Martin Calladine
@uglygame.bsky.social
Writer of books, most recently: No Questions Asked: How Football Joined the Crypto Con (amzn.to/42aKE0w). Investigative pieces at http://theuglygame.wordpress.com/
Pinned
Martin Calladine
@uglygame.bsky.social
· Jan 22
🚨 Out now 🚨
NO QUESTIONS ASKED
How football joined the crypto con
What happened when football got into crypto? It's a tale of fraudsters, ghostship firms, bogus investments, pyramid schemes, gigantic losses and organised crime.
Get your copy here: amzn.to/42aKE0w
NO QUESTIONS ASKED
How football joined the crypto con
What happened when football got into crypto? It's a tale of fraudsters, ghostship firms, bogus investments, pyramid schemes, gigantic losses and organised crime.
Get your copy here: amzn.to/42aKE0w
This is remarkable. Essential reading for our troubled times.
January 21, 2026 at 8:20 PM
This is remarkable. Essential reading for our troubled times.
Everytime the government makes a major announcement, they sound like an exhausted administration staggering towards a third general election, long since out of ideas.
The government is going to move fast and fix things.
Today I announced that we are:
✂️ cutting bureaucracy
💉 using the Vaccine Taskforce model to deliver on your priorities
✅ promoting the doers not the talkers within the civil service.
Today I announced that we are:
✂️ cutting bureaucracy
💉 using the Vaccine Taskforce model to deliver on your priorities
✅ promoting the doers not the talkers within the civil service.
January 21, 2026 at 12:05 PM
Everytime the government makes a major announcement, they sound like an exhausted administration staggering towards a third general election, long since out of ideas.
Golf umbrellas are to pedestrian behaviour what Range Rovers are to driver etiquette.
January 21, 2026 at 11:18 AM
Golf umbrellas are to pedestrian behaviour what Range Rovers are to driver etiquette.
Good pod on the explosion of sports betting in the US. Interesting, from a UK perspective, to hear from somewhere where it's only pretty recently been legalised and yet is already causing huge harms in terms of gambling addiction and spot-fixing.
podcastaddict.com/the-new-york...
podcastaddict.com/the-new-york...
podcastaddict.com
January 21, 2026 at 7:36 AM
Good pod on the explosion of sports betting in the US. Interesting, from a UK perspective, to hear from somewhere where it's only pretty recently been legalised and yet is already causing huge harms in terms of gambling addiction and spot-fixing.
podcastaddict.com/the-new-york...
podcastaddict.com/the-new-york...
"Fight it, then. Propose something to meet the nature of the moment... It can't be both rhetorical urgency and policymaking impotence."
Captures the sense of despair many of us have that progressive political parties seem unable or unwilling to rise to the occasion.
Captures the sense of despair many of us have that progressive political parties seem unable or unwilling to rise to the occasion.
January 20, 2026 at 10:54 PM
"Fight it, then. Propose something to meet the nature of the moment... It can't be both rhetorical urgency and policymaking impotence."
Captures the sense of despair many of us have that progressive political parties seem unable or unwilling to rise to the occasion.
Captures the sense of despair many of us have that progressive political parties seem unable or unwilling to rise to the occasion.
Seventy-seven million, three hundred and two thousand, five hundred and eighty people voted for this.
January 20, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Seventy-seven million, three hundred and two thousand, five hundred and eighty people voted for this.
Mohammed Bin Salman becomes the first owner of a Premier League football team to get his own episode on the Behind the Bastards podcast - the show that explores history's biggest monsters. Doubtless the Independent Regulator will give it a listen.
podcastaddict.com/behind-the-b...
podcastaddict.com/behind-the-b...
Behind the Bastards - Part One: Prince Mohammed Bin Salman: The Tyrant of Saudi Arabia
Listen to Behind the Bastards - Part One: Prince Mohammed Bin Salman: The Tyrant of Saudi Arabia by Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts on Podcast Addict. Robert sits down with David Bell to tell the l...
podcastaddict.com
January 20, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Mohammed Bin Salman becomes the first owner of a Premier League football team to get his own episode on the Behind the Bastards podcast - the show that explores history's biggest monsters. Doubtless the Independent Regulator will give it a listen.
podcastaddict.com/behind-the-b...
podcastaddict.com/behind-the-b...
