Introduction to the blog...

Hi, my name's Toby Wildgoose. I'm a 21 year old who's obsessed by sport, so much so, that I am looking to become a sports journalist/media officer in later life.

I've set up this blog not only so that I can improve and refine my writing skills, but also to provide a platform for potential employers to view my work.

I have already developed a small portfolio of my work, with my experience in the industry including: written match reports for junior football teams, published work at numerous EFL clubs in a variety of formats, and work experience placements at Chesterfield FC and Rotherham United Community Sports Trust - to see my full portfolio click here: http://goo.gl/VWws3H.

I hope to post as often as possible on this blog about anything that is sport related. Please find the time to read any of my posts.

Any comments or suggestions on how I can improve the blog would be greatly appreciated, and I would also be happy to receive any other suggestions for work experience. Please comment on here, email me (tobywildgoose@gmail.com), or even tweet me (@TobyWildgoose). Cheers!

Start Date: 11/12/12 (Aged 15)

Thursday 28 February 2013

Robert Earnshaw signs for Toronto FC

Cardiff City's Robert Earnshaw has signed for Major League Soccer side Toronto FC after confirming the news on Twitter earlier today: "Breaking news: I have now signed and officially a @Torontofc player."

The move comes for Earnshaw after finding first team chances at Cardiff limited due to the Blubirds' strength in attacking options. The striker has already found himself out on loan at Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv however, he arrived back in Wales at the beginning of the year. 

Earnshaw hasn't featured this season for the Bluebirds and so it comes as no surprise to fans that he will be leaving the club. After his tweet confirming the move he then went on to say: "I want to thank my home town club Cardiff City, I had the best fun playing in front of those fans from the age of 16 until now."

With the MLS season kicking off on Saturday, Earnshaw will fly to Toronto tomorrow to meet up with his new team mates and the manager before their away trip to Vancouver. 

New Poll: At current, who do you think is the best player in the World?

After my last poll finished, with Hull City/Crystal Palace as winners, I have decided to this time pick a rather controversial topic to question. 'Who do you think is the best player in the World?'  If you look to the right of your screen the poll should appear something like this:

Cristiano Ronaldo
  1 (100%)
 
Lionel Messi
  0 (0%)
Neymar
  0 (0%)
Gareth Bale
  0 (0%)
Xavi
  0 (0%)
Andres Iniesta
  0 (0%)
Robin van Persie
  0 (0%)
Radamel Falcao
  0 (0%)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
  0 (0%)

Please feel free to vote for who you think is the best player in the World and try to get as many people as you know to vote as well!

Thanks,
Toby!



Daily Question #31 - 28/02/13

Today's Question: Can you tell me who is currently the Premier League's leading scorer and with how many goals?

Clue: Plays for one of the current top four.

I can also confirm that the answer to yesterday's question was indeed 1867 when the original Chesterfield FC were formed. Congratulations, once again, to hazzer97 who answered the question correctly!

Kevin MacDonald appointed Swindon Town manager

Kevin MacDonald has been announced as the new manager of League One side Swindon town this evening after Paolo Di Canio left the club just over a week ago. The 52-year-old will replace the tenacious Italian who led the County Ground club to the League Two title last season.

He takes over with the club currently sat in fourth place; three points behind top-of-the-table Doncaster Rovers and will be unveiled as manager tomorrow morning during a press conference.

MacDonald's last job in football was as a coach at Premier League side Aston Villa, where he worked for 17 years before leaving at the end of last season. He had a brief spell in charge at Villa Park, as caretaker boss, when Martin O'Neill left the club just before the start of the 2010/11 season.

MacDonald will meet the players and staff tomorrow morning before watching his new side take on Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday.

Wednesday 27 February 2013

Daily Question #30 - 27/02/13

Today's Question: Can you tell me in which year Chesterfield FC were formed?

Clue: The year was in the nineteenth century.

I can also confirm that the answer to yesterday's question was indeed Swindon Town. Congratulations to hazzer97, who as always answered the question correctly, and to Max Stott who answered over twitter!

Daily Question #29 - 26/02/13

Today's Question: Can you tell me who won last season's nPower League Two title?

Clue: The team's name begins with an 'S'.

I can also confirm that the answer to yesterday's question was the 2008/2009 season. Congratulations to hazzer97 and James Wildgoose who both answered the question correctly!

Monday 25 February 2013

John Still to become new Hatters' boss

John Still is set to be announced as the new manager of Luton Town, after agreeing personal terms with the club. The Hatters have been looking for a replacement manager ever since Paul Buckle parted company last week for personal reasons after defeat to Millwall in the FA Cup.

The Dagenham & Redbridge boss, who has been at the helm since 2004, led the club to two promotions - from the Conference to League Two in 2007 and to League One in 2010. However, the Daggers' main man is now looking for a new challenge at Luton Town, who are currently sitting in eighth place in the Conference Premier, the divison below Dagenham & Redbridge, who sit sixteenth in League Two.

The 62-year-old could be in charge in time for tomorrow night's game away to Braintree Town.

