birminghammail--2020-03-18--John McGinn's sell-on fee will steer St Mirren to safety

Former chairman Stewart Gilmour believes that the sell-on clause that St Mirren inserted into the deal sheet that took John McGinn to Hibernian will ensure that the club survives a major delay to schedule .
The coronavirus crisis has suspended the football calendar - threatening the health - and financial vitality - of clubs , who will lack gate income for the foreseeable future .
Gilmour departed St Mirren in 2015 - but not before negotiating a 33 % sell-on clause in McGinn 's move to Hibs .
Eventually , St Mirren reaped rewards - with the Saints netting seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the midfielder in 2018 , cash that will now come in useful .
Gilmour reckons that the sell-on windfall , added on top of other big sales , will ensure that the club is able to survive the COVID-19 pandemic .
`` I 'm not closely involved with the club any more but I think we should be able to ride this storm for a couple of months , '' stated Gilmour on the pandemic .
`` The one advantage St Mirren have at the moment is that they have money in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in £1.9million in transfers over the last few years .
Yes they 've spent some of it but they must have £500,000 left of it I 'd have thought .
`` Sadly clubs are going to have to dip into their reserves but needs must .
`` I see the SPFL say they have no money to support the clubs but in fairness the league tends to give out every penny they 've got .
`` St Mirren got to the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup and the game was televised , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I 'd have thought a couple of hundred thousand .
`` It will be tough but I think St Mirren will be OK .
The positive thing is that they have got to this point in the season before the virus has struck .
`` A lot of the guys will be out of contract in June and then will come the end of season payment from the league . ''
However , while planning may keep St Mirren afloat , the same ca n't be said about other teams .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face major issues with the lack of income coming in during the shutdown , '' he said .
`` Sadly I think some will have to look at redundancies . ''
While this summer 's European Championship will be postponed so that clubs can complete domestic seasons , Gilmour believes that his old side might prefer to see the league season be called off .
`` They will still have to pay out wages to the players effectively for nothing over these next couple of months but the crucial thing for Saints is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` If the league finishes now and the club is given ninth place , then that would be the best case-scenario .
`` I expect the club will have budgeted to finish 10th or 11th , so those extras places could see them 200 to 300 grand ahead of where they thought they 'd be . ''

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get Villa transfer latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get Villa transfer latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox
Former chairman Stewart Gilmour believes that the sell-on clause that St Mirren inserted into the deal sheet that took John McGinn to Hibernian will ensure that the club survives a major delay to schedule.
The coronavirus crisis has suspended the football calendar - threatening the health - and financial vitality - of clubs, who will lack gate income for the foreseeable future.
Gilmour departed St Mirren in 2015 - but not before negotiating a 33% sell-on clause in McGinn's move to Hibs.
Eventually, St Mirren reaped rewards - with the Saints netting seven figures when Aston Villa moved in for the midfielder in 2018, cash that will now come in useful.
Gilmour reckons that the sell-on windfall, added on top of other big sales, will ensure that the club is able to survive the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I'm not closely involved with the club any more but I think we should be able to ride this storm for a couple of months," stated Gilmour on the pandemic.
"The one advantage St Mirren have at the moment is that they have money in the bank."
(Image: Getty Images)
"They have taken in £1.9million in transfers over the last few years. Yes they've spent some of it but they must have £500,000 left of it I'd have thought.
"Sadly clubs are going to have to dip into their reserves but needs must.
"I see the SPFL say they have no money to support the clubs but in fairness the league tends to give out every penny they've got.
"St Mirren got to the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup and the game was televised, so they will have some money from that. I'd have thought a couple of hundred thousand.
"It will be tough but I think St Mirren will be OK. The positive thing is that they have got to this point in the season before the virus has struck.
"A lot of the guys will be out of contract in June and then will come the end of season payment from the league."
However, while planning may keep St Mirren afloat, the same can't be said about other teams.
"There will be other clubs who will face major issues with the lack of income coming in during the shutdown," he said. "Sadly I think some will have to look at redundancies."
While this summer's European Championship will be postponed so that clubs can complete domestic seasons, Gilmour believes that his old side might prefer to see the league season be called off.
"They will still have to pay out wages to the players effectively for nothing over these next couple of months but the crucial thing for Saints is where they end up in the table.
"If the league finishes now and the club is given ninth place, then that would be the best case-scenario.
"I expect the club will have budgeted to finish 10th or 11th, so those extras places could see them 200 to 300 grand ahead of where they thought they'd be."


birminghammail--2020-03-18--Birmingham City have three player of the year contenders

No-one knows what is going to happen to the rest of Birmingham City 's season .
The coronavirus outbreak has stopped everyone and everything in football in their tracks .
Blues might be free to resume the 2019/2020 campaign later this year , which is certainly the preferred option of the EFL , or the whole thing might be scratched .
Either way Pep Clotet ’ s men are likely neither going up nor down after a season of contrasts and seemingly endless tweaks in personnel and tactics .
With that in mind the shortlist for the end of season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be contentious issues .
Most of us will able to take a wild stab at the identity of Young Player of the Year - indeed some might argue he has done enough to be included in the senior category too .
And that ’ s an indication of just how debatable the issue is .
Last season Che Adams walked away with everything bar the ICC tablecloths .
This year the Player of the Year shortlist is nothing like as clear - but these three should be on it .
The powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blues hoped they were signing in the summer of 2017 .
His first season was ruined by instability , his second by too much stability - with Michael Morrison and Harlee Dean dominating game-time .
But his third has seen him reassert himself as one of the Championship ’ s better destructive defenders .
Roberts has played 28 times - two strong runs split by an unfortunate ankle injury in November - that cost him the a month-and-a-half .
Nevertheless he has come back strong and whether he ’ s been partnered with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missed a beat .
His distribution might not be Beckenbauer-esque but no Championship defender has won more headers and he ’ s shown pace and anticipation when needed .
It ’ s been a fine campaign from the 29-year-old .
Whether he ends up as Player of the Year or not Jutkiewicz deserves some sort of medal for his efforts this term .
The veteran has had to play every one of Blues ’ 37 Championship matches - starting 34 of them .
That ’ s because he has had so little support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front , Alvaro Gimenez was not capable of easing the pressure on the overworked workhorse .
Then Scott Hogan arrived in January - some welcome help ?
Not really , Gimenez left and Pep Clotet ’ s decision to play two up top meant Jutkiewicz is still required to start every game .
Despite the obvious frustrations Jutkiewicz has applied himself well and even when he didn ’ t have a Che Adams-like sidekick plundering goals next to him , he maintained what for him is a personal best pace .
If and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the record books ‘ Jutkiewicz at the back post ... .
’ will be one of the abiding images .
A worthy and indomitable contender .
Pedersen ’ s progress has arguably been the most pronounced of any Blues player this season - outside of Jude Bellingham obviously .
His first season in English football was a creditable one which showed continuous improvement - and his second one has too .
In fact the 25-year-old ’ s development brought him to the attention of Premier League Watford in the January transfer window - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the manager of the Denmark national team , The Hornets had a £6million bid knocked back , while Hareide watched the left back in the flesh earlier this month .
Pedersen ’ s attacking game has come on leaps and bounds , while defensively he has continued to be sharp in the tackle and strong in the air .
He ’ s also added goals to his game - not least a 25-yard header on opening day - with the other three coming from a combined distance a fraction of that .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players to have played every Championship minute so far and the only Blues man to have not missed a minute in the league or cup .

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
No-one knows what is going to happen to the rest of Birmingham City's season.
The coronavirus outbreak has stopped everyone and everything in football in their tracks.
Blues might be free to resume the 2019/2020 campaign later this year, which is certainly the preferred option of the EFL, or the whole thing might be scratched.
Either way Pep Clotet’s men are likely neither going up nor down after a season of contrasts and seemingly endless tweaks in personnel and tactics.
With that in mind the shortlist for the end of season - whenever that might be - awards could be contentious issues.
Most of us will able to take a wild stab at the identity of Young Player of the Year - indeed some might argue he has done enough to be included in the senior category too.
And that’s an indication of just how debatable the issue is. Last season Che Adams walked away with everything bar the ICC tablecloths.
This year the Player of the Year shortlist is nothing like as clear - but these three should be on it.
Marc Roberts
(Image: TIM EASTHOPE/BIRMINGHAM MAIL)
The powerful central defender has belatedly become the player Blues hoped they were signing in the summer of 2017.
His first season was ruined by instability, his second by too much stability - with Michael Morrison and Harlee Dean dominating game-time.
But his third has seen him reassert himself as one of the Championship’s better destructive defenders.
Roberts has played 28 times - two strong runs split by an unfortunate ankle injury in November - that cost him the a month-and-a-half.
Nevertheless he has come back strong and whether he’s been partnered with Dean or Jake Clarke-Salter he has barely missed a beat.
His distribution might not be Beckenbauer-esque but no Championship defender has won more headers and he’s shown pace and anticipation when needed.
It’s been a fine campaign from the 29-year-old.
Lukas Jutkiewicz
(Image: TIM EASTHOPE/BIRMINGHAM MAIL)
Whether he ends up as Player of the Year or not Jutkiewicz deserves some sort of medal for his efforts this term.
The veteran has had to play every one of Blues’ 37 Championship matches - starting 34 of them.
That’s because he has had so little support. When Blues were playing one up front, Alvaro Gimenez was not capable of easing the pressure on the overworked workhorse.
Then Scott Hogan arrived in January - some welcome help? Not really, Gimenez left and Pep Clotet’s decision to play two up top meant Jutkiewicz is still required to start every game.
Despite the obvious frustrations Jutkiewicz has applied himself well and even when he didn’t have a Che Adams-like sidekick plundering goals next to him, he maintained what for him is a personal best pace.
If and when the 2019/2020 is finally written into the record books ‘Jutkiewicz at the back post....’ will be one of the abiding images. A worthy and indomitable contender.
Kristian Pedersen
(Image: TIM EASTHOPE/BIRMINGHAM MAIL)
Pedersen’s progress has arguably been the most pronounced of any Blues player this season - outside of Jude Bellingham obviously.
His first season in English football was a creditable one which showed continuous improvement - and his second one has too.
In fact the 25-year-old’s development brought him to the attention of Premier League Watford in the January transfer window - and to that of Åge Hareide, the manager of the Denmark national team,
The Hornets had a £6million bid knocked back, while Hareide watched the left back in the flesh earlier this month.
Pedersen’s attacking game has come on leaps and bounds, while defensively he has continued to be sharp in the tackle and strong in the air.
He’s also added goals to his game - not least a 25-yard header on opening day - with the other three coming from a combined distance a fraction of that.
He is also one of only six outfield players to have played every Championship minute so far and the only Blues man to have not missed a minute in the league or cup.