Reposted by Martin Calladine
I enjoyed looking at Gremio's Wikipedia page today and finding, in the 'Club Officials' section, that the club has an official butler.
January 20, 2026 at 3:48 PM
I enjoyed looking at Gremio's Wikipedia page today and finding, in the 'Club Officials' section, that the club has an official butler.
Reposted by Martin Calladine
On the subject of World Cup boycotts, this is a story which ought to be much better known: why African countries decided not to compete for a place at the 1966 tournament. One of Fifa's most shameful moments, which hardly ever gets a mention.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-a...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-a...
How Africa boycotted the 1966 World Cup
The BBC's Piers Edwards explains the little-known story behind the African boycott to the 1966 World Cup, the only World Cup in history to have been snubbed by an entire continent.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 20, 2026 at 11:46 AM
On the subject of World Cup boycotts, this is a story which ought to be much better known: why African countries decided not to compete for a place at the 1966 tournament. One of Fifa's most shameful moments, which hardly ever gets a mention.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-a...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-a...
I hadn't previously been aware of the McGrail Inquiry. It's extraordinary that the British government is sitting on its hands over what appears to be such a flagrant abuse of power.
🔥 🔥 A very strong statement from Transparency International on the McGrail Inquiry has just been published:
They say "it would be incredibly risky, maybe even reckless, to leave delivery to Mr Picardo. This is where the UK Government must step in."
www.transparency.org.uk/news/grossly...
They say "it would be incredibly risky, maybe even reckless, to leave delivery to Mr Picardo. This is where the UK Government must step in."
www.transparency.org.uk/news/grossly...
Grossly improper: How Gibraltar's Chief Minister interfered in a criminal investigation
A public inquiry found Gibraltar's Chief Minister made 'grossly improper' attempts to interfere in a criminal investigation – so why is his government responsible for implementing the reforms needed t...
www.transparency.org.uk
January 20, 2026 at 7:14 AM
I hadn't previously been aware of the McGrail Inquiry. It's extraordinary that the British government is sitting on its hands over what appears to be such a flagrant abuse of power.
Harbaugh, Tomlin and McDermott all out in the same season. Highly likely that all three teams will be worse next season than this and will find themselves looking for another new head coach inside the next three years.
BREAKING: Sean McDermott is out as the Bills’ head coach, a source tells The Athletic.
January 19, 2026 at 2:24 PM
Harbaugh, Tomlin and McDermott all out in the same season. Highly likely that all three teams will be worse next season than this and will find themselves looking for another new head coach inside the next three years.
If you assume that what's happening in the US isn't completely impossible in the UK under a Reform government, what preparations should one make - tools, skills, arrangements - that would make you better able to manage within such a situation and help provide useful, non-violent resistance?
January 19, 2026 at 12:10 PM
If you assume that what's happening in the US isn't completely impossible in the UK under a Reform government, what preparations should one make - tools, skills, arrangements - that would make you better able to manage within such a situation and help provide useful, non-violent resistance?
Found out a band I like - This Will Destroy You - have spilt, with the founders falling out. But they are sharing custody of the band - so there is one website and socials, but two TWDYs touring. The only way to tell which one you're booking for is which era tunes they're playing. Post-rock indeed.
January 19, 2026 at 11:20 AM
Found out a band I like - This Will Destroy You - have spilt, with the founders falling out. But they are sharing custody of the band - so there is one website and socials, but two TWDYs touring. The only way to tell which one you're booking for is which era tunes they're playing. Post-rock indeed.
The far-right leaving the Tories for Reform is like the scene in Alien: Earth where the Eye abandons the sheep for a human: a parasite trading up to a stronger, more dangerous host.
January 19, 2026 at 9:58 AM
The far-right leaving the Tories for Reform is like the scene in Alien: Earth where the Eye abandons the sheep for a human: a parasite trading up to a stronger, more dangerous host.
