Transfervinduet er så småt ved at være en saga blot, og det virker ikke til, at Fulham bliver sat i forbindelse med det helt store efter Hodgsons Spendabalooza.

Dog skulle Sunderlands Dickson Etuhu være et mål for Hogdson, og eftersigende skulle en byttehandel med nordirske David Healy være i støbeskeen.

En lidt uforståelig handel, da Etuhu er udpræget central midtbanespiller, og det er ikke ligefrem mangel på disse, som er The Cottagers store problem med Murphy, Bullard, Andreasen, Andranik, Davis og Smertin som alternativer til kampen om to pladser (Dempsey, Gera og såmænd også store Hangeland kan desuden rykkes ind centralt)!

Selvfølgelig fint nok at komme af med Healy, men en reservespiller fra Sunderland lyder ikke just som en mand, der kan slå de eksisterende spillere af holdet..! Hvor er den centrale forsvarsspiller, som Hodgson gik på jagt efter i starten af juli???

Simunic, Madlung, Scharner, Onyewu og Shittu blev alle nævnt, men intet skete på denne front, selvom både kroatiske Simunic og tyske Madlung skulle have været tæt på et skifte. Transfervinduet er ikke lukket endnu, men det ser mere end tvivlsomt ud, om vi får den forsvarsspiller, som vi så desperat har brug for!

Udover Etuhu skulle Hodgson også have været interesseret i Vincenzo Grella, men den australske midtbanemand skulle eftersigende være tæt på et skifte til Paul Ince's Blackburn..

Udover "Central-Defender Sagaen" skulle Davis-sagaen også have været afsluttet, men uenighed i nogle personlige forhandlinger (Med Fulham åbenbart....!) har sat Davis-skiftet i bero. Dog fortsætter forhandlingerne, og medierne rapporterer stadigvæk, at lille Davis med 100 procents sikkerhed skifter London ud med Glasgow.

En anden Cottager, der skulle være på vej væk er hollandske Collins John, som Crystal Palace skulle have lapperne ude efter. John, som var udråbt som et kæmpetalent inden skiftet til London, har haft lidt af en svingende periode hos Fulham, og har bl.a. landsholdsdebut for Holland som højdepunktet, mens udlån til Watford og Leicester i sidste sæson viser, hvilken nedtur han har været igennem.

Derudover har jeg ikke hørt meget til Volz-skiftet på det seneste, men der ligger helt sikkert også en masse overvejelse bag sådan en beslutning efter næsten et årti i London for den lille tysker.

Af andre interessante nyheder, er det bemærkelsesværdigt, at Djibril Cisse er tæt på et skifte til Sunderland på en lejekontrakt! (Måske vi skulle have prøvet at shanghaie det bud!!)...

For lige at skifte over til Arsenal-kampen på lørdag (Som bliver sendt live på Kanal 5, kl. 18.25) skulle der desværre stadig være tvivl om AJ, mens man hos Arsenal (bl.a.) har problemer med en mindre skade til den imponerende Samir Nasri, som var her, der og alle vegne i lørdags mod West Brom.

Jeg følger op på alle nyheder, så snart der forekommer flere oplysninger.

First up in Part One - Chelsea's Group A opposition.

For the coming season Group A returns to ten teams, with Millwall's relegation. It means a more traditional and structured fixture list compared to last season, with home and away games against the nine other teams in Group A, with eight other fixtures against teams from other Groups. These are the teams Chelsea will be battling it out against in the South and London-based Group A.

Arsenal
Last Season: 1st
Always strong at Academy level, last year's Group A Champions lost to eventual winners Aston Villa in the Semi Finals. Star performer Jack Wilshere has already progressed to senior level, and the likes of Wojciech Szczesny, Gavin Hoyte, Jay-Emanuel Thomas and Rhys Murphy will be making the step to the Reserves full time, as will top goalscorer Nacer Barazite. In Ignasi Miquel they have a talented new young centre-half, and intriguing attacking potential in the form of Luke Freeman and Benik Afobe.

Key Player: Kyle Bartley

Charlton Athletic
Last Season: 8th

Charlton had an up-and-down season in 07/08 and are set for another season of the same this time around. Jonjo Shelvey's incredible emergence saw him go from schoolboy to first team regular in a matter of months, meaning the Under 18 team rarely saw him in the line-up. However, in Steve Lozano-Calderon they have a winger of great technical ability, and Tamer Tuna finds the net regularly up front. The Charlton Academy has produced a number of first teamers over the last few years, and they can be expected to find at least two from this crop.

Key Player: Tamer Tuna

Crystal Palace
Last Season: 5th

In a usual campaign Crystal Palace might've been able to call upon Victor Moses, John Bostock, Lee Hills and others. As it was, no fewer than six players aged 17 or under played for their full team last season, an indication of their strength. Still, they have a strong set of players, but their success depends entirely on how many more Neil Warnock decides to blood at professional level.

Key Player: Keiron Cadogan

Fulham
Last Season: 3rd

Fulham were the surprise team of last season. Built on a solid foundation of Matthew Briggs and Ashley Thompson in central defence with Pierre Hall in midfield, the three giants of the team made them hard to break down. With two excellent goalies in Filipino international Neil Etheridge and the younger Wesley Foderingham and a potent goal threat in Lewis Smith, they're a force to be reckoned with, even if these such players push on to the next stage of their careers.

Key Player: Matthew Briggs

Ipswich Town
Last Season: 9th

Ipswich's season in 07/08 was based on the foundation of Jordan Rhodes' 40 goal campaign. They'll lose him to the first team squad this season, but have a number of capable players to bounce back for a stronger 08/09. Jack Ainsley and Tommy Smith should feature, but the key player will be forward Paul Murphy, who has height and strength and a goalscoring record to be proud of. He was also named the Player of the Tournament in the Premier section at the recent NI Milk Cup, ahead of a number of winning Man Utd players.

