• Joe Cole made 378 appearances during his Premier League career

• Cole played for the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and West Ham United

• Now embarking on a role in punditry, Joe Cole net worth is valued at £33 million

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Joe Cole burst onto the scene during his early years at West Ham United, with many touting the Englishman as one of the greatest prospects in the country.

He will be remembered fondly for his impact on the Premier League, with successful stints at West Ham, Chelsea and Liverpool throughout his illustrious playing career.

While it would be foolish to label Cole as a legend of the game, he was an influential figure in Premier League odds during his heyday.

In addition to his club career, Cole earned over 50 international caps for England and played a central role for the Three Lions at major tournaments.

Now one of the best football pundits on television, Cole has continued to build his net worth following his retirement in 2018.

So, how much is Joe Cole worth? We look at financial figures relating to his wealth as well as focusing on his professional career and honours obtained from football.

Net Worth

Joe Cole was never one of the highest paid players in world football but he managed to build a hefty net worth throughout his playing career.

Since hanging up his boots, Cole has added to his wealth by taking on several punditry roles – often appearing at major international tournaments on the BBC.

In addition, Cole is regularly found on Sky Sports and his insight on Chelsea, Liverpool and West Ham is particularly valuable when those three clubs are in action.

Like many footballers, Cole also had endorsement deals and advertising opportunities as a direct result of making it as a professional player.

Whether that be football boot deals or in the fashion industry advertising the freshest suit or latest aftershave, Cole was involved in a plethora of endorsement agreements.

Having played for two of the most successful football clubs on the planet, it is hardly a huge shock to see Joe Cole’s estimated wealth at £33 million.

Club Career

Having been touted as a child prodigy and future England star, big things were expected of Joe Cole and he certainly lived up to the hype during his time at West Ham.

At just 21 years old, Cole was handed the captain’s armband and was awarded ‘Hammer of the Year’ but left the club after their relegation from the Premier League.

Cole was only the sixth player to join Chelsea in the Roman Abramovich era and little did he know that he would play a key role in transforming the Blues into football betting giants.

The Blues legend was a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge and he topped 25 Premier League appearances in five of his seven seasons in west London.

Chelsea fans still speak fondly about Cole’s tenure at the club today, which tells you everything you need to know about his legacy at Stamford Bridge.

From there, Cole made the move to Merseyside but he failed to make a sustained impact at Anfield.

His time at Liverpool was plagued by injury issues and Reds fans didn’t take to him like the supporters at West Ham and Chelsea – hindering his confidence.

A return to West Ham followed, sandwiched by a loan spell at Lille and a two-year contract with Aston Villa. However, Cole’s ability to influence a game was slowing down…

After a brief stint at Coventry City, Cole signed with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the North American Soccer League and he was a huge hit on that side of the Atlantic.

In fact, Cole was promoted to assistant coach while still playing for the Rowdies – cementing his status with the fans. After three years in Florida, Cole opted to part ways.

England

Earning over 50 caps for your country is some achievement and Joe Cole is in an exclusive group of players to top the half century mark for the Three Lions.

Cole worked his way up through the national team ranks, playing for England at under-16, under-18 and under-21 level before making his first team debut.

After making his debut, Cole was more or less an ever-present in the national squad and he earned selections to the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cups and Euro 2004.

While he was unable to lead England to the Jules Rimet Trophy, Cole had plenty of magical moments on the international stage – with that goal against Sweden sticking out.

With the game on a knife edge, Cole scored a superb volley that might just rank as the greatest England goal in World Cup history.

It was a career highlight for Cole and that goal, along with a superb individual performance, earned him the Man of the Match award as England advanced to the knockout stages.

Hardly a stalwart in Premier League predictions throughout his career, Cole is perhaps best known for his effort and endeavour while wearing the England shirt.

Cole made his final international appearance at the 2010 World Cup and he has publicly criticised former England manager Fabio Capello in the aftermath of that tournament.

On the whole, Joe Cole was a solid performer for England – both in qualifiers and on the big stage. We’ll never forget that volley against Sweden in Cologne…

Honours

While Joe Cole’s trophy cabinet is measly compared to former West Ham teammates John Terry, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand, he has certainly enjoyed his fair share of success.

A fan favourite at Stamford Bridge, the majority of Cole’s medals and trophies came during his time at Chelsea but the first major honour of his career came at West Ham.

Success in the 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup was particularly sweet for Cole as he came on as a second half substitute in the second leg and celebrated victory on the field.

Chelsea fell short in the 2008 UEFA Champions League final and Cole left Stamford Bridge less than a year before the Blues lifted Europe’s elite trophy for the first time.

However, a Champions League medal is one of the few accolades to elude Cole’s grasp during his playing days. At the end of the day, he still enjoyed a very successful career.

Without further ado, we’re going to take a closer look at Joe Cole’s career highlights and accolades – starting of course with that solitary West Ham triumph.

West Ham Trophies:

• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1999

Chelsea Trophies:

• Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10

• FA Cup: 2006–07, 2009–10

• Football League Cup: 2004–05

• FA Community Shield: 2005

Family Life

Cole began dating Carly Zucker in 2002 and the couple were together for five years before the England footballer asked for her hand in marriage.

The couple tied the knot in June 2009 with Zucker, a fitness instructor and model, donning a £10,000 wedding dress to mark the occasion.

Since then, Joe and Carly have given birth to two children; daughter Ruby in March 2010 and son Harrison in October 2012.

Could we see Harrison follow in his father’s footsteps and make it in professional football? Only time will tell but the Cole family name may well live on…

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• Ashley Cole is widely regarded as the best left back in Premier League history

• Cole played 385 top flight games during his time at Arsenal and Chelsea

• Estimates value Ashley Cole net worth at around £37 million

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One of the greatest defenders in Premier League history, Ashley Cole is an iconic figure in modern football.

Gaining unwanted attention for his conduct off the pitch, Cole also raised eyebrows on it – particularly after leaving Arsenal for London rivals Chelsea.

Any football odds expert will know about Cole’s exploits and achievements in the sport, with three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups on his resumé.

Having played for two of the country’s biggest football clubs, Cole enjoyed a very successful career at the highest level of the game.

However, things didn’t always go to plan for the left back. The England full-back was at the centre of controversy on more than one occasion during his stint in the limelight.

How much is Ashley Cole worth? As one of the most capped England players, we can expect a hefty wealth figure – though you may be a tad shocked at the financial estimates below…

Net Worth

Having played professional football for the best part of two decades, one would assume that Ashley Cole net worth figures are staggering – and that is a fair enough assumption.

During his peak years at Chelsea, reports suggest that Cole was earning around £200,000 per week. Just imagine how much his contract would be worth if he was playing today…

However, his total career earnings took a hit after his departure from Chelsea but that was a small price to pay compared to his LA Galaxy salary.

As Premier League Odds favourite Cole wasn’t a designated player upon his arrival to Major League Soccer, his salary was an incredibly low £3,996 per week.

However, reports suggest that Roma continued to pay the bulk of his weekly earnings and that – as well as endorsement deals and autobiography earnings – has contributed to his current wealth.

According to Celebrity Net Worth estimates, Ashley Cole has an approximate wealth of £37 million. While these are not exact figures, these financial estimates are fairly trusted.

Arsenal

Having supported Arsenal during his childhood years, it was a dream come true for Cole when he was offered the chance to join the club’s youth set up.

At just 18 years old, Cole made his first team debut in a League Cup fourth round clash with Middlesbrough – though the Gunners crashed out of the competition on penalties.

However, a few months later he signed his first professional contract and made his Premier League debut on the final day of the campaign.

That was a sign of things to come for Cole and he would soon be a key figure for one of the biggest clubs in Premier League predictions during the period.

Cole spent part of that season on loan but earned a chance the following year after an injury to Arsenal’s starting left-back Sylvinho left the position up for grabs.

