Having secured a job recently at Southampton Football Club on matchday hospitality, I was for two sweet hours an insider. At any time, I was able to pop my head above the parapet and view some Championship action; I was in the stadium before the kick off and before any fans were allowed in; I stood just a few yards from ex-Saint, Nicky Banger, who was being interviewed in the suite I worked in... And most exciting of all, the rumble you felt when thousands of fans celebrated each of the 3 goals the Saints hit in a 3-1 victory. A good day all round!

The nPower Championship
Friday 5th August 2011
Hull City (0) 0 - 1 (0) Blackpool (Taylor-Fletcher 81 Att: 18,907)

Saturday 6th August 2011
Brighton and Hove Albion (0) 2 - 1 (1) Doncaster Rovers (Buckley 83, 90 8/ Sharp 39 Att: 20,219)
Bristol City (0) 0 - 3 Ipswich Town (Chopra 13, 60, Martin 51 Att: 13,107)
Burnley (0) 2 - 2 (1) Watford (Austin 77, Treacy 84/ Forsyth 45, Yeates 70 Att: 14,617)
Coventry City (0) 0 - 1 (0) Leicester City (Baker sent off 39/ Peltier 52, Vassell sent off 11 Att: 21,102)
Derby County (2) 2 - 1 (1) Birmingham City (Shackell 26, S.Davies 42/ Davies 19 Att: 27,210)
Middlesbrough (1) 2 - 2 (0) Portsmouth (Emnes 24, Williams 54/ Norris 47, Varney 90 2 Att: 18,196)
Nottingham Forest (0) 0 - 0 (0) Barnsley (Att: 22,951)
Peterborough United (0) 2 - 1 (1) Crystal Palace (McCann 58, Ball 73/ Scannell 33 Att: 11,604)
Reading (0) 2 - 2 (0) Millwall (Manset 86, 89/ Henderson 49, Marquis 62 Att: 18,531)
Southampton (2) 3 - 1 (0) Leeds United (Hammond 10, Lallana 25, Connolly 52/ Gradel (pen) 90 5 Att: 25,860)

nPower League One
Brentford 2-0 Yeovil
Carlisle 0-3 Notts County
Charlton 3-0 Bournemouth
Huddersfield 1-1 Bury
MK Dons 2-2 Hartlepool
Oldham 0-2 Sheff Utd
Preston 2-4 Colchester
Sheff Wed 2-0 Rochdale
Stevenage 0-0 Exeter
Tranmere 1-0 Chesterfield
Walsall 1-0 Leyton Orient
Wycombe 1-1 Scunthorpe

nPower League Two
AFC Wimbledon 2-3 Bristol Rovers
Bradford 1-2 Aldershot
Gillingham 1-0 Cheltenham
Macclesfield 0-1 Dagenham & Redbridge
Morecambe 0-1 Barnet
Northampton 0-0 Accrington Stanley
Port Vale 2-2 Crawley
Rotherham 1-0 Oxford
Shrewsbury 1-1 Plymouth
Southend 1-0 Hereford
Swindon 3-0 Crewe
Torquay 2-2 Burton Albion

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Posted By: footballnotsoccer - Category: Championship, League One, League Two, Birmingham City, Blackpool, Bristol City, Crystal Palace, Derby County, Hull City, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Leicester City, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth, Reading, Southampton, Watford

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Saints attempt to retain Oxlade-Chamberlain

July 22nd 2011 12:24

Southampton Football Club, more affectionately known as the Saints, have long had a record for producing fantastic young players, with an academy to be proud of- perhaps the finest outside the top flight.

In the past, the likes of Gareth Bale, Leon Best, Wayne Bridge, Theo Walcott and Chris Baird have been a product of their system, alongside Arron Davies, Scott McDonald, Tim Sparv and Jake Thomson, all representing their respective countries. To a lesser extent, Dexter Blackstock was another talent who started at Southampton (although he came through the Oxford United youth academy before Saints paid compensation of £275,000 to bring him to St. Mary's).

So it was of no surprise, then, that another starlet would come through at some time, and in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, they have that starlet. At the age of 16 years, 199 days, he made his first-team debut, becoming the 2nd youngest Saints player ever to take to the pitch (behind Theo Walcott, who was just 16 years and 143 days when he made his debut- and only 15 years and 175 days when he made his Reserve Team debut).

Alex made 36 appearances in his first season, scoring 10 goals along the way, and naturally has been courted by several Premier League clubs, most notably, Arsenal and Manchester United.
In fact, he has been linked strongly with a move to the Emirates this summer.

But Southampton manager, Nigel Adkins, has urged the teenage winger to spend another year on the South coast.
"Obviously in the last couple of days there have been a few comments that have come out nationally," Adkins said on Sky Sports News.
"The expectation for a 17-year-old boy and his parents to be linked with big football clubs obviously will play on people's minds, but I think he's handled himself ever so well, and he's loved at Southampton. We believe it's better for him to stay at Southampton and play his football and keep developing. We've got to try to make sure we look after a young boy who's handled himself ever so well but has been placed in a situation with speculation. It's speculation with big football clubs people always dream about."

Oxlade-Chamberlain expressed fears earlier this week that delaying a move to a big club could hamper his future prospects, saying he feels ready to make the step up immediately.

See what Sky Sports think of the youngster on their website: Sky Sports low down on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

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Posted By: footballnotsoccer - Category: Championship, Transfer news, Arsenal, Southampton

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