Daily Question #28 - 25/02/13

Today's Question: Can you tell me in which season Luton Town were last relegated to the Conference Premier from League Two?

Clue: It was within the last five years.

I can also confirm that the answer to yesterday's question was indeed Rob/Robert Earnshaw. Congratulations to James Wildgoose, hazzer97 and the first Anonymous commenter who all answered correctly!

Sunday 24 February 2013

Poll Result: nPower Championship Winners

Question: Who do you think will be this season's nPower Championship winners? (Based on the then top six).
Results:
Cardiff City - 1 vote (8%)
Hull City - 5 votes (41%)
Crystal Palace - 5 votes (41%)
Middlesborough - 1 vote (8%)
Leicester City - 0 votes (0%)
Watford - 0 votes (0%)

This means that you have chosen either Hull City/Crystal Palace as the team you think will win this season's nPower Championship! A rather brave statement considering Cardiff now have a commanding five point lead at the top of the division with two games in hand. However, one thing about football is that nothing's and Cardiff are not guaranteed to maintain top spot.

Thanks to everyone that voted!

Look out for more polls to the right of your screen soon!

Daily Question #27- 24/02/13

First of all, I would like to thank you for your patience with regard to the regularity of updates to the blog - it's been much appreciated! I now have the spare time to be able to post daily updates to the blog. Therefore, I have decided to restart my 'Daily Question' whereby I post a question everyday for you to answer!

Today's Question: Can you tell me the only player to have scored a hat-trick in every professional division of English football? (Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two)

Clue: His nationality is Welsh!

I can also confirm that the answer to my last Daily Question was indeed Wembley Stadium! Unfortunately, nobody answered the question correctly.

Tuesday 19 February 2013

Special Report - The plight of Portsmouth FC

Portsmouth Football Club was formed all the way back in 1898, but could 2013 be the year that the club ceases to exist? Today, we look into the recent highs, and the recent lows of the club, and where Pompey can go from here.

'NO MATCH' - Could this soon become a familiar sight to Pompey fans?

Amazingly, this isn't the only occasion the crisis stricken club has come close to liquidisation. In the 1998/99 season, a supposed year of celebration for the club, the atmosphere turned sour when Pompey went into administration in December 1998 and were a fraction away from extinction. Milan Mandaric would prove to be the saviour of the club when he took cash out of his own pocket to buy the club in May 1999. This would ultimately prove to be the start of a new era for Portsmouth.

In the year 2002, Harry Redknapp was appointed Manager of the club and within a year's time of being on the south coast he had lead the 'blue army' to the Premier League after winning the then Division One title. This promotion proving to be down to the willingness of Milan Mandaric to spend money on new players for the club and the fantastic fan support Harry Redknapp received. 

Pompey would go on to record a thirteenth place finish in their first season in the Premier League and all seemed to be going well for the south coast club. However, midway through the club's second season in the top tier of English football, disaster struck as Harry Redknapp left the club after a dispute with the Chairman, Milan Mandaric. The club would go on to finish the season in sixteenth position and would slip a place to seventeenth in the year after. The only positive to be found from the third season being that Harry Redknapp made his return to the club.

2006 saw a new owner for Portsmouth as Alexandre Gaydamak bought the club from Milan Mandaric. His investment was immediate and numerous new players saw Portsmouth to their first top-half finish in the Premier League.This success continued into the 07/08 season as Portsmouth won their second ever FA Cup after beating Cardiff City 1-0 in the final at a packed out Wembley Stadium. This meant that Portsmouth would participate in the 08/09 season's UEFA Cup, the first time Pompey would take part in a European competition. 

However, all of this success would come at a huge cost and at the start of the 09/10 season it was revealed that Portsmouth were in yet another serious financial crisis. This because of over spending on so called 'top players' who failed to perform in their time at Pompey and would eventually be sold on for big losses. During the season, new owner Balram Chainrai discovered that the club were in around £135 million debt and so Portsmouth became the first Premier League team to enter administration. This automatically en cured a nine point deduction and all but doomed Portsmouth to relegation.

Ultimately, the season would end in relegation for the club and a return to the second tier of English football, the Championship. However, after more financial troubles the club would slip even further down the English football pyramid into League One in 2012 after the club once again entered administration and suffered yet another points deduction. 

So where does this leave Portsmouth now? Well the club currently sits bottom of League One after almost a year in administration and without new owners by the summer, Portsmouth will be kicked out of the Football League. However, the Football League's preferred bidders are the Pompey Supporters' Trust and bids from any other group or investor will be turned down. 

With the end of the season growing ever nearer and the chance of a takeover becoming ever smaller, Portsmouth's future is only becoming ever more clouded. However, one thing that is for sure is that football always finds a way. 

Sunday 10 February 2013

Images: My visit to the Pirelli Stadium

Burton Albion 2-0 Rotherham United - My Pictures

Programme however, no ticket as it was pay on the gate for standing!

The West Terrace as it filled.

The Main Stand as it filled. 

The Popular Side as it filled. 

My view of the game (from the East Terrace).

Looking towards the West Terrace.

Looking towards the Main Stand.

Looking towards the Popular Side. 

Full Time: 2-0