League One

One can never have too much Paolo Di Canio in one's life.

Whether it's the fascist salutes—hey, he's a fascist, not a racist, guys!—or the sublime skills or the generally insane behavior, PDC always has something entertaining to offer.

Today, we bring you an example of the third category. It serves as the Set Piece video of the day, and you're welcome in advance.

Di Canio, the 44-year-old retired striker, is these days the manager of Swindon Town, and on Sunday, his team lost 4-1 to Preston North End in League One play. It wasn't pretty, but Di Canio's reaction afterward was brilliant.

Early in the match, Di Canio subbed out his keeper after the keeper had made an error that led to Preston's first goal. After being subbed out so early in the match, the keeper kicked a water bottle and threw a tantrum on the sideline.

After the match, the little fascist got his revenge. It was priceless.

Above, you can view video from Sky Sports' coverage of the match. Watch the whole video to get the full effect. Below, I've transcribed some of the choicest portions:

It is our view that, if he doesn’t say sorry to everybody, he’s out. He’s out. He’s out. It has to come from his heart, you have to really believe because you have to convince the people that he make an apologize (sic). In my regime, we work in this way.

And later, Di Canio adds: "League One?! League One?! Wes! Twenty-year-old. Are we crazy?"

That's not even the best. According to BBC Sport, Di Canio said, "He's the worst professional I've ever seen."

Nothing like a bit of footballing hyperbole to get the week started, eh?

[h/t Who Ate All the Pies]

Follow @MikeCummings37

Simon Grayson, the former Leeds manager who was relieved of his duties last week, has taken over at Huddersfield Town after Lee Clark was fired just five days beforehand.

The manager merry-go-round was completed when one of Grayson’s personal friends, Neil Warnock, took the Leeds position a couple of days ago.

Grayson’s last game in charge of Leeds was a disappointing 4-1 loss at the hands of Birmingham; this defeat seemed to be the nail on the head of some recent patchy results and ended in his sacking.

He has had a lot a lot of experience with promotion; especially from League One to the Championship. In 2007 he took Blackpool to the Championship before being offered the opportunity to return to his boyhood club, Leeds United, and guided them back to the Championship as recently as 2010.

Grayson has really strong connections to Elland Road and some fans may worry that if the opportunity to go back to Leeds ever comes up, he would jump at the chance. He has this to say about the matter to Sky Sports:

Everyone knows about my connections with Leeds United, but I wasn't a Blackpool supporter when I got them promoted. I went there and achieved a dream of mine, which was to be a manager. My sole interest is to gain promotion and if that means being in the Championship and going back to Elland Road and winning then so be it - I am a professional manager who wants to do well for his employees.

Huddersfield is currently sitting fifth in League One and are seven points outside of the automatic promotion places. With the team they have, they will be fairly confident that they can pick up their form and really challenge for a promotion place.

Will Simon Grayson be able to take Huddersfield to the Championship?

Neil Warnock has become the new manager of Leeds United and has signed a deal which will keep him at Elland Road until the end of next season.

Chairman Ken Bates had once tried to get Warnock to manage Chelsea back when he was the chairman at Stamford Bridge, now he has finally got his man and will hope to put together some good results for a late promotion push.

The pair met in Monaco to hash out a deal and they managed this time to agree on terms. A big thing for Ken Bates was to be able to bring in someone loyal and someone in who had a proven record with promotions and Warnock’s track record speaks for itself.

Leeds United are currently sitting in 11th place in the Championship, which may seem way off the pace, but are only six points out of the playoff places.

Warnock is no stranger to promotion pushes and just last season he guided Queens Park Rangers in to the Premier League, but after 20 months with the club he was relieved of his duties.

Also back in 2006 as the manager of Sheffield United he guided the Blades to the Premier League for the first time in 12 years, but they were relegated the following season in controversial surroundings.

Warnock has been coaching for over three decades and has won a string of individual accolades along the way. He has stated that he feels he has one more big challenge left in him and that will be to guide Leeds United back to the Premier League.

