Peterborough Shock Cardiff

{EAV:fc609102412da165}  Darren Ferguson was pleased with his Peterborough team after they recorded a shock 2-1 win at Cardiff. The hosts had won all 10 of their previous home league games this season, but goals from Michael Bostwick and Dwight Gayle gave Posh a surprise 2-0 lead. Rudy Gestede grabbed a goal back for the Bluebirds late on, but the visitors were able to hold out for their first win since October 27, much to the delight of their manager. He said: "We have beaten the best team in the league so that shows we can beat any team in this league. "It's a very good day. I have always believed in the players and maintained the confidence that we can get the job done. "We stuck to the game plan and deserved the win but we didn't finish them off. We were hanging on a bit at the end. But if we continue to perform like that we will be fine in this league."

Zola named new Watford Manager

Former Chelsea star Gianfranco Zola has been named as Watford's new manager on a two-year contract. The announcement comes after new owner Giampaolo Pozzo announced on Monday that the Italian would take charge of the Championship outfit following a verbal agreement with the 46-year-old. The club sacked Sean Dyche, who had been in charge of the club since June 2011 and managed to lead the club to their highest finish in five seasons (11th), last week to pave the way for Zola's arrival. Zola has two years managerial experience at the top level, having been West Ham boss from 2008-10 when they were in the Premier League, where they have just returned. He was praised for an attractive style of football at the east London club, while also being hailed for integrating the youth set-up into the first team. However after finishing just five points above the relegation zone in his second season, the former Blues man had his contract terminated. The board are hoping he can bring a free-flowing attacking style of football to the team, while insisting the ex-Italy international is a good fit for their vision.

Woodgate Returns to Middlesbrough

Jonathan Woodgate has completed a return to Middlesbrough after agreeing a three-year deal. Boro have confirmed that the 32-year-old former England international has signed for his hometown club for the second time after making a £7million switch from Real Madrid in 2007. Woodgate was a free agent after his contract at Stoke expired at the end of last month. The defender, who expects to end his career at the Riverside Stadium, told the club's official website: "The pull of helping Boro back in the Premier League is very strong for me, and from what I have seen of the current squad I think it's achievable. " [Manager] Tony Mowbray explained his plans for next season and how he is building a team that wants to get back in the Premier League as soon as possible. "I want to be part of that and if we can achieve promotion in my time here, it will be a fantastic way to end my career."

Watford confirm Dyche departure

Watford's new owners have confirmed the sacking of manager Sean Dyche in a statement issued on their official website. Dyche, 41, only in the post for 12 months, guided Watford to an 11th-placed finish in the npower Championship last season. But the Italian-based Pozzo family, who already own Serie A side Udinese and Spanish club Granada, completed their takeover of Watford from Laurence Bassin on Friday with countryman Gianfranco Zola expected to now take the helm from Dyche. Giampaolo Pozzo told Sky Italia on Sunday that they had reached a verbal agreement with Zola, who has been out of work since being dismissed by West Ham in May 2010. The statement read: "Watford football club confirms that it has terminated the contract of first-team manager Sean Dyche, with immediate effect. "His achievements under difficult circumstances mean that he will rightly be held in high regard by Watford supporters. Everyone at the club extends their warmest wishes to Sean for the future."

Wayne Bridge joins Brighton

Manchester City's Wayne Bridge has dropped down to the npower Championship and joined Brighton on a season-long loan deal. The 31-year-old former England left-back moved to the Etihad Stadium from Chelsea in 2009 but has endured a torrid time in recent years, having fallen well behind Gael Clichy and Aleksandar Kolarov in boss Roberto Mancini's plans. Bridge was farmed out to West Ham and Sunderland over the past two seasons and has now agreed another loan that will see him spend next term with the Seagulls. Seagulls manager Gus Poyet revealed Bridge has been one of his main summer targets and is delighted to be able to bring in the former Southampton defender. "It's difficult to say how I happy I am because it's not easy to get top-class players," Poyet told the club's official website, www.seagulls.co.uk. "I'm absolutely delighted to have Wayne with us. He's been one of the top three left-backs in this country for many years. "There were a lot of things that had to come together to make it happen. Firstly, (City first-team coach) David Platt has been great at Manchester City and then Wayne and his agent have helped a lot too."