birminghammail--2020-03-18--EFL issues new statement amid coronavirus outbreak

The EFL have issued an update on what is likely to happen with the remainder of the 2019/20 season following the temporary suspension of the campaign last week because of the severity of the coronavirus outbreak .
The EFL board met on Wednesday to discuss the implications of the outbreak of COVID-19 for the League and its clubs , including West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City - and plan on delivering a 'successful conclusion ' to the season .
After receiving a detailed brief on a number of matters , the Board reiterated that the number one priority remains the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players , Club employees and supporters , as well as keeping them connected with everything that is going on at the moment .
The EFL board has also acknowledged the positive roles that member Clubs are playing in community solidarity , especially in supporting the vulnerable at this time .
A full statement from the EFL said : “ The primary objective , in order to protect competition integrity , is to deliver a successful conclusion to the 2019/20 season , subject to the overriding priority around health and well-being .
Plans continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it is in the best interests of the EFL and Clubs to complete the current season at the appropriate time .
“ The EFL is continuing regular dialogue with the Government and relevant health authorities and , as and when more information is known regarding the scale and extent of the coronavirus outbreak in this country , a decision will be taken on the resumption of the League ’ s fixtures .
“ Conversations will continue with the EFL ’ s counterparts at the FA , the Premier League , the PFA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a joined-up and collaborative approach .
“ As part of the League ’ s continued contingency planning , the Board heard the comments and observations from EFL Clubs , before discussing a number of issues including the current financial position and implications , insurance , regulatory matters and broadcasting arrangements .
“ Discussions centred on financial relief for Clubs in the short term and while there is no one single solution , measures are to be put in place to immediately assist with cash flow via a £50million short-term relief package .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Award payments being advanced to Clubs immediately , with the remainder made up through interest-free loan facility available to Clubs , calculated in line with the EFL ’ s Article of Associations .
“ The cash injection is included as part of a series of measures , that includes potential Government support to help Clubs and their associated businesses through this period of uncertainty .
The EFL welcomes last night ’ s announcement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer , and is continuing discussions to understand how our Clubs can access the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ In addition , we will continue our discussions with our football partners to determine how we can all get through this difficult , challenging and unprecedented situation .
“ The EFL , through a dedicated taskforce , continues to review the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic , and its impact on our Clubs and competitions .
“ Alongside ensuring the 2019/20 season reaches a successful conclusion , protecting the EFL and its Clubs is a key priority for the EFL Board , who have today agreed on the following objectives to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and well-being of our Clubs ’ employees , supporters and communities • Make a positive contribution to the UK ’ s efforts to tackle coronavirus • Protect the EFL ’ s financial model and Club finances • Enable the EFL to continue to function as a business

newsdesk@birminghamlive.co.uk (James Rushton, George Smith)

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Something went wrong, please try again later.
The EFL have issued an update on what is likely to happen with the remainder of the 2019/20 season following the temporary suspension of the campaign last week because of the severity of the coronavirus outbreak.
The EFL board met on Wednesday to discuss the implications of the outbreak of COVID-19 for the League and its clubs, including West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City - and plan on delivering a 'successful conclusion' to the season.
After receiving a detailed brief on a number of matters, the Board reiterated that the number one priority remains the health and well-being of EFL staff, players, Club employees and supporters, as well as keeping them connected with everything that is going on at the moment.
The EFL board has also acknowledged the positive roles that member Clubs are playing in community solidarity, especially in supporting the vulnerable at this time.
A full statement from the EFL said: “The primary objective, in order to protect competition integrity, is to deliver a successful conclusion to the 2019/20 season, subject to the overriding priority around health and well-being. Plans continue to be developed on the agreed principle that it is in the best interests of the EFL and Clubs to complete the current season at the appropriate time.
“The EFL is continuing regular dialogue with the Government and relevant health authorities and, as and when more information is known regarding the scale and extent of the coronavirus outbreak in this country, a decision will be taken on the resumption of the League’s fixtures.
“Conversations will continue with the EFL’s counterparts at the FA, the Premier League, the PFA and the LMA to ensure football achieves a joined-up and collaborative approach.
“As part of the League’s continued contingency planning, the Board heard the comments and observations from EFL Clubs, before discussing a number of issues including the current financial position and implications, insurance, regulatory matters and broadcasting arrangements.
“Discussions centred on financial relief for Clubs in the short term and while there is no one single solution, measures are to be put in place to immediately assist with cash flow via a £50million short-term relief package.
“This fund consists of the remaining Basic Award payments being advanced to Clubs immediately, with the remainder made up through interest-free loan facility available to Clubs, calculated in line with the EFL’s Article of Associations.
“The cash injection is included as part of a series of measures, that includes potential Government support to help Clubs and their associated businesses through this period of uncertainty. The EFL welcomes last night’s announcement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and is continuing discussions to understand how our Clubs can access the funding made available to support businesses.
“In addition, we will continue our discussions with our football partners to determine how we can all get through this difficult, challenging and unprecedented situation.
“The EFL, through a dedicated taskforce, continues to review the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic, and its impact on our Clubs and competitions.
“Alongside ensuring the 2019/20 season reaches a successful conclusion, protecting the EFL and its Clubs is a key priority for the EFL Board, who have today agreed on the following objectives to support future decision-making:
• Ensure the health and well-being of our Clubs’ employees, supporters and communities
• Make a positive contribution to the UK’s efforts to tackle coronavirus
• Protect the EFL’s financial model and Club finances
• Enable the EFL to continue to function as a business
• Deliver a successful conclusion to the 2019/20 season.”


birminghammail--2020-03-18--Black Country coronavirus death toll stands at 13

The Black Country has been hit by 13 coronavirus deaths in just nine days .
Across the country , 104 people have died after testing positive for Covid-19 - with a further 32 tragic deaths being confirmed earlier today .
All of the latest victims were aged between 59 and 94 years old and had underlying health conditions .
Five of them were being treated in the Black Country , at hospitals in Dudley , Sandwell and Wolverhampton .
Dudley 's death toll now stands at five after health bosses confirmed a patient in their 70s has become the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has not been named - was being treated for underlying health issues .
Diane Wake , chief executive of the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust , said : `` The trust can confirm that a patient in their 70s being treated for underlying health conditions has died .
The patient had tested positive for Covid-19 .
“ The family has been informed and our condolences and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time .
“ We will not be commenting further and ask that everybody respects the family ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also been announced by Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust , bringing the total to six .
A spokesman said : “ The trust can confirm that three patients in their 70s and 80s have died .
All patients had underlying health conditions but they had all tested positive for Covid-19 .
`` All families have been informed and our condolences and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time .
`` We will not be commenting further and ask that everybody respects the family ’ s privacy . ''
In Sandwell , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died .
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust announced the deaths of two patients - one was being treated at Sandwell Hospital , while the other was at Birmingham City Hospital .
Toby Lewis , chief executive of the trust , said : “ Sadly , we can confirm that two people who were being cared for at our trust , and had tested positive for Covid-19 , have died .
Both patients had underlying health conditions .
“ Their families have been informed and our thoughts and condolences are with them at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further deaths have been confirmed in Walsall .
In the borough there has been just one death to date - a woman in her 80s who had underlying health conditions when she contracted the deadly virus .
She was being treated at Walsall Manor Hospital .
As of 9am today ( Wednesday , March 18 ) 2,626 , people had tested positive for coronavirus in the UK - up from 1,950 at the same time on Monday , according to the Gov.uk website .

