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
Magnificent demolition of Shabana Mahmood's use of her own race as a shield to give cover to the government's ever more aggressively racist policies.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Shabana Mahmood is an avatar of open Britain – that’s what makes her fable about immigration so seductive | Nesrine Malik
‘She is the daughter of immigrants,’ supporters of her cruel asylum policies say. ‘How can she be wrong?’ Let me put them straight, says Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Magnificent demolition of Shabana Mahmood's use of her own race as a shield to give cover to the government's ever more aggressively racist policies.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
A reminder that:
1. The Browns deserve zero sympathy for their plight when they bring a $250m+ sexual predator back into the fold.
2. It's been far too long since Deshaun Watson suffered an Achilles tear.
1. The Browns deserve zero sympathy for their plight when they bring a $250m+ sexual predator back into the fold.
2. It's been far too long since Deshaun Watson suffered an Achilles tear.
November 23, 2025 at 5:23 PM
A reminder that:
1. The Browns deserve zero sympathy for their plight when they bring a $250m+ sexual predator back into the fold.
2. It's been far too long since Deshaun Watson suffered an Achilles tear.
1. The Browns deserve zero sympathy for their plight when they bring a $250m+ sexual predator back into the fold.
2. It's been far too long since Deshaun Watson suffered an Achilles tear.
It's infuriating to see so much of the media give Kruger the same kid gloves treatment that Rees-Mogg used to get because he is posh and polite and able to wrap his bigotry in enough intellectual tissue paper to make it seem like a political philosophy rather than an expression of white supremacy.
Reform are so dangerous and this headline doesn’t do it justice. I also think a piece like this should start with the politician‘s core views just to emphasise the urgency.
November 22, 2025 at 6:40 PM
It's infuriating to see so much of the media give Kruger the same kid gloves treatment that Rees-Mogg used to get because he is posh and polite and able to wrap his bigotry in enough intellectual tissue paper to make it seem like a political philosophy rather than an expression of white supremacy.
One thing I've been trying to do of recent - to combat the doom - is find things little things that help people and leave me feeling a bit more positive.
And I've yet to come across one better than giving blood. It's simple, quick and you can genuinely save lives. I wish I'd started years ago.
And I've yet to come across one better than giving blood. It's simple, quick and you can genuinely save lives. I wish I'd started years ago.
November 22, 2025 at 10:08 AM
One thing I've been trying to do of recent - to combat the doom - is find things little things that help people and leave me feeling a bit more positive.
And I've yet to come across one better than giving blood. It's simple, quick and you can genuinely save lives. I wish I'd started years ago.
And I've yet to come across one better than giving blood. It's simple, quick and you can genuinely save lives. I wish I'd started years ago.
It's great that Birmingham owners want to build a modern stadium to match the size of their ambitions for the club. City should be huge.
But it's a shame it looks like an upturned coffee table or a beetle that's stuck on its back.
But it's a shame it looks like an upturned coffee table or a beetle that's stuck on its back.
November 20, 2025 at 10:04 PM
It's great that Birmingham owners want to build a modern stadium to match the size of their ambitions for the club. City should be huge.
But it's a shame it looks like an upturned coffee table or a beetle that's stuck on its back.
But it's a shame it looks like an upturned coffee table or a beetle that's stuck on its back.
Reposted by Martin Calladine
“Legal, frictionless app-based gambling is the most dangerous consumer product rollout of my lifetime, and is causing a public health crisis that should be treated with the same urgency as though half of men aged 21–45 suddenly became addicted to heroin.” -@thesarahyork
defector.com/sports-gambl...
defector.com/sports-gambl...
Sports Gamblers Are Dorks | Defector
Drew Magary’s Thursday Afternoon NFL Dick Joke Jamboroo runs every Thursday at Defector during the NFL season. Today we are turning the column over to esteemed guest and past Defector contributor Sara...
defector.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:56 PM
“Legal, frictionless app-based gambling is the most dangerous consumer product rollout of my lifetime, and is causing a public health crisis that should be treated with the same urgency as though half of men aged 21–45 suddenly became addicted to heroin.” -@thesarahyork
defector.com/sports-gambl...
defector.com/sports-gambl...
Reposted by Martin Calladine
Now that’s a lede.
Story by @taracopp.bsky.social and @michelleboorstein.bsky.social.
Read here: www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Story by @taracopp.bsky.social and @michelleboorstein.bsky.social.
Read here: www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
November 20, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Now that’s a lede.
Story by @taracopp.bsky.social and @michelleboorstein.bsky.social.
Read here: www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Story by @taracopp.bsky.social and @michelleboorstein.bsky.social.
