Slovenia star Josip Ilicic has revealed the touching words that Declan Rice said to him during his team's Euro 2024 clash against England on Tuesday.
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Perhaps it is to be expected that thalassophiles should also be drawn to cricket. The movement and direction of the oceans are obvious yet their currents and depths repay contemplation. The North Sea was metallic under grey cloud at dawn on Tuesday yet by breakfast time it was a softer velvety blue as Scarborough’s microclimate brought brightness from the east. Patterns moved on the surface of the water. Cricket’s colours and tides are no less complex; no less addictive either.Nottinghamshire are losing this game. So much is plain. They ended this day on 135 for 4 with Ben Duckett unbeaten on 47 and they still need 252 runs to achieve their first victory of a dreadful season in the County Championship. They have no frontline batsmen to come although Tom Moores can be counted upon in any fight. Should Nottinghamshire lose, their relegation becomes almost certain; should Yorkshire win, their pursuit of Essex and thereby the title is maintained.Yet what might all this mean for these 22 players, their confidence, their contracts, their coaches? Marketing men in designer suits issue tedious calls for cricket to be fast and furious yet one of its attractions is its gentle pace interspersed with savage action. There is time for self-doubt to compete with assurance, just as it did, perhaps, during the third afternoon when Nottinghamshire’s top-order batsmen went to the wicket at North Marine Road knowing hardly any of them were in decent nick. Still waters ran deep and perhaps they also churned.Nottinghamshire’s target was 387, rather less than it might have been had Yorkshire’s batsmen shown a little more aggression earlier in the day. Yet that target would still be the largest score they have made since these two sides met in blithe April. One did not expect them to make a good start, which is neither here nor there; but one has the impression the Nottinghamshire openers do not expect to survive long, which matters very much indeed and explains why both were gone inside 14 overs.Ben Slater was the more culpable; his poke at a wide ball from Duanne Olivier merely gave a catch to Tom Kohler-Cadmore at first slip. Jake Libby, by contrast, played a forward defensive you could show to your housemaster but was defeated by Steve Patterson’s late movement and Swiss accuracy.Six overs later Joe Clarke played forward to a well-flighted delivery from Keshav Maharaj but still did not get to the pitch of the ball and nicked it to Jonny Tattersall. Clarke has scored 175 runs in 17 innings since he made 112 and 97 not out against Yorkshire in early April. Some of his problems have been self-inflicted and merit no pardon. But there comes a time when every man has the rest of his life to live. How does Clarke see his career unfolding? T20 will probably help.Nottinghamshire were 51 for 3 when Clarke was out and brief respite was provided by a 52-run partnership between the stand-in skipper, Chris Nash, and Duckett, who twice lifted Maharaj for sixes onto the Popular Bank. Duckett hardly knows any other way of playing than to take the fight to the bowlers. Whether his career now prospers after a mediocre season will depend on him acquiring a little more judgement to go with his ability.Nash, of course, has that judgement and his dismissal, leg before to Maharaj for 30, was a grievous blow. The captain departed shaking his head and replays suggested the ball had hit him a slice of New York pastrami outside off stump. There will be replays in the bar this evening. Liam Patterson-White joined Duckett and the pair took the visitors to the close in poor light. Patterson-White is playing his third first-class match and has been preferred to Samit Patel. What might the incomparable game have in store for him?And all this followed a quiet first hour of the day, one in which Yorkshire built their lead for the loss of Patterson and Gary Ballance. Both wickets had particular significance: Patterson was Paul Coughlin’s maiden first-class wicket for Nottinghamshire but this is only his third game in two seasons all but lost to serious injuries. Ballance departed when he hooked Luke Wood and Louis Bhabra, Nottinghamshire’s substitute fielder, tumbled forward at long leg to take a catch he seemed to have misjudged. It was a lovely moment for the 18-year-old and who knows what it might contribute to his future? A slight sense of belonging, mayhap. At least one hopes his mates at Papplewick and Linby were bucked for him.Ballance’s replacement, Harry Brook, hit the first four of the morning at 12.15pm when he cover drove Wood as pleasantly as one could wish and was so pleased with his effort that he repeated the stroke four balls later. But having hit two boundaries that would have graced any field Brook tried to pull a shortish ball from Patterson-White but only skied a catch to Jake Ball at mid-on.Yorkshire showed more a little aggression after lunch; Kohler-Cadmore’s three fine fours in a Luke Fletcher over were a prime example. But our cricket this afternoon was dominated in a different way by the huge frame of Fletcher who bowled a superb 11-over spell with the new ball, one in which he took 4 for 41 and finished with 5 for 67. Fletcher is a skilful workhorse whose allegiance to Nottinghamshire runs very deep. He is Boxer in . Such devotion is always reciprocated at Trent Bridge and so the travelling fans will have rejoiced in Fletcher’s successes. He played at Papplewick and Linby, too.The North Bay is darker in the evening but the ruffled waves are as beguiling as ever. Across England this week first-class cricket has been played near the sea. At Colwyn Bay, Lancashire have all but sealed promotion. At blessed Hove Sussex have revived their chances. And at Scarborough tomorrow the 133rd festival will end after a match which will decide nothing but clarify much. Cricketers have long been aware they cannot turn back the tide but that chilly truth has never stopped them wondering if it might be so.
