Louis

He's the Wales u21 manager isnt he?

Duncan Ferguson last night insisted he was forced out of Everton, the club he loves and wanted to end his career with. In an emotional interview, a sickened Ferguson broke his silence over the controversial £8m move which has stunned Evertonians and revealed: His heartbreak at being told he was for sale The special affection he has for Everton fans and why they will always be 'in my blood' His frustration at never playing with a settled strike partner How he must now pledge his future to Ruud Gullit's side Ferguson was officially paraded at a press conference at St James' Park yesterday before training with his new team-mates for the first time. He recalled his anguish at being told by manager Walter Smith on Monday that the club were prepared to listen to offers for him, but believes the Everton boss was unaware a deal had then been lined up to go through later that day. And Ferguson added in that conversation his dream of ending his career at Goodison Park died. "The move was forced on me," said an adamant Ferguson. "Everton simply didn't want my services any longer. I knew on Monday morning that Everton were inviting offers for me. I knew by Monday afternoon that it was Newcastle, and the deal was done after the match that night." "The manager had told me on Monday morning the club was looking to sell me if the money was right, but I don't think he knew a move was actually on later that day." "He brought me into his office and just said I was being put up for sale. He said it wasn't his idea to sell me and that it was for financial reasons." "I was numb with shock really. It sickened me. I couldn't believe it. I am absolutely heartbroken to leave the club." Ferguson continued: "I think everyone knows what Everton Football Club means to me. I thought I would finish my career there and I wanted to finish my career at Goodison Park. I approached the club for the new contract which I signed last season and a month ago I had been talking to my agent about asking for an extension to that deal." "I was happy to be at Everton for life, if they wanted me. In the last couple of days my world has turned upside down. I was preparing for Everton against Charlton Athletic and now I am going to be playing for Newcastle against Wimbledon." "It has been a traumatic time for me and my family." Ferguson paid tribute to the Everton fans who treated him as a cult hero following his move from Glasgow Rangers in 1994, and vowed never to forget their support, especially when he was serving a jail sentence in Glasgow's Barlinnie Prison. "I will never, ever forget the Everton fans and I mean that. They will be with me forever," he said. "When I was in jail it was a very difficult time in my career and my life and they stuck by me. All the letters I got then I appreciated so much; they made a hell of a difference. Everything they were saying to me I will remember. They were encouraging me and saying keep your chin up. It did help." "The support I received from the people of Liverpool was special. Everton fans will be in part of my blood because of the way they stood by me. Their loyalty to me was one of the main reasons why I love Everton so much. I will always have fond memories of the club. Getting to captain the club and wearing the Number 9 shirt after so many other great names meant a lot to me. Maybe you don't realise how much at the time, but I did genuinely love the fans and the club." "Hopefully they will see me as someone who put his heart into the club and did his best for them." Ferguson was sacrificed by under-fire chairman Peter Johnson, as the club's main asset, to raise funds and ease Everton's financial troubles and the Scottish striker insists he was left with no option but to sign for Premiership rivals Newcastle in a five-and-a-half year deal which could earn him up to a staggering £40,000-a-week. In an honest admission he said he could understand being sold if the drastic action benefited Everton in the long run. "I don't know Peter Johnson's and Walter Smith's thinking," he said. "If the club is in financial trouble then maybe me going is the best thing that could happen. If they can bring in two or three star players as a result, then it could be the best thing in the long run. I can understand that, but I am still disappointed to be leaving." "But how could I stand in the way? If they didn't want me there, I have got to move on. If it wasn't Newcastle, it would have been someone else. Maybe not tomorrow or next week, but sooner rather than later because the decision was made that Duncan Ferguson can go. You cannot turn down move after move when your employers have made their minds up because, look at it the other way, aren't you holding them back then?" "The money has nothing to do with it. Nothing at all. It is not the be-all and end-all. I was making a good living at Everton. I like Liverpool. I like the city, the way of life, the scousers. I must do, after all I married one." He insisted his Everton career, in which he has scored 41 goals, was successful, but admitted he regretted never playing alongside a settled partner or being serviced by a recognised winger during his four years at Goodison. "That was frustrating. I never had a settled partner and we never really played with a winger. I wish I could have had more success and scored more goals for the fans, but that isn't just down to Duncan Ferguson. It is down to the whole team and one player cannot make all the difference. The whole picture is important." "For four or five years, I'd say creating chances has been a problem for Everton. Maybe Bakayoko can be the answer. You have to give him time to settle in, but we'll never know if it would have worked alongside me because I am not there anymore." "But I would like to think my Everton career has been successful. Everton bought me for £4m, have sold me for £8m and they have had four years service out of me. I would say the highlight was definitely the FA Cup win, but I am proud of never having being on the losing side in a derby." With his Everton career over, 26-year-old Ferguson looked ahead starting afresh for Gullit and said: "I was settled in Liverpool and now I am going to have to get settled in Newcastle. But that is the life of a footballer I suppose. I know that. "It is difficult, but I have trained with the players now and you fit in. I have joined another massive club. Newcastle represents my future and I have to start to do my best for them and win over their fans." "But I wish the fans I am leaving behind all the best and I hope Everton can get up where they belong because the supporters deserve that. They need to be successful. I will miss them send them my love." For many Evertonians, that feeling will be mutual.

Out of interest Claire, what did you think they were called? Rackets or bats? Mikeo - I took your advice and rang the Table Tennis Association. They put me in touch with the guy who runs the Liverpool leagues and he said he will ask people for me. He asked me how much I would want for it and I said £200. Probably should have said higher but at the end of the day it's money for nothing It's a lot of hassle getting it here though - the importers are having to book a lift truck to get it off the van and into the garage!!