Derby County have sold Jason Shackell to Championship rivals Burnley

Derby County have sold Jason Shackell to Championship rivals Burnley and the Rams are close to signing another central defender.The fee for Shackell is undisclosed but is thought to be in the region of £1.1m. He has signed a four-year deal.The 28-year-old centre-back was ever-present in the back four last season and departs 12 months after arriving in a £750,000 deal from Barnsley. Chief executive Tom Glick said the club were disappointed to see Shackell leave and confirmed that Derby were set to make their own move in the transfer market. "Plans are well under way to not only secure the services of a central defender but also strengthen other areas of the first-team squad." said Glick. Derby turned down four bids for Shackell last month. At the time, Manchester City-bound Glick described him as a top player in the Championship, saying: "So it would take a lot to pry him away from Derby. I expect him to be with us for the start of the season." Shackell made 49 appearances last season and wore the captain's armband in the absence of Shaun Barker. He was also runner-up to Craig Bryson in the fans' player-of-the-year poll. His contribution has been praised by manager Nigel Clough. "Jason has always been 100% professional and a fantastic player to work with," said Clough. "He played every game last season, so it came as no great shock when other clubs started to register their interest in him." Cardiff City and newly-promoted Charlton Athletic also entered the race to sign Shackell. Burnley are his sixth club, as he has also played for Norwich City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Doncaster Rovers. Clough said: "Although I am sad to see Jason leave, we have Jake Buxton, Tom Naylor and Mark O'Brien, who have all proved to be more than capable at performing in the Championship. "We are also actively looking to bring in another central defender and hope to make an announcement in the not too distant future." Derby have indicated all summer that they might cash in on Shackell at the right price if it would help to strengthen the squad.

Fans upset as Cardiff City go from blue to red

Cardiff City upset fans today after bosses confirmed that the club's kit would change from blue to red. The club's Malaysian owners unveiled the new kit today and fans immediately took to social networking site Twitter to voice their opinions. One said: "Sympathy for Cardiff City fans: robbed of history by foreign fast buck men. Football without history & legitimacy is nothing but a circus." Another commented: "Well then, it's confirmed. Cardiff City have become a joke, a sell out and an embarrassment." The switch - which also includes a new club crest and takes effect immediately - comes after the club's hierarchy approved the decision at a board meeting. The club have unveiled three new strips - a red home shirt, a blue away strip, and a third kit, which is mainly black. All new kits bear a redesigned badge, incorporating a main image of a dragon, with a small bluebird inserted underneath, and carrying the slogan "Fire and Passion". In addition to the new kit, the club have announced plans to build a brand-new training ground, pay off the historical Langston debt, provide manager Malky Mackay with a substantial transfer kitty, and explore the possibility of expanding the Cardiff City Stadium. A statement on cardiffcityfc.co.uk, said: "Following a comprehensive review of wider supporter feedback via email, letters, media coverage and polls run via the official Supporters Club and Media Wales and as a consequence of the above commitment, Cardiff City Football Club will also reactivate rebranding proposals with a view to exploiting and maximising its brand and commercial revenues in international markets, which it is hoped in turn will bring success to the club locally, whilst also attracting new partners and investors."

Match Report :Blackpool 1 Birmingham 0

Curtis Davies' unfortunate own goal gave Blackpool a slender 1-0 advantage over Birmingham in the first leg of their npower Championship play-off semi-final. Gary Taylor-Fletcher prodded home from an offside position for the hosts, while Davies headed off target at the other end in a frenetic opening. Marlon King might have done better when his shot from Chris Burke's cutback clipped the top of the bar at the end of a clinical 40th-minute counter attack. The hosts broke the deadlock 44 minutes into an evenly-matched first half when Tom Ince's speculative low drive took a significant deflection off Blues captain Davies. Ian Holloway introduced Nouha Dicko and and Kevin Phillips in a straight swap for forwards Stephen Dobbie and Taylor-Fletcher and the latter thought he had made an instant impact against his former club, only to be flagged offside after heading home a right-wing cross from namesake Matt. King was agonisingly close to levelling the tie in the first minute of stoppage time, stretching to steer Wade Elliott's knockdown against the woodwork.