Cricketers who have received knighthoods

Martin Williamson15-Jun-2007

The knighthood awarded to Ian Botham means that he joins a distinguished list of players, administrators and authors connected with the game who have received such an honour.Until recently, most knighthoods have come near the end of players’ lives, and until Don Bradman was awarded his CBE in 1949, it was the domain of the administrator. A further barrier was broken down in 1953 when Jack Hobbs, by then 70, became the first professional to be knighted, followed three years later by Len Hutton. Since then, with the exception of Gubby Allen in 1986, it’s been professional players who have ruled the roost.Most have to wait until they have hung up their boots. The first exception was the Rajkumar of Vizianagram, known as Sir Vijaya Ananda, or more simply Vizzy. He was knighted on June 15, 1936. It was a memorable month for him as 12 days later he made his Test debut as India’s captain at Lord’s. The fairytale ended there. An indifferent player, his captaincy owed more to his breeding and immense wealth and he undermined his team to such an extent that he was effectively ostracised from the game on his return home.Bradman’s Test career was over when he was made a Knight Batchelor on January 1, 1949 but he played two more first-class games as Sir Donald. He is the only Australian to be knighted, although it is reported that his predecessor as captain, Bill Woodfull, turned it down.In 1990 Richard Hadlee was knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours on June 16 and five days later played for New Zealand in the Lord’s Test. However, like Bradman, he had not actually had his knighthood conferred on him while a player.The first person to be specifically honoured for services to the game was Francis Lacey, a fair cricketer but a powerful administrator and for 28 years the secretary of MCC. At least he had played the game.He was followed by the most anonymous name on the list, and one who had not played the game to any degree – Frederick Toone. His award was for fostering relations between “the Dominions and the Mother Country”. He had managed the MCC tours of Australia in 1920-21, 1924-25 and 1928-29. Sadly, he enjoyed the prestige for less than 14 months, dying in 1930.Arthur Mailey dryly noted that “the last bowler to be knighted was Sir Francis Drake”, and he was right until 1996 when Alec Bedser became the 16th cricket-related person but the first bowler to be knighted. Some pointed out that Gubby Allen was a bowler, but he was a good rather than outstanding player and was recognised for his administrative work.Neville Cardus was knighted for his services to journalism, not only for his cricket reports in the Manchester Guardian and his books, but also for his writing on music.Learie Constantine was knighted in 1962, primarily for his services as a barrister, politician and diplomat, and seven years later was made a life peer. Colin Cowdrey, knighted in 1992, was elevated to the peerage (Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge) five years later and remains the only peer created on the basis of his services to cricket. Lord Botham of Taunton is still some way off.People awarded knighthoods for services to cricketSir Francis Lacey, 1926
Sir Frederick Toone, 1929
Sir Vijaya Ananda (The Rajkumar of Vizianagram), 1936
Sir Pelham Warner, 1937
Sir Donald Bradman, 1949
Sir Henry Leveson-Gower, 1953
Sir Jack Hobbs, 1953
Sir Leonard Hutton, 1956
Sir Learie Constantine, 1962

Sir Frank Worrell, 1964
Sir Neville Cardus, 1967
Sir Garfield Sobers, 1975
Sir George Allen, 1986
Sir Richard Hadlee, 1990
Sir Colin Cowdrey, 1992
Sir Clyde Walcott, 1994
Sir Everton Weekes, 1995
Sir Alec Bedser, 1997
Sir Conrad Hunte, 1998
Sir Vivian Richards, 1999
Sir Ian Botham, 2007

A closely contested and wonderful Test series has been marred by Ian Howell’s poor umpiring