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get the latest Black Country news straight to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get the latest Black Country news straight to your inbox
The Black Country has been hit by 13 coronavirus deaths in just nine days.
Across the country, 104 people have died after testing positive for Covid-19 - with a further 32 tragic deaths being confirmed earlier today.
All of the latest victims were aged between 59 and 94 years old and had underlying health conditions. Five of them were being treated in the Black Country, at hospitals in Dudley, Sandwell and Wolverhampton.
Dudley's death toll now stands at five after health bosses confirmed a patient in their 70s has become the latest victim of Covid-19.
The patient - who has not been named - was being treated for underlying health issues.
Diane Wake, chief executive of the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said: "The trust can confirm that a patient in their 70s being treated for underlying health conditions has died. The patient had tested positive for Covid-19.
“The family has been informed and our condolences and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.
“We will not be commenting further and ask that everybody respects the family’s privacy.”
Three further coronavirus deaths have also been announced by Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, bringing the total to six.
A spokesman said: “The trust can confirm that three patients in their 70s and 80s have died. All patients had underlying health conditions but they had all tested positive for Covid-19.
"All families have been informed and our condolences and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.
"We will not be commenting further and ask that everybody respects the family’s privacy."
Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now
In Sandwell, the first patient to have tested positive has died.
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust announced the deaths of two patients - one was being treated at Sandwell Hospital, while the other was at Birmingham City Hospital.
Toby Lewis, chief executive of the trust, said: “Sadly, we can confirm that two people who were being cared for at our trust, and had tested positive for Covid-19, have died. Both patients had underlying health conditions.
“Their families have been informed and our thoughts and condolences are with them at this difficult and distressing time.”
No further deaths have been confirmed in Walsall. In the borough there has been just one death to date - a woman in her 80s who had underlying health conditions when she contracted the deadly virus. She was being treated at Walsall Manor Hospital.
As of 9am today (Wednesday, March 18) 2,626, people had tested positive for coronavirus in the UK - up from 1,950 at the same time on Monday, according to the Gov.uk website.


birminghammail--2020-03-18--70 days - Blues and Man City know all about these long lay-offs

The coronavirus is bringing once-in-a-generation levels of chaos to the sporting calendar , the likes of which haven ’ t been seen since the Big Freeze of 1963 .
If the Championship resumes on April 4 - as it ’ s scheduled to at the time of writing - then Birmingham City will have gone 28 days without a game .
That ’ s an extraordinary amount of time off during a season in the modern era .
However , it ’ s only a fraction of the amount of time that has passed between games in the past .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ top flight club has gone between league games stands at a massive 70 days , a record jointly held by Birmingham City and Manchester City .
It ’ s happened in two periods of history , the most recent being during the Big Freeze of 1963 .
The Big Freeze was one of the coldest winters on record in the United Kingdom , and saw lakes and rivers freeze-over as temperatures plummeted below freezing and stayed there .
Football struggled to continue in the wintery landscape , with some clubs going 10 weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days separated Birmingham City ’ s games against Leyton Orient on December 22 , 1962 and Manchester City on March 2 , 1963 .
Bolton Wanderers also went 70 days without games between playing Tottenham Hotspur on December 8 , 1962 and Arsenal on February 16 , 1963 .
There were also 70 days between Manchester City ’ s games against Wolves on December 15 , 1962 and Leyton Orient on February 23 , 1963 .
However , despite that huge disruption , the season was still finished by mid-May .
Clubs had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that season in order to make up games .
Bolton had to play Leyton Orient twice and Manchester City once across the same three days , while Birmingham City had to play Forest on April 13 , and Everton on April 15 and April 16 .
Aston Villa had one of the shortest breaks in the Big Freeze - 35 days .

newsdesk@birminghamlive.co.uk (Brian Dick, David Dubas-Fisher-BM)

We have more newsletters
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
We have more newsletters
Thank you for subscribing!
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
The coronavirus is bringing once-in-a-generation levels of chaos to the sporting calendar, the likes of which haven’t been seen since the Big Freeze of 1963.
If the Championship resumes on April 4 - as it’s scheduled to at the time of writing - then Birmingham City will have gone 28 days without a game.
That’s an extraordinary amount of time off during a season in the modern era.
However, it’s only a fraction of the amount of time that has passed between games in the past.
The record for the longest time a top flight club has gone between league games stands at a massive 70 days, a record jointly held by Birmingham City and Manchester City.
It’s happened in two periods of history, the most recent being during the Big Freeze of 1963.
The Big Freeze was one of the coldest winters on record in the United Kingdom, and saw lakes and rivers freeze-over as temperatures plummeted below freezing and stayed there.
Longest wait between games during the Big Freeze Club and days since last game Arsenal 56 Aston Villa 35 Birmingham City 70 Blackburn Rovers 42 Blackpool 35 Bolton Wanderers 70 Burnley 63 Everton 52 Fulham 52 Ipswich Town 59 Leicester City 45 Leyton Orient 52 Liverpool 53 Manchester City 70 Manchester United 59 Nottingham Forest 52 Sheffield United 29 Sheffield Wednesday 49 Tottenham Hotspur 35 West Bromwich Albion 49 West Ham United 49 Wolverhampton Wanderers 35
Football struggled to continue in the wintery landscape, with some clubs going 10 weeks without games.
A total of 70 days separated Birmingham City’s games against Leyton Orient on December 22, 1962 and Manchester City on March 2, 1963.
Bolton Wanderers also went 70 days without games between playing Tottenham Hotspur on December 8, 1962 and Arsenal on February 16, 1963.
There were also 70 days between Manchester City’s games against Wolves on December 15, 1962 and Leyton Orient on February 23, 1963.
However, despite that huge disruption, the season was still finished by mid-May.
Clubs had a relentless schedule for the remainder of that season in order to make up games.
Bolton had to play Leyton Orient twice and Manchester City once across the same three days, while Birmingham City had to play Forest on April 13, and Everton on April 15 and April 16.
Aston Villa had one of the shortest breaks in the Big Freeze - 35 days.


birminghammail--2020-03-18--Face-to-face GP appointments slashed to reduce coronavirus infection spread

GP surgeries across the West Midlands are axing nearly all face-to-face appointments as attempts to limit infection from coronavirus are ramped up .
Patients are being offered phone and video consultations instead to try to limit the potential spread of illness among staff and other patients .
Only in exceptional cases will surgeries invite patients to come in .
Earlier this week Leach Heath Medical Centre in Rubery and Frankley Health Centre were among those who have started advising patients that they are ending 'open surgery ' sessions - but surgeries across Birmingham and the Black Country are now following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Heath Medical Centre , a message advises patients : `` In order to minimise the potential spread of illness , to protect our staff and other patients and , in line with current NHS guidance , we have taken the decision to revert to telephone and video consultations wherever possible . ''
They also advise that doctors will invite patients into surgery for a face to face appointment if needed .
Frankley Health Centre has messaged patients to advise that there will be no `` open surgeries '' , and instead patients will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcements are in line with advice from NHS England to GP practices last week , which said they would be supported to do more online consultations and remote triage in general practice to support infection control and protect staff and patients .
NHS England ’ s advice to GP practices said they would be supported to do more online consultations and remote triage in general practice to support infection control and protect staff and patients .
A spokeswoman from Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group , which oversees GP practices , said surgeries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from NHS England .

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get the latest news from MySolihull straight to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get the latest news from MySolihull straight to your inbox
GP surgeries across the West Midlands are axing nearly all face-to-face appointments as attempts to limit infection from coronavirus are ramped up.
Patients are being offered phone and video consultations instead to try to limit the potential spread of illness among staff and other patients.
Only in exceptional cases will surgeries invite patients to come in.
Earlier this week Leach Heath Medical Centre in Rubery and Frankley Health Centre were among those who have started advising patients that they are ending 'open surgery' sessions - but surgeries across Birmingham and the Black Country are now following suit.
On the website of Leach Heath Medical Centre, a message advises patients: "In order to minimise the potential spread of illness, to protect our staff and other patients and, in line with current NHS guidance, we have taken the decision to revert to telephone and video consultations wherever possible."
They also advise that doctors will invite patients into surgery for a face to face appointment if needed.
Frankley Health Centre has messaged patients to advise that there will be no "open surgeries", and instead patients will be triaged over the phone.
The announcements are in line with advice from NHS England to GP practices last week, which said they would be supported to do more online consultations and remote triage in general practice to support infection control and protect staff and patients.
NHS England’s advice to GP practices said they would be supported to do more online consultations and remote triage in general practice to support infection control and protect staff and patients.
A spokeswoman from Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group, which oversees GP practices, said surgeries would be supported to heed the guidelines from NHS England.


birminghammail--2020-03-18--How UK sick pay compares with Europe as coronavirus triggers calls for SSP rise