Fine.. ToffeeTalk Ping Pong Club, we all meet on Tuesday nights at 8 (after Eastenders) in Macs Shed. Bring your own paddles.

Let's start our own ToffeeTalk Table Tennis Club

is this after we take out hypothetical life insurance for him?

Apparently the stingray barb went right through his heart.

How much do you reckon I could get for it on ebay mikeo? As I said - it's a fantastic prize but it's just a shame there's no room for it, it has to go before I've even received it.

I have no qualms over selling it, it's just I finally win something and it has to go :'( I think its funny really.

I entered a competition on the rockstar table tennis website. I won a table tennis RAD table worth $1549.00 (£815)!!! One problem - there's no space in the house for it http://www.killerspin.com/displayitem.php?i=310-74

Never saw that one coming!

Premiership clubs have never been more attractive to outside investors, according to a leading football business analyst. Deloitte Sports Business Group consultant Alan Switzer contends that the Premier League have given their clubs every chance of becoming highly profitable with the TV contracts worth £1.706billion which were signed earlier this year. The deals with BSkyB and Setanta come into operation next season, when clubs will receive their first windfalls, and with the three-year deal worth 67% more than the current contract they stand to cash in. Switzer points to signs of player wage bills being cut and he expects that trend to continue during coming seasons, with the savings made going towards improving the financial health of clubs. 'The volume of investors certainly has increased in the last year or so,' said Switzer. 'In terms of why, the current financial outlook for Premiership clubs has never been so strong, particularly with the new broadcasting deals starting next season.' The new revenue going into Premiership clubs might have been expected to bump up transfer fees and wages, but Switzer observes that 'it is all bottom line and potentially profit'. 'The key thing for clubs is to keep that in the club,' said Switzer. 'In the past when TV deals have been announced, a large chunk has gone on player wages. 'This time we're confident clubs will be able to retain a large amount of that. 'Also the overseas TV deal is going to be announced soon, and (Premier League chief executive) Richard Scudamore has gone on the record saying that's going to be 50% higher than the previous deal. It confirms the Premiership's global popularity.' Manchester United have American owners after Malcolm Glazer completed his takeover last year, Aston Villa have seen Cleveland Browns chief Randy Lerner buy out former chairman Doug Ellis this summer, and Chelsea have been revolutionised as a club since Russian Roman Abramovich's arrival. Portsmouth's French owner Alexandre Gaydamak has also made a big impression in the short time he has been at the Fratton Park helm, authorising a spending spree by manager Harry Redknapp and seeing the club's on-pitch fortunes revived. West Ham are the latest to be linked with a takeover, and have opened 'exploratory' talks with unnamed potential investors. Kia Joorabchian, who has engineered the transfer of Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez from Corinthians to Upton Park, has been linked either as an investor or frontman for a consortium, although he has yet to confirm his involvement. The approach to West Ham's board appears to offer further evidence of the healthy state of the English game, with Switzer convinced all such approaches are a vote of confidence for the Premiership. 'The interest in English clubs, whether foreign or coming from the UK, is an indication of the health of the Premiership,' Switzer confirmed. 'The clubs must take some credit but the Premier League equally, as it was they who negotiated the TV deals. 'We are not at a peak, because with the new TV deal the clubs have the potential to grow. 'What has happened is clubs have managed their costs against revenues better. That was probably the key driver of increased profits.'

Also this Matthew Holt in the academy may be called up for the Wales under 19s

1.The Gaining of the Shrews Shrewsbury have a new supporter- after buying him on eBay. Former Arsenal fan Steve Brown put his loyalties up for auction after becoming disillusioned with the Premiership after the Ashley Cole affair. A winning bid of £102.63 from a Shrewsbury fanzine secured his support. 2. We'll see you all in court The Premier League have threatened legal action against the makers of 'Little Hooliganz', small figures that depict 'hooliganz' in team colours. A spokesman said 'Anything that celebrates or trivalises hooliganism in any form is deplorable'. 3. Chelsea player in popularity shocker Children aged between 6 and 11 have voted Andriy Shevchenko the most likeable player in British football in a CBBC poll. Cristiano Ronaldo was unsurprisingly found to be the most unpopular, disliked for his unsporting behaviour. 4. Football saves lives In Bosnia-Herzegovina, organization Spirit of Soccer is using football as a way of teaching landmine safety through football. Jim Marshall, programme director, explained that football is "a very simple sport" and as such is "conducive to presenting very simple ideas, like 'don't step on landmines'." 5. Lua Lua makes a difference Lomano Lua Lua has set up a foundation for street children in Congo. He has built a hostel, sport and education drop-in centre in the capital Kinshasa after being shocked by the seeing the amount of war orphans there were on his return visits to his homeland.

Wales !! He signed for Darlington from us three years ago (not two. my mistake) and he signed for Wrexham recently. I can't find that much info about him not even a transfer fee.

Ryan Valentine who was released two years ago has just received his first call up for the full Wales squad to face Brazil. Does anybody remember him?

On Granada tonight it said £1 million. Does anybody else feel sorry for him in the way he left? i.e. sent off

never heard of them!

20th Sept.. www.play.com have it for 40quid

Sorry.. he went for £1million. Good transfers all round.

It's a shame - I liked him. Has he gone on a free? Theres been no fee mentioned.

Cherno Samba (football manager god) has just signed for Portsmouth.

so did I! Who's your teacher?

So do you reckon we will see more Chelsea targets lining up for West Ham in the future?

I didn't see that one coming! They signed both Tevez and Mascherano today - it's something to do with some MSI group - apparently linked with Russian mafia ! How exciting.