Sambit Bal12-Aug-2007

It is a pity that matters outside bat and ball should continue to spoil what has so far been wonderful advertisement for Test cricket. The first Test was decided by the weather, and the second, which was won by a skilful and determined performance by the Indians, was overshadowed by jelly beans, player behaviour and inconsistent umpiring. And it will be a tragedy if umpiring becomes a decisive factor in this Test.Umpires deserve plenty of sympathy. Theirs is a thankless vocation and they are noticed only for their mistakes. Their actions are judged and damned by experts, journalists, and millions of viewers who now have the benefit of hugely sophisticated cameras and technologies such as Snickometer and Hotspot. But still, it’s not that difficult to tell when an umpire is not up to it.Simon Taufel, who invited the wrath of Indian supporters for denying Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly well-earned hundreds at Trent Bridge, is a good umpire who had an ordinary match. But it is difficult to say the same about his colleague in that Test. Ian Howell had a dreadful match at Trent Bridge, and it has only got worse at The Oval. It can be considered poor taste to pun on someone’s name, but given the number of he has made in the last two Tests, Howell has brought it upon himself.The ICC has a system in place to assess every decision an umpire makes during a match, and it is often trotted out that umpires get over 90 per cent of the decisions right. Of course, considering that they track every appeal and that teams are appeal-happy these days, Howell might still end up with fairly high percentage. But to anybody who has followed his finger, Howell has got more decisions wrong than right when it really mattered.Few things can be worse for cricketers, batsmen and bowlers alike, than to play in the knowledge that their fate hangs in the hand of an adjudicator who is consistently inconsistent. There are not-outers, none more famous than the legendary Dickie Bird, there are those who are trigger-happy – Dave Orchard springs to mind – there are those who are conservative about front-foot lbws and there are ones who are spinner-friendly. In many instances, umpires go by the pitch, and are likely to adjudge lbws on the basis of bounce. At Perth, for instance, batsmen can leave the ball on its length, safe in the knowledge that it will sail over the stumps.But how safe can a batsman feel when faced with Howell? Apart from his obvious tendency to give wrong decisions, it has been impossible to detect a pattern with Howell. May be it lies in his approach to tailenders. This morning he was happy to give Monty Panesar on the forward stretch against Anil Kumble. Panesar had no reason to quibble; he was dead in front. But on what account did he spare Paul Collingwood on the third day? Collingwood’s front foot was perhaps a few inches ahead, but as Ian Chappell remarked on television, if that wasn’t out, they might as well remove lbw as a mode of dismissal. And when he did give Collingwood out, the ball looked, irrespective of what you saw on Hawk-Eye, to be sliding past the leg stump.At Trent Bridge, he denied Panesar two lbws in his first two overs in India’s first innings. They were vital decisions, for they allowed Dinesh Karthik and Wasim Jaffer to swell the first-wicket partnership to 147, but he was happy to send back RP Singh and Sreesanth in quick succession: Singh looked out, but Sreesanth deserved the benefit of doubt.It’s futile labouring the point, but the lbw that he handed out to Ganguly has perhaps been the shocker of the series. Admittedly, the ball has been swinging exaggeratedly, sometimes changing path after passing the batsman. But this was a deviation palpably off the bat. If he didn’t hear the nick, he should have seen it. Was he late in looking up? If he was, it was a schoolboy error from an international umpire.Which raises the next question. Should Howell have been standing in the series in the first place? Of course, the ICC cannot be blamed for not anticipating the errors, but Howell is not part of the elite panel, and since no other international cricket is on at the moment, those appointing umpires had a full list to choose from. Were none of them available?It is sad that umpires rarely get the credit for a job well done. In that, they are like wicketkeepers. Matt Prior has become the object of ridicule after two bad matches; it’s only fair that the heat is now turned on Howell.Should umpire Ian Howell, who is not part of the ICC’s Elite panel, have stood in the Oval Test? Tell us here

Martin Williamson reviews the latest Ashes books offerings

Martin Williamson and Will Luke19-Nov-2006In his foreword to Cricket’s Burning Passion (see below), Michael Atherton writes: “In the aftermath of the wondrous 2005 Ashes series, a raft of cricket books appeared on the bookshelves. There were the usual gruesome mix of ghosted autobiographies, ghosted diaries and rushed, ill-considered reviews …”. Ahead of the 2006-07 series a number of books have been issued, as expected, but the quality is far superior than those Atherton refers to. In 2005, the writers were all up against tight deadlines as publishers sought to cash in. The current offering shows that the authors have had the advantage of having time to prepare, and the result in a much more enjoyable and readable selection

Stiff Upper Lips and Baggy Green Caps Simon Briggs (Quercus, 280pp)

So much has been written about the Ashes, especially since September 2005, that finding a fresh angle on such a well-documented history would seem to present an almost insurmountable challenge. However, Simon Briggs has managed to rise to the occasion, and the end result is a delightful offering which should appeal to both seasoned fan and relative newcomer. The strength of the book is that it eschews the worthy-but-dull statistics which often form the bedrock of such histories and, by concentrating on the colourful characters and events the result is an easy read but a far from unfulfilling one. If you want a potted history of Test cricket’s oldest continuous rivalry – and you want to be entertained into the bargain – then look no further.The Ashes Miscellany Clive Batty (VSP 146pp)

