Blackpool down and Mackay out after 20 weeks April 6, 2015 TROUBLED Blackpool’s relegation was confirmed while Wigan ended the controversial tenure of manager Malky Mackay on a tumultuous day in the Championship yesterday. The Seasiders were condemned to drop into English football’s third tier with six games remaining after Rotherham’s 1-0 win over Brighton left Blackpool 19 points from safety. Lee Clark’s men host Reading [...]
Former champ Doherty blocking Evans’ path to snooker history April 6, 2015 LEADING female snooker player Reanne Evans has been handed a tough route to a possible World Championships debut after being drawn to meet former winner Ken Doherty in qualifying. The Englishwoman, 29, who has won the World Ladies Snooker Championship 10 years in a row, is bidding to become the first woman to appear in [...]
Golf Comment: Rory rightly favourite but I fancy Stenson to master magical Major April 6, 2015 THE MASTERS is always very special, not least because we know it so well. We in Britain all grew up watching it on television, beamed from that same immaculate Augusta National setting year after year. We all have favourite parts that we’ll get excited about seeing again this week. I can’t wait to see them [...]
Walsh steals AP’s thunder April 6, 2015 JOCKEY Katie Walsh upstaged AP McCoy’s final appearance in the Irish Grand National yesterday to become the first woman to win the race for four years. Walsh piloted the Sandra Hughes-trained 20-1 shot Thunder And Roses to victory by four and a half lengths at Fairyhouse after an absorbing three-way battle with Rule The World [...]
Can these Leeds United fans save English football’s sleeping giant? April 2, 2015 “The response so far has been fantastic; we’re aiming to be the largest UK fan fundraise that there’s ever been – I think we’ve got a good chance of achieving that.” These were the words of Brendan Meehan, former partner at KPMG and current finance and legal executive at Leeds Fans Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) [...]
Yarde sees mileage in World Cup ambition April 1, 2015 Harlequins winger struggled to watch Six Nations after England snub but is bent on winning back place RENDERED powerless to influence England’s ultimately forlorn Six Nations title challenge, Harlequins speedster Marland Yarde has resolved to avoid a repeat of that painful scenario during this autumn’s home World Cup. There remains work to do, though. Yarde [...]
Platini in thirdparty ban plea to Borgen boss April 1, 2015 FOOTBALL’S European governing body Uefa and players’ union FifPro have joined forces to lobby the European Commission to outlaw the controversial practice of third-party ownership (TPO). TPO – when a player’s transfer value is owned in full or part by a speculating investor – is already banned at all levels in England, having gained notoriety [...]
Raheem Sterling insists Liverpool contract row not about money as he vows to gun down transfer suitors Arsenal April 1, 2015 Unsettled Liverpool and England forward Raheem Sterling insists he wants to beat Arsenal in Saturday’s Premier League showdown despite admitting to being flattered by their interest in him. Sterling, 20, admits he is undecided over his Anfield future after turning down a new contract worth £100,000. The Gunners, who could all but end Liverpool’s Champions [...]
Kell Brook targets double defence April 1, 2015 IBF world welterweight champion Kell Brook plans to defend his title again twice this summer, despite being snubbed by Amir Khan. Brook, who beat Romanian Jo Jo Dan last week, could fight again as soon as next month. He said: “Saturday night was fantastic and I want to capitalise on that win.” Fellow Briton Khan, [...]
Cricket Comment: Colin Graves’ concerns – why four-day Tests are not best way forward April 1, 2015 From what I have seen, incoming England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Colin Graves has the appetite to implement change that will improve the structure of cricket in this country. He is due to start work next month and will arrive with a fresh mind and, hopefully, will be armed with certain long-term ideas that [...]