Vardy has fought back from being released by Sheffield Wednesday as a junior and going into the amateur game to forge an excellent career that has seen him score 101 goals in 195 senior games, including 23 in 58 Premier League appearances. This season he has been recognised as the outstanding forward in the league and is tipped for a big money move in the summer. He has also won 4 England caps and is likely to lead England's attack in the European championships this summer. It is quite likely that he is a late developer but the fact he has established himself at the top later in his career is testament to his qualities as a person and a player. I would imagine that most players would gladly have adopted Vardy's lifestyle if they could be in his boots now.

I don't know anything about his "lifestyle" but to judge from the player Vardy has become every player should do it.

And how did all the "big" Lancashire clubs miss him when he was running his socks off for Fleetwood ? Kudos to Leicester for gambling £1m on him - no doubt they'll receive a huge offer for him this summer.

Vardy is phenomenon - no doubt about it. There's not many forwards who can beat a man, run with the ball at pace and finish like he does. Like all the best players in the modern game, he also works very hard, never stops - which is one of Rhodes's failings. He can be excused for being technically poor, but there's no excuse for not putting a shift in. It's astonishing to think that this time last year Leicester were in 20th place, and looking doomed to the drop. It must be one of the most remarkable turnaround stories in sport and, if they win the title, will probably put our 1995 triumph in the shade.

Graham was a fine player a few years ago but looks past his sell-by date to me. Hopefully he can notch a few goals before the end of the season to help us avoid the drop but I'm hoping Lambert has signed him only as a stop-gap until the summer. I certainly wouldn't like to see him signed permanently.

Wrong question. If you have anything to say to me please use PM, not a public forum. .

There was no goading - merely a request for an answer to a legitimate question on Stuart's pet subject. He responded with an insult. Stuart compared Rhodes to Cole so it was bound to bring a response.

All I did was request an answer to a perfectly legitimate question (admittedly asked by another member) - which you've still refused to answer. You chose to respond with an insult. You've served your time for insulting members over the years. You need to forget about Rhodes. He's gone.

Would those bans include one for Stuart for insulting other members ?

You still haven't answered the question and your lack of reply suggests you must be disappointed your poster boy didn't score against the club you are supposed to support. We were there in the 1960s and 70s doing what we had to do to when the club was being badly run. We're old now. What are you doing now except criticising others from the safety of a keyboard? The relegation thread has been a big success - every year I created it we managed to avoid going down. As it happens I didn't create the thread this year, so let's hope it doesn't end with us going down. Anyone who classes Rhodes in the same bracket as Andy Cole doesn't know anything about football. Sure, they both scored goals (although one has never played at the top level), but the similarity ends there.

Very good question, still not answered. Didn't Rovers miss a trick here - insisting as part of the deal that he should not play in this match ?

Straws in the wind. The Chinese love football and the country is on the way to becoming the world's biggest economy. Chinese money is increasingly likely to attract the world's best players . Bad news for the Premier League and European leagues in general

We need 5 players at least, I would say, starting with a new centre forward The question is, how good are the contacts of Lambert and his staff? Presuming the new players are loans, who does he know who will do him a favour? Football managers can live or die by the names in their "little black books".

PA Sport 2015 SOCCER Duff Former Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff has called time on his 20-year playing career. The 36-year-old came through the youth system at Blackburn, before moving onto Chelsea, Newcastle and then Fulham. Duff won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and League Cup during his career, in addition to helping the Cottagers to the 2010 Europa League final. The winger won 100 caps for Ireland, representing them at the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2012, and returned home to join Shamrock Rovers in July . Duff penned an 18-month contract after leaving Australian outfit Melbourne City, but has brought his time with the Dublin club to a premature end. "After much deliberation, I have today decided to bring my professional football career to an end," he said in a statement released by Shamrock. "My heart wants me to continue playing but my body has finally won the battle and told me to stop. "I've lived every young boy's dream and I know I am a very lucky man. "I would like to thank everyone who has helped me along the journey from schoolboy football in Dublin and moving to England as a teenager right up to today. "I am extremely proud to have won 100 caps for my country - it was always my greatest pleasure to represent Ireland and I have many magical memories from my international career. "While I have finished playing, I am progressing with my coaching badges and will stay involved in the game for many years to come. "I am grateful to Pat Fenlon and Shamrock Rovers F.C. for giving me the opportunity to finish my career back home - they have some exciting plans for the club for the future and I wish them well. I had hoped to play for one more year but it was not to be. "Thank you to all the many fans for your support over the years. "I would like to especially thank my wife Elaine, my children, my parents Gerard and Mary and my family for being, and continuing to be, my biggest supporters."

That might be funny if it had any humour in it.

Isn't Strictly somewhat intellectually challenging for you ?

Interesting thread - vast majority condemning his sacking and suggesting ulterior motives. Funny to see GAV struggling to hide his delight.

Nothing to do with hindsight. Call it experience or old age but it wasn't difficult for many people to see at the time that sacking Sam Allardyce at that stage made no sense and was likely to lead to disaster.

I had a gut feeling the day Sam was sacked that it was the beginning of the end for us. It was not the "right idea" at all and probably the worst decision I have seen at Ewood in 50 plus years of supporting the club.

Me too - I'd love to know what they are trying to do. Because from the outside looking in it looks as though they are trying to relegate us.

Ballance will return - he averages 50 in Tests (only the very best players average more than 50). He's been batting at No 5 for Yorkshire, which they see as his best position.

Nonsense. Winter tour places are at stake, plus these players have the incentive of a 4-1 win which would be a best ever Ashes winning margin in this country. Cook has been saying all week how important this match is.

It's been the same all series - two abject batting teams neither of whom know how to knuckle down in adverse conditions. At least we've won the series - which is all that can be said from England's indifferent performances.

Airbrushing of the truth here. Williams made good appointments in Souness and Hughes but he dithered far too long over sacking Souness when it was clear he had lost the plot - in the end Newcastle made the decision for him by taking Souness off our hands. As for Ince, Williams made an absolute howler in appointing Ince in the first place. .

Correct. Rub their noses in it, especially Smith, the next captain. But this is England - we're too nice. I'd keep Lyth one last time.