Rushden and Diamonds goalkeeper Dale Roberts has died at the age of 24, the club has announced.

There has been no confirmation of how Nottingham Forest player died.

Club chairman Gary Calder said: “Our thoughts and prayers at this time go to his parents, family and friends.”

Their replay game against Eastwood Town, due to take place on last night, was postponed.

Roberts joined Diamonds from Forest in January 2009 and was an England C international.

England has missed out on the right to host the 2018 World Cup after football’s governing body Fifa picked Russia to stage the event, this will be Russia’s first time hosting the World Cup.

Russia beat bids from England, Spain-Portugal and Netherlands-Belgium to win a secret ballot of Fifa’s 22 executive members in Zurich. There had been controversy over Enlands bid after the BBC’s Panorama programme on Monday night highlighted some serious bribery claims at the highest level of Fifa, the sports governing body.

Prince William, PM David Cameron and David Beckham where on hand to try and give England the edge over the other bidders, this failed. There is little clarity as to why England would want to host the 2018 World Cup after their successful bid for the 1212 Olympics has meant the UK Government finding money from all possible avenues to pay for it. It doesn’t seem to make much sense as to why they would want the World Cup two years after hosting the Olympics.

It will be interesting to see if the BBC will be blamed for Englands loss of the World Cup?

Meanwhile, Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 World Cup.

It’s another exciting week of wonderful champions league football we have ahead of us with all British teams involved with a mouth watering match between Rangers and Man United. As the group stages are coming to a close every point picked up is vital to reach the last 16, where all teams want to be, hopefully it will result in exhilarating matches of what we call the beautiful game.

Chelsea V Zilina

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for Chelsea with four defeats out of three and just scoring one league goal. With the squad available for Ancelotti this game should see Chelsea winning by a couple of goals against a tough side. The strange departure of Ray Wilkins may have seen a drop in confidence with the team as he was a key figure in the changing room and at ever present at training. Chelsea have some injury woes with captain John Terry, Alex and the formidable Frank Lampard out but with the money spent over by Chelsea the strength in depth should see them out class MSK Zilina. Just needing a point to clinch top spot in group F.

Key Player to watch - Nicolas Anelka.

Date & Time- Tuesday 23rd November at 19:45

Location – Stamford Bridge

Braga v Arsenal

Arsenal just need a point to gain qualification to the last 16. At the weekend the north London derby added pressure on Arsene Wenger as he has now seen his side loose three times at home. The fight back from Tottenham saw the home crowd turn on Wenger. In the Champions League Arsenal have enjoy a lot of success beating Braga 6-0 at the Emirates. You may look at this as an easy tie however Braga are a young exciting side with promise knocking out Seville to reach the group stages if this ends in a Braga win it can shake up Group H. Both teams have injury problems Clichy has a back problem and Arshavin who has not been showing his full potential despite being featured in many games this season has been rested. Braga have the useful Paulao out and Quim but do have a good enough squad to maybe cause an upset.

Key Player to watch – Nicklas Bentner

Date & Time – Tuesday 23rd November at 19:45

Location – Braga Municipal Stadium

Tottenham v Werder Bremen

What a weekend for fans of Tottenham Hotspur, the thrilling win away at arch rivals Arsenal has given the whole squad a confidence boast after a bag of mixed results recently. Redknapp truly believes spurs can go far in this competition and heating things up by saying they can also go on from this and win the premier league.

The 3-1 win at home against Inter Milan was a surprise to many in Europe but not Tottenham the squad have the belief they can beat any side in the world. Spurs first ever game in the Champions League was against Bremen which saw the North London side 2-0 up after 20 minutes , the lead shortly lived ending the match at 2-2.

Bremen go into this match with a string of heavy defeats in the last three games gaining one point scoring none and conceding ten. If it all goes to plan and his Redknapp side they will home to win by a couple of goals to increase their changes of qualifying with a good goal difference.

Tottenham do have injury problems with King, Woodgate, Dawson, Dos Santos and Huddlestone all out for this fixture, however with Defoe back with a bang on the weekend and every inform Bale , Gallas and Van Der Vaart Spurs will ease through this match.

Key Player to watch – Jermaine Defoe.

Date & Time – Wednesday 24th November at 19:45

Location – White Hart Lane.

Rangers v Man United

After the stalemate at Old Trafford in the reverse fixture this should been seen as a mouth watering clash due to both teams wanting a win over somewhat enemies after Rangers trashed the city of Manchester after losing the 2008 UEFA Cup final.

Rooney is slowly coming back to fitness and wining over the United fans again which hopefully see Rooney score a few goals against a strong but old Rangers defence who are already making excuses of feeling tired and not even being half way through the season.

