ICON Legends – Tyson Fury – British Boxing Legend

The heavyweight boxing division has been back to its best in the last decade or so and British fighters have been at the forefront of that renaissance. Tyson Fury is one of the most notable personalities in the sport and at six feet and nine inches, he has literally towered above his opponents. Known for his gangly style, never-say-die attitude and infectious personality, the 36-year-old’s story is not that of your typical athlete.

As well as battling in the ring, he’s faced demons outside of it and has bounced back to re-establish himself as one of the world’s best. It’s only right that he’s the latest iconic sports star to feature in our ever-growing list of ICON legends.

Until May of this year, Fury remained unbeaten in his 16-year professional boxing career. He’s enjoyed 34 wins to date, with 24 of those coming by knockout. His most iconic win came against Wladimir Klitschko back in 2015 and it saw him claim the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring heavyweight titles, alongside truly announcing himself on the world stage.

As well as being one of the best heavyweights of the modern era, Fury has also established himself as one of the great personalities. His no-filter attitude to interviews and habit of bursting into song in the ring after fights has become iconic and made him a fan favourite.

Rising up the ranks

Fury’s first professional fight came back in 2008 and he got off to a flying start, knocking out Béla Gyöngyösi just over two minutes into the first round. He became known for his early finishes and it wasn’t until his eighth bout that an opponent of his managed to make it past the fourth round.

With 14 wins under his belt, Fury met fellow Brit Derek Chisora at Wembley Arena in the summer of 2011. It was his biggest test to date and the fight went the distance, with Fury ultimately winning by unanimous decision – he then got the better of him again in a rematch three years later.

The second clash with Chisora was followed by another win over Christian Hammer, which made it 24 wins in a row and earned him his biggest fight so far – a challenge against Ukrainian legend Wladimir Klitschko.

Back from the brink

Fury had earned the right to face Klitscho as the mandatory WBO challenger and the fight eventually took place in Dusseldorf, Germany, in November 2015 after initially being postponed.

Klitschko was arguably the greatest boxer in the world at the time and was the heavy favourite, having not lost in more than 10 years. However, Fury defied the odds to win on split decision after 12 gruelling rounds.

It should have been the greatest moment of Fury’s life but after Klitschko demanded a rematch, the British star stalled, claiming he had no motivation. Fury has openly talked about his mental health struggles, as well as battles with drugs and alcohol during this time.

He ballooned in weight, reaching more than 24 stone, and after failing a drugs test he relinquished his heavyweight titles. He was ultimately suspended by the British Board of Boxing Control and spent years out of the ring, before eventually signing with Frank Warren.

Fury ultimately got back into shape and almost three years after beating Klitschko, he made his return to boxing, seeing off Sefer Seferi after just four rounds in Manchester.

Back to his best

Fury has long been linked with a headline bout against fellow Brit Anthony Joshua and for a period it was the one of the most highly-anticipated match ups in world boxing. But for whatever reason, it never materialised and Fury instead turned his attention to Deontay Wilder.

He first met the American heavyweight in 2018 and their first bout controversially ended in a draw after a split decision in what was the first time either fighter had ever failed to win. Yet Fury soon made up for it, knocking Wilder out twice in both of the subsequent rematches.

He’s since beaten fellow Brit Dillian Whyte, as well as Chisora for a third time. Fury’s 34th win in 35 fights came last October as he got the better of UFC star Francis Ngannou. But all good things must come to an end, including Fury’s unbeaten record.

He suffered his first defeat earlier this year against Oleksandr Usyk, another fearsome Ukrainian star. He’s regarded as arguably the best in the world at the moment and he outclassed Fury in a split decision back in May.

The pair are set for a rematch later this month, with Fury hoping to get his revenge when they meet in Riyadh on 21st December. Following that, Fury may finally seek a clash with Joshua, although his stock has dropped considerably after he suffered his fourth career defeat in September at the hands of Daniel Dubois.

ICON Legends – Coldplay – Music Phenomenon

After celebrating the illustrious careers of some of the greatest sports stars of all time, we thought it was time to break tradition. That’s why the latest edition in our ICON series puts sport to one side in order to focus on music, specifically Coldplay.

When it comes to British bands, few have topped the success of Coldplay. The four-piece have been going for almost 30 years and don’t look like slowing down following the release of Moon Music, their 10th studio album this year.

And with their incredible three-year world tour set to conclude next summer, we’ve taken a look at some of their greatest achievements.

Bursting onto the music scene

Coldplay spawned in 1997 but if you were fans of them back then, you’d be forgiven for not recognising the name. Founded by lead singer Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland, who met at university in London, they were initially called both Big Fat Noises and Starfish before settling on the iconic name Coldplay.

