Arsenal’s bumper wage bill triggers £13m jump in football costs February 27, 2015 Arsenal’s new sponsorship deal with Puma contributed to a £10m increase in turnover in the six months ended 30 November 2014. Total turnover rose 7.9 per cent from £137.9m to £148.8m thanks to “strong growth in commercial activity” which Arsenal said enabled it to spend more on players and wages. The club says [...]
Rangers admit James Easdale was paid while working for the club February 27, 2015 Rangers have conceded that former director James Easdale was paid during his time at the club, after previously stating that he received "not received any remuneration". Today the Scottish club has clarified that Easdale was paid director's fees between August 2013 and December 2013 "in accordance with his contractual entitlements", but added that these were all [...]
Chelsea shirt sponsorship revenue to rise 122pc as Premier League brand flexes its muscle February 27, 2015 Chelsea will have the second-biggest shirt sponsorship deal in Premier League history after reaching an agreement with Japanese tyre manufacturers Yokohama Rubber. The deal is thought to be worth around £40m a year for five years, representing a significant jump on their current £18m-a-year deal with Samsung. Only Manchester United earn more [...]
Europa League: Soldado miss key as Spurs crash in Italy February 26, 2015 FIORENTINA 2 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0 (Fiorentina won 3-1 on aggregate) TOTTENHAM boss Mauricio Pochettino pointed the finger at goal-shy striker Roberto Soldado after the Spaniard failed to convert a gilt-edged opportunity as error-strewn Spurs slumped out of the Europa League following defeat to Fiorentina last night. Soldado fluffed his lines in the opening period and [...]
Don’t let Ireland bend the rules, Haskell warns England February 26, 2015 ENGLAND flanker James Haskell has urged his side to counter Ireland’s attempts to bend the rules in their showdown in Dublin on Sunday, which could determine the destination of the Six Nations title. Like Ireland, the Red Rose boast a perfect championship record so far but have been guilty of sluggish starts and conceded early [...]
Liverpool fail to hit the spot in European exit February 26, 2015 LIVERPOOL crashed out of the Europa League after losing their first-ever European penalty shoot-out against Besiktas at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium last night. Besiktas substitute Tolgay Arslan, who joined the Super Lig outfit from Hamburg in January, curled home a 20-yard effort in the 72nd minute to level the aggregate score and send the round of [...]
Sport Comment: I prefer the Boycott who shoots from lip February 26, 2015 THE ICC Cricket World Cup is a fantastic event but it’s a living nightmare for England and their latest short-form skipper Eoin Morgan. They have been utterly humiliated by both Australia and New Zealand and only came to life when confronted by the minnows from across the wall, Scotland. A 119-run victory was probably no [...]
Oscar out to end Wembley hex in Spurs cup final February 26, 2015 CHELSEA midfielder Oscar is desperate to end his dismal run at Wembley when the Blues meet Tottenham to contest the Capital One Cup final on Sunday. The Brazil playmaker has lost on all three occasions that he has played at the home of English football: for his country in the London 2012 Olympics gold medal [...]
McLaren admit Alonso a doubt for Formula One season opener February 26, 2015 MCLAREN chiefs are optimistic that former world champion Fernando Alonso will be fit for the season’s first race in Australia next month, but admit he remains a doubt following his crash in testing. Concussed Alonso spent three days in hospital this week after ploughing into a wall at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona on [...]
Scots wounded by Afghan shock February 26, 2015 SCOTLAND skipper Preston Mommsen admits his side need time to recover from their devastating one-wicket defeat to Afghanistan yesterday. The Afghans fought back from 97-7 to chase down 210 in the final over as Scotland remain without a win at a World Cup. Mommsen said: “There was a lot riding on this. It will take [...]