Leeds United put a hectic Deadline Day firmly to the back of their mind when returning to the bread and butter of Championship action on Friday night, beating Bristol City 1-0 at Ashton Gate courtesy of a second half Wilfried Gnonto strike.
Despite not strengthening in the centre-back areas – with talk that Ben Godfrey was a transfer target – the defensive duo of Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu showed to everyone that new reinforcements might not have been necessary anyway.
Rodon in particular impressed with 103 touches of the ball amassed in a measured display from the Welshman on Friday night.
Daniel Farke and Co might not have splashed the cash on another centre-back cover owing to the crop of young talent currently coming through in West Yorkshire also, with one starlet having the potential to break into the Whites first-team set-up soon as a Ben Godfrey-like figure.
More than capable of doing a job at both centre-back and right-back, much like the Toffees defender Leeds failed to land, Kris Moore has been a star at youth level for some time now at Elland Road.
The 20-year-old has shone in the U21s fold predominantly at right-back this season, even helping himself to a goal and an assist in one game against Reading in September with Leeds still losing 3-2 despite Moore's best efforts.
In total for the U21s after rising through the youth ranks – with Moore now wearing the captain's armband as a leader in the group – the young Whites defender has accumulated 59 appearances over four campaigns with three goals and four assists registered.
Described as being a "solid" defender by football journalist Joe Donnohue when playing for the academy sides previously, Farke could be tempted to give the 20-year-old opportunities to impress in the first-team fold in the near future.
It's not as if the German boss is afraid to give youth a go either, as seen in 17-year-old Archie Gray becoming a regular first-teamer, whilst Moore will want to just finally taste senior action after being teased with a senior debut under ex-Whites boss Marcelo Bielsa.
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Named on the bench four times by the iconic Argentine manager during Leeds' 2021/22 season, Moore wasn't ever afforded an actual run-out despite making up the numbers regularly on the bench.
Yet, his time could well come to shine under Farke if the Whites boss wants a versatile and adaptable defensive presence similar to Godfrey.
Moore is obviously way off Godfrey currently as a raw youngster still learning the ropes, but the 20-year-old will view the Everton man's career as one he would want to ideally replicate.
The imposing 6-foot defender rose through the ranks to become a cemented first-team star at Norwich City, with the Toffees then paying an extortionate £25m fee to land his services back in 2020 after he had become a crucial cog in the Canaries winning promotion to the Premier League.
Farke was his Norwich manager at the time funnily enough, hence the eagerness for a reunion this window, but no move was forthcoming.
This transfer falling flat would have hurt even more after Godfrey returned to the Toffees first team fold with flying colours amidst all the speculation, winning four tackles as Sean Dyche's men valiantly battled to a 0-0 draw away at Fulham the night before Deadline Day.
If Moore can continue just plugging away in the youth set-up at Leeds and excelling however, it might well not be long before Farke gambles on the 20-year-old to come into the first-team and become his brand-new Godfrey over time.
