Wow, what a year. We’ve covered five World Cups, watched England win Euro 2022 and interviewed the likes of Clive Tyldesley, Michael Beale, Tyson Fury and Kevin Sinfield.
Here’s a run down of our most popular articles:
Already Condemned As A Disaster, The World Cup Might Never Get Off The Ground
Our man on the ground in Qatar was Andrew Dillon, and his very first piece filed from the World Cup went down well across our social media channels.
It should be the perfect setting as the centre stage of the biggest football tournament on the planet. Thirty two nations coming together and the greatest players in the world from Europe and South America rubbing shoulders with the no-hopers from elsewhere and everybody has a cracking time.
Yet there is a distinct feeling that no matter what happens on the heavily irrigated pitches raised out of the desert between now and December 18, this World Cup is already condemned as a disaster.
Wrong place, wrong time and no matter what Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe or Harry Kane do over the next month, Qatar 2022 is just something to get over and done with.
Stephen Maguire Calls For Sackings In ‘Upside Down Tables’ Rant
Stephen Maguire angrily calling for heads to roll over the ‘upside down’ tables at the Betfred World Championship qualifiers kept you all extremely engaged.
“How can the black spot be where the crowd is? That has never happened since I have been a pro, 20 years. All of a sudden you are shooting into the crowd around the black.
“So any sort of movement in the crowd…it was alien out there. Whoever’s idea that was to change the tables about needs to be sacked – it’s that simple.
Brandon Williams Praises The Leadership And Professionalism Of Harry Maguire
We bumped into Manchester United defender Brandom Williams at a boxing event, and he spoke to us about Harry Maguire, Cristiano Ronaldo and the changing room atmosphere.
“Harry [Maguire] will go into training a hundred percent every day. Harry will give, whether he’s starting the game, whether he’s not starting the game, one hundred per cent.
“We don't care about the outside world because the only thing that matters is the opinions on the inside. The opinions on the inside are the most important.
“If you're doing well in training, who’s some little idiot sat on Twitter that’s going to tell you that you shouldn't be starting a game. Who is he? I genuinely don't get it. Harry is a top fella. Top captain and top player.”
'Us And Them': Clive Tyldesley On His Invincible Year With Gerrard & Rangers
Legendary football commentator Clive Tyldesley did some work at Rangers during Covid when the club won a historic 55th league title, and he told us all about his experience in Glasgow.
“At the start of 2020, I had just been given the news by ITV that in the summer of that year they no longer required me to be their England senior commentator. They had found somebody younger, okay, a matter of opinion, I didn't like it but you have got to accept it.
“What it meant is that I was freelance and looking for work. Rangers TV asked me if I would go and commentate for them. I was really skeptical. I didn't like the idea of commentating for a club.
“We've talked about your affiliations and being neutral and being editorially strong, and I didn't really like the idea of being in the pay of a football club to call their games.”
QPR Boss Michael Beale On Carlo Ancelotti, Steven Gerrard And Gambling On Trent
One of our most read interviews of the year involved now Rangers, and then QPR boss, Michael Beale. Our very own Simon Lillicrap asked him about his time working with Steven Gerrard at Ibrox, Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea and a young Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool.
“I made a sportsman's bet with the education welfare officer at the time that I felt Trent would make the first team. It was just a hunch, he looked different to the other players I was watching that day through the age groups, and he was a person that I was really privileged to work quite closely with before he became a professional, and his family network around him have been hugely supportive of him.
“His mum Dianne, she is a diamond, she is a person that I really like. I remember when I was leaving Liverpool she came to the training ground with a big bag full of gifts for me. It is a family that I'm so pleased for, not just the boy, but the whole family.”
Fed-up Judd Trump: 'I May Take A Break Like Ronnie O'Sullivan'
Our snooker expert Hector Nunns’ April piece on Judd Trump hinting at a break from snooker was a popular read this year - just one of a few big-hitting snooker pieces.
Judd Trump has sensationally revealed that he is considering taking an extended break from snooker next season.
A mentally drained Juddernaut admits that he is not enjoying the game – and that even the looming Betfred World Championship feels like a chore.
The former world champion enjoyed spectacular success for three seasons in a row that brought him 14 ranking titles and a Masters crown. By most players’ standards the current season, yielding wins for the 32-year-old at the Champions of Champions and the Turkish Masters, would be an excellent return.
But for world No3 Trump, whose long-time excellent level of play has dipped this term, his own relative loss of form and a stop-start calendar with gaps have been a real challenge.
Judd Trump Blasts Ronnie O'Sullivan For Comments Made Over Women's Prize Money
Another snooker headline with Judd Trump and Ronnie O’Sullivan - another big hit with our audience. This time an extremely controversial topic to discuss…
Judd Trump has told Ronnie O’Sullivan to “put his money where his mouth is” to escalate the row over women’s prize money.
Both the Juddernaut and the Rocket took part in the world mixed doubles last weekend featuring the top four ranked men and women players. And afterwards reigning and record seven-time world champion Sullivan, 46, blasted World Snooker Tour bosses over the far lower level of financial reward on the women’s circuit.
The Short-Changed SPFL Might Be About To Get The Review It Needs
This one took Scottish football Twitter by storm. In September, the SPFL commissioned Deloitte to conduct an independent review into how to increase revenues, and Graham Semple’s piece hit the nail on the head.
The commercial revenue of the Scottish Premiership has rarely flickered above mediocre, and the lack of finance is a constant source of friction between irate clubs and the governing body. The current Sky television deal is worth £125 million to the SPFL over five years - considerably less than the revenue generated in comparable leagues in Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
Consensus rarely exists in Scottish football, but there has been a unified push from clubs to formulate a strategy to uncork the potential of a floundering league. In September, the SPFL commissioned Deloitte to conduct an independent review into how to increase revenues - and the findings will be released during the summer.
Judd Trump Takes Pot Shot At Rival Ronnie O’Sullivan Over 147 Handshake Snub
And that’s the Trump-O’Sullivan hat-trick!
Judd Trump has criticised Champion of Champions winner Ronnie O’Sullivan for failing to acknowledge his superb 147 in the final.
And the Juddernaut, who did not win a penny for his maximum under the event rules, also insists that there should be a minimum prize of £10,000 for the feat.
The Top Five Rated Players For Each Premier League Club In FIFA 23
September saw many of you jump on the FIFA 23 hype, so we took the opportunity to pick out the best players at each club, by game rating.
The final installment of EA Sports’ FIFA franchise, FIFA 23, is just a couple of weeks away from dropping and fans are desperate to find out who the highest-rated players are in the game as well as for the clubs they support.
In celebration of the release of this year's ratings, we pulled together a list of the top five players for each Premier League club.
