Willo the wisp

Ian Winrow in Manchester on the Irish midfielder in the news ahead of tomorrow’s Old Trafford derby (and it’s not Roy Keane)

THE journey from Spotland, home of Rochdale, to nearby Old Trafford takes less than half an hour on a good day. In footballing terms, however, the two places may as well be on different continents, a fact that will not be lost on Willo Flood when the young midfielder lines up for City and, pertinently, against Roy Keane in tomorrow's Manchester derby.

Flood's fast-track progress to Kevin Keegan's first team squad has been as swift as it has been unexpected, coming just six months after the 19-year-old completed a difficult loan spell helping Rochdale in their efforts to avoid the descent into the Conference.