They were later joined by bassist Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion before releasing debut record Parachutes in 2000. The album featured the iconic single ‘Yellow’, as well as other notable hits including ‘Shiver’ and ‘Trouble’.

As you can imagine, it was an instant hit and won the Grammy award for ‘Best Alternative Music Album’ as well as a BRIT award for ‘British Album of the Year’. Incredibly, Coldplay landed a hat-trick as their subsequent albums A Rush of Blood to the Head and X & Y both achieved the same feat.

They’ve not looked back since and Coldplay have arguably established themselves as the most successful band of the 21st century and have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.

Global superstars

Not content with their initial treble at the Grammys and BRITs, Coldplay have continued to be recognised across the music industry. They’ve been nominated for an astonishing 39 Grammy awards, winning seven times. The group have also been up for 30 BRIT awards and have claimed nine awards, making them the most successful group of all time.

By the time their fourth album, Viva La Vida, was released, Coldplay were household names – and the reaction reflected their popularity. Lead track Viva La Vida was the first song by a British artist to top both the UK charts and the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time since Rod Stewart’s Maggie May back in 1971.

Coldplay have broken 14 world record throughout their career – five have since been broken by others, but nine still remain theirs, including ‘Most Monthly Listeners On Spotify’, ‘Highest Attendance for a Music Tour’ and ‘Highest Debut by a UK Group in the US Singles Chart’.

Their global success has seen them collaborate with some of the biggest names in music, including Rihanna, Beyonce, Jay Z and Oasis star Noel Gallagher. They’ve also performed with the likes of BTS, Shakira and Bruno Mars.

Glastonbury record-breakers

Coldplay returned to Glastonbury this summer, headlining the famous Pyramid Stage alongside Dua Lipa and SZA. Chris Martin led proceedings 25 years after their first appearance at the prestigious summer festival.

It was their fifth time headlining Glastonbury, which set a record for the most headline appearances in history. They were previously joint-top alongside The Cure, who have headlined on four occasions.

In fact, Coldplay have appeared at Glastonbury seven times, performing twice before their first slot on the main stage. They were also set to perform in 2021 before the festival was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Coldplay have performed at countless festivals across the globe, including Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits and Rock in Rio. Meanwhile, they also performed the half-time show at the 2016 Super Bowl, which had the biggest audience of all time for a group’s performance.

And after playing all over the world across the last 27 years, they’re set to play their biggest gig ever in the new year. Coldplay take their tour to India and will be wowing around 132,000 fans in a cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

Watch Coldplay in style

Coldplay are currently in the midst of a three-year world tour that’s set to conclude with 10 sell-out gigs at Wembley Stadium next year. The ‘Music of the Spheres’ tour kicked off in March 2022 and is the second-highest grossing tour of all time after Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’.

If you fancy seeing them perform all their greatest hits from the best seats in the house, why not join us in our premium hospitality facilities? Enjoy the incredible show from luxury seats with unrivalled views, where you’ll get all this alongside an iconic music performance:

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ICON Legends – George North – Welsh Wing Wizard

There are certain players that instantly come to mind when you think of certain sports teams and when it comes to Welsh rugby, George North certainly sits near the very top of that list.

The iconic winger bid farewell to international rugby earlier this year, bringing to a close a glittering career that saw him become a talisman for his nation. As his sudden retirement led the world of rugby to look back on his time at the top, it makes sense for North to be the latest addition to our ICON Legends series.

A Welsh icon

North made a phenomenal 121 appearances for Wales, the third-most in the country’s history, scoring 235 points. Starting his career as a winger before moving inside later down the line, North finished his international career with 49 tries.

47 of those came for Wales, with two coming in the colours of the British and Irish Lions, meaning only Shane Williams has scored more for the national side. In fact, only six players in rugby history have scored more international tries than North. He also remains the only Welsh rugby player to have appeared in four World Cup quarter-finals.

It’s fair to say that North burst onto the scene as a youngster. After impressing for the Scarlets, he was called up for the senior Wales squad and became the youngest player to score a try on his debut. Aged just 18, North scored twice against South Africa at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, although they ultimately lost the match 29-25.

His double broke a record that had stood for almost 117 years – the previous holder was Tom Pearson, who scored against England on his debut way back in 1891. Just over a year later, North broke yet another record at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He became the competition’s youngest ever try scorer as he bagged twice against Namibia in Wales’ 81-7 thrashing of the African nation.

Six Nations glory

While North never managed to taste World Cup glory with Wales, despite reaching two semi-finals, he more than made up for it in the Six Nations. He won it four times, including two Grand Slams.

The first of those came back in 2012 as Wales claimed the Six Nations title for the 25th time. North scored the decisive try in his side’s opening game against Ireland, narrowly helping them to a 23-21 victory.