The UK 's levels of statutory sick pay have been thrust into the spotlight by the coronavirus pandemic .
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has asked for SSP `` to be increased to European levels . ''
So how does Britain compare with the rest of Europe ?
Figures published by the European Commission show the UK second from bottom in the sick pay league table of member states , with only Malta providing a lower level of support .
The UK 's weekly rate for statutory sick pay ( SSP ) is £94.25 for up to 28 weeks .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent of a worker 's income .
We are also one of only four countries where self-employed people are not eligible for any sick pay .
UK sick pay coverage does last longer than most of its European counterparts , but also has a longer waiting period before it kicks in .
In around half of EU member states , sick pay is available immediately .
In the UK , workers can only claim after four days sick in a row , though this has been changed temporarily amid the coronavirus crisis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rights found the UK 's sick pay system was `` manifestly inadequate '' and `` not in conformity '' with legal obligations under the European Social Charter .
What has the Government promised to do ?
The Prime Minister announced that the forthcoming COVID-19 Bill will temporarily allow SSP to be paid from the first day of sickness absence , rather than the fourth day , for people who have COVID-19 or have to self‑isolate .
The Budget sets out a further package to widen the scope of SSP .
The Government will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals who are unable to work because they have been advised to self-isolate • people caring for those within the same household who display COVID-19 symptoms and have been told to self-isolate The Government issued guidance to employers , advising them to use their discretion not to require a GP fit note for COVID-19 related absences .
This Budget announced that the Government and the NHS will bring forward a temporary alternative to the fit note in the coming weeks which can be used for the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to self-isolate to obtain a notification via NHS111 which they can use as evidence for absence from work , where necessary .
This notification would meet employers ’ need for evidence , while taking pressure away from GP surgeries .
The Government says it recognises that self-employed people and employees below the Lower Earnings Limit are not entitled to SSP .
Its Budget papers asserted : `` The best system of financial support for these people is the welfare system and , in particular , new style Employment and Support Allowance and Universal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Support Allowance will be payable for people directly affected by COVID-19 or self-isolating from the first day of sickness , rather than the eighth day .
For the duration of the outbreak , the requirements of the minimum income floor in Universal Credit will be temporarily relaxed for those directly affected by COVID-19 or self-isolating , ensuring self‑employed claimants will be compensated for losses in income .
The Government pledged to help small and medium-sized businesses and employers cope with the extra costs of paying COVID-19 related SSP by refunding eligible SSP costs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are as follows : • this refund will be limited to two weeks per employee • employers with fewer than 250 employees will be eligible .
The size of an employer will be determined by the number of people they employed as of February 28 , 2020 • employers will be able to reclaim expenditure for any employee who has claimed SSP ( according to the new eligibility criteria ) as a result of COVID-19 • employers should maintain records of staff absences , but should not require employees to provide a GP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scheme will commence from the day on which the regulations extending SSP to self-isolators come into force • while existing systems are not designed to facilitate such employer refunds for SSP , the Government will work with employers over the coming months to set up a repayment mechanism for employers as soon as possible Is that enough ?
Here 's what campaigners said But the TUC want more to be done and has called on the British Government to tackle coronavirus by guaranteeing sick pay for all workers , regardless of how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two million workers - including 160,000 in the West Midlands - are n't eligible for statutory sick pay , including a third of zero-hours contract workers , one in 10 women in work , more than a fifth of those aged 16-24 , and more than a quarter of those aged 65 and over ( and thus in one of the groups most vulnerable to coronavirus ) .
To address the issue the TUC is calling for Government to introduce an emergency support package for workers affected by the virus , including : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all workers , regardless of how much they earn .
• An increase in the amount of sick pay to the equivalent of the National Living Wage • A requirement that those asked by their employer to self-isolate on public health grounds remain on full pay .
• An emergency fund to assist employers with the cost and to cover workers not currently eligible for SSP The TUC says that while the Government 's pledge of Day 1 SSP is an important step forward for workers , it ’ s not enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers don ’ t qualify for SSP at all .
TUC Midlands Regional Secretary Lee Barron said : `` We all want people to follow the Government ’ s health advice .
No one should be out of pocket for doing the right thing .
`` But as it stands , many people won ’ t be able to meet basic living costs if they stay home from work .
`` This is an impossible choice that has serious implications for us all .
The fairest and simplest solution is to immediately reform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers at a decent rate .
`` It ’ s the sensible way to give working families the security they need – and to protect public health . ''

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get all the latest politics news straight to your inbox with our bi-weekly newsletter
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get all the latest politics news straight to your inbox with our bi-weekly newsletter
The UK's levels of statutory sick pay have been thrust into the spotlight by the coronavirus pandemic.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has asked for SSP "to be increased to European levels."
So how does Britain compare with the rest of Europe?
Figures published by the European Commission show the UK second from bottom in the sick pay league table of member states, with only Malta providing a lower level of support.
The UK's weekly rate for statutory sick pay (SSP) is £94.25 for up to 28 weeks. On average, that's just 20 per cent of a worker's income.
We are also one of only four countries where self-employed people are not eligible for any sick pay.
(Image: European Commission)
UK sick pay coverage does last longer than most of its European counterparts, but also has a longer waiting period before it kicks in. In around half of EU member states, sick pay is available immediately.
In the UK, workers can only claim after four days sick in a row, though this has been changed temporarily amid the coronavirus crisis.
In 2018 the European Committee of Social Rights found the UK's sick pay system was "manifestly inadequate" and "not in conformity" with legal obligations under the European Social Charter.
What has the Government promised to do?
The Prime Minister announced that the forthcoming COVID-19 Bill will temporarily allow SSP to be paid from the first day of sickness absence, rather than the fourth day, for people who have COVID-19 or have to self‑isolate.
The Budget sets out a further package to widen the scope of SSP.
The Government will temporarily extend SSP to cover:
individuals who are unable to work because they have been advised to self-isolate
people caring for those within the same household who display COVID-19 symptoms and have been told to self-isolate
The Government issued guidance to employers, advising them to use their discretion not to require a GP fit note for COVID-19 related absences.
This Budget announced that the Government and the NHS will bring forward a temporary alternative to the fit note in the coming weeks which can be used for the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak.
This system will enable people who are advised to self-isolate to obtain a notification via NHS111 which they can use as evidence for absence from work, where necessary. This notification would meet employers’ need for evidence, while taking pressure away from GP surgeries.
The Government says it recognises that self-employed people and employees below the Lower Earnings Limit are not entitled to SSP.
Its Budget papers asserted: "The best system of financial support for these people is the welfare system and, in particular, new style Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit."
New style Employment and Support Allowance will be payable for people directly affected by COVID-19 or self-isolating from the first day of sickness, rather than the eighth day.
For the duration of the outbreak, the requirements of the minimum income floor in Universal Credit will be temporarily relaxed for those directly affected by COVID-19 or self-isolating, ensuring self‑employed claimants will be compensated for losses in income.
The Government pledged to help small and medium-sized businesses and employers cope with the extra costs of paying COVID-19 related SSP by refunding eligible SSP costs.
The eligibility criteria for the scheme are as follows:
this refund will be limited to two weeks per employee
employers with fewer than 250 employees will be eligible. The size of an employer will be determined by the number of people they employed as of February 28, 2020
employers will be able to reclaim expenditure for any employee who has claimed SSP (according to the new eligibility criteria) as a result of COVID-19
employers should maintain records of staff absences, but should not require employees to provide a GP fit note
the eligible period for the scheme will commence from the day on which the regulations extending SSP to self-isolators come into force
while existing systems are not designed to facilitate such employer refunds for SSP, the Government will work with employers over the coming months to set up a repayment mechanism for employers as soon as possible
Is that enough? Here's what campaigners said
But the TUC want more to be done and has called on the British Government to tackle coronavirus by guaranteeing sick pay for all workers, regardless of how much they earn.
It says nearly two million workers - including 160,000 in the West Midlands - aren't eligible for statutory sick pay, including a third of zero-hours contract workers, one in 10 women in work, more than a fifth of those aged 16-24, and more than a quarter of those aged 65 and over (and thus in one of the groups most vulnerable to coronavirus).
To address the issue the TUC is calling for Government to introduce an emergency support package for workers affected by the virus, including:
Emergency legislation to ensure SSP coverage for all workers, regardless of how much they earn.
An increase in the amount of sick pay to the equivalent of the National Living Wage
A requirement that those asked by their employer to self-isolate on public health grounds remain on full pay.
An emergency fund to assist employers with the cost and to cover workers not currently eligible for SSP
The TUC says that while the Government's pledge of Day 1 SSP is an important step forward for workers, it’s not enough to solve the problem since so many workers don’t qualify for SSP at all.
TUC Midlands Regional Secretary Lee Barron said: "We all want people to follow the Government’s health advice. No one should be out of pocket for doing the right thing.
"But as it stands, many people won’t be able to meet basic living costs if they stay home from work.
"This is an impossible choice that has serious implications for us all. The fairest and simplest solution is to immediately reform sick pay legislation so it covers all workers at a decent rate.
"It’s the sensible way to give working families the security they need – and to protect public health."


birminghammail--2020-03-18--Ryanair suspends flights from Birmingham during coronavirus crisis

Ryanair has revealed it may suspend all flights except those providing `` essential connectivity '' , due to the coronavirus .
More than four out of five flights will be cancelled between Thursday and March 24 .
After that period `` we expect that most if not all Ryanair Group flights will be grounded '' , the airline said .
An exception will be `` a very small number of flights to maintain essential connectivity , mostly between the UK and Ireland '' .
Ryanair , which oeprates a hub from Birmingham Airport and East Midlands , said details of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the travel advisory page on the Ryanair.com website .
One man booked to travel to Majorca from Birmingham in April said he doubted if flights would resume by then and he was attempting to rebook his travel arrangements but he could not get any indication when they would resume .
Jet2.com has suspended its flying programme until at least next month .
All airlines have slashed their flights in recent days due to travel restrictions and a collapse in demand caused by the spread of the coronavirus .
Trade body the Airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that airports will shut down `` within weeks '' without Government intervention .
On Tuesday , Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that a package of measures would be agreed to alleviate the impact of Covid-19 on aviation .

