want to bring back bad memories but

you went on an 18-game winless run at Sheffield United. How did you

turn it round? Just belief. The manager kept believing in us, gave

us confidence all the time and we had to believe we would get out of

it. It is only the players that can do it. It doesn't sound like that he

thinks the players can do it. You have a well-documented start to the

season, you only got four points out of 11. Thanks. How did you turn it

round? Just believe in what you are doing. As Jamie said, making the

players believe it. It was not just me stood at the front of them,

saying stuff. They have to experience it. He knows he has good

players. They need to express themselves and play well. I guess

this is one of those things where you look at confidence in what is

coming up. They have Leicester away, QPR away, Bolton away. It is

difficult. When you finally ended your run, how did it feel? As if we

had won the FA Cup final. Notts Forest 3-2 at home. We had a pitch

invasion and everything. That started us off, we had a great run,

we managed to stay up that year. But that is the encouragement. One game,

one win. It might even be Leicester. Thank you very much indeed. Well,

one side finally on the up is Bolton. It's three successive wins

now after a 5-1 battering of Leeds. So, Wanderers fans, sit back, turn

up the telly and wallow in the goals brought to you by BBC Radio

Manchester's Jack Dearden. in to Number 10.

We have listened to the community. We have developed a mixture scheme.

It's not all about a supermarket. It's about affordable housing, it's

about parking for local people. It's about community space, it's about

refurbishing and maintaining the memorial gates and building a garden

around them, pedestrianising them. Listening to the local people. We

have had dozens of consultation processes on both projects to get to

the he final step, just about to start, and to get this, it just

makes you feel uncomfortable. An all-seater stadium could be on

the way, then. Here's the irony. When you're

building a brand new stadium, you can't have one of these, a rail

seat. Brilliant response last week to your thoughts on safe standing.

Here's some of them. Andy McCallum says, "It's all about giving fans

the choice to stand. It's much safer than standing in all-seated stands."

Paul Andrews, "I used to stand in the Milton Road Stand at the Dell

back in the '80s '90s. St. Mary's doesn't come close to that

atmosphere." True? I'd agree. Niall Otway is a Plymouth fan, he says, "I

love Home Park. I don't see why people would need to stand, apart

from block three, where we have lads standing." Bournemouth fan Daniel

Lee says there should be a choice, "I want to stand. In my opinion

supporters create a better atmosphere when standing." Thanks

for all your reactions. Next week, we're at Bristol City and here in

the studio we'll be hearing both sides of the argument as we talk

more about our rail seats. Now, we reveal a bit of science

which could get every Sunday League footballers' Hearts and taste buds

racing. Solent University scientists are midway through a study which is

examining if curry could be the new pre-match meal of choice for

footballers. And the study is being run in partnership with us. It just

seemed the polite thing to do. And why has Franny Benali been a key

part of the experiment? Let's find out with our reporter Andy Steggall.

The tests have lasted a fortnight for three volunteers, fans of food

and football. 1402g of lean chicken and spices precisely for every

person. Right, we've got the guinea pigs.

The students who are going to be involved. We have got the

ingredients, we have the science and now we need someone to bring it

together, someone who knows all about football and curry. And I've

got the answer. The Benali Biriani is named after the Southhampton man,

Francis Benali, at top-flight defender for more than a decade. A

red card assassin on the football field and pretty brave in the

kitchen. So it's lucky there are no referees here. The scientists have

their own rules. Each plate for each participant has a certain amount of

curry, measured by body weight, with the same amount of curry powder in

it. The students are in a pilot study. They signed up to eat several

plates of lean chilli chicken in very measured conditions. Guys, I've

got to applaud you to begin with. Not just eating a meal laced with

chillies but the fact that my cooking skills are as good as my

goal-scoring record when I played, and that's not too good. So, how's

the meal? Really nice. It's hard work. It's in the name of science.

Sportsmen all around the country are thinking they can have a curry

before any sporting event and that performance will be improved is

quite exciting and interesting to know. Next, they have to walk for 20

minutes from restaurant to science lab.

Sit down, rest, and digest. Then back to the treadmill for a

gruelling five kilometre run. In an ideal situation, you'd like to see

some form of potential analgesic effect, a painkilling effect. If you

think about, in any sport, the difference between the first and

second place, obviously, winning and losing a game, it comes down to the

tiny changes you can make and nutrition is one of those things

that can make a big difference. The first... Four or five minutes, all I

could taste was curry. And then I wasn't sure if I was going to carry

on. But then that subsided and I was hanging on.

One of the things that drew our attention to this was that the idea

that back in the Beijing Olympics, there were four athletes

disqualified for eating capsicum. And they were all horses. The data

is being collated now. And the results of curry power will be hot

off the press very soon. Can't wait to know what they are as

well. Well done to all the volunteers. We salute you. We might

be looking more for a proper trial because the university are looking

at extending their trial. So, Fran, we saw you there, did you ever have

a curry before a game? I didn't, I steered well clear of it. It was too

lively from me for a pre-match meal. What was your pre-match meal?

