Work on a mural has begun at Birmingham City Football Club to mark the passing of Trevor Francis, a favourite player who became the first British footballer to command a transfer fee in excess of a million pounds when he moved to Nottingham Forest in 1979.

We have endured COVID-19, inflicted on us courtesy of China, we are told, and are now in the throes of something called monkeypox which apparently emanates from Africa. But a new pandemic looms and this time it is unquestionably an English disease.

A fine thing happened today. A former colleague of mine was marvelling on Twitter over the memory of what he described as "the greatest solo goal I ever saw". And, unexpectedly, he got to see it again - other than in his mind's eye.

The UEFA Champions League is all set to resume next month after the winter break. Almost without exception, the knock-out phase will feature the giants of European club football, live television coverage of every match and a multitude of sponsors continent-wide. And of course every match will be heralded by that Champions League anthem.

Greece's economy may be as much in ruins as the Acropolis, but one of its wealthiest citizens still has more than enough euros in his back pocket to buy a football club in England.