Ben Mapp Journalism

In the dying embers of Wednesday afternoon’s Club World Cup clash between Manchester City and Wydad Casablanca, full-back Rico Lewis launched into a 50-50 challenge. He won the ball cleanly, but the studs-up follow-through caught Samuel Obeng in the face, and Lewis was shown a straight red card. It was the sort of tackle that once brought crowds to their feet. Now, it earns a dismissal. Lewis looked visibly stunned, and a wave of outrage followed online. Social media was full of fans stating a familiar complaint: “He won the ball.” To fans steeped in old-school football culture, it was a perfect, hard challenge – robust, brave, committed. A red card? Ludicrous. But to others, viewing through the lens of modern player welfare and officiating standards, the verdict was clear: the challenge was reckless, the follow-through dangerous, and the red card entirely justified. This wasn’t just a one-off incident; it was another flashpoint in a two-decade-long cultural clash between eras....

Tottenham Hotspur have sacked Ange Postecoglou. And in doing so, Daniel Levy has torched the club’s most hopeful chapter in years. A fractured fanbase. Protests inside and outside the ground. A disillusioned dressing room. Levy deserves everything coming his way. This is the most self-destructive move of his reign, and that’s saying something. There’s an almost comical irony to it all. Postecoglou is sacked the same week Beyoncé is selling out Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. If anything epitomises the priorities of this chairman, it’s that. Two weeks ago, Postecoglou brought Spurs their first trophy in 17 years, securing a return to the Champions League. He did it all in the face of relentless injuries, media pressure, and after losing arguably the greatest player in the club’s history a day before his first game. On May 23rd, 220,000 fans filled the streets of north London for a historic trophy parade. The most united the club had felt since the Pochettino era. Sixteen days later, he’s bee...

The women’s football pyramid has taken shape ahead of the 2025/26 season, with 12 clubs across Essex discovering their league allocations. Among the headline news is Billericay Town’s reprieve at Step 3, ensuring a fourth consecutive campaign at that level for The Blues. While there will be no Essex representation at Step 4 this season, movement elsewhere in the pyramid includes promotions for Hutton, Brentwood Town, Colchester United, Hashtag United Reserves and She Can Play Panthers, who all rise into the league structure at Step 5 or 6. Step 3 - Women's National League Southern Premier Division Essex will once again be represented by Hashtag United and Billericay Town in the third tier of women’s football, with both clubs heading into 2025/26 under new management. Billericay Town have been handed a reprieve after finishing 11 th in the FAWNL Southern Premier Division last time out. The FA confirmed the decision under Regulation 6.4, citing Blackburn Rovers’ allocation t...