Baljit Kaur Howard was made to marry a family friend against her will: Albanpix

A helpline for victims has been inundated with callers. Jerome Taylor was given exclusive access to their harrowing stories

Hundreds of children fearing for their lives have called a new national helpline set up to assist victims of forced marriages since its launch four months ago, The Independent has learnt. Many are seeking ways to escape parents and family members who are trying to force them into unwanted marriages. Others have said they fear becoming victims of so-called "honour killings", because of social and sexual behaviour that their community disapproves of.

According to the first national breakdown of callers, an average of 62 victims are phoning for help every week. One in 10 is under the age of 16. One 14-year-old girl said she was in fear of her life because she had become pregnant and thought her parents would kill her or marry her off if they found out.

The Derby-based Honour Network, which began taking calls in April, is the first national helpline to give advice to those who are afraid of being forced into marriage or at risk of suffering honour-based violence.

Run by the refuge charity Karma Nirvana and initially funded by the Government's Forced Marriage Unit, the network is staffed by survivors of forced marriages who help find refuges for women who predominantly hail from Britain's South Asian and Middle Eastern communities.

According to Jasvinder Sanghera, who was disowned by her family for refusing a forced marriage and went on to set up Karma Nirvana, the youngest caller to the new helpline was 13.

"We have to move away from thinking that forced marriages and honour-based violence only affect a few people," she said. "These numbers will be just the tip of the iceberg."

Activists believe schools must do more to train teachers to be aware of the tell-tale signs that indicate a pupil might be at risk of a forced marriage so that they can alert the correct authorities without tipping off potentially violent family members.

Children who are taken out of school early and taken abroad for long periods of time are particularly at risk. In February, a Home Affairs Select Committee was told that in Bradford alone 250 girls aged 13 to 16 were taken off their school rolls in 2006 because they did not return from a visit abroad. At least 33 were still unaccounted for.

The Forced Marriage Unit, a joint venture between the Home Office and the Foreign Office, repatriates up to 70 victims a year who are forced into marriages abroad, but campaigners believe the true number is higher.

The most common age of victims calling the helpline was 17, while the Eastern, Midlands and London regions accounted for 57 per cent of all calls.

Although men can also be victims of forced marriages, 89 per cent of those appealing for help were female. Almost 80 per cent quoted "forced marriage" as the type of abuse being perpetrated, against them while 70 per cent also said they feared becoming victims of honour violence. When asked to name who was responsible for violence against them, just 13 per cent of victims mentioned husbands, while 71 per cent blamed immediate family.

"For me this is one of the most shocking, but insightful statistics," said Ms Sanghera. "It shows how violence is being perpetrated by the entire community, not just abusive husbands. That's why it is so hard to tackle and so difficult for people to escape."

Campaigners complain that historically the Government, police and local authorities have been afraid of tackling forced marriages and honour crimes for fear of upsetting those communities accused of practising them. But they have broadly welcomed legislation which from November will enable potential victims obtain an injunction halting a forced marriage.

Keith Vaz MP, head of the Home Affairs Select Committee investigating forced marriages, said he was not surprised by the figures. "The committee found that the majority of cases of forced marriage happens in the under-18s," he said. "I would like to praise the work that this helpline is doing."

Anyone wanting to contact the Honour Network can do so by telephoning 0800 5999 247

Baljit Kaur Howard: 'I was 17 and had never kissed a boy. I felt humiliated and degraded'

The home Baljit Kaur Howard has made for herself in a quiet Ipswich cul-de-sac is a world away from what she calls her "previous life". In her sitting room, a mug of tea in hand, she rests her head on her new husband, Phil. "It's taken me a long time to learn to love Phil," she says. "Before we met I'd never known what it was like to be loved unconditionally."

Bal, as she likes to be known, was 17 when her father announced that she was going to be married to a family friend she had met only once before. She then spent eight years trapped in an oppressive, loveless marriage. "I had always expected to have an arranged marriage, but I did not expect a forced marriage," she says. "I told my father that I didn't want to marry him. He just said, 'You'd better get used to the idea. If you run away I will find you'."

Now aged 39, Bal considers herself lucky. She escaped, but in doing so has been disowned by her family.

Born in the Indian Punjab to a Sikh family, Bal came to England at the age of one with her parents, who settled in Darlington.

"Growing up in Darlington was a schizophrenic existence," she recalls. "The house was India. Shoes and Western clothes were forbidden. So was English. But at school I was free. I ran around and made friends with whoever I wanted. I could actually be myself."

But by the time she reached puberty Bal's attendance at school had dropped from 100 per cent to 50. "I remember my father telling me: 'There's no need for an education where you're going'. But to my knowledge no one ever bothered to find out why I stopped turning up."

Bal believes school should have more of a role in looking for the signs of exclusion. She also believes that marriage registrars should be on the lookout for people who appear to be marrying against their will. Shortly after the marriage Bal was taken to her in-laws' home in Huddersfield where she slept with her ex-husband for the first time. "I was given a glass of milk to drink by a female member of his family. They said it would help me sleep. I was 17 and had never even kissed a boy before. I felt humiliated and degraded. I couldn't believe that my own parents had forced me into this utterly miserable situation."

The concept of honour had been so drummed into her that there were times Bal thought the only honourable escape was suicide.

She said: "I thought killing myself would be the one way I could end it all without dishonouring the family." Instead, she decided to try for a child, someone whom she hoped would love her back as much as she needed to be loved.

But the stress was too much and she miscarried three times. It was then that Bal decided she could take no more. She began interviewing for jobs in the London area and secretly organised a flat to flee to. She also began removing any bits of paper from the house that could later be used to track her down.

"The day of my Great Escape – 28 March 1996 – was the day my life began again," she says.

