The 46-year-old ex-professional will amicably depart the Bet365 Stadium when the summer transfer window slams shut next month. Stoke are then expected to appoint a chief scout.

Former Liverpool and England footballer Michael Owen has admitted he was staring 'into an abyss called divorce' as he struggled to come to terms with life after he hung up his boots.

PETER CROUCH: It's the final Saturday of the decade, so what better time to reflect on the 10 years just gone? I wanted to look back on the highs and lows I've experienced in football.

Les Bleus are unbeaten in the tournament so far after wins against England and Italy at home but Wales lock Jake Ball has warned they are ready to make the most of a 'hostile' atmosphere in Cardiff.

Mick Jagger cut a casual figure as he watched England take on Australia in the Ashes on Thursday.

Archer was England's leading wicket-taker in their triumphant World Cup campaign and followed that up by making a huge impact during the Ashes, as he took 22 wickets at an average of 20.27.

NASSER HUSSAIN: Sam Curran is something of an anomaly in the England side who will take to the Bay Oval for the first Test against New Zealand.

Ben Stokes is glued to the aftermath of his miracle at Headingley on television and, revealingly, finds his thoughts immediately turning to the opposition. 'I remember watching this in The Test,' says Stokes.

Strictly Come Dancing's Shirley Ballas, 59, sends fans into meltdown as she shared a 'mind-blowing' throwback clip from her professional dancing days on Twitter on Monday.

Journalist Nick Ames provides his first-hand account of the chaotic scenes which led to the abandonment of the Euro 2016 qualifier between Serbia and Albania.

Some of them have been there, a few of them have done it - but do the managers who are guiding 24 national sides at Euro 2016 really know what their players are going through?

Dexter Blackstock has gone from football to pharmaceuticals - and hopes to save lives, slash the cost of healthcare and even help change the perception of professional players.

Ian Holloway believes football fans should fight in a cage and it should be televised after Manchester City and Liverpool fans punched, bottled and kicked each other in an ugly Tube bust-up.

ADAM SHERGOLD AT LOFTUS ROAD: Sam Baldock scored 15 minutes from time to rescue a point for the Royals as QPR only had themselves to blame for defensive complacency.

Fourty-four teams from the Premier League and Championship enter the FA Cup third round. Sportsmail provides you with third round draw time today, channel, teams and ball numbers.

Queens Park Rangers director of football Les Ferdinand has spoken about why clubs need to position themselves at the heart of their community amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The former Pretty Little Liars actress, 30, stepped out to shop for essentials in Los Angeles on Monday amid the global crisis.

Gilead Scienced, based in California, said it's in talks with 'several' generic drug makers across Europe and Asia, including India and Pakistan, to produce its experimental coronavirus drug remdesivir.

The experienced defender played for Manchester United and Sunderland during a decorated career, and has now taken his first steps into coaching with his final club, Reading.

Bent, who has not had a club since his release by Derby at the end of the 2017/18 campaign, revealed his decision to hang up his boots during an interview on talkSPORT on Thursday afternoon.

IAN LADYMAN: Nobody will be surprised to learn that the last player sent off purely for dissent - rather than being given a second yellow card for it - was combustible Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole.

AMITAI WINEHOUSE: Unlike a Marcelo Bielsa side, Take Us Home: Leeds United starts questionably and gets better the longer it goes on. It is part of a raft of football documentaries.

Even Liverpool fans might laugh about it now. When your side is top of the league with eight wins from as many games, what really do you care about the past?

Goalkeepers adventuring off behind the goal in search of a ball is a routine sight on Sunday league pitches - but it's not something you expect in a 49,000-seater former top-flight stadium.

EXCLUSIVE: Stewart Donald was targeted by Sunderland supporters as he left Fratton Park with his young son following Saturday's 2-0 defeat, before a group of Pompey fans came to his aid.

EXCLUSIVE BY DAVID COVERDALE: Producers Fulwell 73 had planned for series two to be the last. But the suspension of this season may open the door for them to revisit their Sunderland story.

A Russian scientist reveals the animals are feeding on each other in the Arctic as melting ice and fossil fuel extraction companies are forcing the animals out of their traditional hunting grounds.

Computer simulations reveal climate change could awaken an ancient Indian Ocean El Niño by 2100, but the phenomenon could occur as early as 2050 if the current warming trends continue.

A damning study found global warming is driving temperatures and humidity to levels exceeding what the human body can deal with.

The model ex of Manchester United star Jesse Lingard was snapped cosying up to his football rival Jack Grealish this week.

A hilarious video shared on December 30 shows a man dressed in a cats costume, going to see the infamous movie in Orland Park, Illinois, after coming in last place for fantasy football.

Joyce Churchwell, 40, surrendered to police on Tuesday after a warrant was issued for her arrest on a charge of first-degree rape in Tulsa County, Oklahoma.

The five balaclava and hoodie-clad teenagers stole multiple handbags as well as clothes after breaking into the store on Perth's King Street at 2.20am on Tuesday morning.

Bennett, who has been on loan at Millwall since January, was involved in a drunken car crash back in September with three Derby team-mates has infuriated the club's fans once again.

COMMENT: Life without football is not important as life itself and the Premier League have done the right thing by suspending play. That was the first step and a very important one.

MARTIN KEOWN: I watched every minute of it, from the build-up, to the players walking out in front of 100,000 at Wembley, to Keegan scoring twice for Liverpool in a very one-sided 3-0 win.

Ryan Giggs believes that Gareth Bale will shake off his Real Madrid rustiness in time for Wales' vital Euro qualifier against Hungary in Budapest today as the squad look to bounce back from defeat in Croatia. 

LAURIE WHITWELL AT THE GROUPAMA ARENA: This ended up being a disastrous night for Wales in Budapest. A performance that contained encouragement finished in crushing defeat.

A move to Germany beckons for the Welsh international with RB Leipzig keen to acquire Chelsea teenager Ethan Ampadu on a season-long loan this summer, according to the Sun.

Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has entered the closing stages of negotiations with the Chinese Super League club and his protracted exit is close to being finalised.

Wales international Bale is on the brink of moving to the Chinese Super League from Spanish giants Real Madrid in a stunning deal which could be worth in-excess of £1million-per-week.

Gareth Bale had been expected to sign a three-year deal worth a reported £1million a week but reports from Spain indicated Real Madrid have pulled the plug on the deal.

Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey are ready to boost Ryan Giggs' bid to get Wales' Euro 2020 campaign back on track. They suffered two away defeats in June.

Gareth Bale insisted a tumultuous summer at Real Madrid has not been the worst moment of his career as he broke his silence to fire back at the critics.

Wales manager Ryan Giggs will consult star man Gareth Bale to see if he can play in Monday's friendly against Belarus, insisting he will not be 'stupid' regarding the forward's fitness.

Since completing his big-money move from Spurs in 2013, Bale has been routinely criticised for not fully immersing himself into Spanish culture, with many claiming the winger cannot speak the language.

Ethan Ampadu's pre-season move to the Bundesliga was hailed as a smart move given that the teenager has had limited opportunities since joining Chelsea from Exeter in 2017.

Aaron Ramsey has remained in Cardiff in order to concentrate on regaining full fitness for Sunday's game against Croatia. He has been nursing an injury to his adductor muscle.

Gareth Bale appeared to be heading for the exit in the summer - with a £1m a week contract with Jiangsu Suning on the table - after his relationship with Zinedine Zidane hit rock bottom.

TOM COLLOMOSSE: They have shared 15 trophies with Real Madrid, yet on Sunday Gareth Bale and Luka Modric will resume their hunt for the prize they crave just as much.