And Only Four Of Those Had Shorts

Record signing Miguel Almiron impressed on his full debut as yer actual Keith Telly Topping's beloved (though unsellable) Newcastle United eased past ten-man Huddersfield Town to move four points clear of the Premier League relegation zone. After The Magpies missed several chances in the first half, striker Salomon Rondon swept in the opener fifty nine seconds into the second period. Ayoze Perez drilled in the second ten minutes later although Paraguay forward Almiron could not add the goal that his display deserved. Huddersfield, who stay marooned at the bottom of the table, had skipper Tommy Smith sent off after twenty minutes for a high tackle on Almiron. Newcastle recorded their third successive Premier League win at St James' Park - for the first time since last April - to move up to fourteenth place in the Premier League. United boss Rafael Benitez's only gripe may be that they should have won by a more convincing margin against a Huddersfield side which managed but one shot on target in the ninety minutes. Newcastle's Kenedy and Sean Longstaff both hit the woodwork in the final half-hour, while Huddersfield goalkeeper Jonas Lossl produced some superb saves as the home side peppered the away goal with twenty nine shots. Town have lost all four of their matches under new manager Jan Siewert and remain fourteen points adrift of safety.

John Motson has personally apologised to the Millwall striker Tom Elliott after describing him as 'big, black and brave' on TalkSport. All of which are, one could suggest, factually accurate statements so it's difficult to see what Motty has actually felt he needed to apologise for. The seventy three-year-old broadcaster, who came out of retirement last summer to join TalkSport after fifty years with the BBC, made his remarks before Millwall’s FA Cup fifth-round win at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday. TalkSport has said it has treated the incident 'very seriously' and has removed the broadcast from its website. Elliott is according to some smear of no importance at the Gruniad Morning Star, 'understood to have acknowledged the private apology from Motson and to be keen to draw a line under the matter.' Unlikely, seemingly, the Gruniad Morning Star itself. TalkSport, responding to a story first reported by the Daily Scum Mail, said: 'We reviewed a live commentary by John Motson and decided to remove it from replay. TalkSport and all of its broadcasters take such matters very seriously and would never wish to offend.' Though they still haven't actually explained exactly who was,allegedly, offended by these comments and, indeed, why.

Championship promotion hopefuls Dirty Leeds have been fined two hundred thousand smackers by the English Football League for watching opponents train before matches. A member of Leeds' staff was nabbed 'acting suspiciously' outside Derby's training ground before the fixture between the two sides on 10 January. Dirty Leeds manager, Marcelo Bielsa, said that he had sent a member of staff to watch every team they have played this season train. The EFL found Dirty Leeds had breached rules over 'treating teams with good faith.' Whatever the Hell that means. Dirty Leeds have also received a formal reprimand from the EFL, which is bringing in a rule to prohibit clubs from viewing their opposition training in the seventy two hours preceding a game 'unless invited to do so.' The EFL said in a statement that Dirty Leeds' conduct 'fell significantly short of the standards expected' and it 'must not be repeated.' EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey added: 'The sanctions imposed highlight how actions such as this cannot be condoned and act as a clear deterrent should any club seek to undertake poor conduct in the future. We will now look to move on from this incident and commence the discussions about introducing a specific regulation at a meeting with all clubs later this month.' The Football Association has also issued a formal warning to Dirty Leeds, Bielsa and a club video analyst. 'The FA will take appropriate action should further evidence of this nature come to light in the future,' a spokesman said. In an extraordinary news conference in the week after Dirty Leeds' match against Derby, Bielsa proudly claimed that he had 'observed all the rivals we played against and watched the training sessions of all opponents.' That led to widespread criticism, though there is no specific rule stopping teams from observing opponents training. Yet. During Bielsa's briefing, he showed journalists how much preparation and analysis he and his staff carry out on each opponent before every game. Dirty Leeds said in a statement: 'We accept that whilst we have not broken any specific rule, we have fallen short of the standard expected by the EFL. We apologise for acting in a way that has been judged culturally unacceptable in the English game and would like to thank Shaun Harvey and the EFL for the manner in which they conducted their investigations. Our focus can now return to matters on the field.' Dirty Leeds beat Derby two-nil in their match last month and Rams boss Frank Lampard described Dirty Leeds's conduct in the build-up to the game as unethical. 'I've never heard of going to a training ground on your hands and knees with pliers trying to break into private land to watch,' he added in a geet huffy strop after the match. Swansea City manager Graham Potter said that he had 'no problem with it' but Ipswich Town manager Paul Lambert said the incident was 'not right.'

Liverpool Alabama Yee-Haws forward Sadio Mane's house was burgled while he was playing in the Champions League last-sixteen tie against Fußball-Club Bayern München on Tuesday. Items including watches, mobile phones and car keys were stolen. The incident happened at Mane's house in Allerton while the twenty six-year-old was at Anfield. No-one was in the property at the time. Forensic examinations are under way and a police investigation is ongoing. They say they have narrowed a list of suspects down to 'everyone on Merseyside.' Detective Inspector Phil Mahon said: 'We are appealing for anyone with information in relation to this burglary to please come forward and assist our inquiries. While the occupants were not present at the time of the incident this will no doubt be a distressing experience for them and I would ask the offenders to do the right thing and return the stolen items to the owner in any way possible. We know the watches in particular are of significant monetary value and I would also like to appeal to anyone who might have been offered the items for sale since the burglary to contact police.' Senegal international Mane was previously burgled in November 2017 while he was at Anfield for a Champions League game against Maribor. A gang was thought to have broken into his home first before smashing a patio door at the nearby address of team-mate Dejan Lovren before they fled when a woman shouted she was calling the police.

Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock admits the fifteen million knicker transfer of Emiliano Sala 'could have been better conducted,' but insists chairman Mehmet Dalman 'will do things in the right way.' Sala was Cardiff's record signing but never played for the club. He died when a plane piloted by David Ibbotson, who remains missing, crashed. The Bluebirds were due to make the first payment to Nantes on 20 February, but the clubs have agreed a delay of one week. 'Certain things were done that in reflection should not have been done. That stirred everyone up,' said Warnock. 'But I have complete faith in Mehmet that things will come to a conclusion in the future. I don't really want to go into detail on that, but it created stories that shouldn't have been there. The matter should have been kept between the two clubs really [Cardiff and Nantes]. I have every confidence in Mehmet. I know a lot has been written, people surmising things, but I've known Mehmet since I arrived here and I'm quite confident he'll deal with it in the right way. They've asked for an extension and I think Nantes have agreed with that.' Sala died when a plane taking him from Nantes to Cardiff crashed into the English Channel on 21 January. The twenty eight-year-old's body was recovered from the crash site and his funeral took place in Argentina on 16 February, with Warnock and Cardiff chief executive Ken Choo attending. Nantes wrote to Cardiff on 5 February with a request for the first of three instalments to be paid. Cardiff said that they were withholding payment while 'seeking clarification' on 'details' of the accident and want to wait until crash investigations are complete. They are also querying 'anomalies' in contract details, but claim they will be 'honourable' with Nantes over the transfer fee if they are 'contractually obliged' to pay. All of which does beg the obvious question; if there are 'anomalies' over the contract and Sala had not been killed and had by now made his debut for Cardiff, would the club be quite so keen to highlight these alleged 'anomalies.' Warnock says 'certain issues' should not have become public and also walked back on comments he made that 'certain journalists' covering the story have 'a vendetta against him.' The Cardiff boss also defended his son, James, an agent, whose involvement in certain Cardiff transfers has led to accusations of a conflict of interest. 'I feel sorry for James if I am honest,' said Warnock. '[Cardiff captain Sean] Morrison was mentioned as one of his players. We turned down five million pounds from Sheffield Wednesday for him, so it was sensible to put him on a longer contract. Rhys Healey was mentioned, an up-and-coming player and all the other players were already here before I joined the club. Vendetta was probably the wrong word for me to use really. I just think a couple of journalists in particular, over the last fifteen years, when I look at the columns they have written ... It's not just journalism really. All I can talk about is the football side. The board deal with the financial side. But Mehmet will bring it to a conclusion in the next I don't know how many days.' Warnock would not comment on remarks from agent Willie McKay, who said last week that Cardiff 'had hung him out to dry.' Football agent McKay says that he arranged the flight which Sala took from Nantes, but was not involved in selecting the plane or pilot. When asked about McKay's comments, Warnock said: 'I think everything has been said. If you keep talking about it, they'll keep writing about it.'

Fulham's Ben Davis has reportedly missed his mandatory national service in Singapore and could face a spell in The Slammer according to the country's Ministry of Defence. The eighteen-year-old signed for the Premier League club on a two-year deal in July but his government denied his application to defer his military duties. All men from Singapore over eighteen must serve in the armed forces, police or civil defence force for two years. If Davis evades service for two years he may face up to four months in jail. That's if the Singapore authorities can catch him, of course. The sentence rises in accordance with the length of time service is avoided, with a maximum of three years in The Joint for those who evade duty for seventeen to twenty three years or more. Davis could be fined ten thousand bucks instead of, or in addition to, time in The Pokey. 'Mister Benjamin Davis is a national service defaulter,' a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said. 'He failed to report for national service as required. He is also staying overseas without a valid Exit Permit.' Deferments for sportspeople are rarely granted by Singapore's Ministry of Defence who sound like a right barrel of laughs. It said in July that such deferments are only given 'to those who represent Singapore in international competitions like the Olympic Games and are potential medal winners for Singapore.' The midfielder became the first player from Singapore to sign a professional contract at a Premier League club when he joined last summer. He has featured for Fulham's Under-eighteen side ten times and has been called up by the Singapore team but is yet to make an appearance.

Fußball-Club Bayern München's Bundesliga game against FC Augsburg was reportedly due to be shown on Iranian TV but the broadcast was cancelled ... because the referee for the match, Bibiana Steinhaus, was a woman. And, that sort of thing is not allowed in Iran. Oh no, very hot water. IRIB are said to have cancelled their scheduled coverage because Iran, specifically its Islamic laws, 'do not approve' of showing images of women wearing clothes that reveal large amounts of skin. Iran regularly censors movie scenes where actresses' clothing is considered to be revealing and it appears as though there was an issue with Steinhaus wearing football shorts. Natalie Amiri, the Iran correspondent for German public broadcaster ARD, tweeted to say that the broadcast in Iran was 'scrapped' due to the fact there was a female official in charge. This is not the first time that such disgraceful malarkey has occurred; a game between FC Köln and Fußball-Club Bayern München that Steinhaus took charge of in May 2018 was broadcast in Iran but, there were reportedly 'a load of random shots of supporters in the stands whenever the camera was on her.' Such nonsense, of course, takes the gloss off Steinhaus and her unprecedented achievements in the game. She enrolled on a referees course aged fifteen and, after leaving school, initially juggled being a career as a police officer alongside her refereeing career and still works twenty five hours a week in the local department. From 2007 onwards, 'Bibi' officiated games in the German second tier and then experienced career highlights when she was assigned to the 2011 women's World Cup final, the 2012 Olympic women's final and then the 2017 women's Champions League final. In September of that year, she made history by becoming the first woman to referee a Bundesliga game, inspiring many young girls in the process. 'It has always been my dream to be a Bundesliga referee,' she told the official DFB website. 'That this dream will come true naturally fills me with joy. On one hand it is confirmation of my hard work, and on the other hand it is a great incentive to continue to work hard.'

If you think your team was on the receiving end of a right hammering last weekend dear blog reader, then spare a thought for Italian minnows Pro Piacenza. The Serie C Group A strugglers were beaten twenty-nil at league rivals Cuneo on Sunday afternoon. They were trailing sixteen-nil at half-time, with Cuneo's Hicham Kanis scoring six goals before the interval and fellow striker Edoardo Defendi getting five. In Pro Piacenza's defence, there were some mitigating factors. Currently bottom of Italy's third tier, the Northern club are in serious financial trouble. They were deducted eight points earlier in the campaign and have reportedly failed to pay their players since August - resulting in the resignation of the majority of their first-team squad. They had failed to play any of their past three fixtures prior to Sunday's defeat and another no-show at Cuneo would likely have resulted in their disqualification from Serie C. The visitors managed to field enough players for the game to go ahead. Unfortunately for them, that meant starting the match with a seven-man team that included six teenagers. And only four of them had shorts. With no coaching staff available, eighteen-year-old captain Nicola Cirigliano also had to take on the role of manager. They finished the match with an extra player after one of the younger members of their squad was able to locate his identity papers after the game had kicked-off. Cuneo had only scored eighteen goals in their twenty four league matches before Sunday's game, but managed to double their tally for the season in ninety extraordinary minutes. With severe financial difficulties confronting them, Pro Piacenza are set to face an Italian Football Federation hearing to decide their fate on 11 March. Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian Football Federation, described Sunday's result as 'an insult to sport. In this surreal situation, the FIGC had a duty to enforce all the rules,' he said. 'Our responsibility is to protect the passion of the fans, healthy entrepreneurs and the credibility of our championships. The one we unfortunately witnessed will be the last farce.'