Key Player: Paul Murphy

Norwich City
Last Season: 10th

Norwich's season last year took a massive blow at Cobham when prolific striker Kris Renton suffered a broken leg. With it ended their main goal threat, and they continued to struggle. Now fully recovered and having signed a professional contract, Renton isn't too likely to feature at this level for a full campaign, and in all honesty the team looks one of the weaker ones in the league on paper. On grass, it could all be different.

Key Player: Declan Rudd

Portsmouth
Last Season: 4th

Portsmouth entered the Premier Academy League for the first time last season, putting in a very impressive campaign to finish fourth, and were the only team Chelsea failed to beat - over three matches, due to a scheduling quirk. They have scouted far and wide for accomplished young talent, such as Tom Kilbey (Millwall) and Paris Cowan-Hall (Rushden and Diamonds), and this year's additions of two highly talented French lads in Gauthier Mahoto and Gael Nlundulu. Whether local or foreign talent, any academy under the charges of Paul Hart (Ian Woan manages the Under 18s) will not only be a major competition threat, but also aid player development immensely.

Key Player: Gael Nlundulu

Southampton
Last Season: 6th

Two seasons ago Southampton trumped Chelsea for the Group A title on goal difference. A season later and they had a tougher year, losing a number of players to age - the likes of Jake Thomson, Oliver Lancashire and Cedric Baseya, who have all gone on to bigger and better things. Their academy is still one of the most productive in English football in producing elite talent, so whilst the team may struggle, individuals continue to flourish.

Key Man: Kyle McLaggon

West Ham United
Last Season: 2nd

It's unfair on most of the team to single out one player as being responsible for West Ham's success last season, but it's undeniable that Freddie Sears' 33 goal season was a massive help. Sears, of course, went on to score on his senior debut, and has made his place in Alan Curbishley's squad a permanent one. The Hammers lose him and captain Jordan Spence (also to the first team squad), two high quality players, and their performances will take a hit.

Key Player: Marek Stech

In Part Two....Chelsea's other opponents from around the country.

Na een lange en vermoeiende reis met de bus van Eurolines (volgende keer ga ik vliegen) kwamen we aan in het centrum van Londen. Meteen een Oyster Travelcard gekocht, want die zouden we (mijn broer en ik) de komende week veel nodig hebben. Toen we onze bagage in het hostel bij London Bridge hadden gedumpt, kon de treinreis naar onze eerste wedstrijd op Engelse bodem beginnen!

Op deze openingsdag van de Football League speelde Crystal Palace tegen Watford. Twee clubs uit Londen die vorig jaar op plaats 5 en 6 van het Championship (het tweede profniveau in Engeland) eindigden. Promotie naar de Premier League zat er voor beide ploegen niet in.

De zon scheen toen we 's middags vanaf London Bridge richting treinstation Norwood Junction gingen. Omdat de Oyster maar voor drie zones geldig was (Norwood Junction ligt in zone 4), moest er op station Sydenham een kaartje voor de rest van het traject worden gekocht. Dat bleek achteraf niet nodig te zijn, want de poortjes stonden op het eindstadion gewoon open.

Rondom het station waren al aardig wat Palace-fans aanwezig, die op weg gingen naar Selhurst Park. Of naar de pub, want daar was met ruim een uur tot de aftrap nog genoeg tijd voor. Inmiddels begon ik echt het gevoel te krijgen dat ik in Engeland was, het was namelijk gaan regenen.

Via de clubwebsite van Crystal Palace hadden we de kaartjes besteld, dus die moesten we nog ophalen. Toen ik een bordje met 'Main Box Office' zag, leek mij dat wel een logische plek waar de club de gereserveerde tickets had klaarliggen. Maar nee, na een kwartier in de rij te hebben gestaan werd ik doorverwezen naar een oude gammele keet met roestige antenne op het dak. Daar kregen we dan eindelijk de kaartjes overhandigd.

Ondertussen was het ongeveer een uur voor de kick off. Ik had via het forum van Groundhoppersnet.nl afgesproken met TeeZee, de oprichter van dat forum, die ook naar dit duel ging. Via de site kreeg ik zijn telefoonnummer en ik sms'te dat we bij de main entrance stonden. Het sms'je was amper verstuurd, of een man die naast ons stond hield lachend zijn telefoon omhoog. TeeZee had ons al gevonden. Tja, hoeveel tweelingen zijn er nou die op een regenachtige augustusmiddag naar een voetbalwedstrijdje in Zuid-Londen gaan?

Terwijl we wat over het Engelse voetbal en groundhoppen stonden te praten, parkeerde de blonde Palace-voorzitter Simon Jordan zijn dikke Audi bij de hoofdingang. Een mooi contrast met de oude tribunes van Selhurst Park.

Inmiddels was het tijd om naar onze plaatsen te gaan. Net als TeeZee hadden we kaarten voor de Croydon Advertiser Stand, achter het doel. Bij de ingang maakten we kennis met een typisch kenmerk van oude Britse stadions: smalle turnstiles waar de gemiddelde Engelsman nauwelijks doorheen past.

Eenmaal binnen konden we tussen twee tribunes al het geweldige stadion in kijken. Selhurst Park is een typisch Engels stadion, met vier aparte tribunes die geen van allen hetzelfde zijn, maar wel allemaal dicht op het veld staan. We zaten op de eerste rij, bijna recht achter het doel waar een oude bekende zijn warming up deed toen we binnenkwamen.

Het was niemand minder dan Mart Poom. Je weet wel, die Est die ooit derde keeper bij Arsenal was en een aantal jaar geleden een fraai kopdoelpunt maakte! Hij was deze middag de enige speler die ik kende.

