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Match of the Day new presenters

Alex Jay-Kerski’s (BBC Director of Sport) garlanding of the three new Match Of The Day presenters (Kelly Cates, Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman) reminded me of the line in the John Betjeman poem The Village Inn. Here the virtues of the modernisation of the local pub are extolled by the Brewer’s [...]

January 18, 2025 // 0 Comments

Ipswich 0 Brighton 2

Brighton ended their 8 match Premier run without a win with a hard-fought but unattractive victory at Portman Road.  Brighton have been bedevilled by injuries: Igor, Danny Welbeck , James Milner and Jack Hinshelwood are still out but fortunately Joao Pedro was passed fit. The first half was [...]

January 17, 2025 // 0 Comments

The Tanner Report: West Ham 3 Fulham 2

You can lose a game because the opposition is superior or through bad luck (a deflection, an injury or a poor refereeing decision) or through sloppiness. This match was lost by sloppiness because Fulham were the better team but two grotesque defensive lapses gifted the game to the Hammers. Fulham [...]

January 15, 2025 // 0 Comments

The Tanner Report: Fulham 4 Watford 1

Reporting on this victory is secondary to commenting on the decline of the FA Cup in my lifetime. The year of my birth (1954) witnessed what many consider the greatest game ever played at Craven Cottage – a cup tie with  the holders Newcastle United which the latter won 5-4. The linesman who [...]

January 10, 2025 // 0 Comments

The Tanner Report: Fulham 2 Ipswich 2

Against Wolves, Southampton – and now Ipswich – Fulham have earned just 2 points, but 5 against Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea. We do better against the big boys. Here Ipswich, the more tenacious, deserved their draw. Before the match Pargie had called for my view. Given Fulham’s [...]

January 6, 2025 // 0 Comments

My Sporting Weekend

The Border-Gavaskar trophy between Australia and India has done much to enhance and elevate the status of Test cricket. India won the First Test in Perth – Australia levelled the series in Adelaide – and the Third Test in Brisbane was a washout draw. Australia won the Fourth Test in [...]

January 5, 2025 // 0 Comments

The Tanner Report: Fulham 2 Bournemouth 2

One of the curiosities of this successful season is that Fulham’s away form is superior to that at Craven Cottage. We have beaten Nottingham Forest and Chelsea away – and drawn at Anfield – but lately lost to Wolves at home and drew with Southampton and Bournemouth. Bournemouth are [...]

December 30, 2024 // 0 Comments

Brighton 0 Brentford 0

The Seagulls winless streak extend to 6 games amd although no reason to panic as we are ninth but nonetheless doubts must be gathering whether Fabian Hürrzeler is up to the job.  Brighton have shelled out near enough £200m on new players whom Hürzeler rotates.  Against Brentford,  Matt [...]

December 28, 2024 // 0 Comments

The Tanner Report: Chelsea 1 Fulham 2

In 1963 – on Boxing Day – Fulham beat Ipswich, who were the champions the previous year, by 10-1. 63 goals were scored in the old First Division that day, one other result being West Ham 2 Blackburn 8. Fast-forward to 1979 when Fulham last beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (2-1). I was at [...]

December 27, 2024 // 0 Comments

George Eastham (RIP)

I was truly saddened to hear of the death of George Eastham, chiefly for two reasons. Firstly, he belonged to a genre of player that no longer exists: the inside forward. They were technically very skilful, slight and did not score that many goals. Secondly, aged 18, I was watching  from behind [...]

December 23, 2024 // 0 Comments

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