Karren Brady’s replacement at Birmingham City quits
April 23 – Karren Brady’s successor as Birmingham City chief executive, Michael Dunford (pictured), has resigned after only six months in the job, it was announced today.
Exclusive: England agree to Thailand friendly to help World Cup bid
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
April 23 – England will face former captain Bryan Robson (pictured) when they play a friendly in Thailand in a move that appears designed to win the vote of Worawi Makudi, the President of the the country’s football association and a member of the FIFA Executive Committee, for its bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
Germany deny claims they are moving South African base over security fears
April 23 – Confusion surrounds claims that Germany had been forced to change their base for the World Cup in South Africa later this year because of security fears.
Blatter to mediate in Togo row
April 22 – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced tonight that FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured) will mediate a dispute over Togo’s ban from the next two editions of the African Cup of Nations.
Portsmouth denied chance to play in Europe
By Andrew Warshaw
April 22 – Portsmouth have been denied permission to play in next season’s Europa League even though they have qualified to do so, it emerged today.
Montreal lined-up as next MLS club
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April 22 – Montreal is set to become the 19th team in the Major League Soccer (MLS), it has been revealed.
Huge scale of Portsmouth debt revealed
By Andrew Warshaw
April 21 – The future of ailing English Premier League club Portsmouth appears even more grave following the revelation that the already relegated club’s debts are close to double the original estimation.
USA World Cup bid appoints England players agent as Board member
April 20 – Casey Wasserman, whose Wasserman Media Group (WMG) represents England stars Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen, has been added to the United States bid committee trying to win the right to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022, it was announced today.
Smith resigns as SFA chief executive
April 19 – Gordon Smith (pictured) has surprisingly resigned as the chief executive of the Scottish Football Association (SFA), it was announced tonight.
Milton Keynes given chance to promote World Cup bid
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By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
April 19 – Milton Keynes will have an opportunity to showcase its bid to become a host city if England are awarded the 2018 World Cup later this year when its stadium hosts its first ever senior international match.
World Cup ban threat hanging over Nigeria
April 19 – Nigeria have been warned by FIFA that they could face serious sanctions, including missing this year’s World Cup in South Africa, if court action by a disgruntled official is not dropped.
Mihir Bose: Europa League is another concept that the English have been slow to grasp
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The British have a great capacity to invent new sports. But, having got the world playing, they are very hostile to any change to the sports they have invented.
The British genius for sports has been well documented. The country may not be a sporting super-power but nearly all modern sports were either invented in this country or their laws codified here.
The problem arises when the sports the British have invented are changed,
Putin signs Russia’s World Cup bid guarantees
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
April 19 – Vladimir Putin (pictured left) has personally signed all the Governmental guarantees demanded by FIFA as part of Russia’s bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, it was revealed today.
Ronaldo is more popular than Beckham – it’s official
April 19 – Real Madrid have revealed that shirt sales featuring the name and number of world record signing Cristiano Ronaldo have already helped surpass the initial £80 million ($122 million) it took to sign him from Manchester United last summer.
Blatter tricked me into standing for UEFA President, claims Johansson
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
April 19 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has been accused by Lennart Johansson of tricking him into standing for re-election for President of UEFA only to then support his rival, Michel Platini.