Seven down, fourth and four, 27 seconds left in the season. This is one of the greatest plays of all time by Caleb Williams.
January 19, 2026 at 8:33 AM
Seven down, fourth and four, 27 seconds left in the season. This is one of the greatest plays of all time by Caleb Williams.
Seeing someone reading one of my books on the Tube.
what is the biggest writerly goal you are willing to cop to publicly? I would like to be nominated for a Lammy
January 18, 2026 at 12:46 PM
Seeing someone reading one of my books on the Tube.
In addition to which, the prescription of everyone pushing this message will inevitably do to Britain what they claim has already happened.
every provocateur who wangs on all the time about Britain being “broken” should be sent to an actual failed state or autocracy for a month as a learning experience, there’s no shortage of them
January 18, 2026 at 10:06 AM
In addition to which, the prescription of everyone pushing this message will inevitably do to Britain what they claim has already happened.
Reposted by Martin Calladine
the wallet inspector is real. and he is my friend.
Crypto holder loses $283 million to scammer impersonating wallet support
January 10, 2026
https://www.web3isgoinggreat.com/?id=trezor-support-scam
January 10, 2026
https://www.web3isgoinggreat.com/?id=trezor-support-scam
January 17, 2026 at 9:26 PM
the wallet inspector is real. and he is my friend.
While the US government is seeking historical precedents for foreign intervention...
January 17, 2026 at 8:19 PM
While the US government is seeking historical precedents for foreign intervention...
Reposted by Martin Calladine
Wrote this in 2017 about the Russia 2018 World Cup and reposted it four years later about Qatar. In 2026, only the names have changed.*
Ultimately, nothing makes a difference, but you'll at least know you weren't part of it.
theuglygame.wordpress.com/2017/12/01/w...
Ultimately, nothing makes a difference, but you'll at least know you weren't part of it.
theuglygame.wordpress.com/2017/12/01/w...
Why it’s time to boycott the World Cup – Fifa corruption, human decency, sponsor weakness and Russia 2018
Sepp Blatter has gone, but Fifa hasn’t changed. His legacy will be on display next summer: a festival of football glorifying one of the world’s most appalling regimes. Enough is enough, it’s time t…
theuglygame.wordpress.com
January 3, 2026 at 10:54 AM
Wrote this in 2017 about the Russia 2018 World Cup and reposted it four years later about Qatar. In 2026, only the names have changed.*
Ultimately, nothing makes a difference, but you'll at least know you weren't part of it.
theuglygame.wordpress.com/2017/12/01/w...
Ultimately, nothing makes a difference, but you'll at least know you weren't part of it.
theuglygame.wordpress.com/2017/12/01/w...
Peter Bradshaw came into the cinema where I work to review Rental Family. I queued up Marley and Me by mistake and he ended up giving it one star.
January 17, 2026 at 5:21 PM
Peter Bradshaw came into the cinema where I work to review Rental Family. I queued up Marley and Me by mistake and he ended up giving it one star.
This is a lovely story.
www.the-londoner.co.uk/the-mystery-...
www.the-londoner.co.uk/the-mystery-...
The mystery of South Bank's unknown husband
'I feel a bit sad for you that you have met the Easter Bunny, because now the mystery is solved, and you're just gonna close that chapter'
www.the-londoner.co.uk
January 17, 2026 at 8:20 AM
This is a lovely story.
www.the-londoner.co.uk/the-mystery-...
www.the-londoner.co.uk/the-mystery-...
Reposted by Martin Calladine
A routine surprise goodwill visit.
January 14, 2026 at 8:22 PM
A routine surprise goodwill visit.
Imagine having so little self-respect.
January 15, 2026 at 9:49 PM
Imagine having so little self-respect.
Stop what you're doing and read this. An astonishing story of an astonishing life.
Holy hell, what an obituary
Renfrew Christie Dies at 76; Sabotaged Racist Regime’s Nuclear Program
www.nytimes.com
January 15, 2026 at 7:34 PM
Stop what you're doing and read this. An astonishing story of an astonishing life.