Some got roughed up by Gary Neville, others had an obsession with Twitter, but from Michael Ricketts to Oumar Niasse, these players all have a dismal January transfer in commonAt 11.30pm on the first ever January transfer deadline day, Middlesbrough sealed the signing of the striker who was intended to revolutionise their team. “I was stuck in a rut at Bolton, training was the same all the time, things weren’t going the way I planned,” he revealed. “Hopefully that’s going to change here.” It didn’t change there: at the end of the following season, 18 months, 12 league starts and three goals after his arrival, he left for Leeds on a free transfer. Related: Premier League’s fear of the drop...
Derby County concede at last, Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday leave it late, cash in-hand for Yeovil Town and more drama in south Wales • When Neil Warnock took charge of Cardiff City in early October, it was never going to be dull. Last week there was Sol Bamba’s bizarre behaviour and subsequent red card, and this week another entirely different escapade, as Barnsley snatched victory with a 95th-minute winner in south Wales. There were six other goals, Sean Morrison’s opener inside three minutes before Ryan Williams dug deep down the back of the sofa for a winner after Cardiff had pulled level at 3-3. “It was an exciting game for the neutral – on how not to defend,” Warnock said....
The year saw Arsène Wenger’s arrival, Manchester United chasing down Newcastle in the Premier League and developments still talked about todayIt is England v Scotland on Friday night in this, the 20th anniversary year of one of the more joyous occasions at Wembley, so nostalgia is perfectly permissible for Euro 96, when the hosts’ brand of uninhibited football was bettered only by some even less inhibited goal celebrations. Related: From the Vault: Paul Gascoigne's wondergoal against Scotland at Euro 96 Related: Twenty years of Wenger: where are the Arsenal manager’s rivals from 1996 now? Related: On Second Thoughts: Rob Smyth says Euro 96 wasn't how it is usually remembered Continue reading...
The Newcastle midfielder has shed over a stone, as well as a ‘childish mind-set’, and is thriving under the guidance of the man who once took him to LiverpoolThere was a time when Jonjo Shelvey appeared a big part of the problem at Newcastle United but these days he seems very much the solution.Rafael Benítez had barely succeeded Steve McClaren as manager at St James’ Park last spring before he dropped the midfielder from the team. Despite Newcastle’s fall into the Championship Shelvey then began this season warming the bench and, when liberated from it, persistently attempting too many “Hollywood passes” and over-ambitious long-range shots. Related: Newcastle flying high as Jonjo Shelvey scores twice in mauling of QPR Related: Jonjo...
From Danny Blanchflower to Brendan Rodgers, via some more successful bows, six managers and their noteworthy first games in chargeIf ever a man seemed destined for management, it was Danny Blanchflower. He was an inspiration on the pitch for Tottenham Hotspur from the moment he replaced Alf Ramsey as captain, running the game from midfield with exceptional intelligence and leading them to the double in 1961. Spurs’ manager, Bill Nicholson, happily admitted that Blanchflower was free to orchestrate play as he saw fit, and Blanchflower’s vision was beautiful – “the game is about glory”, after all. Continue reading...