The problem with books of miscellany is that the originals have spawned some dreadful offspring with little merit aimed at nothing more than cashing in on the sales boom. In the last couple of months there have been two such dire offerings, so it was a delight to find that The Ashes Miscellany is a return to the well-researched and entertaining kind of book that made the genre so popular in the first place. The contents will appeal to both those who consider themselves well versed in Ashes history and casual cricket fans who want trivia to impress their friends in the pub. It would have been too easy to pad the book with well-worn anecdotes and page-filling statistics, but Clive Batty has avoided that short cut and produced a genuinely good publication.The Book of Ashes Anecdotes Gideon Haigh (Mainstream 376pp)

The delight of setting out on a review of anything by Gideon Haigh is that you know it will be a quality read, and this collection of quotes and book extracts is no exception. He has produced a similar offering before – his 1997 Australian Cricket Anecdotes is well worth snuffling out – and this follows a similar format. Some of the entries are familiar but many are not, and it is those that shed a new light on many events in Ashes history. What really makes this, however, is that Haigh has not gone down the route of reproducing pithy one-liners but has opted for longer extracts, and this allows the flavour of the writers and characters to come through and make a more lasting effect. I found the Bodyline section the most interesting, especially Douglas Jardine’s reflection on it and Bradman some years later. “You know, we nearly didn’t do it,” he said. “The little man was bloody good.” That last sentiment also applies to Haigh’s book.

Cricket’s Burning Passion Scyld Berry and Rupert Peploe (Methuen 206pp)

In his introduction, Michael Atherton notes that amid all the Ashes brouhaha in 2005, few actually knew much about the urn at the heart of all the fuss. The challenge for Berry and Peploe (the great grandson of Ivo Bligh, the man who regained the Ashes lost in 1882) was to bring alive a tour which took place 124 years ago. That they have done, and the end result is a remarkable story and a compelling read. Bligh is one of the game’s more colourful characters and those who toured with him – and almost all of them died young – are a fascinating rabble. And as for the urn? Well, there remains some uncertainty about its contents. Some say it is a burnt bail, others a burnt piece of leather from a ball. Most likely, however, it is ash from fires at Bligh’s run-down stately home – more than one tale exists of the urn being knocked over and the contents spilled and replaced from the fireplace by clumsy servants. The Ashes are possibly sports’ least intrinsically valuable trophy. This book helps to explain why they are priceless.Match of My Life Sam Pilger and Rob Wightman (Know the Score books, 240pp)

It requires something really unique for a new Ashes book to poke itshead above the masses. And though Sam Pilger and Rob Wightman’s lacks a certain gravitas, the 12 namesfeatured provide enough interesting and amusing anecdotes to hold thereader’s attention span. The premise is simple: 12 famous Ashes namesrecount their stories. The usual and the modern are all there: AshleyGiles, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer – but far too much has alreadybeen said about 2005, the series which apparently beats all that precede it.Fortunately there are others to address the balance and Neil Harveyopens the book’s innings. Written in his own words Harvey recounts hisfirst Ashes Test (he made 112in the first innings scored the winning run in Australia’s chaseof 404). It is written with candour with amusing stories of the tours -meeting King George VI and Keith Miller’s friendship with the currentqueen, Elizabeth – which comes as a relief. Langer’s, on the otherhand, is too misty-eyed; a syrupy tone is best left for the biography.And writing in the third person, which he does once or twice, is aninstant mood-killer too. Talking of killing the mood, Geoffrey Boycott- an inevitable name to appear in such a collection – ischaracteristically candid, although offers a little too much on hisown achievements. It’s Geoffrey, though, and therefore requiredreading. Overall, it is a crisp, brisk and enjoyable view intoplayers’ experiences of playing in the Ashes. It’s a little different,too, and therefore worth a look.

