This is what it’s all about. It sometimes feels like it takes until the quarter-final stage for the Champions League to begin in earnest, but it’s kicked into full gear now with an exciting last eight draw. Manchester City are the only British team remaining and they face a tough task in their first ever […]

10 years ago

By Hayley O’Connor. I’ve had a good few days and the punters have cleaned up this week. On the final day of the Festival day, can Ruby land the opener three days in a row? The money this morning for Footpad in the Triumph Hurdle at 1.30pm suggests he can. I fancied Apples Jade for […]

10 years ago

A sad state of affairs. Renowned kickboxer Tiffany van Soest has resorted to selling her world championship belt online in order to pay bills. The Lion Fight featherweight champion has claimed that she has not been paid by the promotion and has debt accumulated from her preparations that went into winning the belt. The 26-year-old […]

10 years ago

Those World Cup scars will not fade in a hurry, but there’s no better tonic for Brazil fans than feasting their eyes on a brand spanking new kit. Nike’s kit, which will be worn at the 2016 Copa America, has a strikingly minimalist design, complemented by the green trim on the collar and stripes down […]

10 years ago

Since dispatching Conor McGregor at UFC 196, we’ve all been wondering what’s next for Nate Diaz. You’d think that such a high-profile victory would give Diaz his pick of whatever fight he wanted, but the trash-talking Californian isn’t getting too carried away with who he wants to face next. Diaz’s brutal submission of The Notorious came […]

10 years ago

Explains why he left Liverpool

10 years ago

This wasn’t your average European tie, this was personal. It might not have been the Champions League, but Liverpool and Manchester United meeting in the Europa League still represented a European first for the two. Liverpool carried a 2-0 advantage going into Thursday’s game having dominated the first leg at Anfield, but United fans still believed […]

10 years ago

For sale?

10 years ago

Italy: home of the Renaissance, football, style and Andrea Pirlo. Unfortunately, we can’t crowbar the first into a story about Italy’s new training gear for Euros this summer the but the last three certainly apply – and how. We already knew the Euro 2016 away kit in particular was something of a work of art (much like a Renaissance painting…No? […]

10 years ago

Well that escalated quickly. Nike and the FA proudly unveiled the new home and away England kits on Thursday, and it’s fair to say that the reaction was…passionate. The subtle two-tone shirts – and the not-so-subtle inverted sock colours – certainly stirred an emotional response amongst the fans. Unfortunately for those responsible, it was less than […]

10 years ago

After a miserable evening at Anfield last week, Manchester United face an uphill battle if they are to overcome Liverpool in their Europa League second leg on Thursday. Speaking ahead of the game, Louis van Gaal indicated that Bastian Schweinsteiger was not fit enough to start the match, leaving many United supporters expecting their side’s midfield to be […]

10 years ago

By Hayley O’Connor. After a brilliant day yesterday, I’m glad I got my head in front because today’s card will be hugely hard to navigate. The opener, the JLT Novices Chase, sees two very good English horses at the head of the market. The favourite, Garde La Victoire has done a lot right, is 3/3 over […]

10 years ago

It’s over fellas. Let it go. Yet again, Arsenal’s season has imploded in a matter of weeks. Understandably, it’s difficult for many of those connected with the club to accept that a season that promised so much is set to yield nothing in the way of silverware. Judging by this, the club’s Twitter feed simply […]

10 years ago

Mohamed Elneny had raised the slimmest of hopes that Arsenal could salvage their Champions League tie with Barcelona. The Egyptian bagged a memorable first goal for the club, leaving them in sight of an unlikely comeback. All of a sudden, Arsenal were creating chances and their tails were up. But, much like their title […]

10 years ago

As his ‘sweeper-keeper’ nickname suggests, Manuel Neuer has made a bit of a habit of vacating his goal line. Most of the time, the German international times it to perfection, but as his Bayern Munich side hosted Juventus, Neuer made a right old mess of things. Although some of the blame can be shared with […]

10 years ago

It’s all hype, this UFC business. So before you start the training or get down to the serious business of fighting, it it best to start selling your fight. Harry Kane’s unlikely campaign to be Conor McGregor’s opponent for UFC 200 began with his unlikely promoter Delle Alli pushing the fight on Tuesday. The Spurs and […]

10 years ago

Spare a thought for the poor people who work at Sky. If you’ve ever wasted a day watching Sky Sports News HQ, then you’ve probably wondered what it would be like to work at one of the desks you see in the background of every shot. At any given moment you kind find yourself unwittingly […]

10 years ago

Some 18 years have passed since Arsene Wenger clinched his first trophies as Arsenal manager. But with the club in danger of missing out on the Premier League title for the 12th successive year, one member of that all-conquering squad thinks it’s time for the manager to move on. Emmanuel Petit moved to Highbury for […]

10 years ago

Fit in 5

10 years ago

By Hayley O’Connor. I spent the day trying to oppose favourites yesterday, as if I was going to be brave, I’d do it on day one to when I have three days to play it safe, and plan to be more sensible today. The first race, the Neptune Novices Hurdle looks a bit of a match between […]