The Gunners youngster seized the opportunity with both hands and impressed in Sylvinho’s absence, with the Brazilian failing to regain the starting role upon his return to the squad.

Cole emerged as one of the first names on the Arsenal team sheet and he was frequently praised by Gunners manager Arsene Wenger for his consistency and professionalism.

He missed just six league games during the Invincibles season, helping Arsenal to record the first and only unbeaten campaign in Premier League history.

However, things started to unravel after a ‘tapping up’ meeting with Chelsea figures in 2005 and it soon became clear that Cole wished to pursue a move to Stamford Bridge.

Despite signing a one-year contract extension in July 2005, Cole’s final year at the club was sour and there was a bitter taste left after his deadline day departure in August 2006.

Arsenal fans dubbed him ‘Cashley’ but Cole attempted to turn the blame on the club, stating that he was made a scapegoat by the Gunners board. 

Chelsea

Cole’s move to Chelsea didn’t materialise until late in the 2006 August transfer window but it went through in the end, with William Gallas heading in the opposite direction.

The England star didn’t have to wait too long for his first trophy, lifting the League Cup in February 2007 before completing the domestic cup double with FA Cup glory in May.

That would be the sign of things to come for Cole as Chelsea began to challenge on multiple fronts throughout the Roman Abramovich / Jose Mourinho era.

While he finished his career with just one Premier League title during his time at Stamford Bridge, Cole enjoyed plenty of success – averaging a major trophy per season.

Chelsea benefited directly from Cole’s expertise and the left-back was a pivotal figure for the entirety of his spell at Stamford Bridge.

Cole helped the club to their first Champions League success while also playing a central role in their Europa League triumph over Benfica in 2013.

However, Cole’s time at the club came to an end in May 2014. He was made captain for the day and the Chelsea supporters paid tribute to a true Premier League legend.

Cole tried his hand at AS Roma, LA Galaxy and Derby County following his departure from Chelsea but retirement beckoned and he hung up his boots in August 2019.

Honours

One of the most decorated players in the modern era, Ashley Cole has a trophy cabinet to match his incredible performances on the football pitch.

From his early years at Highbury before becoming a fully-fledged member of the Arsenal Invincibles to his European success at Chelsea, Cole has enjoyed a sensational career.

Cole’s on-field success is testament to his skillset and consistency over 17 years in England’s top flight – and his status as the Premier League’s greatest left back is secure.

Here, we look at Ashley Cole’s list of career achievements. From the glory days at Arsenal to his trophy-laden tenure at Chelsea, his impact and influence is clear for all to see…

Arsenal Trophies:

• Premier League: 2001–02, 2003–04

• FA Cup: 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05

• FA Community Shield: 2002, 2004

Chelsea Trophies:

• Premier League: 2009–10

• FA Cup: 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12

• Football League Cup: 2006–07

• FA Community Shield: 2009

• UEFA Champions League: 2011–12

• UEFA Europa League: 2012–13

Family Life

Ashley Cole’s relationship with Cheryl Tweedy was well documented, with the couple going public in September 2004.

The first few years were smooth enough, with the couple tying the knot at Wrotham Park in July 2006 but allegations of affairs had an impact on the marriage.

Less than four years later, the couple revealed that they would separate after fresh reports of adultery surfaced. Three months later, Cheryl confirmed that she was filing for divorce.

Cheryl and Ashley officially divorced in September 2010 but both have gone on to find love since – though the former has had a number of amicable splits.

Ashley began dating Italian model Sharon Canu and the couple really hit it off, though they have opted to keep their relationship out of the public domain.

Ashley and Sharon became parents for the first time in February 2016 as their son was born before daughter Grace followed two years later.

To this day, the couple have never publicly announced their son’s name.

Coaching Career

After a stint with Derby County under former teammate Frank Lampard, Cole retired at the end of the 2018-19 season.

Cole worked alongside Lampard as a coach while at Derby. When Lampard was hired by Chelsea, Cole returned to his former club as an academy coach.

Serving as an assistant at the England Under-21s under Lee Carsley, Cole again followed Lampard at club level when he became a first-team coach at Everton. He left the Toffees when Lampard departed.

The former Arsenal defender spent just under a year working with Wayne Rooney at Birmingham City. In September 2024, he joined the FA on a full-time basis. 

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• We’ve looked at some of the best NFL memes on the internet

• From NFL draft memes to Super Bowl memes, 888sport is the place to be for American football memes

• Join us as we mock your favourite NFL team with the greatest gridiron memes

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The National Football League is one of the fiercest competitions in sport but social media memes help to bring the lighter side of the NFL to your living room.

NFL jokes can have you in stitches, with the most iconic memes doing the rounds on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram before, during and after games.

If you’re into NFL betting, chances are you’ll have seen a few of the memes on this list. The NFL is the gift that keeps on giving and football memes are an added bonus.

The Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions have been the butt of NFL jokes for some time but we’ve compiled a varied list of American football memes across the league.

From the latest Madden memes to 2022 NFL memes, 888sport are here to provide gridiron fans with the biggest social media hits throughout the season.

As well as giving NFL picks straight up each week, we’ve looked at the funniest memes in NFL history. We hope you laugh at this list as much as we did!

Can’t Beat The Lions

Okay, we know it’s a tad clichéd to use a Detroit Lions meme but they’re just too good.

The Lions have been one of the worst teams in the NFL over the past decade and fans flock to social media to mock when Detroit manage to win a game.

Created in December 2021, this meme pays homage to Ben Roethlisberger, Kirk Cousins and Kyler Murray – the only three quarterbacks to fail to beat the Lions this season.

Welcome to the Can’t Beat The Lions Club, Kyler Murray! pic.twitter.com/QtAexHTbQu

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) December 19, 2021

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Panthers Quarterback Woes

The Carolina Panthers’ quarterback issues have been well documented, with the likes of Cam Newton, Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Darnold all failing to inspire confidence.

This meme documents that problem perfectly, with the mood of the entire Carolina fanbase summed up in one simple image.

What’s on the agenda for the Panthers in 2022? An elite quarterback prospect is an absolute must in the NFL Draft. If not, Carolina might have to re-sign Cam (again).

The Carolina Panthers.. pic.twitter.com/2dxgxowJS8

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) December 27, 2021

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Refs On The Payroll

A popular meme on social media – one of the main roles of a sports fan is to back your team blindly when it comes to refereeing decisions.

Here, this NFL meme shows Sean McVay handing out a game ball to an official after the controversial victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

Chances are this meme was created by a bitter Seahawks fan, which is a little ironic given how Seattle have benefited from the officials in the past…

Class act pic.twitter.com/loNvpcuXYX

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) December 22, 2021

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Another Refs Meme

Another NFL meme to do with bad officiating, this one combines the famous Lambeau Leap with a narrow Cleveland Browns defeat.

With the new rules relating to taunting and harsher pass interference calls, there are plenty of memes circulating when the officials decide to ignore such situations.

In this instance, a Baker Mayfield interception (yes, another one) should have been brought back following a clear holding call from a Green Bay Packers defender.

Refs out here doing Lambeau Leaps after swallowing their whistles on that final INT pic.twitter.com/cPlueQi6j6

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) December 26, 2021

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NFL On A Tuesday

Postponements and rearranged fixtures meant that some NFL fixtures had to be played on a Tuesday this season – much to the delight of football fans around the world.

While the change in schedule messed up plans for fantasy football players, it was great for the wider NFL community who could enjoy another day of watching sport to their calendar. 

Thursday, Sunday & Monday are covered. How about we have Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday as permanent fixtures going forward?

Tuesday Night Football has a nice ring to it pic.twitter.com/b9GW1kpYjL

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) December 21, 2021

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Taylor vs New York Giants

2021 has not been a great year for the New York Giants. In fact, it’s been a pretty dismal decade for Big Blue if we’re being completely honest.

As of December 9th, Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor had scored as many touchdowns as the entire Giants offense in 2021.

