No doubt

THERE can not be much argument about John Terry winning the PFA Players' Player of the Year prize, nor the make up of many of the divisional awards. Kelvin Davis scooping the Championship goalkeeper accolade is entirely correct, as most Blues fans will testify, he has been outstanding on many an occasion this season and last.

No other Town player made it, although Jason De Vos and Jim Magilton were both picked for the Football League's team of the week. Perhaps Darren Bent might have squeezed out Nathan Ellington or Jason Roberts for the annual award, but the Wigan strikers come as a pair and their tally of goals speaks for itself.

Bent has been wonderfully consistent for Ipswich and will, no doubt, want to do so again next season, but it doesn't take a genius to realise that if Ipswich falter in the home stretch they will have to sell him in the summer.

It would also be the right thing for his career, he is a Premiership striker and that is where he deserves to be playing.

The rest of the Championship team pretty much picks itself although, on the evidence of what we saw at Portman Road, Tom Huddlestone is not the most convincing centre-half in the division.

I was impressed with Cardiff's Danny Gabbidon and Youl Mawene at Preston.

I'm not so sure I would have picked George McCartney of Sunderland either, Wigan's Leighton Baines, Lee Naylor at Wolves and Burnley's Mo Camara have impressed me more.

But it is all about opinions and, perhaps, you think differently. Feel free to let us know.

In Scotland, Hibernian's Derek Riordan won the Young Player of the Year award and his goals have helped play a part in Tony Mowbray and Mark Venus' success in taking the Edinburgh club to third in the SPL, and possible European football.

MUCH has been written and said about the fabulous FA Youth Cup win for Ipswich on Friday but enough praise can not be heaped upon the lads – not only for the gutsy display but for the whole manner in which they went about their job over the two legs and, indeed, the whole competition.

When Sammy Moore limped across the pitch to go off for treatment, leaving his side playing with just 10 men, it was, perhaps, naïve in these professional times. At the same time, it was wholly refreshing to see a player just wanting to get on with it and not spending time writhing around on the ground and delaying the game.

There were plenty of other sporting moments too and, although the ovations given to the Southampton players will be of little consolation to the distraught boys, it was a lovely touch.

Although penalties loomed and would, no doubt, have been a tense and thrilling climax, I for one was delighted that the game was settled in open play, and what a goal it was. Neither side deserved to lose in a lottery and I would have genuinely preferred the trophy to have been shared than go to spot kicks.

Imagine the horror for the lad who missed.

Bryan Klug sets the tone at Playford Road and Steve Wigley at Southampton and both Academies, the coaches, staff and players, deserve an awful lot of credit and are an excellent example of what is so wonderful about our national game.

MILLWALL goalkeeper Andy Marshall is out of next weekend's trip to Sheffield United after undergoing a brain scan yesterday. The former Ipswich player was knocked unconscious for two minutes following a collision with Richard Cresswell in the Lions' 2-1 win over Preston.

Marshall was taken to Kings College hospital and, although he was allowed to return home in the evening, there is no chance of him taking part at Bramall Lane.

LEEDS boss Kevin Blackwell will consult doctors again before considering a recall for skipper Paul Butler this season.

The 32-year-old defender has been sidelined since being knocked unconscious and swallowing his tongue against Sheffield United earlier this month.

WIGAN boss Paul Jewell has allowed Carlisle to extend the loan spell of Brazilian striker Magno Silva Vieira to allow him to feature in the Conference play-offs.

Highly-rated Vieira has scored 13 goals this season for Paul Simpson's side, but will return to the JJB Stadium once the campaign has been concluded.

derek.davis@eadt.co.uk