Five years and two diplomas later she met Phil in a pub and they married soon afterwards. "Invites went out to my family but they never showed up," says Bal. "That was when I knew I had to let go."

To read original article, go to:
independent.co.uk

stop-stoning.org

(http://ryblogging.wordpress.com)

Imagine you have to pay SGD$414.49 for a meal at your local Kentucky Fried Chicken KFC outlet for 2 persons?

This happened in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire in UK. A 24-year-old trainee nurse Natalie Jackson had gone to ......

To read more,

http://ryblogland.blogspot.com/2008/10/miss-your-meal-for-two-at-kentucky.html

(http://ryblogging.wordpress.com

This 3-day festival has in the past seen national stars such as Humphry Littlton, as well as a whole range of local talent.  There's loads going on this year too, including saxophonist Dave O'Higgins as well as rising-stars Empirical.

Exciting times!

Empirical are going to be a must-see for anyone around Marsden on the 11th, and as they are during the afternoon, that leaves plenty of time to see the Rare Groove Ensemble's sister-band Extra Curricular in the evening.

But...

...perhaps most excitingly of all is that the Rare Groove Ensemble will be performing in the festival at the Puleside WMC on Friday 10th Oct, kicking off at 8.30pm.

It's going to be a great gig - this will be our third trip out to the hills, and we've found that the Marsden crowd are always up for a party!

So, if you haven't heard us before, come ride the jazz-bus from Marsden town centre, and find out what all the fuss is about!

You can check us out on the official Marsden Jazz Festival page at: http://www.marsdenjazzfestival.com/Bands1.htm#Dirty_Boy

Please note that for this gig we are playing under our alternative name of 'Dirty Boy Jazz Massive'.

-----

Check out our website!  www.raregrooveensemble.co.uk

18 year-old Askham is a Sheffield lad, born on the 25th February 1990. He's a skilful midfielder with decent pace, usually played in a wide role (typically on the right flank). In his first two years at Bramall Lane he established himself first as an academy regular before latterly becoming a regular fixture in the Blades' reserve side.

Askham may have come to the United's attention at the back end of last season. The youngster was part of the Sheffield United U18 side that hosted the Reds in early April, and played a part in the hosts' equalising goal that day (after Federico Macheda had given United an early lead). He will also be known to Gary Woods and Danny Welbeck, having been part of the England U17 setup at the same time as them.

There's a clip floating around on youtube of Askham that shows his skill-level (if admittedly not much of his overall game):

The triallist made a useful first impression at Huddersfield on Saturday, scoring a very well-taken goal. At first glance there's a definite resemblance to Lee Martin in terms of style of play, and the 18 year-old certainly didn't look out of place in what is a strong Reds' academy side. It remains to be seen whether a permanent contract offer is forthcoming or not but, either way, you'll hear about it here.
 

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Operating since 1998, FBATV works with and develops the talents of actors with learning disabilities. The theatre company delivers bespoke productions for its cast of ten to twelve actors and tours mainstream theatres around Britain. Last years collaborative production of Pinocchio premiered at York Theatre Royal before touring to the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield and then on to the West Midlands. Alongside the adult company, over sixty young people with learning disabilities take part in Full Body and the Voice youth theatre sessions held in Kirklees every week.

FBATV also deliver high level training contracts to corporate organisations including South Yorkshire Police. The company have trained more than 300 South Yorkshire police officers in communications techniques which have assisted officers in interviewing vulnerable witnesses. Through role play and discussion, the company's actors encourage a greater understanding by police of requirements when dealing with people with learning disabilities.

The Lloyds TSB Foundation grant will allow the charity to expand its capacity and meet demand for its successful projects, creating more opportunities for people with learning disabilities in Yorkshire. Full Body and The Voice is currently advertising to recruit an acting tutor and outreach worker, with the ambition of training fifteen new actors.

Maggie McEwan, managing director at FBATV commented, "We are very proud of what the company have achieved in the past decade. Our actors successfully tour mainstream theatre venues in the UK and abroad as well as picking up some television work. A BBC Inside Out documentary on one of the company actresses was broadcast in February 2008. The Lloyds TSB Foundation funding means we can be even more ambitious in the years ahead and provide further opportunities for young people with learning disabilities in the theatrical profession."
A parent of one participant in the youth theatre described the value of the FBATV projects, "Young people with learning disabilities don't have many prospects after schools and what FBATV has achieved with these kids money can't buy."

Lloyds TSB Foundation head of grant making North, Anne Dawson, added "This organisation is doing really innovative work and we are delighted to support them as they expand and reach out to new communities in Yorkshire."

Ian McMillan, patron of Full Body and the Voice, will be launching his autobiography on stage at the Lawrence Batley Theatre on November 17th, with all proceeds from the evening donated to the charity. If you would like to find out more about this event, or the company's next production please contact Maggie McEwan on 01484 484 441 or visit their website www.fullbody.org.uk  . FBATV is currently looking for new volunteers to help with future projects.

Courtesy of our good friend George, we now have a shiny brand new website!

Check it out at: www.raregrooveensemble.co.uk

There are several methods you can use to find a local supplier of equipment that you need.

Depending on the product and it's usage you can easily find a reputable company that can supply whatever you are looking to hire or purchase. What is more difficult is sourcing it in your local area and in an acceptable timeframe.

Traditionally most people (both private and business users) have used the old fashioned method of reaching for the yellow pages directory. As we speak this is still popular however due to it's expensive advertising structure a large number of companies are now looking elsewhere to advertise and market their services and products. This means the yellow pages is now more of a hit or miss scenario as to whether you find the supplier and goods you are seeking.

