IT IS 22 years ago since one of the most under the radar but magical European nights occurred at Newcastle – and Steve Harper got an incredible memento.
Tino Asprilla’s incredible hat-trick in the 3-2 victory over Barcelona back in 1997 still takes some beating for those members of the Toon Army old enough to remember it.
However, another club famed for wearing black and white have also suffered disappointment under the lights at St. James’ – and it was packed with superstars.
Alessandro Del Piero, Lillian Thuram, Pavel Nedved, Edgar Davids and Gianluigi Buffon were all part of the Juventus side that suffered a 1-0 loss to Sir Bobby Robson’s Newcastle on this very day in 2002.
The Magpies had lost each of their opening group matches that year with a 2-0 reverse at Dynamo Kyiv, a 1-0 home setback to Feyenoord and a 2-0 defeat in Turin leaving them with a mountain to climb.
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The probability of them reaching the next round was slim – so much so that Sir Bobby opted to play back-up ‘keeper Harper in order to just give him experience.
But it turned into an evening that the Toon legend would never forget as Andy Griffin scored the only goal to secure the win.
It was a result that reignited their Champions League campaign, with following victories over Kyiv and in Feyenoord meaning they completed a remarkable turnaround to reach the next stage, where they would eventually be eliminated.
Newcastle’s former Geordie goalie coach Simon Smith, who has also worked under the likes of Ruud Gullit, Steve Bruce and Eddie Howe during his two spells at his boyhood club, still remembers the game as if it was just yesterday.
He told Sun Sport: “We thought that we were out. We hadn’t won one of our opening three games and then we had Juventus, who were packed with great players.
“But, lo and behold, we won 1-0. We then went on and beat Feyenoord to get through into the next stage.
I was earning £10,000 a week at Newcastle before I went to jail and I’d still be in the Premier League now if I’d behaved
“There was no pressure at all. It really just felt like we hadn’t done very well and we were going out and Sir Bobby changed his team.
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“I know Harps played and I think Sir Bobby just wanted to give him some experience of playing in Europe, not thinking that we’d go any further. But he kept a clean sheet.”
And Smith’s work was only just beginning once the full-time whistle had gone.
He continued: “My main memory of that night is that Harps was desperate to swap shirts with Buffon.
“He gave me his shirt to go and swap and I had to go and stand outside of their changing room and ask their staff if Buffon would exchange his shirt after they had just lost.
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“To be fair to him, he came out and it was a real classic pink and black goalie shirt, and he swapped it for Harps’ blue Newcastle one. A quite remarkable night really.”
Smith enjoyed plenty of memorable moments sat in the dug-out at St. James’ – two of which came when the ground was being redeveloped into the huge arena it is now.
He said: “I’ve had two really magical experiences of the place that will always stand out. One was when they built the new stands with the top on.
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“We had an afternoon out, just before it was finished, and went right to the top and looked down and we all just thought ‘oh my, this is unbelievable’.
“Then they arranged for me to take Shay Given and Steve Harper to test out the floodlights when nobody else was there.
“We pitched up at St. James’ one night, just the three of us, to have a kickaround and they switched all of the lights on and it was all to make sure that the new lights would not be shining in the eyes of the goalies.
“So we did corners, free-kicks etc to make sure that the lights were on the right angle and it was totally unbelievable to be there, just the three of us with no crowd. That was very special.
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“The other special day was after Sir Bobby’s death and the tribute at the Leazes end with the scarves, flags – that was totally unbelievable.”
The game finished 2-1 and Hartson explained the post-match scene in the dressing room.
“After the game, all the lads are delighted,” he continued. “We’ve got into a Scottish Cup final. Really tough game. It was windy, the pitch wasn’t great.
“I’m just sitting there like a spoiled kid, still disappointed with coming off you know? It’s all, ‘well done, lads, great finish and all’. We’re in a final, in something to look forward to at the end of May.
“Martin has gone, ‘John’, the room’s just gone silent. ‘What’s the matter with you’? And I said, ‘look’, I said, ‘why did you bring me off’? He said, ‘look son, every now and again’, he said, ‘you’ve got to run around a little bit. And in the 72nd minute, John, you just weren’t moving. So I brought you off.”
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O’Neill’s assistant John Robertson was in close proximity.