Holes

This blogger's beloved (though unsellable) Newcastle United's new record signing, Miguel Almiron, finally arrived in the UK this week after his work visa was granted and was photographed sitting on the steps of St James Park. Is it worth pointing out that, with his - one presumably pretty sizeable - singing on payment from the reported twenty one million knicker transfer fee, he'll be able to afford a new pair of jeans? Smarten yerself up a bit, young man, you're not playing in America now!

Newport County's goalkeeper, Joe Day, has said that he did not know his wife had given birth to twins until his team's FA Cup match this week had ended. The twenty eight-year-old was playing against Middlesbrough whilst his wife, Lizzie, was in labour. Day was seen running from the pitch at Rodney Parade to get to the Royal Gwent Hospital as soon as the game ended on Tuesday evening. He said that he and his wife 'always knew there was a chance' she would give birth during the game. He added: 'Lizzie backed me and made it an easy decision for me to play the game. Nothing was really happening at midday on Tuesday, but as I was driving to the game Lizzie called me to say that her waters had gone. I got to the ground when she was being taken to the labour ward but she told me to concentrate on the game. I didn't know the girls had been born when I ran off the pitch at the end.' Speaking to the BBC's Good Evening Wales programme, Day said that they were 'all doing well.' He added: 'There were two precious little girls waiting for me when I got here.' His wife said they were delighted with their newborn daughters: 'Joe turned up for the nice bit, to have cuddles. We're absolutely over the moon and the midwives have been so good with me.' Day explained that he did not know he had become a father until he got into his car to drive to the hospital. 'The whole evening was a bit surreal,' he said. 'To beat Middlesbrough two-nil, to get through to play Manchester City in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup, playing the game, winning, two twins being born - I'm feeling very lucky and proud of Lizzie.'

French club Nantes have demanded payment from Cardiff City over the fifteen million knicker transfer of Emiliano Sala, BBC Wales has learned. Sala, along with pilot David Ibbotson, was on board the Piper Malibu N264DB which lost radar contact near Guernsey on 21 January. The Argentine striker was Cardiff's record signing. Cardiff have withheld the first scheduled payment until they are 'satisfied' with the documentation. BBC Wales stated the transfer fee is due to be paid in instalments over three years. It is understood that Nantes are threatening legal action if they do not receive a payment within ten days. An alleged - though anonymous and, therefore, possibly fictitious - 'source' at Cardiff allegedly said that they will honour the contract - which they're legally obligated to do - but not until they have 'clarified all the facts.' Whatever that means. It is unclear whether or not the club have insurance covering the cost of the transfer. And Cardiff are reported to be 'surprised' Nantes have made the demand whilst attempts are being made to recover a body from the plane that was carrying Sala and Ibbotson. The body was recovered from the Piper Malibu on Wednesday, two weeks after the plane vanished near Guernsey and was, eventually, confirmed as having been identified as that of Sala. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said that specialist contractors joined the operation in 'challenging conditions.' It was carried out in 'as dignified a way as possible' and the men's families were kept updated throughout, it added. French club Bordeaux are also entitled to a cut of the fee, thought to be fifty per cent - Sala was on their books from 2012 to 2015 before joining Nantes. The plane carrying Sala and Ibbotson disappeared en route to Cardiff after the footballer returned to Nantes to say goodbye to his former team-mates.

Brighton & Hove Albinos boss Chris Hughton says it is up to the Football Association to take action over an alleged derogatory chant aimed at Gaetan Bong by West Bromwich Albinos fans. Bong was booed after coming on as an extra-time substitute in Wednesday's three-one FA Cup win over The Baggies. Last season Bong accused West Brom's Jay Rodriguez of directing an alleged racist comment towards him, a charge which the FA said 'could not be proven.' Hughton said that it was 'down to the authorities' to 'deal with.' Bong was making his first return to The Hawthorns since he claimed Rodriguez told him: 'You're black and you stink' during a game last season. The Baggies forward strenuously denied making the comment and the FA came to its verdict after employing two lip-reading experts to watch slow-motion footage of the incident. Bong was also booed by Burnley fans last season when he played against Rodriguez's hometown club, with Hughton calling it 'shameful.' He came on to loud boos from the West Brom supporters after one hundred and five minutes in his side's FA Cup fourth round replay. 'It's not nice but the game has done very well in recent years in picking up on anything they need to and the original case was dealt with very well by the FA,' said Hughton. 'You are going to hear things you think are unfair and don't want to hear and that then becomes the responsibility of others. I heard [the boos], it's difficult not to but I prefer to talk about the individual. We have an outstanding individual and our support goes to our players.' When asked by Brighton newspaper, the Argus if he specifically heard the words in the chant, Hughton replied: 'No. I could hear a chant, I couldn't hear what the wording was. I certainly heard lots of boos. When it started I knew that it wasn't going to stop.' Brighton fans also reportedly aimed derogatory chants at Rodriguez, who was substituted after forty five minutes - something which, oddly, Hughton had nothing to say about. Meanwhile, Brighton's forward Florin Andone has been charged with violent conduct after appearing to elbow West Brom's Sam Field during the game. 'The incident was not seen by the match officials but was caught on camera,' the FA said.

An arrest has been made after a man was slashed across the face during a violent brawl between Millwall and Everton fans. The victim has 'a life-changing scar' as a result of the attack, before an FA Cup tie in London on 26 January. A twenty seven-year-old man was very arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of wounding with intent, attempted grievous bodily harm and violent disorder. The Metropolitan Police described the brawl - with kids gettin' sparked and aal sorts - as 'some of the most shocking football violence seen for some time.' Detective Sergeant Matt Simpson said the disorder involved 'dozens' of people and lasted for a number of hours. 'We have hours of CCTV and hundreds of images which we are closely reviewing and we have a team of experts working to identify those involved,' he said. Trouble between fans started in the Hawkstone Road area of Southwark, near Millwall's stadium The Den. A police officer was among the injured and the Met said that a number of coaches carrying Everton fans were damaged. Because the violence happened outside Millwall's stadium the Football Association said it would not be investigating. The match, which Millwall won three-two, was also marred by allegations of racist chanting.

