Top Ten: Players Outside the Premiership

English football is littered with some of the best players in the world, and believe it or not, some of them don’t reside inside the country's top league, The Premiership.

There is a huge strength in the lower leagues, even as far as League two, there are players whose abilities would certainly be just as well-equipped at a higher level.

This is why I have accumulated the top ten players from outside the untouchable Premiership.

All three divisions have standout players. I’ve done my best to stay away from players who have built their reputations in the Premiership and now play lower down, like Lee Carsley or Graham Kavanagh, but of course, there are some you can't ignore.

With every player that gets in this list, there are of course players who don’t and from the preliminary list of over 20 players I came up with, I very hastily cut it down to just ten.

Feel free to suggest your own players; more likely than not I would have considered them in the first place. Enjoy.


10. Scott Davies (Aldershot Town, On loan from Reading)

Seeing players in the flesh is the ultimate way to judge a player, and to see Scott Davies in action really is a sight.

The midfielder guided his side, Aldershot Town, to the Football League last season with 11 goals, but in League two he already has eight at the halfway stage.

He is the driving force behind the Shot's excellent unbeaten home form and has one hell of a strike on him.

He showed his prowess from long distance against Bradford in his first game as a football league player with a stunning strike to win the game for his side.

Davies is sure to be moving on from Reading soon to a club in League one who can afford the asking price for this promising midfielder.


9. Kieron Westwood (Coventry City)

Seeing players in the flesh is the ultimate way to judge a player, and to see Scott Davies in action really is a sight.

The midfielder guided his side, Aldershot Town, to the Football League last season with 11 goals, but in League two he already has eight at the halfway stage.

He is the driving force behind the Shot's excellent unbeaten home form and has one hell of a strike on him.

He showed his prowess from long distance against Bradford in his first game as a football league player with a stunning strike to win the game for his side.

Davies is sure to be moving on from Reading soon to a club in League one who can afford the asking price for this promising midfielder.


8. Steve Foster (Barnsley)

Where on earth would Barnsley be without this man?

Their Cup run last season summed-up what Foster is all about and he helped them along the way with two crucial goals, one of them coming in-front of the Kop.

After a great first season for the club ,he has kept his form going for the Yorkshire side. He's yet to take a move up the table either with his team or personally, and January could see him move on just 15 months after signing for the club.

After the departure of Brian Howard, Foster was rewarded with the captaincy, but with the side having not really improved this season and without the added bonus of a Cup run, a move could be tempting.

Either way, he is a brilliant defender who holds together a shaky Barnsley side.


7. Andy Bishop (Bury)

Sometimes in leagues one and two we see teams who have a talisman who everything good goes through. Andy Bishop is one of these.

His goals alone are enough to keep Bury going this season, even enough to see them enter the play-off picture.

A career average of a goal nearly every other game is amazing at any level, but Bishop has been doing it his entire career.

Nine goals have come this season as he endured a difficult start, but that soon ended with a string of goals to end the year in brilliant form.

Many teams have looked at Bishop and many believe his talent deserves better than league two, but could Bury realize his own ambition and get promoted?


6. Matty Fryatt (Leicester City)

I actually feel sorry for league one sides when they have to play against this lad; he just oozes class.

With 22 goals in 24 games this season, he has the best goal per game average of any player in the football league, and he's finding it far too easy this season, and you can bet there will be more.

He's been breaking records left, right, and center this season, scoring two hat-tricks in consecutive games and scoring 20 goals before Christmas. The first time the feats had been achieved in 83 and 42 years respectively.

Like the club he plays for, they are at least a league below where they should be and although they are on course for promotion, you shouldn't write off Fryatt going on towards the Premiership if the Foxes can't match his ambition and talent.

There's nothing this lad hasn't got, and soon enough England's elite will find out.


5. Rickie Lambert (Bristol Rovers)

As we enter the top five, we get to the players who would be well at home in the Premiership and we start with this sparkling forward from Bristol Rovers.