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
Ryanair has revealed it may suspend all flights except those providing "essential connectivity", due to the coronavirus.
More than four out of five flights will be cancelled between Thursday and March 24.
After that period "we expect that most if not all Ryanair Group flights will be grounded", the airline said.
An exception will be "a very small number of flights to maintain essential connectivity, mostly between the UK and Ireland".
Ryanair, which oeprates a hub from Birmingham Airport and East Midlands, said details of the severely reduced schedule can be found on the travel advisory page on the Ryanair.com website.
One man booked to travel to Majorca from Birmingham in April said he doubted if flights would resume by then and he was attempting to rebook his travel arrangements but he could not get any indication when they would resume.
Jet2.com has suspended its flying programme until at least next month.
All airlines have slashed their flights in recent days due to travel restrictions and a collapse in demand caused by the spread of the coronavirus.
Trade body the Airport Operators Association (AOA) has warned that airports will shut down "within weeks" without Government intervention.
On Tuesday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that a package of measures would be agreed to alleviate the impact of Covid-19 on aviation.


birminghammail--2020-03-18--Breathing difficulties 'significant link' for coronavirus patients

Shortness of breath is `` significantly associated '' with severe cases of Covid-19 and patients admitted to intensive care units .
The study led by the University College London also indicates chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) , an inflammatory lung condition which causes long-term breathing problems , to be `` the greatest risk factor '' for severe cases of the disease caused by the new coronavirus .
The findings , published in the online journal MedRxiv are based on the a meta-analysis of seven peer-reviewed studies from China , covering 1,813 patients .
Results showed patients who experienced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after being infected with the virus were 3.7 times more likely to have severe disease and 6.6 times more likely be admitted to an intensive care unit ( ICU ) , compared to those who did not show this symptom .
Dr Vageesh Jain , of the UCL Institute for Global Health and lead author on the study , said : `` Our analysis finds that dyspnoea is the only symptom strongly predictive for both severe disease and ICU admission , and could be a useful symptom to help guide clinical management decisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly common symptom in Covid-19 patients ( the most common symptoms for non-severe cases being fever and cough ) , its significant association with both severe disease and ICU admission may help clinicians discriminate between severe and non-severe Covid-19 cases . ''
Of the 1,813 patients in the meta-analysis , 116 patients were admitted to the ICU and 315 patients classified as severe .
The researchers found 67.2 per cent of the ICU patients showed signs of dyspnoea , compared with 10.2 per cent in the non-ICU group .
Of all the underlying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COPD was found to be have the highest number of ICU admissions , despite its low prevalence in the patients .
According to the researchers , patients with COPD were 6.4 times more likely to develop severe disease , and 17.8 times more likely to be admitted to ICU .
Cardiovascular disease and hypertension , which were the more prevalent pre-existing conditions in the study population , were also strongly associated with both severe disease and ICU admission , the researchers said .

newsdesk@birminghamlive.co.uk (Nilima Marshall, PA, Brett Gibbons)

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
Shortness of breath is "significantly associated" with severe cases of Covid-19 and patients admitted to intensive care units.
The study led by the University College London also indicates chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an inflammatory lung condition which causes long-term breathing problems, to be "the greatest risk factor" for severe cases of the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
The findings, published in the online journal MedRxiv are based on the a meta-analysis of seven peer-reviewed studies from China, covering 1,813 patients.
Results showed patients who experienced dyspnoea, or difficulty in breathing, after being infected with the virus were 3.7 times more likely to have severe disease and 6.6 times more likely be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU), compared to those who did not show this symptom.
Dr Vageesh Jain, of the UCL Institute for Global Health and lead author on the study, said: "Our analysis finds that dyspnoea is the only symptom strongly predictive for both severe disease and ICU admission, and could be a useful symptom to help guide clinical management decisions.
"Whilst dyspnoea was not a particularly common symptom in Covid-19 patients (the most common symptoms for non-severe cases being fever and cough), its significant association with both severe disease and ICU admission may help clinicians discriminate between severe and non-severe Covid-19 cases."
Of the 1,813 patients in the meta-analysis, 116 patients were admitted to the ICU and 315 patients classified as severe.
The researchers found 67.2 per cent of the ICU patients showed signs of dyspnoea, compared with 10.2 per cent in the non-ICU group.
Of all the underlying health conditions associated with Covid-19 severity, COPD was found to be have the highest number of ICU admissions, despite its low prevalence in the patients.
According to the researchers, patients with COPD were 6.4 times more likely to develop severe disease, and 17.8 times more likely to be admitted to ICU.
Cardiovascular disease and hypertension, which were the more prevalent pre-existing conditions in the study population, were also strongly associated with both severe disease and ICU admission, the researchers said.


birminghammail--2020-03-18--Aston Villa news and transfer rumours live

Hello and welcome to Wednesday 's LIVE Aston Villa coverage from BirminghamLive .
Aston Villa vs Chelsea was meant to @ @ @ @ @ but after one of the most unprecedented moves in recent history was confirmed , the @ @ @ @ @ until early April .
As the coronavirus continues to spread both across the UK and @ @ @ @ @ world have taken action .
Serie A , La Liga and MLS are just a @ @ @ @ @ the season , before English football followed suit on Friday .
Games will be suspended @ @ @ @ @ the earliest , meaning Villa 's next game could be the home one with Wolves @ @ @ @ @ 'll keep you up to date on the latest developments surrounding the resumption of the @ @ @ @ @ any other Villa news and how COVID-19 is affecting fans .
So make sure you @ @ @ @ @ today 's blog below ...

newsdesk@birminghamlive.co.uk (Shane Ireland, Ben Husband, James Rushton)

Hello and welcome to Tuesday's LIVE Aston Villa coverage from BirminghamLive.
It was another weekend without a fixture for Dean Smith's side as coronavirus continues to spread across the UK.
Games were initially suspended until April 4 but after a meeting between league bosses, it was announced last week football is suspended until the end of April.
We'll keep you up to date on the latest developments surrounding the resumption of the league, as well as any other Villa news, updates and transfer rumours - as well as how COVID-19 is affecting fans.
So make sure you follow all the action on today's blog below...


birminghammail--2020-03-18--West Brom loanees fighting for future at the Hawthorns

West Brom ’ s loanees , like the rest of English football , are eagerly awaiting the resumption of the campaign .
Looking to take their chance away from The Hawthorns and force their way into Slaven Bilic ’ s thinking upon their return , there are a number of Albion youngsters who have spent this season out on loan , at various destinations .
Some have enjoyed short spells , like Jamie Soule who left for a month to head to Barrow , and Nick Clayton-Phillips who did likewise with Jimmy Shan and Solihull Moors .
Then there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have seen promising loans cruelly cut short - namely Jonathan Leko and Sam Field , who had been playing regular Championship football at Charlton only for injuries to prematurely curtail their respective campaigns .
Lower down the leagues and , in one case , abroad , there remain others still who Albion loans manager Paul Terry will still be in regular contact with .
Prior to the suspension of the campaign , how have they been doing ?
Goalkeeper Palmer has made the number one shirt at Home Park his own this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in throughout .
He ’ s made a remarkable 41 appearances in that time and kept 15 clean sheets - a sterling effort .
“ I have been waiting for it for a while .
I think the only way it is going to be successful is we get over the line and we get promotion , ” he told PlymouthLive earlier this month .
“ I think we can then say it ’ s a successful season for me personally as well .
But , for me , we have got to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fans , for everyone.
” Back home , Palmer has an uncertain future ; he is out of contract currently , but so too are senior keepers Ali Al-Habsi and Jonathan Bond .
Could he be deemed as cover and competition for Sam Johnstone ?
For the second time in successive seasons , Oli Burke is spending March time away from The Hawthorns .
After Celtic Park called in January 2019 , the winger this time has left the country once again for Spain , and La Liga outfit Deportivo Alaves .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the most expensive ever Albion signings - has made 22 appearances and scored the winner in a 2-1 victory over Eibar last month .
“ For me , right now I ’ d like to find myself a club where I can settle , enjoy and play week in , week out , ” he said .
“ And find my confidence again , which I ’ m slowly getting back , to prove all the doubters out there wrong .
“ There ’ s a lot of doubters out there – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – but I ’ d love to throw it back in their face a little bit .
Hopefully I can do my best here at Alaves and I ’ ll have a bright future.
” Young defender Wilson is a name all Albion fans will recognise after he burst onto the first team scene in 2016 under Tony Pulis , just as he was completing his GCSEs .
After loan spells at Exeter , with Kyle Edwards , and Walsall , he ’ s now at Tranmere in League One , but regrettably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been ravaged by injury set-backs .
Wilson has , though , been a regular since the end of January under Micky Mellon .
“ This has been a massive , massive learning curve for me at Tranmere , ” Wilson told the Liverpool Echo .
“ It ’ s hard going out on loan as you ’ re starting fresh wherever you go .
It ’ s three loans where it ’ s three fresh starts , three new managers , three new sets of team-mates and fans .
“ I just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down and see where it takes me.
” Young forward Morton only left The Hawthorns in January for League Two promotion hopefuls Northampton , having eased his way back into U23 football following a long injury layoff , suffered on his last loan with Braintree Town .
It ’ s not taken him long to make an impact in EFL football , though ; Morton has scored five times - those goals coming in the space of three matches - and it was a return that won him League Two ’ s Player @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morton is scheduled to remain at Sixfields until the end of the season , as per the agreement between Albion and the Cobblers , and a fresh deal is expected to be reached depending on the EFL ’ s decision .
Sporting director Luke Dowling , on the back of Morton receiving his award , said : “ The biggest compliment I can pay him is we ’ re impressed with the hard work he shows on the pitch and that ’ s what we want from all our young boys on loan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a game recently and they ’ re absolutely delighted with Callum and his performances so far , which shows what he ’ s capable of doing .
”

