EXCLUSIVE: Stoke City HAVE FIRED manager Nathan Jones, after the club slipped to second bottom of the Championship following a dismal run of results.

Alex Neil is the man Stoke City want as their next manager following the dismissal of Nathan Jones on Friday. The Potters currently find themselves in the relegation zone following a poor start.

JANINE SELF AT THE HAWTHORNS: What started as a night of goal-scoring celebration ended with the prospect of a lengthy stint in the rehab room for Stoke striker Tyrese Campbell

Kenwyne Jones has lifted the lid on the 'deplorable' pigs head prank he was on the receiving end of at Stoke and had members of the Muslim community contacting him offering to 'handle the situation.' 

The 2010s have seen an unprecedented turnover of managers in England's top flight. In total, 103 different men have been in charge of Premier League clubs in the last 10 years, holding 153 posts between them.

The 31-year-old defender is the third senior player to extend his stay in a matter of days after midfielders Jonjo Shelvey and Matt Ritchie both signed contract extensions last Friday.

He is currently on loan at Swansea where he had kick-started his career, before football's coronavirus-enforced suspension, after a serious ankle injury that kept him out for 16 months.

MARTIN SAMUEL AT THE YOKOHAMA STADIUM: The gentleman in the Houston Texans baseball cap sat in the stand scribbling his notes. He will not have needed exhaustive entries.

Eddie Jones went undercover in Yokohoma - disguising himself as a fan of the NFL's Houston Texans as he scouted Rugby World Cup final opponents South Africa against Wales. 

The Welsh face an unbeaten French side in Cardiff on Saturday. Wayne Pivac's side come into the game on the back of a defeat in Dublin to the Irish - their first Six Nations loss since 2018.

Wales' oracle has spoken and delivered doses of reality to his nation. Alun Wyn Jones does not talk much, but when he does it is worth listening to the totemic and decorated captain.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: Mark Wilson and Anthony Watson will make their first England appearances since the World Cup final against Wales on Saturday.

The 21-13 defeat killed off English hopes of a Grand Slam, before Warren Gatland rubbed salt in the wounds by questioning their big-game ability.

Alun Wyn Jones moved to ease fears that Dan Biggar is not fit for Wales' trip to Twickenham by saying he will play against England on Saturday despite suffering a knee injury for Northampton.

MIKE BROWN: Players love seeing what grenades Eddie Jones throws during his press conferences. Sometimes they will be watching on social media to see what he comes out with.

England could find themselves in treble trouble after Eddie Jones slammed the 'rubbish' refereeing at Twickenham and Joe Marler grabbed Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones by his genitals.

Joe Marler demonstrated some impressive handling skills for a front-row forward in England's Six Nations victory over Wales at Twickenham.

Joe Marler has given his response to the storm over his manhandling of Alun Wyn Jones's genitals with Piers Morgan among those weighing into the debate on Twitter.

Joe Marler's England future has been left in doubt as he awaits confirmation of a citing for manhandling Alun Wyn Jones's genitals, amid fresh Test retirement speculation.

England are facing a triple ban after Joe Marler, Manu Tuilagi and Courtney Lawes were all cited following Saturday's ill-tempered victory over Wales.

The skipper will play in his 148th Test - levelling Richie McCaw - his 139th for Wales to add to nine for the British & Irish Lions. Meanwhile Webb wears the No 9 shirt for first time since 2017.

Joe Marler has been banned until June 8 for grabbing Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones's groin during England's 33-30 Six Nations win over their neighbours at Twickenham last Saturday.

Wales are still livid at Joe Marler for his grabbing of Alun Wyn Jones' genitals with Wayne Pivac saying there is 'no place in the game' for the England prop's act.

In a shambolic development on Friday afternoon the final match of the Championship was officially postponed while Scotland were warming up for their captain's run ahead of Saturday's game.

Joe Marler's 10-week ban for his fondling of Alun Wyn Jones' genitals has left Harlequins fuming. The England prop's club are angry at what they feel is an overly-severe punishment.

