Episode 12 Late Kick Off South, South West and West

It is that time of the season where the good sides are peaking at and

the less good are at the bottom. On Late Kick Off, thanks a million.

Portsmouth fans reveal how much they have raced so far to save the

pub -- club. The Ross emerge with a showing at

the top of the table. A special report, Healey late paid

with his life. -- he nearly paid with his life. Last minute, I

rolled over and thought, what are you doing? And how did Crawley's

players react when they heard their manager had left?

Hello. Thank you for joining us on Late Kick Off. We are lucky enough

to have Graeme Murty and Leroy Rosenior here.

At the top story today, Portsmouth fans reveal they are close to

raising a million pounds in their own attempt to buy the club out of

administration. They began the share issue barely a fortnight ago.

They are being asked to buy a stake of �1,000. If enough money is

raised, and offer will be made to the administrator. The trust are

amazed how many have been backing them. Some of these people have

been awfully treated by the people who have run at the club over the

last few years and they have turned round and say, we love this club,

we want to get involved again. That is the most heartening thing about

this whole process. People have not dismissed it her and they have come

forward. They have said, how can we help? That is the most wonderful

thing about this. We really can do this, I think. On the pitch,

Saturday saw Portsmouth clinging on to their championship status.

Plenty of drama where Rovers raced into an early two goal lead. With

Bristol City winning at Birmingham... Q What the fight back.

Dave Hickson was fouled. The defender was sent off. The penalty

was casual but effective. Another penalty for the equaliser. Rovers

once more raging. 2-2. Doncaster went back in front to lead 3-2.

Bristol City were now drawing at St Andrews. With time fast running out,

Portsmouth scored twice more for victory. Dave tits and with the

final touch. -- Dave Kitson. An extraordinary match. Raising

almost a million pounds, the supporters. The auditors said that

they were �58 million in debt. Can it work? They are unbelievable. It

is amazing how they have raised so much money. The trusts say that

with �8 million they will have enough to make an offer. Bonfield,

they need a miracle. They need to make up seven points in their last

three games. Can they do it? They can. They have to give no less than

everything to reward the level of support which is extraordinary.

was see what happens with Portsmouth in the weeks to come.

Doncaster are already down. There is much more to come from the top

and bottom of the championship. A quick reminder first of our special

report on the way tonight. The addiction which almost led this man

to suicide. It was like a big wake- up call to me. Come on, people do

love you. When I was walking down to the train line, I was thinking

nobody love -- loved me. Reading have roared at the

championships from the lower reaches of the championship and now

they are in first place, three points clear of Southampton. West

Ham are in the first of the play- off conditions. Things could be

sorted out for some of the teams as early as tomorrow night. Reading

are at home to Nottingham Forest. If they get a better result than

the Bristol City match, Reading are up. The game at St Mary's between

the sides was pretty extraordinary and Leroy, one of the key players

was between the posts? He is the best keeper in the division this

year. He is going to get even better. He makes a some outstanding

saves. His positioning is fantastic. He makes it look so easy. Speaking

of Adams, there has been an exceptional Easter for him. He has

not started a game in 2012. He has come off the bench and had an

effect. He is an out-and-out goalscorer. He went to Reading for

a snip, around �350,000. He came off the bench and he loves scoring

goals. Two shots, two goals. He was born to score. I am sure he goes

away and rides diagrams of the goals he has scored. Different

types of goals but always seems to be in the right place at the right

time. Jason Roberts there. Interesting contrast between him

and Rickie Lambert at Southampton. A they have both had a massive

impact. The impact of Jason has had He has had an influence off the

pitch as well. The move has been good for him as well. He has found

a lot of good people there. Heston Blumenthal celebrating on the

sidelines! Rickie Lambert, 31 goals this season. He brings out the best

in his team-mates. 14 wins out of 16 for Reading. One of them tweeted

that he was sat in the changing room wondering whether he had ever

worked with a better group of people. They are having a massive

impact on him as well. What about the other two championship teams

from our region? Bristol City took a two-goal lead

at Birmingham and they were great goals. They are wonderful give and

go leading up to the second day of. He receives the ball in space,

turns and drives into the box and this is a cracking finish. They

scored two wonderful goals and then they have got no lack to end the

half. -- no luck. This looks like one of the upsets of the season for

City. But then they get the equaliser. City unbeaten in five.

Keep it up, chaps! Brighton fans, we will spare you having to sit

through all six of West Ham's goals. It has been a miserable time of

late for Brighton. Not a win in five. If they fail to make the top

six, it will not be by much. West Ham keep up the pressure on a top

two. Crichton out of the play-off positions. Just as well, says Gus

Poyet -- Brighton out of the play- off. He says they are not ready for

the Premier League. What about Bristol City? I think they will

stay in the league. It was a really good result, albeit a they lost a

two-goal lead. I think they will do it. Let us have a quick look at the

run-in for them and Portsmouth. They will start with West Ham and

it is a tough game. If they win that game, that will set them up

really well far a game against Barnsley. The two home games there,

they are vital. Portsmouth need to make up seven points on the teams

above them with those three games. While they could still do it, they

have got to go for it. What if those teams above them lose games

and they do not pick up the points? That was a great win at Doncaster.

