Football

On one freezing Saturday afternoon 28 years ago, Tim Buzaglo was responsible for one of the greatest upsets in FA Cup history. A pacy, left-footed striker for non-league Woking, Buzaglo’s hat-trick helped his side to a 4-2 win at the Hawthorns, stunning hosts West Bromwich Albion and thrusting the shy semi-pro into the limelight. Back […]

Blackpool Mark Howard 5.5/10 Made a good save to deny Nketiah on the stroke of half time to ensure Blackpool went into the break with half a chance. Forced off due to injury with around 20 minutes of normal time left to play. Michael Nottingham 6/10 Had the pace to try and keep stride with […]

With the Premier League at the halfway point, January brings with it the chance for reinforcements. Whether a team is challenging for European football or the opportunity to stay in the division, a few extra bodies could be crucial in pulling a group towards their respective objectives. Some clubs will be busier than others, while […]

Whatever wins, or goes close to winning, the Tolworth Hurdle (2.25) at Sandown on Saturday will immediately go on every shortlist for top novice honours in the spring. The Grade One has proved a most informative trial in recent times: Yorkhill won it in 2016 en route to his victory in the Neptune Hurdle at […]

There are different types of legacy in rugby, says Charles Piutau, the man who carries the tag of the highest-paid player in the English Premiership. Not everyone can be a Jonah Lomu or a Richie McCaw, framed forever in the public consciousness as colossi clad in the all black of New Zealand and, in McCaw’s […]

Paul Pogba has been the standout player since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took the reigns at Old Trafford, scoring back-to-back braces against Bournemouth and Huddersfield. Alongside his impressive goal tally, the Frenchman has racked up four assists, reminding the Manchester United faithful of his world class talent. But ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup fixture the […]

Stephen Addison will not have far to travel when he collects the British Empire Medal that he was awarded in the new year honours list in a ceremony at the Tower of London. From the house that he shares in east London with his parents and siblings, it’s a short walk to the Tube station, […]

What are the purpose of youth academies in the modern game? When Manchester City opened their £200 million Etihad Campus, which included state-of-the-art facilities for the club’s young players, they made clear just how significant they believed the development to be. On the wall of the City Football Academy reads a quote from Man City […]

The Great British public love an underdog and if there’s one football competition where many an applecart has been upset over the years, it’s the Emirates FA Cup. Although Nottingham Forest have a wealth of history and tradition to match the oldest football tournament in the world, they travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea […]

Invincibles no longer, yet enhanced in defeat. Manchester City inflicted on Liverpool a first loss of the season. Liverpool inflicted on City the more powerful idea that they might just be the better team, the side against which all others must now be measured. They require the confirmation of a Premier League title to substantiate […]

There is a scene in the Sherlock Holmes’ short story A Scandal in Bohemia where the protagonist has deduced something meaningful based on apparently incidental observations, and Dr Watson declares himself to be extraordinarily impressed. “When I hear you give your reasons,” Watson tells Holmes, “the thing always appears to me to be so ridiculously simple that […]

There was always destined to be refereeing controversy when Manchester City hosted Liverpool at the Etihad. Before a ball had even been kicked, Liverpool fans were raging about the appointment of Anthony Taylor as referee. Taylor, from Wythenshawe in Greater Manchester, seemed like an unnecessarily controversial choice, though he has refereed both Manchester clubs before […]

Leroy Sane grabbed the winner as champions Manchester City reignited the Premier League title race with a tense 2-1 win over leaders Liverpool, but who were the standout performers and who let themselves down in the season’s biggest game so far. Manchester City Fernandinho was one of Manchester City’s standout performers in the win over […]

Despite losing to Crystal Palace on Wednesday, Wolverhampton Wanderers are enjoying a fine season back in the top flight. However, they will have to go on a remarkable run in the second half of the season to better the achievements of these four promoted outfits… Nottingham Forest 1994/95 After finishing bottom of the Premier League […]

The year was 1985. Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister, the Live Aid movement was in full swing and, unthinkably, the Scottish championship had been won by a club outside the Old Firm for the third year running. For a team other than Celtic or Rangers to mount a prolonged title tilt may seem scarcely believable […]