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Whilst nobody within the English game quite expected Newcastle United and the newly appointed Steve McClaren to take the Premier League by storm this season, the 2015/16 campaign has proven a far more frustrating affair than most of the St. James’ faithful ever initially predicted.

Although the Magpies could have seemingly done with all the relevant help they could get this season however, 20-year-old Rolando Aarons – a young up and coming winger who seemed to carry a fair amount of potential under his belt before the current league campaign first got underway – has hardly played on Tyneside so far this season, and possibly looks set to leave his current employers with his contract due to expire in the summer.

In light of the subsequent – and albeit slightly surprising – interest to reportedly come his way from the likes of Arsenal, AC Milan and Juventus in 2015/16, has Rolando Aarons simply witnessed his once promising long-term future with Newcastle United up and disappear over the course of the current season, or will Steve McClaren somehow manage to persuade the young winger to stick it out in the North East for a good while longer?

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Well, although the former Bristol City youngster has indeed barely featured for the Magpies so far this term on the back of a series of testing injury complaints, it seems as if Newcastle could really lose out on a star talent here.

The Jamaican born wide-man has certainly impressed in a number of pre-season fixtures and behind closed doors friendlies since first arriving on Tyneside, even if the 20-year-old is yet to make a real name for himself in the Premier League itself.

Via his dangerously quick turn of pace inside the final third, promising ability to link-up effectively with his teammates in attacking areas of the pitch, and calm composure on the ball when taking on defenders in one-on-one scenarios – this is a player who is seemingly worthy of his growing reputation in the English game.

Had the likes of Andros Townsend, Henri Saivet and Seydou Doumbia not been drafted in at St. James’ in what eventually turned out to be rather hectic January transfer window for the struggling Tyneside club, a player of Rolando Aarons’ emerging talent could have potentially served Steve McClaren’s side rather well throughout the remainder of the campaign.

Granted, Newcastle United can’t exactly afford to bed in an inexperienced young professional in the midst of a clear relegation dog-fight right in the here and now – but you never know – perhaps if Rolando Aarons had been fit and firing for an extended portion of the 2015/16 campaign, maybe the Magpies wouldn’t find themselves in such a vulnerable position at this particular stage in the season.

Yet even though the emerging 20-year-old has certainly shown glimpses of talent during his current stint at St. James’ Park thus far, it remains particularly difficult to envisage the likes of Arsenal, AC Milan or Juventus ever issuing the pacey wide-man with a chance to stake his claim away from the North East any time soon.

Although Rolando Aarons could one day serve to impress at one of Europe’s most illustrious sides in the not too distant future, perhaps the player in question must carefully consider his options before making any knee-jerk decisions regarding his future at the end of the current league campaign.

As Newcastle United could soon find themselves operating in the Championship when the 2015/16 season finally reaches its natural conclusion however, maybe Steve McClaren’s side could be forced to part ways with their impressive young talent sooner rather than later, no matter how much potential Rolando Aarons has to offer down on Tyneside in upcoming seasons.

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There is a deep depression hanging over one part of the country in particular.

In meteorological terms, this dark depression is not going to go away, but will turn cloudier over the next few weeks, followed by a wet spell, which will be the tears of two sets of fans come May.

In the North East, which is typically a hot-bed of football traditionally, two of the three big teams are in serious trouble. The other is looking likely to gain promotion into the Premier League, but will watch as the two local rivals pass them going in the opposite direction.

Concentrating on Sunderland, they do have some positives that might help them. Who else would you call to manage your club in this situation but Sam Allardyce? If you need a goalscorer, who better than Jermain Defoe? And don’t forget that Sunderland have experience of the Houdini act in the recent past.

However, there are a few negatives as well. Aren’t there always?

With just six games to go, Sunderland are third from bottom and chasing Norwich, who are four points better off. The Black Cats have a game in hand over their relegation rivals, but Norwich have already bagged the points. What would you rather? A game in hand or the points?