An angry football fan faces reportedly being banned from all football grounds in the country after he threw a pie onto the pitch during a match. Bournemouth supporter Adam Cox launched the pastry onto the pitch during a Carabao Cup match at Moscow Chelski FC's Torpedo Stamford Bridge in December. He was extremely convicted in his absence of one count of throwing a missile (a pie!) onto a football playing area. He had previously served a three-year football banning order, applied in 2012, for a similar offence. City of London Magistrates' Court heard Torpedo Stamford Bridge steward Dominic Agbo 'spotted something being thrown' from the South Stand shortly after kick-off in the Carabao Cup Quarter-Final match on 19 December. In a written statement, he said: 'I saw the Bournemouth fan throw something [onto the pitch] between the corner flag and the goal.' Yes. It was a pie. PC Kerry Jarrett said that Cox initially told security staff he was responsible, but said he thought admitting guilt meant he could 'go home.' He was wrong. She said: 'Initially I thought he was going to be dealt with by way of a community resolution, but he had already been the subject of a football banning order. He continued to say he already admitted it. But then he looked at the statement and said I was writing lies and he wouldn't sign it.' She said Cox 'became agitated' and was handcuffed, taken into custody and driven down the cop shop for a good talking-to. He was convicted in his absence with bench chairman Sarah Houston telling the court that the matter 'had been proved.' A warrant was issued for Cox regarding the imposition of a new football banning order. It is not known what type of pie was thrown, whether it was hot or cold (although, given that it was purchased inside a football ground, it's almost certainly the latter) or if it hit anybody. Moscow Chelski's FC match day menu includes lamb, rosemary and garlic pies. Oooo, get them. Everywhere else you have make do with mince. The match on December 19 ended one-nil to Moscow Chelski, with Eden Hazard scoring a eighty sixth-minute winner.

Players making a 'TV-style gesture' with their hands should be given a yellow card according to UEFA. The guidance has been given to referees ahead of VAR being introduced into the Champions League next week. The gesture is already a bookable offence but the policy was not enforced in the World Cup last summer or in other competitions where VAR is in operation. 'If players make the VAR signal and if they surround the referee, there must be disciplinary action,' UEFA said. At a briefing ahead of UEFA's congress in Rome, UEFA's chief refereeing officer, Roberto Rosetti, used a clip of Harry Maguire during England's World Cup match against Colombia to demonstrate when players should be booked. The Leicester City defender made the sign believing - rightly, as it happened - that Jordan Henderson had been headbutted. 'Where Maguire is standing making the square signal - that is a yellow card,' Rosetti said. 'We want action in these situations, we don't want players interfering with referee on reviews.'

Glasgow Rangers have appealed against Alfredo Morelos' sending off against Aberdeen on Wednesday, the striker's third dismissal against the Pittodrie club this term. Morelos and Scott McKenna, who were involved in an incident in the first game of the season, were both shown red cards by Bobby Madden after appearing to aim kicks at each other. The hearing will be held on Friday, meaning that the Colombian could be available for Saturday's Scottish Cup tie with Kilmarnock. Morelos had an appeal upheld after being sent off at Pittodrie in August when he was deemed to have swung a leg at McKenna. He was then sent off when the sides met at Ibrox in December, after receiving a second booking for throwing an arm at Graeme Shinnie. In the aftermath of Wednesday's four-two win over Aberdeen - in which Morelos scored twice - manager Steven Gerrard said that the Colombian must 'channel his aggression' if he is to 'go to the next level. I haven't had the chance to analyse the incident so I can't tell you if Scott deserved a red or whether Alfredo did,' he said. 'They've had a fantastic battle up until that point. But, if Alfredo is in the wrong, he'll deserve the red card. He'll then be missing for two games and that's how he'll get punished because he hates missing games.'

YouTuber - it's 'a thing', apparently - and Marseille fan Mohamed Henni has told the BBC World Service that he breaks TVs whenever his team loses 'to make people happy' (particularly shops that sell new TVs, one imagines) and 'not for theatre.' One or two people even believed him.

A Briton has been arrested and detained in the United Arab Emirates after reportedly being assaulted when he wore a Qatar football team shirt to a match. Ali Issa Ahmad, from Wolverhampton, is said to have been 'unaware' of a law against 'showing sympathy' for Qatar - brought in amid a diplomatic dispute. His friend claim he was held after telling police that he had been attacked. The UAE embassy in London said Ahmad has been charged with 'wasting police time' and 'making false statements.' And, 'looking at us in a funny way.' Probably. Responding to earlier media reports, a UAE official claimed that Ahmed was 'categorically not arrested for wearing a Qatar football shirt.' The Foreign Office said it is 'providing assistance' to a British man and is 'in touch' with the UAE authorities. Telling them to grow the fek up, one hopes (although, knowing the Foreign Office, almost certainly not). The UAE - and four other countries in the region - are currently engaged in a political and diplomatic tiff with Qatar after they accused the state of supporting radical and Islamist groups. On its website, the Foreign Office warns UK travellers to the UAE of a June 2017 announcement 'that showing sympathy for Qatar on social media or by any other means of communication is an offence. Offenders could be imprisoned and subject to a substantial fine.' Ahmad is said to have travelled to the UAE 'for a holiday.' He was arrested after watching Qatar play Iraq in an Asian Cup match in Abu Dhabi on 22 January. Speaking to the BBC World Service programme Newshour, his friend Amer Lokie said Ahmad had called him from a police station on 30 January to tell him about the arrest. Lokie said: 'After he left the stadium he was followed by a couple of people and they assaulted him.' Ahmad had been wearing a Qatar football shirt and was holding another one in his hands, he said. 'They took away his T-shirt and he went home. Afterwards he went back to police station to report the assault and they held him,' Lokie said. Asked whether Ahmad had indicated whether the people who attacked him were members of the public, police or security officials, Lokie said: 'I was trying to ask him to clarify but he could not clarify because his time was limited. He was just a person who loved sport so much,' Lokie added. 'I don't think he knew he could get into problems for wearing a T-shirt or supporting a particular team.' The UAE embassy in London initially claimed that it was 'unable to comment specifically' on the case, adding 'allegations of human rights violations are taken extremely seriously and will be thoroughly investigated.' In a later statement, issued through the embassy, a UAE official said Ahmad was a dual Sudanese-British citizen. The official said Ahmad had gone to a police station to say he had been 'harassed and beaten up' by local football fans for cheering the Qatar team. 'Police took him to hospital where a doctor who examined him, concluded that his injuries were inconsistent with his account of events and appeared to be self-inflicted,' the official claimed. They said Ahmad was charged on 24 January, adding: 'We are advised that he has since admitted those offences [wasting police time and making false statements] and will now be processed through the UAE courts.' The tiny oil-and-gas-rich Qatar has been cut off by some of its powerful Arab neighbours - including the UAE - over its alleged support for terrorism. The continuing tiff meant there were very few Qatar fans in attendance during its Asian Cup matches. When Qatar knocked the UAE out in the semi-final, objects including shoes were thrown at their players. Which, frankly, isn't very nice. Remember, shoes have soles too. Qatar went on to win the tournament, defeating Japan three-one in the final on 1 February.

