Liverpool fan Michael Shields, who was jailed for 15 years for the attempted murder of a barman in Bulgaria, gave a thumbs up as he walked free from prison on Wednesday after being granted a pardon by Justice Secretary Jack Straw.

He has been eligible for a pardon since December 2008, but the Justice Secretary requested more information before making his decision.

Shields was arrested in Varna on May 30, 2005 and was later transfered from a Bulgarian jail to Thorn Cross Prison.

Mr Straw met with Shields' parents on August 28, when they presented new evidence which convinced him of Shields's innocence. Following that meeting he recommended to the Queen that Shields be pardoned.

Shields' solicitor John Wheate said: "At first Michael couldn't believe it after all these years and knock backs. But now he is absolutely ecstatic and so are his family."

Mr Straw said he was told by Shields' parents about a meeting between members of the Shields family and another man accused of the attack on barman Martin Georgiev, who was struck on the head with a rock. Mr Straw was told the man, Graham Sankey, confessed to the attack on the second day of Shields' trial in Bulgaria.

He said: "I was told in the course of the visit that the man made an oral confession in front of several other people. This episode, I was told, happened on 22 July 2005, a day after the start of Mr Shields' trial in Bulgaria. I will not set out in this statement all the evidence that has come to light over the last two weeks but suffice it to say that there is very good reason to believe I was being told the truth. This, in my view, profoundly changed the credibility of the various accounts of what actually happened in this case. I have concluded, having looked carefully at all the evidence now available, that Michael Shields is telling the truth when he says he is innocent of the attempted murder of which he was convicted in Bulgaria. That being so I have recommended to Her Majesty the Queen that he should be granted a free pardon. Mr Shields is being released from prison today and will return home to his family a free man."

After he was told of the confession, Mr Straw asked Merseyside Police to make further inquiries. Details of the evidence, and of what the police uncovered, has been passed to the Bulgarian authorities.

The alleged confession by Mr Sankey, an electrician from Liverpool, had been ruled inadmissible at Shields' trial. Mr Sankey's solicitor later suggested it may have been an entirely different fight in which his client took part.

A Downing Street spokesman said Prime Minister Gordon Brown was "very supportive" of the decision to pardon Shields.

Thankies to ESPN for the story

How about you place a bid on his Nike boots?

Worn once during Arsenal’s Champs League match vs. Dynamo Kiev last November, Nicklas Bendtner and his family have decided to put the infamous fuchsia pink boots up for auction at eBay.com. There’s only four days left with bidding currently at $2,550.

All for a pair of pink boots and a side of checkers.

Go on, get in there. No one will judge you for it, even if you do use the insoles in some sort of eye-of-newt type spell to conjure up some sort of freaky footballer love potion.

All earnings from the auction are assigned to the Danish charity cycling team, Team Rynkeby which supports the Danish fund for children with cancer, Børnecancerfonden (Children’s Cancer Fund).

Source: Kickette

Jose Bored In Barca

Jose Mourinho was caught almost sleeping at yesterday's Barca home opener. For the video, please follow this link...since I don't have a clue at all how to place videos on my blog. If anyone knows how to, I would love to know!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqFYCYD5iFg

Klasnic coming to EPL

Bolton Wanderers have confirmed the signing of striker Ivan Klasnic on a season-long loan from Nantes.

Trotters boss Gary Megson has acted in the dying moments of the summer transfer window in a bid to turn his side's fortunes around.

Bolton have yet to record a win so far this season but Megson is hopeful Croatia international Klasnic could prove a key weapon for the new campaign.

He said on the club's official website: "Ivan is a player who we have been tracking for quite a while. His goalscoring record is very good and he has an excellent pedigree at international level with Croatia and domestically in Europe."

Niko passes medical and is now with Spurs

Tottenham have completed the deadline-day signing of Croatia midfielder Niko Kranjcar from Portsmouth.

The 25-year-old, signed by Harry Redknapp for Pompey in 2008, rejoins his former boss after a deal of about £2m was agreed between the clubs.

Kranjcar successfully passed a medical near Spurs' training ground and agreed personal terms on Tuesday morning.

"I'm really delighted. I signed Niko for Portsmouth. He's a fantastic player," said Spurs boss Redknapp.  "I've already got two fantastic Croatian players - [Luka] Modric and Vedran Corluka - who can help him settle in."