For business users the "business pages" directory has always been popular. Aimed at local geographical areas (such as bradford or wakefield) this directory lists the majority of companies and includes a large business type listing section inside.

Use Of The Internet:

Over recent years the internet (the world wide web) has exploded with regards to the service and information which is now within reach to anyone who needs or wants it. Any homeowner or business user with access to a personal computer (or even a mobile phone) can now by use of a search engine easily look up and find nearly anything and everything they want.

The most popular search engine in the world is without a doubt the famous google. This search engine has evolved over the years and is impressive in the way it returns relevant and accurate information - all relevant to the search terms you are looking for.

Google Search Example:

If you were looking to find a local supplier for "linen hire in leeds yorkshire" - then by entering this search criteria into google'e search box you will be presented with all and everything in google's library that relates to these words. More importantly you will also be presented with the results in a graded listing from top to bottom, of the suppliers which are most relevant to these same search terms.

By using the internet and the top search engines such as google you will easily and quickly be able to research and hopefully find any local supplier for any product or services that you need.

This could be a supplier of floor sanders for hire in your local area, or a company selling power tools such as Dewalt at the cheapest prices.

The know how and technology behind how this great search engine returns these results is a closely guarded secret and not one which google makes common knowledge.

I was confused by the colour of the away team's shirts. They were sort of gold, but perhaps not bright enough, so perhaps they had a bit of silver mixed in, or maybe they were bronze. I guess you could call them an olympic pic'n'mix. I had hoped to remark that on the result of this game we took the Gold medal and Huddersfield the Silver - but a 0-0 bore draw doesn't produce any winners.

The game did have its Olympic moments. Gymnastics took centre stage. Yeates hit the bar and ran rings round himself and we produced two Matts in our line up. There was a regular supply of diving, occasionally synchronised with the referee's whistle, and plenty of wrestling that the officials ignored. The ref got involved in lots of rowing (you need to pronounce this correctly). Several players put their shot(s) wide of the mark and at half time an archery target appeared on the field. Sadly absent was the 100 metre sprint (upfield) and lots of shooting. I'm sure there are lots more events that others can think up along these lines.

The half time entertainment involved a golfer and our very own David Perkins aiming their balls at the target on the halfway line. A commentary on what they were actually trying to do would have been good, and maybe an explanation of how they chose the winner. Despite that I think this could be a better time waster than the shed and wall of previous seasons.

A lot of the old chants and songs emerged throughout the game, but the one thing that can't be replicated is the stamping of feet on the wooden floor during the preparation for corners and free-kicks. Sadly the lack of goals also meant that the Layer Road Cheerful couldn't express the full range of emotions associated with a good game of football. In the New Barside (East) the residents stood up throughout the game. Old habits die hard!

I think I missed the safety announcements. Maybe we don't now have to remain calm or await further instructions, although I guess they are still thinking about what things to warn us about. The steps in the stands are pretty steep so perhaps we need to be warned about that.

As for the game, it was overawed by the occasion. The players didn't seem to fight hard enough, often enough, and it was all rather flat at the end. There didn't seem to be a desire to win the ball back or make the most of promising positions. In Olympic terms it was all a bit like today's sailing competition - canceled due to lack of wind.

YouCanHire specialise in the hire / rental of quality coloured and white table linen, table cloths, napkins, table runners, and chair covers.

As the Uk's leading supplier of event equipment we supply our range of linen to both the homeowner organising a private party as well as to the weddings and events trade.

Having beautiful presented table linen for your party, wedding, or special occasion can make all the difference and add a finishing touch to your event. The table linen we supply is available in a large selection of tasteful colours to either contrast or compliment with your overall theme.

Confidence In Choosing YouCanHire: With many years experience in the event hire industry you will have full peace of mind when choosing us as your prefered supplier. Whether you are hosting a private party for several guests or a large corporate function for several thousand, we have the experience and staff to handle it. Our friendly staff and event management service can work closely with you, or your chosen venues staff and management to ensure your wishes and requirements are met, and without any hassle or stress.

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Linen For Special Occasions - Coloured Linen - Slip Cloths - Napkins - Table Runners - Chair Covers

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He was one of the first football managers in the modern sense of the word, taking full charge of the team, rather than letting board members pick the side. As well as his tactical innovations, Chapman was also a strong believer in physical fitness in football – he instituted a strict training regime and the use of physiotherapists and masseurs. He encouraged his players to openly discuss tactics and the game...

Unlike many of his contemporaries in Britain, Chapman was a fan of the continental game.... Chapman proposed a Europe-wide club competition more than twenty years before the European Cup was instituted, and regularly took his teams abroad to play foreign sides. He was one of the first managers to consider signing black and foreign players....

...Chapman became an early advocate of floodlights. He had lights installed in Highbury's new West Stand when it was constructed in 1932; however they were only used for training and Arsenal would have to wait until the 1950s for their officially-sanctioned use in matches.

He oversaw much of the development of Highbury in the early 1930s, including the building of the East and West Stands, and the addition of a clock which was eventually placed by the south terrace, giving it the name of the "Clock End". He is also credited with being behind the renaming of London Underground's Gillespie Road station to Arsenal He even designed the scoreboard and turnstiles at the stadium.

Chapman also advocated the use of white footballs and numbered shirts.... The tradition of both teams walking out together at the FA Cup Final was started in 1930 due to Herbert Chapman's involvement with both clubs, and has continued since^.

There are so many points there that remind me of Wenger -- the diet and exercise, overseeing the stadium and getting involved in the design, as well as just the forward thinking nature of the man. Though I doubt even Wenger would manage to persuade London Transport to change the name of a tube station, when you think of the cost of updating maps, machines, etc. Chapman's powers of persuasion must have been something else. I wonder how he would have handled Ferguson and Mourinho...