Read here: www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
It was one thing clubs dabbling in crypto five years ago, when these things had not yet shown what a total con they are. But Spurs have had a fan token for nearly two years.
How on earth can they justify continuing to encourage fans to buy things that are now worth fractions of their launch price?
How on earth can they justify continuing to encourage fans to buy things that are now worth fractions of their launch price?
November 20, 2025 at 4:41 PM
It was one thing clubs dabbling in crypto five years ago, when these things had not yet shown what a total con they are. But Spurs have had a fan token for nearly two years.
How on earth can they justify continuing to encourage fans to buy things that are now worth fractions of their launch price?
How on earth can they justify continuing to encourage fans to buy things that are now worth fractions of their launch price?
Rugpulls coming to Wall Street real soon.
www.reuters.com/business/cry...
www.reuters.com/business/cry...
www.reuters.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Rugpulls coming to Wall Street real soon.
www.reuters.com/business/cry...
www.reuters.com/business/cry...
Reposted by Martin Calladine
Labour’s “we have to do it, or racism will get worse” argument is striking. Any other public policy failures British ethnic minorities should be on the hook for? Can we be blamed en bloc for Rachel Reeves’ budget next week too? www.ft.com/content/37b0...
Defence of Labour asylum policy reveals backsliding on racism
Home secretary’s framing of failures is partly low politics, but also a result of ministers’ poor approach to race relations
www.ft.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Labour’s “we have to do it, or racism will get worse” argument is striking. Any other public policy failures British ethnic minorities should be on the hook for? Can we be blamed en bloc for Rachel Reeves’ budget next week too? www.ft.com/content/37b0...
Big day for Samsung's brand manager.
The brutal reality of life as an Android owner in London: First you’re shocked as you’re mugged. Then you’re humiliated as the thief returns the device. www.londoncentric.media/p/london-pho...
"Don't want no Samsung"
Plus: Scroll down to see what might be the strangest new artwork in the capital and read more on our investigations into the capital's landlords.
www.londoncentric.media
November 18, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Big day for Samsung's brand manager.
This one minor piece of legislation will have a much bigger practical impact on people's lives - as well as being almost universally popular - than any amount of trying to dehumanise immigrants.
But among all the government's hatemongering, it will go unnoticed.
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/n...
But among all the government's hatemongering, it will go unnoticed.
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/n...
Reselling tickets for profit to be outlawed in UK government crackdown
Touts, and ordinary consumers, will no longer be able to charge anything more than price at which they bought ticket
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:46 PM
This one minor piece of legislation will have a much bigger practical impact on people's lives - as well as being almost universally popular - than any amount of trying to dehumanise immigrants.
But among all the government's hatemongering, it will go unnoticed.
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/n...
But among all the government's hatemongering, it will go unnoticed.
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/n...
Reposted by Martin Calladine
A woman reported that Ronaldo assaulted her in Vegas in 2009. "In recent months, Ronaldo has also been part of diplomatic efforts to woo the U.S. President Donald Trump."
The United States Soccer Federation and the Portuguese Football Federation will soon confirm a match between their men’s teams to take place in Atlanta in March 2026.
The match could end an almost 12-year absence for Cristiano Ronaldo from playing football in the U.S.
@adamcrafton.bsky.social
The match could end an almost 12-year absence for Cristiano Ronaldo from playing football in the U.S.
@adamcrafton.bsky.social
USMNT pre-World Cup game vs. Portugal to be announced as Cristiano Ronaldo set for U.S. return
The exhibition match will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in March 2026.
www.nytimes.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:14 PM
A woman reported that Ronaldo assaulted her in Vegas in 2009. "In recent months, Ronaldo has also been part of diplomatic efforts to woo the U.S. President Donald Trump."
Labour MPs aren't facing the deckchair-moving problem of a long-tenured governing party trying to finagle another term.
Their leader is proposing extreme policies that are repugnant to the party's voters, members and its entire system of values.
For the sake of the country, he must be removed.
Their leader is proposing extreme policies that are repugnant to the party's voters, members and its entire system of values.
For the sake of the country, he must be removed.
November 17, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Labour MPs aren't facing the deckchair-moving problem of a long-tenured governing party trying to finagle another term.
Their leader is proposing extreme policies that are repugnant to the party's voters, members and its entire system of values.
For the sake of the country, he must be removed.
Their leader is proposing extreme policies that are repugnant to the party's voters, members and its entire system of values.
For the sake of the country, he must be removed.
This is absolutely sickening. Like Starmer's "Island of Strangers" speech, I don't know how anyone could propose it without hearing echoes of a very dark past.
