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West Indies legspinner Samuel Badree has described Pakistan as a “very, very dangerous team” which can “demolish any opposition.”

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2016Legspinner Samuel Badree has described Pakistan as a “very, very dangerous team” which can “demolish any opposition.” West Indies face them in three T20Is from Friday in the UAE and Badree insisted his side was”wary of the challenge” posed by Sarfraz Ahmed and his men despite the gap in rankings. West Indies, having won the World T20, are at No. 3 and Pakistan are No. 7.”On their day, they can demolish any opposition, and we are wary of that challenge,” Badree said. “We respect every opposition that we come up against, and we are going to do the same against Pakistan. We are going to prepare well, knowing that Pakistan are a very, very dangerous team.”The responsibility of living up to that reputation has fallen on a few rookies, and Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur gave them a glowing recommendation. “The players we have brought in – Imad Wasim, Babar Azam, Sohail Khan, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Nawaz – they take the game on. They don’t fear failure, which is fantastic. They are the guys we want to build this one-day cricket brand around.”West Indies, however, would have to find a way to cope without two of their best T20I players. Chris Gayle is injured and Andre Russell withdrew from the tour for personal reasons.”It’s a different team from the team that won the World T20,” Badree said. “We have a lot of new guys, a few players who are making their debuts on this tour. A number of our guys have been here before – the likes of [Sunil] Narine, [Dwayne] Bravo, [Kieron] Pollard. So we are looking forward to some very good games of cricket and, of course, we’d like to win the series and remain as one of the best T20 teams in the world.”One of the newer faces is opening batsman Evin Lewis, who made his maiden first-class, List A and T20I centuries in 2016 and has been named player of the year by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board. That maiden T20I ton came against India in Florida in which Lewis and Johnson Charles shared a 126-run opening stand to lay the platform for a match-winning total of 245.”I said [to myself] that this could be my opportunity to put myself on the world stage and I went out there and played positively and it paid off for me so I was happy about that,” Lewis said of the knock. “Johno [Johnson Charles] is a pretty attacking batsman like myself so there is less pressure on me. When he scores, it makes it easier for me to score also.”A factor that could make this series, which also includes three ODIs and three Tests, compelling could be the mercurial nature of both sides.”Pakistan are very similar to us in terms of their consistency – or lack, thereof,” Badree said. “One day they will give a brilliant performance, just like us, then the next, they leave a lot to be desired.”West Indies begin the tour with a warm-up match against Emirates Cricket Board XI on September 20. There is a day-night Test in the schedule as well.

The ICC has agreed to support Sri Lanka Cricket and Kusal Perera’s claim for costs and damages from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala has said

Andrew Fidel Fernando06-Jul-2016

Kusal Perera had missed Sri Lanka’s tour to New Zealand, T20s against India, the Asia Cup and the World T20 due to his suspension•AFP