Many Rovers fans would freely admit that Richie Lambert helps carry their team and with the goal haul he produces, you can see why.

Just the 18 goals for him this season has contributed nearly half of all their league goals.

He's set to better his total of last season and is finally gaining the credit from higher leagues with Premiership clubs set to make a move for the player in January.

Rovers still flatter to deceive in the league, however, as they lie in 16th...not where Lambert would like to be.

If given the choice, he would surely move on, and I'm sure as many Rovers fans do believe, that his talent deserves better.


4. James McFadden (Birmingham City)

I almost wanted to put the Scot higher on this list, but the quality as we go up is so high even this international can't get in the top three.

He attempted to further his career by joining Birmingham last season. But he went down with the midlands club, to the shock of many including myself.

This season hasn't been his best I think many Birmingham fans would admit, and he has only shown flashes of his talent. Birmingham's stuttering second quarter has coincided with his disappointing form.

Over dead-balls he is potent, and he still proves a threat for the Scottish national team. Obviously, his Premiership pedigree makes him hot property in the Championship, and a return to form will reveal it all before us.


3. Ferrie Bodde (Swansea City)

This man has only played just over 50 games in English football and is already considered one of the hottest properties in the Championship.

A cruel injury is keeping the star out at the moment, but Bodde has made such an impact clubs will be queuing to take the player away from the Liberty Stadium.

He has a traction engine behind his right foot and has a few contenders for goal of the season in the Championship.

But his goals aren't the only thing in the player's artillery, as be boasts a high assist rate, and can act as a box-to-box midfielder.

His reputation when he came to England he was billed as the "Dutch Roy Keane."

Big boots to fill, but the way this man is going, he's on track to make a great impact.

With the strong foundations that Swansea have, they could make a strong break for the Premiership within 2-3 years, so staying with the Welsh club could be profitable for the talented player.

But could the club afford to turn down a £3 million plus offer?


2. Kevin Doyle (Reading)

THE potent finisher in the Championship. If there are goals about, Doyle isn't far behind, and he has been invaluable to the cause this season.

After turning down a reported move to Aston Villa, Doyle has got on with his business very quietly.

After a number of injury problems last season, it was no coincidence that Reading were relegated, but in the new season, 16 goals have come with defenses reeling from the sight of the Irish striker.

Keeping the front-man has proven crucial with a hat-trick against Crystal Palace along with a excellent goal at Birmingham a week ago proving his huge ability.

He's a Premiership striker, but if he doesn't gain promotion with the Royals this season, the new contract he's signed will count for nothing, no matter the asking price.


1. Michael Kightly (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

For me this guy has everything: pace, guile, vision, and a top finish...all the attributes of a class winger.

Kightly has all of these and the maturity far beyond his 22 years. If anyone is ready for the Premiership, it's this man, and to know where it all started would surprise to many even more.

He was a £20,000 move from Grays Athletic, but an injury in his first season meant his impact wasn't as he would like.

But this season, he's excelled, and been one of the shining lights in an All-Star Wolves side. He provides goals, seven of which this season but with 12 assists, it's obvious where his main influence lies.

He ticks all the boxes as a winger and sums up Wolves' attacking style.

Kightly deserves to go all the way with Wolves, but with the unpredictable play-offs as a possible finish for Kightly, a move to the Premiership might have to be his path, and in terms of bidders, they will be jostling for position.

The Leeds time bomb explodes on Gary McAllister

Gary McAllister has been sacked by Leeds United after 11 months in charge at Elland Road.

McAllister's team had lost there last five matches, including Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Milton Keynes Dons, the Scot's final match in charge.

The current bad run of form had seen the former Premiership club slip to ninth in League one, a sequence that has forced the hand of the Leeds board.

"The decision was made to ensure that the new manager has the maximum number of games possible to move the club up the table,"

When McAllister took charge of the club, he was entrusted with guiding the club back into the Championship.

They had recovered well under Dennis Wise from the deduction of 15-points at the start of the season, and promotion was a real possibility.

