The Northampton manager, Aidy Boothroyd, was quick to hail Lee Nicholls after the goalkeeper inspired his team to the npower League Two play-off final following a 2-0 aggregate win over Cheltenham.

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Start the celebration: Ben Foster, who saved a penalty from Jonathan Walters, enjoys the moment of victory

Dorrans gives Albion sweet taste of success

Stoke City 1 West Bromwich Albion 2: Sorensen suffers double disappointment as landmark appearance turns sour

There is something slightly unsettling about Steve Kean going all gooey in public about the fact Sir Alex Ferguson rang the Blackburn manager to offer him support

Black joins Kean's relegation battle at Rovers

Eric Black has been confirmed as Steve Kean's new assistant head coach at Blackburn Rovers.

Wade Elliot scored the winner for Birmingham to progress to the fourth round

McCarthy left 'livid' after Cup defeat

Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 Birmingham City 1

Peter Odemwingie not for sale insist West Brom

West Brom head coach Roy Hodgson insists striker Peter Odemwingie is not for sale.

Birmingham reject bid from West Brom for Liam Ridgewell

Birmingham have confirmed they have rejected an undisclosed offer from West Brom for Liam Ridgewell.

Lee Martin enjoys scoring for Ipswich last night

Jewell risks trouble with 'man' rant

Birmingham City 2 Ipswich Town 1

Wolves rubbish Steven Fletcher transfer talk

Mick McCarthy insists there is "not a chance" Wolves will sell top scorer Steven Fletcher during the January transfer window and expects him to be fit for the weekend clash at Tottenham.

Transfer window: Who's chasing who in the Premier League

A look at the comings and goings at all 20 clubs
Stoke defender Robert Huth heads his team's third goal during a satisfying win for Tony Pulis against Gillingham at his old stomping ground

Returning hero Pulis has last laugh

Gillingham 1 Stoke City 3: Gulf in class is plain to see for chairman Scally as Gills are eventually put in their place by Stoke

Robbie Keane could join on loan from LA Galaxy

Aston Villa interested in Robbie Keane loan deal

Aston Villa are interested in signing Los Angeles Galaxy striker Robbie Keane on a two month loan, Press Association Sport understands.

John Terry blocks Ireland's shot on the line but appeals for hand-ball are not required as the Villa man knocked in the rebound

Ireland pulls strings as Chelsea flounder again

Chelsea 1 Aston Villa 3: Villas-Boas left with nothing but excuses as Villa's pace quickens decline

Watson comes off bench to rescue point for Wigan

Stoke 2 Wigan 2

Tony Pulis has already seen his Stoke side qualify for the next stage of the Europa League

Stoke boss Tony Pulis expects little transfer activity in January

Stoke boss Tony Pulis has indicated it could be a fairly quiet January transfer window for the club, with the focus more on outgoing personnel than new faces.

Rebuilding Villa: Alex McLeish observes his squad train at Aston Villa's Bodymoor
Heath facility

McLeish still hamstrung by history at Villa

New faces are badly needed as fans suspicious of former Blues manager demand entertainment

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National archives: Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Newly unearthed papers reveal a shocking extra dimension to the constitutional crisis over monarch’s abdication
Sent down at the Old Bailey: A tour of the world's most famous court

Sent down at the Old Bailey

A tour of the world's most famous court
Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

The Hangover actor Zach Galifianakis’s date for his movie premieres isn’t arm candy  – it’s his 87-year-old friend who he saved from homelessness
British football scores an own goal

British football scores an own goal

Many managers barely survive a year in post. Martin Baker talks to experts who make a case for clubs using forensic business skills to find the best staff
James Lawton: Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again

James Lawton

Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again
Dylan Hartley: Northampton have spent the season proving all our critics wrong

Dylan Hartley talks tough

Northampton have spent the season proving all our critics wrong
Watch out Watford: Here comes the secretive Bilderberg Group

Watch out Watford: Here comes the secretive Bilderberg Group

A meeting of global power brokers in a Hertfordshire hotel is exciting conspiracy theorists, but what are they really about?
'The ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system': Microsoft finally unveils its Xbox ONE console

'The ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system'

Microsoft finally unveils its Xbox ONE console
Plenty of Fish dating site founder pulls 'Intimate Encounters' option to ward off sleazy men

Plenty of sleaze

Dating website pulls intimate 'hook-up' section to curb harassment
Inferno author Dan Brown 'honoured' to be invited to join the Freemasons

The Freemasons’ Code

Dan Brown reveals the message that told him door to the lodge is open
Not secure any more: G4S boss heads for exit at last

Not secure any more: G4S boss heads for exit at last

Nick Buckles survived the Olympics débâcle and a £5bn bid fiasco but a profit warning finally triggered his downfall
How to say ‘I’m a sellout’: Tumblr’s David Karp’s message of reassurance to his staff sounded very familiar

How to say ‘I’m a sellout’

Tumblr’s David Karp’s message of reassurance to his staff sounded very familiar
Why clubs are keen to take a stand

Why clubs are keen to take a stand

There's a real desire around the grounds for safe standing. But will the authorities listen?
In the end the fans decided Tony Pulis had made a pig's ear of the job at Stoke City

In the end the fans decided Tony Pulis had made a pig's ear of the job at Stoke City

Disillusion with a siege mentality and negative playing style made change inevitable
James Lawton: The James Hunt I knew is the subject of a new F1 movie

James Lawton: The James Hunt I knew is the subject of a new F1 movie

British driver was fascinating man whose epic duel with Niki Lauda in 1976 was typical of an era of glamour and glory – but also the ever-present threat of death