Last night's match wasn't the most exciting it has to be said, but there were some performances that caught my eye. In particular Kieran Gibbs has been excellent this preseason, playing with such assurance at left back when he's usually a midfielder.

When I look at some of the players last night like Barazite or Randall, who are such excellent prospects, I wonder how they'll get into an already young squad, and will their only option in the end be to leave. Up front particularly is crowded, Jay Simpson might have to look elsewhere for first team football unfortunately.

On to the senior side of things, it seems that Kolo has recovered from the malaria and will be back for the West Brom game, but not for next week's Champion's League qualifier, which isn't ideal. Blasted mosquitos, sticking their proboscis where it's not wanted.

At the other end of the footballer's timeline, Freddie Llungberg has apparently been paid off by West Ham. It's amazing how quickly a player's star falls once he approaches 30. I remember being outside Selfridges waiting for a friend a few years ago, it was the time of the Calvin Klein ads which had Freddie plastered over London's buses wearing nothing but CK pants.

From my own female perspective, it has to be said he looked very fetching, particularly in the black ones. Anyhow, I didn't realise that Freddie had made a guest appearance in the men's underwear department just earlier and was signing, well, underpant packets I suppose. The big display windows were filled with huge pictures of him, right across the store. There were crowds, and I mean hoards, of women of various ages, with their camera phones out photographing the pictures of Freddie and talking about seeing him. It was a brightly shining year for Freddie, it could well have been the Invincibles year.

One thing you could always rely on from him was that in the big games you knew he'd not shrink away like some of his team mates did on occasion -- he loved the high-pressure matches. And to a great degree I think Bergkamp helped make his name, because Freddie's forté was his perfectly timed runs and Bergkamp could deliver the perfect ball, they played so well together.

Since he's on a free, I hope some good team picks him up, perhaps abroad where the game's not so crazy. Bless you Freddie, both you and your pants too.

The Arsenal beat northern monkeys Huddersfield 2-1 in a friendly match up which was sponsored by 'give a friendly match a competition name just to make it sound more appealing' - i.e. The Herbert Chapman Cup. The friendly was all part of the Terriers centenary celebrations and in my opinion was a nice touch as 'Sir' Chapman shaped both the histories of Huddersfield and The Arsenal. Onto the game which was live on Arsenal TV on that there Setanta. It was quite a good game as it happens, many would of been disappointed if they expected to see The Arsenal first team as it wasn't even a select Arsenal XI, it was the reserves playing in all truthfulness. However disappointment aside it gave the younger players a run out and show what they can do and try and do a 'Jack Wilshere' and gatecrash The Arsenal first team. I for one wasn't disappointed by seeing the reserves have a run out, what with The Emirates Cup last weekend and The Amsterdam Tournament this weekend we can't expect our first team to play all those and still be fully fit and mad for it come the beginning of the season. 

There was some impressive performances and what stands out is the way we play football. Whatever the team, the first, the reserves, the youths, the women's probably - they all play 'The Arsenal way' it's like there's a production line of mini-me's and clones. Wenger has taught them well as is every bit as influential at The Arsenal as 'Sir' Herbert Chapman was. The scorers on the night was Sanchez Watt who sounds like a Mexican measurement of electricity and Dutchman Nacer Barazite, who impresses me more every time I see him. I think it's just a matter of time for him to break into the first team squad, he has the vision and the touch and reminds me a bit of his fellow countryman  Robin van Persie - but without the injuries. 

So well done to the kids who on the night was captained by Justin Hoyte who has recently said he wants to fight for his place and stay at The Arsenal. It's the next bit which is the hard part, Hoyte says he has to raise his game and get to the level of Bacari Sagna. I wish the kid luck however at 23 years old you would have to think that this will be his last season for Hoyte to impress. He wont get much first team football if 'The Bac' stays fit but you have to love his determination and grit to make it at The Arsenal and being a Gooner through and through you do feel for the former England U21 man. I hope he puts in a good show this season, who knows he might even have a 'Mathieu Flamini' season, stranger things have happened. 

Go Green

Trash talk on the go is that West Ham United's Rob Green is being linked to us again, Why? Where do the media get their stories from? Don't believe it people it's not even a goer, Arsene Wenger is not in the market for a keeper or even a central defender which near enough everyone is screaming for. Next thing you know Newcastle United's Obafemi Martins is going to be linked to us, well it has been at least five days since he was last last linked.

About 6m sounds about right - says Fred

Lastly and it's a none Arsenal subject. The subject is ex-Arsenal leg-end of the diagonal run and free scoring in his heyday Freddie Ljungberg. The Super Swede who's Happy Hammer's career has been less than happy has been given the old heave-ho. However what would put the smile on anyones face getting the bullet is a £6m pay off - well it would be unless your Bill Gates. So a £6m payoff not bad work if you can get is it? 

So as it's probably going to be a quiet day, here's a question for you good people to have some tomfoolery - go to the comments section - and let us know, for £6m what would you walk away from? And as I'm feeling generous, the best answer can grab a shirt from the Allgoonerdup Online Shop. Now that aint bad a days work is it?

Girl in a shirt

Allgoonerdup is looking to give the Goonerbabe page a bit of a boost and we're going for a 'Girl in the Shirt' approach. Do you have any pictures of your girl in the shirt or girls get yourself seen on the Goonerbabe wall and send in your own pictures. Lets get this party started right. Send your pictures in and tell us your name, favourite player, favourite all time player, favourite drink and if you have anything else to declare to babe@allgoonerdup.com

Join the Allgoonerdup Fantasy Premier League

If you think you can outdo Arsene Wenger or more to the point want to give it Charlie Big Potato's over the other armchair managers out there jump on board and join the Allgoonerdup mini league, this year in the guise of our comments site Son of Allgoonerdup. There will be prize for the winner and it will have a 20th anniversary Championship winning feel to it, that or a keg load of beer for the lucky punter! To get your team in and get your game on click the below link to get started.

http://fantasy.premierleague.com

Sign up to it

Design your team

Join the league by entering this pin into the ‘Join league bit’ (League Pin 73628-19858)!

