Matt Lawton
@Lawton_Times
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Chief Sports Correspondent, The Times. Views mine etc.
Out and about
Joined June 2010
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Last Seen Profiles
New Coronavirus minister
“Put your hands away you f**king idiots”
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Telecommunications company Three has asked Chelsea to remove their branding from their shirts immediately, having now suspended their sponsorship deal with the club. There’s a kit man in Norwich now heading down to Sports Direct to buy 20 plain blue football tops.
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Understand Match of the Day commentators may also boycott tomorrow’s show. Talks taking place with union reps. More to follow
@thetimes
shortly.
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EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea facing financial ruin as bank accounts frozen after Roman Abramovich sanctions. Story with
@Steven_Swinford
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Indian ex-pats waiting to greet England at their team hotel. ‘It’s coming home’ and ‘Southgate is our super coach’.
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Just six positive Covid-19 tests from three clubs as a result of 748 tests across the Premier League
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Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk to be crowned PFA Players’ Player of the Year | Daily Mail Online
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BREAKING: Chelsea have withdrawn their request to have their FA Cup tie at Middlesbrough played behind closed doors. As PR own goals go…
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Being told majority of clubs now pulling out. Atlético and Barca also backing out. City, as reported. Americans clinging on according to one source but for how long?
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EXCLUSIVE: Gary Neville invited by Man United to help regenerate Old Trafford and surrounding area. Will be part of a newly-appointed special committee.
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Chelsea sale hits snag over fears Roman Abramovich wants £1.6bn loan repaid
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Horrible news about Raheem Sterling. His home was raided by armed invaders while his partner and young children were in the house on Saturday night.
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John Barnes talking sense as usual on
@bbc5live
this morning. He needs a bigger role in the conversation about discrimination. I also think he’d make a brilliant PFA chairman.
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Patrice Evra: I was ashamed to admit I was sexually abused – but I don’t want other kids to feel that way
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Sheikh Jassim will withdraw from the process if his fifth and final offer for Manchester United is not accepted by Friday. That reads to me like they fear Ratcliffe/Ineos have won and they’re walking away on their own terms. That said, nothing is signed yet.
Manchester United takeover: Qataris table last-ditch bid for club
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Jim Ratcliffe closing in on Manchester United takeover. Latest on a long-running saga with
@DickinsonTimes
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NEW: Telecommunications company Three confirm to
@TimesSport
that their £40million a year sponsorship deal with Chelsea is now ‘under review’. More sponsors likely to follow.
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Less than 36 hours after Nike closed down the Oregon Project after their coach was banned for breaking anti-doping rules, everyone is celebrating a sub 2 hour marathon run in special shoes designed by the same people. The world moves on as fast as Eliud Kipchoge can run.
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Qatari bid for Manchester United is in. Just over £5billion with a pledge to remove all debt and make considerable investment into club’s infrastructure. Updated to follow.
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The 15 month doping ban aside, obviously
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BREAKING: Robbie Keane joining Sam Allardyce and Karl Robinson at Leeds United. Contracts have been signed in the last hour. More on
@TimesSport
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Just heard Danny Rose on BBC praising Jordan Henderson for the effort he’s making to organise a PL players fund for the NHS. He doesn’t want the credit but these ideas have to start somewhere.
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Brilliant work there from BT Sport interviewer. Got the story. Hazard says it’s goodbye.
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Manchester United takeover: Preferred bidder to be named this week
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Not sure I agree with ministers starting to question whether elite football should continue. I think the game, with the exception of a few idiots, has shown it can operate in these difficult circumstances. Right now it’s a major positive for people to have some live sport.
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Newcastle agree £25m-a-year shirt sponsorship with Middle East company
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Pretty sure this was an altercation with me, I’m guessing during the treble season when Giggs was struggling with his hamstrings. Had a few moments like this. Some worse. Quite the education for a young reporter but a fascinating time to cover him and his team.
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REVEALED: Sky pundit Matthew Macklin stopped from boarding flight to US due to Kinahan links
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Declan Rice: Arsenal make £80m midfielder top summer target
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Hearing tonight that Todd Boehly-led consortium are on the shortlist to buy Chelsea. More on
@TimesSport
shortly.
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NEW: Chelsea to hold talks with the government this afternoon in a bid to secure amendments to licence. Concern that restrictions on things like ticket sales will propel the club towards financial ruin. More to follow on
@TimesSport
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Manchester United’s bankers have set a deadline of April 28 for what will be third and final bids.
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Exclusive: Henderson organising Premier League coronavirus fund for NHS. Story with
@_pauljoyce
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Bizarre development with Manchester United sale. Both Qatari and Ineos representatives said their bids were in. But United sources saying they haven’t yet bid and have asked for an extension. Now saying offers will be made tomorrow.
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Saudi takeover of Newcastle United likely to be agreed in next 24 hours. PL approval secured. Truce with Bein Sports - and end of piracy issues - a consequence of deal getting green light. Story with
@martynziegler
and
@mhardysport
here
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Exclusive
@TimesSport
investigation: Revealed: Spurs and Defoe appeared to break agent rules – but FA did nothing.
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BREAKING: Match of the Day will be limited to a fraction over 20 minutes tonight. Extraordinary.