Glamorgan dismissed for 138 on third day as their own promotion hopes take a hit
ECB Reporters Network20-Aug-2019
Richard Gleeson is mobbed by his team-mates•Getty Images
Lancashire increased their lead at the top of Division Two with a comprehensive win in under three days against a Glamorgan team who were outclassed in every department, with the margin of victory – an innings and 150 runs – a clear indication of the difference between the two teams.While Lancashire, on their performances this season, will provide formidable opposition in Division One next year, Glamorgan, who were second before this game but are likely to move a few places lower after the current round of fixtures, will need to improve significantly if they are to gain promotion.Apart from Dane Vilas’ brilliant innings that enabled Lancashire take a lead of 288 on first innings, their seam attack probed incessantly in both innings, with the impressive Danny Lamb, in only his fifth first-class game claiming 6 for 89 in the match.Lancashire resumed on 544 for 8, but their innings lasted only four balls before Saqib Mahmood edged Samit Patel to slip after a single had been added. When Glamorgan began their second innings, Nick Selman was almost dismissed from the first ball of the innings when Tom Bailey failed to hold on to a return catch.Instead, the Glamorgan openers made it into the 15th over before being parted, Lamb removing Selman lbw to make it 28 for 1.Five runs later Charlie Hemphrey departed, also leg before to Lamb, who was quickly followed by Shaun Marsh, and when David Lloyd and Billy Root were dismissed by Richard Gleeson in successive deliveries, the home team had subsided to 40 for 4. Patel and Chris Cooke then shared an useful partnership of 42, before both were out leg before – Cooke the fifth lbw victim of the innings and the team’s top scorer with 41.The last four wickets fell for 15 runs, and at 3.30pm Lancashire were on their way home, with Glamorgan left to reflect on their two recent heavy Championship defeats – to Middlesex by 256 runs and here by an innings.
A valiant and unbeaten opening effort of 71 off 60 balls from Sanjida Islam and two wickets each from spinners Nahida Akter and Shaila Sharmin highlighted their 70-run win
ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2019Asia Cup champions Bangladesh women won their second title in as many years by beating Thailand women in the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifer in Dundee on Saturday. A valiant and unbeaten opening effort of 71 off 60 balls from Sanjida Islam and two wickets each from spinners Nahida Akter and Shaila Sharmin highlighted their 70-run win as they defended 130.As both teams had already qualified for the Women’s T20 World Cup to be played in Australia next year, Bangladesh’s win on Saturday put them in Group A (Australia, India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka) whereas Thailand head to Group B (England, South Africa, West Indies and Pakistan).”We are very happy to be heading to Australia for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in February. Being at the world stage helps us grow the women’s game back home in Bangladesh. We hope they can watch and be inspired to play,” Bangladesh captain Salma Khatun said.The Bangladesh openers made full use of their decision to bat with a partnership of 68 in 10 overs before Murshida Khatun was bowled by legspinner Suleeporn Laomi for 33 off 34 balls. Sanjida hardly got anymore support from the rest of the line-up but her maiden T20I fifty carried Bangladesh all the way till the end as she struck six fours and three sixes in all. No other Bangladesh batsman scored in double digits as Jahanara Alam was run out for 3 and Fahima Khatun was stumped on her first ball which was a wide.Thailand stuttered in their chase early by starting slow and losing three wickets in the first six overs. Their top four fell for single-digit scores, totalling 14 runs in all, as Nahida dismissed the openers in her first two overs. They couldn’t put on any substantial partnership until Wongpaka Liengprasert and captain Sornnarin Tippoch (8) came together for 24 runs for the fifth wicket. Tippoch was soon caught on the legside off Sharmin, leaving Thailand with a tall task of scoring 90 runs in the last five overs. Liengprasert was boweld by Sharmin for 11 off 29 in the 16th over and Ratanaporn Padunglerd’s unbeaten 15 off 14 with a four and a six only reduced Thailand’s margin of defeat.
MatériaMais Notícias
Em crise financeira, o Botafogo busca alternativas para evitar demissões em massa no corpo de funcionários. Nesta quinta-feira, os colaboradores do Alvinegro recusaram uma proposta feita pelo clube, que ofereceu uma redução de 25% nos vencimentos mensais e na carga horária de trabalho no período de dois a cinco meses.
CONFIRA A TABELA DA SÉRIE B
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Houve uma assembleia na tarde desta quinta-feira na sede de General Severiano entre o Sindeclubes (Sindicato dos Empregados em Clubes, Federações e Confederações Esportivas e Atletas Profissionais do Estado do Rio de Janeiro) e os funcionários. O Sindicato está representando os colaboradores na ação. Por maioria dos votos, a proposta do Botafogo foi recusada.