That Was A Week, That Was

It is often said, dear blog reader, that a week is a long time in politics. This also applies to football (that's 'socher-ball' for our American dear blog readers). But, even by their own - often unique - standards, this blogger's beloved (though, tragically unsellable) Magpies can seldom have had a more up-and-down week in their sometimes proud one hundred and thirty year history. It began with a frankly disgraceful, cowardly, piss-poor, surrender-before-kick-off performance in the FA Cup against Wolverhampton Wanderings and an all-too-predictable failure to make their first signing of the January transfer window when a deal to bring Lazio's Jordan Lukaku to St James' Park on loan fell through at the eleventh hour (the rumour being that the Belgian wing-back failed a medical). There was a sour, militant mood swirling around Tyneside which added to by events on Monday. In a press conference which, at times, resembled a wake, Rafa The Gaffer Benitez revealed for the first time that he 'cannot guarantee' he will still be in charge at Newcastle at the end of the season. The manager's contract at St James' Park ends this summer and Benitez can walk away for nothing, with a penalty clause which would have seen him having to pay six million knicker to get out of his contract having now expired. Rafa has refused any attempts at a renegotiation, including the possibility of a one-year extension, until he had seen how the club had strengthened (or, failed to strengthen) in the current transfer window. When asked if he could 'guarantee' to supporters that he would not walk out before the end of the season, Rafa The Gaffer replied: 'No, I cannot guarantee anything.' To be honest, few - if any - Toon fans would blame the guy if he did, given the shoddy and disgraceful way he has been belittled and lied to over his near three years in charge at the club by his employers. Benitez's fraught relationship with the club's controversial owner, Mike Ashley, has once more been stretched to breaking point following another transfer window in which his attempts to bolster the first team squad have been thwarted at every turn. Ashley reportedly went into Benitez's office at St James' after a rare home victory against Cardiff City earlier this month, but the Spaniard admitted that it was a fruitless visit and that 'nothing has changed.' He has clashed with the club over recruitment during three of the last four transfer windows and appeared to have effectively gagged himself from talking about the matter in his press conference despite, one imagines, a huge temptation to blow the lid. However, he spoke of his own future and then, pointedly, refused the opportunity of advising his - mostly adoring - supporters to renew their season tickets, with deadlines approaching. 'That is not my business,' he said. 'My business is to prepare the team against Manchester City and be sure they can compete until the end of the season.' Newcastle fans had already planned a series of demonstrations against Ashley at Tuesday's televised Premier League game with last year's champions. Against that backdrop, Benitez spoke of his impromptu meeting with the owner. 'It didn't change anything,' he said. 'You just have more ideas. It's exactly the same position. I had a conversation with Mike, Justin [Barnes], [Keith] Bishop and Lee [Charnley] the other day. We were talking about everything and now we will see where we are.' He was asked if his patience would break, and replied: 'I want to do things well. Again I will say, if I decide to stay in the Championship to do my job and to finish my job in the way that I like to do things. I have some principles and I will try to do things properly. Believe me, I can see where you are with your questions and I can see what is going around the fans, but still I have a cold mind, we have to stick together. We have to work hard together and it is the only way, and the best way, if we want to stay in the Premier League. What I have to give back to the fans is this: I am a professional, I will work hard and I will try to do my best.' Benitez was asked why Newcastle had reached 28 January, deep in a relegation fight and yet had still not strengthened their wafer-thin squad. 'It's not a question for me,' he replied, flatly. 'The way things are going on here, I can say yes or not to the proposals that I receive. I can give some names but I don't do any negotiations, anything. In the end I can say yes or not so you give me this or that I can choose one or the other one. That's it. I can say yes if we need that.' He was then asked if he would quit if no new players arrived. 'We will wait until Thursday and see what happens,' he said.

What then happened, of course - because, this is Newcastle and nothing is ever straight-froward - was that amid scenes of delirious joy and almost disbelief in front of a crowd of over fifty thousand, Michael Owen's record as the last (alleged) Newcastle player to score a league winner against Shekih Yer Man City thirteen years ago was finally ended on Tuesday. And, to the utter consternation of Tyneside, The Little Shit's other claim-to-infamy as Th' Toon's costliest-ever signing also appeared set to be finally consigned to the dustbin of history. It was hard to suggest which of these looked two things seems the more unlikely before kick-off; taking three points from the defending champions after twenty two previous unsuccessful attempts in a decade-and-a-half, or spending around twenty million smackers on an incoming transfer. In keeping with the perpetual madness that is this daft, infuriating football club, the beleaguered garrison set their sights on goal for once - and only went hit the target. Twice. Pre-match talk of protests against the owner (who was not at the game) and songs of rancour and general dissatisfaction were quickly audible - especially when the visitors scored after a mere seconds. Pep Guardiola's side came to St James' Park on the back on a five-nil thrashing of Burnley in the cup and having put three goals past both Huddersfield and Wolves in their previous two league encounters. If United's plan was to park the bus, then it must have been the old one that Cliff Richard and his mates ended up driving to Greece in Summer Holiday. A cross by Raheem Sterling found David Silva sliding in at the far post to beat Martin Dubravka to the ball, heading back across goal for Sergio Aguero to expand his vast scoring total against The Magpies still further. The same player had the ball in the net again soon after, only for Kevin De Bruyne to be booked after taking the free kick which prompted Aguero's volley too quickly. Newcastle's spirited but a bit power-puff response consisted of shots by Ayoze Perez and Christian Atsu in quick succession, whilst The Citizens seemed to be firmly in their comfort zone and, frankly, strutting around the gaff like they owned the place. However, Guardiola's side rarely troubled Magpies keeper Dubravka thereafter and Benitez's men gradually grew in belief. With an hour gone and United still in the game, referee Paul Tierney incurred the wrath of the home crowd by failing to show De Bruyne a thoroughly deserved second yellow card for a bad challenge on Matt Ritchie which most observers felt certainly warranted a booking. With Rafa The Gaffer doing his absolute nut on the sidelines, the home side shared that sense of manifest injustice and their attacks soon had what turned out to be a vital extra yard of pace. Ritchie broke upfield on the left and his centre was headed out by Fernandinho but only to Isaac Hayden, who returned it goalwards for both Salomon Rondon and Atsu to pursue it through a crowd of defenders. The Venezuelan forward got to it first and his toe-poke into the ground from just outside the six yard box bounced up and eluded Sheikh Yer Man City keeper, Ederson. Better was to come with ten minutes of normal time remaining, when the outstanding Sean Longstaff was barged over in the area by Fernandinho and Tierney pointed to the spot. The agony was prolonged for the Black & Whites whilst Ederson received treatment by two physios for some - mysterious and possibly fictitious - ailment, but Matt Ritchie held his nerve and rattled a penalty kick into the Gallowgate End net before demolishing the corner flag as celebration inside the gaff (and, one presumes, on the Red-half of Merseyside) erupted. The remaining ten minutes - and then over five minutes of additional time - passed with relatively few moments of unease before an almighty roar signified the referee's final whistle. Just over twenty four hours after that pre-game press conference when he seemed more like a man about to go to the gallows, a much happier Rafa The Gaffer faced reporters afterwards to say: 'We had a game plan - it was not to concede a goal in the first minute. The reaction of the players was important. We said in the half-time to stay in the game. The fans appreciate how we played and the way we won against a very good team. We stuck with our game plan. We were good enough to score two and lucky enough not to concede. Overall we needed to win one of these games. I think they were surprised they scored so early and maybe they had more confidence they could win. There's pressure and I think that was another factor - a draw wasn't enough for them. I think they were defending in a way that wasn’t easy for them. We were trying to manage the situation. Give credit to the players.' And, whilst Rafa didn't actually name specific names, he confirmed that he 'expected' his squad to be reinforced over the coming days. Since that one-nil home win in September 2005, United had failed to beat City in all twenty two Premier League meetings, losing nineteen and drawing the other three. Newcastle came from behind to win in the Premier League for the first time this season, having last achieved such a feat against The Arse in April 2018. It was also widely reported that this was the first time United have trailed at half-time before recovering to win in the Premier League since December 2006, when they turned a two-one interval deficit into a three-two home success against Reading. Rondon scored his sixth Premier League goal of the season and seventh in all competitions and Ritchie doubled his goal tally for the season after scoring another spot-kick at the same end against Blackburn Vindaloos in the FA Cup.

