November
Newsfile

Newsfile Archive

I have cobbled together some of this mornings news articles on todays games.

From The Daily Mirror
JORN'S DREAM CALL-UP

GERMAN giant Jorn Schwinkendorf is set to solve a defensive crisis - and make a dream FA Cup debut for Cardiff City at Bolton today.

The central defender, signed from Mannheim, has yet to kick a ball in anger for the Welsh club.

And manager Frank Burrows had hoped to keep him on the bench today, allowing him to step gently into the frantic pace of British football.

But Burrows has had his plans torn apart with three defenders ruled out - Russell Perrett is suspended, on-loan Tony Vaughan is ineligible and now Scott Young has been ruled out by injury. Club skipper Mike Ford is struggling to shake off a knee injury, but he should recover to line up with Schwinkendorf and Jeff Eckhardt in a three-man central defence.

Burrows said: "I had wanted to give Jorn more time to get over the culture shock of playing over here after the much slower tempo of the game back in Germany."

But the towering 6ft 5in defender is thrilled at his chance.

"The FA Cup is a special tournament in Germany and all over Europe, because it creates an interest no other knock-out competition can achieve anywhere else," he said.

"I have watched it on television many times back in Germany and it was the chance to play in the Cup which was a big part in my wanting to come to Britain to further my career."

Schwinkendorf will face a Bolton side so ravaged by injury that manager Sam Allardyce has told his squad: If you're fit, you're playing.

No fewer than eight first-teamers are sidelined, while on-loan Gareth Farrelly has been refused permission to play by Everton.

Allardyce said: "We have this tie, then the Worthington Cup quarter-final with Wimbledon on Tuesday, so these injuries couldn't have come at a worse time.

"We will struggle to find 11 first-teamers, plus five subs, for those games. There are no selection issues. If you're fit, you play."

From The Daily Mirror
FA CUP 3RD ROUND SPECIAL - SPARKY'S GOAL WRECKED MY GREATEST DAY NOW I KEEP SUFFERING IT ON TELLY SAYS CARDIFF KEEPER HALLWORTH
YOU could forgive Jon Hallworth for groaning when Mark Hughes became Wales manager.

Not because Cardiff City's blond goalkeeper doesn't believe Hughes is the right man for the job.

But because Sparky wrecked Hallworth's greatest day with a goal that still haunts him.

"Since he became Welsh boss they keep showing clips of him on television - and they always seem to show that goal!" said Hallworth.

"I can't blame them, because it was a great strike. But it doesn't half hurt to have to keep watching it."

Spring-heeled Hallworth will be in the thick of the FA Cup action for Cardiff today at they battle for glory at First Division Bolton.

The Hughes goal which floored him came in 1994 when unfashionable Oldham, having already shocked the footballing world by reaching the Premiership, reached an FA Cup semi-final against their mighty neighbours Manchester United.

Hallworth had been with them throughout their astonishing rise. And on that April afternoon at Wembley he stood defiant as Oldham clung to a 1-0 lead with just 10 seconds of extra-time remaining. United launched one last desperate attack.

Hallworth recalled: "The ball was played in low across the edge of our penalty area and Hughes whipped out a leg and caught it perfectly. It flashed passed me.

"It was a devastating blow. You could say it was the start of Oldham's whole decline.

"They walloped us 4-1 in the replay. And the whole team was so deflated we didn't win another game that season and we were relegated.

"I've never seen Mark Hughes since that day. He has scored a lot of great goals in his time so I couldn't put that one down to luck. It was a perfect strike.

"I've never blamed myself because I know there isn't a goalkeeper around who could have saved it. But that doesn't stop it hurting when I see it."

Ironically, Oldham had beaten Bolton, Hallworth's opponents today, 1-0 in the quarter-final.

"That was one of those nothing games, I don't think either goalkeeper had a lot to do," he said.

"What I remember vividly was the abuse our full-back Neil Poynton had to suffer from the crowd.

"He lived in Bolton - and there had been headlines in the local papers about his wife walking out on him. The fans slaughtered him.

"Mind, he didn't exactly get much sympathy in the dressing room afterwards. Footballers are not exactly renowned for their sensitivity - we let him have it as well!"

Hallworth hopes for a happy return to Bolton today despite Cardiff's struggling start to their Second Division campaign.

"We are not daft and we know Bolton will start favourites," he said. "But we've played some smashing football at times this season.

"If we can rise to the occasion and keep our concentration going, we have the ability to pull it off."

And at least he won't have Sparky around to haunt him this time.

From Sky Sports
FA CUP THIRD ROUND
Bolton v Cardiff
Saturday, 11 December 1999

Team news:
Bolton are without defenders galore.

