Every sportswriter is a trader in nostalgia. It comes with the territory: Instant memories. Even if you file a match report on the whistle it’s already fading into the past — “matches previously played” was Christopher Hitchens’ phrase.

From Champions League semi-finals to his battle with cancer and his Rovers return, Stephen McPhail chats with Graham Cummins about his life in football.

Anthony Knockaert struck in the sixth minute to secure Fulham’s 1-0 home victory against Middlesbrough and move Scott Parker’s side up to third in the Sky Bet Championship.

Perfectly good goals disallowed. Travesties of justice waved on. Players and managers tearing their hair out. Supporters in uproar. Officialdom lambasted. The grand old game going to hell in a handcart. Ah, yes, who wouldn’t miss football’s good old pre-VAR days?

How the football world will look in another decade...

Down with the bunting, box up the tinsel. The league is over and we can all relax in the afterglow of our trophy gluttony. No late-campaign jitters, sleepless nights worrying about goal difference and whether our little star will shine brightest. It’s over and everyone knows it is.

The new Football Association of Ireland board is set to have its first female director after the Schoolboys FAI (SFAI) last night proposed Ursula Scully as their nominee to replace John Earley.

Feuds between make-up artists, conspiracy theorists and Irish comedy made up the most popular videos on YouTube in Ireland this year.

John Giles was excused Premier League punditry duty tonight to be granted the freedom of the city of Leeds.

Four hundred friends packed into St Agatha's Church, Kingston in London today for the funeral service of Trizia Fiorellino, who wrote on all matters Chelsea for this newspaper.

The Corkman will remain in the Carabao Cup side despite Alisson Becker’s return to fitness meaning Adrian – who was covering for the Brazil international last month – would normally be in line.

Seamus Coleman will miss out as he serves a two-game suspension but will be invited to join up with the squad in Dublin for the final Euro 2020 qualifier.

The opening weeks of the new season suggested Arsenal manager Unai Emery was well on his way to ridding his side of the long-standing cliche of a squad with an abundance of talent but a dire shortage of commitment.

Forget the long winning run. We will now bore you endlessly about the long unbeaten run.

Romelu Lukaku scored a first-half brace as Inter Milan returned to winning ways to keep the pressure on Serie A leaders Juventus with a narrow 4-3 win at struggling Sassuolo.

Northern Ireland suffered the first defeat of their European Under-21 Championship qualifying campaign as they were beaten 2-1 by Denmark in Aalborg.

It is a record sixth time that the Argentina star has been named FIFA’s best player.

Leeds’ Achilles heel hurt them once more as the Sky Bet Championship leaders were held 1-1 at home by Derby.

Wayne Routledge scored a last-minute winner as Swansea edged their top-of-the-table clash with Leeds at Elland Road.

The striker, on loan from Arsenal, struck just four minutes after his introduction as a 77th-minute substitute.

Sheffield Wednesday moved top of the SkyBet Championship after a 1-0 victory over Luton.

The draw was made after completion of 33 first-round fixtures last night and includes all the top-flight clubs who are not involved in European competitions.

Mick McCarthy recently admitted Troy Parrott is a ‘shoo-in’ for a call-up to the senior squad if he figures regularly for Spurs this season

Birmingham have parted company with manager Garry Monk, the club have announced.

Manchester United fans were involved in more football-related arrests where racism was an aggravating factor or a feature than any other club in England in the four seasons up to 2017-18, data from the UK Home Office shows.

They called it the ‘Irish Football Stakeholder Forum’ but really last Friday’s gathering at the Mansion House was a cry for help.

There are newish fans who may not fully get the testing faith that is Tottenham Hotspur. But already they recognise the importance of fearing the worst on a daily basis. We must continue to answer the call though, says Enda McEvoy. Audere Est Facere.

It is among the great sources of regret in professional football, the lost connection between players and fans.

Derby substitute Jack Marriott scored twice to help fire his side into the Sky Bet Championship play-off final after a 4-2 victory at Leeds.

Kemar Roofe hit a second-half winner to give Leeds a slender 1-0 advantage over Derby following the first leg of their Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final.

Marcelo Bielsa insisted he never said he would walk away from Leeds if they did not win promotion to the Premier League this season.

The Southampton striker exploded into form this April, scoring four goals in five games to help the Saints' secure Premier League survival.

Leeds forward Patrick Bamford has been charged with "successful deception of a match official" following the Sky Bet Championship match with Aston Villa on Sunday.

John Egan, Enda Stevens, David McGoldrick, and possibly Scott Hogan will be plying their trade in the Premier League next season after Sheffield United secured promotion to the Premier League this weekend.

John Egan, Enda Stevens, David McGoldrick, and possibly Scott Hogan will be plying their trade in the Premier League next season after Sheffield United secured promotion to the Premier League this weekend.

The battle for promotion from the Championship reaches a crescendo this weekend with at least eight teams still dreaming of making it into the Premier League and two able to seal it right now. But how well prepared are any of the sides for what could lie ahead?

James Milner admits he will become a Manchester United supporter for the first time as Liverpool hope for an advantage in the Premier League title race.

Conor Hourihane proved the match-winner as Aston Villa continued their charge towards the Championship play-offs with an eighth successive win on Saturday.

Spring is in the air. The cold hand of the previous year’s winter, which resulted in heavy snow and fixture cancellations as late as March was conspicuous by its absence but as April begins no one is taking the warm weather for granted just yet.

Nottingham Forest manager Martin O’Neill hailed super-sub Daryl Murphy after the veteran striker sparked a comeback against Swansea in Saturday’s Championship clash at the City Ground.

We live in an era of protest, one in which the right to protest is protected by the European Convention on Human Rights, and one in which nervous authorities are increasingly influenced by the voice of the people and the noise they make.

The right side of defence isn’t the most alluring of sectors on a teamsheet but all eyes will gravitate there when the first starting XI of Mick McCarthy’s second stint in charge of the Republic of Ireland is released today.