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Tony Pulis column: ‘He showed why good managers need time’

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Many moons ago I received the great accolade of being named Premier League manager of the season – with Crystal Palace in 2014. Along with the same award I won with Gillingham for Division Three (now League Two) in 1996, it’s one of my most treasured memories over the many years I have been in the game.

So, who do I believe deserves recognition this year? The League Managers Association (LMA) holds its annual awards dinner on Tuesday, recognising achievements across the men’s and women’s game. For me, there are several names that stand out.

In the Premier League, the divisional award invariably goes to the manager who has finished top of the table – since the awards started in 1993 there have only been four occasions when it hasn’t, which is why I was especially proud when one of them was me.

Over the years I have often voted that way myself too, but I have also always respected the managers lower down the Premier League who have over achieved and on many occasions voted that way instead.

This season, Arsenal and Manchester City have been the two outstanding teams and I am sure Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola will have a great run at this prestigious individual award to go with their team’s impressive campaigns.

Take a look below them, however, and there are more managers worth a mention.

What Keith Andrews has achieved at Brentford, in his first season as a manager, is amazing. The Bees were many people’s favourites to get relegated at the start of the campaign and Keith was top of the bookmaker’s list to be the first manager to be sacked – but came within a whisker of securing European qualification for the first time.

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That prize was achieved by Bournemouth‘s Andoni Iraola, who was close to a Champions League place but ended up in the Europa League.

Iraola has managed my old club since 2023 and, despite having to consistently sell his best players during that period, he has put together a team that has gained momentum, not lost it.

His success is not just in a one-off season – instead it has been built over that three-year period, by consistent improvement year after year.

Andoni did not make the best of starts to his time on the south coast – he took 10 attempts to register his first league win, which did not arrive until the end of October – but in an era where managers get less time than ever before, he has proven that, if you do get it, then success can and will follow good managers.

Daniel Farke has shown that at Leeds this season too – turning their fortunes around when he was under real pressure at the end of November.

Along with Regis le Bris at Sunderland, Farke bucked the trend with Leeds by retaining their Premier League status – something we no longer expect from promoted teams.

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Commonwealth Games 2026: Gymnast Ruby Evans wins first gold for Wales

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Ruby Evans in her gymnastic routine

Gymnast Ruby Evans has won Wales’ first Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow with victory in the floor final.

Evans, 19, performed the final routine of the women’s programme and defeated England’s Abigail Martin into silver, with her team-mate Shantae-Eve Amankwaah securing bronze.

Evans left the arena in tears on Sunday after her disappointing sixth in the all-round individual competition, that after Wales finished fourth in the team event.

Now, after Welsh identical twins Abigail and Emily Roper won bronze medals within a couple of hours of each other on Monday, Evans has delivered gold.

It was the first victory for Team Wales in Scotland and a ninth medal alongside two silver and six bronze.

There is also a guaranteed podium position for boxer Connor Williams after he reached the semi-finals.

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Saltburn-Norton match investigated over alleged ‘finger clicking’ cheating

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An amateur cricket match has made global headlines after a fielder was accused of cheating by clicking his fingers to get a wicket.

The North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League has started an investigation into a second XI Division 2 game between Saltburn and Norton.

A viral video on social media appears to show a Saltburn fielder clicking his fingers as the ball passes Noman Shabir’s bat before being caught by wicketkeeper Josh Bowes. Saltburn appeal and the umpire gives Shabir out.

It has been suggested that the finger-clicking was designed to trick the umpire into thinking the batter edged the ball.

Saltburn won by 159 runs and are top of Division 2 by 17 points.

“The league have received a formal complaint regarding alleged incidents in a Division Two game on Saturday,” the league said in a statement on X.

“A full investigation has been initiated and until such time as the formal processes are complete no further comment will be made.”

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Last week Bowes took eight catches in Saltburn’s 22-run win over Shildon Railway. The men’s Test record for catches by a keeper in an innings is seven.

Bowes leads the league standings with 31 catches, 10 more than any other player.

Rory Cotterill, who captained Middlesbrough second XI during a 29-run defeat by Saltburn last month, responded to a social media post containing the video and alleged two further incidents of cheating by Saltburn in that match.

The original video of the incident has had more than three million views on X, with publications in Australia and New Zealand among those to report it.

The BBC has contacted the league and Saltburn. Norton declined to comment.

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West Indies v Pakistan: Justin Greaves takes five wickets for none in incredible spell

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Steve Borthwick

First Test, Tarouba (day three of five)

West Indies 311 (Hope 92; Ali 4-50) & 126-7 (Chanderpaul 35, Abbas 3-14)

Pakistan 282 (Masood 109; Greaves 5-27)

West Indies lead by 155 runs

Scorecard

West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves took five wickets without conceding a run in an incredible spell of bowling on day three of the first Test against Pakistan.

Greaves, who is playing in his 17th Test, claimed his maiden Test five-wicket haul to help dismiss Pakistan for 282 in response to West Indies’ first-innings total of 311.

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The 32-year-old Barbadian’s spell – five consecutive wicket maidens – was all the more remarkable given he had bowled six overs earlier in the day for 27 runs without taking a wicket.

“When I came on captain Roston Chase just said ‘continue to be disciplined in what you are doing’ and to see if I can get some wickets for the team,” Greaves said.

“The ball nipped around and I got some reward. Anytime I get the ball in hand the team looks to me to be that solid player for them [and] try to dig us out of situations.

“To get five wickets for the first time in Test cricket, I’m really happy, but there’s still a lot of work to do in the game.”

Pakistan captain Shan Masood was Greaves’ first wicket at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad when he was bowled for 109 in the 64th over following a superb set-up.

Greaves had pushed the ball wide to the left-hander from over the wicket before he tailed a delivery back into Masood who played down the wrong line and inside edged on to his stumps.

Aamer Jamal had his middle stump uprooted in Greaves’ next over as the seamer speared one through his defences.

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Greaves then trapped Ali Usman lbw before he had Mohammed Rizwan and Mohammad Abbas both caught behind as Pakistan lost their last seven wickets for just 38 runs.

West Indies reached stumps on day three on 126-7 in their second innings – a lead of 155 runs – to leave the match finely poised.

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