Showing 1 - 10 of 10
'3 B's' give hope to the smaller clubs
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 14/12/2024
» Back in the 1960s as a teenager I would regularly visit Elm Park to watch my home town team Reading in the old Third Division. Among the visiting sides were Brighton, Bournemouth and Brentford. Just like Reading, these clubs looked destined to stay in the lower divisions forever although by some miracle Reading made it to the Premier League in 2006 for an all-too-brief stay.
Relegation favourites Cherries ripe for another season in top flight
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 06/05/2023
» It is no secret that AFC Bournemouth began this Premier League season as hot favourites for relegation, a view that was quickly cemented last August when they were crushed 9-0 by Liverpool at Anfield.
Forest dream of return to EPL
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 28/05/2022
» The city of Nottingham is probably best known around the world for the legendary tales of Robin Hood, but it is also home to Nottingham Forest, a football club that boasts a rich history despite having fallen on hard times in the last two decades.
Cherries ripe for the sweet life once again
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 07/05/2022
» When unfashionable Bournemouth won promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 2015, it felt a bit like a football fairy tale.
Cherries bid goodbye to the sweet life
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 01/08/2020
» When AFC Bournemouth were promoted to the top flight for the first time in 2015, it was called a fairy tale and few would dispute that assertion.
Leeds finally back after painful journey
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 25/07/2020
» When Leeds United went into administration in 2007, their new chairman Ken Bates commented: "Right now we are at the bottom of our cycle, but Leeds United are one of the big six clubs. The small clubs can have their day in the sun but eventually they go back where they came from. Leeds will always be a big club."
Defiant England's fifth division finally succumbs
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 21/03/2020
» The fifth tier of English football, the National League, had the dubious honour of being the last professional league in England to play matches for the foreseeable future last weekend.
Crouch had nice touch for big man
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 20/07/2019
» When Peter Crouch was on loan at Norwich City from Aston Villa in 2003, fans would sing: He's tall, he's mean, he's a freaky goal machine. Well, he wasn't exactly a goal machine, but it didn't matter, the song was fun to sing, especially the freaky bit.
A rare harmonious parting of ways
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 19/01/2019
» When football managers and clubs part company the words "by mutual consent" invariably pop up, even though everyone knows the manager was unceremoniously axed, fired or to use the correct technical term "given the boot". However, this week that expression surfaced again and for once it was an accurate reflection of the situation as Huddersfield manager David Wagner left the club in amicable fashion despite it being bottom of the league.
Sol looking for 'magic' with the Silkmen
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 01/12/2018
» This season we have witnessed the bizarre sight of two former top players becoming managers of clubs at the very basement of the Football League. The latest example is ex-Arsenal, Spurs and England star Sol Campbell taking over the reins of League Two's bottom club, Macclesfield Town.