The ICC has agreed to support Sri Lanka Cricket and Kusal Perera’s claim for costs and damages from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala has said.Perera had been suspended after a Qatar-based lab found a banned substance in his urine sample, but the doping charges were dropped in May when an independent analyst found that the WADA-accredited lab’s findings were not sustainable.Though the ICC had previously said it “does not accept that it is responsible” for the consequences the lab’s findings, SLC believes it has got the ICC’s support in its attempt to obtain both costs and compensation from WADA itself.Sumathipala said the board’s request for compensation for Perera received widespread support at the recent ICC meeting in Edinburgh.”We appealed to the ICC about the injustice that had happened to Kusal, and we were given an audience at the CEOs’ meeting. I must say the committee comprising of the CEOs unanimously supported our claim,” he said. “Then it came to the board meeting, and at the board meeting we made the appeal that there should be compensation – not just the cost. It was decided that the costs and the compensation should be paid to him, because the ICC took the position that the claim made by Kusal is fair and justifiable. ICC decided to stand by Sri Lanka Cricket and support the claim.”SLC said it spent about 13 million Sri Lankan rupees (US $92,000 approx) on fighting the case. The player himself is expected to pay this figure back to the board, according to Perera’s management. The board, however, has been adamant that those responsible for the imposition of the five-month suspension on Perera should ultimately bear the costs. Sumathipala suggested that no less than 35 million rupees (US $246,000) was appropriate, given Perera’s loss of earnings during the suspension, and the “damage to his reputation”.”This kind of compensation has never ever been paid to anybody in the history of cricket,” Sumathipala said. “The ICC and SLC are together in this – the money is ultimately coming from WADA, through the ICC, to Kusal. It is a new experience for WADA as well.”Sumathipala said the board was optimistic WADA would provide compensation, as it has already accepted there was a flaw in its processes. “I don’t think we will have to go to court over it,” he said. According to Sumathipala, the ICC and WADA have also blacklisted the Qatar-based lab.Discussions with WADA are believed to be in their very early stages, though, and Perera himself is yet to be brought up to speed on the situation. SLC officials are expected to meet with Perera and his management after the player returns from the England tour on Thursday.Perera missed a full tour of New Zealand, bilateral T20s against India, the Asia Cup and the World T20 as a result of the suspension. He was also ineligible for this year’s IPL auction, as well as the initial Test squad for England as he had only recently returned to training.

Tottenham Hotspur's manager search continues to fan the flames of the rumour mill, which will seemingly go on until Daniel Levy finally makes up his mind.

It has now been nearly two weeks since Antonio Conte was sacked, and an ever-growing list has emerged listing the numerous candidates in line for the job. However, what made the issue slightly more pressing was Chelsea's decision to dismiss Graham Potter.

This added another Premier League powerhouse into the mix, searching for a successor to their recently departed boss.

Although Frank Lampard might be ready to take the job on a temporary basis, the Lilywhites need to have someone lined up for the summer, or else face losing out on their top targets to a Blues outfit that are likely a far more enticing proposition for budding bosses.

One name that refuses to disappear with regard to Spurs' vacancy is Oliver Glasner, who has earned praise for his work in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt.

A pragmatic manager with similar ideals to Conte, there are reservations about just how similar the Austrian might be were he appointed. However, they have been handed a huge boost in their pursuit as reports from Sky Germany noted there was a high chance he could depart this summer.

Indeed, their reporter Florian Plettenberg commented in the last 48 hours on the situation, saying: "The trend is that Glasner will say goodbye to SGE in the summer."

Whether fans want the 48-year-old or not, this marks a huge step towards ensuring his availability should Levy seek him out.

How does Oliver Glasner play?

Preferring to employ a system with three central defenders, much like his potential predecessor, his Frankfurt side earned praise for their Europa League triumph last season against all odds.

This year, however, they find themselves deeply engrossed in a desperate battle for any European football at all.

It has been a stark drop-off, and led to an explosive interview that further aligns him with Conte. Having been sacked for such an outburst, Glasner would emulate something similar mid-way through March, claiming after a defeat: "You could play 0-0 in a game like this – but we can’t. That is also a question of quality. I don’t know how you can train quality."

Although his teams seem more high-scoring than the current Spurs outfit, they also seem to suffer from a lack of differentiation between their goals scored and goals conceded. As such, across his 60 Bundesliga matches in charge of his current side, the Europa League winner's team have scored 92 but conceded 86. They are unpredictable, at a time when Spurs need reliability.

He remains capable of the odd "tactical master stroke", as he was lauded for by journalist Stefan Bienkowski, but so did Conte.

The two share more similarities than fans would likely care to admit, and appointing Glasner could be returning to old ground in worrying fashion.

Manchester United are eyeing up a swoop for World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister this summer as Erik ten Hag continues his rebuild.

What’s the latest on Alexis Mac Allister to Manchester United?

According to Argentinian reporter Cesar Luis Merlo, United are fighting it out with Liverpool and Arsenal in order to lure the Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder to Old Trafford during the summer transfer window.