The fans are St -- showing great spirit of the pits. They need to

continue that. There has long been a culture of

drinking and gambling in football. It is only recently that the sport

has begun to recognise the damage caused. One ex-player scouts new

talent for Brighton and is also a recovering alcoholic and gambling

addict. In a bid to help a new generation of players, he has

chosen to tell Late Kick Off about the demons he has faced. Many want

to ensure that the next soccer generation get a helping hand.

We are now going to give him some work to do.

These days, almost every club in the region attempts to the mental

well-being of their young players. Footballing education brings

together many experts, including the players' union and his own

clinic. I think it is an act of courage if you ask for help. All

our players say that. I am privileged to work with ex-premier

League footballers, they have been there, seen it and lost are told.

They also the same thing, when I was sat in your seat, this would

not have applied to me, but this is what happened. The hardest thing

was admitting they needed help. It is not about opening a can of worms

and staring at it. We were up to dealing -- we were up to treat the

issues. This is been up from the mental health charity. He shows

what happens when stress comes from every direction. Did he catch the

first one? And the second? And a third? Of the manager gone home --

ultimately, did he fail at the end? We have got to learn to double.

seems such a paradox that the conversation is all about isolation

yet these guys want to make their way in one of the most public

professions of them all. As we know now, there are so many ex-

professional players who feel they can now explain their own personal

pain and what they have been through. His spiral into addiction

came through gambling and alcohol. He only tried them when he entered

the world of first-team football. was easier lead and I joined in

with them. I drank with them and that is where it started. Mistakes

went higher it was affecting my football but I did not know that.

When I won, I celebrated with a drink. I lost quite a bit of money

and then I would go in the pub and commiserate. After three or four

pints, it was always forgotten. Playing cards on a journey to at

nought. Playing cards for big money. But when you have lost a �1,000,

you have to go and play football. Then your mind is not on the

football, really. You are thinking about, hell am I going to get back

�1,000 bet on the way home court -- how am I going to? After gambling

away his weekly pay packet in one afternoon, he believed there was

only one way out. I went to the pub and all of the lads were in there

after work on Friday, happy as Larry. I went in there and got

drinks bought for me. But I knew I was going to do it. I was planning

it as I was getting more intoxicated. I knew what time the

last train was coming from Portsmouth to London. I thought,

nobody loved me. I have let people down again, I thought. I went to

the train station and sat on the train line. I was there 10 minutes

before I knew it was coming, sat there, with my back to the train

line. Luckily enough, the train it sounded its horn and I jumped out

of the way at the last minute. I rolled over and thought, what are

you doing? I came back to my fiancee who I was staying with at

the time and told her what had happened. She said, you need help.

He phoned the clinic Sporting Chance and entered their facility

straightaway. It is like a prison but you are getting better and they

teach you the right things and once you have finished it is up to you

to put the Beatles into practice. It was selfish of me really, if I

am honest, very selfish, to decide to do that. That is the way I look

at it now. I was leaving my two beautiful children behind who I

love for millions. I was leaving my fiancee behind who I love. My three

stepchildren who have treated me like a second father. When I came

round and realised that, it was like a big wake-up call to me. Look,

come on, people do love you. When I was walking down to the train line,

Five years ago, it was. Frightening. Now he gives back to Sporting A

chance, helping them throughout the country. If one could listens to me,

then I will be a winner and they will be a winner. Are we shocked by

what I heard today. It shows you that there RX- professionals and

current professionals were going through these times. It is quite

touching that people can help you through these things, no matter

The Samaritans are there 24 hours a day, you can go to our Facebook

page a for more information. You are part of the Southampton Academy

set-up? I am, everything is driven by the player at there, we are

supporting a player, every single member of staff. I'm staggered by

the level of support that players have these days. We have to educate

players, take care of them in every aspect of their lives' to make sure

they are as well mentally as they are physically, practically, so

they are a whole person. So we have to make sure we take care of them

in the right way. Leroy, you would hear in the old days about players

having a shot of whisky before again, how bad was the culture?