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A lovely Christmassy chat with
@msmith850
, the TV presenter who works as a delivery driver for Tesco when he’s not hosting the
@btsport
Ashes coverage
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Punchy open letter to Derby County’s administrators from the Middlesbrough chairman, Steve Gibson
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How good is Monday Night Football on Sky Sports this evening? Bloody brilliant
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Karius concussion story makes a fair bit of sense to me. The mistakes were freakishly bad after all. To say Ramos had an impact in that game would be something of an understatement.
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Am I missing something or did the winner of the Ballon d’Or receive a suspended prison sentence in the same season for blackmailing a team-mate over a sex tape? I guess it’s not relevant.
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Chelsea takeover: New owners back Thomas Tuchel with £200m for new signings
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Am told United v Leeds as well as Chelsea v Liverpool will be off this Sunday
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The new Olympic 100m champion, Marcell Jacobs, broke 10 seconds for the first time in May. Came here and ran 9.84 in the semi and 9.80 to win. Ah well.
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EXCLUSIVE: Women athletes launch landmark case against transgender inclusion
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Latest in the Manchester United sale saga. Qataris back in with an improved offer. Submitted earlier today.
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Today, after 18 thoroughly enjoyable years, was my last at the Daily Mail. Really has been a blast and I’d like to say thank you to some great friends and colleagues. From Monday I’ll be at The Times. Twitter account name will change when I can work out how to do it.
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Southgate has just come back out to thank the supporters. Class
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Roy Hodgson set to return to Crystal Palace until the end of the season. Story to follow on
@TimesSport
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Alternatively you can buy a paper (and read it over a coffee)
The Sunday Times investigation into the government's catastrophic handling of the coronavirus is one of the most important things you've read.
It's behind a paywall, so here's a thread with the key points. Make sure everyone sees it.
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Senior United sources maintain deal for Lukaku 'agreed'. Clearly a bit of semantics when it comes to what two clubs are briefing.
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Personally think Phil Neville represents an exciting appointment for the
@Lionesses
. And a great opportunity for him. Wish them all the best
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Am told Benn-Eubank fight is off. Lawyers have been in High Court seeking an injunction.
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Nah, it's doping
Coe: "the biggest challenge in our sport is not doping - it is remaining relevant to young people, & finding partners that recognise that"
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Jim Ratcliffe faces rejection over public funds for new stadium. Quite right
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Exclusive: FA chairman Greg Clarke fears season won’t be completed.
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Actually have some sympathy for our footballers tonight. If the clubs need their help I think they’ll get it. But it’s the actions of certain club chairmen and poor leadership at the PFA that has suddenly exposed them to this criticism.
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I think the FIA made the right call in race time. Nobody wanted to see the finale end with the drivers following the safety car. What we got was far more exciting.
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Exactly. Southgate is the best thing that has happened to the England men’s team in decades. These games mean nothing, other than something he can learn from. All that matters is the next tournament, and he’s proved quite good at those. Booing him is moronic.
England have very good team and an outstanding manager - players need a rest!!
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Manchester City belong with great Ajax and AC Milan sides
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Why do we need newspapers? At the weekend our newspapers revealed that the owners of the ExCel were charging the NHS and Scotland’s chief medical officer was visiting her second home. So, please, keep buying papers.
#buyapaper
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Manchester United takeover: Qataris table last-ditch bid for club
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Al Bayt stadium now about a third empty. Lots of Qatari fans didn’t return after half-time. Perhaps want to avoid more traffic chaos - it was bad coming here - or they’re not that interested in watching a poor national team.
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Man United takeover: Sir Jim Ratcliffe will control football operations
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Premier League’s credibility is being eroded case by case
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Kane might not have scored yet but his delivery at this World Cup has been so, so good
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Qataris to make improved offer for United worth more than £5bn
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Article
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This guy in the Press box last night. Hurled abuse at England fans when Italy equalised, was abusive towards reporters when we asked him to sit down and responded to the victory on penalties with more of the same. Oh and the shirt. No surprise stadium staff asked him to leave.
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So every Team GB track rider who has competed here in Rio has now won a medal. Amazing
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Absolute pleasure to interview this guy this afternoon...
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Tom Pidcock. Not since Rocky has someone looked so good running up steps.
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Lukaku deal to United done. 75m. Morata pursuit aborted.
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@TimesSport
has seen letter from Richard Masters to PL clubs calling on big 6 to ‘walk way immediately before irreparable damage is done’. Also makes clear joining ESL would be a breach of PL rules and will not be approved by the board. Basically they’d have to quit PL.
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Is Solskjær so ridiculous? If the manager you want is currently employed by another club, who do you expect to get for five months?
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Guessing this means a new MotD format next season with no pundits and only post-match interviews with managers.
Remember, it doesn’t matter one jot who you think should have been left out of the squad, or who should be in it. Not one jot. It’s Gareth Southgate’s choice and he knows them all far better than you. Carry on.
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From The Italian Job; a measure of Colin Bell’s greatness. RIP
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Not surprised to see Micah Richards looking so comfortable in front of the camera. Interviewed him in Florence once and he was great fun. But he’s a real natural on the telly.
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Managers, players and fans against it. Did Ed Woodward and his mates not canvass the opinion of anyone who actually matters before unveiling this insane plan?
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Middlesbrough to sue Football League over Derby stadium deal
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PL clubs told it’s up to 10 neutral grounds or season doesn’t finish. Won’t get licences for more. So, for clubs said to be against that proposal, the ball is now in their court.
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Tyson Fury escapes all questions of his link to ‘murderous organisation’ boss Daniel Kinahan. My piece on a shameful press conference.
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