John Dungworth, UK Football Trials head coach said

“We are looking for the countries best footballing talent to attend their nearest trial area, bringing them to scouts instead of waited to get spotted. Not all players live in big cities where scouts often go to look for players, so by us running these events and inviting scouts, this gives players a great opportunity to impress”

The day will consist of a series of football skill tests that will measure your potential as a professional football player. John Dungworth our head coach holds a UEFA Pro Licence and has developed the tests and will attend each event. John is former Leeds United Academy coach and has worked with and developed some of the countries top players, including Paul Robinson, Jonathan Woodgate, Stephen McPhail and Alan Smith. John has personally selected a coaching team across the country to help him find these future stars.

At the end of the day you will come away with a UKFT Rating which we will use as a basis to measure your skills and abilities as a professional player. Scouts from clubs all over the country will have access to this data and will be able to compare players on our website by position, age or UKFT Rating. This will back up what they see on the day and reinforce in their minds when they unearth the UK’s the next football star.

If you think you have what it takes to go from Player to Pro and can impress our coaching staff, then visit the website and book onto an event in your area. Call 0845 496 1213 to speak to our team or visit www.ukfootballtrials.com to book onto an event.

UK Football Trials

UK Football Trials run open trial days across the UK to help identify talented players who otherwise might not get spotted and have the chance to make it as a professional.

We provide every player with a unique UKFT Rating that measures all aspects of their game and skills. The UKFT Rating is designed by our head coach John Dungworth and looks at football skills and talent rather than personality or how you get on with a coach. Although these attributes play a big part of a footballer’s career, our tests are purely bases on your football skills and abilities.

Scouts are free to attend our events to watch players and if they like what they see we can supply them with access to our website so that they can view their results online and compare players.

Our events have been a success so far and we are expanding in 2012 to new areas. We have previously had players go onto trials or have interest from Man U, Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, QPR, Reading, West Ham and Macclesfield Town. This list is growing with every event that we run and the more quality players we get the more players we will get trials for.

Nike Seitiro Hi-Vis Football

In the world’s leading football leagues, pinpoint accuracy, speed and intensity can make the difference between a top flight place in the standings or relentless pressure to avoid League and Cup disappointment. With the stakes so high, players look for a ball that gives them unrivalled touch and feel to ensure it goes exactly where they want it to every time.

The new Nike Seitiro football builds on a legacy of excellence in the T90 football range that is well established as the official match ball in the world’s leading leagues, including the Barclays Premier League, (Italy’s) Serie A and (Spain’s) La Liga.

Continuing to bring new innovations to football, the Hi-Vis ball features NIKE RaDaR technology, which means Rapid Decision and Response. As a lab and field-tested standard of visual performance Nike RaDaR technology allows players to see the ball better and capitalize on split second scoring and passing opportunities.

In the game of football, precision sight is of utmost importance. The Nike Seitiro is engineered to stand out on pitch when conditions are not ideal. The Hi-Vis yellow and purple color combination flaunts additional fluorescence and brighteners, making it even more visible in low light conditions than previous generations of Hi-Vis balls.

Containing its patented Hi-Vis casing, performance graphic, and unique five-layer construction, the Nike Seitiro is the pinnacle in football innovation. The ball’s touch, aerodynamic stability and Nike RaDaR technology make it the best ball on the planet. It’s no wonder that this is the ball of choice for the world’s best leagues and players.

Nike Seitiro Hi-Vis Football Features include:

1.    Micro-textured hand-stitched TPU casing for great touch and durability
2.    Nike RaDaR technology performance graphic for a strong visual signal
3.    A 360 degree sweet spot distributes pressure evenly across panels
4.    Optimal sphericity allows the ball to fly faster, farther and more accurately than other balls
5.    Flexible, cross-linked Nitrogen-expanded foam for shape retention and durability
6.    Six-wing carbon-latex bladder for explosive acceleration off of the foot
7.    Designed to FIFA’s approved specifications, weighing between 420-445 grams, and with a circumference of between 68.5-69.5 centimeters

The new Nike Seitiro Hi-Vis Football is available to buy for £90.00 rrp.

