Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 4h

Brilliant piece, this. Read it. Bring yer dinner.

Tom Davies @tomdaviese17.bsky.social · 1d

One of my greatest lames to fame is Sitton ripping up an article I'd written for @wsc.co.uk, on camera

The Leyton Orientear @leytonorientear.com · 1d

Club For a Fiver was 30 years old yesterday! And ever since it's done so much to shape how #LOFC is perceived, both from outside the club and within it.

So come and celebrate that birthday with us now. Thanks so much to the Ear Editor of the era for re-visiting the trauma @tomdaviese17.bsky.social

1 2

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 6h

At the risk of hexing the whole thing...are England actually really good? @adrianjclarke.bsky.social gives his verdict. And how tough a week has this been for Craig Bellamy? That's what I'm asking @tomwfootball.bsky.social .

ROUTE ONE is right here

pod.fo/e/33d1d7

1 3

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 1d

Jack Wilshere is the new manager of Luton Town. Have any words ever made you feel older? @adrianjclarke.bsky.social gives his thoughts.

And what sort of dark Faustian pact has Steve Clarke made to ensure that Scotland keep winning, JJ Bull?

ROUTE ONE is here

pod.fo/e/33c639

Route One: Wilshere gets the Luton job

Jack Wilshere is the new manager of Luton Town, so how do we think that’s going to go? He’s had a good apprenticeship, he’s worked with young players, he’s done his coaching, he’s got a f...

pod.fo

1 8

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 1d

What sort of manager will Jack Wilshere be? That's what I'm asking @adrianjclarke.bsky.social on ROUTE ONE today.

I'm also checking in with JJ Bull on Scotland winning again in spite of everything.

And I have thoughts on Forest...

LISTEN: pod.fo/e/33c639

2 1 4

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 4d

I was at Euro2016 in France for ESPN and it really struck me how everyone else seemed to be having much more fun than the English.

I guess the football was a contributing factor to that, but still...

Doc MUFC @docmufc.bsky.social · 4d

Rubbish is the wrong word. Not sure if there is a single word but having experienced foreign fans following their national team in Switzerland, France, Italy & Germany in recent years, I can categorically state that those experiences were far more enjoyable. Both on my own and with my kids.

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 4d

Is Tuchel right? Are England fans rubbish? We ask England regular @jameswelham.bsky.social. And how on earth did Scotland win JJ Bull? And who's the dirtiest team in the Premier League?

pod.fo/e/33b09a

7 9

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 4d

The new ROUTE ONE is here, we're talking to England Supporters Club member @jameswelham.bsky.social about Tuchel's criticism and JJ Bull about Scotland's inexplicable victory AND we have Heavy Metal Football...statistics.

Listen here: pod.fo/e/33b09a

Route One: Is Tuchel right? Are England fans too quiet?

Thomas Tuchel took a swing at England’s fans last night for not creating a good atmosphere at Wembley. Has he got a point? We speak to England regular James Welham. And how on earth did Scotland...

pod.fo

4

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 4d

Is Tuchel right? Are England fans rubbish? We ask England regular @jameswelham.bsky.social. And how on earth did Scotland win JJ Bull? And who's the dirtiest team in the Premier League?

pod.fo/e/33b09a

5

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 4d

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...

Shocked that you have to ask, frankly.

Route One

Sport Podcast · Welcome to Route One! It’s football. Fast. No faff. Give us 15mins, we’ll give you the top stories, we’ll give you great analysis, we’ll give you a few stats and we’ll shine a spotligh...

podcasts.apple.com

1

Reposted by Iain Macintosh

Olmo @omhays.bsky.social · 4d

Say there's a 10-minute period with an outfielder in goal and that results in 2 low-xG goals, or a very high-xG chance because the gk dropped a cross to the feet of a forward, that's noise.

Here's an Opta article on their model from 2023. Also partly answers the baseline question.

What Is Expected Goals (xG)? | Opta Analyst

Expected goals (or xG) measures the quality of a chance by calculating the likelihood it will be scored by using historical shot information.

theanalyst.com

1 3

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 4d

I do think we're looking for perfection in something that can't be perfect (but from the pic above, it's having a bloody good go)

1

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 4d

Yeah! I mean, it's possible that we're looking for too much in something that can never be perfect, but if an outfield player goes in goal, the xG remains the same. That can't be fair.