Kranjcar is expected to provide immediate cover for injured compatriot Modric, who fractured a bone in his leg against Birmingham on Saturday.

In the long-term he will battle for a midfield spot alongside the likes of David Bentley, who had been linked with a move to Manchester City or Everton, but who remains a Tottenham player with the window closed.

More transfer news as soon as it becomes available.

According to Sky Sports:

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has lined up a move for Kranjcar as a replacement for injured Croatian compatriot Luka Modric.

Modric faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a broken leg against Birmingham on Saturday and Redknapp has moved quickly to fill the void by targeting Kranjcar.

Kranjcar's future has been the subject of constant speculation all summer with the player unhappy about the number of big-name departures at Fratton Park.

Redknapp knows all about Kranjcar having worked with him during his time in charge of Portsmouth and it appears he is set to be reunited with the classy midfielder.

Sky Sports sources also understand Tottenham have made an enquiry for Manchester City winger Martin Petrov.

Petrov's future at City looks in doubt following the arrival of a number of high-profile signings and a several clubs are thought to be monitoring his situation at Eastlands.

Redknapp has been a long-term admirer of Petrov and is thought he has sounded out a move for the Bulgarian as he weighs up his options before the close of the transfer window.

Thoughts?

With the summer transfer deadline fast approaching, Bayern are keen to bring in one further player for this season’s squad. Arjen Robben from Spanish league runners-up Real Madrid is the target for Germany’s most successful club. “That’s correct, We’re interested in signing Arjen Robben. He’s on his way to Munich," FCB general manager Uli Hoeneß confirmed on Thursday evening.

After his arrival in Munich, Robben will report to the club for a medical. The player, his representatives and the FCB board would then sit down and work through his personal terms, Hoeneß said. “We already have an agreement with Real Madrid,” reported the Bayern general manager, voicing hopes that the man capped 43 times by the Netherlands might have put his name to a four-year contract by Friday midday. “He’s one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe. He’s always been one of the players we wanted,” Hoeneß said.


In the right circumstances, Robben could even make his debut in Saturday’s crunch home meeting with champions VfL Wolfsburg, the general manager continued. “If it all goes perfectly, his name will go on the official transfer list tomorrow. That would make it theoretically possible for him to play on Saturday, although absolutely everything would have to go without a hitch,” Hoeneß warned.

Robben’s position within the team has already been discussed and agreed. “Our intention is to have Robben play on the right and Ribéry on the left,” explained Hoeneß, expressing delight at the potential for “an even more attractive team.”

Mark van Bommel, who played alongside Robben for PSV Eindhoven between 2002 and 2004, told FCB.tv that Robben was “an outstanding player in the same class as Franck Ribéry. If he decides to come, he’ll definitely make us stronger as a team.” Along with Van Bommel and Edson Braafheid, Robben would be the third Dutch star in the Bayern squad.

Hoeneß also commented on Bayern’s further plans before the transfer deadline next Monday. “At the moment we’re not planning any further activity. But three or four days ago, I’d never have thought Arjen Robben would be coming to Munich." The general manager did not rule out players leaving the club: “If a player came to us before Monday, because he reckoned his chances of playing had gone down, we’d be absolutely ready to talk.”

Thankies to the official FC Bayern website for the story

Lionel Messi, a key figure in FC Barcelona's march to UEFA Champions League glory last season, has more to celebrate after collecting the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year prize at the UEFA Club Football Awards in Monaco. The Argentinian international was also selected as Best Forward while team-mate Xavi Hernández took the Best Midfielder trophy. Manchester United FC's Edwin van der Sar was nominated Best Goalkeeper and Chelsea FC captain John Terry completed the honors list as he received his third Best Defender gong from Paolo Maldini.

Messi had scored Barcelona's second goal – his ninth of the 2008/09 competition – in the UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United in Rome, as the Catalan side became the first Spanish team to lift the Liga, Copa del Rey and European Champion Clubs' Cup titles in one season. If the headed goal from Messi that capped his sensational campaign was a collector's item, his presence on the scoresheet was more predictable: the 22-year-old struck 38 goals in all competitions last term.

