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This week’s roundup also features Noah Lyles’s record that wasn’t and the ‘Maracanazo’ on its 70th birthday
1) Football is mourning Jack Charlton, who died last week aged 85. There’s much to savour from a life, and football career, well lived. Starting with his honour-filled Leeds years, which he also discusses here with Jeff Stelling alongside Paul Reaney and Norman Hunter, including the tale of his first England call-up. His finest hour in an England shirt, of course, came in 1966. More achievements followed as a manager, at Middlesbrough, for whom key figures pay tribute here, and at Sheffield Wednesday, whom he also led to promotion.
Honorary Irish citizenship ensued after he then took the Republic to unprecedented heights, first at the 1988 European Championships – when they beat England and Ronnie Whelan scored this sensational goal against the Soviet Union – and then at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups. So you’ll be wanting Packie Bonner’s save in Genoa and Ray Houghton’s fairytale of New York then. At Italia 90, Charlton’s team also met the Pope, which he chats about to Colm Meaney here. Four years later, Ireland reached the knockout stages again though not without some losses of temper. And finally, Fathers Ted and Dougal pay their tribute. Continue reading...