(The league is called sonofallgooneredup)

Then you are away!

The deadline is August the 16th!

On a separate note, our reserves beat Huddersfield 2-1 last night, with goals from Sanchez Watt and Nacer Barazite. I'm sure if Diaby was playing we would have lost 4-2 and he would have been useless. Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere once again had decent enough games, and I'm predicting 15 Premiership appearances for Ramsey and 5 for Wilshere this season. The fact that Wilshere is only 16 years old won't make a single bit of difference, Wenger will play him.

I'm still holding out for that phone call one day when someone tells me that Jack Wilshere is actually my real son. It's possible. I'm clutching onto a dream, a very unrealistic dream, but a dream nonetheless.

Looking forward to the Amsterdam Tournament this weekend, where you'll get a real indication of our strongest team in Wenger's opinion.

Huddersfield Town celebrated 100 years as a football club today with a fairly uneventful game against a Arsenal side composed of players from the youth team, the reserve team and the first team.  The two side would be battling it out for the inaugural Herbert Chapman Trophy.

Arsenal fell behind with 15 minutes to goal, but the young Gunners fought back with an instant response from Watt before the Herbert Chapman Trophy was secured by a long-range effort from talent Dutch forward Nacer Barazite.

Huddersfield Town Starting XI

Glennon

Williams - Unsworth - Clarke - Skarz

Flynn - Collins - Roberts - Kamara

Cadamarteri - Beckett

Arsenal Starting XI

Fabianski

J.Hoyte - Djourou - G.Hoyte - Gibbs

Lansbury - Randall - Ramsey - Wilshere

Vela - Walcott

First Half

The match commenced with Arsenal instantly on the back foot from a brief Huddersfield attack.  However Arsenal coped easily with a lightning quick break down the centre of the park from Walcott who carried on the slick move with a pass to Wilshere. Wilshere, just 16, pulled back a ball but all Mark Randall could do was blast the ball over the over and wide.

It was not long before Arsenal were on the attack again with some good link-up play between Vela and Wilshere which saw the winger slot a clever reverse pass to play Vela in, who had made a darting run into the box. Vela did well to get the shot away, but the angle was always a tricky one and the goalkeeper made a decent save to end the attack.

Arsenal quickly found themselves on the back foot again with some very sloppy defending which saw the back four failing to close down Joe Scotts who whipped in some threatening, albeit in vain. Huddersfield were in possession once more and Fabianski had to act quick to stop a fizzing shot from outside the area. Despite the warning from Huddersfield, the Gunners continued to be half-asleep at the back. The ball was given away cheaply by Djourou and Fabianski had to be called into action to prevent a Luke Beckett strike from hitting the back of the net.

Huddersfield had the lions share of possession and were winning the vast majority of 50-50s in the middle of the park as Arsenal failed to secure a foothold in the game. The tempo was noticeably higher than both the matches against Real Madrid and Juventus at the weekend and the young Arsenal side seemed slightly taken aback by it. Ken Marchen appeared to be everywhere, mustering up some threatening attacks that the Arsenal back four struggled to extinguish. There was a distinct lack of support for the defence from the midfield, with both Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey failing to provide back up for the likes of Gibbs and Djourou. This made the defending all the more ragged as Arsenal remained on the back foot.

Huddersfield's attacking mentality paid off when Luke Beckett beat a poor offside trap to find himself in a one-on-one situation with Fabianski. Gooners were holding their breath, but a chivalrous Gavin Hoyte dived in with a confident challenge that nullified the scare.

Arsenal had their chances and a Fabregas-esque through ball from Ramsey to Walcott saw the Huddersfield defence split open and a swift shot from Walcott edge painfully past the post. Arsenal began to probe and kept the ball with a lot more efficiency. The new found possession allowed the ineffective Vela to have an attempt at goal but it was easily dealt with by the now confident Glennon.

The ball was still going astray from the boots of the careless Arsenal players and Huddersfield were closing down with ruthless efficiency. The Arsenal goal was again under threat, but Fabianski could just watch as a glancing header went wide from a free kick. Cadamarteri was troubling the back four but Djourou proved to strong and blocked his effort on goal.

The last move of the half came with a quick break from Arsenal. Walcott got away from his defender but Glennon provided a fine double save to deny Arsenal the lead.

Second Half

Frimpong, Simpson, Barazite, Emmanuel-Thomas and Watt were all brought on at the break as Arsenal and Huddersfield exchanged attacks.  The Arsenal back four still looked slightly shaky as the Terriers strike force tried their chances.  A Huddersfield shot slipped past the post, but the opening period of the second half was fairly quiet on both sides.

Jay Simpson got off to a positive start and 10 minutes into the half a well-struck shot went agonisingly close but was just a whisker wide. Arsenal picked up the tempo as the half progressed, and a chance was created when Kieran Gibbs pulled back a pass to Watt after a surging run, only for Watt to sky the shot. Rui Fonte and Harvard Nordveit were then brought on for Djourou and Lansbury as play was fairly stagnant. A brief Arsenal attack saw Randall's skillful and weaving run snuffed out by three Huddersfield players as the game began to liven up

As the tempo began to increase, a wide ball from Huddersfield failed to be cleared by the Arsenal defence and the ball fell at the feet of substitute James Berrett whose powerful shot was unfortunately deflected past Mannone would stop no chance of stopping the goal.