Messi succeeds Cristiano Ronaldo as the Club Footballer of the Year and is the second Argentinian international to land the prize after Fernando Redondo in 2000. "It is an enormous joy to be able to receive such an important award as this," he said. "And it's also a pleasure to be able to thank all the people who voted for me and who decided I should get this award."

Draw Results

West Ham have been stunned by a second trauma in two days after it emerged midfielder Jack Collison’s father has died in a motorcycle accident.

Ian Collison, 46, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, was on his way to see his son play against Spurs on Sunday when he crashed his red Honda bike on the M25 near Epping.

Emergency services were called to the crash, which happened just before noon, but Mr Collison, a roofer, was pronounced dead at the scene.

West Ham players will wear black armbands during the Carling Cup tie against Millwall.

It leaves manager Gianfranco Zola having to deal with two shattering incidents as Calum Davenport had a second emergency operation yesterday following the stabbing incident which has left him fighting to save his career.

Zola had already talked of the shock among West Ham’s players about the horrific injuries to Davenport.

He said: ‘It was unbelievable. You don’t expect things like this to happen, especially people you know. Now all that is important is that he is all right, the rest about his future can be decided in the next days.’

Dealing with two such horrific personal traumas will be a severe test of Zola’s management skills, less than a year after he joined the club.

The Italian has fostered a close-knit atmosphere among his relatively small squad and has encouraged youngsters such as Collison to compete for first-team places.

A West Ham spokeswoman said: ‘Our thoughts are with Jack and his family and we ask people to respect his privacy at a very difficult time for them.’

Collison, 20, had played all but the final minute of West Ham’s 2-1 defeat, which kicked off at 1.30pm.

The Wales midfielder did not learn of his father’s death until the early evening as Essex Police had difficulties establishing the identity of the next of kin.

Mr Collison and Jack’s mother, Amanda, separated when the player was young.

Collison was picked by Sportsmail’s Jamie Redknapp as one of his 10 players to watch for the season — a sign of his rich promise.

Redknapp wrote: ‘He grabbed my attention last season as a good midfield allrounder,
an emerging talent. He’ll get plenty of football and working with Gianfranco Zola will only help him to improve. His energy and touch suggest West Ham have discovered yet another talent.’

Davenport Update

Calum Davenport was in a stable condition in intensive care after a second emergency operation on his legs on Monday.

It is not yet  known whether he will be able to play again. His mother was also in a stable condition.

Davenport’s sister’s boyfriend, Worrell Whitehurst, 25, from Derby, was charged with
causing grievous bodily harm with intent at Bedford Magistrates Court yesterday.

The sister of Premiership footballer (Cara) Calum Davenport yesterday mouthed the words 'I love you' to the man accused of repeatedly stabbing her brother in the legs in a race row.

The West Ham defender is alleged to have made it clear he disapproved of her relationship with Worrell Whitehurst, who is mixed race.

Police were called to the semi-detached home of his pregnant sister, Cara, following the arrival of Whitehurst.

Both men then left the property but Davenport, 26, was later found in a pool of blood outside his mother's nearby home in Bedford.

Whitehurst was charged with grievous bodily harm at Bedford Magistrates' Court.

Cara, 28, who is expecting his baby, attended the hearing, clearly showing a black eye. She sobbed as he was brought up from the cells and mouthed 'I love you'.

Davenport suffered severe bleeding following the attack in the early hours of Saturday. His mother Kim Stupple, 49, was also hurt in the incident.

There are still fears Davenport may lose a leg, despite four hours of emergency surgery at Bedford Hospital. He remains in a 'serious but stable' condition.

The player lost half the blood from his body, with one of the wounds piercing a main artery.

A close source said: "Things are still very much in the balance over whether his legs will fully recover. We are still waiting to hear from the doctors to find out how well the operation went."

Premiership footballers are usually insured for five seasons of earnings in case they suffer a career-ending injury, according to specialist insurers. Davenport is estimated to earn around £15,000 (about $30,000) a week, which could trigger a £3.9million (about $7.8 million) payout if he does not fully recover.

One insurance expert said: "All players should have about five times their annual salary in insurance cover against a career-threatening injury. That is what any financial advisor or agent in the field should be recommending. So in Calum’s case, he could receive up to £3.9m if he has the correct cover. Our policy would pay out, even if the injury was the result of a criminal act, but each insurance is different and a player would have to check the small print."

