I’ll take the stick and the deckchair together

I’ll take the stick and the deckchair together.”Hoult does concede, however, that he is in the form of his career. Born in Ashby de-la-Zouch and converted from a centre-forward, he joined Leicester City on schoolboy forms and spent three seasons there before moving to Derby County and then, via loan spells at Cheltenham, Lincoln, Blackpool, Oldham and Kettering, on to Portsmouth.Megson had noted him playing for Derby’s reserves and when Hoult lost his place in the Portsmouth side midway through last season the Albion manager moved in. Since claiming a first-team place at West Bromwich for the final 15 games of last season Hoult has made the job his own. “Makes a change for me,” he grinned, clearly not yet able to believe the good fortune that has descended on him.But Hoult’s clean sheets have been a key factor in hauling West Bromwich into promotion contention, since the inability to put away many at the other end has resulted in 14 wins by 1-0 “We are the Arsenal of the First Division,” Hoult grinned.

“But the fans haven’t started singing ‘Boring, boring’ to us yet Because we’re not boring. We scrap and scrape for everything.”Another 1-0 would be nice against Fulham, though I can see us being quite busy. I probably won’t get a chance to get the deckchair out.”FA Cup Team newsMiddlesbrough v Everton (BBC1 live; kick-off 1pm) Boro lost 2-0 at Goodison Park on 25 August last year as Steve McClaren’s reign got off to a bad start with a four-game run of defeats. They gained revenge on New Year’s Day when defender Gianluca Festa claimed the only goal and Boro have lost only twice in 13 outings since. Ugo Ehiogu will be sorely missed from defence today after his dismissal in the 1-0 defeat at West Ham last month. The shape of Boro’s team will depend on the fitness of their captain, Paul Ince, and the full-back Robbie Stockdale, who have returned to training after groin injuries.

Everton’s manager, Walter Smith, has a squad crippled by injuries and will turn to Paul Gascoigne to mount a rescue act in both the Cup and the Premiership.Tottenham v Chelsea (Sky Sports 2; kick-off 4pm) Tottenham ended their 12-year search for a win against Chelsea by thrashing them 5-1 in their Worthington Cup semi-final, but this match could signal a return to reality. Tottenham hope to have shed the last remnants of hunger from their poor performance in defeat by Blackburn in the final, but they could be without Darren Anderton (hamstring), Tim Sherwood (groin) and Les Ferdinand (stomach and groin), who face fitness tests. Chelsea should have a full squad available aside from Emmanuel Petit, who is doubtful after limping off against Fulham in midweek. Mario Stanic returns from suspension and Eidur Gudjohnsen should be fit after a head injury.West Brom v Fulham (Sky Sports 2; kick-off 6.30pm) West Brom have not lost in the sixth round of the FA Cup for 117 years but they will have their work cut out to maintain that record today. Much will depend on their strong defence’s ability to frustrate a Fulham attack which has struggled to find a way through Premiership rearguards this season. That in turn may hinge on whether Darren Moore is fit to return after missing five games with a calf injury. Fulham will be without Lee Clark, who has a calf strain, but Sean Davies is expected to recover in time from a bruised thigh.Compiled by Mark Burton.

The clash of the season between the Second Division’s top two clubs at the Madejski Stadium yesterday was always likely to be the stage for second place Brighton’s much-prized striker Bobby Zamora to confirm his potential. In the event leaders Reading controlled him but were unable to impose themselves on an understandably tense match. Brighton had beaten them 3-1 last month and, almost inevitably, Zamora bagged one of the goals. But at least by then they had come out of their black period which in autumn had seen them fall to 14th in the Second Division.Contrary to the norm it was not their manager Alan Pardew but his assistant Martin Allen who was fired.