Goal - James Berrett - Huddersfield (75 mins)

Arsenal went looking for an instant reaction and a speedy dash down the right from Jay Simpson looked promising as he pulled it back towards Sanchez Watt.  Watt's first attempt was blocked but he got another chance and he calmly slotted the ball past the Huddersfield keeper.

Goal - Sanchez Watt (78 mins)

Arsenal went looking for the winner and a wide ball from Bartley inadvertently found Gibbs on the edge of the area, however his left footed strike curled wide of the post.  Arsenal began to dominate possession as they strived for a winner.  Gibbs and Randall (the latter being the newly assigned captain) stared to impose themselves for on the game.  Randall won possession again and found Nacer Barazite, who had almost been a non-entity in the second half.  But Barazite lost his marker with a clever turn and struck the ball from outside the area.  The goalkeeper got a good, heavy hand to the shot, but the piledriver was too powerful for the keeper to prevent as the ball bounced over the line.

Goal - Nacer Barazite (88 mins)

Some late Huddersfield attacking was held off, as a confident second half performance saw Arsenal run out as the rightful winners.

Player Ratings

Fabianski – 5: Did well to stop some shots in the first half and collected some corners well. However he didn’t look confident at times and appeared to be flapping at crosses in a few situations.

J.Hoyte – 5.5: Part of the shaky first half defence which was very sloppy, but nearly some nice work with Ramsey in the first half.

Djourou – 5: Not a very good captain, failed to organise the back four and his positioning was to blame for Beckett’s one-on-one chance in the first half.

G.Hoyte – 6: Again, part of the sloppy first half defence, however his goal stopping challenge was very good.

Gibbs – 7: Fairly composed at left back in the first half, maybe beaten to easily. Some good runs down the left in the second half that caused Huddersfield defence problems.

Lansbury – 5.5: Poor first half, gave ball away too often in midfield. Played better in second half but was taken off early.

Randall – 6.5: Atoned for poor first half display with solid second half and a good ball to Barazite for the second goal.

Ramsey – 6.5: Best player of the first half with good passing vision, unlucky not to see his passes turn into assists.

Wilshere – 5: Very quiet night for the 16 year old. Had one good run into the box, but otherwise a poor night for the winger. Overran too many runs.

Vela – 5: Again, a very quiet night. Lacked the goal scoring edge he has shown he has, but made some good runs in the first half.

Walcott – 6.5: Good use of pace on the counter attack and was very close to scoring a great goal. Bright spark of the first half along with Ramsey.

Substitutes

Frimpong – 5.5: Wasn’t as active as many hoped, but a solid performance that will boost his confidence.

Simpson – 7.5: Injected real energy into the Arsenal team. His blistering run provided the equaliser, which gave Arsenal the confidence to go on and win the game.

Barazite – 6: Not very prominent until the goal. The goal was very well taken and credit is due.

Fonte – 5: Didn’t see much of the Portuguese and he wasn’t trying as hard as other youngsters on the pitch.

Emmanuel-Thomas – 5.5: Failed to clear a cross well enough which eventually led to the Huddersfield goal. But otherwise dealt with Huddersfield well.

Watt – 6.5: Looked the most likely to score and took his goal with great composure.

Nordveit – 6: Gave the team a more attacking edge in the last 15 minutes and was pushing up providing support well.

Bartley – 5: Had a quiet time at the back, but faired well.

Mannone – 5.5: Only incident was the goal, which he could have done nothing about due to the deflection.

Gooner Talk's Man of the Match: Jay Simpson - Very energetic play from the striker and really gave the team the momentum they needed to go on and seize victory. Maybe if he continues in this vein he can prove to Wenger that he is worthy of challenging for a Carling Cup place.

Arsenal take on Huddersfield Town tonight at the Galpharm Stadium in a match celebrating a 100 years of the League 1 club and the connection of Herbert Chapman.

The Terriers are set to mix it with some of Europe's most highly-rated youngsters in the form of Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Carlos Vela and Aaron Ramsey.

Town boss Stan Ternent admitted the result isn't of great importance but to be up against a team like Arsenal should be a fantastic test.

"I want them all to play (Huddersfield players) and the result isn't of great importance - it's more about celebrating the 100 years of the Club and the connection of Herbert Chapman, a very successful manager both here and at Arsenal. It should be a night that the fans enjoy."

A special gold away kit was commissioned by Mitre will be worn by Huddersfield for tonights game which is televised live on Arsenal TV.

Team News - Huddersfield Town

Goalkeeper Paul Gerrard has a groin strain and will not be involved, but experienced defender David Unsworth will play.

Michael Flynn is another injury worry but the rest of Huddersfield's squad should get at least 45 minutes under their belts.

Huddersfield were England’s leading club in the 1920s, when the legendary Chapman set them on the way to a hat-trick of League titles before moving to Arsenal where he repeated the feat in the early 1930s. And Arsenal’s first major honour, the 1930 FA Cup, was won with a final against Huddersfield at Wembley.

Predicted Starting XI

Glennon
Williams - Unsworth - Clarke - Skarz
Flynn - Collins - Roberts - Kamara
Jevons - Beckett

Team News - Arsenal

Arsenal are literally set to bring out the Young Guns for tonights match with several Under 18 stars included in the 20-man squad.

Emmanuel Frimpong, Sanchez Watt and Jay Thomas will most likely play the second half at the Galpharm stadium while Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey, Carlos Vela and Jack Wilshere can all be sure to play 45 minutes.

