I am delighted to have the chance to link-up with TheGamblingTimes.com to share a few of my thoughts with you all.

And well, be strange if I didn’t start with Crystal Palace.

I am a fan of Big Sam Allardyce, it is simple – what is says on the tin it does, but you have to follow the instructions and they are very simple – and if that is complicated by some of the ingredients then it is not down to the ingredients – it is the simple instructions not being followed.

At the end of the day, if you look at the Premier League everyone, or nearly everyone, wants to play out from the back – and the reason most end up at the bottom is because they are not good enough, so you have to cut that out – you tell your defenders to put it into the corner and have willing runners, if you try and play like Chelsea but you are not Chelsea you are going to have problems.

If you try and play like Chelsea but you are not Chelsea you are going to have problems

You have to take a gamble, and you have to get the ball up there – let the opposition defend too, you have to see if they can defend – some have big reputations which they cannot live up to and Big Sam is good at testing that theory.

I would not put my life on Palace that they are safe but they have given themselves a huge chance, two weeks ago it was doom and gloom but now two good results and they are back in the sunshine, but two results in the wrong way and you get dragged back in – but for building confidence they have really given themselves a chance now.

Palace could push on to top-ten quite easily next season, but you could say that about a lot of clubs – and then how many of these players are Sam Allardyce players – you have to see, because he would want to bring in his own players – is Cabaye for instance an Allardyce player? No he isn’t, so there will still be some work to do that is for sure.

If Big Sam manages to keep them up this season, he will be a God – at the moment the fans seem to be on the fence but in football like life, when you give someone what they want they love you.

I still think that the bottom is not cut and dried just yet and I think it will go to the last two weeks of the season, and I think the bottom seven are all still involved – there will be some strange results to come and everyone, including the bottom three as they are all still capable.

McCormack

And as I was looking at the Championship at the weekend, I did look to see how Ross McCormack was doing- I know, Ross – have worked with him and he is a top talent and I personally think it is disgusting how he has been treated this season.

How can a £13million player like Ross McCormack not be getting his chance, there are few players better in the Championship than this boy.

How can Aston Villa, no sorry Steve Bruce be allowed to do that – it is a disgrace really. I know Ross and have done for years and he could be the difference for any team in that division, hopefully he will soon find the right manager and club who can recognise his abilities.