Too much happened on the first day at the SCG. Close to 30,000 people got to see a fine spell of left-arm seam, a tantalising display of off spin and a counterattacking partnership straight out of a classic western flick

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan in Sydney02-Jan-2008

Brad Hogg and Andrew Symonds looted India for 173 runs © Getty Images
Too much happened on the first day at the SCG. Close to 30,000 people got to see a fine spell of left-arm seam, a tantalising display of off spin and a counterattacking partnership straight out of a classic western flick. Six wickets fell before the clock tower showed two; all hell broke loose thereafter.The Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales are doing their every bit to discourage speeding but nobody seems to have briefed the Australian lower order about speed limits. This was a notorious case of hit-and-run; a great robbery in broad daylight. Hardly had India begun to smile when Brad Hogg and Andrew Symonds, almost like a couple of gangsters, began to loot. Only once have more runs been scored on the first day at the SCG and that was nearly 100 years ago.Like at the MCG, India’s opening day was one of two halves. But unlike at the MCG, where they had a poor morning and a good afternoon, the trend was reversed. And unlike at the MCG, the umpires had a blackout. Anil Kumble might have taken 376 for 7 at the start of the day – he had lost his spearhead to injury after all – but he wouldn’t be smiling at the end of it. While a set of officials spoilt a fine day, a couple of batsmen weren’t going to miss out.Symonds walks in to a loud ovation and manufactures shots that get everyone to raise the decibel levels. Until he entered there was hardly a cut shot played, but soon they were being struck with anger. And when Hogg began to cut at the other end India were made to run ragged. India must be made to take a new-year resolution: we will not leave the third-man region vacant.A new year brings a lot of promises but some things don’t change. For every talented seamer India unearths, there will be another nursing an injury; for every top order they dismiss quickly, there will be a tail waiting to spoil the good work; for every fine batsman emerging from the , there will be a poor fielder letting the ball slip through. India dropped two catches – one a tough skier at mid-on, the other a simpler one that dipped towards short leg – and could have had one more chance if someone more athletic than Rahul Dravid was placed at fine leg. Yuvraj Singh, supposedly their best fielder, embarrassed himself too often.But a couple of Singhs brought plenty of cheer. Both hadn’t done too much at the MCG but came into their own here. RP, 22 years and eight Tests old, led the attack manfully before Harbhajan rediscovered his mojo. Until Hogg walked in, RP had the measure of every left-hander by getting the ball to straighten after hitting the right length. Phil Jaques misread the bounce, Matthew Hayden was squared up, Michael Hussey prodded tentatively, and Adam Gilchrist followed him. Three of them, seemingly impressed with Sachin Tendulkar sporting a floppy hat after suffering an allergic reaction, edged to first slip.Ishant Sharma, just 19, made an early impression and could have easily had his first wicket when Symonds was on 30. A whole stadium might have heard the edge but that’s not what matters. Some teams think Steve Bucknor needs a hearing-aid; India might be more intent on a hearing.It’s rumoured (wrongly) that the 555-run stand between Herbert Sutcliffe and Percy Holmes prompted a businessman to start the cigarette company. Someone here would be tempted to start Benson and Edges. Ponting edged twice but Mark Benson heard neither. Where is the technology, screamed a billion people. But that also didn’t make a difference for the third umpire, with all the assistance he receives, managed to get one wrong again. Symonds was on 48. The rest, as they say, was savagery.

Trescothick’s neuroses are peerless and this book goes into great detail about them. Pity about the cricket