Beans on toast or spaghetti Bolognese in the later years. And

Ade, you had a food fiasco. When I was 17, just trying to break into

the squad, I wasn't in the squad in that name, I got myself a pie,

chocolate heart and drink, but the manager came in looking for me. I

was the pie as he came looking for me, one of the boys got changed in

the warm up and I had to go out and play. I survived. Jimmy Case back in

the day in Southampton, what did eat? Players like Jimmy, I remember

he was eating a steak during a pre-match meal. It seems crazy, but

he was a great player so it must have worked. Now, what did fans

think about the game? I love it gasp Berger, the best on the menu. Just a

pasty for me. Definitely a vindaloo. Hot!

League Two now. We'll talk about Torquay in just a moment. First,

though, a few of our clubs are looking over their shoulders and, in

Portsmouth's case, they're looking to score.

A third successive clean sheet for Portsmouth and a second successive

goalless draw. Cheltenham have now drawn ten of the last 20 league

fixtures. A couple of weeks ago, Pompey were hammered 5-1 against

Scunthorpe. Since then, Richie Barker's men have shown tenacity.

Three clean sheets on the bounce, including giving Chesterfield the

scare last Monday evening as you saw on Late Kick Off. Like Pompey,

Exeter store have some work to do to secure their football league status.

Exeter, one win in 12. Tom Nichols alert to put them in front. Exeter

almost threw it away although sometimes you just have to admire a

goal, even if it is through gritted teeth. The Daggers, their second

goal, very soft penalty to give away. Easy to throw the towel in

when decisions like this go against you. Look at the body language. It

says it all. Did they show some character coming back? Absolutely.

Talk about character, they'd dug deep and you take what you can,

including this absolute howler on a Dagenham goalkeeper. Watch this one.

Whoops! Oxford without a in four now. Was it offside or wasn't it? It

doesn't matter. It ends up in the back of the net. The second one for

me, the goalkeeper, but when you are against form, when you are scrapping

for points, it often goes to the opposing player. 2-0 down before you

know it. The Oxford goalkeeper, he redeems himself. This is a stonewall

penalty. Ryan Clark, he guesses the right way. Strong risk, but 2-0,

never a good scoreline. Ryan Williams goes through here. A tidy

finish, but Oxford are back in the game. This is what I talk about when

things are not going your way. A couple of months ago, this would

have ended up in the back of the net. It doesn't, it hits the post

and it falls to safety. Absolutely gutted. Oxford should get in the

play-offs but we all know about teams blowing their chances as the

end of season approaches. Let's hope it's not them.

Oxford haven't won since mid-February and they've now slipped

to sixth. Plymouth may have lost that Bristol Rovers but they're just

outside the play-off race with a game in hand.

outside the play-off race with a game in Do Oxford need a permanent

manager? There is too much uncertainty for the fans and

players. Maybe now is the time to appoint someone permanently. A lot

of talk about finances and new directors, some shares in the clubs,

so, on field, what are their chances? They are in with a shout.

It is that stage where you have to keep your nerve. Be brave and go for

it. Confidence plays a huge part. Home form is a big thing as well so

they've got every chance. We have seen the top of the table but the

bottom is ugly if you're a Torquay fan, are they all but down already?

Our cameras were at Plainmoor for the game against Fleetwood, and we

did try our best to lift spirits but there was doom and gloom everywhere.

That is the best chance of the game so far. Another nail in the coffin,

we are doomed! Here comes the strike! Great save!

Time is up, you've got to start preparing for the worst. Into the

back of the net! No passion, no fight, gave up when they scored.

Fleetwood Town, good block by the goalkeeper. I can't see us going up

for a minimum of five years. Exeter are backpedalling, Portsmouth and

Wycombe, a better off. The consequences of going down, look

at who you've got there. Teams that have been used to playing in the

football the. Ten points adrift, 11 if you look at their goal

difference. Exeter, your old team-mates, they are going

backwards. The run of form is a worry lately. And they've got to be

mentally strong because the consequences of dropping into

relegation, you don't even like to consider it. They will need the

expense of another team-mate down now. So, fingers crossed. They

haven't won at home since they beat Plymouth, would they swap that now?

Before we go, a search around the clubs to see what's odd and

interesting. I'm starting with Wycombe and, as Franny's in the

studio, another Southampton back four link. Missing from Wycombe's

2-1 win over Hartlepool at the weekend was Reece Styche. The

striker has been on international duty with the world's newest

football nation, Gibraltar. You are an international football play

against teams that are going to be playing in the European

Championships, in the World Cup, so I am enjoying it while it lasts

because you never know when your career could be cut short. Gibraltar

would lose to the Faroe Islands but not before Danny he came bottom run

the rule over his team-mates. -- Danny Higginbotham. That players now

the fattest player Gibraltar have ever produced. It might not ever get

better for Gibraltar. They have Germany, Poland, Republic of

Ireland. Their first game is against Poland as well. What have you

found? A complete mismatch, an England superstar, well, you'll see.

Austin Healey has been down at Bournemouth and he's up for a

challenge. A crossbar challenge against Cherries legend Steve

Fletcher. Rugby to go first, Healey going with the drop kick. On the

money, perfect. That is why they call me the magician. He is looking

for a seven iron, a little bit of angle. He has another go, exactly

the same result. Look. He did know it was a crossbar challenge?

Steve Fletcher, he is a legend. Don't forget, you can follow all

this week was Mac football on radio, but we are back next Monday at

11:20pm. -- all