Ex-Aston Villa striker Stefan Moore finished the football season on a red-hot scoring streak - in division five of the Birmingham and District AFA League!
The one-time Premier League goal-getter recently turned to the amateur game with Silhill’s fourth team in a bid to stay fit while also doing his mates a favour.
And the 25-year-old, currently out of contract following a month-by-month deal with Kidderminster Harriers, turned out to be a sensation for the Solihull outfit by firing home five goals in two games.
Moore’s career may have previously taken him to world-famous venues such as Old Trafford and Anfield but it was the old M&B Ground and Social Club in Edgbaston that played host to the former England Youth international on Saturday.
The Brummie thumped a hat-trick past Meriden Athletic on the way to a 6-1 victory and his man-of-the-match performance came hot on the heels of a debut brace the previous weekend during a 4-2 win at Parkfield Amateur 2nds.
Moore’s goal haul helped Sils’ fourth string finish seventh in the table, their highest ever league position.
“Our club has got a lot of contacts,” said Silhill spokesman Oliver Haines. “Silhill tend to either get players starting off in their career or else they are players at the end of their career before they hang their boots up.
“Stefan has just finished the season with Kidderminster Harriers and he is sort of in between clubs at the moment but I think he has got a few mates at Silhill which is why he came down. He’s obviously very professional and he is enthusiastic about his football.”
Moore was once seen as one of Villa Park’s brightest young prospects along with his younger brother and current Albion striker Luke. He captained his boyhood club to the 2002 FA Youth Cup having scored twice in a two-legged final victory over an Everton side that included Wayne Rooney. He then burst on to the Premier League scene the following season by scoring on his top flight debut and went on to make 29 appearances in all competitions for Villa.
However while he’s watched his 23-year-old brother remain close to the top, Moore senior’s career has sadly nose-dived. After loan spells with Millwall and Leicester, he was released by Villa and signed for QPR in 2005. His fortunes failed to improve during an injury-hit spell at Loftus Road that including a season-long loan at Port Vale.
Moore considered a move to Australia with Melbourne Victory before joining Walsall but more recently found himself out of the football league as a bit-part player at Kidderminster.
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Friday, 15 May 2009
Rangers Star Has Egg On Face
Glasgow Rangers star Kirk Broadfoot was left nursing a sore face after an exploding EGG landed him in hospital.
The Scotland full-back was inspecting two eggs he had just poached in his microwave when one of them blew up and squirted scalding-hot water into his face.
A Rangers insider said: "It may sound funny but it was quite a serious accident. Kirk's face was quite badly burned."
The shocked star phoned his parents, Marilyn and John, who rushed round to his luxury home in Ballochmyle, Ayrshire, from their house in nearby Drongan and took him to hospital. Kirk, 25, was treated for scalds to his cheek and allowed home. He told Rangers manager Walter Smith what had happened and he is now being monitored by club doctors.
"As it happens, it was a close shave," the Record's Ibrox source said."He was very close to burning his eye, which could have had a serious impact on his career."
Kirk was already out of the Rangers team with an injury before the egg incident on Sunday. He is expected to make a full recovery from his scalds.
He did not want to comment about the accident.
Kirk signed for Rangers from St Mirren in 2007 and his wholehearted style quickly made him a cult hero with the Ibrox fans. George Burley called him into the Scotland squad and he scored a vital goal in the World Cup qualifier in Iceland last September.
Kirk is far from the only amateur cook to be injured by an egg. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents say 500 Britons needed hospital treatment after "egg-related incidents" in 2002, the last year such data was collected.
A RoSPA spokeswoman said: "Our advice is always to take care when dealing with boiling water in a microwave." The British Egg Information Service offer advice to egg-lovers on how to poach them safely in the microwave:
1. Carefully crack the egg into a large teacup or ramekin dish filled with 1/2 tbsp of water.
2. Use a cocktail stick to pierce the yolk and white in a couple of places and poach in the microwave on HIGH for 40 seconds in a 750-watt oven, or 60 seconds if you have a 650- watt oven.
3. Let the egg stand for a minute before serving."
This is not the first bizarre injury to hit football stars.