O Sindicato apresentou novos números ao Botafogo para tentar manter emprego e renda e, assim, evitar demissões em massa no quadro de funcionários. As negociações entre as partes seguem e haverá uma nova assembleia no mês que vem.
Com dificuldades nos cofres, o Botafogo busca renovar a parceria que possui com o Sindeclubes desde o ano passado. Por conta da ajuda do Sindeclubes, que auxilia com verbas penhoras/congeladas, o Alvinegro não atrasa salários desde outubro.
NOTA DO BOTAFOGO:
“O Botafogo tem apresentado um posicionamento muito transparente quanto à sua complicada situação financeira e abordado de forma enfática a necessidade de cortes de despesas. De forma conscienciosa, o Clube realizou diversas reuniões com os representantes do SindeClubes em busca de soluções que preservem ao máximo emprego e renda de seus funcionários. As propostas apresentadas na Assembleia desta quinta-feira, infelizmente, não foram aceitas pelos colaboradores.
Cabe ressaltar o esforço e comprometimento da gestão que tem se traduzido em salários em dia mesmo diante de um cenário bastante crítico. A situação, contudo, é insustentável e medidas urgentes são necessárias para a continuidade do clube”
Arsenal and sporting director Edu didn't take any action during the January transfer window, which is rumoured to be down to budget constraints and FFP worries, but the summer is likely to be very different.
Arsenal looking at 2024 summer signings
Manager Mikel Arteta publicly claimed that his side have one of the Premier League's thinnest squads recently, with the Spaniard revealing exactly why Arsenal were quiet compared to some of their big rivals like Tottenham.
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"We have one of the thinnest squads in the League, that's for sure," said Arteta on Arsenal's lack of winter signings (via Standard Sport).
"And when you talk about the numbers, especially in certain areas, we are really thin. It wasn't possible [to do any January deals]. And now we didn't have the capacity to improve the team in the way that we think we want to improve it, so we decided not to do something yet."
Arteta may have been exaggerating slightly when highlighting Arsenal's lack of depth in certain areas, but he could be proved right later this year when a few contracts are set to expire.
Both Jorginho and Mohamed Elneny are set to leave when their deals run out in June, as things stand, which would leave Arteta extremely short of depth in central midfield. Elsewhere in the squad, Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah stand out as Arsenal's only senior striker options. Club legend Ray Parlour has urged Arsenal to sign a new number nine on plenty of occasions this season as a result.
"I do think Arsenal need to strengthen up front as we had four top strikers in my day with Bergkamp, Henry, Wiltord, Kanu and also Jeffers would pop up with a few goals," said Parlour in January, exclusively to FFC.
"Arsenal have two main recognised strikers in Jesus and Nketiah. It’s very tough in January to get the striker you want, so I trust Edu and Mikel to get it right and maybe a loan could happen."
Once the summer rolls around, Arsenal will be in a position to spend more, especially if they pip both Liverpool and Man City to the title. It is believed they're in full transfer planning for the window already, and one centre-forward enticing their interest is Napoli star Victor Osimhen.
Edu considers Chelsea hijack to sign Osimhen
The Nigeria international signed a new deal earlier this season which includes a £111 million release clause, with the Gunners in contention to activate it.
That is according to reports in Spain, which suggest Arsenal "wants to steal" Osimhen from under Chelsea's nose as Mauricio Pochettino's side also look at signing him.
Frosinone 1-3 Napoli
8.46
Napoli 2-0 Sassuolo
7.62
Napoli 2-1 Cagliari
7.60
Napoli 4-1 Udinese
7.36
Napoli 1-3 Fiorentina
7.15
Edu and co are currently considering all variables before potentially signing the 25-year-old, who's been called "world-class" by Jose Mourinho and is the scorer of seven goals in just 13 Serie A appearances this season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers continue to impress under Gary O'Neil this season.
The Wanderers latest 2-1 away win over Tottenham Hotspur further highlighted the improvement made by the side since the summer.
One of the reasons for this success is their excellent recruitment in the transfer market over the past few years, with the likes of Joao Gomes, Matheus Cunha, and Hwang Hee-chan all being influential this campaign.
