Shock at Manchester United's coaching floor when a bundle of luxurious Christmas hampers turned up.
It turned out that they had been despatched to key workers by former supervisor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Regardless of his departure, Solskjaer remains to be held in nice esteem amongst staff at United and his act of generosity made for some emotional scenes.
Conte eyes an Arsenal buy
Tottenham supervisor Antonio Conte made essentially the most of a day without work when his aspect's conflict with Rennes was referred to as off on account of Covid instances.
The Italian was noticed buying within the West Finish and took a passing curiosity in French designer retailer Les 100 Ciels, which is owned by an Arsenal supporter.
In the meantime, Spurs followers have launched a petition calling on the membership to deliver again veteran match day compere Paul Coyte, who was changed this season after 16 years. Spurs say Coyte continues to work on 'particular matchdays'.
Verstappen plea backfires
A weird open letter to Max Verstappen by Autosport chief editor Kevin Turner during which he pleaded with the motive force to maintain issues clear in Sunday's title decider rapidly backfired.
Unsurprisingly, Verstappen's Purple Bull media group failed to understand the message and an interview the journal had lined up with reserve driver Alex Albon needed to be cancelled, with the Thai-British racer promptly referred to as to a different assembly.
Hogs off the menu for tight MCC
4 years in the past the miserly MCC informed Hampshire Hogs they have been now not ready to pay match charges for his or her annual fixture at Warnford in Hampshire.
The outraged Hogs informed MCC the fixture wouldn't happen in the event that they didn't stump up earlier than John Stephenson, then MCC's cricket secretary, relented.
Stephenson has since left to run Essex and MCC will deliver a match ball and umpire however are as soon as once more refusing to pay a sum to cowl tea and the groundsman's prices (about £20 per participant). Hogs at the moment are interesting to MCC's treasurer, Tony Elgood, saying the match is not going to go forward subsequent summer time if this stays MCC's stance.
Sussex Martlets at Arundel are taking the identical agency line as Hogs which suggests MCC may lose two long-standing fixtures on two of the loveliest grounds within the nation.
The stingy transfer comes as sit-down tea (all the time an emotive topic in membership and village cricket) was reinstated after being cancelled for 2 years owing to Covid.
Staveley geese chairman vote
Eyebrows have been raised at a latest Premier League summit when new Newcastle United director Amanda Staveley mentioned she couldn't take part within the upcoming vote on the proposed chairman's constitution.
She mentioned she didn't really feel the difficulty had been thought of sufficiently and that there had not been sufficient data to make an knowledgeable resolution.
Extra seasoned veterans famous that by the point Staveley was referred to as to vote, 13 of the 20 golf equipment would have already given their response (the vote is taken in alphabetical order) and that she - as is the best way with most others - may merely have swum with the tide.
Sky cull continues
The redundancies at Sky Sports activities Information proceed to come back thick and quick. After the summer time cull, which noticed a bunch of acquainted faces proven the door, comes the departure of 4 administrators, three of whom are girls - Jane Eire, Clare Boulton and Steph Evans.
Day editor Laurie Tucker and planning editor Haydn Mackenzie are additionally going and, in a message to workers confirming the newest departures, station director Mark Alford shocked some when he signed off his e-mail 'Alfie'.
Sky say the newest redundancies are a part of the identical course of, level out that the remaining 4 administrators are all girls and say that 'Alfie' is how everybody refers to Alford.
Tumbleweed at Raducanu jibe
Awkward laughter on the latest Sports activities Journalists' Affiliation's British Sports activities Awards when Annabel Croft was invited on stage to say a number of phrases after Emma Raducanu was named finest newcomer.
When requested by presenter Jim Rosenthal what recommendation she would give Raducanu, Croft informed a room of hacks: 'She should never read what is written about her.'
Blues hand out jabs
A lift for reporters protecting the Chelsea versus Leeds match on Saturday, when the house aspect's much-needed victory was not the one shot within the arm.
About an hour after the ultimate whistle membership medics got here into the press room and introduced that that they had 4 booster jabs that have been going to waste.
4 fingers rapidly went up and, after kinds have been crammed in, the Pfizer photographs have been administered.
EFL decide to homeless gesture
Nineteen EFL golf equipment have to date pledged to put on their away shirts for Boxing Day residence matches to assist homeless charity Shelter.
Preston, Barnsley and Coventry are amongst those that will again the No Residence Equipment marketing campaign.
The po-faced Premier League have informed their golf equipment they can not observe swimsuit, however Tottenham, Everton, Watford and Brighton are supporting the trigger through different initiatives.
BT boast
Alongside sharing an article from The Telegraph regarding Discovery's obvious curiosity in buying BT's sports activities operation, BT head of sport Simon Inexperienced boldly claimed in an e-mail to workers that the channel has produced higher dwell soccer and rugby than ever seen on any Discovery community.
Inexperienced additionally said that BT not too long ago aired a greater boxing present than DAZN has ever created. DAZN are nonetheless thought to be the front-runners to take BT Sport off the BT Group's fingers.
Hunt hauled in entrance of BBC bosses
John Hunt was spoken to by BBC bosses after his participation in a collection of brief movies discussing suggestions at Aintree.
The BBC commentator additionally appeared in a promotional tweet for the monitor carrying a jacket with the BBC brand. A punter complained, questioning whether or not this was acceptable in mild of his work for the company.
The broadcaster's government complaints unit discovered no battle of curiosity or something in Hunt's work for Aintree that may have an effect on the BBC's impartiality, however mentioned that the tweet had 'the potential to suggest BBC endorsement of a commercial product'.
No motion was taken because the tweet had been eliminated and BBC Sport administration had already referred to as in Hunt for a chat.