Over de wedstrijd valt niet veel te zeggen. Zowel Palace als Watford kreeg wat kleine kansjes. De bezoekers waren in de tweede helft het dichtst bij een treffer, maar een mooi stiftballetje verdween op de lat. Toen Watford eindelijk scoorde, werd de goal terecht afgekeurd wegens buitenspel. Mijn eerste wedstrijd in Engeland eindigde in een brilscore.

Het veld was door de regen zeer geschikt voor mooie slidings. Die regen had er ook voor gezorgd dat we al snel een paar rijen naar achteren gingen zitten. Aan een overdekte tribune heb je nou eenmaal niks als je op 'Row A' zit en het doelnet bijna kan aanraken.

De sfeer vond ik heel aardig, de supporters van Watford lieten zich regelmatig horen. Volgens TeeZee was de sfeer 'gemiddeld', mede doordat het stadion bij lange na niet vol was. Ruim 15.000 fans kwamen naar Selhurst Park, terwijl er toch plek is voor zo'n 26.000. Iemand achter me sprak van een 'poor attendance'. Geen wonder als het goedkoopste kaartje dertig pond (!) kost.

Na afloop maakten we nog wat foto's en vertrokken we richting Norwood Junction. We liepen met de meute mee, en op één of andere manier raakten we de weg kwijt. Normaal gesproken geen ramp, maar voor de gelegenheid was het nog ietsje harder gaan regenen. Ook toen we vanaf een brug het spoor konden zien was het nog knap lastig om de ingang van het station te vinden. Na drie kwartier geslenter door de regen konden we drijfnat weer terug naar London Bridge.

Ondanks de regen en de eindstand was het een zeer geslaagde dag. Selhurst Park is denk ik een mooi stadion om als eerste te bezoeken!

» foto's

What makes this place so appealing? For starters, its culture of acceptance and welcoming weather. Even if it’s the peak of summer, cool breeze is ensured because of its location at 919m above sea level.

It’s a place where you feel cut off from India and yet a part of it. If the central business district (MG Road and neighbouring areas) is westernised – Pizza Hut, KFC, Google, Yahoo, Standard Chartered, Citibank - the bustling local business district of KG Road stands for all things Indian – a thriving Kannada film industry called Sandalwood, a line of middle class businesses, wholesale merchants and middle class homes. It’s this feeling of attachment and detachment that keeps you company throughout your stay in Bangalore. It is no wonder that many who came as visitors have made it their home.

The city allows you to time-travel. At one end, you have thousand-year-old heritage buildings on Resthouse Road, and at the other, towering glass structures like Intel’s on Airport Road that seem to reach out to the heavens. If one is a celebration of all things British – monkey top window roofs (to prevent monkeys sitting on them), sweeping driveways, pubs, bungalows and English street names (Prince Street, Langford Town, Charles Campbell Road), the other is the Silicon face of Bangalore.

Located in the south-eastern part of the south Indian state of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city after Delhi and Mumbai. It is surrounded by the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

With the boom in software, bio technology and business process outsourcing, nobody would have had any inkling that it was once called the ‘town of boiled beans’. Legend has it that when the Chola King Veera Ballalla ruled south India, he lost his way on a hunting trip in 1120 AD. In his desperate search for directions, he ran into an old lady in a forest who offered him shelter for the night and served him baked beans for dinner. To show his gratitude to the lady, the King is said to have built a town and named it Benda Kalooru which means ‘town of boiled beans’. Hundreds of years later, a local chieftain Kempe Gowda designed this town in 1537 and gave it its modern shape. From Benda Kalooru, it came to be known as Bengaluru. During the British rule, Bengaluru became Bangalore because they were more comfortable pronouncing it this way. Curiously enough, the city was sold for just Rs 3 lakh by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1687. He sold it to the Wadiyars who ruled the adjacent Mysore at the time.

Today, this city of baked beans has emerged as the preferred choice of multi-national companies representing the entire gamut of industries, from pharmaceuticals, telecoms and apparel manufacture to IT, airlines and medical tourism.

Not too long ago, being sent to work in India was considered a ‘punishment’ posting, with a ‘hardship allowance’. Today, getting an India experience is becoming increasingly significant for foreign executives who recognise its tremendous growth potential. What’s more, Bangalore is now considered a veritable training ground for anyone who wants to make it in the world of outsourcing.

The word ‘Bangalored’ (which means, losing jobs to India due to outsourcing) is also assuming a new meaning. With Bangalore becoming the global back-office, it’s only a matter of time before it starts off-shoring consumer services like legal, nutrition and educational services.

Lost your job to outsourcing? Why not move to India and get it back? That seems to be a funny aside circulating among expats in Bangalore today. From a population of around 2000 in the 1990s, it is currently at 14,500, and is set to cross 21,000 in the next two years, according to the Foreigners Registration office.

Drop anchor at lounge bars like 13th Floor on MG Road or Taika on Church Street any evening of the week, and locals will find themselves a minority. Some popular expat hangouts include Nrityagram in Hessaraghatta (http://www.nrityagram.org), a school that showcases the seven classical Indian dance forms. One and a half hour away from the city, it has a village ambience - mud buildings, local materials and Indian architecture. Lush greens, leafy trees and vegetable gardens make your stroll all the more peaceful. For a small fee, you can tour the grounds on your own and observe all the different styles of classical Indian dance. The New York Times calls this concept ‘a modern devotion to a sacred Indian ritual’.

Nrityagram’s next door neighbour is Taj Kuteeram, a resort that showcases yoga and ayurveda. Those who want to stay the night and go on long hikes into the countryside love to call this their home for the weekend. The other expat hangouts include The Golden Palms Spa & Resort on Tumkur Road (spa resort that also includes Asia’s largest swimming pool), Embassy International Riding School in Devanahalli (governed by the rules set by the British Horse Society) and Eagleton Golf Club and Resort on the Bangalore-Mysore highway (rated as one of the top 5 Golf courses in India and, spread over 500 acres, the biggest of its kind in the region).