Then, on Transfer Deadline Thursday, Newcastle broke their transfer record in signing Paraguay playmaker Miguel Almiron from MLS side Atlanta United for around twenty one million knicker. It broke the previous record of sixteen million notes that was paid to Real Madrid for The Little Shit in 2005. And, what a waste of money that turned out to be. An official announcement from the club at 2.30pm on Thursday confirmed the permanent arrival of Paraguayan international forward. Almiron has put pen to paper on a five-and-a-half year deal keeping him at St James' Park until 2024. He takes squad number twenty four and becomes the second Paraguayan to join United following Diego Gavilan in January 2000. Interviewed after completing his move, Almiron required an interpreter as he answered questions in his native Spanish. He had travelled to Tyneside on Wednesday and was seen at the club's training ground earlier on Thursday. Almiron scored thirteen goals last season as Atlanta won the MLS Cup for the first time. The attacking midfielder previously played for Cerro Porteno in his home country and for Argentina's Lanus. 'I'm very happy and eager to start and to meet my new team-mates,' he said. 'The league is very competitive, this is a historic club, and Rafa Benitez himself were the main reasons why I am here now. I think it is a great responsibility, something beautiful for me, and I will try to offer the best I can to repay the trust the club put in me.' Rafa commented: 'We were following Miguel Almiron for a while and we saw a player with some pace in attack, who can play behind the striker. We have someone who can score goals and give assists. We know that MLS is a different challenge to the Premier League but he has the potential to do what we are expecting, and what we need. From talking to the lad, you can tell that he is really focused and wants to do well. He wants to be successful and he wants to help the team, to score goals and give assists if it is possible.' Lee Charnley was also emboldened enough to issue a statement: 'I'm delighted to bring Miguel to Newcastle United. He is a player who Rafa has wanted for a year and I appreciate he has had to wait longer than he would have liked. I would like to thank Rafa for his patience in waiting for a player he has coveted for so long. Given Miguel’s performances both in MLS and for his country, it was a question of when Atlanta United were prepared to sell him and, when they were, achieving a deal that made financial sense for us.' The Gruniad Morning Star reported that Almiron's deal consisted of sixteen million knicker up front, with an additional £4.7 million payment conditional on meeting various performance-related targets. Earlier, Newcastle had also signed defender Antonio Barreca on loan from Monaco until the end of the season with the option of a permanent deal. The twenty three-year-old former Italy under-twenty one international joined the French club last summer from Torino. 'I know that Newcastle is a big and historic club,' he said. Well, we used to be, anyway. 'I know that the people here really love football and that the fans are really behind the team.' An Italian journalist suggested that United will pay nine hundred thousand smackers as a loan fee and that there is a buyout clause fixed at just under eight million notes. Antonio becomes the third Italian-born player and fourth Italian-qualified to represent United competitively, after Alessandro Pistone and Davide Santon. Italian international Giuseppe Rossi was actually born in the USA.

Of course, this being this blogger's beloved (though, tragically, unsellable) Magpies, this oddest of odd weeks ended in more familiar style, with a one goal defeat against Stottingtot Hotshots at Wembley on Saturday. So, very much a case of 'as you were,' it would seem.

Black cats are meant to be good luck, yes? Try telling that to Everton, whose three-one Premier League defeat at home to Wolverhampton Wanderings was held up for several minutes by a feline pitch invader at Goodison Park. Final Score reporter John Acres filled nearly two minutes of prime-time television with a superb commentary of the cat's elegant movement across the Wolves penalty area, including the descriptive 'it looks like a fully grown cat. He drops a shoulder, jinks one way, goes another' and 'the steward's after the cat, but the cat knows it and puts in a turn of pace.' Eventually play was able to resume with referee Lee Mason adding seven minutes of injury time at the end of the game. More than one member of the crowd was heard to comment that if Everton manager Marco Silva gave the cat some boots and a blue shirt it would've got a game for his side.