The Stadium of Light will see three more fixtures this season with three away, but if you look at the remaining games, even the hardiest Sunderland fan will be left dreading the final run in.

OK, so the tougher teams to play are coming to Wearside and I don’t suppose, Arsenal, Chelsea or Everton relish the journey, but games at Stoke, Watford and this weekend’s at Norwich, will certainly be tough for Allardyce’s charges.

The game at Norwich will define what happens next for Sunderland. If The Canaries win, as they did against Newcastle, the gap will be a whopping seven points. This isn’t usually such a mission, but at this time of the season with time ticking down – it is.

They need points and they need goals, and although Defoe has scored 15 in all competitions this season, he cannot do it alone. Three other players are next on the scoring charts with just three apiece. Sunderland need to start praying for that miracle.

With so much riding on Saturday lunchtime’s encounter – for both clubs – Allardyce knows there will be an abundance of anxiety which Sunderland have to handle if they are to record a first league win down in Norfolk since 1985.

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It’s been a fairytale season for Hereford FC. Whilst Jamie Vardy has been having his party at Leicester City and Aston Villa have been begging for the pain to end, there has been an even better story bubbling under the surface in non-league football.

Back in December 2014, Hereford United supporters faced the most cruel of footballing punishments… watching their beloved Bulls sink in a London Court as they were wound up due to a tax debt. Owner Andy Lonsdale had promised to invest £1million into the club, but the money was never seen and on the 19th of December 2014, Hereford United ceased to exist.

Supporters gathered at the hallowed turf of Edgar Street on that fateful day and left flowers as the gates were locked shut forever. One fan told the cameras: “We will come back. It may take ten years but we’ll be back”. The defiance etched on the faces of these Hereford United fans was strong – they weren’t going to give up.

Little did they know they wouldn’t have to wait long for their beloved club to come back.

Hereford FC were formed last summer, and promptly entered the ninth tier of English Football, the Midland Football League Premier Division. Average attendances for this league were less than 100 until Hereford got involved – they averaged more than 2,800 at home matches all season.

After a cautious start, Hereford went on a 27 game-winning streak and their final league stats read: Played 42, won 35, drawn 3, lost four. 138 goals scored with a grand total of 108 points – some winning margin. They’ve added the Polymac Packaging Midland Football league Cup and the HFA County Challenge Cup to their trophy cabinet, too, this season, and are only one game away from a quadruple – all in their first season in existence.

It’s almost nice to look back on how much worry, angst and heartbreak there was back when the old-club was wound up. Now we know how well it’s gone, we can look back fondly and remember just how much it meant to each and every Hereford supporter. The last nine months have flown by in a hurricane of joy and revival, and the people of Hereford are shouting louder about their football club than ever before.

The hoards of supporters that have acted as volunteers all season will have their big day out at Wembley, and there will be more from Hereford in attendance than all of the other three teams there on the day put together.

On Sunday at 12.15, captain Joel Edwards will lead his side out against Morpeth Town in the FA Vase final knowing that a win will give them their fourth trophy of the season in front of nearly 20,000 Hereford supporters, who will clap, cheer and sing whatever the result.

For some people, football is more than a game. To truly appreciate what you have, you need to know how difficult it is to survive without it. Hereford FC have risen from the ashes, and are flying once more.

