"Today the man I love is taking a monumental step in his recovery. I can't put into words how I feel.

"It's been a long bumpy road but fingers crossed we've arrived."

Image source, Getty Images

If we may so bold, may we point you in the direction of this rather lovely article on the BBC Sport website.

The words above are those of Rebecca Barker, wife of Derby County club captain Shaun, who - after two-and-a-half years out injured - made an emotional return the other night, playing 45 minutes for the the club's under-21s.

The full story is here and well worth reading.

BBC North West Tonight's Richard Askam tweets this photo, external of Preston fans trying to buy tickets for Monday's FA Cup fifth round visit of Manchester United. "They're queuing round the block," reports Richard.

Image source, Twitter

Brown Ideye believes Tony Pulis has helped pull his West Brom career back from the brink.

The striker - the Baggies' £10m record signing - was on the verge of leaving the club on transfer deadline day.

Image source, Getty Images

But a £3.75m move to Qatari club Al-Gharafa fell through and Ideye has now scored twice in his last two games.

"The way Tony wants me to play suits my game. He likes strikers to work hard even if you don't score," said the frontman. "Confidence comes with scoring."

Northern Irishman Darren Clarke has admitted he would love to lead Europe at next year's Ryder Cup - but says he would also be more than happy to serve as a vice-captain again if the decision goes against him.

Image source, Getty Images

A successor to Paul McGinley could be announced next Wednesday. Clarke and Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez lead the chase for the coveted role.

"I would love to do it, but Miguel would love to as well. It's up to those guys (the selection panel) to decide," said Clarke.

"It's not up to me, it's out of my control so I'm just getting on with my game."

QPR have accepted the resignation of chief executive officer Philip Beard.

After three-and-a-half years at Loftus Road, Beard will depart next month.

QPR chairman Tony Fernandes told QPR's website, external: "In the short term we will continue to liaise with Phil regarding our long-term projects, ensuring a smooth transitional period prior to making a new appointment.

"I have high regard for Phil and he will always be welcome back at Loftus Road in the future."

Kevin Pietersen believes his former England team mates can win the World Cup, but only if they play with freedom.

Since reaching the final of the 1992 World Cup, where they lost to Pakistan, England's form at the tournament is the worst of the frontline cricketing nations.

Image source, Getty Images

"I really do believe they have an outside chance of winning this World Cup," Pietersen told the Daily Telegraph. "They can play with freedom because nobody really expects them to win and this should be reflected in positivity throughout their batting.

"England have struggled in World Cups for 20 years because we have played directly after an Ashes and have been mentally shot. There are no excuses this time."

Aston Villa's former European Cup winning goalkeeper Nigel Spink has told BBC WM that the current squad is good enough to stay in the Premier League - if they get the right man in charge.

Image source, Getty Images

Following this week's departure of Paul Lambert (pictured), Spink said: "The fans just want a little bit of hope. We needed a new direction and it was the right thing to do, as I'd just got a feeling that he was bullet proof towards the end.

"I was interested in Darren Bent's comments that he thinks the current playing squad is decent. It just needs someone to come in and get more out of them.

"To be relegated would be a nightmare. Premier League status is paramount. But they've got enough time. They need to act quickly and money should be no object to getting the right man."

Dutch rider Niki Terpstra claimed his second straight Tour of Qatar title after the sixth and final stage won by Ireland's Sam Bennett.

Etixx rider Terpstra, who had been leading since winning the third stage time-trial, finished six seconds ahead of Poland's Maciej Bodnar, with Norway's Alexander Kristoff, winner of three stages, third.

Team Sky's Ian Stannard was fourth and Luke Rowe seventh, while Sir Bradley Wiggins was 78th overall in his first major outing of the season.

Great Britain clinched the three-match Test series against Spain with a 2-0 victory in Valencia.

First international goals for Lily Owsley of University of Birmingham and East Grinstead's Sophie Bray gave Britain a second win plus a draw.