The truth is that Bangalore just lets you be. You don’t have to bother too much about the way you dress or be unduly concerned about what you eat - because you get all the world’s cuisines right under your nose. With coffee shops at every nook and cranny, you can even have your ‘alone time’ and indulge in people-watching. 

Far from being just a city of today, Bangalore has ancestral beauties in which time stands still. First off the bat is the panoramic Vidhana Soudha, an architectural delight made of granite and porphyry in 1956, and home to the state’s political and bureaucratic activity. Then there is Lalbagh. Spread over 240 acres and laid out by then Mysore ruler Haider Ali in 1740 (Bangalore was then part of Mysore), it is famous for its annual flower shows in January and August that attract hundreds of thousands of people.

The lush Cubbon Park laid out in 1864 is home to a Glass House modelled on London’s Crystal Palace, while the Bangalore Palace was modelled on Windsor Castle, complete with fortified towers and turreted parapets. Built in 1880, it’s a major tourist attraction. And don’t miss 18th century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan’s summer palace in KR Market. Made largely out of wood with embellished balconies, pillars and arches, it was built in 1790 and has a charm of its own even though it’s in a dilapidated state.

The best part of Bangalore is that you don’t have to leave the city to sample the world’s kitchens. The city boasts of cuisines from across the globe. If it’s Japanese, there is Harima on Residency Road (+91-080-51325757) whose clientele has grown to the point that they are sending packed lunches to corporate houses. If you are into al fresco dining, Sunny’s on Vittal Mallya Road (+91-080-41329366) is where you should be headed for Italian, French and American food, home-baked breads and an imported cheese selection. Samarkhand  (+91-080-41113366) on Infantry Road serves the best kebabs and dum biriyani in town. And don’t forget to visit the only Vietnamese restaurant in town: Blue Ginger at the Taj West End on Race Course Road (+91-080-66605660). All of these have won awards, and hold out the promise of retaining their taste and trends for a long time to come.

As far as traditional cuisine goes, stop by Koshy’s on St Mark’s Road (+91-080-22213793) not only for the smileys (fried potato dish eaten with mayonnaise), appams (light rice-flour pancakes) and stimulating conversation. After all, it’s the hub of the literati and the Bangalore equivalent of The Algonquin in New York. You can expect to run into filmmakers, models, theatre persons, writers and intellectuals.

At MTR (080-22220022) on Lalbagh Road, people don’t mind waiting their turn to eat a sumptuous south Indian meal for Rs 75. For a dose of old-world charm on MG Road, a good cup of coffee and scrambled eggs on toast, there’s India Coffee House on MG Road (080- 25587088). Not to mention Vidhyarthi Bhavan (+91-080-26677588)) in Gandhi Bazaar for the best idlis (steamed rice flour cakes) and masala dosas (rice-and-grain flour pancakes) in town.

It’s this blend of the east and west that makes Bangalore so liveable, so cosmopolitan. Take pub-hopping. The city is known as a pub capital and rightly so – there are literally hundreds of pubs and bars in the city. Check out Fuga on Castle Street (+91-080-41511880) for its two-storey dance floor, Hint at Bangalore Central on Residency Road (+91-080-41123557) for its cool lounge and spacious terrace, The Polo Club in The Oberoi on MG Road (080-25585858)) for its alfresco bar, and i-Bar in The Park on MG Road (+91-080-25594666) for its eclectic playful music and exotic cocktails.

Bangalore is known for its silk and sarees, sandalwood, antique pieces and jewellery shops. To get your hands on these, the places to visit are MG Road, Brigade Road and Commercial Street. The Mysore Saree Udyog on Kamaraj Road (+91-080-25583255) is a popular haven besides Deepam Silk International (+91-080-25586191), Vijayalakshmi Silks & Sarees (+91-080-25587937) and Nalli Silks Arcade on MG Road (+91-080-25583178). All these stores have stuff to suit all pockets. For jewellery, nothing to beat the stores on Commercial Street which have a long history in the trade. Some of the older and more famous ones include Ganjam Nagappa & Sons on Infantry Road (+91-080- 22286137) and C Krishnaiah Chetty & Sons (+91-080-25588731) on Commercial Street. For readymade clothes and customisation, nothing to beat M Fazal & Sons (+91-080-25597986) and the narrow bylanes of Russel Market in Shivajinagar. For handicrafts, don’t miss Central Cottage Industries Emporium on MG Road (+91-080-25584083).

Comforting lounge bars, theme-based pubs, international schools, designer retail brands, eclectic coffee shops and a variety of new-age spiritual centres have transformed Bangalore into a truly global metropolis. And it is also a great launching pad for other discoveries in the neighbourhood – like the erstwhile French territory and beach town of Pondicherry or the coffee lands of Coorg, the hill station of Ooty or the land of beaches – Goa. They make for great weekend getaways as they are only an overnight journey away. If you have a week’s time to explore Bangalore’s salubrious neighbours, nothing better than hopping on to the Golden Chariot (http://www.thegoldenchariot.co.in). It’s a luxury train that takes you to heritage, wildlife and beach places around Bangalore – Mysore, Belur, Halebid, Hampi and Goa to name a few. If you don’t have so much time, you could drive an hour and a half away from Bangalore to reach Bannerghatta National Park. Here, you can see butterflies from around the world and watch tigers and lions in their natural surroundings. At about the same distance from the city, find the picturesque waterfalls  – the Gaganachukki and the Barachukki –  cascading 90m down in the island town of Shivanasamudram. Some two hours from the city are the hill stations of Devarayanadurga, standing at almost 4000 feet (1,219m), and Ramohalli where you run into a 400-year-old banyan tree that’s spread over four acres.

