West Ham’s Paqueta yet to give evidence in spot-fixing trial Sport Business This week’s Ahead of the Game focuses on Lucas Paqueta, the English Football League in New York, rugby league controversy, basketball fines and the Grand National. Lucas Paqueta has yet to give evidence in his spot-fixing trial, a revelation which indicates that the case could have some way to run as the West Ham midfielder [...]
Minister Peacock apologises to Brady, Arsenal and Brighton chiefs Sport Business Sport Minister Stephanie Peacock has been forced to issue an apology to Baroness Brady and directors of Arsenal and Brighton and Hove Albion “for any distress caused” after hitting back at critics of the football regulator. In a statement published today by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) today, Peacock said she had [...]
Baroness Brady: Football regulator a solution in search of a problem Sport Business West Ham United vice-chair Baroness Brady has said the incoming football regulator is a “solution in search of a problem”, adding that doing anything that changes the value of the Premier League broadcast deal would be “reckless and wrong”. The Football Governance Bill has been reintroduced into the House of Lords by the government having [...]
Owners of London Stadium forced to pay West Ham United £3.6m January 27, 2025 The owners of West Ham United’s London Stadium have been forced to cough up £3.6m after losing a court case against the Premier League club. E20 Stadium, set up by publicly-owned London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), must pay back the multi-million pound sum to the club after West Ham challenged a payment they made to [...]
Football Governance Bill ‘weird’ and regulator could be ‘terrible’, says Brady January 23, 2025 West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady has laid out her case for opposing the introduction of the football regulator, arguing that it “could have a really detrimental effect” on the game. Baroness Brady has been one of the most vocal peers in questioning the plans for a watchdog, the key plank of the Football Governance [...]
Potter to take charge at West Ham after Lopetegui sacked January 8, 2025 Former Chelsea and Brighton manager Graham Potter is poised to return to football at West Ham United after they sacked Julen Lopetegui. Potter is reported to have agreed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Hammers and is set to be in the dugout for Friday’s FA Cup third-round trip to Aston Villa. The 49-year-old has been [...]
Sport in 2025: A rallying cry to London, Mayor Khan and Londoners January 2, 2025 For at least the past five years it has felt as if London was disappearing off the global sporting stage. The capital may boast the Home of Cricket, 17 professional football clubs and five stadiums with a capacity of over 50,000 but huge sporting events have sought refuge in the likes of Saudi Arabia, the [...]
Arise Sir Southgate: Former England manager knighted in New Years Honours December 30, 2024 England’s former football manager Gareth Southgate has been bestowed the honour of a knighthood in King Charles III’s New Year Honours list. Sir Gareth, 54, led England to back-to-back Euros finals in 2021 and 2024, where the Three Lions were toppled by Italy and Spain in the showpiece finals. But the former player has been [...]
Hit or miss? The best and worst football club Christmas adverts December 22, 2024 Creative type Steve Howell casts his critical eye over Christmas adverts produced by Chelsea, Liverpool, West Ham and Celtic. Think of a Christmas advert and your mind may conjure memories of “A dog is for life…” or any number of classic John Lewis commercials that have become synonymous with this time of year. Whatever brand [...]
Ahead of the Game: British Horseracing Authority accused of ‘selling out sport’ December 11, 2024 Campaign group Clean Up Gambling has switched horses and is backing racing in the sport’s push to be regulated separately from online casinos and slots. Clean Up Gambling, which is funded by multimillionaire Labour donor Derek Webb and run by former party official Matt Zarb-Cousin, has called for racing to be exempt from affordability checks [...]