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Something went wrong, please try again later.
West Brom’s loanees, like the rest of English football, are eagerly awaiting the resumption of the campaign.
Looking to take their chance away from The Hawthorns and force their way into Slaven Bilic’s thinking upon their return, there are a number of Albion youngsters who have spent this season out on loan, at various destinations.
Some have enjoyed short spells, like Jamie Soule who left for a month to head to Barrow, and Nick Clayton-Phillips who did likewise with Jimmy Shan and Solihull Moors.
Then there were those closer to the first team, who have seen promising loans cruelly cut short - namely Jonathan Leko and Sam Field, who had been playing regular Championship football at Charlton only for injuries to prematurely curtail their respective campaigns.
Lower down the leagues and, in one case, abroad, there remain others still who Albion loans manager Paul Terry will still be in regular contact with.
Prior to the suspension of the campaign, how have they been doing?
Alex Palmer - Plymouth Argyle
Goalkeeper Palmer has made the number one shirt at Home Park his own this season and the plaudits have been rolling in throughout.
He’s made a remarkable 41 appearances in that time and kept 15 clean sheets - a sterling effort.
“I have been waiting for it for a while. I think the only way it is going to be successful is we get over the line and we get promotion,” he told PlymouthLive earlier this month.
“I think we can then say it’s a successful season for me personally as well. But, for me, we have got to do it as a team – for the fans, for everyone.”
Back home, Palmer has an uncertain future; he is out of contract currently, but so too are senior keepers Ali Al-Habsi and Jonathan Bond. Could he be deemed as cover and competition for Sam Johnstone?
Oliver Burke - Deportivo Alaves
For the second time in successive seasons, Oli Burke is spending March time away from The Hawthorns.
After Celtic Park called in January 2019, the winger this time has left the country once again for Spain, and La Liga outfit Deportivo Alaves.
To date, winger Burke - one of the most expensive ever Albion signings - has made 22 appearances and scored the winner in a 2-1 victory over Eibar last month.
“For me, right now I’d like to find myself a club where I can settle, enjoy and play week in, week out,” he said. “And find my confidence again, which I’m slowly getting back, to prove all the doubters out there wrong.
“There’s a lot of doubters out there – there’s always going to be – but I’d love to throw it back in their face a little bit. Hopefully I can do my best here at Alaves and I’ll have a bright future.”
Kane Wilson - Tranmere Rovers
Young defender Wilson is a name all Albion fans will recognise after he burst onto the first team scene in 2016 under Tony Pulis, just as he was completing his GCSEs.
After loan spells at Exeter, with Kyle Edwards, and Walsall, he’s now at Tranmere in League One, but regrettably it’s been a season that has been ravaged by injury set-backs.
Wilson has, though, been a regular since the end of January under Micky Mellon.
“This has been a massive, massive learning curve for me at Tranmere,” Wilson told the Liverpool Echo. “It’s hard going out on loan as you’re starting fresh wherever you go. It’s three loans where it’s three fresh starts, three new managers, three new sets of team-mates and fans.
“I just play my game, keep my head down and see where it takes me.”
Callum Morton - Northampton Town
Young forward Morton only left The Hawthorns in January for League Two promotion hopefuls Northampton, having eased his way back into U23 football following a long injury layoff, suffered on his last loan with Braintree Town.
It’s not taken him long to make an impact in EFL football, though; Morton has scored five times - those goals coming in the space of three matches - and it was a return that won him League Two’s Player of the Month award for February.
Morton is scheduled to remain at Sixfields until the end of the season, as per the agreement between Albion and the Cobblers, and a fresh deal is expected to be reached depending on the EFL’s decision.
Sporting director Luke Dowling, on the back of Morton receiving his award, said: “The biggest compliment I can pay him is we’re impressed with the hard work he shows on the pitch and that’s what we want from all our young boys on loan. I saw the Northampton chairman at a game recently and they’re absolutely delighted with Callum and his performances so far, which shows what he’s capable of doing.”


birminghammail--2020-03-18--Here is the Government's new coronavirus TV advert

This is the Government 's new TV advert , designed to make sure everyone knows how to respond to the spread of coronavirus .
It features the UK 's Chief Medical Officer , Professor Chris Whitty , with a voiceover by actor Mark Strong .
It 's part of the Government 's public awareness campaign to delay the spread of the COVID-19 virus .
The adverts will hit screens on Thursday ( 19 March ) and help explain new guidance to stay at home for 14 days if someone in your household has symptoms .
The guidance sets out that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for seven days from the onset of symptoms , but any individuals in the household will now be asked to self-isolate for 14 days from that moment as well .
If other members of your household develop symptoms , however mild , at any time during the 14 days they must not leave the home for 7 days from when symptoms started .
The new phase of the campaign will build on the existing radio , online , digital and billboard adverts which reinforce the importance of washing your hands more often for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for seven days if they develop a high temperature or a new continuous cough – however mild .
The awareness campaign also reiterates the importance of seeking help online by visiting NHS.uk/coronavirus to check your symptoms and follow the medical advice , rather than visiting your GP .
It also urges people with any symptoms to avoid contact with older and more vulnerable people .
Prof Whitty says in the advert : `` It 's important we all protect older people , and those with existing health conditions , from coronavirus .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ household , has a high temperature or a new and continuous cough , even if those symptoms are mild , you should all stay at home .
`` Do n't go to the GP or hospital .
Instead , go to NHS.UK to check your symptoms and follow the specialist medical advice .
Only call NHS 111 if you ca n't get online or your symptoms worsen . ''
The advert ends with Mark Strong saying : `` Protect yourself .
Protect others .
Protect the NHS . ''

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
This is the Government's new TV advert, designed to make sure everyone knows how to respond to the spread of coronavirus.
It features the UK's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, with a voiceover by actor Mark Strong. It's part of the Government's public awareness campaign to delay the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
The adverts will hit screens on Thursday (19 March) and help explain new guidance to stay at home for 14 days if someone in your household has symptoms.
The guidance sets out that individuals will still be asked to self-isolate for seven days from the onset of symptoms, but any individuals in the household will now be asked to self-isolate for 14 days from that moment as well.
If other members of your household develop symptoms, however mild, at any time during the 14 days they must not leave the home for 7 days from when symptoms started.
The new phase of the campaign will build on the existing radio, online, digital and billboard adverts which reinforce the importance of washing your hands more often for 20 seconds and ask people to self-isolate for seven days if they develop a high temperature or a new continuous cough – however mild.
The awareness campaign also reiterates the importance of seeking help online by visiting NHS.uk/coronavirus to check your symptoms and follow the medical advice, rather than visiting your GP. It also urges people with any symptoms to avoid contact with older and more vulnerable people.
Prof Whitty says in the advert: "It's important we all protect older people, and those with existing health conditions, from coronavirus.
"If you, or anyone in your household, has a high temperature or a new and continuous cough, even if those symptoms are mild, you should all stay at home.
"Don't go to the GP or hospital. Instead, go to NHS.UK to check your symptoms and follow the specialist medical advice. Only call NHS 111 if you can't get online or your symptoms worsen."
The advert ends with Mark Strong saying: "Protect yourself. Protect others. Protect the NHS."


birminghammail--2020-03-18--Exams cancelled as all schools shut 'until further notice'

Exams are to be cancelled and schools shut 'until further notice ' - in the latest raft of measures announced by the government in the battle against coronavirus .
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has confirmed schools will close to most pupils at the end of Friday .
The only exception , he said , was for children of key workers - including NHS staff , police and delivery drivers - and the most vulnerable .
The decision was backed by the National Education Union , who said they 'welcomed the clarity ' exams were to be cancelled .
Commenting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Courtney , Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union , said : “ We welcome the Government ’ s announcement that , for public health reasons , schools will now close .
It is better for this to take place in an ordered way than the chaotic pattern of closures that was developing .
“ We also welcome the clarity that SATs , GCSE , AS- and A-Level exams are to be cancelled .
“ This offers some degree of reassurance to teachers , their students and parents .
“ We note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Government has decided that teacher assessment is indeed a good method of giving reliable information about young people ’ s progress and achievements .
We will return to that when this crisis is over .
“ Now , more than anything else the Government needs to concentrate on ensuring that children in food poverty are fed properly - these children are not just those on free school meals.
” Mr Williamson said schools were finding it 'increasingly difficult ' to continue as normal .
Addressing the House of Commons , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has become increasingly challenging .
`` I ’ ve said before that if the science and the advice changed , such that keeping schools open would no longer be in the best interest of children and teachers , that we would act - we are now at that stage .
“ The spike of the virus is increasing at a faster pace than anticipated and it is crucial that we continue to consider the right measures to arrest this increase and to relieve the pressure on the health system .
`` The public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal are shifting .
`` It is also clear that schools are increasingly finding it more difficult to continue as normal as illness and self-isolation impacts on staffing levels and pupil attendance.
” The announcement came on the day the UK coronavirus death toll rose to 104 .
A statement from NHS England said : “ A further 32 people , who tested positive for the coronavirus ( Covid-19 ) have died , bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in England to 99 .
“ Patients were aged between 59 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions . ''

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates
Exams are to be cancelled and schools shut 'until further notice' - in the latest raft of measures announced by the government in the battle against coronavirus.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has confirmed schools will close to most pupils at the end of Friday.
The only exception, he said, was for children of key workers - including NHS staff, police and delivery drivers - and the most vulnerable.
The decision was backed by the National Education Union, who said they 'welcomed the clarity' exams were to be cancelled.
Commenting on the decision to close schools, Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “We welcome the Government’s announcement that, for public health reasons, schools will now close. It is better for this to take place in an ordered way than the chaotic pattern of closures that was developing.
(Image: Daily Mirror)
“We also welcome the clarity that SATs, GCSE, AS- and A-Level exams are to be cancelled.
“This offers some degree of reassurance to teachers, their students and parents.
“We note that, at this time of emergency, the Government has decided that teacher assessment is indeed a good method of giving reliable information about young people’s progress and achievements. We will return to that when this crisis is over.
“Now, more than anything else the Government needs to concentrate on ensuring that children in food poverty are fed properly - these children are not just those on free school meals.”
Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now
Mr Williamson said schools were finding it 'increasingly difficult' to continue as normal.
Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now
Addressing the House of Commons, he said: “I know the situation has become increasingly challenging.
"I’ve said before that if the science and the advice changed, such that keeping schools open would no longer be in the best interest of children and teachers, that we would act - we are now at that stage.
“The spike of the virus is increasing at a faster pace than anticipated and it is crucial that we continue to consider the right measures to arrest this increase and to relieve the pressure on the health system.
"The public health benefits of schools remaining open as normal are shifting.
"It is also clear that schools are increasingly finding it more difficult to continue as normal as illness and self-isolation impacts on staffing levels and pupil attendance.”
The announcement came on the day the UK coronavirus death toll rose to 104.
A statement from NHS England said: “A further 32 people, who tested positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19) have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in England to 99.
“Patients were aged between 59 and 94 years old and had underlying health conditions."