With the Amsterdam Tournament coming up this weekend, Arsene Wenger can expect to see a rejuvinated young side on show, I'm personally looking forward to seeing Dutch starlet Nacer Barazite in action - a player who has seen limited chances to play during this pre-season.

Predicted Starting XI

Fabianski
J.Hoyte - G.Hoyte - Djourou - Gibbs
Lansbury - Randall - Ramsey - Wilshere
Walcott - Vela

Match Prediction: Huddersfield 1-4 Arsenal

Leave your predictions and views in the comments section below.

I dag har West Ham besluttet, at Ljungberg ikke er sin løn værd og fristillet ham med et kæmpe økonomisk tab. Det nævnes, at Roma har været interesseret i ham på det sidste - det er vel samme situation som, at Newcastle meldtes interesseret i Julio Baptista.... og var villige til at betale 100 millioner kroner, uden pis.

Unge danske Jonas Rasmussen har nu underskrevet en professionel kontrakt med os. Han er nok ikke så talentfuld som Big Ben, men tillykke til ham.

Til slut er der venskabskamp mod Huddersfield i aften. Mange af de unge og reserverne skal i aktion. Jeg kommer ikke til at se den, men glæder mig som altid til highlights i morgen.

Theo is gunning for silverware this season.

""If we all believe in ourselves, all believe in our team, I am sure we can do anything,"

"All you have to do is put your mind to it.

Can't fault the lad's attitude, more of this mentality within the team and I believe we have a very good chance of winning silverware this season. We were on top of the table for most of last season and just over midway, we started to crumble along with some questionable reactions from our skipper. However, this season looks promising with our new additions Ramsey, Nasri, Vela and perhaps Wilshere. All very technically astute and are goal threats. We miss you already Hleb. (you bastard)

Sagna believes that the squad is stronger, wiser and what have you. I reckon he just ripped that off that Daft Punk song to be honest but as spasticated as he looks, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Finally, before I rant any longer, our pre-season game tonight is against Huddersfield with the average age for our squad against them being 18. This should be another good runout for the lads fitness wise etc etc. We are also apparently helping the Terriers celebrate their centenary. Pretty fucking miserable celebrations if you ask me, once we thrash them of course.

Until tomorrow you half-arsed cunts.

The stories of us going after Moutinho are getting stronger but the reasons for it bother me,

'Without the funds to pay for Sporting's Miguel Veloso, Arsenal are to study other options, with Moutinho topping the list.'

This was a direct quote from one of the sites I read today but why on earth did I bother to write a piece yesterday if these people can't be arsed to read it? The quote goes on to say we can't afford Veloso because we already spent the money on Nasri, no we didn't moron, that was the Hleb money, we still have the £25 million left, plus all the money from the sell-ons, less the money spent on Ramsey, why can't these people do a little research? It doesn't take much does it?

For that reason I still believe we'll sign either Veloso or Barry, why the scousers haven't signed him is beyond me, do they want him or don't they? if they don't why don't we move for him?

This is the bit where in October, Wenger will tell us he almost signed him and didn't, if you almost sign someone it means you wanted them, we need someone so if it's one of them,  for gods sake sign them now.

I can't see the point in taking all the kids tonight, what will we learn? given this was a Herbert Chapman 'thank you' game we should have at least taken the first team, and if it is so close to the Amsterdam tournament, we should have played it yesterday.

We are taking Justin Hoyte, for what? doesn't he know by now the lad will never make it at Arsenal, it must be humiliating for the poor sod, being taken up there with the hopefuls, I just don't see the point.

Good to see Barazite getting a chance, for me Barazite should be getting a squad number. Sadly no Merida, I wonder where he is?

So a night in front of the laptop watching the kids again, still could be worse, why don't England play all their worthless friendlies in the off season, that way it wouldn't interfere with the real season.

It was a rhetorical question before any AKB jumps on that one, and talking of AKB's, we had just the one yesterday and one scouser, I think they must do one of three things - 1) they get fed up, 2) they go back to school or 3) they read the blog and realise that most of what we all say here makes sense, what do you think?

Have a fun day and enjoy the game tonight.

Courtesy BBC SPORTS

Nothing excites a football fan over the summer months quite as much as a few new faces.

I have always enjoyed turning up for a pre-season fixture to take a look at the summer signings. The fact that you can never really conclude anything about a player in a pedestrian and more or less completely meaningless game against some local amateur outfit takes a back seat while you try to wrestle with the big questions.

Are they any good? Has the gaffer finally found the missing piece of the jigsaw? Does this guy ever kick the ball with his left foot? How on earth did the manager find someone from the second tier of the Belgian league?

Come to think of it, summer signings probably don't do any harm to season ticket sales and a constant flow of transfer speculation keeps the local paper ticking over during the fallow summer weeks.

But with the Football League starting on Saturday, just what has been the best bit of business during the summer?
I'm not talking necessarily about the most expensive or high-profile - it could be a wise old head on a free transfer or a real gem unearthed from non-league. What I'm looking for is the most inspired signing of the summer, the player who could make the difference between success and failure.

I'm not going to pretend for a moment that I'm familiar with every decent transfer - that is where you lot come in - but here are a few contenders for your consideration.

Derby County, not surprisingly, have been very busy and I think the striking partnership of Rob Hulse (£1.75m from Sheffield United) and Nathan Ellington (season-long loan from Watford) could be the best in the Championship.

Ellington was terrible last season but the word is that he is desperate to prove his knockers wrong while Rams boss Paul Jewell certainly knows how to get the best out of him. Hulse is a talented footballer but has different attributes to the pacy and athletic Ellington and they should complement each other. Defender Alan Stubbs also looks a good acquisition.

Freddy Eastwood's move from Southend to Wolves really didn't work out but he should be a decent acquisition for Coventry, while Arturo Lupoli, once of Arsenal, is an intriguing loan signing for Norwich from Italian side Fiorentina.

