Weepie that fails the test of time August 13, 2009 FilmThe Time Traveler’s wifeCert: 12A BASED on the best-selling and much-loved novel by Audrey Niffenegger, this film has its work cut out from the start. How do you depict a serious love story in which the man has a genetic condition that makes him visibly slide around in time? How do you show the same [...]
Cattermole joins Black Cats August 12, 2009 FOOTBALL: Sunderland last night completed the £6m signing of England Under-21 midfielder Lee Cattermole from Wigan. Cattermole has penned a four-year contract at the Stadium of Light, where he will again work under manager Steve Bruce, who signed him for Wigan from Middlesbrough last summer. The combative 21-year-old is in line to make his Black [...]
BRUNSWICK CAUSES A STIR WITH PUBLIC AFFAIRS ROLE IN BRUSSELS August 6, 2009 A COUP for City PR outfit Brunswick, which is on the cusp of a lucrative new contract to advise HSBC on its public policy over in Brussels. Brunswick boss Alan Parker has long been chummy with HSBC chairman Stephen Green, so the tie-up shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. But though some in [...]
Barclays bracing itself for protests August 5, 2009 BARCLAYS’ staff are set to stage a protest over pensions outside the bank’s annual meeting today. Barclays chief executive John Varley has argued that the bank’s pension fund deficit is worsening and curtailing its final salary pension scheme is best for present and future staff, and its pensioners. But the Unite union, which represents more [...]
Bordeaux want ‘agreement’ with Arsenal over Chamakh August 5, 2009 ARSENAL have been given fresh hope in their bid to sign Marouane Chamakh, after Bordeaux hinted they are ready to slash their asking price for the Morocco striker. Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has had a £6m offer rejected but is refusing to go higher for a player who will be able to leave for nothing [...]
Bank hate is exaggerated and simplistic August 3, 2009 IF WE are to believe most commentators, it is an outrage that Barclays and HSBC were able to report decent profits yesterday. The main reason, apparently, is that there are “fears” that lending remains too tight, and that the dreaded “bonus culture” will return. Needless to say, had the banks reported a collapse in earnings, [...]
Weather could have biggest say in the pivotal third Test July 29, 2009 ENGLAND vs AUSTRALIATODAY 11AM – SKY SPORTS 1 AFTER a thrilling Test in the capital the series is Birmingham-bound, returning to the scene of perhaps the most memorable Ashes encounter of all time. Unfortunately the key protagonists from Edgbaston 2005 – as captured in one of the most iconic sporting images ever – look unlikely [...]
Villa and Hull make last ditch bid for 14m Bent July 28, 2009 DARREN BENT was last night at the centre of a transfer tug-of-war after Aston Villa and Hull City moved to hijack his move to Sunderland. Bent, 25, looked all set to complete a proposed transfer to the Black Cats today after undergoing a medical at the Stadium of Light. But Villa and Hull are now [...]
Spurs seal 9m Crouch deal as Bent heads to Sunderland July 27, 2009 TOTTENHAM last night agreed a deal with Portsmouth to sign striker Peter Crouch in a transfer believed to be worth around £9m. The England front man underwent a medical at White Hart Lane yesterday before agreeing personal terms with the north London club. At the same time, however, Spurs are ready to offload Crouch’s England [...]
Al Fahim completes Pompey takeover July 21, 2009 SULAIMAN AL FAHIM yesterday got the green light to complete his takeover of Portmsouth – and then promptly handed caretaker boss Paul Hart a new two-year deal. The UAE-based businessman became the first prospective club owner to pass the Premier League’s new fit and proper person test after having agreed, in principle, to take over [...]