WILL KELLEHER: George North has had enough. Not of rugby, nor of playing for Wales but of them. North has had it with online trolls who spout vile bile at him and his family.

MIKE BROWN: It is that time of year where we all get asked to give our Six Nations awards so here goes. Rising star: Antoine Dupont. Best try: Justin Tipuric (v England).

Eddie Jones has urged Joe Marler not to quit rugby and has scheduled a meeting with the prop once the lockdown is over. Marler was handed a 10-week ban for grabbing Alun Wyn Jones' genitals.

In just the past ten days I've battled with my home insurer after the price of my policy was hiked by 30 per cent for no reason, chased my old energy supplier for a £174 refund.

What is the point of saving? That's the question we posed after it emerged that National Savings and Investments is to slash interest rates for millions of savers from May.

NASSER HUSSAIN: How good is Steve Smith? You'd have to say he's up there with the all-time greats. The point of sending someone out of the door is to get runs, not to look pretty.

BUMBLE AT THE TEST: England produced a fine bowling display to draw the Ashes series with a 135-run fifth Test victory at The Oval. Consecutive Joe Root catches signalled the end of an era.

SPORTS AGENDA BY MIKE KEEGAN: Eddie Jones has included lessons on Japanese history as part of England's World Cup preparations

The 1000-year-old Allerton Oak in Calderstones Park, Liverpool, will represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year contest which begins in February.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY RICHARD GIBSON: England's greatest ever bowler Jimmy Anderson is fit again and is targeting the 2021 Ashes series which begins in November that year.

EXCLUSIVE BY LAWRENCE BOOTH: Dom Sibley recalls the moment he wondered whether he was good enough to be an England opener. He'd just been caught behind for four.

The WAG, 33, took to Twitter on Friday to share a black and white snap with the footballer, 34, as they enjoyed a double date with pals. She tellingly captioned the post 'It's been a while...'

The scenes which surrounded Serbia's abandoned Euro 2016 qualifier with Albania caused much shock and amazement to all those watching.

Before every UEFA match there is a meeting of 'emergency personnel' who run through what to do in the event of any major incident before or during the match.

Albania's national team have been handed a heroes' welcome for their return home following the shocking violence that forced their Euro 2016 qualifier against Serbia to be abandoned.

Serbia's FA has reportedly called on UEFA to reward them with a 3-0 victory after their politically-charged Euro 2016 qualifier against Albania in Belgrade was abandoned.

Serbia and Albania can expect severe punishments after UEFA launched an investigation into a night of violence in Belgrade, described as ‘inexcusable’ by Michel Platini.

Albania claim their players were assaulted by fans, stewards and police in Belgrade at the now-infamous Euro 2016 qualifier against Serbia which was abandoned after the violent scenes.

Albanian internationals Lorik Cana, Etrit Berisha and Thomas Strakosha share the same Lazio dressing room in harmony with Serbia's Filip Djordevic and Dusan Basta.

Serbia have been awarded a 3-0 victory over Albania following their abandoned qualifier but they have also been deducted three points and ordered to play two games behind closed doors.

A court ruling for appeals filed by the Serbian and Albanian football federation against UEFA sanctions after their European Championship qualifier was abandoned is expected by July 10.

Albania have been awarded a victory over Serbia by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after a Euro 2016 qualifier was abandoned when a drone with a political banner flew into the stadium.

A bus carrying the Serbia squad was hit by stones within hours of the team arriving in Albania on Wednesday for a Euro 2016 qualifier, a year after their previous encounter was abandoned in chaos.

Jordan Hugill has had a rocky last couple of seasons to say the least. Signed by West Ham in January 2018, he was on the verge of achieving his dream - becoming a Premier League striker.

In October 2018 Mason Mount featured as Derby drew 1-1 away to QPR in the Championship. Fast forward a year and the midfielder is is in line to make his first start for England.