The Daily Mail today reports that Robinho was swanning off to Brazil whilst his new Man City teammates were getting shamed by Brighton in the Carling Cup... The Mail reckons Sparky Hughes gave his big-money signing special dispensation to leave, saying: Sportsmail understands that Robinho, 23, had been given permission by manager Mark . Click to continue reading...

We don't need no Premiership.

We don't need no Champion's League.

We've got - the Johnstone Paint Trophy competition!

This will be the first time we have ever had the opportunity to compete as it is only open to Leagues One and Two.

And of course, as we know, this is the first time EVER we have been outside the top two tiers. Click to continue reading...

I know it's only two games into the Premiership season but you can't help speculating who will be the first manager to get the big El Bow.

Alan Cubishley has to be a hot favorite. The Hammers poor start, coupled with an indifferent season last year are likely to be making him feel very insecure, whatever he says. Click to continue reading...

Manchester City are trying to land Brazilian World Cup-winner Ronaldo.City executive chairman Garry Cook revealed last week he was looking to sign a superstar.And contact has been made with the former Barcelona and Real Madrid hitman, who is now a free agent after being released by AC Milan in the summer. Click to continue reading...

Spare a thought for Sparky Hughes. The poor lad did a magnificent job managing Blackburn but having jumped into the hot seat at Manchester City, he now finds his position increasingly untenable as key decisions are being made behind his back. Hughes, despite supposedly having a say in the shape of his squad, is facing the [. Click to continue reading...

City start European campaign with solid win Sparky Hughes will be relatively happy to come away from the Faroe Islands with a win and a clean sheet. Fine goals by Martin Petrov and Dietmar Hamann - his first in more... Click to continue reading...

Relax, meaningful football is back after several long weeks Man City take on EB Streymur (of the mighty Faroe Islands) in ther first round Uefa Cup qualifier tonight. Sparky Hughes has picked his strongest squad for his first game in... Click to continue reading...

Sparky makes his first signing Mark Hughes hasn't wasted much time in strengthening Man City's sketchy forward roster. Today he unveiled Jo, signed from CSKA Moscow for a "club record" undisclosed fee. In his Moscow days, Jo looked like a... Click to continue reading...

Sparky makes his first signing Mark Hughes hasn't wasted much time in strengthening Man City's sketchy forward roster. Today he unveiled Jo, signed from CSKA Moscow for a "club record" undisclosed fee. In his Moscow days, Jo looked like a... Click to continue reading...

By JAMES CLARKStarting today, Pardew's Guardian will post an occasional feature posing 3 questions worth discussing ahead of the 2008-09 Premiership season (as its says right there on the tin). These are topics Alex, Ben and I spend summer evenings by the poolside or on the beach having a chinwag about; as loyal readers (all 14 of you now -- I've gained a few in India! Click to continue reading...

So, I've been feeling a little churlish all day, like may be the ramble below did not give Spain due credit. To be honest, I was so disappointed in Russia—who were worse today than the counterfeit Stolichnaya I drank in Moscow in 1996—that I was not sufficiently impressed by Spain. I just watched the highlights, and feel the need to make amends: la Furia was, at least a moments, great. Click to continue reading...

The managerial merry go round just spun off into bizarro world. Man City sacking Sven after a decent season was weird enough, but now they've gone and replaced him with former Blackburn boss Mark Hughes. Sure, Hughes is one of the brightest young managers in English football, and has worked wonders at Blackburn recently. Click to continue reading...