Eleven Sports, the self-styled 'Netflix for Sports' controlled by the Dirty Leeds owner, Andrea Radrizzani, has saved its UK and Ireland operation from closure after reaching deals to offload the rights to Italy's Serie A and continue coverage of Spain's La Liga. In December, it emerged that the service, which launched last summer, was facing the prospect of shutting its streaming operation in the UK and Ireland after being unable to attract enough subscribers. The company attempted to renegotiate rights deals at a much cheaper rate to try and avoid pulling the plug. Eleven Sports has now concluded talks with IMG, which acts as the agent for Serie A rights, with the UK and Ireland rights for the Italian league to move to pay-TV operator Premier Sports from March until 2021. Premier Sports also picked up the rights to the Dutch Eredivisie and Chinese Super League. Eleven Sports has also concluded a new agreement with La Liga giving it 'temporary breathing space' to keep broadcasting matches in the UK and Ireland until the end of the season. In the summer, Eleven Sports will have to negotiate another deal with La Liga. 'Our priorities lie with our subscribers who we hope will experience minimal disruption as a result of these developments,' said an Eleven Sports spokesman. 'The strategic direction we have chosen allows us to focus on La Liga which not only drives real value for us in the UK and Ireland but is also a property which we continue to have a valued partnership with in five markets globally.' Eleven Sports said that as a result of the cutback in sports offered on its service existing and new subscribers will automatically see the price of its monthly pass reduced to £4.99 from 1 March. The company, which is thought to have attracted about fifty thousand subscriptions since its UK and Ireland launch in August, was charging £5.99 a month. In November, Eleven Sports struck a deal with the Scottish broadcaster STV to show two live La Liga and Serie A matches a week through its online streaming service. In October, Eleven Sports had been forced to stop its controversial practice of broadcasting European games on Saturday afternoons after pressure from football stakeholders. Eleven Sports said that despite the 'setbacks' it is still looking for new sports rights deals. Endeavour, the Hollywood talent agency which owns Ultimate Fighting Championship, the popular mixed martial arts competition and IMG hold a minority stake in Eleven Sports UK & Ireland. Eleven Sports, which also operates in markets including Poland and Portugal, is controlled via the holding company Aser, which in turn is controlled by Radrizzani. Late last year, UFC opted to move back to previous rights holder BT with a new broadcast deal.

Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha has snivellingly apologised and claims that he will 'learn' from his sending off for applauding a referee in a draw at Southampton. Zaha was extremely dismissed for 'sarcastically clapping' the referee, Andre Marriner, moments after being cautioned for tangling with James Ward-Prowse. 'All I can do is apologise to the team and the fans for my red card because I could have cost us. I will learn from it for sure,' he said. One or two people even believed him.

Goalkeepers are used to putting their bodies on the line to keep the ball out of the old onion bag, but Forest Green Rovers' James Montgomery took that cliché to something of an extreme against Mansfield Town this week. The twenty four-year-old lost some teeth in his side's one-one draw in League Two on Tuesday after being on the receiving end of a boot to his face. 'That'll interfere with his good looks for a while,' Forest Green manager Mark Cooper said after the game. 'He's got a large facial wound, an horrendous cut on his lip and he's missing a few teeth. He'll need some work done and is off to hospital to get some treatment, so we'll see how he goes in terms of how long he'll be out of action.' Montgomery later tweeted a picture of his mush from the treatment room before heading to hospital, joking that he would be setting up a fundraising page to pay for his replacement teeth. The unfortunate collision came with Montgomery's side a goal behind midway through the second half at New Lawn when Mansfield loan signing Gethin Jones' right boot caught him in a - painful - goalmouth scramble. Montgomery was forced off on sixty one minutes with the injury, making way for Reading loanee Lewis Ward who now looks set for an extended spell as first choice. Fortunately for Forest Green, the change had a positive effect as Reuben Reid netted an equaliser nine minutes later which put them fourth in the table, just two points outside the automatic promotion places.

The Football Association is reported to be 'looking into' an alleged incident of a coin being thrown in The Arse's home defeat by The Scum in the FA Cup. The Scum's Ashley Young posted a tweet after the tie with him holding the coin towards Gunners fans and the message: 'Heads we win, tails you lose.' The defender picked up the object following a melee involving opposing players towards the end of the game. The Scum won the fourth-round match three-one at The Emirates Stadium. The spat started off with Gunners left-back Sead Kolasinac and Red Devils' striker Marcus Rashford squaring up on the touchline. Jesse Lingard and team-mate Young also got themselves involved along with several of The Arse's players before Kolasinac and Rashford were booked. FA investigations into incidents such as coin-throwing involve 'seeking observations from the clubs' and, if needed, the fuzz. The governing body is expected to work with The Arse to identify the culprit and make sure they are dealt with by the club - probably by cutting off their goolies. Or something. Disciplinary charges would only follow in serious cases if the FA determined that the club concerned did not do enough to prevent or deal with the misconduct.

Marseille will play their upcoming home fixtures behind closed doors while French football's governing body investigates the events of their league defeat by Lille on Saturday. The match was held up for thirty minutes in the second half after a firework thrown by a fan exploded close to two players. A statement from the Ligue de Football Professionnel said that it had taken the decision 'as a safety measure.' Marseille's next home match is against Bordeaux on 5 February. 'Because of the nature and gravity of the facts, the committee has decided to investigate the case and during this process, as a safety measure, to play all games at the Orange Velodrome behind closed doors,' the LFP statement said. The LFP had previously ordered Marseille to close the North corner of the Orange Velodrome for the Lille and Bordeaux games 'following the use of pyrotechnic devices and the use of laser.' Marseille's Kevin Strootman and Jordan Amavi escaped unhurt from the incident and the referee took both sets of players off the field. The match had started with a ten-minute strike from home supporters in protest at the club's owners and coach. The eventful Ligue Un clash also saw nine yellow cards and one red - with former Newcastle United midfielder Florian Thauvin sent off for the hosts for two bookable offences. Which, to be fair, is two moments of action more than he ever produced at St James' Park. Lille won two-one with Pepe scoring both their goals and Mario Balotelli getting a consolation for Marseille on his debut. Marseille have won but once since late November. In that time, they have been eliminated from three cup competitions and dropped to seventh in the league.