“Martin’s come towards me and I’ve stood up,” Hartson recalled. “There was never, ever going to be a reaction from me, a physical reaction. He said to John not to sort of hold him back, Martin says that, but from my point of view, nothing was going to happen.
“I stood up just to, like almost, you know, overpower him. There was a sense of, because of that, the whole night became subdued. I spoiled the night. Typical, being completely like a spoiled brat.
“And managers I always feel now, even though I played for loads of managers, I always feel the manager is always right. Whatever decision the manager makes. Looking back, I think he was right.”
The UFC 308 media day will feature the entire main card from Saturday’s UFC event at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
In the main event, UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria will put his belt on the line against former UFC champion Max Holloway. Khamzat Chimaev will make his long-awaited return against Robert Whittaker in the co-main event.
Check out the tentative schedule below for UFC 308 media day:
Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, has died. He was 63.
The team said he died Tuesday night at a Los Angeles hospital, but did not provide the cause or other details.
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His death comes as the Dodgers prepare to open the World Series on Friday night at home against the New York Yankees.
Valenzuela had left his color commentator job on the Dodgers’ Spanish-language television broadcast in September without explanation. He was reported to have been hospitalized earlier this month. His job kept him as a regular at Dodger Stadium, where he held court in the press box dining room before games and remained popular with fans who sought him out for photos and autographs.
Valenzuela was one of the most dominant players of his era and a wildly popular figure in the 1980s, although he was never elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. However, he is part of Cooperstown, which features several artifacts including a signed ball from his no-hitter in 1990.
This is a developing story.
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India’s medal prospects at the 2026 Commonwealth Games were dealt a major blow, as key disciplines such as shooting, wrestling, badminton, hockey and cricket were removed from the Games in Glasgow.
In the updated roster released by the host city, only 10 disciplines were listed to cut costs. Among the other sports disciplines axed are table tennis, squash and triathlon.
The listed events are: athletics and para athletics (track & field), swimming and para swimming, artistic gymnastics, track cycling and para track cycling, netball, weightlifting and para powerlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and para bowls, and 3×3 basketball and 3×3 wheelchair basketball.
The Commonwealth Games will return to the Scottish city for the 23rd edition, from July 23 to August 2. Glasgow last hosted the Games in 2014.
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Why have these sports disciplines been dropped?
Though not officially stated, the roster has been pruned to make the tournament budget-friendly. Only four venues “within an eight-mile corridor” will be hosting the CWG 2026 to manage the logistics—Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Emirates Arena (including the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome), and the Scottish Event Campus.
This edition will have nine fewer events compared to the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Apart from cost-cutting, another reason for the axing of hockey could be that the Games are being held just around two weeks ahead of the hockey World Cup from August 15 to 30 in Wavre, Belgium and Amstelveen, Netherlands.
Why is the CWG 2026 updated roster a setback for India?
The axing of disciplines like shooting, wrestling, badminton, hockey and cricket is a major blow for India’s medal prospects, as Indian athletes have won bulk of their medals in these disciplines in the past Games (cricket is an exception, but given India’s dominance in the sport, the country was expected to make the podium. Indian women’s team won the silver in 2022).
India were fourth in the medals tally four years ago in Birmingham, winning 61 medals, including 22 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze. Of these, 12 medals came in wrestling and six in badminton. Wrestling, in fact, has been India’s strengths, bringing 114 medals in all, including 49 gold, 39 silver, and 26 bronze.
In shooting, India has won 135 medals, which includes 63 gold, 44 silver, and 28 bronze. Shooting was not part of the roster at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, too, because of logistical reasons.
In hockey, the Indian men’s team has won three silver and two bronze, while the women have won three medals, including a gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
In badminton, India has won 31 medals—10 gold, eight silver, and 13 bronze.
MANCHESTER UNITED have contacted former Barcelona boss Xavi over potentially replacing Erik ten Hag, according to reports.
The 44-year-old has been out of work since leaving Barca at the end of last season.
Ten Hag, 54, has come under intense scrutiny so far this season.
Following the Red Devils’ 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham last month, the Dutchman’s United future appeared to be in severe doubt.
They have since drawn away matches at Porto and Aston Villa, before coming from behind to beat Brentford at Old Trafford last Saturday.
According to the Mail, United chiefs have identified Xavi as a possible Ten Hag replacement.
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They claim that contact has twice been made between United and Xavi via intermediaries in recent months.