A year later, he was pivotal again as Wales retained the championship. This time they lost to Ireland in the opener to deny them another Grand Slam, but four further wins sealed the trophy and North was on the scoresheet in the second match against France.

Even in the years that Wales weren’t champions, North was still able to prove his worth. In 2015, the winger scored Wales’ first-ever hat-trick as they thrashed Italy 61-20 in Rome. The following year, he enjoyed yet another fruitful tournament, setting Welsh records for 473 metres gained, 12 clean breaks and 26 defenders beaten. To top it all off, he also finished as the top try scorer with four.

North tasted Six Nations success twice more with Wales before hanging up his boots, claiming another Grand Slam in 2019. And in 2021, in a tournament disrupted by the pandemic, he became the youngest ever player to reach 100 international caps aged just 28 years and 320 days.

Legend of the game

While North has called time on his international career, he’s still enjoying his rugby at club level. He started at Welsh side Scarlets before moving to Northampton Saints where he won the English Premiership at Twickenham in 2014.

A successful five years in England saw him score 190 points in 90 games before he returned to Wales and spent six years at Ospreys. Following the expiration of his contract, he crossed the channel during the summer, signing a two-year deal with French outfit Provence Rugby.

North has also starred at international level for the British and Irish Lions, most notably in their 2013 tour to Australia. He notched his first try in the opener, running half the length of the pitch and skipping past four Australia players.

And in the final match of the series, he scored again as the Lions thrashed the hosts 41-16 to win the series 2-1. While he’ll look fondly back on his countless memories, at just 32 years of age he’ll still be hopeful of making even more over in France, despite his current injury issues.

The stats speak for themselves and there’s no doubting that North is one of the greatest Welsh rugby players in history. His international retirement at the start of the year came as a shock to many and when the Six Nations rolls back around in the spring, there are going to be some very big shoes to fill.

ICON Legends – Lewis Hamilton – F1 Phenomenon

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While there will never be a unanimous answer to the argument surrounding the greatest ever British sportsperson, there’s no denying that Lewis Hamilton would be near the top of most people’s lists.

Since emerging as a Formula One star back in 2008, he’s established himself as one of the sport’s greats. Hamilton has won a joint-record seven world titles and he also holds the record for the most Grand Prix wins with an astonishing 105.

He was the first ever black F1 driver and his first win in 2008 made him the youngest ever champion at the time. While his racing career is still very much alive, it seems only right to make him the latest addition to our ICON hall of fame.

Bursting onto the scene

Plenty of drivers take their time to get to grips with the world of Formula One, but Hamilton couldn’t have been any different. After signing with McLaren, the rookie started his professional career with a bang, finishing on the podium in each of his opening nine races.

He won an astonishing four Grands Prix in his maiden year as he came close to winning the title, but he ultimately missed out to eventual champion Kimi Räikkönen. Not one to let the disappointment of missing out extinguish his motivation, Hamilton picked up where he left off as he started the 2008 season meaning business.

He raced to victory in the opener in Australia, which was the first of five remarkable wins that included his first triumph at Silverstone in the British Grand Prix. The title came down to the final day and with Hamilton’s nearest rival Felipe Massa winning his hometown race in Brazil, he looked destined for another runner-up trophy.

But a fifth-placed finish was enough for the Brit to top the leaderboard by a solitary point and become the youngest-ever F1 champion at the age of 23. Sadly, that record was eclipsed by Sebastian Vettel just two years later.

Dominance with Mercedes

Despite a whirlwind two years, Hamilton failed to continue his momentum in the wake of his first title. However, things all changed when he made the switch to Mercedes in 2013. Just a year later, and six years after his first, he claimed his second title in a dominant year that saw him win 11 races, including six of the final seven.

That phenomenal triumph was the beginning of a period of dominance for Hamilton and Mercedes. The superstar claimed an incredible six Drivers’ Championship titles in seven years between 2014 and 2020, with Nico Rosberg’s victory in 2016 Hamilton’s only failure.

Hamilton’s complete obliteration of all who challenged him took him to seven titles, level with the iconic Michael Schumacher in the all-time rankings. He’s always insisted he won’t call it a day until he’s the undisputed greatest of all time. Yet with no victory in four years and Max Verstappen eclipsing him in recent years, it’s fair to say that time is not on Hamilton’s side.

Hometown glory

Home advantage can give competitors an edge in all sports and when it comes to the British Grand Prix, Hamilton clearly steps it up a gear when on home soil. He’s won the iconic race at Silverstone a record nine times, including his most recent outing just two months ago.

