Michael Walker

Michael O'Neill prepares for NI games 99 & 100 – Slovakia and Germany – thinking about his young squad and the future.

UEFA has approved a landmark move to allow Italian and Spanish domestic league matches to be staged abroad while reiterating its “clear opposition” to the plans, which it has granted “on an exceptional basis amid regulatory gaps at global level”.

✍️ @colinmillar.bsky.social

🔗 bit.ly/3IZCRNJ

New Phoenix billboard compares ICE to the Ku Klux Klan

Depressing it takes a non politician to state the fucking obvious

It was Willie McFaul who signed a teenaged Michael O’Neill for Newcastle United.

Andoni Iraola. Bournemouth. Frankenstein The Bournemouth head coach talks philosophy, 'organised spontaneity' and his adopted town's unlikely association with Mary Shelley's monster

Andoni Iraola. Bournemouth. Frankenstein

By @mwalkerfoot.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/athletic/614...

Guerre en Ukraine : le photographe français Antoni Lallican tué par un drone Le journaliste est mort ce vendredi 3 octobre dans une frappe de drone contre sa voiture, alors qu’il se trouvait en reportage dans le Donbass. Son collègue ukrainien George Ivanchenko a été grièvement blessé.

Guerre en Ukraine : le photographe français Antoni Lallican tué par un drone lors d'un reportage dans le Donbass

Bill McCracken: the greatest Irish and Newcastle United player of them all? Probably. Delighted to get a copy of Paul Joannou’s new biography of the forgotten brilliant thinker, a man The Guardian called “the Irish Mephistopheles”.

Bill McCracken: the greatest Irish and Newcastle United player of them all? Probably. Delighted to get a copy of Paul Joannou’s new biography of the forgotten brilliant thinker, a man The Guardian called “the Irish Mephistopheles”.

The BookKeeper – How much Manchester United have spent on sacking managers As pressure mounts on United's head coach, the BookKeeper explores the true costs of sacking their post-Alex Ferguson managers

Sacking managers is easier and cheaper than sacking players, but still costs money.

It might happen again at #MUFC. Or it might not

Either way, here's a look at how much they've spent on managerial changes since Sir Alex Ferguson retired

@theathleticfc.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...

Graham Potter sacked by West Ham after eight months in charge Potter only won six of his 25 games with the club.

Graham Potter has been sacked by West Ham United after winning only six of his 25 games in charge.

Tony Harrison RIP
I taught Long Distance, his beautiful & honest poem about bereavement to my students for decades.
Eventually, it provided consolation to me as well.

A history of Croke Park, the NFL’s latest venue across the Pond The Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings will bring NFL to Dublin's iconic arena, a stadium that has been at the heart of Irish history

For NFL folk attending or watching Steelers-Vikings, some history ancient & modern of Croke Park in Dublin. www.nytimes.com/athletic/654...

A history of Croke Park, the NFL’s latest venue across the Pond The Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings will bring NFL to Dublin's iconic arena, a stadium that has been at the heart of Irish history

For NFL folk attending or watching Steelers-Vikings, some history ancient & modern of Croke Park in Dublin. www.nytimes.com/athletic/654...

a black and white photo of a crowd of people with a sign that says walter ALT: a black and white photo of a crowd of people with a sign that says walter

In the late 19th century, millions of migrants left Germany as a result of religious persecution, economic hardship, and political uncertainty.

Among them was Nikolaus Schrod, a cabinet maker from Frankfurt who - along with his wife Bina - moved to London to start a new life in the 1850s. 1/3

Sunderland are doing what previously promoted clubs did not. They are competing Regis Le Bris' side showcased their resilience by claiming a point against Aston Villa despite being reduced to 10 men in the first half

For a new squad assembled over a busy summer following a play-off promotion, Sunderland are impressing with organization, pragmatism and unity. Too early for major conclusions, but they are giving it a go. www.nytimes.com/athletic/664...

Unai Emery.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery says his team were “lazy” in their 1-1 draw at Sunderland on Sunday.

Villa played against 10 men for more than half the game but were unable to win their first Premier League fixture of the season.

✍️ @jacobtanswell.bsky.social

🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/664...