Neil Lennon has left Hibernian but the head coach has 'not been dismissed' and has 'not resigned,' the Scottish Premiership club have said. Lennon was suspended by the club on Friday following 'an exchange' between himself and 'several club employees.' It has been reported that Lennon and his assistant, Garry Parker, were told to 'stay away' after striker Florian Kamberi was criticised at a team meeting. Hibs would only comment that the duo had left their positions 'by mutual consent.' 'Despite widespread speculation, the club confirms that neither Neil nor Garry has been guilty of any misconduct or wrongdoing and no disciplinary process has been commenced,' the statement read. 'The suspension, put in place to allow an internal review, was lifted by the club as part of this agreement.' The statement added that both Lennon and Parker 'consider that it would be in the best interests of all parties to part amicably' and 'thanked them for their efforts.' Lennon also offered his thanks to 'the board, the coaching staff, the players and all the fans for making the last two-and-a-half years so enjoyable.' He added: 'It has been my privilege to serve the club and I wish it every success in the future.' Former Glasgow Celtic and Notlob Wanderings boss Lennon took over at Easter Road in the summer of 2016 and lost just three league matches in his first season as Hibs ended a three-year period in The Championship. On their return to the top flight, the Edinburgh side finished fourth with a record points tally. This term also started well, with Hibs sitting second after eight games, but Sunday's victory at St Mirren - under the stewardship of Eddie May and Grant Murray - ended a run of five league games without a win. It lifted them up to seventh place - five points behind St Johnstone in sixth and seven behind city rivals Hearts. Hibs have also reached the Scottish Cup last sixteen and will host Raith Rovers next month. Head of academy coaching May said on Sunday that he does not want to succeed Lennon, while former Hearts player Murray has been coaching with the club since 2015.

Macclesfield Town manager Big Sol Campbell says that he has been 'surprised' by a 'really sad underbelly of abuse in football that has been left for far too long.' The Football Association is currently investigating claims that the forty four-year-old was subjected to alleged 'homophobic abuse' during The Silkmen's visit to Cheltenham on Saturday. Eleven games into his first job as manager, Campbell says that he has faced abuse from opposing supporters on the terraces and at railway stations on his way home from games. 'I'm not even playing any more. I'm a manager. It's not like I've got anything against whoever I'm playing. I don't understand why there is animosity towards a manager who has got nothing to do with their club other than being the opposition,' he said. 'I've just been a manager and I want to do my job.' Campbell played seventy three times for England and won the Premier League twice with The Arse, one of which was with The Invincibles team of 2003-04. In his 2014 autobiography, Campbell claimed to have been subjected to monkey chants by fans as a young player. Fans have often targeted Campbell with homophobic abuse. Which is apart from being sick and wrong on just about every level - also utterly bizarre as he is married and has three children. In 2014 he told the BBC: 'It's archaic. They've almost got a blueprint of a 1970s footballer and if it deviates from that in any way, that's it.' When Campbell was appointed Macclesfield manager in November, they were bottom of League Two, seven points from safety with just two wins from nineteen league games. Since then, they have won five of Campbell's eleven EFL games in charge and, while they are still in the relegation zone, they are now just two points from safety. 'I had to change nearly everything. It's important to be open and honest and a lot of the guys had to get a reality check on a lot of things. At the beginning there was no anchor and they were drifting out to sea and not knowing where they'd end up. There were fall outs. Some people like it, some people don't like it but for me, I had to get the quickest way up the mountain. We were bottom of the league, all those points adrift and regardless of what they thought of me, I really haven't got time for that. I'm here to win games and they will see how I run the show and how I carry myself. I haven't proved anyone wrong. I haven't proved anyone right. Until the end of the season I haven't proved anything but the main thing is that we stay up. I'm really fighting to make that happen.' Campbell says he is putting 'absolutely everything' into his first managerial role, whilst balancing time with his family who are still in London. Though Campbell jokes that his children had never heard of Macclesfield before he took the job, he claims that he is not planning on leaving Cheshire any time soon. 'The kids are really happy and they've come to a couple of games already. They've seen where daddy works and it's just about getting a place so they can spend more time up here.' Campbell, who also played for Sottingtot Hotshots, Portsmouth, Notts County and (very briefly) this blogger's beloved - though unsellable - Newcastle, has a UEFA Pro Licence, the highest coaching qualification available, which is mandatory for all first-team managers wishing to work in the Premier League, but Campbell isn't looking that far ahead. When he was appointed at Macclesfield he said he submitted 'at least twelve to fifteen applications' as he sought that first role. 'It's all about getting this job done right and I want to stay here as long as possible. I'm totally focused and invested in this club,' he said. 'I like where I'm living, I like the club, I like the owners, I like the people who are part of the club. I'm happy that the owner gave me a wonderful chance to manage his team and I'm eternally grateful for that and also the Macclesfield fans. I'm going to work my rear end off to really keep these guys up and at the same time enjoy it and play some good football. I've got to fight tooth and nail for my career, I have to work hard every day and that's what I'm doing here. This is my passion and people can't begrudge me fulfilling my passion.'

Italy's football federation is investigating claims that a referee racially abused a player in a non-league game between Serino and Real Sarno. The alleged incident allegedly involved Serino's Senegalese goalkeeper Gueye Ass Dia and allegedly led to his team walking off in alleged protest. The FIGC said that its investigation will 'consider reports' from the referee as well as from both clubs. Anti-discrimination group FARE condemned the alleged abuse as 'a shameful incident.' It added: 'Our message to Italian football on the alarming rise in racist incidents is simple. Enough is enough.' The alleged incident follows the alleged racist abuse of Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly in a game against Inter Milan. The game wasn't alleged, it definitely happened. Inter were subsequently ordered to play two home league games behind closed doors and a third match without opening the 'curva' section, which is popular with fans known as 'ultras'.

A team which lost a cup quarter-final thirty one-nil 'played well' despite the emphatic scoreline, the managers of both sides involved have claimed. Rayleigh Town Ladies were beaten by Billericay Town Ladies in the BBC Essex Women's Cup on Sunday. They went in at half-time fifteen-nil down and Rayleigh boss Paul MacDonald praised his team for 'not giving up.' Despite them conceding sixteen goals in the second-half. Billericay's manager, Kim Coster, said the final result 'did not reflect Rayleigh's performance.' Rayleigh play four divisions below their opponents and MacDonald said he was 'proud' of his side's efforts. He said: 'They are four leagues above us and we did really well to get there in the first place. The girls ended up a couple of goals down early on but they put a shift in. I am pleased, not at the result, but with the effort the ladies put in.' Coster said: 'Anyone at the game would have seen a really good game of football from both teams. There was some quality football played by both sides. Rayleigh have a lot of good players, they are a good young side and have a lot of potential. They came, were competitive and never gave up.' The result falls some way short of Arbroath's infamous thirty six-nil win over Bon Accord in the Scottish Cup in 1885. That was the highest margin of victory in a professional game, until a 'thrown' game between As Adema and SO l'Emyrne ended one hundred and forty nine-nil in Madagascar. Earlier this season Benfica Women twice won twenty eight-nil in their inaugural season in the Portuguese Women's League.