Showing 1 - 10 of 59
Another FA Cup opportunity for the Silkmen
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 14/02/2026
» With seven Premier League teams away to lower league sides in this weekend's fourth round of the FA Cup, there is the potential for an upset or two, which is the essence of this competition.
Gunners and Black Cats prepare for a scrap at Stadium of Light
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 08/11/2025
» Arsenal fans certainly do not need reminding that it has been 21 long years since their club last won the Premier League title. That 2004 success was historic with the Gunners being the first team to achieve the title without a single defeat in a 38-game season.
Out of frying pan and into fire: Dyche, Rohl move into hot seats
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 25/10/2025
» The managerial merry-go-round has been in full swing lately and it is getting hard to keep up with which gaffer is where. The latest move the Premier League in has witnessed is Sean Dyche taking over at Nottingham Forest, replacing Ange Postecoglou who lasted just 39 days, the fewest ever for a Premier League boss.
The umpire who became a legend
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 27/09/2025
» The widespread tributes to cricket umpire Harold 'Dickie' Bird who passed away this week at the age of 92 show how much he was admired in the cricketing world. It is extremely rare for an official in any sport to be acknowledged in such a manner, but Bird was someone special. He was an eccentric character and the subject of many anecdotes.
Sounds of Prokofiev inspires Black Cats in Premier League opener
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 23/08/2025
» The most interesting aspect of the first week's results in the Premier League is that two of the newly promoted teams won their opening games, unlike the clubs involved last season, all of whom were later relegated. It is only the third time the newcomers have experienced such a good start since the Premier League was established in 1992.
When dodgy calls lit up Wimbledon
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 05/07/2025
» In addition to tackling the unprecedented hot weather, something else Wimbledon had to get used to this past week is that for the first time there are no line judges. Breaking a very long tradition they have been replaced by electronic devices, a true sign of the times.
'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.
Coote videos could have bad ramifications for refs
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 16/11/2024
» Making the news this week for all the wrong reasons has been Premier League referee David Coote who was suspended after a video surfaced of him appearing to make disparaging comments about former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp.
After years of disappointment, Black Cats have eyes on top flight
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 02/11/2024
» The Championship is always a competitive league and this season is no different. Just take a look at the table after just 12 games and the top nine clubs have all had recent experience of life in the Premier League.
Promoted trio facing long season
Sports, Nobby Piles, Published on 05/10/2024
» With just six games played in the Premier League it's early days but there appears to be a difficult road ahead for the three newly promoted clubs, Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton who are all still seeking their first victory.