Mike Whitlow, is a doubt with delayed concussion, which means a headache for boss Sam Allardyce. He is already
without hamstring victims Paul Warhurst and Jimmy Phillips, and cover backs Gudni Bergsson (groin) and John
O'Kane (ankle) are also out.

Cardiff will recall veteran centre-back Jeff Eckhardt, with defenders Tony Vaughan and Russell Perrett are
suspended and Scott Young out with a knee injury. Massive German Jorn Schwinkendorf, 6'5", stands by for a full
debut.

Mike Ford returns after a hamstring injury and Sheffield Wednesday have given permission for City to use on-loan striker Richie Humphreys.

StatPack - By Dave Todd

BOLTON WANDERERS
(9th/Sam Allardyce (Oct 99)/The Reebok Stadium/The Trotters)
· FAC Best: Winners 4 times - 1923, 26, 29 and 58. Runners up 1894, 1904, 53
· Last Season: 3rd Round, lost 0-2 at home to Wolves
· Beat Liverpool at Anfield in a 3rd Round replay in 92/3 as a Division 2 side, also knocked out Aston Villa at home and Everton and Arsenal
away the following season on the way to the Quarter Finals following promotion to Division 1.
· Last made round 4 in '97, where they were knocked out at home to Div 2 side Chesterfield
· Won 7 of last 13 games (all comps)
· Lost only 2 out of 11 league games at home this season
· Have not conceded a goal in 4 of their last 5 league victories
· Conceded only 5 goals in their last 8 games - clean sheets in 5 of last 8 games
· Clean sheets in 4 of last 5 home games (all comps)
· Won only 2 of 10 games away from home in the league this season
· Lost only 1 of last 10 home games (all comps) - won 6 of these
Top Scorer: Gudjohnsen - 8 (6 lge, 2 LC)
Also: Gardner, Holdsworth - 6 (5 lge, 1 LC/5 lge, 1 LC), Hansen - 5 (4 lge, 1 LC)

CARDIFF CITY
(19th in Division 2/Frank Burrows (Feb 98)/Ninian Park/Bluebirds)
· FAC Best: Winners 1927, Runners Up 1925
· Last Season: 4th Round, lost 1-4 at Sheffield United
· Round 1: beat Leyton Orient 3-1 away (Brazier, Perrett, Nugent) after 1-1 draw (Nugent pen)
· Round 2: beat Bury 1-0 at home aet (Ford) after a 0-0 draw
· Have reached round 4 in last 2 seasons, lost 1-4 at Sheff U last season and on pens to Reading in 97/8
· Kevin Nugent has hit 6 goals in 10 FAC starts for Cardiff, and 13 in 32 (plus 2 sub) overall
· Won last 4 of last 8 games, having previously not won in 11 (all comps)
· Won only 2 of last 14 away games - all comps
· 3 clean sheets in last 6 games (all comps)
· Scored only 1 goal in their last 3 games (all comps) Top Scorers: Nugent - 8 (5 lge, 1 LC, 2 FAC)
Also: Bowen - 7 (5 lge, 2 LC)

Head to Head
· Have not met in any competition since January 1990 in Division 3
· Cardiff beat Bolton 2-0 at Burnden Park in February 1927 on their way to their only FA Cup win
· Also met in 4th round in 1973 when Bolton won a second replay 1-0 at the Hawthorns (WBA) after a 2-2 draw in Bolton and 1-1 in Wales.
· This is Cardiff's first ever visit to the Reebok Stadium Last Corresponding Fixture: Bolton 3 Cardiff 1 - Division 3, 20th January 1990

From Football 365.
Full-back Mike Whitlow is racing against the clock to boost Bolton's flagging defence ahead of the FA Cup third round tie against Cardiff at the Reebok Stadium. The 31-year-old missed the midweek trip to Blackburn suffering from delayed concussion after a clash of heads with Tranmere's David Kelly last weekend. Boss Sam Allardyce is definitely missing Gudni Bergsson (groin), John O'Kane (ankle), Paul Warhurst, Jimmy
Phillips and Dean Holdsworth (all hamstring injuries). He could also have to do without Gareth Farrelly if an attempt to sign the on-loan Everton midfielder permanently fails.

Cardiff will be without defenders Tony Vaughan and Russell Perrett who are suspended and Scott Young who is out for three weeks with a knee injury. Mike Ford returns after a hamstring injury and Jeff Eckhardt, left out in midweek, returns to the squad. Assistant boss Billy Ayre said: ''We are going to a great stadium to face a good side and the onus will be on them to win.''