That recent win came an astonishing 16 years after his first, which was in his maiden tile-winning season back in 2008 in difficult conditions. Despite the wet weather, Hamilton raced his way up the pack and eventually came out on top ahead of Nick Heidfeld.

Competitive rivalries

While the ambition to win as many titles as possible was undoubtedly the primary goal fuelling Hamilton’s success, it’s fair to say that he may not have been pushed to perform at his very best without the various rivalries he’s shared on the track.

Throughout different periods of his career, Hamilton has been involved in intense conflicts with the likes of Vettel, Rosberg and Verstappen. In fact, the 2016 season that saw Rosberg take the crown ahead of Hamilton culminated in a monumental final battle in Abu Dhabi, before the German surprisingly announced his retirement.

In recent years, Hamilton has enjoyed a rivalry with Verstappen, who has established himself as the world’s best by winning the last three F1 titles. The pair have engaged in countless clashes and their competitiveness resulted in a contentious crash at the 2021 British Grand Prix.

Ageing like a fine win

Hamilton will be 40 by the time the 2025 season gets underway and while most drivers would be thinking about calling it a day, he’s already got his sights set on next season.

He’s now in the home stretch of his Mercedes career, having agreed to switch allegiances to Ferrari next year. Hamilton continues to prove that age is just a number and while Verstappen looks set to win his fourth consecutive title, Hamilton will still harbour ambitions of topping the pile this year.

Not content with wowing his home crowd, he followed up his win at Silverstone with a pole in Hungary and a second victory in three races the following week in Belgium. Hamilton has made it very clear that he wants to win number eight and he’ll be hoping the move to Ferrari will help him achieve that dream. But even if he remains on seven by the time he walks away, there’s no doubt that he’ll always be one of the best drivers to ever do it.

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ICON Legends – Andy Murray – Tennis Titan

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Andy Murray said farewell to Wimbledon in an emotional TV interview with Sue Barker last month. This summer, the 37-year-old called time on an incredible career that has seen him win three Grand Slams.

Murray is without doubt the greatest British tennis player of the modern era, if not of all time, and his phenomenal triumphs were rewarded with a knighthood back in 2016. He spent a grand total of 41 weeks as world number one and has claimed the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award a record three times.

So, it’s only right that we bestow the greatest honour upon Murray as we look back on his achievements by inducting him into our ICON hall of fame.

Wimbledon winner

Murray suffered heartbreak in the 2012 Wimbledon final as he lost to Roger Federer. After coming so close, he was determined to finally secure a home Grand Slam win the following year.

Ahead of the 2013 tournament, he was unbeaten on grass since the previous final, winning 11 consecutive matches. Murray strolled to the quarter-finals, reaching the final eight without dropping a set. He was also handed a boost that Federer and Rafael Nadal both suffered early exits from the competition.

But in the quarter-finals, disaster struck as he found himself two sets down against Fernando Verdasco. It looked to be another year of heartache but, no doubt spurred on by the result 12 months before, Murray launched an extraordinary comeback to secure a win in five sets.

He came back from another set down to beat Jerzy Janowicz in the semis to become the first British man since 1938 to reach the final and set up a centre court showdown with Novak Djokovic. The Serbian was the hot favourite going into the clash and already had five Grand Slam titles to his name.

However, Murray refused to let the pressure affect his performance and he won his 18th grass match in a row to win the Wimbledon title. Three years later, he repeated the feat, winning in straight sets against Milos Raonic to secure his third major title.

Gold star Murray

A year before Murray’s heroic maiden Wimbledon win, he was inconsolable on the court as he lost in the final to Federer. The Scot was determined to make amends and, luckily for him, the pair would meet again just a few weeks later.

Murray returned to Wimbledon to compete for Team GB at London 2012. While he won a silver medal alongside Laura Robson in the mixed doubles, it was in the singles competition where he really strutted his stuff.

He lost just one set on the way to the final and, typically, it was Federer that stood in the way of a gold medal. Buoyed by the disappointment of their meeting a few weeks earlier, he lost just seven games as he beat the Swiss in straight sets.

Murray’s triumph saw him become the first British man to win gold in more than 100 years and four years later he did it all again. After jetting off to Rio to defend his crown, he saw off Juan Martin del Potro to become the first ever person to win two singles gold medals in tennis.

After making such a name for himself in the Olympics, it was fitting that Murray’s final tournament came in Paris at this summer’s games. He withdrew from the singles but he teamed up with old pal Dan Evans in the doubles and the pair managed to reach the quarter-finals.

Taking on the golden era

You could argue that had Murray been born in a different era, he’d have far more major titles to his name. Unfortunately for him, it was bad luck that he happened to peak at the same time as three of the best players ever to grace the sport.

