Darragh MacAnthony’s New Year Message – 2013 will be another memorable year: Posh fans, there is no doubt that 2012 has been a tough year for our football club on the pitch with wins not coming as regularly as we have all become used to in recent years.

Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony has thrown his weight behind under-fire manager Darren Ferguson and predicted some vast improvement in the club’s Championship form.

Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony has launched a mouth-watering competition through his new ‘MacAnthony Media’ company.

Darragh MacAnthony’s iPhone App entitled “The DMAC App” is now launched and available for download. Priced at only £1.49, Darragh will be donating 50% of the profits to charity. He wants to hear from you which charities you believe should receive donations. Get in touch with your charity nominations through the contact page or though hisTwitter account.

Download the app by clicking here.

By downloading the iPhone App fans will have access to the following features:

Posh Diaries

The only place where you can get exclusive access to Darragh’s true thoughts on Posh matches and the developments at Peterborough United Football Club.

Competition Page

Submit your football diary to Darragh, telling him your best football experience from any match, for any Football Club in the Football League. The best diary will be selected every month by Darragh and one lucky winner every month will receive afree Season Ticket of their choice, for any Football Club in the Football League.

Video Questions & Answers

Darragh will answer your questions you put to him via Twitter by tweeting him your question using #macapp. He will answer as many questions as possible from the fans each month.

Darragh’s World of Sport

Exclusive access to Darragh’s views on various different sports and current sporting events.

Darragh Predicts

A fun game whereby fans can shake their iPhone and Darragh will predict the score of the next Posh match.

The DMAC App is available for download by clicking here.

In the book Darragh covers his five-and-half year reign at London Road. The book explains the hardships of buying the club initially, to the takeover of Posh and then leading the Club to 3 promotions. He covers in detail the season whereby his team were relegated, including the dramatic hiring and firing of managers.

The autobiography ‘From Hobby To Obsession’ was released July 2012.

In the book Darragh covers his five-and-half year reign at London Road. The book explains the hardships of buying the club initially, to the takeover of Posh and then leading the Club to 3 promotions. He covers in detail the season whereby his team were relegated, including the dramatic hiring and firing of managers.

This hugely anticipated title covers the truth behind owning a football club, including never before disclosed quotes from discussions with managers and also includes Darren Ferguson’s side of the story as manager of Peterborough United.

The book is available NOW digitally for £6.99 and on hardback for £14.99 on YPD books.

It is also available online through The Posh Shop and will soon be available on iTunes and Amazon. The book can also be picked up directly from The Posh Shop at the London Road Stadium or Waterstones in Bridge Street Peterborough.

In celebration of this book, Darragh is holding a special evening to mark the occasion. On Monday 16th July 2012 you can have the opportunity to spend an evening with the Posh Chairman as he discusses the book and its contents alo

ng with a three course meal and of course a copy of the book itself.

Tickets for this event are £300 for a table of 10 people, or individual tickets are also available for £30.

At the end of the evening you will then get the chance to have your book signed by the man himself.

This is a great opportunity for you to get up close and personal with Posh Chairman. Please note only 150 places are available for this event and tickets will be sold on a first come first serve basis. The event will take place in the Caroline Hand Executive Suite at London Road.

For more information or to purchase tickets please email neil@theposh.com or visit www.theposhtickets.com.

Darragh MacAnthony has written his debut book about his time as owner of Peterborough United Football Club.

The book entitled ‘From Hobby To Obsession’ promises to give an insight into owning a football club like never before, with no stone left unturned.

Brutally honest and at times shocking, the title will be released in June this year for £14.99 in hardback or £6.99 digitally.

In celebration of this book, the Chairman is holding a special evening to mark the occasion. On Monday 16th July you can have the opportunity to spend an evening with the Chairman as he discuses the book and it’s contents along with a three course meal and of course a copy of the book itself.

Tickets for this event are £300 for a table of 10 people, or individual tickets are also available for £30.

At the end of the evening you will then get the chance to have your book signed by the man himself.

This is a great opportunity for you to get up close and personal with the man who has created the new era here at our football club.

Please note only 150 places are available for this event and tickets will be sold on a first come first serve basis. The event will take place in the Caroline Hand Executive Suite at London Road.

For more information or to purchase tickets please email neil@theposh.com or visit www.theposhtickets.com.

Happy chairman Darragh MacAnthony has reviewed the 2011/12 Peterborough United season for the Evening Telegraph:

“If someone had said to me last Summer that Posh would…

- Be in the top seven goalscorers in The Championship

- Finish above Nottingham Forest

- Hit 50 points

- Sell a player in a package worth £5 million

- Play a proper and envied style of football on the floor

- Beat three of the top six sides convincingly

- Score seven goals in one game

- Have two 16-year-olds force their way into the first team squad

- Not cause one row between the gaffer and myself all season

- Spend £1.1 million on one player

- Never be involved in a relegation battle over the 46 games

“…I would have said I am neither shocked nor surprised in all fairness!

“I had a pretty strong gut instinct last July out in Portugal of things to come. After seeing the first two days training sessions I called Barry Fry, who hadn’t arrived yet, and said to him: ‘You wouldn’t believe the football our lads are playing out here Baz’.