Merlo claims that two of the clubs are ‘already negotiating’ with the player, although he doesn’t state which teams that is.

The south coast side were looking at £50m in order for any team to prise Mac Allister away from the club during the January window and come the end of the season, this figure may have increased.

Could Manchester United sign Alexis Mac Allister?

Ten Hag is still a few signings short of completing a team which can compete for the Premier League title and Mac Allister would certainly improve the team that’s for sure.

With the Dutchman also looking to ship out some deadwood and underperformers during the summer, the Argentinian could be a big upgrade on Scott McTominay.

Indeed, this season, the 24-year-old has registered more goals (eight to none), shots per game (2.35 to 0.78), tackles won (30 to 18) and has a higher pass success rate than the Scot (86.7% to 81.9%), proving he has been much more effective across all areas of the pitch.

Ten Hag would love to add another midfielder who can pose a significant goal threat and Mac Allister ranks in the top 5% across Europe’s big five leagues for goals, total shots and penalty kicks made, meaning United would be signing one of the finest goalscoring midfielders in the continent if they lured him to the club.

His experience at the highest level is also a big plus for the Dutchman. Reporter Roy Nemer lauded the midfielder as being “unplayable” during the 2022 World Cup final that Argentina won, and he was incredible throughout the duration of the competition.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.05/10 across six matches, scoring once, creating two big chances and making 1.3 key passes per match along with taking 1.2 shots per game, displaying his attacking qualities on the grandest stage of all.

McTominay has started just nine Premier League matches for United this season, making 20 appearances overall, and it looks as though his career at the Red Devils could be coming to an end.

In Mac Allister they will have a player who is a big upgrade on the 26-year-old and one who can further strengthen United’s midfield.

Everton produced an epic comeback in their Premier League clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last night and Sean Dyche will be thrilled that his perseverance with Ellis Simms finally paid off in the dying moments of the game.

The Toffees academy graduate has had a rollercoaster season after becoming a key player whilst on loan with Sunderland in the Championship over the first half of the season with his impressive displays ultimately leading to his recall to Goodison Park in January, although his opportunities remained limited until the appointment of the former Burnley boss.

Over Dyche's eight games in charge of the Merseysiders, Simms has featured four times and his faith in the striker finally paid off in west London as the youngster earned his team a crucial point with a goal scored in the 89th minute of action.

Indeed, there is still plenty of work to be done for both Everton to survive in the Premier League this season and Simms to become a prolific presence in front of goal but the draw with Chelsea will surely instil some belief and confidence going into the remaining ten league fixtures.

If Dyche does manage to retain the Toffees' top-flight status it could be a great opportunity to give more academy graduates opportunities to prove their worth in the senior team and Tom Cannon could be the perfect addition to the attacking threat when he returns from his loan with Preston North End.

How is Tom Cannon doing on loan?

Cannon made the move to the Championship club back in the January transfer window and is earning the important first-team football needed to give a better insight into his capabilities.

Over 12 appearances so far, the 20-year-old ace – hailed a "bright spark" by journalist Tom Sandells – has scored three goals, registered one assist and created two big chances, as well as averaging 1.2 successful dribbles, two shots on goal and winning four duels per game, proving that he is a huge attacking presence on the pitch.

It seems that Cannon has captured a lot of attention during his short time in the Championship with Hull City manager Liam Rosenior hailing the forward when the club came up against PNE last month:

"I thought Tom Cannon was outstanding, one of the best we've played against by far."

The former Everton U18s and U21s striker penned a new three-year deal in August 2022 after tallying up 97 appearances, 51 goals and 14 assists in the youth set-up, as well as earning three senior appearances in the first team before his temporary move to Lancashire at the turn of the year.

With that being said, the future is looking bright for Cannon and if he can continue to produce a solid output on loan over the remainder of the season, it would put him in good stead to follow in the footsteps of the aforementioned Simms.