His mother has been released from hospital and is being cared for by family

It is understood her son had been out with friends before the alleged attack in the driveway of her three-bedroom semi.

Whitehurst, of Derby, is also charged with attacking Davenport's mother, driving while disqualified and possession of a blade.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Luton Crown Court on November 16.

Thankies to the Daily Mail

Mike Ashley’s sports shop chain has issued an apology after one of its employees allowed a Manchester United fan to have customised printing mocking the Hillsborough victims on the back of his replica shirt. Colm Jackson had the slogan ‘YSB 96 NOT ENOUGH’ printed at the Sports Direct in the Arndale Centre, in Manchester.

Images of the shirt were uploaded to Jackson’s Facebook profile causing outrage on Liverpool fan sites. The photos were removed by Facebook after a series of complaints, and now Sports Direct have apologized after it became clear they were responsible for the printing.

A Sports Direct spokesman said: “Sports Direct has been notified that an extremely offensive and wholly inappropriate football shirt was printed at one of its stores. The store assistant printed this unknowingly and has been deeply shocked upon being notified of the significance of this and the upset caused. Sports Direct has taken immediate action and changed the administration policy for printing football shirts across its store network. With immediate effect, it will only allow printing of current football players names and numbers on football shirts. Sports Direct has contacted Facebook to request the urgent withdrawal of this deeply offensive image from the individual’s Facebook page, and is very apologetic for this spiteful and abusive shirt.”

Manchester United had also vowed to revoke Jackson’s season ticket, but had since found out he was not a season ticket holder.

Worrell Whitehurst appeared at Bedford Magistrates' Court charged with attacking the 26-year-old West Ham defender. The 25-year-old from Finsley Walk, Derby, is also charged with attacking Davenport's mother, Kim Stupple.

His pregnant girlfriend, Cara Davenport, the player's sister (pictured), was in court for Whitehurst's brief appearance. She burst into tears when he was brought in.

Whitehurst has also been charged with driving while disqualified and possession of a blade.

A 19-year-old man arrested shortly after the incident has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Davenport had been on a night out with friends before the alleged attack in driveway of his mother's home in Springfield Avenue, Bedford.

He suffered heavy bleeding after being repeatedly stabbed in both legs and has since undergone emergency surgery at Bedford Hospital. One neighbor said that he looked dead before the ambulance arrived. He is now in a serious but stable condition while his mother is recovering well.

"We're very sorry about what happened. It's a terrible story," Gianfranco Zola, the West Ham manager, said yesterday. "We can't imagine what [Davenport] has been through. The doctor told me that the situation is stable, he is OK. The situation will be clearer in the next few days. Now it's important that he's all right."

Doctors are fighting to save the left leg of West Ham defender Calum Davenport after he was stabbed several times by thugs yesterday morning, while relatives have told the media that he will never play football again.

The 26-year-old Davenport and his mother Kim, 49, were both attacked outside their property in Springfield Avenue, Bedford, at 5am yesterday morning. Calum was stabbed several times in both legs and was rushed to hospital along with his mother.

A main artery in Calum’s left leg was severed, causing him to lose pints of blood, and he was forced to undergo emergency surgery yesterday as doctors battled not only to save his leg but also his life.

There are still fears that Calum may have to have his left leg amputated, with the next 24-48 hours being crucial, while relatives have told the media that the West Ham star “probably will never play football ever again.”

Sources have learned that the attackers deliberately targeted Davenport’s legs in an attempt to end his professional career and that the defender and his family knew the assailants, who allegedly possessed a grudge against them. Calum's sister Cara, 28, was at the house at the time of the crime, but was not hurt.

There is currently a police guard outside the private hospital room Davenport is being treated in. The ex-Coventry player’s mother is also in a “serious” condition in hospital with stomach wounds.

Two men are currently in police custody connected with the attack. A 19-year-old man and a 25-year-old man, the latter who has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Knife crime in the United Kingdom has become a serious problem in recent years, with the UK often described as the 'knife crime capital' of the developed world.

In Bedford alone, a town of just approximately 80,000 people, there have been six stabbings in the past week.

From all of us here at the blog, we wish Calum and his family a speedy recovery and we are all praying for you.