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Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has insisted he has never thought about leaving the club and is excited about the future under Jurgen Klopp, according to ESPN.The England international is widely considered to be one of the best marksmen in Europe when on song, though injuries have blighted him over the past two years or so.Having missed swathes of first-team action under Brendan Rodgers and much of Klopp’s early tenure, the 26-year old has only been used sporadically by the German.Divock Origi has largely been preferred to the former Chelsea forward in big games and even the Belgian’s injury did not thrust him into the starting eleven for the away leg of the Europa League semi-final with Villarreal.Amid his ongoing problems with ailments, the former Borussia Dortmund coach hinted the problems could largely be a mental thing and is thought to have warned him his starting place was under threat.As a result, he was linked with a shock big money move to Paris Saint-Germain.However, Sturridge has quashed any suggestions he was ever looking to leave the Reds and believes the future is bright under the former Borussia Dortmund coach.”Yeah, of course I am happy here,” revealed the former Manchester City starlet.’I’m happy. I’m happy. I have never expressed not being happy here. I think it is everyone playing Devil’s Advocate.’They see that I have been left out sometimes and they think ‘maybe that means he is unhappy’ but, at the end of the day, the manager has got a job to do.’He has got to pick the team that he feels is best on the day. And I have got a job to do, which is to perform when I am playing.’I have had the injuries and I have been in and out of the side in recent times but it has never been a case that I am not happy at the club.’I am grateful to the club for giving me the chance to come here from Chelsea. I am grateful to Brendan for signing me as well.’Now Jurgen has come in and he is giving me minutes on the pitch. You know — I could not be playing at all.’

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This summer represents Jurgen Klopp’s first real opportunity to make his mark on his Liverpool side.

He performed admirably last season with a largely inherited side, filled with players that Klopp himself perhaps would have not looked at; but that will change going into next year.

Having already signed a number of players, and reports linking him with a host of other names; we may just see a new look Liverpool side as Jurgen Klopp begins his first full season at the helm.

With Champion’s League qualification the ultimate goal, Klopp will need to invest wisely in some top quality players to add to his already hugely talented squad.

With a perfect mix of new and old talent; is this what Liverpool’s starting XI will look like next season?

Goalkeeper – Loris Karius

Liverpool fans have been hoping for a new goal keeper for a number of years; and it looks like they have finally got their wish.

Simon Mignolet is given a lot of criticism by Liverpool fans, much with good reason; his mistakes have cost the side a number of games over the last few years.As a result, Jurgen Klopp has looked towards, and signed, Loris Karius from Mainz 05 as a challenge to the position of Mignolet.

He will certainly have a fight on his hands, but if reports at to be believed it is Klopp himself who has hand picked Karius; so it would not be a surprise to see him in goal straight away next year.

Towering at nearly 6ft3, the reliable keeper is a great signing, and a surefire eventual starter for this new look Liverpool side.

Defense – Clyne, Sakho, Matip, Hector

Much like in goal, it is all change for the Liverpool back line.

Both Nathaniel Clyne and Mamadou Sakho will likely retain their spots in the side, with both performing admirably last year.

Clyne really made that right back spot his own, and the £12.5 million fee paid for him looks like a real bargain. Sakho is player that is not without his flaws, but his game rapidly improved last year and he certainly deserves his space in the team over Dejan Lovren.

Joel Matip is a player recently signed by Klopp, and will likely go straight into that defense. Offering German efficiency and defensive ability; the towering defender will be a brick wall in that Liverpool defence.

Alberto Moreno was at the butt of a host of criticism by the Anfield faithful last year for a number of defensive mistakes, and so will likely be replaced this summer. Jonas Hector has been touted as his replacement, with the German defender currently on show at Euro 2016. A solid, reliable full back; he would be a great improvement on the unconventional Moreno.

Defensive Midfield – Can and Henderson

Familiarity in the Liverpool pivot, with both Emre Can and Jordan Henderson likely to retain their spots in the Liverpool side.

Emre Can is an obvious pick, given the report that he has gained with Jurgen Klopp since his arrival.

He has gone from a bit-part player under Rodgers to a fully fledged member of the first team under Klopp, and he will look to repay his faith next year. Able to play pretty much anywhere across the midfield and defence; Can is a hugely useful asset for this Liverpool side.

Henderson has been on the end of a lot of criticism by fans and the media alike over the last year, with his season marred by inconsistency and injury. As the club’s captain, he seems destined to make his way back into the Liverpool side; and you would definitely back him to get back to his best.

If he can regain his fitness and become a regular fixture in this side, this Liverpool midfield will become unstoppable.

Attacking Midfield – Firminio, Coutinho, Mane

Sadio Mane has been the landmark capture for Liverpool so far this summer, with the side shelling out around £34 million for his services. His electric pace and technical ability separate him from anyone else in this Liverpool side; and as a result he will no doubt fit straight into this team from the outset.