The report reveals that the majority of clubs, at best pay lip service to fans complaints, which are more often than not considered low priority with many documents having very little thought put into them.

Each club’s charter was given a 0-5 rating in the following categories: accessibility, timeliness, quality, clarity of complaints procedure, appeals process and contact details for the relevant league and Independent Football Ombudsmen (IFO).

While Tottenham Hotspur have the best ‘club charter’ in the Premier League, the ‘club charter’ at Everton is practically non existent and scored zero points in the ratings. Manchester United come out at second to bottom in the league of shame.

In response, Hans Grefte, Product Development Director for UsefulFeedback!, the complaints management software solution, comments:

“Considering the enormity of the football industry and the loyalty of the hundreds of thousands of fans, it is surprising to see the nonchalant approach these clubs are taking with regards to their customer care and complaint handling. Any other industry would be overjoyed to have customers as loyal as football fans and would be doing everything in their power to ensure they remain loyal.

“The FSF was right to publicly identify the number of shortcomings within the individual club charters including the lengthy wait many fans face before receiving a response to a complaint – despite many of the club websites promising a quick turnaround.

“What’s needed is a simple and cost effective solution that allows clubs to improve their complaints procedures quickly and effectively. Technology is available today that is designed specifically to enable football clubs to manage the receipt, allocation and suitable response for complaints, as well as  informal feedback received from fans,  eliminating the risk of  potential escalation to the FIO.

“The added benefit of root cause analysis also allows a club to identify systemic or recurrent problems that currently reside, which in turn can be rectified to reduce the number of complaints, improve service levels and maintain customer relations.”

The arrival of Suarez and an offer from Chelsea have however unsettled the player considered to be Liverpool’s prize asset, Fernando Torres and he has submitted a written transfer request which has been categorically turned down by Liverpool.

With the January transfer window now only hours from closing it will be interesting to see how the situation develops over this weekend and whether rivals Chelsea can get their man in an eleventh hour bid.

Even if the London team can pull off the impossible and prise Torres from the Reds, where does that leave Chelsea and their current strike force of Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.

Neither Drogba or Anelka have been in their best form this season, but then again neither has Torres, although the Liverpool player has still to reach his peak, while arguably the Chelsea strikers have perhaps already reached theirs.

If I was a Chelsea fan I would on the one hand be ecstatic that the team have set their sights on one of the best natural strikers in the world, but equally I would be more than a little concerned that it would have a negative effect on players like Drogba and Anelka who have a history of unsettling team mates.

It is possible of course, and one would certainly hope, that Chelsea have already thought this through and already have plans to capitalise on the transfer of one or other of their current strikers.

The three shortlisted players for the award, all deserving for their performances during 2010 were made up of the current Barcelona midfield, Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez.

Despite English fans continually blabbing on about the quality of players in the Premier League, there is not a midfield in the UK that comes close to this excellent trio of players.

Having scored the goal that won the World Cup for Spain with his only shot of the match, Iniesta may have appeared in pole position to collect the award.

Iniesta is more prolific in his delivery higher up the pitch, where it matters: in fact, this season no player has completed as many passes in the final third as Iniesta in the Champions League, ahead of Xavi and Messi.

However Xavi also made a good case for himself being the best passer of a ball in the top five European leagues – and by some margin. He completed no less than 2,704 successful passes in 33 La Liga games for Barcelona, a staggering 92% finding their target.

He was also untouchable in the Champions League with 1,025 successful passes – the equivalent of over 100 successful passes per game.

It is however Messi’s incredible goal scoring ability that is unbeatable, he racked up 42 La Liga goals in 36 appearances in 2010 as well as being the top scorer in the Champions League with 12 goals in as many games. His 60 goals for club and country during 2010 are testament to this extraordinary players capabilities and probably deserving of  the win.