The man he is replacing is Simon Grayson, who during his tenure secured promotion for Leeds from League One in the 09/10 season. But after a humiliating 4-1 defeat at the hands of Birmingham City, he was given his marching orders.

Neil Redfearn had been in charge of first team duties and his last action in that position was a 3-2 win over Doncaster after a 90th-minute winner from Luciano Becchio.

Will Neil Warnock be able to lead Leeds back to the Premier League?

There have been rumours of a few possible loan deals to rejuvenate the squad. Can he recreate his heroics from last season with QPR and bring back the glory days to Elland Road? Only time will tell.

Lee Clark was fired in surprising fashion from Huddersfield Town with only 16 games remaining and sitting fourth in League One.

His last game in charge was a 1-0 loss against Sheffield United, and even though this was only his third loss in 53 games in charge, he found himself relieved on his duties immediately.

The former Newcastle, Fulham and Sunderland player took charge of the club in December 2009 and led the team to a very respectable ninth-place finish, a feat which was even more impressive as this was his first foray into management.

He went on to claim a playoff place in the next season coming up against a well-drilled Millwall side. They lost out, but Huddersfield had really made their mark on the league, playing some incredible football and had put every other team on alert for the upcoming season.

They took one more step in that following season and Lee Clark’s hard work had finally paid off, as Huddersfield found themselves in the playoff final. But they fell at the final hurdle and could not recreate the form that had won them a place in the final, losing 3-0 to Peterborough in a lacklustre display.

Clark had made a controversial decision to leave out leading scorer Jordan Rhodes, and opted for a one-man strike force and this inevitably ended up failing miserably against Peterborough.

Huddersfield Town managed to bring their league form into the next season and they broke a football league record, beating Notts County 2-1 to make it 43 games without defeat.

Things took a slight sour note for Clark and Huddersfield as they only managed to take 17 points from a possible 34 since the end November and now found themselves four points away from the Automatic promotion places.

The loss against Sheffield United seemed to be the last straw for Chairman Dean Hoyle and a two-minute phone call was all that was needed to end Lee Clark's tenure at the club.

Was Lee Clark’s firing justified? I personally don’t think so, but supporters of Huddersfield seem to be split by the decision.

Clark has already been linked with the Leeds job, which was recently vacated after the firing of Simon Grayson. Whatever club he ends up at, I can’t see him being out of management very long.

This competition has been relatively bad to us in recent years.

Whilst not enjoying the same success as in the League Cup, we always seem to do OK before going out in some stupid fashion, such as Barthez not trying against Di Canio, or losing to Dirty Leeds last season.

It would be nice to get back on track in this competition, and a win against Liverpool was a great way to start, wiping the smile of King Kenny’s face before it even had begun.

Our reward is a relatively easy trip to Southampton. It would appear that we’re taking the competition seriously, as Henry Winter has tweeted:

At Carrington #mufc… Fergie taking ‘strong squad’ to Southampton tho Evra/Van der Sar/Rafael won’t travel.

Some of the team prediction threads I have posted in on www.redcafe.net and friends are filled with reserve lineups. Mine included. I guess we were all wrong.

Probably for the best, as Southampton are currently a form team. Fourth in League One, and with the scalp of Blackpool claimed in the third round, they will surely feel that they have nothing to lose.

A run of five straight victories came to an end on 15th January, however, and they lost their most recent game 2-0. They haven’t scored since 11th January, when they beat Oldham 6-0. So a mixed bag.

As usual, though, they’re likely to be up for this. This will be their biggest game for a few years, and the old cliche that teams save their best for United rings true.

They have two superb youngsters in Alex Chamberlain and Adam Lallana, who have attracted attention from Premiership teams, but the latter is struggling to be fit for the tie. In addition to those Henry Winter mentioned above, Rio Ferdinand is also reported to be out by the BBC. Carrick, who you would expect to get a game here, is also struggling.

As such, I expect to see the team below, although it’s a difficult one to call.

