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Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon

Birmingham Mail Sport

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Gary Newbon: Just how in the hell have Blues got themselves in this position?

The American owners of Birmingham City, led by chairman Tom Wagner, are to be commended for their plans off the pitch. But, folks, what really matters...

02.05.2024 20

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Villa’s Platt raised the Bar after 1990 heroics

When famous footballers from Midland clubs are recalled, you rightly get plenty of mentions of Trevor Francis, Andy Gray, Cyrille Regis, John...

27.04.2024 20

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Non-league shambles hits Solihull Moors in battle for priceless place in EFL

Shambles. That is the only way to describe the National League’s handling of the vital play-offs to a club chasing a place in the EFL as far as...

22.04.2024 4

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Sky Blues know how to cause Wembley shock!

Will Coventry City defy the odds and beat Manchester United in today’s FA Cup semi-final, which kicks off at 3.30 pm and is live on ITV? Probably...

20.04.2024 9

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Second City duo FIRST class to boost their very different goals

As Sir Alex Ferguson said to me at the end of the 1999 Champions League final: “Football, bloody hell”. It sums up what is happening at the top...

18.04.2024 4

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Ten-hour boxing stint was Oscar material!

The BBC screened one of the great Oscar-winning films in midweek – ‘On The Waterfront’, starring Marlon Brando. It was made in 1954, but it took...

10.04.2024 9

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Wembley wonders aiming for a second trip to national stadium

Two of our West Midlands clubs are going to play at Wembley this season while also aiming at the very important mission of reaching their divisional...

10.04.2024 4

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Barry hit the bullseye in darts success story

My long TV presenting career has seen many changes in life, technology, media, migration, weather and sport. Each topic has seen dramatic...

30.03.2024 5

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Leader of the SACK– but Barry Fry kept on smiling!

Barry Fry is still larger than life. He is enjoying (with his usual enthusiasm and bubbliness) being the long-serving director of football at...

27.03.2024 6

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Gary Rowett right choice to finally get Blues out of relegation danger

Birmingham City will NOT be relegated this season after appointing Gary Rowett as manager until the end of the season. That is my confident...

27.03.2024 6

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Bubbly Barry Fry always turned the air BLUE!

Characters don’t come any more bubbly or loved in English football than former player and manager Barry Fry. I bumped into him at Burton last week...

19.03.2024 5

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: A RED letter day at Wembley in store for Sky Blues boss Mark Robins

The Coventry City chairman, Doug King, and the Sky Blues supporters will probably not thank me for posing this question! But why have no big clubs...

19.03.2024 3

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Bubbly Barry always turned the air BLUE!

Characters don’t come any more bubbly or loved in English football than former player and manager Barry Fry. I bumped into him at Burton last week...

16.03.2024 4

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Johnny Giles served Albion so well after Leeds and Manchester United glory

John Giles (known to football fan and Johnny) was an outstanding football and a useful manager who post-football became an highly respected pundit on...

12.03.2024 5

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Ajax return can take Villa’s mind off Champions League worries

What a tight and exciting English football season! Only one point separates the top of the Premier League with ten matches to go. Arsenal lead...

12.03.2024 9

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Blues on the road to Hull – but a good run of form can save them

If you are a club in the danger zone, you are never too good to go down. That prospect certainly faces Birmingham City, who are ONLY out of the...

06.03.2024 4

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: South is still the right direction for England

Gareth Southgate is a classy operator. He will go down as one of the outstanding England managers, having already taken the team to one World Cup...

02.03.2024 5

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: MOOR promotion and relegation would be massive boost for club

There is a lot resting on the proposed Premier League money deal with the EFL. There is a crunch meeting of all 20 Premier League clubs on Thursday to...

28.02.2024 6

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Players and bosses should get carded for turning the air BLUE

Football hates change. Managers, past and present, are up in arms about the possibility of blue cards and sin- bins. This is basically for dissent and...

23.02.2024 4

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Classic one-liners were just what the 'Doc' ordered!

Aston Villa lost 2-1 to Manchester United at Villa Park on Sunday afternoon and for older spectator and viewers like me both clubs bring back memories...

16.02.2024 10

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Draw opens up for Villa & Coventry City – if they win replays!

If Aston Villa and Coventry City win their respective home replays over the next 48 hours, they will have a great chance of both reaching the FA Cup...

06.02.2024 3

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: We boxed so clever to get fighting on the television

Fight Night was a popular boxing series which I presented and was shown to half of the UK on ITV. It was transmitted almost live every fortnight on...

05.02.2024 6

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Locking up troublemakers only way to stop repeat of ugly Hawthorns scenes

The 30-minute delay at The Hawthorns because of crowd trouble in Sunday’s FA Cup tie begs two questions. How were Wolves fans allowed in the home...

05.02.2024 4

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: We boxed so clever to get fighting on the television

Fight Night was a popular boxing series that I presented and was shown to half of the UK on ITV. It was transmitted almost live every fortnight on...

03.02.2024 6

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Kenny Swain helped to nurture new stars after European Cup win

One of Aston Villa’s European Cup heroes Kenny Swain these days works for the Premier League and still lives in Warwickshire. He was an outstanding...

28.01.2024 7

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Swain helped to nurture new stars after Euro win

One of Aston Villa’s European Cup heroes Kenny Swain these days works for the Premier League and still lives in Warwickshire. He was an outstanding...