That’s the city of the future… with many companions from the past and the immediate present to keep you company for a long time to come.

(This piece appeared in SilverKris, the inflight magazine of Singapore Airlines)

I began to wonder if anyone from the local area has been involved in the Olympics. Here are five interesting, if rather peculiar, facts about our local area and international sporting history.

1
In 1948 the Olympics were hosted in London for the second time

The Olympic Games had previously been held in London in 1908. They were supposed to return here in 1944, but the Second World War got in the way.

The velodrome at Herne Hill - one of the oldest velodromes in the country - was chosen as the venue for the cycling competitions. The BBC constructed a huge operation on site so they could broadcast directly to the nation from the venue.

Olympic football matches were also played at Selhurst Park (Crystal Palace) and at Champion Hill.

2
Dulwich’s most famous Olympian is Kieran West MBE, an old boy of Dulwich College (1986-95). He rowed in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney – where he won a gold medal in the eights - and again at the Athens games in 2004.

3
Sinead Joyce teaches tae-kwon-do during PE lessons at St Anthony’s Roman Catholic Primary School in East Dulwich. One hundred of her pupils recently passed their tae-kwon-do exams with flying colours. She is a world champion of the martial art and a local hopeful for the 2012 Olympics in London.

4
Ric Birch is another old boy of Dulwich College (1955-57)

He acted as an advisor to the Master of Ceremonies, Zhang Yimou, for the opening ceremony of the current Olympic Games in Beijing. Ric has been responsible for many of the opening ceremonies for both the summer and winter Olympics, since the Los Angeles games in 1984, as well as the Sydney Millennium festivities.

5
Jamie Harding, a teenager from Herne Hill who suffers from cerebral palsy, has represented Britain at international athletics and sprinting events. He was also one of the eighty people who ran with the Olympic flame when it passed through London on its way to Beijing.

Do you know any other local Olympic trivia? If so, please leave us a comment below. There must be much more.

But what's surprising? It's the first round of the League Cup? Surely that's a reasonable crowd for such an unfassionable fixture? The surprise isn't that it was so low, but that it was so high.

Palace's ticketing policy is making attendance at games much harder for fans - the cost of travel, food, a programme and whatever else - added to the 15 pounds per ticket price - makes a cup fixture against a fourth tier team a seriously unattractive one.

15 pounds is in fairness a reasonable price for a professional football match - especially when compared to the 30 pounds charged for a regular league fixture. Palace's tickets and season-tickets are some of the most expensive in the league. While many clubs can rely on income provided by services such as food bars, drink bars, club merchandise and more, Palace seem incapable of trusting such a revenue stream - especially when you consider the lack of merchandise available to buy. Football fans are a strange breed and will often buy all sorts of crap related to their team.

Palace's attendances have fallen quite remarkably since Peter Taylor's spell in charge. Clearly, it's very easy to point fingers and lay blame on someone who is no longer an influence at the club - but Taylor's negativity turned a fair few fans away from the club - fans that, despite the regime change and play-off defeat - have so far refused to return. I know of eight fans who didn't renew last season. Since Warnock's appointment, four of those have renewed - a sign that things may perhaps be changing again.

With the doom-mongers threatening a recession, it may be a while until we see bigger crowds at Selhurst Park again.

Everett True reviews The Pixies, Ride, Cud, The Miltown Brothers & The Boo Radleys live at the Crystal Palace Bowl.

"The Pixies are living affirmation that rock is still alive and kicking its way far into our lives. The greatest rock band on the planet? Name me another of their stature."

I have to agree with ET and it's really pleasing to think that unlike many bands who were puffed up to dizzy heights only to vaporise to nothing outside of whatever crest of a scene they rode up on, The Pixies music is still as vital and compelling now as it was then. Truly a great, great band.

Marcus Tudgay got the first goal of the season as Sheffield Wednesday hammered Owen Coyle's Burnley 4-2 at Hillsborough. Akpo Sodje grabbed a brace before Tudgay got himself another. Martin Paterson got one for Burnley.

The days early kick off saw Birmingham host Kevin Blackwell's Sheffield United. The game, which was televised on sky, was lacking quality throughout but sub Kevin Phillips won the game for Birmingham in the last minute to give Brum a 1-0 win.

It was a bad start to the season for rivals Derby County, as they lost 0-1 to newly promoted Doncaster Rovers.

The other promoted side Swansea City lost 2-0 away to Charlton, Hudson and Gray with the goals at the Valley.

Wolves drew 2-2 away at Plymouth, Vokes equalised for Wolves late on.

Ipswich suprisingly lost at home to Preston, 1-2 the final score.  QPR beat Barnsley 2-1 and Coventry beat Norwich at home 2-0.

Blackpool just missed out on a draw as Bristol City grabbed a last minute winner via Brooker to give City a 0-1 win.

Crystal Palace drew 0-0 with Watford and Cardiff just beat Southampton 2-1 at Ninian Park.

Did you go to any of today's games? How do you feel about the results? Let us know by leaving a comment!

I'm predicting Palace 2-1 Watford. We went to watch a pre-season friendly against Fulham, which was actually Dougie Freedman's testimonial (WHO LET THE DOUG OUT!), and, whilst it was a completely rubbish game, there were some points from which I thought we could take cautious hope. The two youngsters, Scannell and Moses, both looked good, as did a new signing from Bristol City, Nick Carle, who if he continues to play well I will forgive for acting like an arse in the away leg of the play-off semi-final last season, when he took five minutes to leave the pitch after being substituted.

