Senior football writer @TheAthletic. Previously spent 15 years working for the Guardian & Observer newspapers

Joined June 2012
“You’ll never come across anyone that good again.” Yann Gueho was an outrageously talented French wonderkid, “better than Mbappe”, signed by Chelsea & destined for the top. Sadly, the last hat-trick he scored was in prison. This is his remarkable story. theathletic.com/3975061/2022…
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Just back from getting battered 5-0, & the postman has kindly delivered Pompey tickets. Timing, eh?! A crap away day in London (fair play to QPR). See some calls for refunds… nah, don’t agree with that. But I also don’t think today gets brushed over. Leave it there for today.
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Fair play to you, QPR. Totally outplayed us. But that’s a truly pathetic first half Swansea, and I’ve no idea why Matos has waited until half time to make changes.
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Unai Emery and Villa - what a story it’s been the last four years. Top manager and top coach. Makes teams better, makes players better. Totally unfazed by a rebuild.
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Stuart James retweeted
One last shameless plug before voting closes at midday tomorrow. I'd love to represent you on the Supporter Advisory Board and ensure the diverse voices across our fanbase are heard, listened to and acted upon. I'd be delighted if you'd consider voting for me. 🦢
Delighted to be shortlisted for the newly formed Swansea City Supporter Advisory Board! 🦢 I'd be grateful if you'd consider voting for me. Read about all the candidates here: swanseacity.com/news/voting-… Ballot papers will be emailed to eligible supporters shortly. Diolch! 🖤🤍
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“He is just the complete package.” Alex Scott is a joy to watch. Or, in the words of Pep Guardiola, an “unbelievable player”. But what makes the Bournemouth midfielder so special &, with his contract running down, where next for the ‘Guernsey Grealish’? nytimes.com/athletic/7692348…
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Shame yesterday. Concede a bad goal. Cabango huge chances. WHU threat sporadic but Vigs made top saves. Didn’t think we did quite enough to create/threaten from open play - miss a midfield spark? Ronald gave RB a good go. Love Yeo’s positivity. Still top. Great start. Onto QPR 👊
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Stuart James retweeted
Today marks 20 years since Petr Cech suffered the head injury that nearly cost him his life. A piece looking back at that game at Reading and the fallout, with @SJohnsonSport and @stujames75. 👇 nytimes.com/athletic/7686443…
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Ronald, you beautiful Brazilian Jack Bastard. All is forgiven! Talk about showing some balls… outstanding defending (include Ross Stewart in that - what a challenge). Yeo’s workrate is top. Another Vigouroux clean sheet. Magnificent win. Apologies to everyone on the street.
Heartbreak for Millwall as Ronald surely wins it for Swansea in the 90th minute 🤯
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Stuart James retweeted
Delighted to be shortlisted for the newly formed Swansea City Supporter Advisory Board! 🦢 I'd be grateful if you'd consider voting for me. Read about all the candidates here: swanseacity.com/news/voting-… Ballot papers will be emailed to eligible supporters shortly. Diolch! 🖤🤍
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Welcome to week six of The Athletic’s Premier League performance table — a ranking system that will make the Nottingham Forest head coach Oliver Glasner instantly feel better. In our performance-based take, it is a clean slate at the start of each gameweek, which means you can go from top to bottom (and vice versa) in the space of a few days (or 21 in the case of the last international break), with the 1-to-20 rankings assessed purely on how well each team played in their previous match. Gameweek six signalled the end of our love affair with Bournemouth, produced the best two-goal defeat of the season so far, and elevated Tottenham Hotspur to dizzying heights. 📝 @stujames75 🔗 nyti.ms/4zxVddt
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Kerkez or Tymon? Tymon.
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Such a good win. Three weeks without a game disrupts momentum, players been all over the world, forcing changes. Just had to find a way to get a result today - to get 3pts after being behind at HT made it more impressive. Yeo right place right time again. Fine Idah header 🦢🔝
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👏 A tribute to the striker from a bygone era 🤔 Can any team be good for a full 90 minutes? 💭 Is being able to defend an afterthought now? 🇩🇪 The joy of Pascal Gross ⚽️ A non-Big Six team of the season so far @StuJames75 has watched all 50 Premier League games this season. Here is what he's learned: nytimes.com/athletic/7674185…
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Stuart James retweeted
"People are describing that ‘you guys changed our life’. I mean, what does that mean?" A treat to sit down with Mikel Arteta and hear what goes on inside his world. On olive trees, ideas, curiosity, club culture and healing the poison in his veins nytimes.com/athletic/7668199…
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Stuart James retweeted
Exclusive: Inside #MCFC vs the Premier League 🔷 How Manchester City were hacked 🔷 The story behind the club's defence 🔷 Bitter battle to prevent disclosure 🔷 Breaches of almost £100m in a single season 🔷 True significance of Aguero's famous goal nytimes.com/athletic/7651933…
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See the moment David gets the call (about 5mins in)…
🚨 Premier League confirms Manchester City ruled guilty of every charge related to financial rule breaches across 9 seasons + majority of charges on #ManCity failure to co-operate with probe. Situation discussed w/ @JamesHorncastle @kvlmason @TheAthleticFC youtube.com/watch?v=JEyCAVlG…
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Cristiano Ronaldo is so much more than a footballer in Portugal. On the eve of the Nations League tie against Wales, the new coach Jorge Jesus described him as “a symbol of Portugal”. He remains idolised by supporters; theirs is a form of worship rather than fandom. Yet on Thursday night he had seven shots without scoring, with his own xG as high as 1.32. Strikers often say the time to be concerned is when the chances dry up; Ronaldo has nothing to worry about in that respect. But what if the chances keep being spurned? And what if you picture that same player taking those opportunities in the past? @stujames75 watches the latest instalment of Ronaldo's quest for 1,000 career goals in Lisbon. 🔗 nyti.ms/4xOv4Wd
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Motor neurone disease seems to take everything from a person. Lewis Moody takes a different view: “It also gives you everything: focus, easy decision-making, clear purpose and the ability to live life knowing your time is limited.” Free to read 👇🏼 nytimes.com/athletic/7622860…
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Thinking of Billy and his wonderful family, Lois & her family, Dabba & everyone else at Chichester City FC, Luca Hodges-Ramon, & all those affected by a tragedy that should never have been allowed to happen.
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