Latest news with #UndertheCosh
Daily Mirror
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Vinnie Jones confronted by 'football's hardest man' who sent seven-word message
Carlton Palmer also opened up on his own run-in with Billy Whitehurst during a West Brom clash with Sunderland, where he was told he had "more balls than sense" Billy Whitehurst, a prominent footballer in the 80s and 90s, once left Vinnie Jones speechless by asking, "What are you going to f****** do about it?" after an alleged car crash. Well-known for his aggressive style of play, Whitehurst was often referred to as the 'hardest man in football' due to his no-prisoners attitude on the pitch. His career saw him playing for teams like Hull City, Newcastle United, Sunderland and Sheffield United, where his six-foot stature made him a formidable opponent. One player who had a memorable encounter with Whitehurst was Carlton Palmer, who was at West Brom when he faced off against Whitehurst at Sunderland. Speaking on the Under the Cosh podcast, Palmer shared his admiration for Whitehurst and how standing up to him earned his respect. Palmer recalled: "I'll tell you a story about Billy, I f****** love that boy to death. I just got in the first team at West Brom, we've got to play Sunderland. Guess who's up front? Billy f****** Whitehurst. "Who do you not want to play against ever? Billy Whitehurst, John Fashanu and Mick Harford. Three players straight off the top of your head you don't want to fucking play against. So I'm thinking, 'How am I going to approach this one with Billy?' "I'm centre-half, how am I going to approach this one? Well, fire with fire. So I went, 'F*** it,' I'm just going to have to go toe-to-toe with him. He's f****** elbowing me and all that. "Half-time, I'm walking off, and he said to me, 'You know something, son? You've got more balls than sense.' That's what he said to me! And then we became mates, I f****** love him, Bill." Palmer added: "Then he tells me the story about when Vinnie [Jones] came to the club because Vinnie thought he was a f****** hard man. I love Vinnie to death as well, another great lad, Vinnie. Vinnie was coming in, so Billy's got this old f****** car. "Vinnie's turned up in a 7 Series, brand new BMW. Billy drives straight into the side of it with his old car. He walks in there and he said to Vinnie, 'Somebody's just f****** driven straight into the side of your car.' He said, 'Which c*** done that?', and he said 'Me, what are you going to f****** do about it?' That's f****** Billy for you." Whitehurst has since settled down post-retirement, training greyhounds and running several public houses in South Yorkshire. But nobody could quite forget the staggering force he was up front in football - certainly not Palmer or Jones.
Wales Online
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
'Hardest man in football' left Vinnie Jones trembling with seven-word message after car crash
'Hardest man in football' left Vinnie Jones trembling with seven-word message after car crash Billy Whitehurst was renowned for his robust style of play throughout the 1980s and 90s, and this seemed to translate off the football pitch as well Billy Whitehurst once faced up to Vinnie Jones in a nightclub (Image: Mark Leech/Offside via Getty Images ) Billy Whitehurst once left Vinnie Jones stunned after asking, "What are you going to f****** do about it?" following a car crash. Whitehurst was a prominent name in football throughout the 1980s and 90s. He was renowned for his intense style of play, which earned him the tagline of being the 'hardest man in football'. During his career, where he played for Hull City, Newcastle United, Sunderland and Sheffield United, among others, the six-foot-tall striker was domineering in the air and across the grass, and many defenders feared going up against him on the pitch. One such star was Carlton Palmer, who was at West Brom when he faced off against Whitehurst at Sunderland. Speaking on the Under the Cosh podcast, Pamer waxed lyrical about Whitehurst and explained how getting stuck into him earned the respect of the 'hardest man in football'. Carlton Palmer spoke about his relationship with both Whitehurst and Jones (Image: David Davies/Offside via Getty Images ) Palmer said: "I'll tell you a story about Billy, I f****** love that boy to death. I just got in the first team at West Brom, we've got to play Sunderland. Guess who's up front? Billy f****** Whitehurst. Article continues below "Who do you not want to play against ever? Billy Whitehurst, John Fashanu and Mick Harford. Three players straight off the top of your head you don't want to fucking play against. So I'm thinking, 'How am I going to approach this one with Billy?' Billy Whitehurst once battled with Palmer on the pitch (Image: Ben Radford/Allsport/Getty Images ) "I'm centre-half, how am I going to approach this one? Well, fire with fire. So I went, 'F*** it,' I'm just going to have to go toe-to-toe with him. He's f****** elbowing me and all that. "Half-time, I'm walking off, and he said to me, 'You know something, son? You've got more balls than sense.' That's what he said to me! And then we became mates, I f****** love him, Bill." Vinnie Jones ended up face to face with Whitehurst (Image: Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix/Getty Images ) Palmer added: "Then he tells me the story about when Vinnie [Jones] came to the club because Vinnie thought he was a f****** hard man. I love Vinnie to death as well, another great lad, Vinnie. Vinnie was coming in, so Billy's got this old f****** car. Article continues below "Vinnie's turned up in a 7 Series, brand new BMW. Billy drives straight into the side of it with his old car. He walks in there and he said to Vinnie, 'Somebody's just f****** driven straight into the side of your car.' He said, 'Which c*** done that?', and he said 'Me, what are you going to f****** do about it?' That's f****** Billy for you." Whitehurst has since settled down post-retirement, training greyhounds and running several public houses in South Yorkshire, but nobody could quite forget the staggering force he was up front in football - certainly not Palmer or Jones.
