After five hope-filled months, Fabrice Muamba yesterday conceded defeat in his admirable battle to play professional football again.

Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba today spoke of his devastation at being forced to retire from football due to the heart attack he suffered in March.

Footballer Fabrice Muamba has been pictured for the first time since collapsing on the pitch at White Hart Lane nearly two weeks ago.

Fabrice Muamba has thanked fans for their support as the first picture of the Bolton midfielder since his on-field collapse against Tottenham appeared on his Twitter feed.

Just as Owen Coyle and his Bolton side overcame the initial hurdle of returning to action on the pitch seven days after Fabrice Muamba’s collapse at White Hart Lane, another daunting challenge presents itself — a return to the scene of the incident that has shocked football.

A further update on the condition of Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba, who is fighting for his life in hospital, will be released at some point later this morning.

Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba was rushed to hospital tonight after collapsing during the first half of his team’s FA Cup quarter-final against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

A Goldman Sachs banker has launched a withering attack on the bank in a newspaper column announcing his resignation, saying that some managing directors at the Wall Street firm had referred to their own clients as “muppets”.

How did Capello stick with them and their crazy obsession this long?

So farewell Fab. And hello again Trap.

Fabian Delph has returned to Elland Road after signing a one-month loan deal with Leeds.

BARCELONA president Sandro Rosell says he believes Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas is now worth less than he was at this time last summer.

NO DOUBT Arsenal fans were too delirious after the victory against Barcelona to be bothered by their captain’s rather apologetic post-match remarks.

THE TASK of the leader, according to Henry Kissinger, is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been; and that is exactly what Cesc Fabregas is being tipped to do after he shrugged off a debate about his captaincy to help Arsenal continue their increasingly convincing — and long overdue — title challenge on Saturday.

THE celebratory song has suddenly turned into a funeral dirge: it’s not coming home, it’s not coming home, football’s not coming home…

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger apologised for the challenge by captain Cesc Fabregas which led to Wolves defender Stephen Ward being carried off on a stretcher during the Gunners’ 2-0 win at Molineux last night.

That Newcastle somehow managed to salvage a point and avoid the ignominy of three successive home defeats does little to mask what is turning out to be a worrying slide for Chris Hughton and his Premier League new boys.

I’M oblivious to the specifics of the alleged infidelities in the Wayne Rooney furore, but I was disappointed Fergie left him out at Goodison, as I tuned in to Saturday’s live coverage looking forward to seeing the spectacle of Toffee fans donning Bob Marley wigs, to serenade Wayne with their rendition of “No Woman, No Cry”.

WITH Saturday’s early kick-off at Ewood Park live on the box, I wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about a crack of dawn departure for a long schlep up to Lancashire, after an exhausting week at work.

BARCELONA midfielder Sergio Busquets admits the Spaniards could be fighting a losing battle to lure Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas back to the Nou Camp before the start of the new season.

FOR Fabio Capello, the waiting is almost over, and the England coach is acutely aware that England expects.

EVEN a cynic like me couldn’t help but be stirred by the swirling display of anti-Glazer green and gold at Old Trafford on Saturday.

THERE was me thinking a tortuous, four-hour trek home in midweek, following a dire goalless game against Villa was going to be my lowlight... little did I know!

OUR FA Cup fourth-round tie at fortress Britannia was always going to be a stiff test, no matter what team Arsène put out.

IT’S hard not to harbour hope of straddling the Premier League ship summit, subsequent to this evening’s encore with Owen Coyle’s side.

WITH Aston Villa in such fine recent fettle, Sunday’s clash was always likely to be a stiff test. But when the Gunners lined up with our talismanic skipper on the bench, still nursing a tight hamstring, I have to admit I feared the worst.

BY the time the Arsenal trot out to play Birmingham on Saturday, sadly our goalfest against Blackburn will be a distant memory.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has identified his club’s pursuit of Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas as a “special case”.

Drew Barrymore thinks she was a dolphin in a past life.

Fame And Glory ran out a wide-margin winner of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

ANDY MURRAY took his place in the second round of Wimbledon but only after a tense opening match against American Robert Kendrick last night.

Fabio Capello has saluted the spirit among his squad that has taken England to the brink of the World Cup following victory over Andorra last night at Wembley.

Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2

ARSENAL captain Cesc Fabregas has once again reaffirmed his commitment to the Gunners.

Rocker Ryan Adams has recorded The Strokes' album 'Is This It?' on mandolin, pump organ and banjo but fears it's too "weird" to get released.

ARSENAL kept alive hopes offinishing third in the Premiership with a 3-1 win over Manchester City at Emirates Stadium.

An Irish travel firm is using Zinedine Zidane’s World Cup head-butting incident to urge people to ‘use your head’ and book holidays on its website, it emerged today.