And the former Coventry manager came very close, loosing out to Doncaster Rovers 1-0 in the play-off final at Wembley.

However, the team came into the new season with renewed vigor and started challenging for promotion, which given the resources available to the manager was all but guaranteed, or so everyone thought.

I was one of those people who had the Elland Road club nailed on for promotion, I even quote myself in preseason saying, "Anything less than promotion will be put down as a failure".

And with the squad available, its been a truly awful season for the Yorkshire club, but frustratingly enough the quality is there for all to see

Luciano Bechio has had a good start to the season, but without Jermaine Beckford alongside him he looks slightly out of place.

Beckford's injury could well have been the beginning of the end for McAllister, with the clubs top scorer being ruled out for a month after defeat at Northampton Town in late November.

The likes of Jonny Howson (I had to mention him didn't I?) and Robert Snodgrass have impressed for the side, but grinding out results hasn't been the main trait of this Leeds team.

The worry now is that some of the more talented players at the club might leave because of the teams underachievement.

Beckford and Fabian Delph could both one day preside in the countries top leagues and it could be where they will venture to in the January window.

Delph in particular has been courted by many Premiership clubs and is sure to be on many teams new years shopping list.

As for McAllister, well it was the right time to go.

There's just enough time in the season for the new man to turn the fortunes of the team around.

Getting the right man in is crucial though, and Leeds have said they want the new man in by the new year so they can have a full month in which the manager can do his January shopping.

There are some obvious names out there, but I'm going to steer you towards three of my favourites for the job.

The first is Alan Curbishley, the former Charlton manager was badly treated at West Ham and was forced out earlier this year, Leeds are a big enough club to attract him and he would be perfect for them as his commitment is unrivaled.

The second is Paul Ince. Only recently sacked by Blackburn, Ince will be keen to return to management as soon as possible and Leeds could be the perfect job for him.

In my opinion, he wrongly turned down the managers job at promotion rivals Leicester City, a move that would have been perfect for him to continue his managerial apprenticeship up the leagues.

The third candidate is Gustavo Poyet, who was at the club last season until he left the assistant managers role and went to at the time Juande Ramos' Tottenham Hotspur.

Obviously, things have changed since then, and Poyet is out of a job.

He's always struck me as a quality coach and having been in League one before with Swindon Town under Dennis Wise again he has the knowledge and the experience, I think it would be a match made in heaven and a good move for both parties.

But can Leeds afford to make the same gamble many have on untried managers in the past 18 months, with the distinct possibility of failure? I'm not sure they can.

Anyway that's my two pennies worth, feel free to speculate on who you think should succeed McAllister, but whoever does step into the hot seat has a huge job on their hands taking one of Britain's biggest clubs back towards where they belong.

Crouch Hiding to Much for Portsmouth

Portsmouth lost their third home league game of the season as they crashed to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Newcastle United at Fratton Park.

Goals by Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins and Danny Gutherie gave Newcastle their first away win of the season in a stunning second half display.

For most of the match however Portsmouth looked short of ideas up front and with just one win from their last seven it's hard to see where the next win is coming from.

With 16 attempts on goal the stats show that Pompey had enough chances to take all three points, but in the game itself it was obvious to see that clear cut opportunities were few and far between.

Earlier in the season it was clear creativity was an issue, but now Nico Kranjcar is back and the resurgence of Sean Davis in midfield meant Pompey had some supply for their talented front line.

It wasn't long before both Peter Crouch and Jermaine Defoe were banging in the goals to push Portsmouth up towards the top half after a disappointing start to the season.

Now I'm not writing to debate the prowess of the two strikers, I wouldn't have a leg to stand on as both have seven league goals to add to their two European efforts.

However this piece stays away from the stats and more on performance and value for money, and concentrates fully on the former Liverpool forward.

His performance this afternoon against Newcastle was reminiscent of a hungry dog, desperately looking for scrap to feed upon.

And in terms of chances for the 6 ft 7 inch striker they hardly went begging, I'll say that much but his movement on the ball left much to be desired.