Stoke City's Liam Lawrence is an injury doubt for his side's weekend meeting with Portsmouth after tripping over his pet dog. The former Sunderland winger suffered the bizarre injury to his ankle this morning, leaving the Potters manager Tony Pulis with a potential selection headache for Sunday's fixture.
"He has stepped over his dog on the stairs and his ankle just gave way and he went over on it," said Pulis. "The initial scan has shown no break but we have sent him back for another x-ray to make sure.
"We don't know how serious it is at the moment, he may be okay for Portsmouth, but then again he may not be fit. We will have to wait and see."
Football's most ridiculous injuries
• Lawrence is not alone in suffering at the paws of a mutt. Chic Brodie's career came to an abrupt end in October 1970 when the Brentford goalkeeper collided with a sheepdog that had run on to the pitch, shattering a kneecap. "The dog might have been a small one, but it just happened to be a solid one," he said. The former Barnsley midfielder Darren Barnard, however, was sidelined for five months with a torn knee ligament after he slipped in a puddle of his puppy's urine on the kitchen floor.
• The Everton goalkeeper Richard Wright was ruled out of an FA Cup fourth-round replay at Chelsea after twisting his ankle by falling over a sign warning him not to practice in the goalmouth during the pre-match warm-up. He also damaged his shoulder by falling through a loft as he was trying to pack away his suitcases. Wright's former Ipswich team-mate Kieron Dyer, then at Newcastle, damaged his left eye when he collided with a pole in training.
• During his spell at Leeds United, the England defender Rio Ferdinand picked up a tendon strain in his knee after leaving his leg propped on a coffee table for too long while watching television. Ferdinand's England colleague David James also suffered at the hands of the TV when he pulled a muscle in his back when reaching for the remote control. James also tweaked his shoulder while attempting to land a carp while fishing.
• The then Kidderminster captain Sean Flynn broke his nose, bust his lip and bruised his toes after tripping over his son's toy cars. But a real car accounted for the toy-sized Alan Wright, who strained his knee by stretching to reach the accelerator in his new Ferrari. He subsequently swapped the sports car for a Rover 416. The former Leeds and Blackburn midfielder David Batty injured his Achilles tendon when he was run over by his toddler on a tricycle.
• In 1993 the goalkeeper Dave Beasant dropped a bottle of salad cream on his foot, severing the tendon in his big toe and keeping him out of action for eight weeks. Similarly, the Spain goalkeeper Santiago Canizares missed the 2002 World Cup after accidentally shattering a bottle of aftershave in his hotel sink. A piece of glass fell on his foot, severing a tendon in his big toe.
• In 1975 the Manchester United goalkeeper Alex Stepney dislocated his jaw while shouting at his defenders during a match against Birmingham. Meanwhile England's Alan Mullery missed the 1964 tour of South America after injuring his back while brushing his teeth - not a problem for the American international Kasey Keller, who knocked out his front teeth while pulling his golf clubs out of the boot of his car.
• The Arsenal striker Charlie George cut off his toe with a lawnmower, but the then-Aston Villa forward Darius Vassell missed several games after he drilled through his toe nail with a home power drill thinking it would relieve the pressure on a swollen toe. It developed an infection that required medical attention.
• And finally, the Norway defender Svein Grondalen had to withdraw from an international during the 1970s after colliding with a moose while out jogging.
The Scotland full-back was inspecting two eggs he had just poached in his microwave when one of them blew up and squirted scalding-hot water into his face.
A Rangers insider said: "It may sound funny but it was quite a serious accident. Kirk's face was quite badly burned."
The shocked star phoned his parents, Marilyn and John, who rushed round to his luxury home in Ballochmyle, Ayrshire, from their house in nearby Drongan and took him to hospital. Kirk, 25, was treated for scalds to his cheek and allowed home. He told Rangers manager Walter Smith what had happened and he is now being monitored by club doctors.
"As it happens, it was a close shave," the Record's Ibrox source said."He was very close to burning his eye, which could have had a serious impact on his career."