However, there is one player who goes under the radar slightly, who has been a reliable rock and proven to be an absolute bargain.
Toti Gomes' rise to the Premier League
Toti Gomes' path to Premier League stardom is a rather interesting tale, as after playing just three games for Estoril in Liga Portugal Two in 2019, then Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo snapped up the defender a year later – and it is reasonable to presume that the scouting department won't have envisioned him playing such a key role this season.
Upon his arrival at Wolves, the defender was immediately sent on loan to Swiss side Grasshoppers, who were playing in the second tier at the time. The Portuguese ace was incredible during their title-winning campaign in 2021, playing 34 times.
The 25-year-old stayed at the club until January 2022, and two weeks later, he made his debut for Wolves in the Premier League against Southampton in a 3-1 win. Former captain Conor Coady was impressed by the number 24's first start, calling him "fantastic" in a post-match interview.
Toti Gomes 2023/24 season so far
Last season, Gomes featured much more than he did after making his debut, playing 17 times in the league as either a left-centre back or a left-back, with neither of those being the position that gets the best out of him.
The arrival of O'Neil has seen the former Estoril star develop into a quality defender, with the left-centre back role in a back three becoming his own, due to his ability to win duels and use his athleticism to dominate wingers. Gomes has played in every game since coming into the side versus Manchester City in September, with the win against Spurs being his 19th league start of the campaign.
Gomes' profile is perfect for a side operating in a back three, while his versatility also allows him to play comfortably in a back four as a fullback or a centre half. The 6 foot 2 rock is proactive and able to adapt to different match states, whether it is using his ability on the ball to get the team up the field or using his excellent reading of the game to sniff out danger when under pressure. He displayed all of the above against Spurs this weekend.
Minutes
95
Clearances
5
Tackles
2
Interceptions
4
Dribbled past
0
Pass accuracy %
83%
Successful dribbles
2/2
With his Portugal debut under his belt and plenty of action in the Premier League, while also being left-footed, his estimated worth has rocketed to €14m (£12m), according to Transfermarkt.
That may not seem like much, yet having been valued at just €1m (£900k) at the time of his return to Molineux in January 2022, that marks a remarkable increase of 1233% – indicating just what a blinder it was in bringing him to the club.
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Fresh from signing a new long-term contract with the Old Gold earlier this month, Gomes can continue to dazzle under O'Neil's watch for the foreseeable future.
Liverpool have emerged as one of the contenders to sign Valencia and Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili this summer.
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Liverpool eye move for MamardashviliWill compete with Newcastle for goalkeeper's signatureStarring for Georgia at Euro 2024WHAT HAPPENED?
Marca reports that the Reds could consider placing a bid for the custodian amid rumours of receiving a massive offer from Saudi Arabian clubs for Alisson. They will, however, face competition from fellow Premier League side Newcastle United who are being considered the favourites to land Mamardashvili.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The Magpies reportedly saw their first bid worth €25m (£21m/$26) for the Georgian get rejected by Valencia. They, however, are expected to place a second offer as they look determined to sign a quality goalkeeper in the ongoing summer transfer window.
DID YOU KNOW?
After appearing in 37 La Liga games for Vanelcia last season, the 23-year-old is now starring for his national team at the Euros. He has conceded just four goals in the group stage and managed to keep a clean sheet in Georgia's historic win over Portugal in their last game.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR GIORGI MAMARDASHVILI?
He will be next seen in action for The Crusaders on Sunday night as they face European giants Spain in an exciting Euro 2024 round of 16 clash.
Glasgow Rangers currently find themselves in uncharted territory as they sit at the summit of the Scottish Premiership table.
Following a 3-0 win over St Johnstone a couple of weeks ago, the Light Blues claimed top spot from Celtic and it marked the first time since August 2022 that the club had sat atop the table.
A 5-0 rout of Hearts at the weekend – as well as Wednesday's hard-fought win over Kilmarnock – has maintained their two-point advantage and every Premiership clash is now a cup final as the Gers aim for their first league title since 2021.
Philippe Clement’s January transfer business could potentially be the catalyst in the club’s pursuit of glory as all three signings have made a positive impact thus far.
It marks a stark change from just a few months ago when growing resentment was setting in during the dying embers of Michael Beale’s reign, as several poor transfers looked like setting the Glasgow side back.