We hear plenty of times the phase 'good on the floor for a big man' in the same sentence as Crouch, but is this really true or are we being nice to the lanky striker.

On one occasion this afternoon he took around five minutes to take the ball down and when he did his sprayed pass towards Arnold Mvuemba sailed past the Frenchmen and out of play.

All afternoon in-fact he looked awkward as Portsmouth's main threat up-front, with the home side's occasional long-ball game not suiting Crouch.

Crouch moved to the south-coast for 9 million pounds which could rise to 11 million based on his future efforts, and for me the already cash-strapped Pompey have payed well over the odds already.

While everyone is having a go (and rightly so) at Robbie Keane and his performances at new club Liverpool, Crouch has gone unnoticed in his mediocre effort.

He's gone well down in the pecking order for Fabio Capello's England, with Capello having no regard for Crouch no-matter who is on the injury list for the national team.

And for me his performances are having a negative effect on the team.

In last resorts Crouch is an easy target, but his height is actually pulling the wool over your eyes as his heading ability has failed to come on since his last tenure at Portsmouth.

I actually prefer Portsmouth with five men in their midfield.

They look more solid as a team, because god they need to give their defense as much help as possible, and Defoe gives them a credible outlet and a potent finish when given the chance.

When they lined up in a 4-4-2 formation against Newcastle this afternoon they were simply outdone by the Magpies simple but hard working midfield four.

The likes of Fulham and Hull City have kept Pompey's midfield quiet this season, and for what was once quiet a force in the league looks a bit lost now that Crouch has been introduced.

For injuries Crouch is a necessity, and don't get me wrong he knows where the net is as long as it's no more than twelve yards away.

But are they loosing the invincibility they had especially on the road where they held the best away record outside the top four.

Now they are out of Europe they can concentrate on the league where to be fair they have started well, but under Tony Adams they only have two leagues wins to their name as Redknapp's resilience starts to wear off.

Now we can see Wycombe's true colours

Aldershot Town ended Wycombe Wanderers 18-match unbeaten run as they beat the League 2 leaders 3-2 at the Recreation Ground.

Two goals from Kirk Hudson and Daniel Hylton's strike ensured the victory while Peter Taylor's men replied through Angelo Balenta and a late Matty Phillips effort.

It's Wycombe's first league defeat of the season and adds to a disappointing week for the Buckinghamshire men as they were on the end of an FA Cup giant-killing last weekend after being knocked out by Eastwood Town of the Unibond League.

These two defeats have shown that this Wycombe side aren't invicible as they now try to re-vive there promotion push, but how much will these two defeats really affect Peter Taylor's side?

Well it's important to consider there opponents yesterday, Aldershot Town. The newly promoted side were protecting there own unbeaten home record, so they are no-slouches in League Two.

Looking at the squad assembled from last season it's not bad either, and you can't argue with the form they have shown.

Loosing Sergio Torres to Peterborough was just a small blip during the summer as they recruited pacey Chris Zebroski from Millwall, a swap that has paid off with Zebroski already scoring six league goals.

Wycombe have already scored half as many goals as they did in the entire of last season in their first 19 league games, with 11 different scorers throughout the team.

However it's there defence that has been the shining light, and with just eleven league goals conceded, you can see why yesterday's three goal salvo would have shocked the away side.

Craig Woodman and Mike Williamson have been awesome at the back, and the focal point of Wycombe's amazing start to the season.

However even with this talented set of players it takes a discipline manager to bring it all together, and in Peter Taylor Wanderers certainly have that.

Taylor's 22 year managerial career has been littered with success and failure along the way but it's certainly the lower leagues that he seem best at home.

His first lower league success came with Brighton and Hove Albion as he won promotion from the old Division Two.

He went on to kick start Hull City's foray up the football league pyramid and their transition into the side they are today.

They had just moved into the current home at the KC Stadium and within a year of taking over Taylor won them promotion into what was then Division 2.

The following season Taylor took them into Division One after finishing second in 2004/05 season.

