Category Archives: Column

Promoted, Relegated, Gentrified: How a Club’s League Status Affects Local House Prices

In football, league tables are more than a sporting hierarchy. They are, increasingly, a proxy for something else: local economic momentum. Over the past decade, the rise and fall of clubs across the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two has coincided with something less visible - but no less measurable - than points and goal difference: the changing value of homes around their grounds. In the property market, prices reflect more than bricks and mortar - they respond…
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The Unexpected Reaction to Arsenal’s Title Push

Arsenal have lost their grip at the top of the table and now sit second, level on points with Manchester City. With just five games remaining, the title race has swung from control to uncertainty. You might expect rival fans to start warming to Arsenal’s push for the title. However, that hasn’t quite been the case. As highlighted in a recent analysis by The Guardian, many fans outside the gunners bubble remain reluctant to see them crowned champions. It raises…
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How Are We Misreading Football Head-to-Head Statistics in Today’s Game?

Pull up the Liverpool vs Arsenal h2h record and you'll find decades of data stretching back to the Victorian era. Hundreds of matches. Goals, red cards, dramatic comebacks. It feels like a goldmine for prediction. Most of it is noise. The squads that played those matches no longer exist, the managers have moved on, and the tactical landscape of English football has shifted so dramatically that comparing a 2014 fixture to a 2024 one borders on absurd. Modern football analysts,…
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Sweden at the World Cup: History, decline and a chance for redemption in 2026

It would be fair to say that Sweden’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup in North America has not met with universal approval. Sweden were woeful in qualifying, finishing bottom of their group behind Switzerland, Kosovo and Slovenia without winning a game. However, their performances in the Nations League handed them a back-door route to the World Cup via the play-offs and they have grasped the opportunity with both hands. Victories over Ukraine and Poland have fired Sweden into the…
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Before kick-off: How the FIFA World Cup 2026 field narrows to true contenders

The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada will be the most expansive international football tournament ever staged. It will be the first time three nations have hosted the event and the first to feature 48 teams. However, likely winners can be narrowed down to a handful of nations. Read on as we look at how the cream generally rises to the top in the World Cup and why that trend is expected to continue this summer.…
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World Cup 2026: Australia bidding to make a splash at the FIFA showpiece

Australia will head into the 2026 World Cup this summer bidding to at least emulate their best ever results at the FIFA showpiece. They reached the round of 16 in 2006 and 2022, and were arguably unfortunate not to make further progress after being paired with the eventual winners on each occasion. Australia are rated as 6/4 shots to make it through to the knockout phase after being drawn alongside Turkey, United States and Paraguay in Group D. Read on…
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Leeds face huge opportunity in FA Cup

Leeds United have long since been viewed as one of the biggest clubs in English football, even though their standing in the Premier League (and often below that) hasn’t always dictated success. Their glory days came many years ago and yet despite that, they continue to serve as one of the most obvious examples of what it means to have a loyal fanbase in the beautiful game. This season certainly hasn’t been the easiest for them, especially across the first…
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Staging the Champions League final could be a game-changer for Ireland

The Republic of Ireland has traditionally been an afterthought when it comes to staging major football events, but that could be about to change. Dublin’s Croke Park reportedly wants to host the UEFA Champions League final, and the ambitious bid may well come to fruition over the next few years. Staging the final would generate major economic benefits, particularly for the tourism and hospitality industry in Dublin and the surrounding region. The gambling sector would also benefit, with online betting…
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Champions League: Smart Bets for 2025/26

As we approach the summer months, football fans will be rubbing their hands together in anticipation, as there is a lot to look forward to this year. Of course, summer will see the World Cup and while all eyes will be on the home nations that have qualified, before then, there’s still a lot of footy action to wrap up. May is one of the most exciting months in the football calendar. Not only do we get to see who…
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Scottish Premiership 2025/26: Hearts, Rangers & Celtic set for epic battle

Scottish Premiership fans are in for a treat over the next few weeks, with the title race looking poised to go down to the final weekend. Rangers’ remarkable 6-3 comeback victory at Falkirk on Sunday moved them one point behind Hearts at the top of the table. Celtic are two points adrift of their Glasgow rivals. Online bookmakers rate Rangers as the favourites to claim top spot, yet predicting the winner looks as easy as forecasting the outcome in blackjack…
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