Usmanov ups his stake in Arsenal April 14, 2010 ALISHER Usmanov, Arsenal’s second largest shareholder, has spent almost £390,000 on upping his stake amid fresh speculation about the club’s future. The Russian steel magnate bought 37 shares at £10,500 each to increase his shareholding from 26.29 per cent to 26.31 per cent. It moves him closer to the 30 per cent threshold that would [...]
Anelka eases anxiety as Bolton make Blues sweat April 13, 2010 CHELSEA (1) v/s BOLTON (0) WELL, he may not have got too much wrong in his 23 years in charge at Manchester United, but Sir Alex Ferguson was certainly wide of the mark here. His assumption that Bolton would be “easy” for Chelsea couldn’t have been further from the truth as Owen Coyle’s industrious Trotters [...]
Van Persie could start as Wenger ponders a gamble April 13, 2010 TOTTENHAM v/s ARSENAL ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger admits he is taking a gamble by throwing Robin van Persie back into action in tonight’s crunch north London derby, but is toying with the idea of handing him a starting role. Striker Van Persie is back in the squad for a match that both sides view as [...]
Arsenal ownership takes fresh twist as Kroenke takes control of NFL side April 13, 2010 MYSTERY surrounding the future of Arsenal has deepened after the club’s largest investor Stan Kroenke decided to snap up the remaining shares in his American football franchise St Louis Rams. The US billionaire’s move casts doubt on his ability to launch a takeover of the Gunners, just hours after it seemed the Premier League outfit’s [...]
Wembley chiefs to review options after accepting criticism April 13, 2010 WEMBLEY chiefs will decide early next week whether or not to re-lay the pitch for an 11th time after accepting justification for criticism received after the FA Cup semi-finals over the weekend. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp described the surface as a “disgrace” after his side’s defeat by Portsmouth, prompting stadium bosses to review their options [...]
Chiefs defend rules that let cocaine users off with fine April 13, 2010 RUGBY chiefs insist their liberal new policy on testing for recreational drugs such as cocaine is not a soft touch. Players could escape with only a £5,000 fine and their anonymity protected if they return a positive sample from a non-matchday test. That is compared to the automatic two-year ban, prescribed, by world anti-doping chiefs [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF April 13, 2010 Ford to make Saints switch RUGBY UNION: Highly-rated fly-half Joe Ford has agreed a deal to join Northampton Saints from Leeds at the end of the season. The 19-year-old, whose dad Mike is the England defence coach, has enjoyed a fine season with Carnegie and is seen as one of England’s brightest young talents. He [...]
DANNY GETS BAABAAS CALL April 13, 2010 ENGLAND outcast Danny Cipriani could get the chance to show coach Martin Johnson just what he’s missing after being named in the Barbarians squad. Cipriani is joined in the star-studded squad by Wasps team-mate and fellow international exile, Paul Sackey, for the games against England on 30 May and Ireland on 4 June.
CITY VIEWS: DOES ANDY MURRAY OWE IT TO BRITAIN TO PLAY IN THE DAVIS CUP? April 13, 2010 ANGUS NANAN | KERRY LONDON “Tennis is a very individual sport and you’re driven by your ambition as an individual rather than your ambition to play Davis Cup, so I can very much see where he is coming from. If we had a better team he might possibly be more up for it but I [...]
Murray stands firm over his Davis Cup plans April 13, 2010 BRITISH No1 Andy Murray has poured cold water on hopes that new Davis Cup captain Leon Smith might be able to tempt him back to the fold. Murray missed last month’s loss to Lithuania but British chiefs hope Smith, the Scot’s former coach, will be able to pull strings. But Murray said: “Leon’s my friend [...]