Author Archives: John Nicholson

With Norwich City’s remarkable promotion to the Premier League under the stewardship of Paul Lambert, it will raise the number of Premier League managers born in and around Glasgow in Scotland to seven. If Nottingham Forest are successful in the … Continue reading →

Editor’s note: Back story: The Telegraph reported that after yesterday’s one-nil win by Manchester City against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, some City supporters reportedly began chanting ‘Who put the ball in the Munichs’ net’ to Yaya Toure, who scored … Continue reading →

As the Manchester clubs line up against each other this weekend, we shall be viewing two very different clubs. One aspirant, the other dominant. Whatever the result, City have a hell of a long journey to walk before they can … Continue reading →

As I was watching Spurs play Real Madrid, the missus wandered in the room and sat down. She knows little about football and could care less about it. But like all Geordies, she knows the basics having been weaned on … Continue reading →

The Respect campaign is five years old this season, so how’s that going? Well, it depends on how you judge such things. The view of the players, as voiced by players union head Clarke Carlisle is that behaviour of players has … Continue reading →

The art of being a striker is, of course, largely about scoring goals or at least, setting them up for someone else. However, that is achieved in many different ways. Some strikers are battering rams, some are more creative types … Continue reading →

I live in Scotland. Or at least I do for the next five days, after which I shall be living the life of a landed aristocrat in the Norfolk broads as I move to a big old country thatched house … Continue reading →

Liverpool fans are rightfully delighted with what Kenny Dalglish has done for the club since he replaced Roy Hodgson. An unbeaten run has seen them climb the league and perhaps just as important, Dalglish has imbued everyone with a sense … Continue reading →

I’m writing a piece for www.football365.com today about Barcelona which, in essence expresses how frustrating I find their football; how, though it is technically brilliant, it just doesn’t stir my football passions. I find it quite clinical and cold while … Continue reading →

So Roman Abramovich has decided its time to start spending money again, has he? About time too, many Chelsea fans might say. The press have seen this as indicative of him being prepared to rebuild Chelsea again. Seventy five million … Continue reading →

The sacking and resignation of Sky’s Andy Gray and Richard Keys for what has been branded all across the media as ‘sexist behaviour’ raises many interesting questions. Reports of a culture of bullying and intimidation featuring Gray and Keys have … Continue reading →

Darren Bent is what I call a stupid English footballer. It’s not a reflection on his intelligence per se, though I’m pretty sure he’s no educated sophisticate. Here is a decent player, not exceptional but decent. But he has a … Continue reading →

Football can be a form of torture, seemingly designed to twist your blood into knots, defying any logic and contradicting even the wisest pundits and fans. If Roy Hodgson had just lost to Manchester United and Blackpool there would be … Continue reading →

Have you ever been to Blackburn? I have. It’s like many old Lancashire mill towns, a little bit grim, a little bit run-down and definitely not like either Milan or the Brazilian resort of Florianopolis and it’s certainly not a … Continue reading →