Sport

There's nothing the bookies like more than a "what if" candidate in a seemingly one-sided contest. Conor McGregor took to the ring for his first professional fight this weekend against a man who is destined to go down in the record books for his achievements in the ring, winning all 50 of his professional bouts. McGregor's UFC record preceded him, 21 wins in 24 fights, 18 by knock out, and after a fiery build up punters started thinking the impossible...

By Chris Woods  In a Bank Holiday match played in front of a 966 crowd, Wealdstone rescued a point for the second time in 48 hours as Dan Fitchett's late strike cancelled out Callum Driver's bundled and hugely controversial effort, against Hemel Hempstead Town at Grosvenor Vale on Monday. Bobby Wilkinson made two changes to his side for his first home game as Wealdstone boss. Josh Hill made his comeback from injury and Fitchett returned to partner Elliot Benyon up front. Ryan...

Britain's fittest family are ALL international triathletes Meet Britain's fittest family - four members of the same clan who will represent GB at the World World Triathlon Championship next month. Martin Rogers, 51, will be joined by his three children - Charlotte, 22, Tabby, 21, and Oscar, 17 - at the event in Rotterdam on September 17. The group, from Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, have been training every day to prepare for the sprint event, which includes a 750m swim followed by...

Miles Reucroft is undertaking a different way of playing the ever popular Fantasy Football this season. To understand his methodology, read part one here. The Week 1 review is here, Week 2 transfers & preview here. Crisis is a big word. Especially after two weeks. But for the likes of Newcastle, West Ham, Bournemouth and Brighton, the talk may not be so premature, but rather a precursor for a long, drawn out season. It’s a word I’m keen to avoid at FC Fakin’...

Sir Stanley Matthews' first professional contracts - which showed he earned £5-a-week - sold for a combined £7,200 at auction yesterday (Tues). Bidding for the football legend's 1930s Stoke City contracts - including the one he signed aged 17 - was fever pitch. 1932(L) and 1935 contracts. See SWNS story SWSTANLEY; Sir Stanley Matthews' first professional contracts - which showed he earned £5-a-week - sold for a combined £7,200 at auction yesterday (Tues).  The 1932 contract showed 'The wizard of...

Wealdstone FC has announced that Bobby Wilkinson will be their new first team manager. Bobby has enjoyed a long period of highly successful management with Vanarama National League South rivals Hungerford Town and comes to Wealdstone with an impressive track record. Under Wilkinson the Crusaders have seen seven seasons of continued success and improvement since his appointment as manager in the 2009-10 season with a remarkable 70 per cent win ratio over that period. He led the club to promotion...

Football is big business – a massive global concern dominated by a handful of major clubs that resemble multinational corporations in their business behaviour and their ability to sweep-up cash. There’s no doubt that, at the top of the ladder, the product offers good entertainment and excitement, but the polarisation of European football has created huge imbalances that have pushed many countries into the shadows. The UEFA Champions League, for example, has become a cartel with only a select band...

Sunderland's biggest fan says the football club's away shirt sizes have left him feeling like an unwanted substitute. Michael Cockburn, 56, claims that after asking for an away shirt in the 3XL size at the club’s Stadium of Light store he was told they did not stock beyond 2XL. The club says that there is limited interest in shirts larger than 2XL and those sizes have not been made available to the Black Cats. Michael Cockburn, 56, is angry as...

By Chris Woods A powerful and resolute Chelmsford City side ensured Wealdstone's faltering start to the season continued after the Stones were defeated 0-2 at Grosvenor Vale on Saturday. In front of another 900 plus crowd, Stones could have few performance complaints on the day but the denial by referee Ryan Atkin of at least two nailed on penalties in both halves of the action only served to rub salt into ever deepening wounds. The latter decision, when Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick was...