FT Sunderland 1-1 Aston Villa. Sunderland didn’t park this in the game despite being down to ten men. Villa slow and a bit odd but Sland kept going, disciplined & deserved the point.

Ricky Hatton, the Mancunian everyman who became world cha... Boxer’s popularity spoke of an affinity for the values of relatability and rootedness

- "Have you got it in you?"

- "Fucking right I've got it in me."

How Ricky Hatton became Manchester's municipal gladiator - a spokesman for a culture and a spirit.

My commentary for @theobserveruk.bsky.social

observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

Excellent interview by Sid Lowe with thoughtful and under-rated player Tyrhys Dolan.

Over 50 Gazans reportedly killed by IDF, including family of Al-Shifa Hospital director ***

Over 50 Gazans Reportedly Killed by IDF, Including Family of Al-Shifa Hospital Director

www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

Half-time reading as Leeds lead 3-1.

The Athletic FC Podcast: UEFA v FIFA & the battle for club football’s future Welcome to The Future of Football, a special three part series asking the biggest questions shaping the game from the impact of the Club World Cup to whether anyone can keep up with the Premier Lea...

🎧The Future of Football - three part series on big global club issues from FIFA v UEFA, busy calendar & burnout, matches abroad, PL financial muscle & more

P1/3 with:
@adamcrafton.bsky.social
@mjslater.bsky.social
@fanseurope.org's @ronanevain.bsky.social
& PFA's Maheta Molango
pod.fo/e/326e95

The night Newcastle and Faustino Asprilla beat Barcelona: ‘I swear I’ve never heard noise like that’ The Barcelona Game in the autumn of 1997 was a landmark in Newcastle’s history, and an occasion decorated by the club's Colombian maverick

Remembering Newcastle United 3-2 Barcelona on this day in 1997. Featuring among others Faustino Asprilla, Shay Given, Louis van Gaal, Durham City, Oasis and the sheer noise of it all. www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...

Building the Angel of the North, 1998, photo by Trevor Ermel.

The night Newcastle and Faustino Asprilla beat Barcelona: ‘I swear I’ve never heard noise like that’ The Barcelona Game in the autumn of 1997 was a landmark in Newcastle’s history, and an occasion decorated by the club's Colombian maverick

Remembering Newcastle United 3-2 Barcelona on this day in 1997. Featuring among others Faustino Asprilla, Shay Given, Louis van Gaal, Durham City, Oasis and the sheer noise of it all. www.nytimes.com/athletic/663...

Every beat of my heart This is the bass-drum head from the kit I used as a member of an R&B band in 1964-65. Last week, two days after I’d taken it to the recycling centre as part of a general clearout of super…

A very moving column by one of the most elegant of our music and sports writers, Richard Williams. thebluemoment.com/2025/09/09/e...

Question from me: "I warmly welcome the Leader of the House to his new role and associate myself with the support across the House for my hon. Friend the Member for Washington and Gateshead South (Mrs Hodgson). Members have raised many times the unacceptable level of threats that we face. Increasingly, abuse and threats are being driven and whipped up by one platform in particular, X, previously known as Twitter, which has become a sewer of antisemitism, racism, misogyny and dangerous conspiracy theories. Its owner has specifically targeted Members of this House. With a new director of communications in No. 10 and a refreshed Front Bench, may we have a debate in Government time on whether it is appropriate for that platform to continue to be used for official Government communications?"

Answer from Sir Alan Campbell, Leader of the House: "What my hon. Friend says about X is truly shocking. We are very much in favour of free speech, but we are also against incitement to violence. We have delivered the Online Safety Act 2025 to seek to strike the balance between user protection and freedom of speech. On the matter of the Government’s use of X, it is right that the public are kept up to date with information and a number of people still use X, although of course many are moving to other platforms. I am sure that the Government will take that into account in our deliberations in future, and we also keep our wider social media practices under review."

It melts my head that X is still used for official Government communications, and, catching up on today's news and the fact we have a foreign billionaire inciting violence on our streets, it's clearer than ever that this should end.

I raised this in Parliament last week 👇

Never a penalty #Celtic Such a poor decision.