"Alan has got a shock coming to him when he goes down there and finds out that he has only got one sock to train with and no shorts," were John Gregory's parting words to Irish under-21 international Alan Lee, when he left Aston Villa for Torquay United on a month's loan last week.
"It's crucial for his education that he sees how the other half live - all of our babies here get pampered and wrapped up in cotton wool and they think that every other club is the same, which is simply not the case," said the Villa manager. Some might suggest that a loan spell at Torquay United would do Stan Collymore more good, but it was the Galway-born striker who made his debut for the third division club, away to Barnet on Saturday, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 3-1 defeat.
Meanwhile in the Premiership Roy Keane and Mark Kinsella were amongst the goals at the weekend, while in the first division Kevin Kilbane opened the scoring with a free-kick from the edge of box in West Bromwich Albion's 2-0 win over Wolves in yesterday's midlands derby, the left winger's fourth goal of the season. He's still some way short of Niall Quinn's tally, which rose to nine in Sunderland's 4-0 win at Sheffield United - his two goals mean he has now scored eight in his last eight games for the club.
In the second division three Republic of Ireland internationals, past and present, scored. John Sheridan looked to have won his Oldham side, who are third from bottom of the table, three desperately needed points away to Bristol Rovers when he scored with 10 minutes to go, but they conceded an equaliser in the 89th minute and had to settle for a point. At the other end of the table Graham Kavanagh scored his seventh goal of the season for Division Two leaders Stoke, 11 minutes from time in their game at Wycombe Wanderers - the former Middlesbrough midfielder, however, also picked up his sixth booking of the season, to add to his one sending-off. At Kenilworth Road Irish under-18 captain Gary Doherty made it two goals in two senior appearances for Luton when he equalised against Manchester City 15 minutes from time - the second week running he rescued a point for his team. And in Division Three, former Irish youth international Kevin Nugent scored the second of Cardiff City's goals in their 2-0 win at home to Southend.