However Hull were a victim of their own success as Taylor was recruited by Crystal Palace after taking Hull to 18th in the Championship.

Short stays at Palace and then non-league Stevenage Borough followed while taking the England managers job for one game in 2001 against Italy.

Taylor has the common theme of spending plenty of money with littered success, and Wycombe hope that he can step off where Paul Lambert left off after last seasons top half finish.

The potential for this sort of run was there, it has just taken a quality name like Taylor to take them to the next level and what seems like now possible promotion.

This first defeat will let us all know what this side are about, yes but they have all the foundations to go on another 18-game run and consolidate there six point lead over their promotion rivals.

With a talented squad at his disposal Taylor looks odds on to add to his four promotions and continue his lower league legacy.

Top Ten: Football Derbys

In recent week's we've had a number of footballing derbys that have seen red-cards, goals and as always plenty of controversy. However it begs the question, which one is the best? Do the media realy hype up some derby's just because it involves a big team? Well definitely yes. Derbys are about tradition and the supporters of both sides, not about whether big teams are involved, although in most of these cases they can collide. I've had a go at making a list, feel free to include your own version:



10. Sunderland vs. Newcastle United: Better known as the Tyne-Wear derby between these two fierce North East Clubs. The rivalry dates back to the Industrial Revolution where both cities clashed over many industrial fields including mining. In recent years the two had been separated by constant relegation on Sunderland's part. The most famous meeting in the Premiership was in 1999 when Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips goals helped Sunderland towards a 2-1 win at St James' Park. Newcastle were at the time managed by Ruud Guilit who dropped Alan Shearer for the game, which turned out to be his final game in charge, as he resigned soon afterwards.

9. Millwall vs. West Ham United: This rivalry is made even more special due to the infrequent meeting between to the two sides. The two are based in North West London and the rivalry between the two runs deep into the fans and beyond. The rivalry originates from two rival shipyards across The Thames, but since Millwall have moved slightly north. Even without constant interaction on the pitch this derby is as fresh as ever, and it's sure to reignite the next time they meet.

8. Roma vs. Lazio: Known as the most competitive derby in Italy (although there is something to be said for the Milan version) between two great sides both from the countries capital city. The two sides come from different political backgrounds with Roma swaying towards the left while Roma lead to the right, and this difference of opinion runs deep in the fans. The derby in 2004 will live long in the memory for all the wrong reasons, as rioting broke out shortly after half time. Francesco Totti then received death threats during the game which resulted in the game being called off. Since the derby has calmed down as both teams head towards the top of Serie A.

7. Cardiff City vs. Swansea City: The only two Welsh teams currently in the football league have only recently rekindled there rivalry after nine years apart but already both sides have left off from where they finished in 1999. Both are said to have 'pure hatred' for each other and in the intimating years between matches have goaded each other up until now as the two continue their rivalry. The infamous t-shirt worn by former Swansea layer Lee Trundle did nothing to diffuse the rivalry, as he sported an image of a Swansea fan urinating onto a Cardiff shirt. We've seen already the violence between both sets of fans in their opening two matches of the season with the first being in the Carling Cup. And with the final game to be played at Ninian Park it's only just begun between these two welsh sides.

6. Hibernian vs. Hearts: For years The Edinburgh derby has been overshadowed by the Old Firm version. Again religious influence takes a huge part in the rivalry, as Hibernain originate from the Roman Catholic side and Hearts the Protestant side. In meetings between the two sides Hearts hold a huge upper hand as they have 127 wins with Hibs lagging behind with just 82. Plans in 1990 to merge the two teams to take on the Old Firm were met with anguish from the Hibs side after it was suggested by the then Hearts Chairman Wallace Mercer. Both sets of fans for once agreed on something and they both kept there identity. However even after the death of Mercer Hibs fans hold resentment for the suggestion and to this day protest at Hearts game about the proposal, even interrupting a minute of silence in Mercer's name to show there resentment.

