http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1160000/images/_1160216_hillsborough150.jpg The former editor of The Sun, Kelvin MacKenzie, has reportedly claimed that the newspaper’s allegations about Liverpool supporters at Hillsborough was “the truth”. The Sun famously claimed that Liverpool fans had caused the tragedy (which resulted in the loss of 96 lives) by drunkenly storming the gates, and also alleged that fans urinated on the bodies of the dead and pickpocketed them…

Manchester City full-back Micah Richards has revealed he nearly missed out on his first England cap after putting the phone down on Steve McClaren. The 18-year-old hung up believing he was the victim of a prank call. Richards said: "I was in a barbers in Moss Side when my mobile phone rang. This voice said [...]

David James might have ditched his greasy side-parting, but Horror Hair of that standard doesn’t just disappear over night. The Portsmouth keeper has transformed his Clark Kent look into this backcombed effort, which we must admit is an improvement (although it wasn’t difficult to improve on the previous look). The BBC website has a nice [...]

Plymouth boss and all-round legend Ian Holloway will go down in football folklore for his zany outbursts. His most famous (or should that be infamous?) moment in front of the microphone to date is, of course, his Swiss Toni-style speech. Olly seems to be taking the Swiss Toni link a bit too far though. He [...]

We’ve all seen how conscientious Kevin Keegan was, helping a nation’s youth to safely cross the road. Well, step forward Jimmy ‘Chin’ Hill. Not to be outdone by that permed upstart, Jimmy taught the nation’s drivers to… well… avoid mowing motor-cyclists down. Wise words… although, something tells me that the out-takes of this would have [...]

This video features clips of the fledgling careers of some of English football’s biggest names. Check out the Horror Hair material provided by David Beckham and Robbie Savage, and a goal from Michael Owen which makes his World Cup strike against Argentina look like a tap-in! [Rob Parker]

FIFA president and self-appointed spiritual leader of football, Sepp Blatter, has proposed scrapping the traditional football calendar in favour of a summer season running from February to November. Blatter announced the plans for a uniform European football season in an interview with German magazine Kicker. He said: "The season should run from the end of [...]

You may have seen the Top 10 Real Madrid Goals of All-Time video that we featured on here. Well, I couldn’t help but notice one glaring omission. That being the handful of spectacular goals scored by Steve McManaman whilst he played for the Galacticos. He scored some peaches for Liverpool too, so let’s roll back [...]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42387000/jpg/_42387046_shittu_getty.jpg Last night I witnessed an astonishing game of football. Manchester City took on Watford… and I don’t think it would be unfair of me to say that the match was by no means a classic. In fact, I don’t think it would be unfair to say that it was the worst match I’ve ever seen. The weather was terrible (I think metre and a half of rain fell on the Manchester City…

As stressful jobs go, I imagine football blogger is not particularly high on the experts’ lists. There is not a great deal to get wound up about. Tucked safely behind our monitors – out of the radius of a Sir Alex Ferguson hairdryer tongue-lashing – we can snipe and ridicule without too much fear of [...]

This is slightly out of date now, but I missed it at the time of the World Cup so I would hazard a guess a few other people did too. It’s a Carlsberg advert, so you know the drill. Carlsberg don’t do World Cup draws… [Rob Parker]

Sneaky Everton are apparently trying to con Fulham into swapping Luis Boa Morte (the Cottagers’ skipper and talisman) for Simon Davies (mediocre Welsh midfielder). The Mirror reports that the Toffees want to exchange £8 million-rated Boa Morte for Davies, a player they paid an over-inflated £4 million for last year. You have to wonder whether [...]

After this weekend’s theatrics from Cristiano ‘Winker’ Ronaldo, it only seems right that we show you the toy that all kids should have this Yuletide. We’ve featured this before, but with Christmas looming, it only seems fair to give you a nudge. Watch with glee at Winker’s ‘Uppy-Downy’ motion! El miraculo! [Mof Gimmers]

Good weekendCraig Bellamy The Welsh striker put his time in the dock behind him by firing Liverpool to their first away win of the season at Wigan.Sheffield United Came from behind to beat Charlton 2-1 in their relegation scrap.Arsenal A 3-0 win in the north London derby against Spurs. Bad weekend Arsenal The Gunners make [...]

If, like me, you still think you’re half decent at footy, but consistently forget that running for longer than 10 minutes would result in an inevitable stitch/vomiting/need for a cigarette/pint, you’d do well to watch this video of some cocky young upstarts. Then hang up your boots for good. [Mof Gimmers]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41711000/jpg/_41711308_lescott203x152.jpg There something going wrong at Everton. The results aren’t bad, and the manager seems like a decent chap… so it can only be one thing. A crap haircut. Step up please Joleon Lescott…

SaturdayArsenal v Tottenham (12.45pm) The under-achieving neighbours play in the early kick-off. North London derbies are difficult to call at the best of the times. I think this one will end in a draw. 1:1Blackburn v Fulham (3pm) Can’t see many goals in this unless Fulham’s defence relapse to last season’s away form. 0:0Portsmouth v [...]

Henrik Larsson – the man who has had more last stands than a General Custer Reenactment club – is to join Manchester United on a three-month loan deal in January. The Swedish striker joined hometown club Helsingborgs from Barcelona in the summer, but their domestic season is now over leaving the 35-year-old free to play [...]

It’s about the time of year that most people start moaning about the number of Christmas shoppers roaming the streets and football managers start moaning about the number of fixtures they’ve got to squeeze into the next week or two. In our Fantasy Football league, a bumper fixture list this week meant only one thing: [...]

[Rob Parker]

What does it take to be Champions? Well, judging by this Chelsea training session, all it takes is a lot of horsing around, screaming like a girl, playing without your boots on and having a go on a posh camera… oh… and a Russian Billionaire helps as well.

Barrow defender James Cotterill has pleaded guilty to causing grevious bodily to Bristol Rovers‘ Sean Rigg during an FA Cup match. Rigg was left with a double fracture of the jaw after being punched by Cotterill in an off-the-ball incident. Cotterill admitted the charge at Barrow Magistrates Court. He will be sentenced at Lancaster Crown [...]

Last night’s 4-3 thriller between Southampton and Birmingham wasn’t just notable for Kenwyne Jones’ celebration. Saints pair Chris Baird and goalkeeper Kelvin Davis indulged in a spot of handbags following Birmingham’s third goal. The duo had to be pulled apart by team-mates, but referee Ian Williamson decided against issuing cards to either player (which might [...]

Last night, Birmingham and Southampton were involved in a 4-3 thriller which had great goals, funny goals and more. Highlight of the match was Kenwyne Jones’ celebration, caught on video last night by a giddy Saints’ fan

http://im.edirectory.co.uk/products/1092/i/cufcmousemat.jpg It would seem that Celtic want to be a proper club and start playing with the big boys now that they’re in the nosebleed territory of the Champion’s League. It seems that they’re for getting out of Scotland’s crappy league (contrary to what Gordon Strachan thinks mind you) Celtic’s chief executive Peter Lawwell insists that they are well positioned for any new developments in European football. “There are maybe five or six clubs with global recognition and we are one of them,” he said. “We are a…