Lance Bellers remembers Harry Cripps, who passed away on December 29, 1995

’Arry Cripps was the best player ever to have a name beginning with an apostrophe. Born as Henry Richard Cripps in Norfolk during the war, it merely took a move to East London to give him his proper and rightful name. Kicking off his football career at West Ham, he played just one senior game for the Hammers – against Millwall. Between that Southern Floodlit Cup fixture in 1956 and an eventual move to Charlton in 1974, ’Arry Boy fitted in 447 appearances for the Lions and won the hearts of the Millwall faithful.

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Joe Ferrari reports from Norwich on why the clamour for Robert Chase's departure is getting louder by the day

Norwich City’s traditional Yuletide slide – two points from seven games – took on deeper significance this year, set against a backdrop of bitter division on and off the pitch, blame for which can be laid squarely at the door of club chairman Robert Chase.

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A look into how club owners business mentality needs to stretch from the football field

Imagine for a moment that we have taken leave of our senses. As is common with those who find themselves in a befuddled state, a single concept has become fixed in our heads, one which we are doggedly determined to communicate to as many people as possible. It might run something along these lines. The Football Trust should be abolished. Far from making grants to football clubs, the government should seek to extract every available penny from them; unlike other businesses, which may be free to relocate abroad, football clubs, even Wimbledon, for example, are tied to specific locations. The Japanese are unlikely to want to build any football clubs over here while they’re still getting the hang of their own, so no harm would be done to ‘inward investment’ by closing down any tax advantages clubs might have.

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We searched high and low for someone who thinks George Graham is innocent, and found Boyd Hilton, only too happy to put the case for the defence

“February 1995: The weather is surprisingly mild, so it is time to plant my sweet peas. They are especially effective when grown in clumps, supported with cylinders of netting. I am using autumn-sown seedlings which have wintered in boxes. My garden is a joy to the eye… But I feel there is a blast of winter yet to come.”

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With the Battle of the Bridge well underway,  Hassam Hadi peeks over the parapet to assess the extent of the damage on both sides

The jackals are out there waiting, warns Chelsea chairman Ken Bates and he should know, as he’s spent a lifetime trying to escape them. So far he’s caged them in, blasted them for daring to question his decisions, but now he’s worried they’ve found a new pack leader.

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