Right now, it’s a flip of the coin as to whether the Giants are the worst New York team or if the Jets take that title. Either way, this is an embarrassing fact.

Ouch. pic.twitter.com/fsSX4XWY4J

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) December 6, 2021

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A Year To Forget For The Raiders

2021 was a year to forget for the Raiders. While the transition to Las Vegas went smoothly, there were several off-field issues that had a negative impact on the team.

We only need to say the names Jon Gruden and Henry Ruggs III to put their year into context. The Raiders have encountered several problems – and the entire NFL world will not let them forget it.

Once the 2022 season is over, the Raiders organisation can try to rebuild. But for now, their reputation is damaged to say the least.

Round of applause for the Raiders everyone 👏 pic.twitter.com/UAEpNNHWxI

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) November 12, 2021

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Falcons Logo

The Atlanta Falcons cemented their status as NFL meme legends after blowing a 28-3 lead at Super Bowl LI. To this day, they’ve never fully recovered from that loss.

Nowadays, the Falcons are a middle of the road franchise at best. However, they have the tendency to throw in the odd clanger – almost as if Atlanta are drunk…

It is hard to sum the Falcons up. They are some way off the playoffs but won’t be qualifying for a high draft pick. One thing is sure though: memes!

BREAKING: Falcons unveil their new logo. pic.twitter.com/WNxNu8DWNS

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) November 19, 2021

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Lions No Longer Thankful?

Detroit have been playing on Thanksgiving since 1934 but Lions followers are starting to get sick of watching their team lose on a national holiday.

The NFC North organisation have lost their last five games on Thanksgiving and it is almost getting to the point where neutrals mark it down as a Detroit loss before kick-off.

Here, this meme combines two of the greatest things in America: football and The Office. Wonder if Michael Scott could do a job at quarterback for Detroit…

Lions fans every Thanksgiving pic.twitter.com/Jj6z5WeCg2

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) November 25, 2021

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Ain’t No Party Like A Buffalo Party

The Buffalo Bills are renowned for their crazy tailgate parties and their passionate fans took it to the next level a few years ago as they reached the playoffs.

Supporters began jumping through tables in celebration and that has become something of a tradition amongst Bills fans – be prepared for plenty of videos in the postseason.

Just imagine how the Buffalo community would celebrate if the Bills go on to win the Super Bowl later this year…

Tables in Buffalo seeing the Bills dominate the Chiefs pic.twitter.com/ambOZzE1sY

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) October 11, 2021

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*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

• Robbie Savage made 346 Premier League appearances throughout his career

• The Welshman enjoyed top flight spells at Leicester, Birmingham, Blackburn and Derby

• Estimates value Robbie Savage net worth at £4 million

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It would be a tad far fetched to label Robbie Savage a Premier League legend but the Wales international finished his career with 346 top flight appearances.

To put that into perspective, Savage played more Premier League games than the likes of David Seaman, Michael Owen and David Silva.

Fans who enjoyed a bet on football in the 2000s will remember Savage for his no nonsense, aggressive style in midfield – he wasn’t afraid to put his body on the line.

Savage found himself in trouble with referees throughout his career but supporters admired his effort. If nothing else, he helped to liven the atmosphere whenever he was on the pitch.

With stints at Leicester, Birmingham, Blackburn and Derby, Savage was your typical Premier League journeyman and he never really impacted football predictions during the era.

Here, we look at Robbie Savage net worth figures and his life off the football pitch. Now one of the iconic figures in punditry, Savage retains a prominent role in the sport…

Net Worth

According to online sources, financial experts estimate Robbie Savage net worth at around £4 million – though information is limited on the former Derby County midfielder.

A stalwart of Premier League predictions over the years, Savage will have earned huge sums of money throughout his professional football career.

However, the bulk of Savage’s net worth has likely been acquired since retiring, especially as the Welshman has taken on several media roles over the past decade.

Savage is a pundit for the BBC and regularly presents 606 on BBC Radio 5 Live on a Sunday evening, discussing the biggest events of the weekend.

In addition, Savage can be found making frequent appearances on BT Sport, co-presenting the Early Kick Off show and he brings live goal updates to the BT studio.

Savage has enjoyed a successful media career since hanging up his boots, with plenty of fans ranking him as one of the top football pundits in the business.

You could even argue that Savage has been more successful in his post-playing career than he was as a player – though the haters may argue against that point!

Wales

Robbie Savage earned 39 caps for Wales throughout his football career, making his senior debut against Albania in 1995.

Having played at under-18 and under-21 level for his country, Savage was proud to receive a call-up to represent Wales on the biggest stage of all.

Savage scored two goals for Wales, both of which came in World Cup qualifying fixtures but they missed out on qualification for the major tournament.

While certainly not in the esteemed company of Ian Rush, Gareth Bale and Craig Bellamy, Savage enjoyed a respectable Wales career until retiring from international football in 2005.

According to rumours, Savage announced his early international retirement after a spat with Wales manager John Toshack.

The most iconic moment in Savage’s Wales career came when he threw a replica of Paolo Maldini’s shirt into a bin the day before a match against Italy.

That one act sums Robbie Savage up to a tee. A joker in the dressing room and a menace on the pitch, Savage was dropped as a result of his actions but was quickly reinstated.

Honours

Despite his lengthy playing career, Robbie Savage has no need for a trophy cabinet. Instead, he can simply show off his League Cup winners’ medal on the mantlepiece.

Savage was a central figure in Leicester City’s League Cup triumph over Tranmere Rovers in February 2000, with the Foxes running out 2-1 winners at Wembley Stadium.

A year prior to Leicester’s success, the Foxes had slumped to a heart-breaking defeat against Tottenham in the Wembley showpiece but the club showed immense resilience to fight back the following campaign.

One of the players with the most yellow cards in Premier League history, Savage picked up his customary caution in both finals but celebrated long into the night after Matt Elliott’s winner in 2000.

Savage On Strictly

We shouldn’t ignore his contributions on BBC television show Strictly Come Dancing, with the Welshman reaching the quarter-finals.

Savage thoroughly enjoyed his time dancing, revealing how appearing on the programme helped to rebuild his reputation.

"It's just been everything you know.

"People didn't know who I was before I came to this show, I wasn't a nice person on the football pitch and hopefully I've changed people's perceptions of me.

"I am just a normal, decent guy."

For a player with almost 350 Premier League appearances, Savage’s list of achievements is short but we cannot overlook his impact and influence on England’s top flight.

Things could have been different had Savage broke through at Manchester United but it just wasn’t to be for the Welshman and he had to work hard to reignite his career.

He did manage to win the FA Youth Cup during his early years at Old Trafford but the Wales international had to sit and watch his former teammates dominate English football for the rest of the decade.

Family Life

Robbie is married to Sarah Savage, with the couple dating for a while before deciding to tie the knot in 2002.

The Welshman met her through former Liverpool midfielder and pundit Danny Murphy, with Savage admitting that met on a night out in Chester.

The couple have two children and it looks like at least one of them may follow their father by making it as a professional footballer.

Son Charlie joined the Manchester United development program in 2012 and signed his first professional contract in April 2021, much to the delight of a proud Robbie.

The pair admit that relationships have been strained at times due to the nature of his career but Sarah and Robbie have responded in the face of adversity.

Autobiography

Released shortly after his retirement in 2011, Savage!: The Robbie Savage Autobiography was a huge hit with football fans across the country.

For the first time, supporters were given a unique insight into Savage’s life and the sacrifices that many elite sportsmen make for the sake of their careers.

One of the best autobiographies of the decade, Savage addresses his reputation as an old-school midfielder while touching on more sensitive issues relating to family life.

Savage himself knows he falls short in the best football pundits discussion but he earns plenty of plaudits for opening up in this emotional account.

In addition, the Welshman also released I’ll Tell You What…: My Take On Modern Football in 2015, with Savage addressing the trials and tribulations of the beautiful game.