He lost his first four major finals – three to Federer and one to Djokovic – before securing his first Grand Slam by beating Djokovic to claim the US Open in 2012. In doing so, Murray became the first British major singles winner since Virginia Wade in 1977, and the first male since Fred Perry 41 years prior to that.

All of Murray’s Grand Slam final defeats came at the hands of either Federer or Djokovic, while Nadal was never given the opportunity. Murray lost 56 of his matches against the rest of the ‘big four’, which demonstrates just how strong they were.

Yet the fact he managed to win 29 matches in an era of such dominance was testament to just how good he was in his pomp. While the final few years of Murray’s career were blighted by injury, there’s no doubting that on his day he was one of the most exciting players to ever pick up a racket and he’ll be a huge loss to the sport.

ICON Legends – Tiger Woods – Golf Genius

Our ICON Legends series has so far featured a number of sporting legends that can be considered to be among the greatest of all time in their respective fields. We’ve highlighted the phenomenal achievements of the likes of Serena Williams, Michael Schumacher, Lionel Messi and Frankie Dettori.

As we dive into other sports, it feels only right to honour a golfing great. Tiger Woods is undoubtedly one of the best to ever hold a club, with an incredible 15 major titles to his name. Only Jack Nicklaus can boast more than that, having won three more than Woods.

Tiger is also level in the all-time rankings of PGA Tour wins. He’s tied at the top on 82 alongside Sam Snead and with Woods’ career still going strong, he’s got every chance of leapfrogging his way into the undisputed top spot.

Bursting onto the scene

When you consider how early in his career Woods became a superstar, it’s no surprise to learn that his father first got him into the sport at the age of two. His parental guidance combined with natural talent and hard work saw Woods win his first U.S. Junior Amateur Championship when he was just 15.

After turning professional in 1996, he really made a name for himself the following year. Aged just 21, Woods’ performance at the 1997 Masters Tournament etched him into the history books.

The youngster won the iconic competition by an astonishing 12 strokes, which remains the biggest winning margin in the tournament’s history. The win was effectively sealed by his famous chip-in on the 16th, highlighting his exceptional short game.

He ultimately finished 18 shots under, consigning runner-up Tom Kite to second place for the third time in his career. Despite the huge margin of victory, Woods actually started slowly and struggled over the first nine. But he soon got into his stride, winning the second and third rounds and setting a then-tournament record of 270.

The win saw Woods crowned the youngest ever Masters champion and paved the way for dominance. Within two months he became world number one for the first time and he would later go on to hold this position for a remarkable 264 consecutive weeks from 1999 to 2004.

Majors domination

Over the next decade, Woods went on a tear, winning 13 major championships and cementing his place as the most dominant golfer of his generation. During his illustrious career, he’s been ranked No. 1 for a total of 683 weeks and during the early noughties he was virtually unbeatable.

He remains the youngest golfer, and only the fifth ever, to have won all four majors. Remarkably, in 2001 he achieved the feat of winning them all consecutively. He remains the only golfer to have achieved this feat, which was affectionately dubbed the ‘Tiger Slam’.

Woods’ incredible maiden Masters win back in 1997 sowed the seeds for a remarkable record in majors. He’s claimed the green jacket at Augusta five times, as well as winning the PGA Championship four times and the US Open and the Open Championship three times apiece.

Woods’ consistency is unmatched and he holds the record for consecutive cuts on the PGA tour with 142. His brilliance was personified when he played through the pain barrier to win the 2008 US Open in dramatic style.

Rocco Mediate managed to take him to a sudden-death playoff and, despite carrying a serious knee injury, Woods was able to come out on top. He required surgery shortly after the competition, which personified his determination and winning mentality.

The comeback

Despite his achievements, Woods has never been far from controversy. Scandal and marital problems in 2009 threatened to harm his career. But after taking a step back, Woods eventually bounced back to pick up where he left off.

He claimed his 80th PGA Tour win at the 2018 Tour Championship and was arguably back to his best. And it was this win that likely spurred him on to one of his greatest triumphs.

Just a year later, at the age of 43, Woods shocked the golfing world as he won the Masters for the fifth time. It was his first major win for 11 years and after years of battling personal and injury issues, with numerous back surgeries impacting his form, it truly cemented his position as one of the greatest golfers in history. And the golfing world certainly agreed, inducting Woods into the World Golf Hall of Fame three years ago.

Having started out almost 30 years ago, it’s a testament to the man that he’s still competing on the tour today at the age of 48. His Masters win five years ago was astonishing and, barring a miracle, it will almost certainly be the last major title he wins in his career.

It’s unclear when he’ll be hanging up his clubs and while he understandably may not be what he was, it’ll be a sad day when Woods calls time on his career.