5. AC Milan vs. Inter Milan: Apart from Juventus these two are the most successful sides in Italian and European Football, and especially Milan who have won the Champions League twice in this decade alone. The two clubs split in the early 1900's and since have formed different backgrounds due to the nature of the clubs owners former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Milan and businessman Massimo Moratti of Inter. The most famous meeting of the two teams is one of the darkest days in European Football and one that Inter and especially Milan Goalkeeper Dida will want to forget in a hurry. Goalkeeper Dida was struck by a number of objects including a Flare as Inter fans showered the pitch in protest to there teams exit from the European Cup, in which they trailed Milan 3-0 on aggregate. After an interlude of over 30 minutes referee Marcus Merk abandoned the game giving Milan a 3-0 win in the match. This example alone shows how the tradition of these two clubs runs deep into Italian blood.

4. Fenerbahce vs. Galatasaray: The biggest two teams in Turkish history share 34 titles between them, but this derby runs deeper than just title commitments. The two are split by class with the working class siding with Galatasaray and the aristocracy going with Fenebahce. However its more down to the location of the two cities that forms the basis of the rivalry. Galatasaray is located on the European side of Turkey while Fenerbahce is on the Asian side, the obvious difference in supporters creates plenty of hostility between the two. The meeting between the two are usually quiet one sided with one team dominating and winning by a comfortable margin. In the head to heads the more successful is Fenebahce but in terms of Turkish domestic success Galatasaray are the main team. There UEFA Cup win in 2000 still acts as a boasting point, even with their inferior infrastructure.

3. Glasgow Celtic vs Glasgow Rangers: The biggest rivalry in Britain and in terms of Scottish rivalry there is only one. The two most dominating teams of any league in the world meet four times a season, the majority winner is almost guaranteed to take home the Title that season. The closeness between these two in previous title races means that a win over the other can be domestic success is almost certain. The two teams stand for religion, politics and social class and create one of the most intense rivalries ever known. Rangers are Protestant club while Celtic are considered a Catholic club and both even attempt to keep the traditions today. The rivalry is so close that only five players have ever moved between these two teams. The Old Firm holds the record for the most aggregate arrests during any derby and is best known for the on pitch fight during a meeting in 1980 at Hampden Park in which 9,000 people were involved. The cauldron of atmosphere that Ibrox or Celtic Park creates is half of the experience and these two have there fair share of controversy over its 120 year history.

2. Barcelona vs. Real Madrid: It's the Scottish version of the Old Firm and it's just if not more intence. These are two of most influencial clubs in the world and have boasted some of the greatest players ever to play. Di Stefano, Van Bastan, Zidane, Ronaldo. Just to name a few to have graced this derby of derbys. Madrid are seen as the dominat force though with a huge infrustructure and on the pitch a huge 31 Spainish title wins and 9 European Cup wins the most recent being in 2002. They are seen as the greatest club team in the world, a status that Barcelona detest. They've lived in Real's shadow for some years now, and even there back-to-back title win did nothing to change the form book as Real came back to win the title last season. If your looking for a classic meeting between to the two look no furthur than 2007 where Linoel Messi scored a hatrick includeing a last minute equalizer to salvage a 3-3 draw. One of the great matches ever seen, and there are sure to be more to come.

1. Boca Juniors vs Riva Plate: Listed at the top of the 50 sporting things to do before you die is see this match and when you talk about derbys this is the king. Over 70% of Argentina's population support one of these two sides. So already you can see the importance this fixture has on the country. The passion of the fans is unrivaled across the world, and where in Milan there doesn't seem to be much self control, in Argentina it's spectacular as well as maintained, well some of the time. Violence is known to have broken out in nearly every single encounter either against each other, or joining forces against the police. The rivalry is just as close as well. Boca have the slight edge with 116 wins to Riva's 104 but they have been inseparable throughout history. And listen to this Premiership fans to get into the biggest game in Argentina is just £2. Eat your heart out Manchester United these guys no how it's done. It's football at it's most raw and fluent. It's how it should be played.