The Sun has been told Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will on Monday propose confiscating jewellery, watches, necklaces from asylum seekers to meet asylum costs
This reflects the most controversial aspect of the Danish scheme - the Jewellery Law. The toughest Labour MPs thought this was OTT
This reflects the most controversial aspect of the Danish scheme - the Jewellery Law. The toughest Labour MPs thought this was OTT
November 17, 2025 at 7:38 AM
This is absolutely sickening. Like Starmer's "Island of Strangers" speech, I don't know how anyone could propose it without hearing echoes of a very dark past.
A few months on from the rescue and takeover at Morecambe and, sad to say, things aren't going too well.
They started the season late and so had a number of game in hand. Yesterday's defeat means, for the first time, that winning their last game in hand wouldn't get them out of the relegation zone.
They started the season late and so had a number of game in hand. Yesterday's defeat means, for the first time, that winning their last game in hand wouldn't get them out of the relegation zone.
November 16, 2025 at 11:59 AM
A few months on from the rescue and takeover at Morecambe and, sad to say, things aren't going too well.
They started the season late and so had a number of game in hand. Yesterday's defeat means, for the first time, that winning their last game in hand wouldn't get them out of the relegation zone.
They started the season late and so had a number of game in hand. Yesterday's defeat means, for the first time, that winning their last game in hand wouldn't get them out of the relegation zone.
Reposted by Martin Calladine
Labour policy is being celebrated by Tommy Robinson.
That's it.
That's all you ever need to say to explain who Labour are.
That's it.
That's all you ever need to say to explain who Labour are.
November 16, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Labour policy is being celebrated by Tommy Robinson.
That's it.
That's all you ever need to say to explain who Labour are.
That's it.
That's all you ever need to say to explain who Labour are.
I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for Labour that voters refuse to recognise the difference between the government's progressive, well-intentioned racism and the destructive, toxic racism of Reform and the far-right.
November 15, 2025 at 10:10 PM
I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for Labour that voters refuse to recognise the difference between the government's progressive, well-intentioned racism and the destructive, toxic racism of Reform and the far-right.
On Tuesday, Keir Starmer said he was concerned that racism was returning to British politics.
This morning, his Home Secretary is loudly letting the world know that the government intends to make the lives worse of even those found to be genuine refugees.
This morning, his Home Secretary is loudly letting the world know that the government intends to make the lives worse of even those found to be genuine refugees.
November 15, 2025 at 9:05 AM
On Tuesday, Keir Starmer said he was concerned that racism was returning to British politics.
This morning, his Home Secretary is loudly letting the world know that the government intends to make the lives worse of even those found to be genuine refugees.
This morning, his Home Secretary is loudly letting the world know that the government intends to make the lives worse of even those found to be genuine refugees.
Reposted by Martin Calladine
Well, this is delightful news.
www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/top-spo...
www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/top-spo...
Top sports lawyer and his firm shut down over dishonesty suspicions
Firm had been accused of copying opponent's budget in High Court case this year.
www.lawgazette.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Well, this is delightful news.
www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/top-spo...
www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/top-spo...
Reposted by Martin Calladine
If you need me, tap me on the shoulder. I’ll be happily working all day listening to this on a loop.
November 13, 2025 at 1:49 PM
If you need me, tap me on the shoulder. I’ll be happily working all day listening to this on a loop.
Can't help but think that someone ought to have written a book about the baleful impact of crypto on football and published it way back in early 2024, so the game could have informed itself on the subject and clubs have avoided these dubious partnerships.
Unregulated crypto currency promoters replace bookies on Premier League shirts bit.ly/49CFFeP even though crypto is gambling with even worse odds than most bookies!
Premier League clubs have crypto sponsors not covered by Britain’s financial regulators | The Observer
bit.ly
November 14, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Can't help but think that someone ought to have written a book about the baleful impact of crypto on football and published it way back in early 2024, so the game could have informed itself on the subject and clubs have avoided these dubious partnerships.
Just amazing that someone who committed a series of brazen crimes, which he pleaded guilty to and publicly apologised for, gets his record cleaned like this.
It would be fascinating to see what would happen were he to announce that he was retaking control of Spurs.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
It would be fascinating to see what would happen were he to announce that he was retaking control of Spurs.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK billionaire Joe Lewis receives pardon from President Trump
The businessman, whose family trust owns Tottenham Hotspur, pleaded guilty in 2024 to insider trading as part of a deal with prosecutors.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Just amazing that someone who committed a series of brazen crimes, which he pleaded guilty to and publicly apologised for, gets his record cleaned like this.
It would be fascinating to see what would happen were he to announce that he was retaking control of Spurs.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
It would be fascinating to see what would happen were he to announce that he was retaking control of Spurs.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...