Dileep Premachandran26-Mar-2009Leadership means different things to different sports. In football, the
captain’s armband is more a sign of recognition than an acknowledgement of
tactical nous. When people talk of the immortal Brazilians of 1970, they
talk of Pele and Jairzinho, Gerson and Tostao. If they do mention Carlos
Alberto, it’s for the rocket into the Italian net, and not his leadership.Cricket couldn’t be more different. When we speak of the great sides,
they’re almost always prefaced by the captain’s name. Warwick Armstrong’s
Australians of 1920-21. The Don’s legendary team of 1948. Ian Chappell’s Ugly Australians. Clive Lloyd’s Calypso Men. Mark Taylor’s new-age
Aussies. You can’t separate the team from the leader, the victorious
campaigns from the men who made the crucial calls.After American Football, where the quarterback reigns supreme, in no other
sport does the captain exert the same level of influence. So, when John Buchanan, acknowledged as one of the great coaching brains of our age, comes out and says that it doesn’t really matter who leads a team, people
will sit up and take notice. More so when the man being marginalised as a result of the new theory is the most successful captain that India has ever had.”It could actually be of benefit to someone like him because it could free
him up for his batting, when he just needs to do his batting or for his
fielding when he just needs to do his fielding or when he needs to just do
his bowling without the burden of the 20-over format on his
shoulders,” said Buchanan when asked about Sourav Ganguly not being given
the Kolkata Knight Riders captaincy for the second season of the IPL. “The laws of the game state that you need a captain for certain formal roles, such as the coin toss, but that
aside, I see there is scope to challenge the way teams have been run in
the past.”His idea of collective leadership has already drawn an incredulous
response from Mickey Arthur, who has plotted South Africa’s rise to the
top of the world game in conjunction with Graeme Smith. Ganguly himself
didn’t appear best pleased with the idea, saying: “Tomorrow I can jump out
and say we need four batting coaches, four John Buchanans and Shah Rukh
Khan [the team owner] can say we need six Andy Bichels. These are all
opinions, these are the ways they are thinking Twenty20 cricket can be
played. We’ll have to wait and see because it’s completely new, it has
never happened in sports.”

	Even in this era of coaches, the one consistent line has been that the captain has the final word once the team crossed the rope on to the field of play. Does a coach sitting on the sidelines really have a better feel for what’s going on in the middle?

One of Buchanan’s more strident critics, Shane Warne, might also have a
thing or two to say about this latest theory. The story of last season’s
IPL was the story of the Rajasthan Royals, the basement-dwelling
candidates who went on to be champions. Warne was captain and coach, and
the inspiration behind a less-than-star-studded side punching way above
its weight. He made household names of the likes of Yusuf Pathan and
Ravindra Jadeja, while Sohail Tanvir and Shane Watson finished up as the
stars of the tournament.Try telling those men that Warne didn’t matter, that it could just as
easily have been Mohammad Kaif or Kamran Akmal leading the side. The team
that lost to the Royals in a thrilling final was no different. MS Dhoni’s
composed style of leadership helped the Chennai Super Kings recover from a
mid-season slump, and nearly repeat his feats with India’s Twenty20 team
less than a year earlier.There’s a tendency to denigrate the twenty-over game as hit-and-giggle and
little else, but for the captains, the margin for error is infinitesimally
small. One bad over, and the game could be finished. In a Test match, you
can have one poor session and still come back to wrest the game away. In
Twenty20, there are seldom any second chances.Arthur spoke of the players getting mixed signals, and that’s the biggest
problem with this Politburo model of captaincy. Who has the final say?
Even in this era of coaches, the one consistent line has been that the
captain has the final word once the team crossed the rope on to the field
of play. Does a coach sitting on the sidelines really have a better feel
for what’s going on in the middle? And if there are four or five “leaders”
on the field, who makes the crunch calls? Instead of relying on one man’s
instinct, do you put it to a vote?As with any experiment, it can’t be rubbished without giving it a fair go.
Just don’t expect Warne or Dhoni to buy into it. Ganguly, who won 21 of
his 49 Tests and led India to a World Cup final, probably won’t either.