His pace on the left hand side will be paired with the technical ability and dribbling prowess of Roberto Firminio on the right hand side. The Brazilian midfield had a stellar year last season, and will no doubt look to build on that going into next season.

He will look to kick on and really cement his place in that side, with his positioning on the right allowing him to terrorise defenders and shoot from distance.

Coutinho will of course spear head the Liverpool midfield, with his quality easy to see. He has been the standout performer in the Liverpool ranks for the last few seasons, and will no doubt look to kick on again next year. Offering assists and goals; there is no way you can leave out this Brazilian magician.

Striker – Daniel Sturridge

He isn’t a new signing; but he will sure feel like one for Liverpool fans.

Last year was a torrid one for the young English striker; his season was tarnished by injuries, meaning only a handful of starts throughout the season.

With the brunt of that seemingly behind him, and with a decent Euro 2016 under his belt; next season will be make or break for the striker. If he can get through pre season unharmed, Klopp will no doubt opt for him going into next season, especially with the lack of attacking competition currently in the ranks.

A fit and healthy Daniel Sturridge is an almost guaranteed 20 goals a season; and that would be invaluable to this Liverpool side.

The Pep Guardiola era at Manchester City is now in full swing and it certainly looks like he’s not scared to shake things up at the club. We’ve already seen his style of play being imprinted in his first Premier League game against Sunderland as Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy tucked in from full back to become midfielders when the team was in possession. This grabbed some attention but it was the lack of one player that got most of the headlines, Joe Hart.

It seems as though Guardiola doesn’t see Hart as the goalkeeper to help implement his famous possession obsession after Willy Caballero got the nod and now it looks as though Claudio Bravo, from Barcelona, is on his way.

It’ll be another big signing for the club following Ilkay Gundogan, John Stones, Nolito and Leroy Sane amongst others and it clearly demonstrates that City are very serious about giving Pep all the tools he feels he needs to succeed.

Who’s to say it’ll end at Bravo as well? Here at Football FanCast we think this FIVE could be coming too…

Gabriel Barbosa

Gabriel Barbosa or ‘Gabigol’ is the next big thing down in Brazil and so naturally it’s expected he’s going to move to one of Europe’s biggest leagues in the future. City have already signed another starlet from the Brazilian league in Palmeiras’ striker Gabriel Jesus and that may just work in their favour. If it does, they’ll be set for one of the most exciting potential front lines in Europe.

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang

The Aubameyang to City deal looked at one point as a matter of when not if. As it has transpired no such move has taken place but who’s to say City won’t try again for the Dortmund striker. Aubameyang is one of the hottest properties in Europe and if the club manage to combine him with the best striker in the Premier League in Sergio Aguero, it’ll be curtains for everyone else.

Joshua Kimmich

Guardiola is a massive fan of the young German and would surely jump at any opportunity to bring him to Manchester if it presented itself. Kimmich knows how to use the ball exactly to Pep’s taste and can play in a number of positions. Eventually he should end up as a central midfielder but has looked equally adept at playing at full-back for both club and country, he’d fit Guardiola’s playing style at City like a glove.

Toni Kroos

Guardiola let Kroos go from Bayern Munich as part of the deal for Xabi Alonso but that shouldn’t have any bearing now. At the time Alonso was arguably a better passer of the ball but now it must be said Kroos eclipses the Spaniard in this aspect. What also goes in favour of any potential move for the German is that Luka Modric is the main man in Real’s midfield so if Kroos is fed up of being an understudy, City is where he should go.

Munir

City are obviously looking to the future with a number of their signings. Leroy Sane, Oleksandr Zinchenko, John Stones and Gabriel Jesus have all been bought with one eye on the years to come and so to carry on in this way, Munir should be targeted. He’s going to be a top class forward if he gets the chance but at Barcelona with their plethora of forwards it might just not happen for him, time for City to act then.

