Jim White

Ben Maher is reflecting on his summer in Paris, where he earned his third gold medal , making him Britain's most successful ever Olympic showjumper. And he realises as he talks, it was not exactly fun at the Games.

Her social media handle was simple and direct: “@KathonReception ” it read. But Kath Phipps, who has died at the age of 85, was a lot more than simply the first face anyone saw when they arrived at Manchester United's Carrington training centre. The club's longest serving employee, with more than 55 years service, as she sat behind the desk just by the front door, greeting everyone with a kindly smile, she provided the living bridge across the eras. This was the woman who had seen it all.

Sitting in the Village Coffee Shop and Creperie felt good this sunny Monday morning. Thanks for opening up Coffee Row shops on Mondays now. We recognized our CUP reader friends enjoying their mocha coffees. This highly coffee-intelligent couple engaged us in a discussion on the difference between a latte and a cappuccino. They even asked about Don’s elevated bacon levels, as referenced in our Bacon Breakfast Burrito articles. Wow, these are our kind of people.

When Tottenham take on Rangers at Ibrox on Thursday it will stir the memories of some fierce cross-border skirmishes of the past

When Rangers host Tottenham on Thursday in the Europa League, it will be the 38th time a Scottish club have encountered English opposition in European competition. And every time, the matches have come freighted with additional meaning. National rivalries are routinely imposed on the clubs as these games become a scrap for cross-border pride, an opportunity to establish internecine supremacy, a Battle of Britain. Here are six of the best:

Sky Sports presenter Kelly Cates is set to join the BBC’s Match of the Day line-up when Gary Lineker leaves after 25 years at the helm. But the departure of the corporation’s most highly paid presenter has long been in play, says Jim White

Clare Balding gives Keely Hodgkinson the Spoty award as runner-up Luke Littler looks on - PA/David Davies

Fraser Forster gifted Manchester United a route back into their League Cup quarter-final at Spurs - Reuters/Matthew Childs

Friday 20 December 2024 11:14 EST Comments A couple of years ago, if the news had broken that Marcus Rashford wished to leave

Despite the most generous contract United has ever signed, every week and every match Rashford disappoints. Admist talk of him wanting to leave the club he dreamt about playing for since being a child, Jim White looks at how the best of times have left the footballer feeling desperately unhappy and asks what now for the boy who once had the football world at his feet…