20.01.2024 5

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: The sad and long list of sports greats to leave us

One of the sad aspects of getting older is the number of people you have worked with or known pass away. In my case, it is the famous names I have...

13.01.2024 4

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: My 26 Blues managers... from Freddie to Rooney

High-profile Wayne Rooney is the latest Birmingham City manager to be sacked. Since I arrived in Birmingham back in 1971, Blues have been through 26...

12.01.2024 3

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: ‘Em’ stands for MAGIC as boss ends Villa’s long FA Cup hoodoo

Wham bam! The Unai Emery era has zipped along successfully at a remarkable rate in the 14 months that he has been the Aston Villa manager. The club,...

12.01.2024 10

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: My 26 Blues managers... from Freddie to Rooney

High-profile Wayne Rooney is the latest Birmingham City manager to be sacked. Since I arrived in Birmingham back in 1971, Blues have been through 26...

06.01.2024 2

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Gary O’Neil doing the right things on and off pitch for in-form Wolves

Time to give the Wolves manager Gary O’Neil a huge pat on the back! He is doing a fine job since being appointed last August on a three-year deal...

02.01.2024 7

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Winger made his Mark on pitch and beat bullies

Mark Walters is a Brummie who had a fine career as a left-sided winger or midfield player. He made 613 League appearances for Aston Villa, Liverpool...

23.12.2023 7

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Steve Bruce, a pal and a boss that always gave clubs a lift

Will Steve Bruce ever manage again? You just never know in football, but even good ones like the former Blues, Villa, and Baggies boss seem eventually...

21.12.2023 9

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: I was on to a winner with Queen Mum’s favourite!

Terry Biddlecome was a National Hunt horse racing hero both as a jockey and then trainer, as well as being my television on-screen pundit. Terry was...

15.12.2023 10

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Football is waking up to just how good all-conquering Villa are

Aston Villa have always been the biggest club in the Midlands. Now they are the best team again and it has been a while. This week’s massive wins...

13.12.2023 3

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: I was on to winner with Queen Mum’s favourite!

Terry Biddlecome was a National Hunt horse racing hero both as a jockey and then trainer, as well as being my television on-screen pundit. Terry was...

09.12.2023 10

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: England No.1 ace David James made an art of keeping

David James was Aston Villa’s goalkeeper in the 2000 FA Cup final – the last to be played at the old Wembley Stadium. He had a great career in...

06.12.2023 3

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Huge double clash will give clear idea of how high Villa can finish

Aston Villa have a great chance tomorrow (Wednesday) night of keeping the Premier League title race wide open and giving their own top-four spot a...

06.12.2023 5

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Much-missed pal Tel knew how to get the best out of his players

I know I am getting older when the famous friends I have made in football keep passing away. This year it has been Trevor Francis, Sir Bobby Charlton,...

29.11.2023 4

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Batman was one of the Baggies’ boy wonders!

Once they were ‘The Three Degrees’ ‘of the football world at West Bromwich Albion. Now, there is only one still with us – full-back Brendon...

29.11.2023 4

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Batman was one of the Baggies' boy wonders!

Once they were ‘The Three Degrees’ ‘of the football world at West Bromwich Albion. Now, there is only one still with us – full-back Brendon...

25.11.2023 10

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Don was always a Good man and a great striker!

Don Goodman was a goalscoring striker for 12 clubs including West Bromwich Albion, Sunderland, Wolves and Walsall. These days he is an outstanding...

23.11.2023 8

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Stars turn out to pay tribute to Blues legend Trevor

What a week for me since my column appeared last Tuesday. It began with interviews for the national press for my new book and then off to watch Burton...

23.11.2023 4

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: VAR is here to stay – so bosses need to grow up and live with it

Let us get one thing right – VAR is here to stay and calls for it to be scrapped should be ignored. Sure, there have been mistakes but most of the...

16.11.2023 30

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Willie Carr was the driving force behind donkey kick trick

Willie Carr, the skilful midfielder with Scotland, Coventry and Wolves, will always be associated with the famous donkey kick goal scored by Ernie...

15.11.2023 4

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Carr was the driving force behind donkey kick trick

Willie Carr, the skillful midfielder with Scotland, Coventry and Wolves, will always be associated with the famous donkey kick goal scored by Ernie...

11.11.2023 10

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Goals, goals, goals – you can’t beat a bit of Bully!

Steve Bull must go down as one of the great Midlands strikers. He is still the leading aggregate League goal scorer for his beloved Wolves from...

10.11.2023 10

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Draw felt like a loss for Blues – but encouraging signs for Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney’s team has now arrived with Birmingham City’s 2-2 home draw with high-flying Ipswich. I sat in the director’s area feeling...

08.11.2023 5

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Ambitious Blues clearly have big plan – but the results must follow

Harold Macmillan, British Prime Minister from 1957 to 1963, was once asked what blows governments off course. He replied: “Events, dear boy......

04.11.2023 2

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

Gary Newbon: Farewell to Sir Bobby Charlton, a friend – and one of England’s finest footballers

Now there is just one player still alive from the England football heroes of 1966. With the sad passing of Sir Bobby Charlton, just Sir Geoff Hurst,...

25.10.2023 2

Birmingham Mail Sport

Gary Newbon

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