Despite the protracted transfer sagas we saw in the window this summer involving Manchester United, there was one just as long-winded going on involving Tottenham.

Whilst the Red Devils kept everyone guessing particularly over the signing of Paul Pogba, Spurs were left wondering whether they’d ever actually get to confirm the signing of Georges-Kevin N’Koudou.

The former Marseille winger was targeted by the club as someone who would add some much needed pace out wide but it took until the very last moments for the deal to actually go through despite the player training with the team.

It’s beginning to look as though it was worth the wait however. N’Koudou came on last night in the Champions League game against CSKA Moscow and within four minutes had helped Spurs find the breakthrough as the in form Heung-Min Son hit the winner.

The young winger looked like a real prospect with his cameo and it’s certainly got the Spurs fans on Twitter excited. Here are some of the best reactions…

The Arsenal fans in the Football Transfer Tavern have witnessed some shocking strikers in recent years…

Arsene Wenger, more often than not, gets it right in the transfer market – but he has definitely made some poor decisions in recent years.

Often preferring to buy low and sell high, Wenger often opts for players that have potential rather than ability – and this is a tactic that can often backfire horrendously, as the Arsenal fans in the Tavern know well.

No area on the pitch has had more flops than Arsenal’s attacking berth, with Le Prof often keen to find the next big striker in European football.

There are a few players in recent years, like Chamakh, who are arguably the worst to don Arsenal’s famous red and white – but their minimal transfer fees and wages often mean that those deals are very low risk.

As a result, this list will mostly focus on players that proved more costly to the Wenger regime.

With that said, this is the worst Arsenal front three in the history of the football club

 LW – Francis Jeffers

Where to begin with Francis Jeffers? He was brought to Arsenal and expected to be the next big thing in English football – but his signing proved to be an absolute disaster.

Brought in with so much hype, Jeffers achieved very little – and he proved to be nothing more than a very expensive flop.

Somehow he lasted until 2004 with the Gunners, before he was shipped out to Charlton in what was likely a cut-price deal.

Definitely not one of Arsene Wenger’s brightest moments…

 ST – Park Chu-young

Park Chu-young’s spell with Arsenal is the reason why deals for reasons outside of football should never happen.

His signing was quite clearly an attempt to build more of an Asian fan base – and whilst he did have talent; he clearly was not good enough to play for Arsenal.

He made just 1 league appearance for the Gunners, and he was a huge disappointment, before being shipped out. He is now playing in his native South Korea.

 RW – Yaya Sanogo

Yaya Sanogo is, somehow, still an Arsenal player – and the Gunners in the Tavern have no idea how.

He has never impressed for Arsene Wenger’s side – and whilst the deal was low risk, you cannot deny that he is one of the worst forwards to ever play for the Gunners.

Offering very little offensive threat, and spending much more time on the bench than on the pitch – possibly one of the worst Arsenal players of all time?

None of us really like the international break. The long two weeks without top-level club football leaves everyone wondering why we even bother with the tedium of England squeaking past a supposedly far inferior side, or Spain annihilating another opponent.

Premier League teams are largely decimated during these spells, with players flying off to all corners of the globe to play matches of various competitiveness at varying standards. In the footballing wasteland, there are managers holidaying, working and playing golf (probably). Said managers don’t have the trauma of long-haul flights, the pressure of a nation or any players to work with at their training ground.

For many, it is an opportunity to regroup. A brief time away from the intense flow of games provided by domestic football can often allow teams to stop a slump, as players return with the scars of previous failings faded.

Several Premier League managers are already at the point of crisis, and here are THREE clubs that need this break…

Stoke City

Mark Hughes earned a little extra credit with the Stoke fans thanks to a late equaliser against Manchester United, although the result does not paper over the cracks of another feeble defensive display that was only disguised by Lee Grant’s astonishing goalkeeping.