Patrick Kidd14-Sep-2008

Howard Clayton, the long-serving England Under-19 scorer, tells a story about the young Marcus Trescothick that sticks in the mind. Trescothick used to wear his England cap and blazer everywhere while playing for the Under-19 side and was teased for it by his team-mates. “It might be the closest I get to playing for England” was Trescothick’s proud response.Years later, and with 202 senior international matches behind him, an older Trescothick is contemptuous of age-group cricket. “A complete waste of my time,” he writes in his autobiography, annoyed that having to play for the Under-19 team in 1994 meant he was 76 first-class runs shy of becoming the youngest Somerset batsman to score 1000 in a county season.Such things should really not matter – not when you have won the Ashes and people still sigh: “If only Tresco were still playing for England …” That even now this one tiny record rankles hints at Trescothick’s fatal obsession.Cricketers do tend to be obsessives, as do cricket fans, but Trescothick’s neurosis is peerless. It is seen in his refusal to eat any meat except sausages, a trait which lent him the nickname Banger. His fascination with kit, particularly bats, is another obsession. Trescothick says that if he were ever on Desert Island Discs his luxury would be a cricket kit catalogue.Of course, getting Trescothick on a desert island would be tricky given his homesickness. The depression that afflicted him on England’s tours of Pakistan, India and Australia in 2005 and 2006 appears to have been based on obsession. When doubts and homesickness appear, as they can for any sportsman, Trescothick cannot let go. The first show of fear came when travelling on a school outing to Torquay. “I was terrified, irrationally so, and that scared me even more,” he writes.The condition returned heavily in Pakistan in late 2005. Being away from his wife and baby daughter hurt Trescothick and his depression was exacerbated when he visited victims of the Pakistan earthquake. Witnessing children in pain left Trescothick in floods of tears. The first Test, in Multan, could have been a highlight of his career. Made captain after Michael Vaughan’s knee injury, Trescothick scored 193 as England built a healthy first-innings lead, but chasing 198 to win they were dismissed for 175, the captain making 5.Trescothick reveals why his mind was not on the game. On the second evening of the Test his wife rang him in distress after finding her father unconscious outside their house. He had fallen off a ladder and was taken to hospital. Here Trescothick’s obsession is apparent. He had installed CCTV at home and could watch the images on his laptop. That night he sits in his hotel room and watches the footage of his father-in-law falling, hitting his head and passing out. Forward and back goes the tape as he watches the images repeatedly.The next day his wife asks him to come home but Vaughan refuses to release him. The guilt of staying, heightened by a bomb “scare” (just an exploding gas canister), haunts Trescothick, as does his daughter’s lack of recognition of him at the end of the tour. Undeniably the pain and anxiety of the Pakistan tour caused his breakdown in India a couple of months later.Of the 20 chapters in this autobiography, half deal with his illness, his counselling, his attempted comebacks, why he lied in the set-up confessional with Ian Ward on Sky, and the false rumours about his marriage. This, sadly, is what we want to know, more than his experience of the 2005 Ashes or any of his feats with Somerset.It is a shame, because some of the cricketing stories are fascinating, particularly how Trescothick almost manipulated a run-chase of 612 for Somerset 2nd XI against Warwickshire, run out for 322 with victory seven runs away. But in these celebrity-focused days it is the mental frailties of our heroes that we need to read about in minute detail. Obsession is a weakness of us all.Marcus Trescothick: Coming Back To Me with Peter Hayter
(HarperSport) £18.99

da betobet： Over the years, Nottingham Forest have become a pioneer for churning out talent from their academy and allowing them to flourish in the first-team.

da bwin： Current players Joe Worrall and Ryan Yates' path to the first team stemmed from excelling in the underage groups, earning a call-up to the senior squad and playing significant roles in the club's upward trajectory, making a combined 391 appearances and counting.

On the other hand, the likes of Matty Cash and Brennan Johnson have come through the academy set-up, risen to stardom at the City Ground and then departed the club for pastures new having developed into high-value assets.

While Cash joined Aston Villa for £16m in 2020, Johnson's electric performances in the Premier League last term earned him a £47.5m move to Tottenham this summer.

The talent being churned off the conveyor belt at Forest continues to overflow and the next highly-rated youngster hoping to make his mark in the first-team is 20-year-old winger Brandon Aguilera.

Who is Brandon Aguilera?

A Costa Rican international, Aguilera joined the Reds on a four-year deal from LD Alajuelense in July last year and was instantly loaned back out to Guanacasteca and then Estoril.

While those loans equipped the 20-year-old in how to deal with the hardships of senior football, his return to the City Ground has been well received by Steve Cooper, who spoke highly of the winger and the level of maturity he's shown since moving to England.

He said: "We’ve been really impressed with him, to be honest – his level and his attitude. He’s not from round the corner, is he?! He’s come over here, and for him to settle in like he has, he has a maturity about him.

“He’s a young player who we are enjoying putting a programme in place for. But that will be with us for the medium-term until January, and then we will assess it again then.”

Cooper isn't the only person to wax lyrical about Aguilera's bright prospects, Forest players have picked up on his talents too with Moussa Niakhate dubbing him as a "baller" after he demonstrated some fancy footwork in one particular training session in the pre-season camp in Spain.

After shining bright under the watchful eyes of his teammates, he has since taken that momentum into this campaign, chalking up two goals and one assist in three Premier League 2 appearances, starring alongside the likes of Jamie McDonnell and Ateef Konate.

In the past, Cooper has shown he isn't afraid of throwing youngsters in at the deep end and if Aguilera can continue this early season form, he could get rewarded with opportunities to impress in the first team, potentially rivalling summer signing Anthony Elanga.

How has Anthony Elanga performed for Forest this season?

Similarly to Aguilera, Elanga is a highly-rated young winger who joined the Reds in a £15m move from Manchester United this summer.

The 21-year-old – who has been praised by Zlatan Ibrahimovic as a "great talent" – has so far endeared himself beautifully to the City Ground faithful, assisting Taiwo Awoniyi for his goal against Arsenal and firing home the winner against Chelsea as Forest recorded a famous victory at Stamford Bridge.