Leeds United were not on the receiving end of an embarrassing FA Cup upset last weekend, a much-rotated Whites side beating Peterborough United 3-0 on their travels to Cambridgeshire.

A major plus from the convincing Whites win was the performance of young Archie Gray, the fixed first-teamer at just 17 years of age excelling in a midfield role versus Posh away from picking up right-back duties as he has done in the Championship.

Daniel Farke could well see this standout display against League One opposition as grounds to start Gray in a more comfortable holding midfield role for the foreseeable, freeing up a right-back spot in the process for this transfer target to join the Leeds ranks.

Leeds transfer latest – Connor Roberts

Football journalist Darren Witcoop took to social media earlier this month to confirm Leeds' interest in Burnley right-back Connor Roberts, with Luke Ayling potentially on the chopping block at Elland Road too according to Witcoop.

A further update by Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth in the past few days suggests that Roberts would 'welcome' a move to West Yorkshire, Leeds particularly fond of Roberts' 'style and athleticism' according to the report.

Helping Vincent Kompany's now relegation-threatened Clarets lift the Championship title last campaign, securing a deal for Roberts this January would see Leeds strengthen in the right-back spot significantly and finally give the Whites freedom to unleash Gray in the centre of the park over currently shoehorning the teenage sensation into the starting eleven.

Why Connor Roberts would be a good signing for Leeds

Roberts would help Leeds overwhelm opponents and score even more goals in the process, the Welshman's creativity his standout attribute whenever the right-back has played in the second tier across his career.

Notching up 20 assists in total for both Burnley and Swansea when he's played in the Championship, Roberts' addition to the Leeds squad would take the pressure off Georginio Rutter's shoulders to consistently provide assists for his teammates and distribute the load out more evenly – the 21-year-old onto a startling total of nine assists already this season.

Even with his goal contributions drying up this season as the Clarets navigate choppy waters in the Premier League relegation battle – contributing to just one single goal this campaign – Roberts still managed to help his side overcome Luton Town 2-1 early into the season.

Minutes played

90

Clearances

6

Assists

1

Duels won

2/5

Key passes

2

Helping himself to an assist in the slim win at Kenilworth Road back in October, the 28-year-old full-back also made six clearances to ensure Clarets goalkeeper James Trafford wasn't breached further in the tight contest.

Whilst still with the Swans – where Roberts played alongside Joe Rodon on occasion who now features for Leeds coincidentally – the then Swansea boss Steve Cooper also praised his defender for being "excellent" in a closely fought 2-1 win away at Stoke City in 2021 with Roberts even scoring the opening goal.

With Ayling off to join Middlesbrough and Djed Spence returning to parent club Tottenham Hotspur after a topsy-turvy loan switch, this signing of Roberts feels like a transfer Farke and Co must sanction to strengthen that vacant spot in the team.

Continuing to play Gray in a makeshift right-back role could harm the teenager's development, with his display against Posh in the FA Cup showing to everyone he's more of a natural centrally.

Central midfield

16

0

1

Right-back

14

0

1

Attacking midfield

13

3

3

Defensive midfield

6

0

0

Striker

2

0

0

Left midfield

1

0

0

This stellar individual display even saw Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth give Gray a 9/10 rating in his post-match article, Smyth declaring Gray to be a 'cut above' his League One opponents in a stylish and slick display.

Furthermore, at youth level, the emerging Leeds number 22 bagged four goals and helped himself to five assists when played in a further advanced spot.

Only on £30k per week at Burnley currently – putting him £40k shy of top-earner Rutter at Elland Road according to Capology – signing Roberts wouldn't hit the club too hard financially and would allow for Gray to be finally unshackled playing in a midfield role permanently for the promotion hopefuls.

There aren’t many better feelings than watching your team home and away.

Win, lose or draw, we’re there to support our beloved clubs whether it be at the home ground or as part of a tiny away section.