10 years ago

Careful now

10 years ago

Selfies. Everywhere

10 years ago

It didn’t start the way they wanted but Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh had a spectacular day to remember at Cheltenham, claiming three big prizes on day one of the Festival. 5:30 Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase 1 Ballyalton (IRE) 12/1 15 Bouvreuil (FR) 14/1 14 Double Shuffle (IRE) 8/1 3 Bridgets Pet (IRE) 33/1 The […]

10 years ago

The revolution will not be televised (at least not the first 25 minutes anyway). We’ve all done it. You’re sure you’re playing at home, positive. No need to check the fixture list, you just know. But then you turn up to the ground and the gates are locked. You were playing away. And now your […]

10 years ago

By Hayley O’Connor It has arrived. The waiting, the debating – it’s over. Now it’s time to nail your colours to the mast and put your money on your picks for the first day of the AWESOME Cheltenham festival. All the chat at the track this morning is about Vautour running in the Ryanair Chase […]

10 years ago

Interesting

10 years ago

“That’s a lie”

10 years ago

The psychological blow of two cup exits will be the biggest threat to Arsenal’s title challenge, Jamie Carragher has said. Former Liverpool captain Carragher watched the Gunners get eliminated from the FA Cup by Watford, and expects Barcelona to have too much for Arsene Wenger’s team in the Champions League. And he has claimed the […]

10 years ago

Suits you, sir gelding. You’ve got to love Cheltenham week, that magical four days when EVERYONE becomes a master tipster and a TV is switched on in every office. College students around the country forget about lectures as the festival of horseflesh in the Cotswolds means an unofficial rag week for many. The exodus from Ireland has […]

10 years ago

Euro 2016 is just around the corner, and the kits for tournament are slowly being leaked out to us. We’ve already brought you such beauties as the Republic of Ireland’s new strip, while Ukraine’s kit was not as well received. One shirt we’ve been eagerly awaiting is that of hosts France, who are known for […]

10 years ago

Never change

10 years ago

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is going to be a busy man this summer. The Swedish captain has confirmed that he will leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this season, and will likely kick off a bidding war for his services. Ibrahimovic helped lead PSG to the Ligue 1 title with an incredible eight games to spare – […]

10 years ago

Touching recollection

10 years ago

Give me strength

10 years ago

It was business as usual at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon. Arsenal continued their ongoing collapse as they fell to a 2-1 defeat by Watford, putting an end to their quest to become the first team to win three consecutive FA Cups since the 1880s. The Gunners now trail Leicester by eight points in the league and face […]

10 years ago

It’s one thing to win the league. It’s another thing entirely to win it in March. Incredibly, that’s a feat Paris Saint-Germain have just pulled off this weekend, sealing the Ligue 1 title with a straightforward 9-0 thrashing of bottom-placed side Troyes. FULL TIME: PSG give a championship-worthy performance at Troyes to win their 4th straight Ligue 1 […]

10 years ago

There might be plenty of talk about onda Rousey getting another crack at the UFC women’s bantamweight title later this year, but Miesha Tate is busy making other plans. The reigning champion has Amanda Nunes in her sights after the Brazilian’s hot streak in UFC, and boyfriend and coach Bryan Caraway has shared his thoughts on […]

10 years ago

The Manchester United rumour mill keeps going and going. With Louis Van Gaal almost certain to leave in the summer, speculation as has been rife about the next Old Trafford boss. Jose Mourinho has been touted for months, but according to reports in the Daily Star Sunday, it’ll be Laurent Blanc in charge of United come […]

10 years ago

From the horse’s mouth

10 years ago

Martin O’Neill admits he would be foolish not to think about taking Jack Byrne to France if he impresses whilst training with the squad. The Republic of Ireland boss has invited the Manchester City youngster to train with the senior international team next week. What has impressed O’Neill most about the 19-year-old is his decision […]

10 years ago

“Colm Cavanagh is a baste!”

10 years ago

Scary stuff. An apparently displeased cow caused a temporary abandonment of a football match in Australia this weekend. During a game in Granville, a suburb in western Sydney, a cow emerged from the trees before sprinting onto the pitch and looking to have taken a particular disliking to one player who was thankfully agile enough […]

10 years ago

Things very quickly went downhill for Chelsea on Saturday evening. The Blues appeared to have steadied the ship after the troubles that plagued their season and stood a very good chance of still claiming some silverware in the form of the FA Cup. But after Romelu Lukaku powered his way through the Chelsea defence to score two […]

10 years ago

Chelsea may have dominated England last season, but things aren’t going so well this time around. The arrival of Guus Hidink as interim coach steadied the ship somewhat for the defending Premier League champions, but they came unstuck against Everton in the FA Cup as Romelu Lukaku rampaged through a porous Blues defence. The former […]

10 years ago

Stan is not the man…

10 years ago

Behind-the-scenes

10 years ago

Double whammy

10 years ago

“Please go home at half-time”

10 years ago

Classy finish

10 years ago

Hard yards

10 years ago