Chris Lepkowski
@chrislepkowski.bsky.social
Academic | sports journalist | author | comms
Birmingham City University sports journalism course director. Freelance, FWA member
Author: THE SLUM SPORT
Ghostwriter: THE THIRD DEGREE
Sport, media, football finance, politics
Birmingham City University sports journalism course director. Freelance, FWA member
Author: THE SLUM SPORT
Ghostwriter: THE THIRD DEGREE
Sport, media, football finance, politics
John Rooney doesn't look like his brother much
January 10, 2026 at 2:03 PM
John Rooney doesn't look like his brother much
Biggest ever FA Cup shock looming... #Macclesfield
January 10, 2026 at 1:07 PM
Biggest ever FA Cup shock looming... #Macclesfield
Page 312. News in brief. Carbon crocked. Again.
Without revealing your actual age,what's something you remember that if you told a younger person they wouldn't understand?
January 10, 2026 at 12:12 AM
Page 312. News in brief. Carbon crocked. Again.
Reposted by Chris Lepkowski
Skal ikke ha noen banestorming på Stamford Bridge. -Elektriske gjerder har blitt brukt av bønder i lang tid.
Fra The Slum Sport - The Story of 1985/86 av @chrislepkowski.bsky.social
Fra The Slum Sport - The Story of 1985/86 av @chrislepkowski.bsky.social
January 9, 2026 at 3:39 PM
Skal ikke ha noen banestorming på Stamford Bridge. -Elektriske gjerder har blitt brukt av bønder i lang tid.
Fra The Slum Sport - The Story of 1985/86 av @chrislepkowski.bsky.social
Fra The Slum Sport - The Story of 1985/86 av @chrislepkowski.bsky.social
Interesting review of Saipan by Kevin Kilbane. Seems very much like The Damned United in its depiction of a period of time. Less fact, more fiction (Faction?), with claims that some casting & portrayals leave a lot to be desired.
I will still watch it, though
www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer...
I will still watch it, though
www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer...
Kevin Kilbane: The record needs to be set straight about the Saipan film. We were not a pub team on tour
Cartoonish film is funny but the record needs to be set straight on a few falsehoods
www.irishtimes.com
January 9, 2026 at 3:28 PM
Interesting review of Saipan by Kevin Kilbane. Seems very much like The Damned United in its depiction of a period of time. Less fact, more fiction (Faction?), with claims that some casting & portrayals leave a lot to be desired.
I will still watch it, though
www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer...
I will still watch it, though
www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer...
Reposted by Chris Lepkowski
Big tie knots, big lumps on the head, & a big barrel of fun as #Chelsea entertain #CharltonAthletic. Geoff Hurst ruins it all by handing the No11 shirt to the most unNo11 of players.
Play @scraggy74.bsky.social & @themagicofthecup.bsky.social yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/para-109c-...
Play @scraggy74.bsky.social & @themagicofthecup.bsky.social yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/para-109c-...
1979/80: Para 1.09c Chelsea v Charlton 17/11/1979
Join us for Brian Moore's linguistic psychedelic weekend
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
January 9, 2026 at 1:22 PM
Big tie knots, big lumps on the head, & a big barrel of fun as #Chelsea entertain #CharltonAthletic. Geoff Hurst ruins it all by handing the No11 shirt to the most unNo11 of players.
Play @scraggy74.bsky.social & @themagicofthecup.bsky.social yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/para-109c-...
Play @scraggy74.bsky.social & @themagicofthecup.bsky.social yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/para-109c-...
Reposted by Chris Lepkowski
“Fuck ICE!” chants & a brass band performing “Which side are you on?” as hundreds march in Manhattan, NYC against ICE and in solidarity with Minneapolis.
January 9, 2026 at 12:06 AM
“Fuck ICE!” chants & a brass band performing “Which side are you on?” as hundreds march in Manhattan, NYC against ICE and in solidarity with Minneapolis.
Reposted by Chris Lepkowski
Minnesota United fan here - the guy was incredible for us. Took an absolute shit roster riddled with injuries and made us very competitive with ugly ass, park the bus style football. Loads of goals off set pieces because nobody could do anything from the run of play. Should be able to keep WBA up.