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*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 24th March 2022

• Zinedine Zidane is widely considered one of the game’s greatest ever midfielders

• First the Frenchman conquered playing, now he’s excelling in management 

• From humble beginnings, Zidane is one of sport’s wealthiest individuals

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Zinedine Zidane was born on June 23rd 1972 in Marseille, France, the youngest of five siblings.

From the very beginning, his exceptional talent was widely noted, and a professional debut was made at Cannes aged just 17, with the future superstar perfecting his flicks, tricks and passing repertoire on the French Riveira until Bordeaux signed the midfield prodigy in 1992.

Sadly, our latest Ligue 1 odds have Bordeaux down as favourites to be relegated this season.

A subsequent move to Italy and Juventus saw his reputation soar beyond Ligue 1 as the playmaker helped Juve win two Serie A titles and reach two Champions League finals.

During his five years on the Peninsula, Zidane also enjoyed his greatest achievement, winning the World Cup with France. Unsurprisingly, he ran the show in the final.

A Euro 2000 triumph followed with his country while at club level a world record fee of €77.5 took him to Real Madrid where further silverware and individual plaudits was inevitably attained.

With the Spanish giants, Zidane won a league crown and in 2002 he finally lifted the Champions League.

Remarkably, another three Champions Leagues were won several years later with Real when this Ballon d’Or winner switched from playing to managing the famous club.

Zidane straddled world football for much of his career, globally venerated and generally regarded to be one of the finest footballers of all time. Of course, this has also made him a very wealthy man.

How Much Is Zinedine Zidane Worth?

The creative genius grew up in La Castellane, an extremely deprived area of Marseilles that regrettably has one of the highest crime rates across Europe. He is now reported to be worth in excess of €120m.

Much of this can be attributed to lucrative salaries obtained at Real Madrid, both as a player and later as their head coach with his most recent contract negotiated in 2019 following his decision to return to the Bernabeu dug-out for a second stint in charge.

Across three years it was revealed to be a basic salary of €12m a year, not including bonuses, and this €36m was paid out in full despite Zidane leaving his post 12 months early.

In 2004, Forbes magazine listed his yearly earnings as €15.8m and two years later, as his extraordinary career drew to a close, Zidane’s stock was such that he was the world’s sixth best paid player.

Naturally, well-known brands have flocked to be associated with this enigmatic and supernaturally gifted player and the Frenchman has enjoyed long-standing endorsements from companies as diverse as Adidas, Lego, Christian Dior and Volvic.

At the height of his prowess, Zinedine Zidane was estimated to be earning an astounding €38,000 per day.

Family Life

It feels somewhat out of character but Zidane is a prolific user of Instagram and regularly offers insights into his personal life to his 31m followers.

Included therein are many photos of the legendary former player with his wife Veronique, who he met at the age of 17, the couple marrying in 1994.

A professional dancer and model, Veronique has been a steadying influence on Zidane throughout his footballing adventures.

Together too they have raised four children, all boys with the two eldest brave enough and talented enough to follow their father into the game.

Enzo is currently at Rodez, a French division two side. Luca meanwhile wisely became a goalkeeper so to avoid any direct comparisons with his esteemed dad and he is fast establishing himself as Rayo Vallecano’s number one in La Liga.

Legendary Status

Popularly known as ‘Zizou’, Zidane was already considered a generational talent while at Juventus, leading both his club and country to unparalleled heights via his elegant use of possession and unerring vision.

On joining Real Madrid, and thus becoming the ultimate Galactico among a squad packed with megastars, this son of a warehouseman of Algerian Kabyle Berber descent secured his place among the game’s all-time legends, on three occasions winning the FIFA World Player of the Year merit to add to his Ballon d’Or honour.

In 2010 a leading football publication voted him the greatest French player of all time and in 2019 he comfortably strolled into our Champions League all-time XI. First, we picked Zidane, Messi and Ronaldo, then selected eight others worthy of sharing their pitch.

To Paul Scholes he was, ‘poetry in motion’. To Marcel Desailly he was ‘a true artist’. To fans worldwide, he was simply Zizou.

Zidane Controversy

Yet there was also controversy amidst the magic. Aged 34 and participating in his second World Cup final, Zidane had opened the scoring for France against Italy before Marco Materazzi equalised.

With the latter instructed to man-mark the former, the two goal-scorers needled each other all game.

In extra-time it all came to a head, literally, when the Italian grappled once more with his opposite number, prompting Zidane to remark that he could have his shirt after the game, not during it.

Materazzi said he would rather spend time with Zidane’s sister and the French midfielder violently planted his forehead into his tormenter’s chest.

One of the finest players to ever grace the game was unceremoniously sent off. It was undoubtedly one of football’s most controversial moments and partly contributed to France losing the historic event with the Gli Azzurri eventually winning out on penalties. 

Football Manager

Nobody knew what to expect when Zidane entered club management as so often, in the past, renowned players had stepped into the technical area only to come unstuck. Might the same happen here?

In early 2016, two years after cutting his teeth with Real Madrid’s B team, Zidane took control of a club that demands success and won 5-0 in his inaugural game. Thereafter, any doubts about his managerial capabilities vanished.

Two league titles and an astonishing trio of Champions League triumphs, all achieved consecutively, is conclusive testament to his coaching credentials with Zidane gaining a reputation for tactical versatility and brilliantly handling the egos in the Real dressing room.

So much consistent success also made his team one to back in the live betting market, the prolific scorers always a moment away from finding the net.

Where once Zinedine Zidane was a truly great player, now he has to be considered an elite coach as well.

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Few players have been talented or brave enough to represent both of Spain’s behemoths - Real Madrid and Barcelona - fierce rivals in every sense.

These 10 somehow pulled it off, some in style, others with the carcass of a farm animal thrown at their feet.

Luis Figo

A pig’s head nestled on the Camp Nou touchline will forever remain one of football’s most infamous images, hurled by an incandescent Barcelona supporter towards a player recently adored in Catalonia, now loathed.

Luis Figo’s €62m switch between Spain’s two giants still retains a good dose of shock value nearly a quarter of a century on. At Barca he was part of a brilliant attacking trio with Rivaldo and Patrick Kluivert, their goals contributing to two La Liga titles.

At Real, the slaloming Portuguese great won a further two league titles as well as the Champions League. He also gained the key ingredient to a rustic soup.

Real Madrid and Barcelona remain perennial favourites in Champions league betting  markets, but Figo is only remembered fondly at one of the Clasico clubs. 

Ronaldo

The original, and arguably the best Ronaldo bedazzled both Camp Nou and later the Bernabeu and it says much about his genius and geniality that he is still cherished by both fan-bases.

It took a world record fee of €19.5m to dislodge the generational talent from PSV in 1996 yet Barcelona only had him for a season until Inter Milan swooped with another world record sum.

What a season it was though, with the Brazilian ace scoring 47 goals in 49 games, some of which should have been hung in a gallery.

At Real, injuries sustained in Italy had started to take a toll but there was still magic to spare.

Luis Enrique

Before becoming one of the world's best managers, Luis Enrique made 157 appearances for Los Blancos, his scheming from midfield engineering a league title in 1995. Yet, love from the Bernabeu faithful always eluded him for reasons that are hard to fathom.

Sometimes a player and the fans just don’t click. Sometimes they’re better as friends.

Any budding friendship however went out of the window when the 26-year-old moved on a free to Real’s historic rivals, quickly ingratiating himself in Catalonia with a series of displays that brought silverware to its capital.

Two La Liga titles were secured, with Enrique installed as captain before he moved into management, guiding Barca to a further two league successes and a Champions League triumph in 2015. From the East Stand to the Gol Nord, he was loved.

Alfredo Di Stefano

Only five other players have scored more La Liga goals than the legendary Argentine with almost all his astonishing haul of 227 converted in Real’s famous white shirt.

The rest came at Espanyol and it’s an understatement to say he would be a real betting favourite today for such prolificacy.