With a Sofascore rating of 7.07, Elanga has performed consistently when called upon and has caught the eye with his searing pace and powerful ball carrying, ranking inside the top 7% for progressive carries and top 20% for successful take-ons per 90 when compared to positionally similar players across Europe's top five leagues in the past year, as per FBref.

Aside from demonstrating his ability to burst past defenders at pace and carry Forest into dangerous areas on the counter, Elanga is far from the finished article and given his age, that is to be expected.

The Sweden international falls short when it comes to his output in the final third, and although he's shown glimpses this season, ranking in the top 43% for non-penalty xG and top 46% for assists suggests that his end product can be improved with Aguilera aiming to take advantage of this chink in his armour.

Elanga is statistically better than Aguilera but if the Costa Rican can continue elevating his game to new heights, he could soon rival the 12-cap Swede for a place in the starting XI.

da doce： Leeds United are in fine fettle on the pitch, but BBC pundit Alan Hutton has been left disappointed by the injury news surrounding one of the club's star men.

What's the latest news involving Leeds United?

da bet nacional： Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton has praised young Leeds defender Charlie Cresswell for his attitude toward proceedings at Elland Road despite first-team minutes being hard to come by for the 21-year-old this term.

Hutton stated: "It’s always hard to break into the first team as a young player. But if you’ve got the right personality and a bit about you, and the other boys take to you – it always helps. They want to keep you involved and part of the group. I think that’s always a good thing, and it helps you settle in.

"His time will obviously come at Leeds, it will happen, but it’s good to see that he’s got the right attitude even though he’s not playing at the moment. It can be very difficult, so to hear that from the manager is quite refreshing and good for the player."

Presenter Joe Wainman meanwhile has indicated to GIVEMESPORT that there may be no way back for Leeds United trio Luis Sinisterra, Tyler Adams and Jack Harrison at Elland Road due to the fact they sought moves away from the Yorkshire giants during the summer transfer window.

Southampton await Leeds this weekend at St Mary's Stadium and Whites' boss Daniel Farke will be keen to build on a solid start to life back in the Sky Bet Championship, which has yielded a six-match unbeaten streak and four consecutive clean sheets.

Nevertheless, the German coach will have to do without the services of talented attacker Wilfried Gnonto, who is scheduled to be out until after the next international break and will require minor surgery on an ankle issue, as per Leeds Live.

What has Alan Hutton said about Wilfried Gnonto?

In conversation with Football Insider, former Scotland international Hutton, who is also a pundit for the BBC, thinks that Gnonto is one of Leeds United's 'star' players and believes his injury is a 'real shame' and is 'not ideal' for Whites manager Farke to contend with as he chases promotion.

Hutton said: "Sometimes it can be tough when you’ve had a tough pre-season and you’ve been on international duty. He’s not really had a break and the Championship is a really hard league. But Gnonto is now one of the star players at Leeds, who are doing alright. “I thought he would’ve got a move away, but it didn’t happen. It’s a real shame for him. No time is a good time to get injuries, but this is really not ideal when Leeds need him to help chase Leicester down at the top of the table."

Verbania-born Gnonto has managed to make six appearances in all competitions for Leeds United this term, registering a solitary goal against Ipswich Town, as per Transfermarkt.

As always, the former FC Zurich man has been a tricky presence in the final third for opposition backlines to contain, averaging around 1.8 shots and 2.6 completed dribbles per fixture in the Sky Bet Championship, as per WhoScored.

Leeds boss Farke will be desperate for the youngster to re-enter the fold before too long as the Whites aim to secure a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

da bet vitoria： Manchester United should be looking to sell one recent Old Trafford hero, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Who could leave Man Utd?

da aviator aposta： The Red Devils brought in eight new players over the summer and moved on six in permanent transfers. Man Utd sold Dean Henderson, Anthony Elanga, Fred, Matej Kovar, Alex Telles and Zidane Iqbal, bringing in just under £50m from those sales.

Another player who was heavily linked with an exit in the summer was midfielder Scott McTominay. The Scot was wanted by West Ham in recent months and even had a £30m offer for his services rejected, ending up remaining at Old Trafford past the deadline. Game time has been heard to come by for the midfielder since, however, he made himself a hero at Old Trafford by scoring twice late on to seal a dramatic 2-1 win over Brentford on Saturday.

