In the first week of July 2005, Britain was on tenterhooks, as decision day loomed for the cities bidding to host the 2012 Olympics; two decades on, t…
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Tag: Philip Barker
SJA AGM: Best wishes and goodbyes to Barker and Green, as Palacio joins committee
The 2025 Annual General Meeting of the Sports Journalists' Association was held on Thursday 12 June; Philip Barker and James Green step down from comm…
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Football’s darkest month, 40 years ago: Remembering Birmingham, Bradford and Brussels
In May 1985, three disasters at football stadiums - St Andrew's, Valley Parade, and Heysel - resulted in the deaths of nearly 100 fans, sending shockw…
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The curious case of the Olympic presidential election
The 10th president of the International Olympic Committee will be named this week at a Session in Greece; seven candidates are in the running, includi…
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England’s new dawn under Revie is history homework for new boss Tuchel, 50 years on
As Thomas Tuchel prepares to name his first England squad on Friday, Philip Barker looks back at Don Revie's first game in charge in March 1975, a 2-0…
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Journalists frustrated by behind-closed-doors hustings for IOC presidency
Cramped conditions in media room at futuristic Olympic House limit number of journalists at hustings to just 30; those present in Lausanne could get a…
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‘World of Sport’ shook up broadcasting when it began on ITV, 60 years ago this weekend
On 2 January 1965, ITV screened 'World of Sport' for the first time, going up against 'Grandstand' on the BBC; presented by Eamonn Andrews and later b…
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How Fleet Street’s coverage of Wolves vs Honved 70 years ago helped ‘found’ UEFA Champions League
On 13 December 1954, Wolves recorded a famous victory over Honved under the lights at Molineux in front of 55,000 fans; media coverage reflecting the …
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Knighted by Spurs fans, ‘football man’ Bill Nicholson’s story is told in wonderful book
A new biography by Steve Perryman and Norman Giller provides the definitive record of a Spurs legend who won the league as a player and the Double as …
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Sports writers, Steve Ovett and Banana Surprise… the British Sports Awards on TV, 46 years ago
Ahead of the announcement of the SJA British Sports Awards 2024 winners on Sky Sports on Wednesday 20 November, SJA secretary Philip Barker looks back…
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