ICON Legends – James Anderson – Cricket Hero

As we continue in our ICON Legends series, it only feels right to honour James Anderson. Known as Jimmy throughout the cricket world, he’s enjoyed a remarkable career at the top level.

Like his mate Stuart Broad last year, he’s hanging up his whites. 21 years after making his Test match debut, Anderson is set to make his final appearance for England against the West Indies next month as the Caribbean side start a three-match series at Lord’s on 10th July.

As a generation of cricket fans prepares to mourn the departure of one of the greats, we’ve taken a look back at what makes Jimmy Anderson such an icon.

Bursting onto the scene

Having been born and bred in Burnley, there was only one club where Anderson was ever going to make his name. He made his first debut for Lancashire in 2002 and within a year he’d become the youngest-ever player to take a hat-trick for the club.

If that performance didn’t catch the attention of the cricket world, they’d soon know about him. Just a week later, Anderson made his Test debut for England against Zimbabwe at Lord’s and his opponents from that day likely still have nightmares about his bowling.

In the first of his 187 Test matches, Anderson stunned the crowd by taking five wickets in an astonishing debut performance. It was the first of his 32 career five-wicket hauls and it came 19 years before his last, proving his class until the very end.

In fact, Anderson has the most five-wicket hauls of any player in Test history. He continued to shine domestically and in 2004 he blew Worcestershire away with his maiden ten-wicket haul.

Smashing records for six

As would be expected for a player of his calibre, Anderson made a habit of breaking records throughout his career. He leads the way at the top of the charts for Test match appearances for England, with only Sachin Tendulkar beating him worldwide.

And, as expected, he’s also got the most Test match wickets in England history after hitting the 700 mark during England’s tour of India earlier this year. Anderson remains the leading fast bowler of all time, while only spinners Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan are ahead of him in the overall rankings.

With Anderson just eight wickets behind Warne, a romantic nine-wicket haul in his final Test match against the West Indies next month would push him up into second spot. While it’s unlikely, it would be typical of his talent to one-up his buddy Broad following his incredible sign off in last summer’s Ashes.

For such a phenomenal bowler, you wouldn’t expect Anderson to have many records with the bat. Having spent his career at the tail-end, the 41-year-old scored just 1,353 Test match runs, achieving just a solitary 50.

Yet, as comes with the lower order territory, Anderson also holds the record for the most times finishing a game not out having done so on 113 occasions. Not too shabby for a man that averaged less than nine runs a shift!

Becoming England royalty

There’s no question that Anderson is one of the greatest cricketers of all time. Through longevity alone he’s established himself as an icon of the sport and his bowling record speaks for itself.

Like all great sports stars, his career has been glittered with countless highlights. He was part of the England side that won the T20 World Cup in the West Indies back in 2010. Anderson has also been on the winning Ashes side on four occasions, while one of his crowning achievements was helping boyhood club Lancashire to the County Championship title in 2011.

Arguably his greatest performance in an England shirt came back in 2008 as New Zealand visited these shores for a summer tour. Anderson finished the series with 19 wickets and nine of those came in the final match.

In the first innings he bowled a remarkable 7-43, before ending the match with 9-98 to secure England a nine-run victory. That performance truly put him on the map and he went from strength to strength for his country.

As England visited Australia for the Ashes in the back end of 2010, expectations were low as we dreamed of a first series win down under in 24 years. But if you need some fast bowling to fire you back into form, there’s only one man you need to call.

Anderson was imperious throughout the series, taking a stunning 24 wickets. England triumphed as 3-1 winners and it remains the last time they won a Test match in Australia.

Like Broad a year ago, Anderson has given the world of cricket some time to come to terms with his departure. While his story in domestic cricket may continue, his international journey is over and there will always be an Anderson-shaped hole in the England side.

ICON Legends – Jurgen Klopp – King of the Kop

While Anfield was full of beaming faces following their win over Wolves on the final day of the season, there was sadness in the air as Liverpool waved goodbye to a legend.

Jurgen Klopp called time on his nine-year spell at the club in which he won eight trophies, including the club’s first-ever Premier League title.

As a tribute, we felt it was only right to look back on his incredible career as we welcome Klopp as the latest inductee in our ICON Hall of Fame.

German beginnings

Klopp enjoyed a steady playing career in his native Germany, spending the majority of it with Mainz 05, where he scored 56 times in 346 appearances. Upon retiring in 2001, Klopp immediately became the club’s manager and he guided them to promotion back to the Bundesliga three years later.

Klopp eventually joined Borussia Dortmund in 2008 and it was at the iconic club where he really made his name as a manager. Within three years he secured the Bundesliga title, their first in nine years.

A year later he led Dortmund to their first-ever domestic double as they claimed a second successive title before thrashing Bayern Munich 5-2 in the German Cup final. The following season, Klopp’s side almost enjoyed a dream European campaign but, sadly for them, Bayern had their revenge.