However, in a Man Utd exit update shared on Sunday by GiveMeSport, reporter Jones feels that the club need to move on the likes of McTominay, alongside Donny Van de Beek and Jadon Sancho.

“Donny Van de Beek, Scott McTominay and Jadon Sancho, I would be making it a priority to get them out of the football club at this stage, I just don't see what they're offering as squad players anymore. You could argue perhaps McTominay could come in there but even from McTominay’s point of view, I'm not sure what his personal motivation is at the moment, because he doesn't seem like he's going to have an opportunity long term to even stay in the team.

“And Erik ten Hag needs to have players on board now that actually feel part of this project. It's been a terrible start to the season, and that can't roll on into the new year. So, there are some big decisions to be made, and obviously they've struggled to actually find these players new clubs, certainly at the valuations that they have the players held out.”

Man Utd’s biggest earners…

The Red Devils appear to be in a slump both on and off the pitch despite a summer spending spree which saw the likes of Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Mason Mount all make big-money moves to Old Trafford. The club have a number of big earners on the books, with Sancho among them despite being left out of Ten Hag’s squad in recent months.

Player

Weekly salary

Casemiro

£350,000

Raphael Varane

£340,000

Marcus Rashford

£300,000

Anthony Martial

£250,000

Mason Mount

£250,000

Jadon Sancho

£250,000

Bruno Fernandes

£240,000

Therefore, moving on the likes of Sancho and others could be a priority for United in the next 12 months, however, if McTominay can build on his weekend heroics, he could look to stake a claim to remain at the club despite Jones’ recent exit claim.

da wazamba： EA Sports FC 24 was released at the end of September in the UK and is the first iteration of the game in the post-FIFA era.

da bet nacional： Pace will always be key for players, and this edition is no different. Football FanCast gives a rundown of the 15 fastest male players you can play with on EA FC 24, ranked by their sprint speed.

15 Moteb Al-Harbi (Al-Shabab)

Saudi Arabia is where we start with full-back Moteb Al-Harbi.

The 23-year-old, who plays for Al Shabab, has a rating of 94 for sprint speed and 92 for acceleration, as well as having high agility and a three-star weak foot.

As a 68-rated silver card, he maybe isn’t someone that many people will be looking to use to challenge the very best, but if anyone is building a Saudi Pro League team, then Al-Harbi is a powerful option on the flank.

14 Cade Cowell (SJ Earthquakes)

From Saudi Arabia to the United States with the explosive Cade Cowell.

Capable of huge bursts of pace, this explosiveness is reflected by his 92-rated acceleration.

Similarly to Al-Harbi, the San Jose Earthquakes forward also has a sprint speed rating of 94, and so is another silver card that could be a fine alternative when working on a budget.

13 Theo Hernandez (Milan)

Someone who isn’t very cheap at all is AC Milan left-back Theo Hernandez.

The Frenchman plays as a left-back on paper, but his mazy dribbling ability takes him all over the pitch – and that is something which can be easily recreated in the game.

His overall rating is 85, making him a rare gold card, and has the pace attributes that would frighten the best of his fellow full-backs. Adding Hernandez’s 84-rated physicality into the mix, it is easy to see why he could cost you as much as 100k on Ultimate Team.

12 Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce)

Bright Osayi-Samuel previously played for Blackpool and Queens Park Rangers, but has more recently become a Turkish Cup winner with Fenerbahce.

Whilst he has previously been a winger on the game, right-back is his primary position on his 24 UT card, though you can always convert him into a RWB or RM.

The Nigeria international has three-star skill moves and three-star weak foot, so paired with his electric pace, he could be a great player to unleash going forward.

11 Kevin Schade (Brentford)

The first of two Premier League players is someone you perhaps wouldn’t expect, in the form of Brentford’s Kevin Schade.

His ability to play anywhere across the front line as well as at LM could come in very handy.

Schade comes in ahead of the previous players despite having the same level of sprint speed due to his superior 93-rated acceleration – though but his finishing (68) and composure (60) could be something of a deterrent.

10 Inaki Williams (Athletic Club)

Inaki Williams has been a regular choice in the early stages of any Ultimate Team lineup when it comes to La Liga forwards, and he is the fastest in the Spanish top flight once again this year.

Athletic Club now have his brother Nico on their books as well – who is by no means slow himself – and they could be a lethal duo on the same team.

As is the case with Schade, Inaki boasts an acceleration rating of 93 and a sprint speed value of 94, though his 78 shooting rating might see players lean towards deploying him on the right wing rather than centrally.

