Articles by Charles Thursby

About Charles Thursby

After a lifetime in sports journalism, Charles Thursby continues his immersion in the world of sport by providing the National Rust with dispatches from all points of the compass. More Posts

In pursuit of sports equality

For good or ill, today I return to the vexed and ultimately related problems of sexism in sport and extreme political-correctness – a subject that re-emerges from time to time on this highly-regarded media organ. I am taking as my text for this purpose the article that appears today upon the [...]

April 26, 2016 // 0 Comments

The art of catching

Earlier this week I wrote a short appreciation of the life of cricketer Brian Close upon the news of his death. There have been many words spoken and written since on the same theme and reviewing the illustrious career of the sometime England captain. Today I spotted another, written by Mike Selvey [...]

September 17, 2015 // 0 Comments

Close of play

The death (aged 84) of Brian Close, a Yorkshireman through and through, sometime cricket captain of England, Yorkshire and Somerset and an all-round sportsman of some renown, was announced yesterday. Although when he made his debut for England at the age of 18 he was the youngest ever to do so, [...]

September 15, 2015 // 0 Comments

Sir Roger Bannister : a legend and thoughtful man

A month or so ago I wrote to Sir Roger Bannister as my uncle Paul had passed away and was at Exeter College Oxford at the same time as Sir Roger. He wrote back by return of post saying he remembered my uncle as a spirited member of college. When I spoke of this to family and friends there was [...]

August 8, 2015 // 0 Comments

Whatever happened to British Justice?

I always remember a conversation with my father even though it must have taken place over fifty years ago. He was considering emigration to the United States but one of the factors that made us stay in the United Kingdom was his admiration for British justice. At around the same time I also [...]

November 19, 2014 // 0 Comments

Too many hoops to jump through?

Way back in time my family home boasted an off-shoot of its sloping main lawn that had clearly been carefully levelled for sporting purposes – probably originally a grass tennis court but, by the time we came to own the property, it had officially become a croquet lawn. A proper adult-sized [...]

November 1, 2014 // 0 Comments

Moore than enough

In another two years it will be 60 since England’s soccer World Cup victory. Here’s a review by Ian Herbert of a new book on the great Bobby Moore, written by the Daily Telegraph‘s Matt Dickinson, as seen on the website of THE [...]

October 13, 2014 // 0 Comments

The brave new world of sport

In recent years the UK has gained regular season NFL games at Wembley Stadium, as America Football attempts to break out from the inward-looking attitudes that make what are called its supposed ‘world finals’ seem risible. Today we learn that, not for the first time, the UK soccer’s Premier [...]

October 9, 2014 // 0 Comments

It’s only one way or the other from here

Last night, determined to avoid the BBC’s review of the Commonwealth Games and coverage of its Closing Ceremony, I kept my television on in the background – occasionally channel-hopping – whilst flicking through the Sunday papers. By this route I came across Sky Sports’ coverage of the [...]

August 4, 2014 // 0 Comments

Some things never change

It was apparently the eminent American essayist H.L. Mencken who famously wrote “No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the record for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people [...]

July 30, 2014 // 0 Comments

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The Tanner Report : Fulham 2 Brighton 1

January 25, 2026 // 0 Comments

This was a highly enjoyable victory -all the more so as undeserved Foc long periods Fulham were not in the game but ended up winning it When I asked A group of Fulham [...]
Sussex sport

January 20, 2026 // 0 Comments

Last night I watched Brighton HSFC draw 1-1 with south coast rivals Bournemouth in a game sometimes labelled El Coastico. The Seagulls started brightly but it was the [...]
THE ALFRISTON

January 19, 2026 // 0 Comments

In the many years (I know, I don’t look !!!) that I have been reviewing English country hotels I have seen a massive change in them. Twenty years ago they were little [...]
Biographies

January 17, 2026 // 0 Comments

I recently moved from reading fiction to biography. Why do readers like biographies? The obvious explanation is the desire to know more about the subject and the times in [...]
Manchester United 1 Brighton HAFC 2

January 12, 2026 // 0 Comments

Tom Hollingsworth called it right on giantkilling. . I’m old enough to remember Brighton in the old 4th division and buying Spurs double winner centre forward the burly [...]