League One in particular is as competitive as ever, containing some historic names of English football, and so with that comes a number of must-visit grounds.

Focusing on the third tier, Football FanCast has ranked the top ten away days in League One which you should be looking to embark on if your team ever gets the chance.

For this list, we've considered the area, affordability, potential nearby activities and the stadiums themselves when coming up with the best away trips League One has to offer.

10 The Valley – Charlton Athletic

We are kicking things off in the capital, in particular Greenwich, where we have The Valley.

This is the home of Charlton Athletic, who were playing Premier League football as recently as 2007, but have since hit a bump in the road.

Fans of the Addicks currently find themselves struggling to get out of League One, but they do have an excellent stadium to show off with a capacity of over 27,000.

Visiting such a big stadium at this level of course means that a sizeable away allocation comes with it as well – a couple of thousand are able to attend.

Given that Charlton is London, it is easy enough to make a weekend out of a clash with this team, as there is no shortage of activities and pubs and whatnot in the surrounding area.

One slight downfall, though, is that with the location comes more expensive drinks than fans from further afield may be used to.

Away day rating: 6/10

9 Memorial Stadium – Bristol Rovers

Travelling further west to Bristol now, which is a two-team city.

Bristol Rovers and Bristol City divide the land in blue and red and it is the latter who are the more established, having been in the Championship consistently for nearly a decade now.

Rovers are the team going under our microscope with their ground, the Memorial Stadium.

The stadium itself has a capacity of just over 12,000, so whilst it may not be competing with the venues that have graced the top flight, it is still very impressive.

Rovers originally spent 89 years at Eastville Stadium but left there in 1986 and then moved to the Mem ten years later.

Away day rating: 6/10

8 Weston Homes Stadium – Peterborough United

Iconic stadiums losing their names to sponsors is a plight that is working its way through the EFL.

Peterborough United’s London Road is the first victim on this list, but the Weston Homes Stadium is certainly not as bad as another that will feature later on.

The Posh is a highly regarded club, this reputation being boosted by the openness shown by owner and chairman Darragh MacAnthony when it comes to the dealings in the transfer windows.

Peterborough has a historic cathedral if that is something that piques your interest before or after your team goes to battle with the Cambridgeshire side. Beyond that, there is a fair amount of general history on show and as the location suggests – Cambridge isn’t far away at all, either.

London Road is another stadium that holds a very respectable capacity, which is in excess of 15,000, with the possibility of a great atmosphere from home and away supporters.

Away day rating: 6/10

7 Pride Park – Derby County

Derby County are the first club to creep beyond the 6/10 mark and hit the heights of a very respectable seven.

They are another team who have played top-flight football in the Premier League era, although they do of course hold that haunting record for the lowest points tally.

Pride Park is where they call home, and according to BetVictor, this is the best ground in all of League One.

GiveMeSport states that season ticket price, price per game, stadium utilisation, total mileage, number of votes, atmosphere, location, stadium view, infrastructure and food were the various criteria that were assessed in BetVictor’s study.

Back in 1888, Derby were one of the 12 founding members of the Football League, showing just how steeped in history they are, making them a shoo-in for this list.

Away day rating: 7/10

6 St James’ Park – Exeter City

St James’ Park is a famous location up in Newcastle but also down south as well, with Exeter City having a ground of their very own going by the same name as the Magpies’.

Exeter are very proud of their reputation of being a fan-run club and so that quickly endears them to the football purists who come to visit in Devon.

The Grecians are a loud and proud group of supporters, with their clashes against local rivals Plymouth Argyle always being extremely fierce whether it's at Home Park or St James’.

There is a standing area and a seated area for away fans at Exeter, which is a nice touch, and with a fine city just minutes away from the ground, the stadium itself is worth a visit.

Away day rating: 7/10

5 Bloomfield Road – Blackpool

Returning to the trend of former Premier League teams, Blackpool reached those particular heights with Charlie Adam as captain and Rob Edwards and Ian Evatt also featuring – a pair who now manage Luton Town and Bolton Wanderers respectively.