Did that mean he fired blanks during his short stint at Barca? Not a chance. When Di Stefano played, he usually found the net so complete a player he was. The problem was, he never actually turned out for Barcelona in a competitive fixture.

To explain this is to get to the heart of the perennial ill-feeling between the clubs.

In 1953 both Real and Barcelona fought for the emerging superstar’s signature and eventually the courts got involved, declaring that each club must share him, one season at a time.

Real got the forward first, despite the fact he had already played several friendlies in blue and red and somewhere along the line, the legal agreement became fudged.

Di Stefano stayed in Madrid with their rivals forever suspecting the country’s hated dictator and Real-supporting Franco was behind the duplicity.

Michael Laudrup

The ‘Prince of Denmark’ was never less than a joy to watch, dancing around flailing challenges and spraying passes across the Camp Nou pitch.

As the creative force behind Johan Cruyff’s ‘Dream Team’ of the early Nineties, Laudrup orchestrated four consecutive La Liga title successes and on a rainy Wembley evening in 1991 helped Barcelona secure their first ever European Cup.

Unfortunately, if a player thrived under Cruyff they always tended to fall out with the Dutch master and a bitter dispute in 1994 saw the finest talent to ever come out of Scandinavia pointedly join Real, guiding them to a league crown in his opening season.

Our La Liga predictions are influenced by the Dream Team to this day.

Bernd Schuster

The outspoken German midfielder rarely enjoyed harmonious relationships with his coaches but given license to play to his strengths few were better with the ball at his feet.

The box-to-box maestro reached double figures in all-but-one of his eight years in Catalonia and was a commanding presence in the Camp Nou centre-circle.

A switch to Barca’s hated rival in 1988 seemed fitting for an always-contentious character who retired from international football aged just 24 due to differences of opinion with his head coach, several team-mates and the German FA.

Samuel Eto’o

Brought over from the Kadji Sports Academy in Cameroon, a teenage Eto’o struggled to make the grade at Real and this hardly surprises considering the wealth of attacking talent the club possessed at the time.

Raul, Davor Suker and Fernando Morientes all blocked the promising striker’s pathway to a first team jersey.

A move to Mallorca therefore made sense for all concerned, and 54 goals on the island was enough to convince Barcelona to shell out €24m for his services in 2004, one of the biggest La Liga transfers of that era.

Five years of outstanding forward play from the lethal frontman ensured it was a decision they never regretted. 

Gheorghe Hagi

At the turn of the Millenium, World Soccer magazine voted the ridiculously skilful Romanian in as the 25th greatest player of the 20th century.

The ‘Maradona of the Carpathians’ was a genius on his day and merely a very special talent the rest of the time.

Alas, if his timing in possession was unerringly metronomic, Hagi was less attuned to judging when to sign for big clubs, arriving at both Barcelona and Real Madrid during fallow periods in their history.

Only two Spanish Super Cups from a combined four years is a poor return for one of the most gifted stars of his, or any other, generation.

Julen Lopetegui

In the summer of 2018 Lopetegui, a former goalkeeper who was largely a back-up at both Real and Barca, was the talk of the footballing world on being sacked as Spain’s manager just prior to the World Cup.

His crime? Revealing that he had accepted an offer from Los Blancos to manage them after the finals.

To compound his misfortune, he was sacked once again just three months later, as his tenure at the Bernabeu started badly, then went worse.

Now, the studious 55-year-old is in the process of rebuilding his managerial reputation, taking Sevilla to the giddy heights of a title challenge with the latest football odds pitting the traditional outsiders as genuine contenders.

There are no prizes for guessing who they are up against.

Josep Samitier

Before La Liga there was the Campionet de Catalunya, a league format that was absolutely dominated by FC Barcelona who won it a remarkable 21 times from 1904 to the start of the Second World War.

Pivotal to 12 of those successes was Samitier, a midfielder who single-handedly reinvented the role with his unusual – for the time – actions leading to his lifelong nickname of ‘The Surrealist’.

It was an apt moniker in another way too, as one of his best friends was Salvador Dali.

And it was friendship that ultimately led to this Barcelona legend moving west to Madrid, as the veteran all-rounder reunited with two former team-mates in 1932.

He was also quite pally with Franco by all accounts but let’s overlook that as it’s otherwise quite a feel-good tale.

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*Photo in this article belongs to Adobe*

• The Premier League has gifted us unforgettable drama in its three decades

• From the comedic to the crazy to the unbelievable, these moments have become iconic

• The Premier League’s greatest moment of all reverberated around the globe

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This year, the Premier League celebrates its 30th birthday, born an elaborate idea that soon exploded into a phenomenon the scale of which sport has never before seen.
In those three glorious decades we have been treated to thousands of goals along with drama by the bucketful.

There have also been moments, unforgettable and often unbelievable moments, that will stay with us forever. Here are ten that brightened our world while shaking it on its axis.

10) Let’s Be ‘Aving You (2005)

Norwich City supporters are presumably swerving the Premier League Odds markets right now, with their team so heavily backed to drop this term.

Back in 2005 they were averting their gaze from the pitch instead as their majority shareholder and all-round national treasure Delia Smith took to the pitch at half-time to bellow out an unforgettable call to arms.

Unsteady in her high heels the legendary cook was responding to her beloved Canaries conceding two first-half goals to Manchester City as they battled against relegation. In her opinion, more atmosphere was needed to inspire the hosts.

“Where are you?” she implored, holding the mic like Karen from accounts on a works night out that ends in a karaoke bar. “Let’s be ‘aving you.”

Not for the first time in her life, Smith had found the recipe for TV magic.

9) Pizza-gate (2004)

Also known as the ‘Battle of the Buffet’, the infamous fracas that took place down Old Trafford’s tunnel in the autumn of 2004 will forever be shrouded in rumour, accusation, and counterclaim.

What we know for certain is that following a highly contentious Manchester United victory over Arsenal – that ended a remarkable 49-match unbeaten streak by the Gunners – a jubilant Sir Alex Ferguson was struck in the face by a flung pizza, the culprit much later being confirmed as Cesc Fabregas.

Ferguson, it is claimed, was breaking up a scuffle at the time involving Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and Ruud Van Nistelrooy, the striker pleading his innocence after injuring Ashley Cole during the fractious clash.

These two Premier League giants created a rivalry for the ages but here it descended into farce. Wonderfully so.

8) Cantona Goes Kung-Fu Fighting (1995)

Close your eyes and it’s still so easy to conjure up the surreal proceedings that shocked the watching world at Selhurst Park over a quarter of a century ago.

There’s King Eric, striding towards the tunnel having been sent off. His collar up. His face a picture of unnervingly calm incandescence after kicking out at Richard Shaw, his man-marker for the evening.

There’s Matthew Simmons, racing down the steps to the advertising hoardings, shouting out – or so he later claims – “Off! It’s an early bath for you Mr Cantona.” 

And then there’s the instant snapping of logic as the Manchester United legend awkwardly lunges through the air, his boot connecting with Simmons’ chest.

It was English football’s JFK gunshot and even today it resonates.

7) Beckham Announces Himself (1996)

David Beckham was undoubtedly the Premier League’s first homegrown megastar, a player whose face and fame transcended the sport, gaining permanent residence in the tabloids.

Marrying a Spice Girl and becoming celebrity royalty didn’t exactly help in this regard.

With a ball at his feet however, we were regularly reminded of who he really was, beyond the glamour and the headlines and that dodgy sarong.

On the opening day of the 1996/97 season, with the teenage Beckham at that point barely established in Manchester United’s first eleven, he attempted the impossible and impossibly it came off, when he lobbed Wimbledon keeper Neil Sullivan from all of sixty yards.

It was a goal from the gods, struck inside his own half, that declared something important only back then we didn’t know precisely what.

“When my foot struck that ball, it kicked open the door to the rest of my life,” Beckham later related in his autobiography though let’s be honest, he probably didn’t write that line.

