Filed: Monday, 24th March 2008
By: Staff Writer
James Tomkins has revealed how delighted he was to finally make his United
debut. The young centre-half, who turns 19 later this week gave an assured
performance against Everton in Saturday's 1-1 draw and almost marked his
debut with a goal. Talking after the game, he took time out to thank his
fellow defenders for helping him through a potentially difficult debut in
which he was pitched against one of the Premier League's leading marksmen.
"It was a great atmosphere today and such an honour. I'm still speechless
now from it," he told whufc.tv. "I felt like I grew in confidence and learnt
as the game went on. Anton was talking to me evry two seconds and was great
for me. Obviously Lucas [Neill] talks throughout the game and George
[McCartney] helped me along.
"It's a good experience for me to play against good players like Yakubu. I
loved every minute of it."
Tomkins also revealed that the first person he heard from after the game was
his mum, who sent him a congratulatory message after being unable to attend
the match. "My dad and my brothers came along but my mum couldn't make it,"
he said. "I was thinking of her after the game and she sent me a text.
They're a supportive family and it's good to have people like that behind
you."
Tomkins became the third Academy player to make his debut this season behind
Jack Collison and Fred Sears - all of which bodes well for the future,
according to the youngster. "It's great for the Academy and shows how well
we're doing," he added. "The reserves and the youth team are doing really
well. Freddie [Sears] deserves his chance and you've got Jack Collison and
Junior [Stanislas] coming through. "It's looking good."
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John Cushley - KUMB
Filed: Monday, 24th March 2008
By: Staff Writer
Former Hammer John Cushley has died after a long illness. The Scottish star,
who was 65, died earlier today after losing his battle with Motor Neurone
Disease. Cushley was a member of the Celtic squad that became the first
British team to win the European Cup. He made 38 appearances for United
between 1967 and 1970 before returning to Scotland where he went on to play
for Dunfermaline and Dumbarton. A tough, uncompromising centre-half who
briefly played alongside Bobby Moore, Cushley went into teaching once his
playing career had ended before ret urning to Celtic as the club's Education
Officer. However he was forced to retire last year after being diagnosed
with Motor Neurone Disease, an incurable brain condition.
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West Ham boss: Ashton has huge role to play!!! - Talking Soccer
West Ham United boss Alan Curbishley believes striker Dean Ashton has a huge
role to play at Upton Park next season. Curbishley said: "Sears coming on
also gave Dean (Ashton) a boost as the kid chased everything. "Now Dean has
seven games left this term and when he looks back at his season he may
realise that he hasn't done that bad. "He's been out a long while and had to
get his fitness back from a bad injury while playing in the top flight.
That's hard. "There was some 'stick' from the fans but then we've all had
that. That's the business we are in, he got stick, I got stick, everybody
was getting it. "But a couple of weeks ago he was back up front at Spurs, we
were down to 10 men and losing and he charged around for 45 minutes and in
many respects that did him a lot of good. "He worked ever so hard in that
performance, and then played well against Blackburn and scored. Now he has
done it again and scored another goal.
"Now I want him to finish the season well, and let's hope he can get a full
pre-season of training."
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U's keeper Gerken linked to Hammers - eadt.co.uk
25 March 2008 | 07:45
CARL MARSTON
COLCHESTER United keeper, Dean Gerken, has been linked with a move to
Premiership side West Ham. Hammers boss Alan Curbishley could swoop to sign
Gerken in a deal believed to be worth £500,000 this summer. Gerken became
the U's No. 1 this season, as a successor to Aidan Davison, who is also his
goalkeeping coach. The 22-year-old made his full debut back in 2004, while
he was an understudy to senior keepers Simon Brown and Richard McKinney.
Since then, he has developed into an outstanding keeper. One of his many
admirers is England's former goalkeeping coach, Ray Clemence. Southend-born
Gerken really came of age during the U's first season in the Championship
last term. He made just two appearances before the beginning of December,
but an injury to Davison gave him his chance, and he went on to be
ever-present during the last 27 games of the campaign. Gerken was named the
U's young-player-of-the-season last term, and has played all but six of this
season's fixtures. He is on a long-term contract with the U's, but West Ham
could be in line to make a tempting offer this summer, especially as the
Essex club are destined to be in League One next season. And it is believed
a clause in Gerken's contract would be triggered by at £500,000 bid. U's
boss Geraint Williams said last night West Ham's interest was news to him.
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Trinidad pair could miss West Ham game = shieldsgazette.co.uk
SUNDERLAND'S two Trinidad & Tobago internationals culd be forced to miss the
Black Cats' next game at West Ham. Kenwyne Jones and Carlos Edwards will not
be allowed to join their national team's squad for tomorrow's friendly with
Jamaica. Jones missed Saturday's win at Aston Villa with a virus, while
Edwards picked up a groin strain. Manager Roy Keane was involved in a war of
words with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) over the
players being called up in the first place. T&TFF press officer Shaun
Fuentes grudgingly accepted Keane's verdict on Jones's ill health, but
things turned sour after the club apparently refused to have Edwards's
injury confirmed by an independent medic. The Trinidad & Tobago Express
says Sunderland physiotherapist Keith Friar said it was unnecessary to have
Edwards travel to Birmingham for evaluation by a third party, as his groin
injury was unlikely to be picked up by a MRI scan.
The T&TFF will now call on FIFA to take action against the club for
improperly denying them use of their players. FIFA law prohibits clubs from
allowing a player to train or play within a five-day window after the
international fixture in which he should have taken part. If the appeal is
successful, Jones and Edwards will not be allowed to play in Sunderland's
home fixture against West Ham on Saturday, or even train until next Tuesday.
The full article contains 241 words and appears in n/a newspaper.Last
Updated: 25 March 2008 8:15 AM
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