Blackpool is known for having its infamous tower, the Pleasure Beach, waterparks and a zoo.

Once again, this is a location which would be suitable for the family, so a weekend getaway could be arranged around the main event of a football match.

Bloomfield Road has a capacity of 17,625, with the figures for away fans able to creep into four figures once again.

The presence of plentiful empty seats does lead to Blackpool being marked down, but it remains a desirable location for away fans, for sure.

Away day rating: 7/10

4 Kassam Stadium – Oxford United

Peterborough United affords you the chance of visiting Cambridge, while the other famous university city can be attended when your team goes toe-to-toe with Oxford United.

People of an older generation may know Oxford’s home as Grenoble Road, but it is now known as the Kassam Stadium in honour of Firoz Kassam, who owned the club between 1999 and 2006 as well as having a stint as chairman.

Kassam paid just £1 for the club due to the financial difficulties they were enduring at the time.

Oxford is considered to be a great place to visit, while as of 2021, it was named as the eighth-most expensive area in the country to buy a pint, so visiting fans will have to be wary when they flock to the nearby pubs.

Away day rating: 8/10

3 Toughsheet Community Stadium – Bolton Wanderers

Weston Homes Stadium isn’t the best name around, but that is nothing compared to the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

There have been a lot of changes to the name of Bolton Wanderers’ home, from the Reebok Stadium to the University of Bolton Stadium and now to this.

But this name is one of very few blemishes on an away day to Bolton, in truth, with the size of the stadium certainly working in their favour.

Referring back to BetVictor’s research, Bolton ranked 14th in the entire Football League. This put the Trotters ahead of Premier League grounds such as Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United to name just a few.

Away day rating: 9/10

The top ten away days in the Premier League – ranked

An away day is one of the best parts of being a football fan, but which is the best in the Premier League? Football FanCast has taken a look.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 22, 2023 2 Oakwell – Barnsley

Barnsley join Bolton at an away day rating of 9/10, but the former gets the slight edge, and finishes second on the list as a result.

Oakwell is an old-school, classic ground for football and Barnsley in general are a club with a lot of history.

They are firmly ingrained in the landscape of England from a football perspective which makes it a worthwhile away day instantly.

The club doesn’t own the stadium anymore, with the council having to take over to save the club from facing extinction, and whilst they have gone from the Championship play-offs to League One in just a couple of years, Barnsley remains a massive club that deserves a lot of respect and admiration.

Away day rating: 9/10

1 Fratton Park – Portsmouth

There aren’t many better grounds that one can visit in the EFL than Fratton Park.

The University of Portsmouth labels itself as “one of the most affordable UK cities for university students”, and why can’t that carry over to football fans wanting to frequent the pubs, particularly when “the cost of a pint [is] averaged at £4.51, one pound cheaper than London.”

We have no notes for Pompey, it is a club with a great following in a nice area and Fratton Park is the best stadium in League One, all things considered.

Away day rating: 10/10

Leeds United are one of several clubs keen to strike a deal to sign an exciting young defender in January, according to a fresh update this week.

Leeds could lose three centre-backs in 2024

The Whites have Pascal Struijk, Liam Cooper, Charlie Cresswell and Joe Rodon as their natural options at centre-back as it stands, but there’s a chance that three of those could be departing at some stage next year if rumours are to be believed.

Having only put pen to paper on a season-long loan, Rodon is set to return to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the season anyway, whilst Struijk has been backed to follow him by joining Ange Postecoglou’s side, alongside Cresswell who has only made one league start so far this campaign (WhoScored – Cresswell statistics).

Daniel Farke will therefore be forced to enter the market to find replacements should any or all of the trio depart, and it appears that he’s already set his sights on Hammarby’s Nathaniel Adjei, who has so far made 30 senior appearances at The Stockholmsarenan (Transfermarkt – Adjei statistics).