Meanwhile, I'm watching the swimming, the builders who have been making car crash noises on the roof all morning appear to have disappeared, and Final Score is back this afternoon. It could be worse.

Update: it ended 0-0.  Still, a point's a point.  Onwards and upwards!

Dougie Freedman - a Crystal Palace legend and fan favourite - was told a week ago by manager Neil Warnock that his future would lie elsewhere. Such a decision will not have surprised many - but the move, tailored to allow younger players to get a better chance at impacting on the first team - will have left a few fans and the player himself disappointed.

Freedman is a fantastic player. His skill, guile and timeliness has provided Crystal Palace with some truly key moments in the club's recent history. His goals against Wolves in the home play-off leg of the 96/97 season, and the infamous last minute winner versus Stockport in 2001, were perhaps the two most memorable Freedman moments. But it is his special relationship with the fans and the club itself that will have left the greatest lasting impression.

The decision by Warnock was strong because Palace's two previous managers failed to make it. While Freedman has had the skill to compete for a first team berth, his age and subsequent deterioration in both pace and energy has played a part in the number of matches he's actually featured in - a problem that, rather than being adressed, was often overlooked.

Taylor and Dowie chose to keep Dougie in the team, however they failed to provide the player with the thing he really wanted and needed. Regular first team football. Freedman - at the age of 34 - does not have many more years left as a player - and it is therefor imperative that he plays a little more regular football before the opportunity passes him by. Warnock has made the right decision for the player and the club.

On the completely opposite end of the age spectrum sits Ben Watson, Crystal Palace's 22-year-old midfielder, who's last major input to the team was to miss a penalty in the club's play-off semi-final defeat to Bristol City.

Watson had been a regular for the previous two seasons - and had featured for the last six. It was after the Bristol City defeat that the player informed the Palace manager of his decision to refuse a new contract offer. Watson - with one year left on his deal - would have to be sold this summer to recoup any of his true value or would be allowed to leave for a relatively small compensation fee.

Following Watson's decision, Palace agreed to offer Watson a move and spent a significant fee to sign Nick Carle as his direct replacement. The indication was that Watson would leave, and soon. Six weeks later, and the player is still at the club, who in turn are still awaiting a serious offer that matches their valuation. Watson has been told that his time at Palace is up - he made his decision to quit and would have to face the consequence.

The consequence in this case is that, for the most recent three pre-season fixtures, Watson has not featured at all. Warnock's decision hinting that to allow a player to take part in pre-season friendlies prior to a move away from the club would be the equivalent to training another team's player in preparation to compete against your own team.

This move was once again met with dissapointment by the club's fans who felt that Watson could perhaps still be persuaded to sign a new deal. Watson had - through the medium of his agent - informed the club's administration that he would in no way accept a new deal, this despite the contract offer's potential to make Watson the club's highest paid player. While it was Watson's perogative to turn down such an offer, it is equally Warnock's perogative to deny the player the opportunity to prepare himself for a new season with a different club.

The reality is that, while both players are leaving for different reasons and under completely different circumstances, the decisions made to allow both to leave have been made with only the club's interest at heart. It is a manager's job to make these decisions - decisions that Warnock has so far made with absolute respect for all parties concerned.

Premier League ins and outs

Courtesy BBC

Ins: Aaron Ramsey (Cardiff, £5m), Samir Nasri (Marseille, undisclosed), Amaury Bischoff (Werder Bremen, undisclosed).

Outs: Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos, £1m), Alexander Hleb (Barcelona, £11.8m), Jens Lehmann (Stuttgart, free), Mathieu Flamini (AC Milan, free), Kerrea Gilbert (Leicester, loan).

Ins: Steve Sidwell (Chelsea, £5m), Curtis Davies (West Brom, undisclosed), Brad Friedel (Blackburn, £2m).

Outs: Thomas Sorensen (released), Patrik Berger (Sparta Prague, free), Luke Moore (West Brom, £3m).

Ins: Robbie Fowler (Cardiff, free), Paul Robinson (Tottenham, £3.5m), Carlos Villanueva (Audax Italiano, loan), Danny Simpson (Manchester United, loan).

Outs: Stephane Henchoz (released), Bruno Berner (released), Peter Enckelman (Cardiff, free), Brad Friedel (Aston Villa, £2m), David Bentley (Tottenham, £15m).

Ins: Johan Elmander (Toulouse, £10m), Fabrice Muamba (Birmingham, £5m), Mustapha Riga (Levante, undisclosed).

Outs: Daniel Braaten (Toulouse, undisclosed), Andranik Teymourian (Fulham, free), Stelios Giannakopoulos (released), Ivan Campo (released), El Hadji Diouf (Sunderland, £2.5m).

Ins: Jose Bosingwa (FC Porto, £16.2m), Deco (Barcelona, £8m).

Outs: Steve Sidwell (Aston Villa, £5m), Ben Sahar (Portsmouth, loan), Ryan Bertrand (Norwich, loan), Slobodan Rajkovic (FC Twente, loan), Claude Makelele (Paris St Germain, free), Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart, £4m), Tal Ben Haim (Manchester City, undisclosed), Shaun Cummings (MK Dons, loan).

Ins: None.

Outs: Lee Carsley (Birmingham City, free), Stefan Wessels (VfL Osnabruck, free).

Ins: John Pantsil and Bobby Zamora (West Ham, £6.3m), Tony Kallio (Young Boys Bern, undisclosed), Andranik Teymourian (Bolton, free), Zoltan Gera (West Brom, free), David Stockdale (Darlington, undisclosed), Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough, free), Fredrik Stoor (Rosenborg, undisclosed).

