CHELSEA'S FIRST GOALKEEPER: TJE LEGEND OF WILLIAM "FATTU" FOULKE

⚽ Chelsea’s First Goalkeeper: The Legend of William “Fatty” Foulke 🧤💙

Did you know Chelsea’s very first goalkeeper was a man so big, so commanding, that fans came to Stamford Bridge just to see him? 🤯

Meet William “Fatty” Foulke — standing 6’4” tall and weighing over 22 stone, he was Chelsea’s first crowd-pulling superstar in the club’s inaugural 1905 season.

Before joining the Blues, Foulke was already a decorated champion 🏆, spending 11 seasons at Sheffield United, where he won two FA Cups and a League title, plus earning an England cap.

Chelsea signed him for just £50 to be their headline act, and he didn’t disappoint. On his debut, he saved a penalty in Chelsea’s first ever competitive game! 🔥 In his one season, he played 35 games and conceded only 28 goals.

But perhaps his biggest legacy? Foulke is credited with the invention of the ball boy 👦⚽. Two small boys were stationed behind his goal to collect stray balls and return them quickly, saving him energy — a practice that still exists today.

After leaving Chelsea, he played for Bradford City, before passing away in 1916 at just 42. 🙏

William Foulke wasn’t just a goalkeeper — he was a giant pioneer who helped shape Chelsea’s earliest days. 💙🧤

#abracadabrasports #chelseastories #Chelsea #sports

- Abracadabra Sports

RUBÉN SELLÉS | SHEFFIELD UNUTED 0-1 MILLWALL | MATCH REACTION

 

SHEFFIELD UNITED'S PLAYERS TAKE STEPS TO ARREST FROM SLUMP AMID ",INSANE" LEEDS UNITED, BURNLEY PROMOTION FIGHT

His side may travel to Plymouth Argyle tomorrow on the back of successive defeats at a crucial stage of the promotion race, but Chris Wilder remains adamant that Sheffield United’s season is not over just yet. Tuesday night’s home loss to Millwall saw the Blades drop out of the automatic promotion places with just five games of the regular campaign still to go.

Just two points separate United from the top two, Leeds United and Burnley, with the Blades still to visit Turf Moor on Easter Monday in a clash that is growing in importance by the week. For so long the hunted, United have become the hunters on the final straight of the promotion race but United’s mentality has not changed too much, with their players calling a private meeting this week in a bid to arrest their mini-slump in form.

“I should imagine there'll have been the same situations at all three clubs battling it out,” said Wilder of the pressure of a promotion bid. “We've all had to deal with that. We [all three managers] have all had success personally but it's a new group for me and for Scott [Parker], while Dan's [Daniel Farke] had a season with Leeds United as well.

“We're all in the same situation, with the twists and turns. So keeping calm is important. But for all three clubs to be on 85 points - and I'm not trying to be clever about this now, I'm going on wins and points - at this stage of the season is insane, really, with five games to go.

“We all have the opportunity to win 100 points [although United can only theoretically finish on 98 with their minus-two point deduction]. The points tally is incredible and all have had to do a lot of things right.

“The tally we've got is an incredible achievement. I can't do anything about the narrative and the noise, as we talk about it, from social media and saying ‘We haven't done this and that.’ We own the last two defeats. But we own the 26 wins and the 85 points as well.”

Wilder was delighted to see his players take ownership of the situation earlier this week. “The players had a team meeting yesterday which I’m all over because it shows they're taking responsibility. That isn't me distancing from them, but they're so desperate. The players in this situation need to be as cold as ever ... that's what the best players do.”

- Danny Hall

LI TIE; EX-EVERTON PLAYER AND CHINESE COACH JAILED FOR BRIBERY

Li Tie, who coached the Chinese men's national team between 2020 and 2021, has been jailed for 20 years for bribery. Zhizhao Wu/Getty Images

The former coach of the Chinese men's national football team has received a 20-year-prison sentence for bribery, Chinese state media reported on Friday.

Li Tie, who once played in the Premier League as a midfielder for Everton, was found guilty of "leveraging his positions" as head coach of the national football and national selection team to receive bribes of more than 50 million yuan (£5.4 million), by a court in the city of Xianning in the central Hubei province.

In exchange for bribes, the court said, Li would select certain individuals for the national team as well as help clubs win competitions and sign players.

Li coached the Chinese men's team between January 2020 and December 2021. He was also charged with taking bribes between 2015 and 2019, when he worked for clubs Hebei China Fortune and Wuhan Zall.

The investigation into Li's conduct began in November 2022 and he pleaded guilty to bribery and corruption in March of this year.

The 47-year-old apologised for his offences in an anti-corruption documentary aired by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV in January.

"I'm very sorry. I should have kept my head to the ground and followed the right path," Li said. "There were certain things that at the time were common practices in football."

Li played in England for Everton from 2002 to 2006 and with Sheffield United from 2006 to 2008, making 34 appearances in the Premier League along the way.

His sentencing is the latest in a series of high-profile cases involving Chinese football, with President XI Jinping cracking down on corruption.

In March, the former president of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), Chen Xuyuan, was sentenced to life in prison for bribery. Earlier this week, three other CFA officials received prison sentences for bribery, according to state media.