Current Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho picked up the Coach of the Year Award for his outstanding achievement in leading Inter Milan to the treble in 2010 before departing for a new challenge in Spain.

The sad news that the famous midfielder had died from a stroke at the age of 64 was announced today.

He will be remembered by football fans of all persuasions for lighting up the game from midfield at Burnley where he made 261 appearances between 1964 and 1971 and after that at White Hart Lane where he was signed by the late Bill Nicholson for a fee of £190,000.

Coates is said to have been offended at attracting such a large fee at the time and apparently said to Nicholson when they met to discuss the move, ‘Don’t be stupid, no player is worth that.’

He would of course go on to help Spurs win the EUFA Cup in his first season with the club in 1972 and will long be remembered for scoring the winning goal against Norwich in the League Cup final in 1973.

Coates left Spurs to pursue a short lived flirtation as player coach with Leyton Orient in 1978 but returned to White Hart Lane two years later working as a match day host.

Recent wins of 5-1 against Sunderland and 1-0 against Arsenal counted for nothing it appears following defeat to promoted rivals West Bromwich Albion at the weekend.

Newcastle United have suggested that they are now looking for a manager with more experience and have put reserve team coach Peter Beardsley in temporary charge of first team affairs.

A statement from Newcastle United said: “The board would like to place on record their thanks to Chris for his considerable efforts during the club’s transition from Championship to Premier League club.Chris has shown exceptional character and commitment since being appointed manager in October 2009. The club wishes him well in the future.The task of appointing a new manager now begins.”

Hughton had taken control of the club on a temporary basis several times during 2008 and was eventually offered the role on a permanent basis following the failure of club hero Alan Shearer and Iain Dowie in keeping the club in the Premiership.

Hughton becomes the first Premier League managerial casualty of the season.

Blackburn Rovers takeover

The Indian Rao family have completed the purchase of Blackburn Rovers in a deal considered to around £43million, with £23million going towards the purchase of shares and £20million of debt that will be taken on by the new owners.

The 99.9% share of the club which was held in a trust set up by former owner the late Jack Walker has been acquired by the Rao family through a newly formed company Venky’s London Ltd.

Venky’s chairman Anuradha J Desai said they were “Delighted, proud and humbled to be associated with Blackburn Rovers. We will absolutely respect the Jack Walker legacy and will be actively supporting the organisation to ensure that Blackburn Rovers remains one of the best-run clubs within the Premier League.

We are particularly pleased that the deal has the full support of the Walker Trust, the chairman and the management team, who will of course remain in place with our full support.”

The deal will put Blackburn in a prime position for developing the club and Premier League football in general in India and the whole of Asia through the connections of the directors, a market that many of the top tier teams have recognised as a growth area for the commercial aspects of the game as well as bringing in new talent.

Rovers boss Sam Allardyce predictably said that he hoped the takeover would pave the way for more investment in players, claiming that funds have not been forthcoming since the club was put on the market two years ago.

The manager is well aware that the club are currently sitting two points above the relegation zone and will hope that the buyout will provide a boost for the team who have won only four of their 13 games this season.

v, The National Young Volunteers’ Service, is launching ‘Make the Team’

Passionate about football?
Want to get more involved with the beautiful game?
Fancy doing something worthwhile with your time?

Volunteer with vinspired.com and you could be in with the chance of netting yourself a pair of match day tickets.

You might not have the potential to become the next Lionel Messi, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your football obsession. To help you use your passion for football to make a difference and learn new skills, v, The National Young Volunteers’ Service, is launching ‘Make the Team’; an initiative encouraging young people to volunteer their time for the chance to win Premier League tickets.

Anyone between the ages of 16-25 can get involved. All you need to do is visit: vinspired.com/football and register (free of charge).Then select your favourite Premier League team, decide how you’d like to volunteer (which doesn’t have to be football related) and upload a photo of yourself volunteering.  You will then automatically be entered into a prize draw, to win one of numerous pairs of match day tickets.

