Many footballers like to market themselves as one-offs; few truly are. Craig Johnston, however, is the exception. The Australian won five English league titles and a European Cup at Liverpool in the 1980s but his football achievements are perhaps the least remarkable thing about him. He is an engineer and a businessman; a chart-topping musician; … Read more
On average, about one in every 30 corners leads to a goal. The success rate tends to go up dramatically, however, when the goalkeeper and their entire defence are standing outside their six-yard box when a corner is taken. That was the remarkable scene during the UEFA Nations League quarter-final in Dortmund on Sunday. Germany’s … Read more
“My phone kept buzzing with messages, but I was so tired, I went straight to sleep — I hadn’t realised I’d set the record!” For Linfield captain Jamie Mulgrew, last Tuesday night was just like any other. The 38-year-old midfielder spent the evening coaching the club’s under-18s. Once home, he watched the football, then went … Read more
The Athletic has appointed Chris Weatherspoon as its first dedicated football finance writer. Chris is a chartered accountant who will be using his financial acumen as The BookKeeper to explore the money behind the game. He is starting with a series this week analysing the financial health of some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs. You … Read more
It is not news that Eddie Howe is meticulous. One step further is probably fair. Eddie Howe is the chief obsessive in a city filled with them. Holding onto a 1-0 lead in the Carabao Cup final and 45 minutes away from breaking a 56-year trophy-less hoodoo, Howe did not turn to words alone for … Read more
There are certain figures who hover into view at key moments of history, defining eras despite having little control over events. You might remember Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, who was dubbed by the UK media as ‘Comical Ali’ and became famous towards the end of the 2003 invasion of Iraq in his role as the country’s … Read more
You could make a strong case that this year’s Carabao Cup final will see Europe’s most threatening striker come up against its strongest centre-back. Alexander Isak has scored 22 goals in all competitions this season as he looks to surpass a career-best tally of 25, achieved in 2023-24. If he wants to add to that … Read more