The rivals met in the Champions League final at Wembley and the tie looked to be heading to extra-time but an 89th minute winner from Arjen Robben broke Dortmund hearts and sent the trophy back to Munich.

Klopp’s exploits at Dortmund earned him a reputation as one of the brightest managers in the world and with the honour of being their longest-serving gaffer in history, he called time on his time in Germany when Liverpool came calling in 2015.

Bringing trophies back to Anfield

When Klopp arrived at Anfield, Liverpool were in a bit of a state following the sacking of Brendan Rodgers. But the German didn’t take long to work his magic and he brought Champions League football back to the club with a fourth-placed finish in each of his first two full seasons.

That second campaign so nearly finished with European glory as Liverpool reached the Champions League final but it wasn’t to be as a sensational brace from Gareth Bale helped Real Madrid to a 3-1 win.

Yet rather than let it deflate him, Klopp inspired his side to come back even stronger in the 2018/19 season. Liverpool finished second in the Premier League that year with 97 points, the highest-ever tally recorded for a side that didn’t win the title.

And they bounced back in style in the Champions League, reaching their second successive final and beating Premier League rivals Tottenham 2-0 thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi. The win secured Liverpool their sixth European Cup and their first since their iconic comeback against AC Milan back in 2005.

Klopp continued to build a formidable squad and with a ruthless front three of Mohamed Salad, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino backed up by the imperious Virgil van Dijk in defence, they were unstoppable as Klopp finally delivered the Premier League title in 2019/20.

It was their first league win since 1990 and they did it in some style, finishing on a club-record 99 points, 18 points clear of second-placed City. Klopp’s phenomenal leadership earned him two consecutive FIFA Coach of the Year awards and he also twice won the Premier League Manager of the Season while at Liverpool.

Despite going close, Klopp couldn’t secure another title for Liverpool but he did guide them to the League Cup and FA Cup double two years ago. And not one to go out with a whimper, he ended his reign with silverware as Liverpool won this season’s EFL Cup with a 1-0 win over Chelsea back in February.

Leaving a legacy at Liverpool

While many may look at City winning four consecutive titles and scoff at Liverpool in comparison, it was Liverpool’s relentless competition that drove Pep Guardiola to his success.

At times, Liverpool pushed them all the way and at their peak, they arguably had City’s number, beating them in several key games, including the Champions League quarter-finals back in 2018. For a while, Liverpool’s high-pressing, energetic system was a thorn in Guardiola’s side and it was indicative of Klopp’s determination to strive to get the best out of his side at all times.

Liverpool are a club steeped in history and with iconic managers in their past including Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Kenny Dalglish, it seemed unthinkable that a manager could ever establish themselves in that company. Yet it’s no exaggeration that Klopp undoubtedly deserves a place on Liverpool’s managerial Mount Rushmore.

In the modern era of hiring and firing, it almost seems unthinkable that a manager can stay and grow with a club in a way that we’ve rarely seen since Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson retired. Yet for the majority of football fans, Klopp and Liverpool are synonymous with each other.

While nothing would ever have diminished Klopp’s achievements, there’s a fitting romanticism about his reign not fizzling out. He was able to go out on his own terms, at the right time, and has left Liverpool in a strong place with Champions League football secured for next season. He says he’s taking a break for now and it remains to be seen whether he’ll be back managing at the top level. Whether it’s in the Premier League, somewhere else in Europe or with the German national team, there’s no doubt he still has the drive and ability to compete.

Arne Slot certainly has big shoes to fill and while Liverpool fans will be looking forward to the new era, there will always be a Klopp-shaped hole in their hearts. Liverpool have lost an icon and the Premier League has lost one of its greatest characters – he truly will go down as one of the greatest managers of all time.

ICON Legends – Danny Care – England and Harlequins star

As the England rugby team enters a new era under Steve Borthwick, there’s one man that won’t be part of the revolution. Danny Care announced he was retiring from international rugby following the Six Nations last month, bringing an end to his 16-year stint representing his nation.

Care became just the sixth player in history to reach 100 England appearances earlier this year, with his 101st coming in his final appearance as his side suffered late heartbreak against France.

As Care hangs up his boots and reflects on a whirlwind career, we’ve taken a look at his key moments as he becomes the latest inductee in our ICON Legends hall of fame.

An England centurion

Only Ben Youngs, Jason Leonard, Dan Cole, Owen Farrell and Courtney Lawes have represented England more times than Care. The 37-year-old scored 84 points for his country, including 15 tries.

The last of those tries proved crucial, coming in the narrow win over Samoa at the World Cup last year, where England ultimately finished third. After helping England to silver in the rugby sevens at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Care made his international debut two years later.

