West Ham manager Sam Allardyce made 10 changes for tonight’s Capital One Cup second round tie with Crewe, with captain Kevin Nolan the only player retained from Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Swansea.

David Mellor told the Leveson Inquiry that former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was a “soulmate” for media tycoon Rupert Murdoch.

Former Conservative minister David Mellor told the Leveson Inquiry that French laws on privacy had not been to the “public benefit”.

Crewe 2 Cheltenham 0

Preston striker Neil Mellor has been forced to retire from professional football due to injury.

IT’S next stop Kazakhstan for St Pat’s after two first-half goals and a disciplined second-half performance saw Pete Mahon’s men deservedly turn around their Europa League tie against Iceland’s IBV at Richmond Park last night, winning 2-1 on aggregate.

HAVING given away a needless penalty, Gary Rogers can still reflect this morning that his main attributes as a goalkeeper have surely kept St Patrick’s in Europe.

RYAN GIGGS’S brother Rhodri is “in shock” after his world was “tipped upside down in one night” by claims the Manchester United footballer had an affair with his wife, a close friend said.

Birmingham 3 Sheffield Wednesday 0

The Clash

Preston 1 Doncaster 1

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti made six changes to his side for this afternoon’s FA Cup fourth round tie at Deepdale.

KEVIN NOLAN claimed a typically predatory 74th-minute winner to fire Newcastle back to the top of the Coca-Cola Championship last night.

Scunthorpe 3 Preston 1

Preston 2 Swansea 0

Sheffield United 1 Preston 0 (Sheff Utd win 2-1 on aggregate)

Sheffield United 1 Preston 0 (Sheff Utd win 2-1 on aggregate)

Preston 2 QPR 1

Birmingham 1 Preston 2

A Belfast company today snapped up a £50m (€55.9m) contract from Northern Ireland Water to repair and maintain the water and sewerage networks.

Preston 0 Liverpool 2

Errors calculating bills combined with the economic downturn has left Northern Ireland Water facing an income shortfall of up to £7m (€8.93m) this year, the company revealed today.

More than 300 jobs are to go by April as part of Northern Ireland Water’s efficiency drive, the company confirmed tonight.

Northern Ireland Water failed to meet its targets on drinking water quality and the number of pollution incidents last year, its first annual report revealed today.

The chief executive of Northern Ireland Water is leaving her post at the end of the month, it was announced today.

EVEN at the age of 37 some believe David James still has plenty to learn, but he produced an outstanding performance, including a penalty save, to propel Portsmouth into the quarter-finals yesterday.

HOW appropriate that a member of the consortium set to buy Derby County is reported to be a member of the Walt Disney clan. With Mickey Mouse displays such as this, the new board will surely feel right at home.

Derby 1 Preston 4

The widow of rock star Joe Strummer has unearthed a treasure trove of material by the former Clash frontman, she said today.

The Qatari investment fund stalking supermarket Sainsbury’s today said that Asda veteran Tony Campbell would become chairman of the chain if its potential £10.4bn (€15bn) bid succeeds.

Preston 3 Southampton 1

Cardiff 4 Preston 1

Manchester City goalkeeper Nicky Weaver returns for this FA Cup fifth-round tie at Deepdale today.

Wigan have sent on-loan striker Neil Mellor back to Liverpool in an effort to find a solution to his troublesome knee problem.

Wigan goalkeeper John Filan will start a Premiership match for the first time since November 19 when he faces Manchester United at the JJB Stadium on Monday.

Wigan striker Jason Roberts is certain to return to the starting line-up for Sunday’s Carling Cup final against Manchester United despite missing the club’s last three matches through suspension.

Henri Camara returns to the Wigan squad for the first time since January 2 after finally returning from African Nations Cup duty.

Bolton 1 Wigan 1

Wigan manager Paul Jewell faces a striker crisis for tomorrow’s Barclays Premiership clash at Bolton.

Wigan 1 Everton 1

Wigan captain Arjan de Zeeuw is poised to return to the side after a three-match absence with an ankle injury for tomorrow’s JJB Stadium clash with Everton.

Wigan manager Paul Jewell will attempt to freshen up his squad ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup fourth-round tie at Manchester City.

Middlesbrough 2 Wigan 3