Must win game for Burnley tonight, wont be easy...

Harry Redknapp says he had Jermain Defoe's move to Portsmouth all but wrapped up… and then Defoe's mum stepped in. By Redknapp's account, he'd popped out while the contract was being thrashed out when Peter Storrie burst into the next room: “You’d better come through… we’ve got a problem.” Back in the room, Defoe's mum was pushing for a goal bonus. For a striker. Redknapp says he honestly assumed she was having him on. So he put it to her: “Mrs Defoe… Jermain is costing us £12 million and he will be earning £50,000 a week. What do you think we’re paying him for? To f****** miss ’em?” Her answer: “I thought it would encourage him to score.” And Redknapp's comeback: “We were rather hoping the fifty grand would do that.” Defoe signed in the end, no bonus included.

March 2003, and Celtic headed to Anfield for the second leg of their UEFA Cup quarter-final with the tie level at 1-1 from Parkhead. Plenty had already written them off. Neil Lennon said everyone had “predicted our demise”, yet Martin O’Neill still managed to crank things up before kick-off. He singled out a teenage Shaun Maloney, telling the squad this could be a once-in-a-lifetime shot for him, then turned to the senior players and warned they might never get “the opportunity again to prove a point… to England and Europe that you deserve respect.” By Lennon's account the talk lasted “two or three minutes”, but it left them “ready to go out and run through brick walls if we needed to.” And they delivered. Celtic went ahead and Liverpool were left chasing it. At one point John Hartson was going through a sticky patch and kept losing possession, so Lennon got on at him to “hold that ball”. Hartson's reply: “You shut up or I will rip your head off.” A couple of minutes on, Lennon fed him again. Hartson turned his marker, played a one-two with Larsson and smashed it into the top corner for 2-0 on the night. Lennon summed it up: “That was the best moment for me in the whole tournament… you know that you are 3-1 up with 10 minutes to go and there is just no way back for Liverpool.” Nothing like a threat from your own teammate to sharpen the finishing.

Marcelo Bielsa was spotted in the crowd watching Liverpool Montevideo take on Peñarol in Uruguay. Despite managing at the highest level in some of the world’s biggest leagues, Bielsa still enjoys attending local football matches like an ordinary fan, without any special attention or VIP treatment. A true football man and one of the most respected figures in the game. 👏❤️

Steph Houghton has spoken out on the commercial pay gap between England's men's and women's sides: "When I looked at what they [England's men] were getting for commercial deals, that really opened my eyes. The men and women play for the national teams of the same country and yet they're getting 15 times more than us. How is that fair?" Same badge, same shirt, and a 15x difference in what the deals pay. Its a conversation that splits rooms thats for sure...

What could possibly go wrong for Manchester United today? Easy win ✅

Uli Hoeneß, Bayern's former president, on keeping season tickets cheap: "We could charge more than €120 per season ticket. If we charge €350 per season ticket we would get €2m extra, but what does that mean for us? The difference for a fan between €120 and €350 is enormous and we do not believe that fans are like cows, which are milked. Football has to be for everyone. That is the biggest difference between us and England." Can't argue with a word of it and a sentiment echoed by everyone except English club owners... Bild reports that Bayern's cheapest season ticket for 2026-27 costs €180 for 17 home games, which is still the second cheapest in the Bundesliga 👏

Gordon Strachan says Tommy Gravesen once nearly sent a referee over the edge during a Champions League night when he was at Celtic. Celtic were 1–0 up against Benfica at half-time when the fourth official came across: “Mr Strachan, could you go and see the referee?” Strachan expected a red card, a moan about the bench, something serious. Instead the referee told him: “Mr Strachan, I’m not enjoying the game.” Strachan's answer was pure Strachan: “We’ve all had s*** games pal, don’t worry about it, you will get better.” The referee said that wasn't the problem: “Mr Gravesen keeps talking to me. I cannot concentrate… I’m making bad decisions because he keeps speaking to me.” And it wasn't even abuse. Gravesen was jogging alongside him trying to sort him a night out: “Are you staying here tonight lad? Is your family here? If you want to go out tonight, I’ll take you to places.” Strachan says they assumed the ref was making it up, until they watched the game back the next day and there was Gravesen, pointing and chatting away, with the referee eventually trying to push him off. Offering the ref a tour of the town mid-match is a new one.

Arms out, head back, and a message underneath the shirt that meant more than the goal ever could. ❤️ Still one of the best celebrations you'll ever see.

Jerk chicken, plantain and rice for £6.00 💷 from The Shak at Tooting & Mitcham. That box is absolutely loaded. Proper non-league scran at a price you won't see at many Football league grounds, how can their food be such good value compared to the big clubs?

Great odds on Newcastle at home to Villa. Fancy them to win.

Bruno couldn't play with Pogba ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Sancho ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Eriksen ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Mount ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Rashford ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Martial ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Højlund ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Zirkzee ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Silva ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Fred ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Ugarte ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Matić ❌ Bruno couldn't play with McTominay ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Amrabat ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Van de Beek ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Lingard ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Mata ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Pereira ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Baleba ❌ Bruno couldn't play with Mainoo ❌ Players in and out, managers through the revolving door, millions thrown at Manchester United, and somehow we're still asking the same questions. So when do United fans stop pointing the finger at everyone around Bruno Fernandes and ask whether he's part of the issue himself? 👀

This bar in Austria has an interesting marketing tactic when away fans visit the city. Originally called ‘Chelsea’, it renamed itself “The Bhoys Inn” when Celtic played there recently, and ‘The George Best’ when Man United were in town. Today it’s called ‘King Kenny’s’ 😆🍻

Nothing must happen to Michael Carrick!!!!

Man City should have enough to beat PSG tonight?

Chunky school shoes, the Umbro bag and a ball with half its panels hanging off. Dinner break sorted 🙌

Spotted from a plane window. Name the stadium 🤔🤔

After losing an eye to cancer, this Leeds United fan has gone and had his new one done with the club badge in it. 👏👏 That's commitment. Fair play to him.

🚨 𝗡𝗘𝗪: The Premier League relegation battle is heating up already 🔥

🚨 Manchester City are facing fresh questions over a potential Premier League rule breach after reportedly blocking Enzo Maresca from conducting post-match radio interviews. Under Rule K.207 of the 2026/27 Premier League handbook, clubs are required to make their manager and at least one player available to authorised radio broadcasters after matches. City allegedly prevented Maresca from speaking to radio outlets, including talkSPORT, without providing an explanation. If confirmed, this could represent another breach of Premier League regulations. 👀

Big tonight on Monday Night Football, Fancy Newcastle to get the win 🔥