The Ghana international has already been the subject of interest from Scottish Premiership teams Celtic and Glasgow Rangers, alongside Championship rivals Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Preston North End, but the 21-year-old now has a sixth admirer at Elland Road.

Leeds plotting swoop for Nathaniel Adjei

According to Fotboll Direkt (via Leeds United News), Leeds are considering a move for Adjei. The Yorkshire outfit are "among a host of clubs interested" in securing the services of the defender, and it's claimed that Hammarby are looking to receive approximately £3.5m in order to sanction the sale of their prized asset.

Farke's target will complete his current season this coming weekend, and with the new term not set to start until the new year, this break in domestic action is why potential suitors are looking to capitalise on a deal.

According to Hammarby’s former manager Marti Cifuentes, Adjei possesses all of the qualities to become a “top-notch” centre-back, and with the bags of potential that he’s got to offer, it’s easy to understand why there are so many clubs chasing his signature ahead of January.

Standing at 6 foot 1, Teshie’s native provides an excellent physical presence with his height at the heart of his backline, and he also has the versatility to operate as a right-back alongside his usual position. This ability to provide cover in another role outside of his own would make him a very useful option for the boss to have in the building should any unexpected injuries occur – as has often been the case in the Leeds defence in recent years – or should he ever want to alter his formation or team selection.

With Adjei not yet having loads of senior experience under his belt, it’s unknown whether Farke would feel comfortable throwing him straight in at the deep end, but he’d certainly be an exciting signing for the long-term future of the team in LS11.

A "wonderful" West Ham United player is reportedly "ready to leave" after being left unhappy with the club's latest offer of a new contract.

West Ham contract news

In the last few weeks, David Moyes and the Hammers board have been attempting, and often succeeding to tie down their most important senior and young stars with new deals. Star winger Jarrod Bowen, who recently put pen to paper on a contract extension till 2030, has committed his long-term future at the London Stadium and looks set to remain for many years to come.

The England international was reportedly attracting interest from the likes of Liverpool, so this will come as a huge boost for West Ham, a fact not lost on Moyes who recently heralded the news.

“We’re delighted Jarrod has agreed a new deal. It’s a brilliant piece of business from the club to tie him down to a new long-term contract,” he said to the West Ham website.

“His goal in Prague will live long in the memory for everyone connected to West Ham – it’s given him a platform to go from strength to strength and we’re really reaping the benefits, he’s getting better and better. He’s a fantastic boy and an outstanding professional – I’m sure his positive progress will continue over the course of his new contract.”

The Irons also tied down promising young teenager Dan Rigge, coming as more brilliant news, but the same cannot be said for midfielder Tomas Soucek. The Czech Republic midfielder could apparently be sold in January if talks over an extension don't take a positive turn, with Football Insider recently claiming that discussions have stalled over the last year.

Ben Johnson contract update

Midfielders Pablo Fornals and Conor Coventry also look likely to leave upon the expiry of their contracts next summer. Now, according to West Ham insider Claret & Hugh, young defender Ben Johnson can be added to the list of 2024 departees.

They claim that the Englishman is "ready to leave" east London after being left unhappy over West Ham's latest new contract offer. Johnson, despite "wanting to stay", will apparently quit the club along with Coventry. He's likely to remain until the summer unless West Ham sign another full-back in January.

Plays the ball off the ground often

Likes to play long balls

Likes to cross

The 23-year-old, who's started just one EFL Cup match this season, has been praised for his contribution in past seasons by former West Ham coach and ex-England international Stuart Pearce.

"The most important thing about Ben is whenever you pass him or meet him first thing in the morning, he's got a smile on his face. He takes in all the knowledge you can pass on to him," said Pearce.

"He's a wonderful professional to deal with and work with. We're very proud to have him out of our academy system as well, which is a real plus for us, especially with the connection to this club with the academy.

"I think he's just developing and getting better and better, and like with all young players, the more game time they have, the better they'll get, so I am delighted for the boy."