Image source, Frank Uijlenbroek

Coach Danny Kerry said: "It's great to only concede one goal in 180 minutes of hockey. Spain had very few chances and we generated good opportunities.

"I believe their world ranking of 15 doesn't reflect their current status."

More from Van Gaal on Paul Scholes' criticism: "All the players are used to that, they are not professionals for the first time.

"Maybe some players it does affect but normally it does not affect the players, me neither. When the performance is bad it is bad, when it is good it is good.

"I am disappointed we played in that way [against Burnley] and I said that, but we have another match to show we are still in our process and positive and when you see the results they are not bad I don't think."

Van Gaal tells reporters that Robin van Persie is carrying a knock and is doubtful for Monday's game.

Image source, Getty Images

He will "wait and see" over Phil Jones and Daley Blind ahead of facing Preston, but says Michael Carrick has had a minor setback.

Louis van Gaal says he's "not worried" by Paul Scholes' criticism of his team, reports BBC Sport's Andy Swiss.

Scholes said in a newspaper column that some of United's recent football had been "miserable".

Image source, Getty Images

Van Gaal said Scholes' comments were "not so interesting" and that "it's not a problem... .he is one of the fans - and they can criticise."

Van Gaal said Scholes' comments didn't affect him or his players.

The FA confirm that Adrian has had his ban lifted after wrongful dismissal appeal.

The West Ham keeper was dismissed in the game against Southampton on Wednesday for denying a goal scoring opportunity.

"His one-match suspension has been withdrawn with immediate effect," the FA says in a statement., external

However, West Ham have been charged for failing to ensure that their players conducted themselves in the game.

Gus Poyet appears more worried about the pitch than Bradford's team ahead of the fifth round FA Cup tie at Valley Parade.

Image source, Getty Images

"I'd have liked a better pitch," said the Sunderland manager.

"We need to be very clever because we have got used to nice beautiful pitches and now we have to go back a few years on this pitch - that will be the biggest challenge."

Poyet added: "It will be a unique game, totally different to anything else this season. We won't know where the ball will bounce.

"But I don't want to become all about the pitch. It's about how we adapt and how we pay in difficult and different conditions."

It is Valentine's Day tomorrow and Leicester boss Nigel Pearson has been talking about relationships.

Reports emerged on Sunday saying that he had been sacked, but the club later said that was not the case.

"Relationships, you always have to work at relationships. Whether they are good, bad or indifferent," explains Pearson.

"What goes on in the confines of the four walls we are operating in stays there. I don't have a great deal of control over what goes on outside the club, but I will be working very hard to make sure we prepare for this game as best we can, baring in mind the speculation."

Amputee soldier Captain Guy Disney has become the first jockey with an artificial leg to ride over fences in a race in Britain.

The 32-year-old, who was injured in Afghanistan, finished third on 11-2 chance Ballyallia Man at Sandown.

Disney lost his right leg from the knee down when on duty for the Light Dragoons.

He rode the horse for trainer Tom George in the Royal Artillery Gold Cup (15:05 GMT), which was won by favourite Cowards Close.

Image source, Getty Images

An out-of-sorts Andy Murray suffered a shock defeat against Gilles Simon in the quarter-final of the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.

The British number one and world number four lost 6-4 6-2 to the Frenchman, 15 places below him in the rankings. Top seed Murray, 27, lost his serve in the opening game and slipped up again in the fifth to concede the first set.

Image source, Gemma Bonner

England women play the USA in a friendly tonight and you can watch the game live on the BBC Sport website from 20:00 GMT.

Still nothing yet from the Manchester United news conference, so to keep things ticking over how about some words from Aston Villa caretaker boss Scott Marshall?

"The immediate thing for me was to take training this morning," he says. "We have come in this morning and not changed anything in particular, we got the lads out and preparing for the game on Sunday, as we have been doing.

"The job was to get on the field and get on with things."

Muigai Moses:, external Waiting for LVG on #bbcsportsday, external really anxious to hear if he will respond to Paul Scholes on Man Utd style of play.