6) A 4-3 Classic (1996)

Kevin Keegan’s buccaneering Newcastle United side of the mid-Nineties were adopted by a great many fans, loved for their sense of adventure, and refreshing philosophy that amounted to: you score two and we’ll score three.

In this instance, on a famous night at Anfield, Les Ferdinand, David Ginola and Tino Asprilla fulfilled the Magpies’ end of the bargain but alas their title rivals Liverpool went one better, finding the net four times in one of the most engrossing and frankly ridiculous games of football ever witnessed on these shores.

When Stan Collymore slotted home the Reds’ late winner Keegan slumped in the dug-out. His team had aimed for the heavens but shot themselves in the foot.

5) Di Canio’s Fair Means & Foul (1998 and 2000)

It feels like a cheat to merge two moments a couple of years apart and count them as one, but each incident could be included on merit while together they illustrate the polar extremes of a player who placed a rocket up English football’s posterior.

In 1998, Sheffield Wednesday’s fiery striker Paolo Di Canio saw red on seeing red and shoved referee Paul Alcock in the chest, the official falling to the ground in increments. The very Italian Italian was banned for 11 games and fined ten grand.

Two seasons later and now at West Ham, the sinner-turned-saint found himself in the game’s good books after catching the ball and eschewing a goal-scoring opportunity at Goodison on seeing the opposition keeper down injured.

His act of sportsmanship earned Di Canio a FIFA Fair Play Award.

4) Keegan Combusts (1996)

The titanic title-tussle that played out between Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle and a formidable Manchester United in the mid-Nineties unquestionably made this one of the best seasons in Premier League history. It was unmissable. Iconic.

After the Magpies had relinquished a 12-point lead post-Christmas, it was now neck-and-neck and with just a handful of fixtures remaining tensions were rising.

It was at this juncture that Sir Alex Ferguson turned to mind games, suggesting their rival’s next opponents, Leeds would go easy on them.

The resulting meltdown from Newcastle’s emotive manager – unravelling live on Sky with over-sized headphones on to give it a comedic bent - has consequently become so seared into popular culture that almost every line is committed to memory.

“He went down in my estimation when he said that”. “He’s got to go to Middlesbrough and get something”. “I will love it if we beat them”. As stated, it was iconic.

3) Foxes Fairytale (2016)

The football odds had Leicester City down as 5000/1 to win the Premier League in 2016. That was the same price as Elvis to return from the grave and put on a one-man show in Vegas.

The previous May, the recently-promoted Foxes had escaped an immediate return to the Championship by the skin of their teeth, having spent exactly half of their campaign rock bottom of the league.

But now Claudio Ranieri took the reins, signing unknown midfielder N’Golo Kante soon after. Now there was a new beginning.

Kante was magnificent that year as too Riyad Mahrez who won the PFA Player of the Year. Jamie Vardy meanwhile bagged 24 in the league alone as he and his team-mates embarked on a fantastical adventure.

Even now it’s difficult to explain how or why everything clicked so dramatically for the East Midlanders bar putting it down to once-in-a-lifetime alchemy.

2) Slippy G (2014)

If a Hollywood scriptwriter had penned the fate and fortune of Steven Gerrard throughout the spring of 2014 they would have been laughed out of every studio.

It was all too apt; too perfectly cruel for even a screen villain to endure, never mind a bona fide legend.

After Liverpool had hunted down Manchester City in a thrilling title-race they now stood on the precipice of a first Premier League crown. All that stood between them and historic renown was Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Newcastle.

“We do not let this slip,” the Reds skipper intoned, caught on camera in a team huddle after a crucial late-season victory over Norwich, only Gerrard did slip one week later against Chelsea.

First came the mis-touch, then the panicked clamour to re-address his balance. Then Demba Ba hared away and scored. Lastly, we got the memes. The perfectly cruel memes.

1) Aguerooooo! (2012)

According to our Premier League predictions, Manchester City are favourites to lift this season’s crown, their fourth in five years. There will be celebrations. There will be plaudits.

Nothing however, can or will ever surpass the ludicrous manner in which the Blues attained their first league trophy for nearly half a century back in 2012, coming from behind to beat QPR with two last-gasp goals, the second a strike by Sergio Aguero that reverberated around the globe.

“I swear you’ll never see anything like this ever again”. That’s what Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler shrieked in sheer disbelief as the Etihad erupted into bedlam.

At 3.48pm on Sunday, May 13th 2012, 93 minutes and 20 seconds into Manchester City’s final game of their season, a million and more minds were blown.

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*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 23rd March 2022

• Manchester City have been blessed with many legends down the years

• Two of their greatest ever talents were goalkeepers who changed English football

• Their finest player is the undisputed King of the Kippax

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Manchester City have been blessed with some exceptional talent down the years, with four different successful eras producing a pantheon of legends.

Honourable mentions must go to Eric Brook, Mike Summerbee and Alan Oakes, but here are the ten greatest ever players to adorn the famous sky blue.

10) Francis Lee

Barrel-chested and squat with an uncle’s face even in his twenties, Lee conjures up the kind of comic-book hero from yesteryear who would be called ‘Thunderboots’ or ‘Hotshot’.

He was an all-action mix of skill and tenacity who primarily played as a forward but liked to drop deep to begin attacks. In this regard he was decades ahead of his time.

A widely revered 33.3% of the Holy Triny of Lee, Bell and Summerbee who propelled City to greatness in the Sixties, Lee would be loved today by those who indulge in football betting online due to his unerring ability to win spot-kicks.

It even gained him a popular nickname, the rather un-PC by today’s standards, ‘Lee Won Pen’.

9) Yaya Toure

When newly-minted City paid Barcelona £24m for Toure’s services in 2010 the misconception was that they had signed a defensive midfielder. In fact, the Ivorian was one of the best box-to-box talents of the modern age.

With the ball at his feet, it was an exhilarating sight, seeing his towering frame bulldoze through defences, while opponents bounced off him almost comically. His habit of scoring goals in big games meanwhile was priceless for the Blues.

Toure helped bring several titles and cups to the Etihad but it was his incredible 2013/14 season that comes most readily to mind. From August to May that year he was simply unplayable.

8) Vincent Kompany

A totemic leader who demanded and cajoled success from his team-mates, Kompany arrived a week before the club’s takeover and became the extravagant project’s heart and soul.

Without the Belgian, it would be logical to knock a couple of trophies off City’s honours roll, maybe more.

Though a magnificent and cultured defender in his own right, it is principally his captaining of the Cityzens to four league titles that earned him a statue, situated outside the Etihad, and – like Toure – Kompany also possessed a handy trait of scoring crucial goals at crucial times.

Two-hundred-and-fifty-plus defensive masterclasses would have been infinitely more were it not for a cruel succession of injuries.

7) Sergio Aguero

Sometimes sports betting is surprisingly straightforward and that was largely the case when Manchester City played competitive football between 2011 and 2021.

The strategy during that decade was simple: firstly, ensure that Sergio Aguero wasn’t injured or suspended, then back the Argentine to score.

Which he did with startling regularity. No other player in the club’s long and illustrious history has ever scored more goals, 260 all told by the time he gave defenders a well-deserved break.

No other striker has notched more Premier League hat-tricks while, firmly illustrating his rare calibre, he boasts the best minutes-per-goal ratio in the Premier League.

This was a player who defined himself by goals, as clinical as they come.

6) Peter Doherty

Not to be confused with the raffish singer though both were libertines in their own way.

Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, the Northern Irishman forever redefined the inside-left position, not by doing anything remarkably different to his predecessors; simply by executing the role better and with oodles of style.

Indeed, there remains a legion of older Manchester City fans who insist Doherty was the superior of Colin Bell and David Silva, the all-time best of the best, but alas scant footage of his football unfairly counts against him here.

5) Billy Meredith

Meredith made his final appearance for City aged 49 years and 245 days old, retiring as football’s first bona fide superstar.

