Premier League votes for its own financial sustainability regs
By Mark Baber
February 8 – The Premier League has voted in its own set of financial controls on its member clubs, though some clubs feel the rules do not go far enough.
Premier League
Chelsea join Premiership elite headed to Asia
February 8 – Chelsea are headed to Asia pre-season on their ‘Here to Play, Here to Stay’ tour, which will see the west London-based club play matches in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta.
Spending up but volume down, as transfer window sees a huge shift to ‘Free’
By Mark Baber
February 3 – English transfer spending in terms of money spent may be higher this transfer window, but the volume of transfers is down 16% and loans down 17%.
[b]Exclusive:[/b] Trio of Premier League window shoppers help carry January spending to £120 million
By David Owen
English Premier League clubs spent about £120 million in the latest January transfer window, double their outlay in January 2012, but well short of the record £225 million splurged two years ago, when strikers Fernando Torres and Andy Carroll were the subject of deals thought to amount to a combined £85 million. The top clubs generally refrained from buying, with the result that – according to analysis by Deloitte,
Fulham debt free as Al Fayed converts loans into equity
By Mark Baber
January 31 – Fulham chairman, Mohamed Al Fayed, has converted his £212m in loans to the club into equity, leaving Fulham effectively debt-free.
AC Milan swoop for €22m Balotelli as transfer deadline nears
By Mark Baber
January 30 – The long-running soap opera that has become Mario Balotelli in England looks to be drawing to a close with AC Milan’s announcement that he has agreed a four-and-a-half year contract.
High Court quashes original “profound and almost palpable” Hillsborough inquest verdicts
By Andrew Warshaw
December 20 – In a major victory for the families of the 96 fans killed in the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster – Britain’s worst ever sporting tragedy – the country’s High Court has quashed the original inquest verdicts due to a “profound and almost palpable” sense of injustice.
Van Persie is Premier League’s top scorer in North American replica shirt market
By David Owen
December 18 – Robin van Persie has overhauled Wayne Rooney, his Manchester United team-mate, as the name on the top-selling Barclays Premier League player jersey in North America.
Manchester United to take on A-League All Stars in pre-season match
By Emily Goddard
December 10 – Manchester United will travel to Sydney to play a friendly match against the Australian A-League All Stars as part of its 2013 preseason tour, it was confirmed today.
Chelsea’s Mikel banned over Clattenburg threats
By Andrew Warshaw
December 7 – John Mikel Obi, the Chelsea midfielder at the centre of the recent case concerning referee Mark Clattenburg who was cleared of racism, has himself been handed a three-match ban and fined £60,000 ($96,000/€74,000) by the English Football Association (FA) for threatening Clattenburg.
West Ham bid to take over Olympic Stadium given greenlight by Legacy Company but safety net put in place
By Duncan Mackay
December 5 – Premier League club West Ham United have taken a major step towards moving into the Olympic Stadium after they were “ranked highest of the bids received”, according to the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC).
Liverpool hire sports psychiatrist who inspired cycling greats Hoy, Pendleton and Wiggins
By Mike Rowbottom
November 28 – Liverpool FC have strengthened their backroom team by hiring Steve Peters, the sports psychiatrist who inspired Sir Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton and Bradley Wiggins to Olympic cycling success.
Arsenal extend Emirates sponsorship with £150 million deal
By Andrew Warshaw
November 25 – One of the biggest sponsorship contract renewals in football history has been completed with Arsenal signing a new £150 million ($240 million/€185 million) shirt deal with Emirates airline until 2019.
Chelsea face backlash as FA clears Clattenburg
By Andrew Warshaw
November 23 – European champions Chelsea, still reeling from the John Terry racism affair, have been plunged into the spotlight yet again for all the wrong reasons after English football authorities cleared referee Mark Clattenburg of using “inappropriate language” towards the club’s Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel.
Benítez confirmed as new Chelsea manager
By Andrew Warshaw
November 21 – Chelsea wasted no time appointing a successor to luckless manager Roberto Di Matteo tonight when former Liverpool boss Rafael Benítez was given the job just a few hours after his predecessor was unceremoniously axed.