2 1

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 4d

This is unbearably nerdy, so forgive me, but I'm quite impressed at how close the G and the xG are in the big five leagues.

I still have niggling doubts (why do I, an old man, have the same xG as Haaland in identical situations?) but it's pretty good.

3 10

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 5d

One transfer window. That's all it took to blow up a promising season. Well...that and my own enduring incompetence at a game I've been playing for 33 years.

Anyway. Episode 14 of FM Classic is here.

trackrecordmedia.org/2025/10/09/f...

1 12

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 5d

You should absolutely check out our sponsors, btw. First ten people here get a free legal consultation and Joelson are lovely, they did lots of set-up work for my new thing.

joelsonlaw.com/contact/book...

Legal Consultations - bookings | Solicitors, Lawyers London

joelsonlaw.com

1

Reposted by Iain Macintosh

Was thelewisbell @lewisjbell.bsky.social · 5d

I like how you have the Pro Evo version of Newcastle's central midfield general as a sponsor

1 5

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 5d

Does Ruben Amorim deserve three years? Does time automatically equal success? And are Germany sleep-walking into a sticky situation? We asked @sebsb.bsky.social that last one.

ROUTE ONE is here and here only because we're moving studios. Got ourselves a fancy pad.

pod.fo/e/33a47b

2 7

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 5d

We've got another lovely @dannykellywords.bsky.social column on the site today.

"It has taken a decade and a half for the scales to fall from hypnotised eyes. Orthodoxy is out; invention and variety is in; the game is much better for it."

trackrecordmedia.org/2025/10/09/t...

1 1

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 6d

A fiver says she's read the name once, on her focus group sourced briefing paper that very morning.

1 1

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 6d

If you said that to Kemi Badenoch she'd look at you blankly BECAUSE LIKE FUCK HAS SHE READ ANY FUCKING PRATCHETT.

1 3

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 6d

As staff begin to leave, is there an end to Sheffield Wednesday's misery? We're speaking to bsky.app/profile/yesw... from The Sheffield Star, we've also got @stighefootball.bsky.social on Villa's revival. And some gorgeous stats too.

WATCH: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK1I...
LISTEN: pod.fo/e/33986e

2 6

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 7d

I think about 15% of the show today was just me reading out the names of sacked Watford managers. Baffling.

I can't think of any other industry where people so demonstrably dreadful at recruitment would be allowed to keep recruiting.

3 14

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 7d

Why doesn't Harry Kane want to come home? @sebsb.bsky.social has some ideas. And why is Nick Woltemade so misunderstood @georgecaulkin.bsky.social ?

Plus: How many sacked Watford managers can you name?

LISTEN: pod.fo/e/338ddc
WATCH: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hfa_...

2 3 6

Reposted by Iain Macintosh

Rhianna Pratchett @rhi.bsky.social · 7d

Dad’s books are full of empathy, common sense, and a healthy suspicion of the powerful. But at its heart his work is also about how systems keep people poor while pretending it’s their own fault. So I hope Kemi’s taking notes as well as reading the jokes.

Paul Haine @paulhaine.bsky.social · 7d

Kemi Badenoch claiming Terry Pratchett as her favourite author is wild

140 2K 7.7K

Reposted by Iain Macintosh

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 8d

Come on now, Liverpool aren't bad. You all thought they were invincible two weeks ago. @tonyevans92a.bsky.social brings some common sense to ROUTE ONE. @dermotmcorrigan.bsky.social has got things to say about Barca too.

LISTEN: pod.fo/e/337ff9
WATCH: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXl...

1 3 7

Iain Macintosh @iainmacintosh.bsky.social · 8d

Well, that settles it. Got to complete the trilogy now.

I found the first two fascinating. Everyone is perma-shitfaced and horny, smoking endless cigarettes, driving their cars after half a bottle of scotch, it's another world. And she can turn a page too, she had me invested in showjumping.

1 1