Latest articles by Chris Flanagan
Ally McCoist Tells FourFourTwo the Four People He Admires Most
The former Rangers and Scotland striker reveals the people that he looks up to more than anyone
'Have you ever played the game, ref?' FourFourTwo travels to Warwick to meet the 10 former footballers aiming to make it as match officials
They have, if you must know – via a World Cup and a stint as a US Open golf caddy…
‘If I didn’t go to jail, I would have been dead. It was like a hard reset for me – I had to sit for 13 weeks in jail and figure out who I was’ Troy Deeney on turning his life around following his prison spell
EXCLUSIVE The former Watford striker was sentenced to ten months’ imprisonment in 2012
‘I was at home watching all the Lionesses games – I did a lot of pacing up and down the living room, and a lot of shouting at the screen!’ Millie Bright on what it was like to watch England’s Euro 2025 success
EXCLUSIVE Millie Bright ruled herself out of selection from the Lionesses squad shortly before their Euro 2025 tilt
‘I used the disappointment of the 2008 Champions League Final to fuel me again in 2012. That was the last chance for the likes of JT, Lamps, Petr Cech and Drogba. It had become an obsession’ John Obi Mikel on Chelsea’s historic European title
EXCLUSIVE Chelsea clinched their first Champions League title when they defeated Bayern Munich in the 2012 final
‘I knew exactly what I’d done – I had made a massive mistake. When Chelsea saw what had happened, they were furious’ John Obi Mikel opens up on transfer tug of war
EXCLUSIVE The Nigerian international was the subject of a battle between Manchester United and Chelsea
‘For Gareth Southgate to go from player to manager at such a young age, then arguably become England men’s most successful manager, my admiration for him is massive’ David James on his respect for the ex-England boss
EXCLUSIVE James was a teammate of Soutgate for both club and country
Everything you need to know about the new Champions League format following the league stage draw
Europe’s biggest club competition has become even bigger – FFT explains what to look out for in the revamped format
‘No-one would have thought Arsenal could have won the Champions League, and they did it. They proved their character - they were resilient and hard to beat’ Rachel Yankey on Arsenal’s WSL hopes
EXCLUSIVE The Gunners will be hoping to end London rivals Chelsea’s recent WSL domination
‘That game is still the last time that Real Madrid lost a major European final. We were led by Sir Alex Ferguson, arguably the best manager of all time, who just scared you into winning!’ Gordon Strachan on Aberdeen’s iconic 1983 Cup Winners’ Cup victory
EXCLUSIVE The Dons saw off Real Madrid in the 1983 Cup Winners' Cup final
‘Mourinho had to put me in my place very quickly. He sent me to the academy, then brought me back when I was ready to know I was in the big boys’ league’ John Obi Mikel recalls his early Chelsea learning curve
EXCLUSIVE The Nigerian international was the subject of a controversial transfer to Chelsea in 2006
‘I deeply hope Marc Guehi is still at Crystal Palace for the rest of the season – when the window shuts, I’ll go to the pub and order a pint of beer’ Boss Oliver Glasner speaks out on Liverpool target
Eagles gaffer is holding on to hope that his star defender will remain at Selhurst Park for the rest of the campaign
Welcome to Kairat Almaty: the Champions League's easternmost fixture
LONG READ As Central Asia prepares to be represented at the World Cup for the first time by Uzbekistan, FFT visited the region to witness a European match near the Chinese border
'If you’re going on holiday with an older woman, make sure it’s your mother!’ Legendary wonderkid Freddy Adu offers Lamine Yamal advice on how not to get derailed by media attention
The American once dubbed 'the next Pele', has been impressed by Yamal's talents, but warns of the potential pitfalls ahead
‘He’s got a really tough job to keep everything Southgate built up, add his own style of play and push this side over the last hurdle and win a trophy, in less than two years’ Teddy Sheringham on Thomas Tuchel’s England challenge
EXCLUSIVE The former Three Lions striker has weighed up the size of the task facing the England boss
‘I understand the pressures Alisson has to play under. So much goes on in footballers’ lives, but he kept his performance levels up as Liverpool won the Premier League last season’ David James’ admiration for his Reds successor
EXCLUSIVE The former Reds and England stopper has been impressed by the Brazilian’s consistancy
‘It was just Sir Alex and me in a room. It was difficult to say no to the greatest manager of all time, to his face’ Why a teenage John Obi Mikel turned down Manchester United
EXCLUSIVE The Nigerian was the subject of a long-running transfer dispute between Chelsea and Manchester United as a teenager
‘This agent had a briefcase full of cash sitting right next to him, about £50,000. I was only 16, and all of these crazy things had already started happening’ John Obi Mikel on the surreal race for his signature
EXCLUSIVE The Nigerian was the subject of a controversial 2006 transfer when Manchester United and Chelsea fought for his signature
‘Liverpool’s midfield has looked more vulnerable defensively so far, but that’s not because of Florian Wirtz – they need Ryan Gravenberch back, he’s been so underrated’ Former Anfield pass master assesses their new-look side
EXCLUSIVE Ex-Reds midfielder tells FourFourTwo why the Dutchman could be crucial again for Liverpool this season, on his return to the team
‘It was easy to judge Alexander Isak when we were only hearing Newcastle United’s side of the story – these kinds of arguments happen at all clubs, it happened to me with Tony Pulis’ Former Liverpool attacker DEFENDS star at centre of transfer dispute
EXCLUSIVE Ex-Anfield ace tells FourFourTwo what it's like for a player to be refused a move that they've set their heart on – and believe they've been promised
‘It’s not going to be that easy, but Forest’s ability to counter-attack will stand them in massively good stead, particularly away’ Stan Collymore outlines why Forest could be suited to European football
EXCLUSIVE Forest are back in Europe for the first time since the 1995/96 season
‘I want to see them push the teams who’ve been challenging regularly over the past few seasons. To truly challenge, I think Chelsea need two more years’ William Gallas on Chelsea’s next steps
EXCLUSIVE The former Chelsea defender assesses his old club’s progress under Todd Boehly
‘No European football means less money to spend, and less reason to choose Manchester United over others’ Brian McClair on Manchester United’s major transfer issue this summer
EXCLUSIVE The Red Devils limped to a 15th-place finish last season
‘He’s taking over a squad that were terrible last season but have Champions League football, it’s literally the best opportunity to take over a football club. You’ve got a team who can’t get any worse than 17th’ Jamie O’Hara on Thomas Frank at Spurs
EXCLUSIVE Thomas Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou in the Tottenham dugout this summer
‘I can’t see Rodrygo leaving Real Madrid for Manchester City, but things didn’t work for him last season – maybe Kylian Mbappe's arrival unbalanced the team’ Steve McManaman talks to FFT about his old club, and why they’re still favourites for La Liga
The Real Madrid legend speaks exclusively to FourFourTwo ahead of the start of the new Spanish top-flight season