Kirk was already out of the Rangers team with an injury before the egg incident on Sunday. He is expected to make a full recovery from his scalds.
He did not want to comment about the accident.
Kirk signed for Rangers from St Mirren in 2007 and his wholehearted style quickly made him a cult hero with the Ibrox fans. George Burley called him into the Scotland squad and he scored a vital goal in the World Cup qualifier in Iceland last September.
Kirk is far from the only amateur cook to be injured by an egg. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents say 500 Britons needed hospital treatment after "egg-related incidents" in 2002, the last year such data was collected.
A RoSPA spokeswoman said: "Our advice is always to take care when dealing with boiling water in a microwave." The British Egg Information Service offer advice to egg-lovers on how to poach them safely in the microwave:
1. Carefully crack the egg into a large teacup or ramekin dish filled with 1/2 tbsp of water.
2. Use a cocktail stick to pierce the yolk and white in a couple of places and poach in the microwave on HIGH for 40 seconds in a 750-watt oven, or 60 seconds if you have a 650- watt oven.
3. Let the egg stand for a minute before serving."
This is not the first bizarre injury to hit football stars.
Stoke City's Liam Lawrence is an injury doubt for his side's weekend meeting with Portsmouth after tripping over his pet dog. The former Sunderland winger suffered the bizarre injury to his ankle this morning, leaving the Potters manager Tony Pulis with a potential selection headache for Sunday's fixture.
"He has stepped over his dog on the stairs and his ankle just gave way and he went over on it," said Pulis. "The initial scan has shown no break but we have sent him back for another x-ray to make sure.
"We don't know how serious it is at the moment, he may be okay for Portsmouth, but then again he may not be fit. We will have to wait and see."
Football's most ridiculous injuries
• Lawrence is not alone in suffering at the paws of a mutt. Chic Brodie's career came to an abrupt end in October 1970 when the Brentford goalkeeper collided with a sheepdog that had run on to the pitch, shattering a kneecap. "The dog might have been a small one, but it just happened to be a solid one," he said. The former Barnsley midfielder Darren Barnard, however, was sidelined for five months with a torn knee ligament after he slipped in a puddle of his puppy's urine on the kitchen floor.
• The Everton goalkeeper Richard Wright was ruled out of an FA Cup fourth-round replay at Chelsea after twisting his ankle by falling over a sign warning him not to practice in the goalmouth during the pre-match warm-up. He also damaged his shoulder by falling through a loft as he was trying to pack away his suitcases. Wright's former Ipswich team-mate Kieron Dyer, then at Newcastle, damaged his left eye when he collided with a pole in training.
• During his spell at Leeds United, the England defender Rio Ferdinand picked up a tendon strain in his knee after leaving his leg propped on a coffee table for too long while watching television. Ferdinand's England colleague David James also suffered at the hands of the TV when he pulled a muscle in his back when reaching for the remote control. James also tweaked his shoulder while attempting to land a carp while fishing.
• The then Kidderminster captain Sean Flynn broke his nose, bust his lip and bruised his toes after tripping over his son's toy cars. But a real car accounted for the toy-sized Alan Wright, who strained his knee by stretching to reach the accelerator in his new Ferrari. He subsequently swapped the sports car for a Rover 416. The former Leeds and Blackburn midfielder David Batty injured his Achilles tendon when he was run over by his toddler on a tricycle.
• In 1993 the goalkeeper Dave Beasant dropped a bottle of salad cream on his foot, severing the tendon in his big toe and keeping him out of action for eight weeks. Similarly, the Spain goalkeeper Santiago Canizares missed the 2002 World Cup after accidentally shattering a bottle of aftershave in his hotel sink. A piece of glass fell on his foot, severing a tendon in his big toe.
• In 1975 the Manchester United goalkeeper Alex Stepney dislocated his jaw while shouting at his defenders during a match against Birmingham. Meanwhile England's Alan Mullery missed the 1964 tour of South America after injuring his back while brushing his teeth - not a problem for the American international Kasey Keller, who knocked out his front teeth while pulling his golf clubs out of the boot of his car.