He then hung up his boots partly disgraced, partly forgiven, and never less than an extraordinary figure who changed the blueprint of the sport forever.

The ‘Wizard of Dribble’ was a household name in 1905 when an opponent alleged that he had been offered ten pounds by Meredith to throw a forthcoming FA Cup fixture.

Though it was one player’s word against the other, the forward was subsequently banned for 18 months.

In due course, the Welshman returned to City but not before winning two titles with arch-rivals Manchester United. Our Premier League predictions suggest it will be a while yet before the Reds add to their historic haul.

4) Frank Swift 

A former employee of Blackpool Gas Works, Swift revolutionised goalkeeping in the Thirties, using his enormous hands to throw the ball out to team-mates rather than launching it into the great unknown. Pep Guardiola would have loved the gentlemanly giant for sure.

Aged 21 and playing in a FA Cup final against Portsmouth in front of 93,000, the stopper affectionately nicknamed ‘Frying Pan Hands’ due to his colossal finger span of 30cm, fainted on his goal-line at the final whistle, requiring smelling salts to come around.

“Fancy a strapping lad like me fainting in front of all those people and the king,” he later said. On the following Monday, King George V sent a telegram enquiring about his well-being.

Swift made 376 appearances for City and captained England on numerous occasions. He tragically perished in the Munich Air Disaster, covering United in a journalistic capacity.

3) Bert Trautmann

Trautmann’s incredible life story has been well-told in books and film yet revisiting it again still prompts utter amazement.

Refusing an offer of repatriation following the cessation of the Second World War this German paratrooper, who was captured by British forces and held as a prisoner-of-war, turned out for St Helens each Saturday afternoon, astounding all who saw him with his outstanding ability.

Manchester City came calling, his signing causing nationwide protest but over time – via patience and a sustained series of brilliant and brave displays - a soldier in possession of an Iron Cross arguably did more to help heal Anglo-German relations post-war than any other individual.

Famously, Trautmann broke his neck during the 1956 FA Cup final, playing on to the end and even attending that evening’s post-match banquet.

2) David Silva

When the magical midfielder nicknamed ‘Merlin’ began his Premier League odyssey it was thought he would be too wispish a talent to thrive in an English centre-circle.

These days, it is hard to imagine any top-flight team not inhabiting their midfield half-spaces with an out-and-out ball-playing schemer. A Silva type.

His bewitching skills, supernatural vision, and unerring balance of a Subbuteo figurine made him a firm favourite of the neutral while for City his contributions were both aesthetically beautiful and substantial, orchestrating numerous title wins and domestic cup honours.

The latest Premier League odds have City down as the likeliest to secure the 2021/22 crown. Had Silva not returned to Spain two years ago those odds would be even slimmer.

1) Colin Bell

The undisputed king of the Kippax, Bell was a complete footballer in every sense, imbued with unnatural stamina that had him nicknamed ‘Nijinsky’ after the racehorse, and a poise that saw him compared to the Polish ballet dancer of the same name.

A shining light of City’s luminous Sixties collective, who won the league and European honours, this otherwise shy and introverted individual spoke so eloquently on the pitch, making 394 appearances for City and scoring 117 goals.

Only three other City players have notched more, each of them forwards. Whereas Bell was a midfielder if very much a complete one.

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• Only ten Premier League teams have strung together 25 matches or more unbeaten
• Manchester United have managed the feat on three different occasions
• Arsenal’s record run saw them crowned as ‘Invincibles’

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Titles and silverware are not the only barometer to measure a great side. Avoiding defeat week after week, month after month is also the mark of an elite team, several levels above the rest.

These ten built up momentum then ran with it, stringing together wins and draws for so long it felt like nothing or nobody could ever stop them.

Nottingham Forest (1995) – 25 matches

Frank Clark’s Forest are largely overlooked when the great Premier League sides are recalled, a consequence of how briefly they shone and how far they fell when it all went wrong.

Just two years after posting a third-place finish in the early days of the competition, the Tricky Trees plummeted to the Championship.

Across much of 1995 however they were an absolute joy to behold, with Stan Collymore scoring for fun and nostalgia-inducing midfielders such as Kingsley Black and Ian Woan always productive.

After avoiding defeat from February that year to November, Clark’s men were shockingly trounced 7-0 at Blackburn. It was all downhill from there.

Manchester United (2016/17) – 25 matches

What an odd season this was for the Red Devils. On the one hand, they finished sixth, a distant 24 points behind champions Chelsea and unquestionably more had been expected from Jose Mourinho’s first year in charge.

On the other, they hoovered up three trophies, or two depending on how you view the Community Shield.

Then there was this extended run that further muddied the waters. Remaining unbeaten for two-thirds of a campaign would usually see a team challenge at the top but with so many draws included – 12 all told – it merely kept United in the reckoning for Europe.

The ultimate take-away from United’s season was that Mourinho had made them hard to beat. Not even that held true for long.

There are plenty of football bets being made right now backing against the current-day side securing a top four spot this term, as their struggles continue.

Manchester United (2010/11) – 29 matches

Whereas this was more like it; this was the Manchester United we admired and feared in equal measure, who gobbled up silverware with the entitlement of a side that knew it was admired and feared.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s indomitable Reds marched to a twelfth Premier League crown by swatting aside allcomers until February, the highlight of which was a seven-goal hammering of Blackburn with Dimitar Berbatov scoring five.

By the time Wolves got the better of them as Spring approached, the destination of the title already felt like a foregone conclusion.

Chelsea (2007/08) – 29 matches

When Avram Grant got the ‘Chelsea dagger’ in May of 2008 it was arguably one of the most unjust sackings in recent times.

Admittedly, his team had failed to win a trophy that season, finishing runner-up in the league and losing two finals, the latter a Champions League clash with Manchester United that went to penalties.

But given the state of flux he inherited that September, taking on a side in crisis following Jose Mourinho’s departure, it was little short of astonishing how quickly the Israeli coach had orchestrated positive change.

As evidenced by an unbeaten run that began a couple of days before Christmas and lasted until the end of the campaign.

It was a sustained streak that announced the Blues were back in the business of winning games on a weekly basis. Regrettably that was not enough.

Manchester United (1998/99) – 29 matches

A surprise loss at home to Middlesbrough during the festive period gave way to several months of dominance in the league, a stranglehold made even more imposing by ruthless thrashings doled out to Leicester and Nottingham Forest as Yorke, Cole and Solskjaer ran riot up front.

The famed Class of 92 were at their peak during this period and with Peter Schmeichel and Jaap Stam both residing on other planets at the back, and Roy Keane consistently playing like Roy Keane, nobody domestically could touch them.

The same could be said of course for European opposition, as the Reds completed an incredible treble mere moments before the 1998/99 season drew to a dramatic close.

Manchester City (2017/18) – 30 matches

The sceptics were out in force for Pep Guardiola’s first season in England with four-goal thumpings at Leicester and Everton giving rise to the belief that his tiki-taka ways wouldn’t cut it in the Premier League.

Indeed, so focused was the media on his perceived shortcoming they failed to acknowledge that City greatly improved as the season wore on, signing off with eight unbeaten outings.

The following August, Guardiola had a squad he was now happy with and twelve months of his schooling took full affect from the get-go as the Blues roared into an insurmountable lead at the top.

City went 22 matches undefeated and ultimately became the first team ever to reach 100 points. Our Premier League predictions tip the reigning champions to make it four titles in five years this term.

Arsenal (2001/02) – 30 matches

Between December 2001 and October 2002 the Gunners were imperious, winning a league title with style to spare along the way as Arsene Wenger’s Gallic revolution took hold.

Testing trips to Anfield and Old Trafford were successfully navigated and home bankers banked but if the results impressed, they paled to the manner in which Henry, Bergkamp and company achieved them.

It was always going to necessitate something special to halt their swaggering victory march and it duly came at Goodison when a 16-year-old Wayne Rooney curled a beauty past David Seaman in the final minute.