birminghammail--2020-03-18--'Concerns' - Sheffield Wednesday owner reveals West Brom fan regret

West Bromwich Albion were all set for another step towards the culmination of the season this coming weekend with Sheffield Wednesday awaiting their arrival at Hillsborough .
The Baggies would have welcomed Blues to The Hawthorns last Saturday and would have then visited Brentford last night , before a meeting with Garry Monk ’ s Owls prior to the international break .
That now , of course , won ’ t be happening , and the chances of the game being rescheduled with the decisions being made by the EFL , who were due to sit down today and discuss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global coronavirus outbreak , which has brought to a halt sport around the world .
Albion , Wednesday and the rest of the Championship still have nine matches left to play , the former sitting in the top two and six points clear of third placed Fulham .
They ’ d have been well backed at Hillsborough this Saturday , too - at least that ’ s according to owner Dejphon Chansiri , who has been talking about how clubs ’ revenue is being affected in this unprecedented period , reckons the welcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chasing promotion , within the space of a week would ’ ve cost the club a six-figure sum of money .
He adds that he expected Albion to be followed by a similar number to the 4,500 that Forest were bringing .
“ At the moment with the season under suspension , all clubs will lose significant matchday income for every game missed , ” Chansiri told YorkshireLive in an exclusive interview .
“ This has already led to cash flow concerns and we have seen over the last few days that many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ladder have more than concerns .
“ Championship clubs could have problems as they are more dependent on matchday income than Premier League clubs but the situation only gets more serious in League One and League Two where revenues are less .
Matchday revenue is critical to clubs .
“ At Sheffield Wednesday for example , Nottingham Forest would have brought around 4,500 fans last week so we lost a big six-figure sum just on one game .
Then it is the same for West Brom with similar numbers for the game that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am sure talks are taking place with the government and football authorities to provide the best possible assistance where possible to help clubs at this very challenging time .
”

West Bromwich Albion were all set for another step towards the culmination of the season this coming weekend with Sheffield Wednesday awaiting their arrival at Hillsborough.
The Baggies would have welcomed Blues to The Hawthorns last Saturday and would have then visited Brentford last night, before a meeting with Garry Monk’s Owls prior to the international break.
That now, of course, won’t be happening, and the chances of the game being rescheduled with the decisions being made by the EFL, who were due to sit down today and discuss the best course of action amid the global coronavirus outbreak, which has brought to a halt sport around the world.
Albion, Wednesday and the rest of the Championship still have nine matches left to play, the former sitting in the top two and six points clear of third placed Fulham.
They’d have been well backed at Hillsborough this Saturday, too - at least that’s according to owner Dejphon Chansiri, who has been talking about how clubs’ revenue is being affected in this unprecedented period, reckons the welcoming of Nottingham Forest and Albion, both chasing promotion, within the space of a week would’ve cost the club a six-figure sum of money.
He adds that he expected Albion to be followed by a similar number to the 4,500 that Forest were bringing.
“At the moment with the season under suspension, all clubs will lose significant matchday income for every game missed,” Chansiri told YorkshireLive in an exclusive interview. “This has already led to cash flow concerns and we have seen over the last few days that many clubs as you go further down the ladder have more than concerns.
“Championship clubs could have problems as they are more dependent on matchday income than Premier League clubs but the situation only gets more serious in League One and League Two where revenues are less. Matchday revenue is critical to clubs.
“At Sheffield Wednesday for example, Nottingham Forest would have brought around 4,500 fans last week so we lost a big six-figure sum just on one game. Then it is the same for West Brom with similar numbers for the game that was scheduled for this Saturday.
“I am sure talks are taking place with the government and football authorities to provide the best possible assistance where possible to help clubs at this very challenging time.”


birminghammail--2020-03-18--Mr Reliable - the lowdown on Aston Villa's €8m Ligue 1 target

Aston Villa are interested in Angers ’ highly rated midfielder Baptiste Santamaria , according to reports .
Santamaria has already been linked with a move to B6 both last summer when L ’ Equipe suggested Dean Smith had a serious interest in the defensive midfielder .
That ‘ serious ’ interest has now developed into an ‘ intense ’ one according to Get French Football News - so intense that Villa tried to swoop in to secure the midfielder in January .
Their 10 million euro bid was rejected , however .
As well as Villa , West Ham are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest in Santamaria , as well as Sevilla .
We 've spoken to contacts in France and this is what you need to know about the man who could be following Saiss and Ndoye to the Midlands , should Villa stay up .
Who is he ?
A defensive central midfielder who is 24 years old and was born in the small town of Saint-Doulchard .
He hasn ’ t left the Loire region yet , first playing for Bourges , then Tours and now Angers .
But he has played for France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bourges , who now play in the fifth tier of French football before moving to Tours at the age of 16 .
He was just 17 when he made his Ligue 2 debut for Tours against CA Bastia in October 2013 and he would go on to make 20 starts and score four times .
The following season , 2014/2015 was even more productive with 27 starts in the French second tier and he would remain a mainstay of the team until the summer of 2016 when Angers came calling .
Angers had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the summer of 2016 but they persisted and by June Tours had agreed to sell Santamaria to the Ligue 1 outfit .
He was chucked straight into the deep end .
Angers had expected him to play alongside Romain Saiss but within a couple of months the latter had been lured to Wolves .
With the team playing 4-1-4-1 , he was thrust straight into the defensive midfield role .
And he thrived , with Thomas Mangani on one side and Cheikh Ndoye on the other , a thunder and lightning combination Santamaria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He played 43 times in what was a relatively unfamiliar position .
However , in his second season he started to struggle .
The physically imposing Ndoye left for Birmingham City and the youngster started to lose his way .
He was in and out of the side for the first half of 2017/2018 only to recover and finish the season strongly .
Last season was undoubtedly his best at Angers and he emerged as the most important player in the team .
He played 40 games and provided the stable platform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create .
What kind of player he is ?
An absolute workhorse .
He regularly tops 12-13km in every match and has a reputation as one of the most industrious runners in the French top flight .
He is tactically clever , shielding the back four and has a surprisingly good shot from his days as a more attacking midfielder .
He could play in the middle of a 4-4-2 but would need a more technical player alongside him .
What would he cost ?
Angers don ’ t want to sell him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tait to move on .
With three years left on his contract Villa would do well to get him for much less than €8m-10m .
However , what the player wants will be a big consideration , Angers have never sought to hold back any of their better players - and it is understood Santamaria is keen on moving outside France - preferably to a club playing European football .
Villa 's bid in January for €10m was pushed back , so expect Santamaria to go for over €15m It ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such clubs , contacts in France have told BirminghamLive that Villa have watched him for several months , last season .
Is he Premier League ready ?
He certainly has the dedication , discipline and conditioning to give it a go .
He has told journalists in France that he is mentally ready for the challenge .
Udinese and Fiorentina were interested last summer but a move never materialised .
For all your latest Villa news , opinion , analysis and transfer gossip , click here

newsdesk@birminghamlive.co.uk (Brian Dick, James Rushton)