He was not the first manager to sign talented players who have failed to live up to the hype since joining the Ibrox side, as a succession of bosses before him all made similar mistakes.
Mark Warburton was arguably one of the worst culprits, with one of his signings for the club even being compared to former Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.
Jordan Rossiter's record at Liverpool
Jordan Rossiter began making waves through the Liverpool academy as a youngster and his talent was clearly obvious to all who watched him play.
The Englishman played 35 times for the U21, U18 and Youth League teams as he was building his reputation, scoring four times and grabbing four assists and this promise meant he was given his debut by Brendan Rodgers in a League Cup clash against Middlesbrough in September 2014.
Rossiter made an immediate impression, scoring the only Liverpool goal of the game, although that was his only senior appearance for the Anfield side that term, making the matchday squad in the Premier League only once before an ankle injury ended his campaign.
Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler had previously delivered high praise for the talented midfielder, hailing him as “potentially a young Stevie G” back in 2013, but the truth is, he failed to hit such heights at the Reds.
The following season saw Rossiter make four senior appearances for the club, but more injury issues meant he failed to really show Jürgen Klopp his talents on a consistent basis, and it would prove to be his final season on Merseyside.
Jordan Rossiter's time at Rangers in numbers
Following four years in the lower leagues, Rangers romped to the Championship title during the 2015/16 season under Warburton, also claiming the Challenge Cup and reaching the Scottish Cup final.
Towards the end of the season, it was announced that Rossiter had signed a pre-contract agreement with the Gers to join that summer ahead of the 2016/17 season, and it looked like a wonderful investment.
They only had to pay a compensation fee of £250k to Liverpool and while injury problems had blighted his young career up until that point, Warburton clearly saw plenty of potential that he could move on from there and establish himself in Glasgow.
It did not take long for his poor injury record to rear its head, however. After making six appearances during the first few weeks of the season, the former Anfield starlet suffered a serious calf injury which ruled him out for the remainder of the season.
Things got worse, rather than better, as the youngster made just five appearances the following campaign, again being hampered by a calf injury, while his appearances were limited to just five again under the player he was compared to during his academy days – Gerrard.
Loan spells at Bury and Fleetwood Town between January 2019 and May 2020 saw him make 36 appearances, and he finally looked injury-free, but Gerrard had bolstered his side by that point and Rossiter was always going to struggle to secure a regular place in the team.
What Jordan Rossiter has done since leaving Rangers
The former teenage sensation moved to Fleetwood permanently on a one-year deal in the summer of 2020, before joining his current side, Bristol Rovers, in 2022.
The 26-year-old made 21 appearances in his debut season for the club, before he suffered yet more injury problems.
Throughout his spell at Rangers, Rossiter missed a staggering 94 matches across just three seasons due to the aforementioned calf injuries, and he has failed to feature for Bristol Rovers so far during the 2023/24 campaign.
Rovers currently play in League One and judging by his statistics from last term, moving him on in 2020 looked like a decent bit of business.
The midfielder only averaged a 72% pass success rate per game in the third tier last season, while creating zero big chances, making 0.5 key passes per game and losing possession 9.6 times per match, indicating that he was hardly impressing despite dropping a couple of levels.
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It is always a shame to see a hugely talented player lose their way after plenty of buildup regarding their abilities, even worse so when it is factors out of their control, such as injury problems.
Who knows how good Rossiter might have been if he had stayed fit between 2014 and 2020? Could he have played a key part in Gerrard’s Rangers side which went on to secure their first league title in a decade during 2020/21?
Jordan Rossiter's career statistics
Games
Goals
2022/23
21
0
2021/22
10
0
2020/21
36
1
2019/20
19
0
2018/19
22
1
2017/18
5
1
2016/17
6
0
2015/16
4
0
Via Transfermarkt
He certainly had the required qualities to be a success at Ibrox, yet failing to secure a consistent run of matches proved to be his ultimate downfall, and now he is currently struggling to adapt to League One football.
Warburton clearly saw plenty of future potential in the 5 foot 10 starlet eight years ago, but four years later, his failure to establish himself in the first team meant the Light Blues had fumbled with the transfer.
The Englishman has arguably yet to hit his peak, but will his constant injury battles mean this may never happen? Only time will tell.