• The Arsenal striker Charlie George cut off his toe with a lawnmower, but the then-Aston Villa forward Darius Vassell missed several games after he drilled through his toe nail with a home power drill thinking it would relieve the pressure on a swollen toe. It developed an infection that required medical attention.
• And finally, the Norway defender Svein Grondalen had to withdraw from an international during the 1970s after colliding with a moose while out jogging.
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
Winning Ways
From the Glasgow Herald.
A Dumbarton fan marched in to William Hill on Monday to pick up his winnings for Dumbarton becoming the third division champs. However, the manager said that although Dumbarton were three points clear, and with an 18-goal advantage, with only one game to go, there was an arithmetical possibility they could be pipped.
In other words, if Dumbarton say, lost their last game by nine goals and second placed East Stirling won their game by nine goals.
The bemused fan replied that if they weren't paying out, then they must still be taking bets, and asked to bet a further £2000 on Dumbarton winning the league.
At that, the manager saw sense, and paid up.
A Dumbarton fan marched in to William Hill on Monday to pick up his winnings for Dumbarton becoming the third division champs. However, the manager said that although Dumbarton were three points clear, and with an 18-goal advantage, with only one game to go, there was an arithmetical possibility they could be pipped.
In other words, if Dumbarton say, lost their last game by nine goals and second placed East Stirling won their game by nine goals.
The bemused fan replied that if they weren't paying out, then they must still be taking bets, and asked to bet a further £2000 on Dumbarton winning the league.
At that, the manager saw sense, and paid up.
Friday, 8 May 2009
King's Death Brings Eviction Fear
Taken from the BBC
A football club may have to vacate its home ground in Norfolk because of a clause in the lease linking ownership to a king of Norway who died in 1991.
Cromer Town FC were given the lease in 1922 by Evelyn Bond-Cabbell.
But the gift of Cabbell Park included a clause that the lease would expire 21 years after the death of Queen Victoria's last surviving grandchild.
Norway's King Olav V, the monarch's great grandson, died on 17 January 1991 meaning the club face eviction in 2012.
Paul Jarvis, chairman of the amateur club, who play in the Anglian Combination League, said: "We've had discussions with the trustees of the will.
"It appears that the lease expires in 2012. That could lead to us being relocated.
"It's at a very early stage in terms of discussions with the trustees and no final decision has been made.
"We've not been given notice to quit. We've expressed that we would prefer to stay where we are."
Mr Jarvis said the trustees were considering possible alternative uses for the football ground.
The gift was originally intended so that all the people in Cromer could enjoy an amenity and the trustees want to bring this wish up to date by including more sports and activities on the ground for a wider age group including young people.
Evelyn Bond-Cabbell gave a lot of money to the local community after World War I when she was concerned about the plight of men returning to Norfolk after serving their country.
She funded the building of Cromer Hospital where many of the returning soldiers gained work.
A football club may have to vacate its home ground in Norfolk because of a clause in the lease linking ownership to a king of Norway who died in 1991.
Cromer Town FC were given the lease in 1922 by Evelyn Bond-Cabbell.
But the gift of Cabbell Park included a clause that the lease would expire 21 years after the death of Queen Victoria's last surviving grandchild.
Norway's King Olav V, the monarch's great grandson, died on 17 January 1991 meaning the club face eviction in 2012.
Paul Jarvis, chairman of the amateur club, who play in the Anglian Combination League, said: "We've had discussions with the trustees of the will.
"It appears that the lease expires in 2012. That could lead to us being relocated.
"It's at a very early stage in terms of discussions with the trustees and no final decision has been made.
"We've not been given notice to quit. We've expressed that we would prefer to stay where we are."
Mr Jarvis said the trustees were considering possible alternative uses for the football ground.
The gift was originally intended so that all the people in Cromer could enjoy an amenity and the trustees want to bring this wish up to date by including more sports and activities on the ground for a wider age group including young people.
Evelyn Bond-Cabbell gave a lot of money to the local community after World War I when she was concerned about the plight of men returning to Norfolk after serving their country.
She funded the building of Cromer Hospital where many of the returning soldiers gained work.
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