couldn't do that in the modern day, but the gambling thing, players

were watching Horseracing before the game, during the game and after,

trying to find out the results, that worries me now, because you

can just pick up the phone, and it is not real money, so that is a

concern for me. Back to the action, and Exeter heading for the exit,

free -- frequent saying it on this programme. Their top scorer got

ahead of the keeper to equalise, his 23rd goal of the season. It is

five without a win and now for Wycombe, but they could have taken

all the points from this match so easily. This is where it began to

go wrong. Penalty! But they did not make it 3-1 of from the spot. This

time, Wycombe conceded late. Oldham didn't miss, Wycombe still in the

Exeter had already had a goal disallowed, and they completely

bald beekeeper. -- falls of the goalkeeper. It was looking good for

the Devon side, but Rochdale knew that a defeat would see them

relegated, and they fought back to win, with three goals in the last

11 minutes, to leave Exeter sweating on other results to see

whether they would go down. Their manager admitted he was shocked by

his side's collapse. Fortunately, Wycombe creeping closer to safety,

Exeter second last now. As we take a look at the run-in for the two

What about the other two clubs from our region? Yeovil fans will want

to know what happened to their team. But first, Bournemouth. Defensive

next up, you are going to concede, from the players. That needs to be

sorted out as soon as possible. We know Yeovil are good at home, but

they go done a 6-0. We're not going to show all six goals, but it has

to be said, this is when they were down to 10 men. Yeovil are not

mathematically safe yet, they must maintain a level of performance or

they could get caught. So they need They said that they caved in, and

that is not good, shipping six goals. Bournemouth have to sort out

the management side of things so the new man can plan his targets

for the close season. Hard to argue with that. What an Easter for

Crawley. A manager does go by director of the ball arrives, and

there players are YouTube their way into the bag but. The fury

surrounds at the players at reaction. The player meeting was

soon posted on YouTube. Hello Crawley have this afternoon

responded to those pictures, their chief executive said they hold

Steve Evans in the highest possible regard, and the views expressed are

Well, I'm sure they have, but it was a fascinating window on what

the players seem to make of Steve Evans. I'm sure that other players

did the same when I left! Sometimes, it is just a laugh. I'm sure they

had a lot of respect for Steve, a lot of them were brought to the

club by him, and they had a lot of success. I'm sure the players

regret that. I'm sure Rotherham players were doing a similar dance

when they heard he would arrive. What a surprise Steve Coppell

turned up at Crawley, you know him better than most. It was a shock to

me, but I don't think... He is off already! Added think anyone has a

deeper knowledge of football, he is back in the game, the interim

manager, I have a lot of respect for Steve, we had a great time at

Reading. I am sure the people of Crawley will love him. Looks like

he will have a hands-on relationship with the Brewster.

Will that be an easy relationship? I am sure he has a good

relationship, and he has been in the game long enough to know that a

manager needs his pace, but a bit of advice here and there. Steve

Coppell, calm and quiet when he talks to the media, what would you

like with the players? Exactly the same. Never got up, never got down.

Saw him lose his temper once. Phenomenal manager anyway. Back to

Crawley, creeping towards the automatic promotion spot. Up the

top, Swindon looked to have the division locked up, and 80. Matt --

who note of the death of his mother the day before the game. -- learnt

of the death. The club expect him back for tomorrow's game with all

the shot. -- Aldershot. Our best wishes to di Canio. The match saw

the runaway leaders get a bit of a fright. Normal service was resumed

with a late winner from Alan Connell. Six clean sheets,

equalling a club record. They conceal the title tomorrow with a

We do you think about Swindon going up? They did get a bit of a lesson

from Chesterfield in the Trophy final. We said they would respond

in the right way. Paolo di Canio said they were the best team in the

division and would prove it, I wouldn't argue with him. It looks

pretty sorted out. Plymouth are staying up would be every bit as

impressive, wouldn't it? Absolutely. What a season they have had. They

brought to that spirit in, and if they secured those three points, it

He is a rarity. Torquay failed to score at home by only the second

time this season. The manager thought a draw was fair. They are

now unbeaten in five. Charlton have lost six of their last eight and

haven't scored in any of their were in real danger of missing out

on a play-off place, and they didn't panic. This win means they

are right back in contention for a top seven finish. They on-loan

keeper has been recalled by Birmingham, however. Gillingham did

everything humanly possible to keep Oxford at bay. If Oxford have won

half of those games, they would be sitting pretty in second place

instead of just inside the play- offs. Aldershot have to come from

behind to draw with the daggers. They left it late to snatch a point.

A big tested tomorrow against Swindon for Aldershot. Goal of the

week from Rovers here. Bang! Awful goalkeeping, though. That set the

tone for Burton's day. This was the first goal of his hat-trick. Burton

got a goal back, but from then on, it was all rivers. -- Rovers. Right

pitch, R run sport. At least Harold it knew what sport he was playing,

as he kept that under the crossbar. This is a wonderful finish from

James Patterson. He caresses that into the bottom corner. He got a

massive slice of luck for the 5th, and after that, it is all about

Richards. There is no tapping involved in the 7th. He picks it up,

into the corner. It is like kicking What about Bristol Rovers? What a

huge win! It is a great result, it reaffirms what we have set about

the appointment of Mark McGhee. The players -- fans can look forward to

next season now with a bit of optimism gone the things he has

implemented. They did that last year, led to keep it under wraps.

He is doing a fantastic job. They have to be consistent and take it

into next season. Before we wrap up tonight, a quick look at any other

stories which may have caught your eye. Leroy? Maybe not so young, but

a man who has gone to Plymouth, about to make his debut in the film

capital of Europe. Fletcher is appearing in a film about boxing,

he is helping Bournemouth film students do it. That is how mobile

he is when he plays, honestly! He plays like that, as well. He does

put it about. But I wouldn't like to be in that ring with him.

Dangerous in the box! What about you, Graeme? Hampshire at youth

football but Spain by -- put Spain by storm. Winchester under 13s went

to Atletico Madrid and a one of the tournament. It is great to see

players going to experience different football cultures and