Stoke have started this season like they finished the last one, poorly. Three points from seven games leaves Hughes’ side in the relegation zone, with a softer run of fixtures approaching that should give the Potters the opportunity to kick-start their campaign. Whether new plans can be devised to avoid the same defensive lapses or some time for the squad to move on from their previous calamities will be enough remains to be seen, but the break has to give Stoke a new impetus, both offensively and defensively.

Sunderland

Sunderland are on course to replace their manager yet again, with David Moyes one of the favourites to face the sack. Another dire start to the season that has seen them notch only two points in their opening seven games leaves the Black Cats battling relegation already. Goals from Jermain Defoe are the saving grace for this current Sunderland side, while the defence looks short of the sort of organisation that was synonymous with Moyes’ Everton side.

Facing Stoke, West Ham and Southampton in their next three league games, the Wearsiders are teetering on the brink of a collapse. The Potters will be a definite challenge, while West Ham showed flickers of turning their season around last time out. This will all be made markedly more difficult without Jan Kirchhoff, who was such a key element in Sunderland’s late season improvement in 2015/16.

With Arsenal following their clash with Southampton, Moyes is in desperate need of a win in his next three.

Middlesbrough

After going unbeaten in their first three league games, Aitor Karanka’s side have claimed only one point from their last four. That solitary point was, albeit in an improved performance, won against West Ham when they were only denied victory by a piece of Dimitri Payet brilliance.

Only one clean sheet this season might not be a concern at this point, but, combined with the fact Boro have only scored more than one goal on one occasion, it is. An inability to shut the opponent out can be accounted for if the side are scoring regularly, yet the current Middlesbrough side is caught between two philosophies.

The creative, talented front four that has been favoured by Karanka has suffered from a shortage of pace at times, despite the technical ability they possess.

With Watford and Bournemouth in their next four fixtures, Karanka needs at least one victory. The other two upcoming games are against Arsenal and Manchester City, where it could easily become a case of damage limitation.

The Arsenal fans in the Football Transfer Tavern have seen some great loan players over the years…

After over two decades at the helm of Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has had an unbelievable 209 players play under him for the Gunners.

Of that 209, there was the great – think Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp to name only a couple. There was the good – Cesc Fabregas and Marc Overmars spring to mind. And unfortunately but almost unavoidably, there were the bad – Nicolas Bendtner the obvious contender who the crown of worst ever Arsenal player.

Thankfully in the case of the Gunners there have been far more of the good and great than that of the bad, which in itself is a representation of the brilliant job Frenchman Arsene Wenger has done at the club during his 20-year tenure.

Not all of those 209 have been permanent players for the club, however, with Wenger more than happy to look to the loan market to help complete his squads.

Our landlord thinks these three are the best loan deals the former AS Monaco manager has managed to secure, do you agree?

Thierry Henry

The return of the King.

Having left the club as a legend back 2007 for Barcelona and subsequently the New York Red Bulls, it was written in the stars that the talismanic Frenchman would one day return to his old stomping ground.

That return was brief, but boy was it memorable as Henry scored two winning goals in 7 appearances to remind the Emirates faithful just why he was named the club’s best ever player.

Yossi Benayoun

Trying to name a club that Yossi Benayoun hasn’t played for might be more difficult than you think.

The former Liverpool, Chelsea, West Ham, QPR and of course Arsenal man may just be one of the Premier League’s most underrated players of recent times, as the Israel international has found success at almost every club he has been at.

Joining Arsenal on a year-long loan in 2011 proved another one of the midfielders better moves, as he helped the Gunners finish third, bagging himself six goals along the way and producing one of the performances of the season against Tottenham in a memorable 5-2 win.

Julio Baptista

Many may argue that the signing of Baptista was a failure – besides his obvious four-goal performance against Liverpool – however, our punters disagree.

Baptista was never a striker, the Brazilian operated best as a deep-lying forward but more so as an attacking midfielder who would bring team-mates into play and take defenders out of it.

The powerhouse midfielder scored 10 goals in 35 appearances for the Gunners, an impressive record – and helped Arsenal reach the League Cup final where they, unfortunately, lost to rivals Chelsea 2-1.