LATEST - Brentford Set to Sign Key Rangers Midfielder

By Brian McLauchlin

Rangers midfielder Lewis Macleod is on the verge of joining English Championship side Brentford, BBC Scotland understands.

The 20-year-old is expected to travel south for a medical within the next 24 hours.

A transfer fee of around £1m has already been agreed.

Midfielder Macleod has been one of Rangers' brightest lights this season, netting eight goals in all competitions for the Ibrox side.

He scored the only goals as Rangers secured 1-0 wins over Premiership sides Inverness Caledonian Thistle and St Johnstone in the League Cup.

SCOTLAND SQUAD

Macleod received his first call up to the Scotland squad for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Republic of Ireland and the friendly against England in November.

He was also named the Scottish Professional Football League's young player of the month for November.

Having broken into the Rangers first team in the 2012-13 season, Macleod made 26 appearances that term and then 21 appearances in 2013-14, netting five goals.

If the deal goes through with Brentford, he will be joining a side currently sixth in the English second tier.

The Bees are managed by Mark Warburton, with former Rangers defender David Weir his assistant.


Reproduced with acknowledgements to BBC Scotland.

Poyet Lashes Out Over Christmas Schedule

Sunderland soccer manager Gus Poyet has criticised the fixture schedule which sees teams playing two games in three days.

Sunderland, who lost 3-1 at home to Hull City on Boxing Day, travel to Aston Villa today just 48 hours later. "I know that Boxing Day games are a tradition and I accept that and think we should maintain it," said Poyet, "but I think that then playing on the 28th is a disgrace. We shouldn't be playing then, we shouldn't."

The former Chelsea and Uruguay midfielder is looking for what would be just a third win in twelve Premier League matches.

Merry Christmas

The team at Sports Review and Sports Betting Centre would like to wish our visitors a very Merry Christmas and a highly successful New Year.

Vierklee Wettbüro - Good Prices and Good Service for 32 Years

In its betting articles Sports Review generally tends to focus its attentions upon the big names in betting - the William Hills, the Bet365s and the Paddy Powers.

By comparison modest Austrian bookmaker Vierklee Wettbüro may seem an odd choice. Founded in 1982, Vierklee offers prices on some of the key major sports, most particularly European soccer. Sometimes its lines are generous and the temptation is naturally to take advantage.

It is not by coincidence that many established punters who bet with the big boys also open an account with Vierklee. To begin with it offers a generous 10% start-up bonus, an additional 3% with every deposit made by bank transfer and an up to 70% bonus on combi bets.

Vierklee are good payers, reliable and approachable. It is for this reason they have stayed in business and thrived whilst a lot of their competitors have struggled.

A reputation for reliability carries an awful lot of weight in the world of online sports betting. Click here for information on setting up an account.

Thierry Hangs Up His Boots

French football legend Thierry Henry has announced his retirement from the sport at the age of 37, drawing to a close an illustrious 20-year soccer career which included spells with Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal, Barcelona and New York Red Bulls.

Originally a winger rather than an out-and-out striker, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger opted to play him in the centre-forward position where he turned out to be a revelation, netting 175 league goals in 258 games for the Gunners making him Arsenal's all-time top scorer.

He finally left Arsenal for Barca in 2007, then joined MLS side New York Red Bulls in 2010. In 2012 he returned to Arsenal on loan outside of the US season, scoring two goals.

Former England striker Alan Shearer today paid tribute to Henry's sublime talent, commenting: ""He could score headers, tap-ins, long-rangers, whether he was beating two or three players, we saw that on numerous occasions. I think that's what made him stand out. He had that ability and defenders didn't like playing against him."

English Teams Await their Fate in Champions League Draw

England's remaining three football sides in the Champions League draw will learn tomorrow (Monday) who they will be playing in the last 16 of the tournament.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City all went forward to the knockout stages, although troubled Liverpool were despatched to the Europa League following a 1-1 with Basel last week. Everton, Tottenham and Celtic are also involved in the last 32 of Europe's second cup.

The draw will take place at 11.00am GMT in Switzerland. The other teams included in the draw are Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Monaco, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Porto, Juventus, Basel, Bayer Leverkusen, Paris St-Germain, Schalke and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Spencer Changes His Mind on Retirement

One-time champion jockey Jamie Spencer will continue to ride in spite of having announced his retirement recently after being stood down as the number one rider at Qatar Racing Limited.

Back in August Spencer, 34, announced his intention to step down at the end of the season but has now decided to continue primarily in a freelance role. "Obviously I have certain existing links and relationships with trainers that I will be utilising," he commented. "I have no specific targets other than to continue to be successful."

Spencer was the Irish flat racing champion in 2004 before crossing to the UK and becoming champion jockey in 2005. In 2007 he regained the crown when he shared the honours with Seb Sanders.

European Soccer Offers At Bet365

There’s some exciting Soccer taking place this week with the final round of matches from the Champions League group stage and fixtures from the Premier League to look forward to.

The action gets underway on Tuesday evening as the fight for second spot in Group B goes down to the wire at Anfield, where Liverpool go in search of a win that would see them progress to the Last 16 at the expense of Basel. Elsewhere, Arsenal travel to Galatasaray needing a win, and for Borussia Dortmund to lose to Anderlecht, to top Group D.

On Wednesday, Man City will secure their passage to the next round if they beat Roma at the Stadio Olimpico and CSKA Moscow fail to defeat Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. At Stamford Bridge, Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea host Sporting having already topped Group G.

On Saturday, attention turns to the Premier League where the evening kick-off sees Arsenal entertain Alan Pardew’s Newcastle at the Emirates. Sunday sees the highlight of the weekend’s action take place at Old Trafford as Man Utd and Liverpool renew rivalries in the afternoon’s early fixture.

With bet365’s 100% Euro Soccer Bonus you can earn a bonus on your returns if you place accumulators on the Champions League, Premier League, Serie A, Primera Liga or Bundesliga. Place a pre-match accumulator of three or more selections combining teams in any of these competitions, and if successful bet365 will add a bonus to your returns.

That’s not all, with the Bore Draw Money Back offer even a goalless draw is never the worst result with bet365 – if you place a pre-match Correct Score, Half-Time/Full-Time or Scorecast bet on any Soccer match and the game finishes 0-0, bet365 will refund all losing bets on those markets.

With great offers and a wide range of pre-match and In-Play markets, bet365 is the number one place for all your Soccer betting.

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Just the Ticket...

...though next year's fixture between the two will probably be just a touch more expensive.

Forget the Sugar, Chris is Sweet Enough

Last week he was the prehumous reincarnation of Sugar Ray Leonard. This week Chris Eubank Junior is just another boxer with a defeat against his previously unblemished record after having failed in a gallant attempt to overcome the more experienced Billy Joe Saunders at the Excel in London.

Fair play to the young Eubank, he came into this fight knowing it was a risk. There is nothing to be gained from being fed a diet of what Nigel Benn once famously described as "Mexican road sweepers". Those of us of a certain age remember Frank Bruno and his tedious Bum of the Month exploits and do not want to see another promising British fighter go through the larger part of his career knocking down stiffs. Saunders probably did more for Eubank's development than any number of inferior opponents.

Let's bear in mind too that whilst Eubank Jr. may have lost this fight, he didn't lose it by much. He came roaring back in the second half of the contest and in the end the decision was split. Although Saunders was the better fighter on the night, his courageous opponent left the ring with much to be proud of.

What he doesn't need right now is the pressure which comes with ludicrous comparisons with an all time great like Leonard to live up to. Eubank should take his time and reach out when he is ready. Just like his father did.