January 8, 2026 at 6:23 PM
Minnesota United fan here - the guy was incredible for us. Took an absolute shit roster riddled with injuries and made us very competitive with ugly ass, park the bus style football. Loads of goals off set pieces because nobody could do anything from the run of play. Should be able to keep WBA up.
Reposted by Chris Lepkowski
Recommended reading from @johnspacemuller.com
The most aggressive set-piece team in the world plays in Minnesota
Under the guidance of a former Manchester United assistant, Minnesota United are finding MLS success with a surprising tactic
www.theguardian.com
January 8, 2026 at 7:07 PM
Recommended reading from @johnspacemuller.com
Exactly what I wanted to read.
Minnesota United fan here - the guy was incredible for us. Took an absolute shit roster riddled with injuries and made us very competitive with ugly ass, park the bus style football. Loads of goals off set pieces because nobody could do anything from the run of play. Should be able to keep WBA up.
January 8, 2026 at 6:58 PM
Exactly what I wanted to read.
An early contender for the 'worst tribute you'll read in 2026'
January 8, 2026 at 1:02 PM
An early contender for the 'worst tribute you'll read in 2026'
Reposted by Chris Lepkowski
If you're a West Brom fan and you feel a little ignored by the wider media after four and a half years in the Badlands, there's a whole Baggies feature on ROUTE ONE here with the marvellous @chrislepkowski.bsky.social
pod.fo/e/373e71
pod.fo/e/373e71
January 8, 2026 at 8:13 AM
If you're a West Brom fan and you feel a little ignored by the wider media after four and a half years in the Badlands, there's a whole Baggies feature on ROUTE ONE here with the marvellous @chrislepkowski.bsky.social
pod.fo/e/373e71
pod.fo/e/373e71
Interesting insight here into #wba candidate (and polyglot) Eric Ramsay mspmag.com/arts-and-cul...
In Conversation with Eric Ramsay
The youngest head coach in Major League Soccer history—and a rising star in international soccer circles—chose Minnesota. The only question now is: How long will he keep choosing it?
mspmag.com
January 8, 2026 at 9:53 AM
Interesting insight here into #wba candidate (and polyglot) Eric Ramsay mspmag.com/arts-and-cul...
Judging by the number of spellings I see of Hasenhüttl, I really wouldn't want him near the #WBA job. I can barely cope with hearing 'Beer-lick', let alone people spelling the manager's name wrong!
January 8, 2026 at 12:06 AM
Judging by the number of spellings I see of Hasenhüttl, I really wouldn't want him near the #WBA job. I can barely cope with hearing 'Beer-lick', let alone people spelling the manager's name wrong!
#Runawaynetflix definitely got a hint of Cracker about it.
January 7, 2026 at 10:45 PM
#Runawaynetflix definitely got a hint of Cracker about it.
Reposted by Chris Lepkowski
Why didn't Ryan Mason succeed as Baggies boss?
Getting the temperature of #wba supporters on The Liquidator phone in
@goldbergradio.bsky.social @chrislepkowski.bsky.social
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
Getting the temperature of #wba supporters on The Liquidator phone in
@goldbergradio.bsky.social @chrislepkowski.bsky.social
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
Ryan Mason Sacked: The Phone In
Podcast Episode · THE LIQUIDATOR · 06/01/2026 · 59m
podcasts.apple.com
January 7, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Why didn't Ryan Mason succeed as Baggies boss?