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get Villa transfer latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get Villa transfer latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox
Aston Villa are interested in Angers’ highly rated midfielder Baptiste Santamaria, according to reports.
Santamaria has already been linked with a move to B6 both last summer when L’Equipe suggested Dean Smith had a serious interest in the defensive midfielder.
That ‘serious’ interest has now developed into an ‘intense’ one according to Get French Football News - so intense that Villa tried to swoop in to secure the midfielder in January.
Their 10 million euro bid was rejected, however.
As well as Villa, West Ham are also believe to have some level of interest in Santamaria, as well as Sevilla.
We've spoken to contacts in France and this is what you need to know about the man who could be following Saiss and Ndoye to the Midlands, should Villa stay up.
Who is he?
A defensive central midfielder who is 24 years old and was born in the small town of Saint-Doulchard. He hasn’t left the Loire region yet, first playing for Bourges, then Tours and now Angers. But he has played for France Under 20s.
The early years
He came through at Bourges, who now play in the fifth tier of French football before moving to Tours at the age of 16.
He was just 17 when he made his Ligue 2 debut for Tours against CA Bastia in October 2013 and he would go on to make 20 starts and score four times.
The following season, 2014/2015 was even more productive with 27 starts in the French second tier and he would remain a mainstay of the team until the summer of 2016 when Angers came calling.
Moving on
Angers had a bid of €400,000 knocked back in the summer of 2016 but they persisted and by June Tours had agreed to sell Santamaria to the Ligue 1 outfit.
He was chucked straight into the deep end. Angers had expected him to play alongside Romain Saiss but within a couple of months the latter had been lured to Wolves.
With the team playing 4-1-4-1, he was thrust straight into the defensive midfield role.
And he thrived, with Thomas Mangani on one side and Cheikh Ndoye on the other, a thunder and lightning combination Santamaria had the platform on which to thrive.
He played 43 times in what was a relatively unfamiliar position.
The rollercoaster
However, in his second season he started to struggle. The physically imposing Ndoye left for Birmingham City and the youngster started to lose his way.
He was in and out of the side for the first half of 2017/2018 only to recover and finish the season strongly.
Last season was undoubtedly his best at Angers and he emerged as the most important player in the team.
He played 40 games and provided the stable platform from which others could go forward and create.
What kind of player he is?
An absolute workhorse. He regularly tops 12-13km in every match and has a reputation as one of the most industrious runners in the French top flight.
He is tactically clever, shielding the back four and has a surprisingly good shot from his days as a more attacking midfielder.
He could play in the middle of a 4-4-2 but would need a more technical player alongside him.
What would he cost?
Angers don’t want to sell him because they expect Stéphane Bahoken and Flavien Tait to move on.
With three years left on his contract Villa would do well to get him for much less than €8m-10m.
However, what the player wants will be a big consideration, Angers have never sought to hold back any of their better players - and it is understood Santamaria is keen on moving outside France - preferably to a club playing European football.
Villa's bid in January for €10m was pushed back, so expect Santamaria to go for over €15m
It’s not known if he has any offers from such clubs, contacts in France have told BirminghamLive that Villa have watched him for several months, last season.
Is he Premier League ready? He certainly has the dedication, discipline and conditioning to give it a go. He has told journalists in France that he is mentally ready for the challenge.
Udinese and Fiorentina were interested last summer but a move never materialised.
For all your latest Villa news, opinion, analysis and transfer gossip, click here


birminghammail--2020-03-18--The five kids racing Louie Barry for a big breakthrough at Villa

Aston Villa should find out their state of play following Thursday 's all-important Premier League meeting with chiefs set to decide on the future of the season .
It 's fully expected Villa 's next match vs Wolves on April 4 will be postponed with the Premier League set to roll into the summer and , quite possibly , the autumn in order to reach its conclusion .
With football on the back-burner , here we take a look at Villa 's up-and-coming teenage stars as they look to nudge themselves into Dean Smith 's plans ahead of the 2020/21 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Jacob Ramsey following the outbreak of the virus pandemic .
He made the switch from under-23s football to men 's football in January and had scored three goals in nine appearances for Doncaster Rovers .
Upon signing a loan deal , the 18-year-old penned a new , long-term contract at Villa Park with Smith a big admirer of Ramsey 's talents .
It was Smith who launched the Great Barr kid into first-team action last year vs Albion , remember .
The last time the boss was asked about the teenager he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bit and had endured a growth spurt which is evident given the way he 's taken to League One football like a duck to water .
Ramsey , a play-making central midfield player , will be banging on the door following his loan spell and will be a big part of Villa 's plans in pre-season and beyond , regardless of what division they 'll be in .
The January signing from Barcelona turns 17 in June and he 's already making waves for Villa 's under-18s and under-23 team .
Academy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priority to land Barry after taking the reins last year and managed to get a deal done , with chief exec Christian Purslow describing it as a `` game changer '' at a recent fan meeting .
As for Barry , the sky 's the limit and the kid from Sutton looks the real deal .
A regular for England under-17s , the fleet-footed striker is ice-cold in front of goal and , such is his own self-belief , is already targeting breaking into Smith 's first team before THIS season 's out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his eyes firmly on making an impression in pre-season , with his coach Harrison claiming he 'll become `` Villa 's No.9 in the future '' .
Now here 's a kid I really like .
Mungo Bridge is becoming a firm favourite for Smith , too , who promoted him to first-team training sessions prior to the virus break .
The 19-year-old struggled with injuries previously but now , after becoming the under-23s captain , is blossoming into a cool , calm and composed centre-half .
He 's the kid with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chat with John McGinn during one of the latest training sessions where the teenager was said to be more than holding his own up against Villa 's much-bulkier Premier League stars .
There have been reports of strong interest from AC Milan , with Villa yet to tie Bridge down on a long-term deal which should , given Smith 's appreciation , be forthcoming in the weeks and months to come .
Again , Bridge will be hopeful of a big stint with the first team next season .
He 's left-footed and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Tyrone Mings .
Another teenager Villa have been waxing lyrical about , Finnish stopper Vilijami Sinisalo .
Goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler believes the young keeper is one of the best 18-year-olds in Europe .
Like Bridge , Sinisalo has n't looked out of place in first-team sessions and it 's expected he 'll be pushing to become Villa 's new No.1 in the years to come .
`` Probably the best 16-year-old in England , Carney ( Chukwuemeka ) .
Absolutely no debate , he ’ s starting for the U23s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bold - message to supporters previously .
Chukwuemeka was cherry-picked from Northampton Town four years ago but his development at Bodymoor has been rocketing ever since .
A strong , powerful central midfielder , Chukwuemeka is a regular for England 's under-17s with Villa looking to speed up his progress by playing him at under-23 level .
This 17-year-old is attracting interest from across Europe , from Manchester City to Bayern Munich , such is his raw talent .
Jaden Philogene-Bidace has pace in abundance and has excelled playing for Villa 's under-23s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though , is expiring and it will be in Aston Villa 's interest to extend it to stop the big-hitting vultures swarming .
Philogene-Bidace is a winger and , with that a department currently lacking in quality of late , the teenager could be thrown into the first-team spotlight come next season .

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Aston Villa should find out their state of play following Thursday's all-important Premier League meeting with chiefs set to decide on the future of the season.
It's fully expected Villa's next match vs Wolves on April 4 will be postponed with the Premier League set to roll into the summer and, quite possibly, the autumn in order to reach its conclusion.
With football on the back-burner, here we take a look at Villa's up-and-coming teenage stars as they look to nudge themselves into Dean Smith's plans ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.
Jacob Ramsey
(Image: Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
You've got to feel for Jacob Ramsey following the outbreak of the virus pandemic. He made the switch from under-23s football to men's football in January and had scored three goals in nine appearances for Doncaster Rovers.
Upon signing a loan deal, the 18-year-old penned a new, long-term contract at Villa Park with Smith a big admirer of Ramsey's talents.
It was Smith who launched the Great Barr kid into first-team action last year vs Albion, remember.
The last time the boss was asked about the teenager he said Ramsey was starting to beef up a bit and had endured a growth spurt which is evident given the way he's taken to League One football like a duck to water.
Ramsey, a play-making central midfield player, will be banging on the door following his loan spell and will be a big part of Villa's plans in pre-season and beyond, regardless of what division they'll be in.
Louie Barry
The January signing from Barcelona turns 17 in June and he's already making waves for Villa's under-18s and under-23 team. Academy chief Mark Harrison made it his No.1 priority to land Barry after taking the reins last year and managed to get a deal done, with chief exec Christian Purslow describing it as a "game changer" at a recent fan meeting.
As for Barry, the sky's the limit and the kid from Sutton looks the real deal. A regular for England under-17s, the fleet-footed striker is ice-cold in front of goal and, such is his own self-belief, is already targeting breaking into Smith's first team before THIS season's out.
Barry, though, will have his eyes firmly on making an impression in pre-season, with his coach Harrison claiming he'll become "Villa's No.9 in the future".
Mungo Bridge
(Image: Aston Villa Football Club)
Now here's a kid I really like. Mungo Bridge is becoming a firm favourite for Smith, too, who promoted him to first-team training sessions prior to the virus break.
The 19-year-old struggled with injuries previously but now, after becoming the under-23s captain, is blossoming into a cool, calm and composed centre-half.
He's the kid with the dreadlocks you might have seen enjoying a chat with John McGinn during one of the latest training sessions where the teenager was said to be more than holding his own up against Villa's much-bulkier Premier League stars.
There have been reports of strong interest from AC Milan, with Villa yet to tie Bridge down on a long-term deal which should, given Smith's appreciation, be forthcoming in the weeks and months to come. Again, Bridge will be hopeful of a big stint with the first team next season. He's left-footed and could be seen as a long-term replacement for Tyrone Mings.
Viljami Sinisalo
(Image: Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
Another teenager Villa have been waxing lyrical about, Finnish stopper Vilijami Sinisalo.
Goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler believes the young keeper is one of the best 18-year-olds in Europe.
Like Bridge, Sinisalo hasn't looked out of place in first-team sessions and it's expected he'll be pushing to become Villa's new No.1 in the years to come.
Carney Chukwuemeka
"Probably the best 16-year-old in England, Carney (Chukwuemeka). Absolutely no debate, he’s starting for the U23s," was Purslow's defiant - and bold - message to supporters previously.
Chukwuemeka was cherry-picked from Northampton Town four years ago but his development at Bodymoor has been rocketing ever since. A strong, powerful central midfielder, Chukwuemeka is a regular for England's under-17s with Villa looking to speed up his progress by playing him at under-23 level.
Jaden Philogene-Bidace
This 17-year-old is attracting interest from across Europe, from Manchester City to Bayern Munich, such is his raw talent.
Jaden Philogene-Bidace has pace in abundance and has excelled playing for Villa's under-23s prior to the outbreak.
His deal, though, is expiring and it will be in Aston Villa's interest to extend it to stop the big-hitting vultures swarming.
Philogene-Bidace is a winger and, with that a department currently lacking in quality of late, the teenager could be thrown into the first-team spotlight come next season.