- Associated Press

GREECE GAVE 'SOUL' FOR BALDOCK IN HISTORIC WIN OVER ENGLAND

Greece's two-goal hero Vangelis Pavlidis paid an emotional tribute to George Baldock after his side's 2-1 Nations League victory over England at Wembley on Thursday.

British-born Greek international Baldock, who joined Panathinaikos from Sheffield United in May, died this week aged 31 after being found in a swimming pool at his Glyfada home.

The Wembley crowd observed a minute of silence before kickoff and Greece's players looked flat at the final whistle despite sealing their first-ever win against England.

During their celebrations they lifted a shirt bearing the name of Baldock.

"It was a very special day and match for us. Our thoughts are with George," Pavlidis said.

"We are professionals and had to play the match. We gave our soul for him tonight. Today is not a day to talk about football. He was part of our team. We will miss him very much.

"Also to wish strength to his family and not talk about football. The whole day was numb. We won tonight and don't want to celebrate. There are just no words."

Baldock, who was of Greek ancestry, was capped 12 times for the country, his last appearance coming in March.

Greece manager Ivan Jovanovic praised his team's spirit, saying they had been inspired to play in Baldock's memory.

"At such moments football comes second," he said. "The time he was with the team he made his mark and that was visible in the way the players played today."

- Reuters 

BRITISH-BORN GREECE DEFENDER GEORGE BALDOCK DIES AT AGE 31

The body of British-born Panathinaikos and Greece defender George Baldock was found on Wednesday in a swimming pool at his home in the southern Athens suburb of Glyfada, police sources said.

The cause of death remained unknown.

Police tried cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the 31-year-old former Premier League player but could not revive him,a police official said.

The time of death was put at 10pm (1900 GMT).

Baldock, who was of Greek ancestry and was capped 12 times for the country, joined Panathinaikos in May from Sheffield United after the English side were relegated from the top flight.

He also played for lower league sides MK Dons and Oxford United.

Sheffield United said they were shocked and extremely saddened by the death of a popular player who spent seven years at Bramall Lane, with other English clubs sending their condolences.

Baldock made four appearances for Panathinaikos, including a 0-0 draw with local rivals Olympiakos at the weekend, but had not been selected for Greece's Nations League squad for a game against England at Wembley on Thursday.

England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, a former Sheffield United player, posted a photograph of Baldock on Instagram with a broken heart emoji and RIP.

"With deep sadness and pain, the national team and the Hellenic Football Federation say goodbye to George Baldock," the Greek team said on Facebook.

"There are no words to describe the human pain caused by the news of the untimely loss of one of our young people. The moment calls for silence. Condolences to his family. Condolences from his second family. Goodbye."

-  Reuters 

NEW PREMIER LEAGUE RECORD SET FOR MORE GOALS IN A SEASON

Arsenal have been the highest scoring team in the Premier League this year. Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

 The Premier League record for most goals scored in a 20-team season was broken on Wednesday night.

Last season's tally of 1084 goals had been the previous record and Harry Maguire's equaliser against Sheffield United took this season's total past that mark.

After Wednesday's action, there have been 1092 goals scored in 335 games this season, with 45 more still left to play.

The average goals scored per game this season has been 3.26 and if this scoring rate is maintained, 1329 goals will be scored by the the time the season finishes in May.

Arsenal have been the highest scoring team in the league this season with 82 goals, while bottom side Sheffield United have shipped the most with 92.

Manchester City's Erling Haaland and Chelsea's Cole Palmer are tied in the race for the Golden Boot with 20 goals each.

- ESPN

MANCHESTER UNITED COMEBACK TO BEAT SHEFFIELD UNITED

 

MARTIN ØDEGAARD VS. SHEFFIELD UNITED

 

SHEFFIELD UNITED 0-5 ASTON VILLA | POST MATCH ANALYSIS

ASTON VILLA VS. SHEFFIELD UNITED | 5-0 | POST MATCH ANALYSIS

 

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES | SUNDAY 21 JANUARY 2024

 

MANCHESTER CITY VS. SHEFFIELD UNITED | 2-0 | POST MATCH ANALYSIS

ASTON VILLA 1-1 SHEFFIELD UNITED | POST MATCH ANALYSIS

 

MOTD | CHELSEA 2-1 SHEFFIELD UNITED | POST MATCH ANALYSIS

LIVERPOOL 2-0 SHEFFIELD UNITED | POST MATCH ANALYSIS

BURNLEY DESTROYED SHEFFIELD UNITED 5-0

 

MARCUS TAVERNIER STATS VS. SHEFF UTD

 

ARSENAL 5-0 SHEFFIELD UNITED | POST MATCH ANALYSIS

NKETIAH HAT-TRICK FIRES ARSENAL TO A 5-0 ROUT OF SHEFFIELD UNITED

Reuters 

Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah ended his scoring drought in stunning fashion with a hat-trick in his side's 5-0 home thrashing of hapless Sheffield United in the Premier League on Saturday.

The 24-year-old, who made his full England debut this month, had not scored for the Gunners since August and had recently lost his place in the starting line-up.