Outs: Dejan Stefanovic (Norwich, undisclosed), Nathan Ashton (Wycombe, nominal fee), Elliot Omozusi (Norwich, loan), Ricardo Batista (Sporting, undisclosed), Tony Warner (Hull City, free), Carlos Bocanegra (Stade Rennais, free), Brian McBride (Toronto, free), Philippe Christanval, Jari Litmanen, Simon Elliott, Kasey Keller (all released).

Ins: Peter Halmosi (Plymouth, £2m), George Boateng (Middlesbrough, £1m), Tony Warner (Fulham, free), Bernard Mendy (Paris St Germain, free), Geovanni (Manchester City, free), Craig Fagan (Derby, £750,000), Anthony Gardner (Tottenham, loan).

Outs: Michael Bridges (Carlisle, loan), Henrik Pedersen (Silkeborg IF, free), David Livermore (Brighton, free).

Ins: David Ngog (Paris St Germain, undisclosed), Emmanuel Mendy (Murcia Deportivo, free), Diego Cavalieri (Palmeiras, undisclosed), Andrea Dossena (Udinese, undisclosed), Philipp Degen (Borussia Dortmund, free), Robbie Keane (Tottenham, £20.3m).

Outs: Jack Hobbs (Leicester, loan), Godwin Antwi (Tranmere, loan), Adam Hammill (Blackpool, loan), Scott Carson (West Brom, £3.25m), Peter Crouch (Portsmouth, £11m), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray, free), Paul Anderson (Nottingham Forest, loan), Anthony le Tallec (Le Mans, undisclosed), John Arne Riise (Roma, £4m), Besian Idrizaj (Wacker Tirol, free), Danny Guthrie (Newcastle, undisclosed), Robbie Threlfall (Hereford, loan).

Ins: Jo (CSKA Moscow, £18m), Tal Ben Haim (Chelsea, undisclosed).

Outs: Georgios Samaras (Celtic, undisclosed), Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven, undisclosed), Geovanni (Hull, free), Emile Mpenza and Paul Dickov (both released), Sun Jihai (Sheffield United, free), Matthew Mills (Doncaster, £300,000).

Ins: None.

Outs: Adam Eckersley (AC Horsens, free), Gerard Pique (Barcelona, £5m), Tom Heaton (Cardiff City, loan), Chris Eagles (Burnley, £1m), Danny Simpson (Blackburn, loan)

Ins: Didier Digard (Paris St Germain, £4m), Marvin Emnes (Sparta Rotterdam, £3.2m).

Outs: George Boateng (Hull City, £1m), Fabio Rochemback (Sporting, free), Lee Dong-Gook (released), Mark Schwarzer (Fulham, free), Steve Thompson (Port Vale, free), Lee Cattermole (Wigan, £3.5m).

Ins: Danny Guthrie (Liverpool, undisclosed), Jonas Gutierrez (Real Mallorca, undisclosed).

Outs: Emre (Fenerbahce, undisclosed), David Rozehnal (Lazio, £2.9m), Peter Ramage (QPR, free).

Ins: Peter Crouch (Liverpool, £11m), Ben Sahar (Chelsea, loan), Glen Little (Reading, free), Omar Alieu Koroma (Banjul Hawks, undisclosed).

Outs: Sulley Muntari (Inter Milan, £12.7m), Omar Alieu Koroma (Norwich, loan).

Ins: Seyi George Olofinjana (Wolves, £3m), Dave Kitson (Reading, £5.5m).

Outs: Marlon Broomes (Blackpool, free).

Ins: Pascal Chimbonda (Tottenham, undisclosed), David Meyler (Cork City, undisclosed), Nick Colgan (Ipswich, free), Teemu Tainio (Tottenham, undisclosed), El Hadji Diouf (Bolton, £2.5m), Steed Malbranque (Tottenham, undisclosed).

Outs: Andrew Cole (Nottingham Forest, free), Greg Halford (Sheffield United, loan), Ian Harte and Stephen Wright (both released), Ross Wallace (Preston, loan).

Ins: John Bostock (Crystal Palace, £700,000), Heurelho Gomes (PSV Eindhoven, undisclosed), Luka Modric (£15.8m), Giovani dos Santos (Barcelona, £4.7m), David Bentley (Blackburn, £15m).

Outs: Pascal Chimbonda (Sunderland, undisclosed), Paul Robinson (Blackburn, £3.5m), Teemu Tainio (Sunderland, undisclosed), Joe Martin (Blackpool, undisclosed), Robbie Keane (Liverpool, £20.3m). Anthony Gardner (Hull City, loan), Steed Malbranque (Sunderland, undisclosed), Jake Livermore (Crewe, loan).

Ins: Scott Carson (Liverpool, £3.25m), Marek Cech (FC Porto, £1.4m), Gianni Zuiverloon (Heerenveen, £3.2m), Luke Moore (Aston Villa, £3m).

Outs: Kevin Phillips (Birmingham, free), Curtis Davies (Aston Villa, undisclosed), Martin Albrechtsen (Derby County, free), Zoltan Gera (Fulham, free), Luke Daniels (Shrewsbury, loan).

Ins: Valon Behrami (Lazio, £5m), Balint Bajner (Liberty Salonta, undisclosed), Jan Lastuvka (Shakhtar Donetsk, loan).

Outs: John Pantsil and Bobby Zamora (Fulham, £6.3m), Richard Wright (Ipswich, undisclosed).

Ins: Amr Zaki (Zamalek, loan), Olivier Kapo (Birmingham, £3.5m), Daniel de Ridder (Birmingham, free), Lee Cattermole (Middlesbrough, £3.5m).

Outs: Andreas Granqvist (Groningen, £600,000), Julius Aghahowa (Kayserispor, undisclosed), Salomon Olembe (Kayserispor, free), Josip Skoko (Hajduk Split, free), David Cotterill (Sheffield United, undisclosed).