Man Utd CEO Omar Berrada jetted out to Barcelona last Thursday for meetings as part of a four-man delegation.
Figures within United claim that several meetings have taken place in the Catalan city recently due to Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s Ineos taking part in sailings America’s Cup there.
Xavi began his managerial career with Qatari side Al-Sadd in 2019.
After winning a league title and six domestic trophies, the former midfielder was appointed Barca boss in 2021.
Amid financial turmoil off the pitch, Xavi guided the Blaugrana to a LaLiga title during the 2022-23 season, also winning the Spanish Supercup in 2023.
Following a 5-3 defeat to Villarreal in January, Xavi announced that he would be stepping down as boss at the end of the season.
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In April he had a change of heart, however, saying he would fulfil his contract, which had been set to run until 2025.
But the following month, the club legend was sacked by club president Joan Laporta.
Both have subsequently been ruled out of contention, however, with Tuchel accepting the England job and Southgate vowing that he won’t coach for 12 months.
The latter, however, is also being strongly linked with Manchester City, should Pep Guardiola leave the Etihad at the end of the season.
Nine managers Man Utd considered before keeping Erik ten Hag
ERIK TEN HAG appears to be safe as Man Utd manager, but the Dutchman edged dangerously close to the sack.
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Here are nine managers Red Devils chiefs are reported to have considered for the job and what allegedly happened with each.
Gareth Southgate
Enjoys plenty of support among Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos chiefs but made clear he wouldn’t talk to any clubs until after Euro 2024. There is yet to be any suggestion that contact was made with the England boss.
Kieran McKenna
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Talks were opened with McKenna’s representatives before the FA Cup final, but the former Man Utd coach opted to sign a new deal with Ipswich after Ten Hag’s Wembley win.
Roberto De Zerbi
Allegedly sounded out before the FA Cup final with salary expectations discussed. But Ineos chiefs concluded ex-Brighton boss was not the right fit for the project.
Thomas Frank
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Brentford boss met Man Utd representatives the day before the FA Cup final. The Dane also dined with Ratcliffe, Roy Hodgson and Frank Lampard at the launch of a new Ineos car in February.
Marco Silva
Fulham boss reportedly met Man Utd representatives face-to-face two days before the FA Cup final, around the same time as Ten Hag was conducting his press conference.
Mauricio Pochettino
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Fell out of Man Utd’s thinking in the first week of June, despite being a favourite of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Thomas Tuchel
Made a very strong impression and came across well during a Monaco meeting. Personal terms were discussed before the ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss decided to step back from the process.
Ruben Amorim
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Sporting boss was discussed by the Man Utd hierarchy but did not make the final reckoning.
Roberto Martinez
Portugal manager was considered in the early stages.
The four-man crew finished sixth in the Beijing Olympics in 2022, which was the best result of all the Team GB skeleton and bobsleigh teams who endured a tough Games.
When he first joined the squad they were not funded, but bobsleigh did subsequently receive £1.5m from UK Sport before Beijing. For the Milan 2026 cycle, bobsleigh has been awarded £2.8m after a £900,000 uplift in August 2023.
To put it into context, the powerhouse Germany teams spend £2m a year on research and development alone.
“We do the best with what we have,” Lawrence said.
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“The extra UK Sport funding has allowed us to look at different R&D bits, new two-man and four-man sleds, different aero parts etc.
“That costs a lot of money, but when you’re in a sport that is won by hundredths of a second, it’s all those little bits that help.”
The season following the Beijing Games was British bobsleigh’s most successful non-Olympic year, but the start of Lawrence’s 2023-24 campaign was delayed after Hall had back surgery. On his return, the four-man team carried on where they had left off with a podium in Lillehammer.
They are currently in Norway training before the season starts in Altenberg, Germany in December. The countdown is firmly on to the 2026 Winter Olympics.
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The track in Cortina is still being constructed, which Lawrence said will pose a new challenge for the teams.
“The main thing will be who gets to grips with the track the quickest,” he explained.
But he is bullish about Team GB’s medal chances as they aim for a first bobsleigh gold since 1964.
“Obviously we want gold, but we will be looking for an Olympic medal,” said Lawrence.
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“Anything less than that and we’ll come away disappointed because we know how good we are.
“We’re competing against the same people day in and day out from the World Cup circuit so we know we can beat them. It’s just having those stars aligned.”
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