If Rangers grab all three points it gives them a good chance of qualifying if Valencia slip up against Bursaspor which might be unlikely. If all three points go back to Old Trafford United will clinch top spot in group C.

Key Player to watch – Wayne Rooney

Date & Time- Wednesday 23rd November at 19:45

Location - Ibrox Stadium

By Jack Gallagher

Andres Iniesta broke Dutch hearts 115 minutes into the World Cup final with a close range finish to put Spain into the history books and become the 8th different winner of the World Cup. Played in by substitute Cesc Fabregas, Iniesta flicked the ball up before crashing it across Maarten Stekelenburg to seal Spain’s fate.

It was a game that will be remembered for it’s cards as much as its action. Englishman Howard Webb was constantly in the action in the first half hour. Amazingly, we had to wait until 13 minutes into extra time before Johnny Heitinga departed for a second yellow.

Spain started well. After just 4 minutes Sergio Ramos forced a great save out of Holland keeper Stekelenburg. Ramos nodded a Xavi free kick goal bound, before the Ajax goalkeeper dove to his right and pushed the ball away.

The dominance continued, Ramos fired a ball across the six yard box, and with Stekelenberg stranded, Everton defender Johnny Heitinga managed to deflect the ball over his own bar, when the ball could’ve easily ended up in the back of the net. From the resulting corner, Xabi Alonso teased a ball across the box, David Villa could only return the ball into the side netting.

Any thoughts Webb had of a event free final were quickly dashed when, in the first 25 minutes, Webb was forced into giving 4 yellow cards as both sides committed nervy challenges. One particular tackle by Mark Van Bommel on Andres Iniesta was very nasty.

A booking for Sergio Ramos made it 4 yellow cards in the first 25 minutes, before Nigel de Jong can count himself as lucky as van Bommel for staying on the pitch. A karate kick on Xabi Alonso only resulted in a yellow. A card of another colour would not have resulted in complaints from anyone.

It was these tackles that reflected on the half – very nervy, very tentative, very little to shout about. Iker Casillas nearly fumbled a return ball from Holland into his own net. Holland created a couple of half chances before the close, including a Arjen Robben drive from the edge of the box, which Casillas pushed around the post.

It was deservedly 0-0 at half time, although quite how it is 11-11 on the pitch is another story – although Howard Webb should be given a little bit of credit for trying to keep the status quo on the pitch.

Robben had undoubtedly the chance of the game just after the hour mark. Dispatched in behind the Spanish back line by Wesley Sneijder, onside, Robben had only Casillas to beat. He attempted to steer the ball into the corner, the Spaniard’s sprawling right leg deflecting the ball around the post. Chance’s like that in games like this are gold dust.

He was nearly made to pay 10 minutes later. A great piece of running from substitute Jesus Navas who drilled the ball across the box, the ball fell to David Villa unmarked, but the shot was blocked by a diving Dutch body. Not quite the same level as the Robben chance, but very close.

With 20 minutes to go this half had only registered one yellow card, Joan Capedevila clipping Robin Van Persie’s heels as he made haste down the right wing. Perhaps the greatest crime of them all came from Sergio Ramos just 15 minutes from time. A free header from a corner presented itself six yards from goal. The connection was perfect, the ball flew straight over the bar.

Arjen Robben was through again 8 minutes from the close. This time, he wasn’t unmarked, being jostled by Puyol before running into Casillas.

Both sides seemed condemned to another 30 minutes of toil, chances stopped, and the game became more scrappy. A wild 45 yard Wesley Sneijder effort flew well wide as the ref blew for normal time.

Five minutes into extra time Iniesta fed through Cesc Fabregas, with the goal at his mercy, Fabregas could only scuff the ball with his wrong foot straight at Stekelenberg. Chances were coming, and fast, Joris Mathijsen could only nod a corner over the bar when it seemed easier to score. If normal time was frenetic, this opening was free flowing. The looming penalty shoot-out, it seems, was not on the menu.

Jesus Nevas had a great chance 10 minutes in, his shot from the edge of the box deflected of Van Bronckhorst into the side netting when Stekelenberg was stranded. Just when it was beginning to look like both teams would somehow end up with 11 men, Johnny Heitinga pulled back Iniesta twenty yards from goal. The second yellow was inevitable, now, it was Spain’s to lose.

Arjen Robben can count himself very lucky not to have joined Heitinga, after being adjudged rightly offside, Robben flippantly kicked the ball away. Howard Webb showing leniency where it easily could’ve been Holland down to nine men. But it was to be Spain’s day. 4 minutes from from the end, a decisive ball from Fabregas was teed up by Iniesta before being drilled home.

By Bob Bamber