Last Season – 5^th

Transfers

In – Patrick McCarthy (Charlton, £500k), Nick Carle (Bristol City, £1m), Johannes Ertl (Austria Wien, Undisclosed Fee), Darryl Flahavan (Southend, Bosman), Calvin Andrew (Luton, Undisclosed Fee), Jose Fonte (Benfica, Undisclosed Fee), Simon Thomas (Borehamwood, Undisclosed Fee)

Out – Mark Hudson (Charlton, Bosman), Jeff Hughes (Bristol Rovers, £120k), John Bostock (Tottenham, £700k), Lewwis Spence (Wycombe, Free), Tony Craig (Millwall, Undisclosed Fee), Mark Kennedy (Cardiff, Free)

Expected Team

GK: Julian Speroni

LB: Clint Hill

CB: Patrick McCarthy

CB: Jose Fonte

RB: Danny Butterfield

DMC: Shaun Derry (Captain)

MC: Tom Soares

MC: Nick Carle

LWF: Victor Moses

RWF: Sean Scannell/Paul Ifill

CF: Calvin Andrew/James Scowcroft

AFTER a season full of up and downs Palace fans will go into the new season with a renewed optimism under manager Neil Warnock.

The meteoric rise that saw the Eagles secure a playoff place on the final game of the season against Burnley last term has meant Warnock’s men have been installed as 12-1 for promotion to the Premiership this season.

Positives

First off lets examine the positives going into the coming season. Victor Moses is one name that is never far from the lips of Palace fans. Reported interest from Arsene Wenger this summer will not have been music to the ears of most fans, but after signing a new four-year contract it looks like ‘Vic’ will be staying for another season, at least. His performances are likely to be crucial this season as the team have yet to replace last season’s top scorer Clinton Morrison.

The stern defence that Warnock has built is also something to be proud of. Losing Mark Hudson was a blow, but McCarthy looks almost a carbon copy of the Guildford born defender. Jose Fonte will be central to Warnock’s side after he impressed more and more every game, even chipping in with the odd goal.

Saying all this though I think that one man could make or break our season – Nick Carle. Signed from Bristol City, the little Australian has looked very impressive in pre-season and if he hits top form he could fire us back to the big time.

Negatives

The departures of certain key players are certain to have an impact on the side. The backbone of the team has been overhauled with Hudson and Morrison leaving, Ben Watson being told he is surplus to requirements – not forgetting the departure of the messiah Dougie Freedman. Only time will tell, however, I believe this could have a profound effect on the side as Ben Watson laid on over 50% of our goals last season and Morrison ended up as our top scorer.

Going into the season with two new, unproven strikers (one from Luton, one from Borehamwood) and one coming back from injury is not the ideal situation. The current crop of forwards at the club comprises James Scowcroft, Calvin Andrew, Simon Thomas, and Sean Scannell, the latter probably strongest. Without a Morrison or Freedman type player in the side to exploit the work of Carle, Moses and Scannell it’s difficult to see where goals will come from.

Verdict

Unless we sign another striker we may struggle for goals but a playoff place could be a possibility if Nick Carle is firing on all cylinders.

Predicted position: 6th

When I covered the topic of promotion favourites last time, I weighed up the chances or Birmingham, Queens Park Rangers and Reading. This time, I'll be running the rule over Derby County, Crystal Palace and Sheffield United. All of whom will fancy their chances of mixing it with the Premier League big boys next season.

First up, let's talk Derby. After last years Premier League horror show, I would say that things can only get better, but in all honesty - that simply isn't true. There is every chance that the losing mentality they have picked up could continue this season. A bad run of form during August and Paul Jewell will start feeling the pressure. They must start well.

So far in pre-season it has been a mixed bag for the Rams. Despite victories over Rushden, Mansfield Town and Burton Albion, they have been held by both Oldham Athletic and Rotherham United. Inconsistent, but at least they are getting out of the losing habit. The main reason you may wish to back Derby though is the amount of signings they have made. They have brought some real quality in.

Because the list is so long, I'll just name the ones who I believe will have a big impact on their season - Kris Commons, Rob Hulse, Nathan Ellington and Martin Albrechsten. All top quality Championship players. If they aren't at least occupying a play-off spot come May I will be very surprised.

Next up is Crystal Palace. Before I talk about their chances of promotion, let's get one thing straight. I have never liked Crystal Palace and I have never liked Neil Warnock, so forgive me if I am a little negative when weighing up their chances for this season!

I am being completely honest though when I say I don't think they have what it takes to win promotion. Yes, they could push for the play-offs, but so could a lot of teams. They have a very young side, but with Ben Watson and Clinton Morrison on there way out of the club they are losing two key performers. Warnock has a habit of getting the best out of what he has got, but there is no doubt in my mind that they would be remarkably over achieving if they made it to the Premier League.

The final team I am focusing on today is Sheffield United. In the first of a new addition to my blogs for this site, they are involved in my Friday Football Betting Tip. I believe they will win promotion to the Premier League. After a poor start last season they surged when Kevin Blackwell took charge and they almost made the play-offs.

One of the main reasons I am suggesting that you back them for promotion is the signings they have made. They haven't been the biggest spenders, but I think they have done some excellent business. Making the move to the Blades is Matthew Spring, David Cotterill and Darius Henderson. These are all good signings in my view and add to a squad that already contains James Beattie, Billy Sharp, Jonathan Stead and Michael Tounge. They also have Gary Speed and Ugo Ehiogu to add some experience to the squad. These are the type of characters you need if you are to win promotion.

You will make some decent money backing the Sheffield United now as there are plenty of teams who are favoured above them in the Championship promotion odds. So stick some money on Sheffield United - that's my Friday tip.

Next time I will cast an eye over those who are going to be flirting with relegation to League One. I'll try to avoid mentioning Norwich in this category but it might not be practical!