“I was taken aback at how well everybody was gelling and how confident the camp was, never mind the strong bond and team spirit on display every day.

“Truth be told it wasn’t the best summer ever for player recruitment with many targets going by the wayside over financial terms, but the players we did bring in were gelling well with the current squad and were great lads to have on board.

“The real moment I felt we would hit 50 points and compete well in the Championship came at half-time against Palace in our first game of the campaign.

“We were one down, but I was so impressed with how we applied ourselves and the standard of football we were playing that I just knew the season was going to go to plan.

“It wasn’t to be a typical season like previous ones in my short spell as owner at the club with either a promotion or a disaster, it was in my eyes a season of education for all of us.

“The season has educated us to the standard of the Championship, the need for a strong, healthy, fit squad, the need for multiple formations for different styles of teams, for mixing our own style of play up at times, for being psychically stronger and most importantly sticking together when good and bad.

“The Championship is, outside of the Premier League, one of the toughest leagues in Europe but at the same time it’s also the type of league where anybody can beat anybody on any given day.

“As a club we got so many things right, but we will learn about the few things we got wrong on and off the field.

“Hopefully this incredible experience this year will make us stronger, allow us to build and to come back next year and achieve more then we accomplished this season.

“There is so much to be excited about for our fans and indeed for me as Chairman of the club.

“Our youth department is getting stronger every season and with the investment being made on our training facilities this season and in the seasons to come, our club, with good prudent management, will, we all hope, become a strong competitive presence in the Championship with no debts and a very talented, young playing squad.

“With financial fair play coming into play in the very near future, the playing field will become a lot more level and with our model well implanted already over the last few years, this should enable us to really kick on and become a football club we can all be proud of.

“The season has been a pleasure and thanks to the gaffer, his staff and players, not to mention our fans, we can all look forward to more exciting Championship football next year and hopefully for many years to come.

“One last thing from me. My favourite moment of the season was the performance against an incredibly in-form Reading side when we went one down but beat them.

“That 3-1 win was all anybody needed to know about the potential at our club. It wasn’t a fluke or a lucky win, it was a group of young players performing to their potential against the form team in the country, and as it turned out the eventual Championship champions.

“It’s performances like that which keeps me going every day in my quest to help improve our wonderful football club.”

The Evening Telegraph understands Posh have paid £1.1 million to League Two side Crawley for a 26 year-old striker with 38 goals in an 18-month Football League career to his name. There are also over £300,000 in sell-ons and add-ons attached to the deal.

Barnett has joined Posh on an emergency loan until the end of the season when he will sign a four-year contract. He will make his debut in Saturday’s Championship clash at Doncaster.

Barnett’s arrival ends a month-long pursuit of the player. It was reported that Posh had a joint bid of £1.9 million for Barnett and Crawley defender Kyle McFadzean turned down during the January transer window.

Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony took a financial plunge after listening to manager Darren Ferguson rave about the player.

MacAnthony said: “The gaffer called me last week after seeing this lad for the umpteenth time and said ‘wow, power, pace, goals, aerial colossus, we have to sign him.

“We have smashed our transfer record and signed one of most sought-after strikers outside the Championship. We also beat six tasty Championship clubs to this deal.”

The previous highest transfer fee paid by Posh was £500,000 to Grimsby Town for central defender Ryan Bennett, but he eventually cost the club more than a million pounds when add-ons and a sell-on fee following his recent move to Norwich City were taken into account.

Barnett failed to agree personal terms after Championship rivals Blackpool set up a £1.4 million transfer last month, He’s scored 15 goals in 33 appearances for Crawley so far this season.

Ferguson added: “We have been after Tyrone for a while now so I’m delighted we have signed him. He gives us something totally different to what we have already got.

“We have had several good reports on him and I went to watch him recently, but left at half-time because I could already see how good he was.

“He scores all sorts of goals. He is technically very good, has decent pace and he is one of the best strikers in the air that I have seen for a while.

“He is a good age, has a good background and we are thrilled to have him on board. Fair play to the chairman for pulling out all the stops to get him.”

Posh have paid a record fee for a League Two player. The previous highest was the £800,000 that Bournemouth paid to Crawley for striker Matthew Tubbs last month.

Big factor was the chance to play for Darren Ferguson

TYRONE Barnett is confident he can bring his Crawley Town form into the Championship.

The 26 year-old striker has jumped from non-league football to the second tier of English football inside 18 months, but he believes Posh boss Darren Ferguson will help him improve further.

Barnett was a striker at Hednesford Town in the Southern Premier League two seasons ago before moving into the Football League with Macclesfield and Crawley.

Barnett said: “I’ve had a good season at Crawley and I hope it carries on here. I have confidence in my ability and I can’t wait to get started in the Championship.

“A big factor for me was playing for Darren Ferguson. I have met him a few times and it’s obvious that he wants to play football the right way and so do I.

“I’m always looking to improve my game and I’m at a club that will help me do that. I’m excited about the challenge ahead.

“I know Peterborough had a bid rejected for me in January which was disappointing, but I didn’t let if affect me and now I’m glad that the move has happened.”