I retract my previous prediction that Lindegaard would make his debut; I think Ferguson saying he will take a strong team precludes that. Carrick, Owen and Obertan are due a game, whilst Fletcher needs games to get back to his best. With the absence of Evra, Rafael and Rio, the defence almost picks itself given the disaster that was playing Smalling and Evans together against West Ham.

Given Villa on Tuesday, I don’t think Giggs, Scholes, Berbatov or Rooney will go anywhere near this one, although this could be a handy game for Rooney to get his shooting boots back on.

Hopefully we can knock this one off with the minimum of fuss, and look forward both to the draw, which is presumably on Sunday, and Tuesdays game.

We’re at that stage of the season now where every game is a big one, and I love it.

Gillingham are a shadow of the team they were just a few years ago.

It was less than two years ago when they were playing in the third round of the FA cup at home to Aston Villa. That time they just missed out on going through (or at least a reply) because of a wrong penalty decision against them.

This weekend has got to be on the other end of the scale. Going out in the first round to Dover.

Yes, you heard that right—from Aston Villa to Dover.

After the horrific 2-0 defeat against Andy Hessenthaler's former team, he said publicly that he is thinking of putting the whole team on the transfer list.

In 2002-03 the Gills finished 11th in the English First Division. Now, eight years later, they could be going to their lowest position in decades.

If you're a Gillingham fan, you will know that every time they play away, you'll get money if you bet against your own team.

Each week, hundreds of Gills fans follow the team around the country hoping for an away win. For any other club, after a few games, you may see an away win. This is not the case with the Gills.

They have not recorded an away win in any competition since May 2009! That's 34 away games ago!

When any team sees Gillingham on their home fixture list, I'm sure they think, "That's three easy points."

After the Canadian international, Simeon Jackson, left the club the Gills had to look for someone else who could score. There were very few people who could match the previous guy.

Home games aren't that bad. Gill's fans can still go to Priestfield with a chance of seeing their team win, but that is not a certainty.

Currently they are in 20th place, and just three points above the relegation zone. It seems odd that they were one of the favourites to be promoted at the start of the season.

After a season or so of poor performances, I believe that there is a big chance that Gillingham will be in the Blue Square Premier next season.

An amazing 11 goals were scored at the Crown Ground, but once again Gillingham were on the wrong end of it.

The Gills have not won away from home since May 2009, 31 away games ago. Accrington Stanley did not help them as they slotted seven past the team from Kent.

Five of the goals were scored in the first half. It took just 13 minutes for the home side to go in front, after Sean McCinville latched onto a well placed Terry Gornell cross.

However, Gillingham then went on the attack and managed to score two goals in three minutes, both from Mark Bentley, to go into the lead.

If you are a Gills fan, you can guess what happened next.

Just three minutes after taking the lead, they were picking the ball out of their own net after Andy Parkinson blasted the ball past keeper Lance Cronin for his first league goal in three years.

Bentley had chances to put the Blues back in the lead, but it was Charlie Barnett who played in a cross-shot, which managed to find the top of the net just two minutes before half-time.

Accrington had a 3-2 lead at half time.

Ten minutes into the second half, Gillingham were back on level terms. Cody McDonald scored the goal of the game with a superb solo goal. He ran half the length of the pitch, gliding past defenders into the area and chipped it over Ian Dunbavin.

But yet again, the Gills made it hard for themselves. They conceded two penalties in just four minutes; one for an alleged push, and the other for a trip.

These two fouls gave Accrington the chance to go ahead. Just after the hour mark, they were winning 5-3.

Gornell then beat the offside trap and casually rolled the ball over the line for Stanley's sixth.

Gillingham were then given a lifeline. Keeper Dunbavin pulled down McDonald in the penalty area, which lead to Adebayo Akinfenwa converting the spot kick to make it 6-4.

But with just five minutes remaining, the game took a turn for the worse. A mad brawl ensued right in front on the dugouts.

Danny Spiller was fouled by Ryan, who kicked out at the Gills midfielder. In reaction to this, both benches were empty as all the players and staff rushed over to get involved.

The officials then deliberated. Ryan was lucky to stay on the pitch and escape with a yellow card. However, the Gills' goal hero was given a yellow card, his second, and thus was sent off.