“Remember the name,” commentator Clive Tyldesley intoned that day. We should remember the team he scored against too because they were special indeed.

Chelsea (2004/05) – 40 matches

Jose Mourinho had arrived at Stamford Bridge just months earlier from Porto and the self-anointed ‘Special One’ wasted no time in moulding a formidable collective that at times felt like half a team, half a machine.

An October loss to Manchester City was taken in stride after an otherwise encouraging start to Mourinho’s reign.

From that day forward, Chelsea were different gravy amassing a stunning 95 points on route to the club’s first league title for half a century.

The following season, the Blues were just as unassailable, racking up ten straight wins before eventually being downed at Old Trafford.

Highlighting to what extent a back-line of Cech, Terry and Carvalho contributed to their success, those 40 games included 24 clean sheets.

Liverpool (2019/20) – 44 matches

For a full calendar year and more, Jurgen Klopp’s ‘Mentality Monsters’ could not be stopped, accumulating wins and draws week in, week out, between January 2019 and late February 2020.

Up front, a ferocious trio of Mane, Salah and Firmino struck fear into every rearguard, great, good or otherwise, while bolstering the frenzied brilliance Virgil Van Dijk was a totem of calm.

It is a testament to Manchester City’s equal esteem that Liverpool was restricted to a single title triumph – as memorable as it was – from a period that saw them lose only once in 66 league games.

In any other era, the Reds would boast a collection of trophies, regarded as the high watermark of their day.

The current Premier League odds may have the Merseysiders down as second favourites for this season’s crown but recent history tells us not to take anything at all for granted.

Arsenal (2003/04) – 49 matches

When Arsenal were a significant number of games in to their 30-match unbeaten run two years earlier, Arsene Wenger dropped his cautious guard and admitted that he dreamed of going an entire season undefeated.

At the time it felt possible, so consistently magnificent were the Gunners, yet also surely it was impossible. How can any side ace a whole campaign without experiencing a single off-day?

The record books inform us of course that it was subsequently done, and with 38 games of Arsenal’s 49-match spell of supremacy encompassing the entirety of the 2003/04 league season, the North London giants were acclaimed invincible.

During that vintage year Patrick Vieira was immense, as too Thierry Henry and Robert Pires while that summer Wenger strove to improve on perfection, bringing in Cesc Fabregas on a free.

The latest football transfer odds show slimmer pickings are presently available for an Arsenal seeking to rebuild on past glories.

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*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 23rd March 2022

• Martin Tyler has voiced our football for nearly fifty years
• The legend behind the mic led a broadcasting revolution
• His love of Woking FC has taken him to the dug-out

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Martin Tyler was born in Chester, England on September 14th, 1945.

A keen sportsman, he captained Surrey schools under 18s at cricket and played football to a non-league level before attending the University of East Anglia in the 1960s, where he gained a degree in social studies.

His entry into journalism came from ghostwriting a column in the News of the World for the legendary Jimmy Hill and it was Hill who advised he accept a job offer working behind the scenes at London Weekend Television, the network that made The Big Match.

There Tyler learned the ropes, sending his bosses home-made commentaries in the hope of one day securing his dream role behind the microphone. Eventually they ceded.

On December 28th 1974, with Southern Television’s regular commentator unwell, Tyler was drafted in, making an impressive – if somewhat squeaky-voiced – debut.

Soon after, he received a congratulatory telegram from John Motson that included some priceless counsel: Talk little but say a lot.

Tyler went on to cover games across the regions, broadcasting for Yorkshire, then Granada, before becoming a familiar voice in the nation’s living rooms when he commentated on the 1982 World Cup.

His star was soaring but by the end of that decade he had grown frustrated at being considered ITV’s number two commentator to the great Brian Moore. A new challenge was needed.

Sky Sports

In 1990 BSB, a fledgling satellite television enterprise, needed a respected presence to voice their footballing coverage and Tyler was the obvious choice.

A year on, with viewing figures low, the company merged with Sky, and in doing so the Sky Sports channel was founded with Tyler retained as their lead commentator.

Twelve months later came a pivotal moment in the then 46-year-old’s life, and indeed a momentous turning point for English football when the Premier League was formed.

With Sky in possession of exclusive broadcasting rights to live games they broke new ground with their in-depth coverage and it could be argued that Tyler was the voice of a broadcasting revolution.

As their advertising campaign had it at the time: this was a whole new ball game.

A popular double-act with former player Andy Gray was forged, with Tyler describing the action and Gray providing invaluable tactical insight and this same successful chemistry is in evidence today with Gary Neville adding on-pitch expertise to Tyler’s prose.

It is prose that has been honed over many years with a thirtieth anniversary at Sky alone celebrated in 2021 and his ability to heighten the drama of a football match, then narrate that drama has made Tyler a household name.

Some Premier League predictions envision a close title race in 2021/22 between Manchester City and Liverpool. It’s closing stages just wouldn’t be the same without Martin Tyler putting words to the action.

Famous Martin Tyler Lines

Every well-known commentator is ultimately defined by those unforgettable moments that sport very occasionally throws up.

The most famous instance of course is Kenneth Wolstenholme noticing out loud that fans were encroaching onto the Wembley turf in 1966, believing the World Cup final was all over.

Thankfully, for Tyler’s big moment he rose to the occasion, as befitting a broadcasting legend, when in 2012 Manchester City were in desperate need of a third goal against QPR to secure their first league title for several generations.

With the final whistle imminent Sergio Aguero struck, in doing so rocking the watching world on its axis, and Tyler’s accompanying words have gone down in footballing folklore.

"I swear you'll never see anything like this ever again,” he intoned, his voice breaking in disbelief. “So watch it, drink it in.”

His natural response to a supernatural season’s finale has become much cherished by supporters of every club bar one.

Elsewhere, a far more elementary ‘Oh yes’ captured the zeitgeist of Anthony Martial scoring a debut goal for Manchester United while Tyler pre-empts each game these days by uttering what has become a catchphrase – And it’s live.

Premier League odds have Manchester City firm favourites to lift another league crown. Surely it won’t go to the wire again, will it?

FIFA Games

When the FIFA video game franchise began in 2005 it was a no-brainer for EA Sports to approach one of the best football commentators around to voice all of the simulated action, pre-recording thousands of lines in serious, sometimes excitable tones to accompany the action.

With ex-Arsenal striker Alan Smith on co-comms it gave gamers an infinitely more authentic experience and from a 16-year association Tyler became synonymous with what has become a genuine marketing phenomenon, thus giving the veteran broadcaster a new and younger appreciation society.

Sadly, the pair were not asked to commentate on the 2021 version of the best-selling series, leading to outrage among the gaming community.

Martin Tyler Woking

If the most high-profile commentators are celebrated for their famous lines they are regrettably denigrated for supposed bias against certain clubs with fans under the firm belief they support a main rival.

It says much about Tyler’s impartiality across the decades that Manchester United fans suspect he favours Liverpool while Liverpool supporters staunchly insist his heart resides at Old Trafford.

In fact, having first fallen in love with the game at Kingfield Road in the early Fifties it is Woking FC he supports, passionately so, and in 2018, aged 72, Tyler’s career took an unexpected left-turn when he took up an assistant coaching position, a role he balances with his Sky duties.

Plaudits

In 2003, Tyler was voted the FA Premier League Commentator of the Decade, a well-deserved honour for a widely venerated broadcaster whose body of work spans nearly half a century.

In that time football has changed immeasurably, with matches televised as events featuring multi-millionaires, and video games celebrating the sport becoming immensely popular along with football betting online heightening our weekend’s enjoyment.

The timeless Tyler has embraced it all, never allowing himself to become associated with the past.

Yet for all his outstanding achievements what he’s most proud of is missing only one game throughout his career, even soldering on with food poisoning that rendered him speechless for the last 15 minutes of an Everton game.

Thankfully, as he later regaled, nothing happened of note. 

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*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 23rd March 2022