Cristiano Ronaldo will walk out at Old Trafford this coming Saturday for his second Manchester United debut, resulting as the pinnacle moment in one of football’s most famous club returns.
The iconic number 7 is highly likely to be in the starting lineup against Newcastle when the Premier League returns at the weekend following an international break.
What may have just been a run-of-the-mill home game against The Magpies has now become a spectacle that the entire footballing world will be watching, or trying to watch, due to the match not being shown on live television in the UK.
Paul Pogba takes on Newcastle Players // Sky Sports
Unfortunately for millions of Manchester United fans, not even a Cristiano Ronaldo return is enough for the bigwigs in league football to fall on their ‘3pm blackout’ swords.
For those who don’t know, or do know but just haven’t cared to research it, the 3pm blackout prevents matches taking place during 2.45pm and 5.15pm from being broadcast on live TV (or at least the major UK broadcasters).
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The argument is that TV cameras cause low attendance in stadiums, or it did back in the 1950s and 1960s when people would prefer to watch the game on the box than spend more money making a day of it at a ground.
Saturday 3pm Priceless banner hangs at a lower league stadium
There is argument for and against the blackout. On one hand, fans need incentive to visit stadiums and enjoy a proper day out at the footy, however, in 2021 it’s not a hard task to sell out a match – even lower league football is experiencing a post-pandemic attendance boom – and therefore many pundits think the 3pm blackout has run its course.
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Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan told TalkSport: “I do believe there is no need for a 3pm watershed because originally when it was brought in, I think Bob Lord at Burnley was the architect of it, and believed that attendances would diminish with live football being put on and taking away from 3pm kick-offs.
“That doesn’t exist anymore because you can fill stadiums ten times over. Perhaps you should change that.”
Below is a brilliant thread by the ESPN’s Dale Johnson on why the 3pm blackout isn’t used elsewhere in the world but why it is so important to English football.
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No one seriously expects a season ticket holder at Rochdale or Torquay to stop going because you can watch Man United or Arsenal at 3pm on a Saturday.
It's thousands of walk-up, casual fans who keep the turnstiles ticking with new cash.
However, on the argument of Ronaldo’s influence, Simon believes one player shouldn’t be the catalyst in changing such a historic rule. He said: “We can’t sit here and say, on one hand, player power has got out of hand and then change a protocol that exits because one Herbert is rocking back to England to play games.”
Many believe the 3pm blackout still works in the UK and is something that keeps the balance in English football just right – especially for lower league clubs.
Sky Sports
On a Saturday at 3pm you are right in the middle of your weekend and many, many local businesses such as pubs, bars and cafes benefit from the crowds brought in by a live game of football.
In the TalkSport comment section, one user put it perfectly. “I lived in England for 10 years, North/South/Midlands, and so many folk I knew would drop in to a local 3pm game, some bringing their kids along for a day out. The local cafes, pubs, shops, etc see the benefit too.
“Start televising Premier league 3pm games and all this takes a hit. No doubt about it. It would only take 10 fans to change their Saturday 3pm habits to see an approx £10k hit to a lower league club and surrounding businesses.. all to the benefit of the clubs that need it least.
“Would be crazy to change it.”
Sport
Grealish holds his hands up over Almirón dig: ‘I do stupid stuff’
Danny Jones
Jack Grealish has finally held his hands up after mocking Miguel Almirón, assuring that while he has made mistakes in career, he has a “good heart”.
Speaking to the media at the national camp in Qatar, the footballer was asked about his now-infamous dig at the Newcastle player, quipping that teammate Riyad Mahrez “played like Almirón” in a sub-par performance during Manchester City‘s 2021/22 title-winning match back in May.
Ironically, Grealish‘s Almiron joke has preceded an incredible run of form from the winger this year, arguably being their player of the season with eight goals to his name already.
Despite the 28-year-old insisting he has “never really paid attention” to what people say about him, he will have inevitably seen the viral clip.
Jack Grealish saying that Mahrez should have been taken off the pitch v Aston Villa because he was playing like Newcastle United’s player Miguel Almirón.
Nevertheless, the England and City star took accountability for the unnecessary outburst, confessing, “I do stupid stuff, that was one”, whilst assuring: “Obviously I’ve done stupid stuff in my life but I think everything that I do good is from my heart.”
The 27-year-old went on to say that describe his Premier League peer as a “great player”, adding: “what a guy… if that was me and somebody had said that about me, I’d have probably been the other way and been like: ‘f*** it'”.
While he said he didn’t think the drunken video would go public, he knows it wasn’t the most professional of moments and that not only is he “buzzing” to see Almirón playing so well but that he will be sure to “show him the most respect” the next time they meet on the pitch.
All in all, we know Jack is a decent bloke: his special tribute to superfan Finlay following his goal at the World Cup alone tells us that and is just one of many instances.
Here he is surprising Finlay once again with a FaceTime after he dedicated his celebration to the 11-year-old as promised.
An MP took the mick out of Harry Maguire in Ghanaian parliament and we can’t get over it
Danny Jones
Hello and welcome to another edition of ‘Headlines We Never Thought We’d Write’. In this week’s episode, a Ghanaian MP mocked Harry Maguire in the middle of parliament and we want answers.
Now, if you’re coming here looking for answers as to exactly why a random politician all the way over on the other side of the world, of all people, chose to mock Harry Maguire in Ghanaian parliament, we’ll stop you right there: we’re just as confused as you are.
That being said, let’s go on this journey together.
Here is Ghana’s Isaac Adongo, MP for the Bolgatanag Central, going in on the Sheffield-born United defender as a way of digging out the opposition:
As you can see in the rather surreal two-and-a-half-minute clip, Adongo is taking aim at the government’s Vice President and Head of the Economic Management Team, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, when he decides to use the 29-year-old centre-back as a simile.
The MP explains that despite being perceived as one of the best defenders in the league when the club signed him, he went on to become “the biggest threat at the centre of Man United‘s defence”. Ouch.
Adongo goes on to add that Maguire was “tackling Manchester United players and giving assists to [his] opponents”, joking that even if they missed “he would score for them” and dubbing Bawumia the “economic Maguire” for scoring own goals against his own nation. Deary me.
To make things even more damning, the reaction from his peers says it all, as one by one they erupt in laughter and one MP is even compelled to get off his seat and walk away in sheer amusement.
We have no idea why, of all the analogies in the world the politician, chose to involve Harry Maguire’s misfortune at Man United, but the undeniably funny clip has left thousands online in tears.
Regardless of the fact the England international is currently doing the business in the 2022 World Cup thus far, it’s fair to say he’s had enough stick in recent years.
It feels as good a time as any to dig this one out:
The Manc -
8th September 2021 