9 Ismaila Sarr (OM)

Finishing off the group of players with 94 sprint speed is former Watford man Ismaila Sarr, now of Marseille.

Marseille’s attacking options see Sarr team up with the likes of Iliman Ndiaye, Francois Mughe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, something which sounds like an exciting prospect when you’re playing in kick-off mode.

Sarr’s dribbling seems on the low side, with a rating of just 81, but with his raw pace, he can fly down the right flank and get crosses in. Alternatively, switch his card to LM and have the ability to cut back in and get shots off.

8 Sheraldo Becker (Union Berlin)

The last of the five so-called big leagues in Europe to be reached on this list is the German Bundesliga – but they are certainly well represented further down the line.

Sheraldo Becker of Union Berlin kicks off the 95-sprint speed section, with his 93-rated acceleration being very impressive as well.

When it comes to cheap options for strikers, similarly to Inaki Williams, pace stats that are this high mean that a shooting rating in the mid-high 80s can be overlooked. Becker himself has 76 shooting and can be changed to RM or CF if needed.

7 Sirlord Conteh (SC Paderborn 07)

Remaining in Germany but dropping down to the second tier as we travel west across the country to Paderborn.

Sirlord Conteh’s playstyle of mostly explosive pace is a hugely exciting one, even if he is a second-division player who won’t be used all that much.

His available positions are the exact same as Becker's and is also a striker by default, but his acceleration is even higher at a staggering 94, providing the slight extra edge.

6 Moussa Diaby (Aston Villa)

According to EA FC, Moussa Diaby has the highest sprint speed in the Premier League with 95 and he also has an acceleration rating of 95 to go with it.

The Frenchman joined Aston Villa from Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen in the summer and millions have already been able to witness his impact on the game.

Diaby fits into the mould of a player with a wicked foot who will look to cut in regularly, and even if a defender knows what he is going to do, stopping him is another thing altogether, similar to the likes of Riyad Mahrez and Bukayo Saka.

At the same time, the Villa man has a very capable three-star weak foot to go with his explosive speed, while his four-star skill moves mean he can be a threat all over the field.

da bet esporte： Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag could have a chance to offload one of their players in January after a surprise contender emerged for his signature, according to reports.

Jadon Sancho Man United's future

da esoccer bet： Jadon Sancho has been a major talking point at Old Trafford this term following his controversial public spat with Ten Hag after the Dutchman criticised his performance levels in training, culminating in the England international being left out of the Red Devils' in their 3-1 defeat to Arsenal earlier in the season.

Replying to Ten Hag's criticism, Sancho took to social media platform X, stating: "Please don't believe everything you read! I will not allow people saying things that is completely untrue. I have conducted myself in training very well this week. I believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won't get into, I've been a scapegoat for a long time which isn't fair! All I want to do is to play football with a smile on my face and contribute to my team."

In turn, a frenzy has followed from the media and other internet platforms as speculation continues to intensify over the former Borussia Dortmund winger's long-term future at Old Trafford, which has still not been resolved after Sancho refused to apologise to Ten Hag for his role in developments.

Sancho is also said to be angry at Brazilian winger Antony's continual involvement at first-team level despite his inconsistent performances for the Red Devils. Nevertheless, there could now be a way out for Sancho at Manchester United, with a surprise contender now emerging to potentially lay claim to his services, according to latest developments.

Jadon Sancho's time at Man Utd (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

82

Goals

12

Assists

6

Jadon Sancho wanted by Tottenham

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is keen on Sancho and Spurs are believed to be seriously contemplating a swoop for the England international for a fee in the region of €35 million (£30 million).

In a move that would enable Sancho to stay in the Premier League, Lilywhites boss Postecoglou is believed to see his potential arrival as an important quest, with injuries to the likes of Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic limiting his pool of available players on the left-hand side of his attack.

Controversy off the field surrounding Sancho has detracted from the fact that the 23-year-old possesses game-changing ability when on his best form, which is reflected by the fact that he fares well in regard to his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues in the art of shot-creating actions, having carried out around 5.23 per 90 minutes in the last 365 days, putting him in the 93rd percentile for this metric. (Sancho stats – FBRef)

Labelled "brilliant" by Manchester United boss Ten Hag earlier in 2023, the London-born man clearly has something to offer at the elite level and a move away from the pressure associated with his time at Old Trafford could do him the world of good, making this one to watch.