Nicky Maynard is an intelligent footballer, with good awareness in and around the box. If Bristol City were a touch predictable towards the end of last season then he should add a new dimension to their game, though at £2.25m from Crewe he did not come cheap.

A couple of veterans worth keeping an eye on are striker Andy Cole and midfielder Lee Carsley. Cole has moved to his home-town club of Nottingham Forest and the 36-year-old wants his final season as a player to end in promotion. A big ask. Carsley has joined Birmingham on a free transfer from Everton. He was a regular last season and I think he could prove to be a brilliant signing. The fact he has been made captain in the absence of Damien Johnson hints at the impact he has already had.

Several teams have looked to shore up their defences. They might not grab headlines but Mark Hudson (Palace to Charlton) and Kaspars Gorkss (Blackpool to QPR) could prove to be important and much-needed captures.

Leeds are desperate to win promotion to the Championship and reports suggest that midfielder Andy Robinson is set to play an important role. Argentine Luciano Becchio remains an unknown quantity but the striker has spent time with Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Mallorca (though last season he played in Spain's third tier with Merida).

Derby County and Crystal Palace fans no doubt remember Marco Reich, the German forward who is back in English football with Walsall having joined from Kickers Offenbach. He was quality last time he was here and in League One he should have plenty to offer.

David Livermore was very consistent at Millwall but after joining Leeds in July 2006 the midfielder was sold by the Yorkshire club to Hull less than two weeks later. The Tigers loaned him to Oldham last season but after signing for Brighton permanently in July, I expect him to have real presence for the Seagulls.

A colleague of mine is adamant that the signing of the summer in League One is Kieran Lee, who has joined Oldham from Man Utd. I've never seen him play - have you? As a full-back/midfielder he certainly provides options for Latics boss John Sheridan.

Liverpool central defender Jack Hobbs is hoping to gain valuable first-team experience on a season-long loan at Leicester from Liverpool. The Foxes have also brought in defender Michael Morrison from Cambridge United. Manager Nigel Pearson is a former centre-half and both could blossom under his tutelage.

Huddersfield boss Stan Ternent, a wily old operator, has gone for experience with the likes of Chris Lucketti (Sheffield United) and Keigan Parker (Blackpool). Watch out for an improved showing from the Terriers.

In League Two, Lincoln boss Peter Jackson has also gone for experience, bringing in the likes of Frank Sinclair and Stefan Oakes.

Most deals at this level have been either free transfers or season-long loans but one move that caught the eye was Shrewsbury shelling out a club record £170,000 for Forest striker Grant Holt. He didn't really deliver at Forest but has been prolific through pre-season and will be determined to deliver at his new club.

New boys Exeter have plumped for experience in striker Marcus Stewart. The 35-year-old has made more than 500 league appearances and should bring plenty of knowledge, though his scoring record at previous club Yeovil was far from spectacular.

But one of the best deals in League Two has surely got to be Notts County signing defender Michael Johnson on a permanent contract. He made a huge difference after arriving at Meadow Lane on loan last season and remains an impressive and consistent performer.

But how many potentially sensational signings have I missed and how many of the ones listed above do you think will make a big impression over the coming months?

1. Gather all necessary documentation long before you sit down to prepare your taxes.

Much of the stress associated with preparing your taxes has to do with finding the proper documentation. Take the time to find all tax-related material before your self-assessment form arrives in the mail. Whatever system you use, whether it comes in the form of tax software, a tax preparer, or your own grey matter, you can’t file your taxes if you don’t have the right information. You also can’t claim deductions if you don’t have any evidence they existed.

Note for 2009: Create a system where you gather all this information into one file from the start of the year, rather than at the end of it. It will make 2009 tax preparation much easier a year from now; in fact, it may just require you to pull a manila envelope out of a file drawer and set it on your desk.

2. Categorize and tabulate your receipts.

If you haven’t been saving your receipts up until now, number 2 might just work as a “note to self” for next year. Hopefully you have been saving all tax-related receipts, and now is the time when you sit down, put them into their proper categories, and tabulate them.

Note for 2009: In that file we mentioned above, include an envelope for tax-related receipts and begin saving them January 1^st.

3. Calculate twice, record once.

The Inland Revenue states that maths errors are the biggest mistake taxpayers make when filing their own returns. The Inland Revenue already has access to much of your financial information, and if you make an error when transferring that information to your return, or if you make simple addition and subtraction errors when working with those numbers, you’ll quickly receive a correction notice from the Inland Revenue. So calculate twice and record once.

4. Recognize that tax saving is a year-round task.

There are things you can do year-round in order to increase your tax benefits, especially if you have your own business. Find out what these are and begin doing them. You may be weary of enlisting the help of a professional tax preparer, but the truth is they can often save you much more money then you’ll pay them in the end.

Note for 2009: Consult with a tax professional to see how tax planning might benefit you in the 2009 tax year.

5. Don’t procrastinate professional help.

If you wait until April 1^st to enlist the help of a tax professional, chances are you’ll be out of luck. That’s the busiest time of the year for most tax preparers and they’ll be hard-pressed to fit you in that late in the game. Consult with a professional early in the year and come equipped with well-organized documentation; you’ll be ready for a stress-free tax season.

Note for life: As your tax situation becomes more complicated, a tax professional makes more sense. Tax laws can be confusing and deductions difficult for the layperson to recognize. There comes a time when the benefits of a tax professional far outweigh the costs. In fact, often a percentage of those benefits (and perhaps a percentage of your enhanced tax return) pays for those costs. Don’t wait another year to see if that time has arrived. Visit a tax professional today!