Getting the temperature of #wba supporters on The Liquidator phone in
@goldbergradio.bsky.social @chrislepkowski.bsky.social
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
Getting the temperature of #wba supporters on The Liquidator phone in
@goldbergradio.bsky.social @chrislepkowski.bsky.social
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
Reposted by Chris Lepkowski
ROUTE ONE is heavily West Ham and West Brom today with @benjilanyado.bsky.social and @chrislepkowski.bsky.social so give it a listen if you can handle that sort of thing
If you like it, the only payment I request is a RT and if you want to tip your podcast, do feel free to quoteRT
pod.fo/e/373e71
If you like it, the only payment I request is a RT and if you want to tip your podcast, do feel free to quoteRT
pod.fo/e/373e71
January 7, 2026 at 4:29 PM
ROUTE ONE is heavily West Ham and West Brom today with @benjilanyado.bsky.social and @chrislepkowski.bsky.social so give it a listen if you can handle that sort of thing
If you like it, the only payment I request is a RT and if you want to tip your podcast, do feel free to quoteRT
pod.fo/e/373e71
If you like it, the only payment I request is a RT and if you want to tip your podcast, do feel free to quoteRT
pod.fo/e/373e71
Trying to summarise #wba's woes into 2 minutes was bloody hard work
(my initial attempt was more than 7 minutes long... sorry Iain!)
(my initial attempt was more than 7 minutes long... sorry Iain!)
What’s happened at West Ham? Who’s to blame for this catastrophe? I’ve got some ideas and so has @benjilanyado.bsky.social. And same question, but WBA with @chrislepkowski.bsky.social
The new ROUTE ONE is here:
pod.fo/e/373e71
The new ROUTE ONE is here:
pod.fo/e/373e71
Route One: West Ham Surely Doomed
That’s it now, isn’t it? West Ham haven’t won in ten, they’re seven adrift, they’ve only won three all season and they’ve shipped nearly as many goals from set pieces alone as Arsenal h...
pod.fo
January 7, 2026 at 2:26 PM
Trying to summarise #wba's woes into 2 minutes was bloody hard work
(my initial attempt was more than 7 minutes long... sorry Iain!)
(my initial attempt was more than 7 minutes long... sorry Iain!)
Reposted by Chris Lepkowski
What’s happened at West Ham? Who’s to blame for this catastrophe? I’ve got some ideas and so has @benjilanyado.bsky.social. And same question, but WBA with @chrislepkowski.bsky.social
The new ROUTE ONE is here:
pod.fo/e/373e71
The new ROUTE ONE is here:
pod.fo/e/373e71
Route One: West Ham Surely Doomed
That’s it now, isn’t it? West Ham haven’t won in ten, they’re seven adrift, they’ve only won three all season and they’ve shipped nearly as many goals from set pieces alone as Arsenal h...
pod.fo
January 7, 2026 at 1:32 PM
What’s happened at West Ham? Who’s to blame for this catastrophe? I’ve got some ideas and so has @benjilanyado.bsky.social. And same question, but WBA with @chrislepkowski.bsky.social
The new ROUTE ONE is here:
pod.fo/e/373e71
The new ROUTE ONE is here:
pod.fo/e/373e71
Reposted by Chris Lepkowski
🗓️40 years today since football & TV ended its feud!
THE SLUM SPORT explains how the six-month TV blackout shaped the future of football and aided the creation the Premier League.
🛒To order, head for curtis-sport.com/all-programm...
✒️Or DM/reply to me for a personalised copy!
THE SLUM SPORT explains how the six-month TV blackout shaped the future of football and aided the creation the Premier League.
🛒To order, head for curtis-sport.com/all-programm...
✒️Or DM/reply to me for a personalised copy!
January 5, 2026 at 7:54 PM
🗓️40 years today since football & TV ended its feud!
THE SLUM SPORT explains how the six-month TV blackout shaped the future of football and aided the creation the Premier League.
🛒To order, head for curtis-sport.com/all-programm...
✒️Or DM/reply to me for a personalised copy!
THE SLUM SPORT explains how the six-month TV blackout shaped the future of football and aided the creation the Premier League.
🛒To order, head for curtis-sport.com/all-programm...
✒️Or DM/reply to me for a personalised copy!
Yep. Still applies
Sometimes a manager not only needs to be adept, but 'lucky'. Get the feeling Mason would fall down a hole after stepping over a black cat. Just like managers need a 'good' chairman, sometimes owners need their bosses to have a touch of fortune about them. Not sure Mason has that #wba
January 5, 2026 at 10:23 PM
Yep. Still applies