Chris Kamara, presenter and football analyst.
“I’m proud to say I’ve already made the team – I’ve recently volunteered to climb Kilimanjaro for charity and I’m really excited to get involved and do my bit to raise awareness for a worthwhile cause.  Whatever your interests, you can go to vinspired.com to find out about a huge range of volunteering opportunities and see how you can make a difference too.”

There are hundreds of football- and sport-related volunteering opportunities on vinspired.com, including the chance to coach, referee or organise tournaments as well as thousands of other more general volunteer roles. Whether you’ve got one minute, one day or one week to spare v has the volunteer opportunity to match.

In addition to winning Premier League Tickets, volunteering can provide you with the following:

•    Valuable work experience in a field that’s of interest to you e.g. football
•    The chance to give something back to your local community
•    Development of a range of new skills
•    The opportunity to meet and interact with new people and broaden your horizons
•    The chance to show initiative to future employers
•    Additional experience to put on your CV

The campaign is supported by many leading footballers, coaches and managers, including Kieran Gibbs (Premier League, Arsenal and England player), Bill Bush (Director of Communications and Public Policy at Premier League) Stuart Pearce (Head Coach, England Under-21) , Chris Kamara (presenter and football analyst) and Martin Tyler (football commentator) among others.

Premier League, Arsenal and England player Kieran Gibbs says:

‘If I wasn’t lucky enough to be playing football, I’m not sure what I’d be doing with my career and that’s why I think ‘Make the Team’ is such a great project to get involved with. Volunteering is not only a really good opportunity to put your time to something worthwhile, but it’s also a great way of building up your skills and ultimately achieving your goals, whether it’s football or another industry that you want to get into. I’m really looking forward to giving something back and doing my bit with other volunteers soon.’

“The role of the volunteer, particularly in football, is absolutely vital to the future of the game. Every football player, from the grassroots of the game through to top England players, are likely to have had coaching or guidance from a volunteer at some point, and the value of these people to their communities is immeasurable. I’d always encourage young people to volunteer to gain valuable experience, grow as people and help build their community in whatever way they can.” – Stuart Pearce, Head Coach, England Under-21’s

“Volunteering can give you skills and experience which could help you secure your dream job. You don’t have to be good at playing sport to get involved; vinspired.com has a whole range of opportunities to choose from, including journalism and radio.  You never know, you might get to learn to commentate too.” - Martin Tyler, football commentator

Arsene Wenger’s infamous ‘fox in the box’ signing sadly did not live up to the tag although in fairness his short time at the Gunners was mostly spent in the treatment room,  dogged by injuries as he watched the likes of Thiery Henry hit a rich vein of form.

Loaned back to Everton in 2003, Jeffers eventually fell out with David Moyes that season and was dispatched back to Arsenal who sold him to rival London club Charlton for a fraction of what Wenger had paid for him.

Injuries and temprement have dogged Jeffers through the years since that big move to Arsenal and the Daily Express carries a rather sad report today that the player who is still only 29 years old is without a club and training with the Everton reserves.

He was included in Premier League newcomers Blackpool’s pre season games but was not asked to sign for the club. He says, “I went to Devon with Blackpool and played three or four games in pre-season. I scored in one of the matches, I wasn’t great, but no one is in pre-season. It just never worked out. I’ve been on my own since, doing as much running as you can possibly do without actually playing football. Everton thankfully said I could join in with the reserves. Hopefully it will set me up if something does come along.”

Jeffers must content himself watching his beloved Everton team from the stands at a weekend, but the player says he has no regrets about how his career has turned out.

The only interest appears to be from Australian A-League side Gold Coast United and the former fox in the box says;

“Maybe the time is right for a change of scenery. There’s some interest from Australia. I’ve spoken to Tim Cahill and he says the league there is getting better and better. We’ll see. It’s football. You can’t have any regrets, I still believe I have a bit to offer.”