DARRAGH MacAnthony has praised the part Posh fans played in an unforgettable 2011.

WHEN the Helping Hands Group opened nearly a year ago, director Suzanne Gilby had no idea of how popular the education service for adults with learning disabilities would prove to be.

CARLY LEWTHWAITE went along to find out more.

BASED in a smart brick building along Padholme Road East, The Helping Hands Group is a great place to be.

Stepping inside the light, clean and airy building, it is clear to see from the decor what director Suzanne’s favourite colour is!

With a purple theme throughout, the centre has a homely feel to it, and the potential for their 15 current students is clear to see.

The spacious rooms have an array of modern facilities, from a gleaming kitchen through to computers, musical instruments and interactive whiteboards.

Referred to as a ‘breath of fresh air’ for the city, Helping Hands offer further education, personal development and day opportunities for adults with a wide range of disabilities, from autism, sensory impairment, brain injury and PMLD (profound and multiple learning disabilities) to Aspergers syndrome.

The service is paid for using a range of grants available to adults with learning disabilities. The service caters for everyone from the age of 18, with the oldest student currently 40 years old.

Suzanne explained that the popularity of Helping Hands has exceeded her expectations since the centre opened at a cost of £250,000, provided by Peterborough United and Helping Hands Group chairman Darragh MacAnthony.

Darragh jumped on board after speaking with Suzanne’s husband Neil, who works for the club as the man behind Poshlive! and PUTV.

Suzanne said: “We opened in January this year and the number of students we were hoping for has doubled.

“Our 15 students do a range of hours, some only come for one day a week, others for five days.

“It has gone really well and we are looking forward to another successful year.”

Students are assessed on an individual basis to ensure that their timetable suits their needs and abilities. This program is reviewed regularly and is followed by all staff members to ensure continuity.

The courses cover a range of activities, from education and independence skills through to work experience, arts, crafts, cooking, horticulture and IT.

Suzanne said: “We have a complimentary therapist who comes in to the centre and offers relaxing therapies such as head massage and aromatherapy.

“Students also have the use of our new hydrotherapy pool, which has just been installed.”

Complete with a changing area, professional hoist, lights and music, it really is a great addition to the centre.

Suzanne said: “The pool benefits the students in a number of ways. If they have limited movement, the water can relax their muscles and give the freedom of weightlessness that they don’t have when sitting in their wheelchair.

“It is also a sensory experience, with the warmth, light and music and has an all-round positive effect for everyone who uses it. Students who are mobile love it because a spa experience is not something that they would find easily accessible outside of the centre. Everyone loves it!”

I headed upstairs where a small group of students were having a quick break before embarking on a Wii dance session, one of the most popular activities on offer.

Kerrie Woods (19) was proudly showing off her beautiful pink nails and freshly styled hair, courtesy of an earlier beauty session.

Kerrie has been a student since August and said that her favourite activity at Helping Hands is playing dance games on the Wii.

Zoe Forbes (19) also had newly-painted nails, and was taking orders for hot drinks.

As one of the more independent students, Zoe said that she enjoyed making drinks for everyone and that she enjoyed sessions in the new hydrotherapy pool the most!

Zoe’s learning support assistant, Gemma Stent was looking forward to her cup of tea and explained how much she enjoyed working with the students.

She said: “I absolutely love it, I love working here. I never have a day where I don’t want to come into work. I enjoy it so much that I don’t see it as a job. Seeing the progress the students make while they are here makes it all worthwhile.”

Mark Mowvley is a mentor to Ali Hussain (20). He explained what a difference the centre has had on Ali. “When Ali first came here he was really out of his comfort zone and was a little unsure. In just a few months he has learnt so much and is even starting to use the computer.”

Although Helping Hands has achieved a great deal in just a few short months, Suzanne is looking to progress even further.

The service currently runs five days week, but Suzanne has been piloting a few new ideas that she hopes to put into action.

She said: “We have been trialling a few weekend workshops and are looking to hold activities in the evening as well. This is as a result of feedback from parents who have said that their sons and daughters don’t have many options for things to do in the evening and over the weekend.

“We tried some drama workshops and they were really well received.”

Suzanne is also looking at providing outreach services, where staff will be able to visit students and their families in their own home, as well as providing a respite service for parents and carers.

She said: “The service is beneficial for both parties because it gives the young adult a chance to socialise and do things that might be difficult to provide for at home, as well as giving the carer a break.”

Despite the reams of paperwork and work behind the scenes, it is clear that Suzanne and her staff enjoy every moment of it.The success of Helping Hands has spread, with referrals already coming in for students wanting to join in the New Year.

Suzanne said: “If you asked me how much I enjoy my job out of ten, I would say ten million!

“I have worked in this area for 23 years and I just love it. The look on the students’ faces when they are here, enjoying everything and learning to live a more fulfilled life puts everything into perspective.

“It isn’t just a job, we live the dream.”

To find out more you can contact The Helping Hands Group on 01733 561000, email info@thehelpinghandsgroup.org.uk or visit the website www.thehelpinghandsgroup.org.uk