With the Gills down to 10 men and losing 6-4, their hearts must have sunk as they saw the fourth official hold up his board, saying five minutes of injury time.

Ryan added insult to injury. First he got Bentley sent off, then he blasted home Stanley's seventh goal in the time added on.

Final score 7-4.

This is the second time this season that Gillingham has scored four away from home but still lost (Sept. 4, 5-4, vs. Bury).

However, it's not all doom and gloom for the fans at Priestfield. They will remember just two seasons ago when they went to Shrewsbury and conceded seven goals. They then met them again in the playoffs at Wembley and got promoted.

It may happen again.

Gillingham's next away game is at Port Vale. Maybe they can end this away winning drought against the current League Two leaders.

Oldham Athletic

• Alessandra, 30'

Brighton And Hove Albion

• Barnes, 44'
• Sandaza, 96'

Brighton have gone to the top following a late winner by new singing and home debutant Francisco Sandaza.

The first half saw Brighton pressing, with Ashley Barnes missing three golden opportunities to put Brighton ahead by the break and comfortably see the game off by halftime. But it was Oldham who drew first blood with Alessandra scoring a very well taken finish.

Just on the stroke of halftime Ashley Barnes got on the end of an Elliott Bennett cross making it 1-1.

The second half saw a change in the way Brighton approached the game. Oldham had been able to change how we dealt with their defence, making it very hard for Brighton to dictate play.

Gus Poyet managed to change this at halftime and we came out snappier and sharper on the ball. Our pressure increased as well. Oldham players were given much less time on the ball.

A flash point came however in the 66th minute. Jean Yves Mvoto pulled on Ashley Barnes's shirt. Although in its self it's not a bad foul, Mvoto didn't let Barnes go and instead held him in a headlock while still running.

What was certain to be a straight red resulted in only a booking with Barnes also getting cautioned for "unsporting behaviour."

Brighton continued to pressure and substitute Radostin Kishishev tried to pull the strings from midfield when he came on for short-term signing Liam Birdcutt, formerly a Stockport County loan star.

It was Glenn Murray's birthday but Poyet's gift wasn't a full 90 minutes and on the 71st minute Sandaza came on.

Time went on and Mvoto's scuffle with Barnes contributed to a five extra minutes being played where finally, after a cross from Bennett and a goal mouth scramble Sandaza finally scored what proved to be the goal that put Brighton top of League One by a point from fellow promotion chasers Peterborough.

The match was a good "British" game of football. I hate the phrase "British" or "English" when describing teams or worse—Harry Redknapp, however today's game saw two lower league sides play a very physical game to grind out the points they wanted.

Oldham, just by looking at their tactics, wanted a point from today and were happy with 1-1 on the 95th minute. Brighton by contrast felt that, although a point was sufficient, adequate and just about acceptable, it shouldn't be what we aim for.

When a year ago Brighton would have spent the last five minutes of this match with our backs to the wall and having to stop late winners this time we were the ones pushing for a win and Oldham were the team that would be happy with a point.

Finally on the subject of tactics, Gus Poyet showed two managerial qualities that make him one of the best up-and-coming managers in the league.

Firstly his halftime team talks are fantastic. For the second time this season it's been like watching two separate Brighton sides playing. Sometimes all a game needs is the right words from a manager and the team have a whole new outlook on how to play this game.

Secondly his tactical awareness is top drawer. Poyet picked his side, and tried to get the team to play our style of pass and go football. Against Oldham however this didn't work because Oldham played a very physical game.

On the fly changes were needed and although we didn't change drastically, the right balance was made between physical and technical football.

Tuesday night sees Brighton host Brentford in the first 7:45PM kick off at home in the league this season. Our fourth game in 10 days so yet more changes are expected with Baz, Battipied, Smith and Greer all in contention for a start to limit fatigue.

As long as Brighton match the result of Peterborough, Bournemouth, Huddersfield and Colchester who are second, third, fourth and fifth respectively, we remain top of League One and on course for Championship football in our opening season at Falmer.