Daily Record
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Six sacked Soccer Saturday pundits and what really happened
Soccer Saturday was once the must-watch show for football fans but has undergone a number of changes in recent years that has seen the likes of Charlie Nicholas axed at Sky Sports Soccer Saturday was once a staple in the weekend itinerary of many football fans before significant alterations were made to its panel of pundits. The Sky Sports show was the source of countless memorable moments during its heyday. The quartet of Phil Thompson, Matt Le Tissier, Scottish legend Charlie Nicholas and Paul Merson offered a unique blend of insightful analysis, humour and the occasional on-air blunder. With the legendary Jeff Stelling at the helm, Soccer Saturday stood head and shoulders above other sports programmes, thanks to the unique rapport amongst its pundits and the sometimes frenzied interruptions from reporters with goal updates from matches around the UK. However, the show's current incarnation is a far cry from what it was a decade ago, following several reshuffles by Sky Sports, which included the dismissal of long-standing pundits. So why did Sky decide to part ways with many of its beloved pundits? Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas and Matt Le Tissier Thompson was the first among the Soccer Saturday stalwarts to be informed of his departure in August 2020, closely followed by Celtic icon Nicholas and Le Tissier. Sky's head of football arranged a meeting with the Liverpool legend, where he broke the news to Thompson that the broadcaster was charting a new course. A gutted Thompson told Daily Mail: "It became a way of life, so taking that away... I miss it. We were a band of brothers." Nicholas and Le Tissier were also dropped while Merson was retained. In a statement regarding their decision, Sky explained: "We are changing some parts of our football coverage Matt, Charlie and Phil have done a great job for us over the years, and they will leave us with our sincere thanks and very best wishes." Thompson, the oldest of the trio, felt that his co-stars had more to give, remarking: "It was three parts of a midfield. The others could have continued." Sky took this action during the pandemic, which may have been influenced by economic considerations and a response to calls for increased diversity on the channel. Le Tissier found the experience particularly tough due to his relatively younger age, Stelling once observed. Meanwhile, BBC and ITV pundit Wright addressed the backlash on social media, insisting: "Matt Le Tissier, Charlie Nicholas, Phil Thompson, they've had an unbelievable run, it's been a great show. This happens to everyone in the industry. This is Sky's decision to evolve the show." Tony Cottee Tony Cottee, the former West Ham, Everton and Leicester star, remained on Soccer Saturday for a year longer than the aforementioned colleagues before leaving as Sky looked to fresh-up up its on-screen roster of talent. Reflecting on his departure on the Under the Cosh podcast, Cottee said: "I had 20 great years there and I look back and I don't like the way it ended. It was their choice more than my choice. I wanted to carry on being part of the show, obviously Soccer Saturday. "But I also look back and think I had 20 wonderful years. Some of the characters - Jeff Stelling's an amazing presenter. Then you think of the Kammy's (Chris Kamara) and the McInally's (Alan McInally), and then the lads who were on the panel. Merse, Le Tiss, Charlie, Thommo. Just wonderful characters." Rodney Marsh Rodney Marsh, another familiar face from Soccer Saturday's early days, was known for his forthright punditry. The Manchester City legend entertained audiences with his blunt analysis, once shaving his head after incorrectly predicting Bradford City's fate in a relegation battle. However, Marsh's tenure on the show came to an abrupt end following an inappropriate joke about the tragic Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. Despite issuing an apology, he was let go. Marsh went on to appear on reality TV shows such as 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here' in 2007 and has since been seen on various other programmes. Now aged 80, he continues to share his football insights on Sirius XM. Bianca Westwood Bianca Westwood became another high-profile reporter to part ways with Sky Sports in August 2023. After 22 years of service and making a name for herself as a fan favourite, she was let go by the broadcaster. The reshuffle saw other well-known reporters, including Dickie Davis, Guy Havord, Greg Whelan, Lynsey Hooper, and Jaydee Dyer, leave their roles, believed to be driven by budgetary constraints. Now fulfilling a similar role at talkSPORT, Westwood shared an emotional post on Instagram regarding her departure: "A bit like when I did my first match report, I didn't want to make a fuss but I've had SO many messages and questions about where I'll be today I thought I might as well let you know. "I haven't quite made enough money to retire unfortunately, but I am retiring from Sky Sports and Soccer Saturday. It's been a phenomenal 22 and a half years and I've been a small part of building the channel into the giant of broadcasting it is today. What a ride!"