His first appearance came in a defeat to New Zealand, before he scored his maiden try in his first start the following game. Care continued to be selected for England camps and while he took time to establish himself as a starter, he was a crucial part of the squad as England won the Six Nations in 2011.

Three years later, Care was nominated for Six Nations Player of the Year and then in 2016, he helped England claim the Grand Slam for the first time in 13 years. The championship was sewn up with a win over France in the final game, with Care scoring an iconic try in the first half.

With the game level at 3-3, Care picked up the ball 45 metres out before powering through the French backline and diving over the line. The match in Paris eventually finished 31-21 and saw Care claim his second Six Nations medal.

England defended their crown the following year with Care part of the squad and he was also pivotal as they came second on three other occasions. Despite his strong performances for the national team, Care was dropped by Eddie Jones before the 2019 World Cup.

He spent three years in the wilderness before eventually earning a recall in 2022 and he enjoyed one final tournament in France last year.

Harlequins hero

Domestically, Care started out at hometown club Leeds Tykes before joining Harlequins in 2006, where he has played ever since. The stalwart has made 370 appearances for the London outfit, scoring almost 600 points in the process.

Despite his success on the rugby pitch, things could have turned out so differently for Care. A talented sportsman, he was snapped up to the Sheffield Wednesday academy as a youngster. But after being released at the age of 15, Care turned his back on football in favour of pursuing a career in rugby.

He made his Guinness Premiership debut in 2005 before joining Quins a year later – and he hasn’t looked back. As well as his Six Nations medal collection, Care has tasted success at club level too.

He was a key cog as Harlequins won Premiership Rugby titles in both 2012 and 2021, while they also went all the way in the EPCR Challenge Cup in 2011. That cup final saw them come up against Stade Francais in Cardiff and the French side were leading 18-12 with just five minutes left on the clock.

But always one to step up for his teammates, Care chipped an expert ball through to Gonzalo Camacho, who gratefully scored and saw his try converted to claim the trophy. The following year, Care was pivotal again as they beat Leicester to the title.

While his England honours quenched the thirst in the intervening years, Care wouldn’t taste domestic success again until 2021. But it was worth the wait as Harlequins came back from 28-0 down against Bristol Bears to win the semi-final, before pipping Exeter Chiefs to claim the title.

Although Care would have dreamt of retiring with a World Cup win to his name, he can have no regrets over his success on the field. His reliability and professionalism were key components in his longevity in the England setup.

Alongside several other seasoned professionals, Care’s experience provided the glue for the England side, acting as the foil for the up and coming youngsters that have entered the fold of late.

As the England team continues to grow, any success they have in the near future will obviously see the plaudits aimed at those that have got the job done. Yet those players will undoubtedly be the first to admit that the leadership of Care and his fellow older heads would have paved the way for their success.

ICON Legends – Rachael Blackmore – The Queen of Horse Racing

As the sun sets on another thrilling week at Cheltenham, it would be remiss of us not to honour one of the festival’s greatest jockeys as we continue our ICON Legends series.

Rachael Blackmore has made history throughout her career, often breaking records by becoming the first female to win countless races and accolades. The Irish jockey grew up on a dairy farm riding ponies and had her first amateur win at the age of 21.

Since turning professional in 2015, Blackmore has gone from strength to strength, riding her first winner just six months into her career. And after adding to her long list of Cheltenham winners last week, we’ve taken a look back at some of her greatest achievements.

Cheltenham Festival glory

The Cheltenham Festival wouldn’t be the same without Blackmore celebrating in the winner’s enclosure and she was back there again last week. The 34-year-old has ridden 16 winners there since 2019, smashing records on the way.

She’s made a habit of setting standards for female jockeys and in 2021 she became the first woman to be the leading rider at the festival, winning six races including the Champion Hurdle.

And the following year she picked up where she left off. Aboard A Plus Tard, Blackmore became the first female Cheltenham Gold Cup winner in 2022, dominating with a phenomenal finish to win by 15 lengths.

It wasn’t the first time that Blackmore and A Plus Tard celebrated together at Cheltenham. Her maiden festival victory came in 2019 aboard the gelding in the Chase Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Last week saw another incredible Cheltenham Festival and once again, Blackmore wowed spectators as she rode to victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Her Queen Mother Champion Chase win aboard Captain Guinness came as something of a surprise. They set off at 17/2 but were able to take advantage when clear favourite El Fabiolo pulled up, opening up the field.

Grand National history maker

In a sport traditionally dominated by men, Blackmore has paved the way for women and she continued in this vein in 2021 as she became the first female jockey to win the Grand National, three years after her first appearance.

Blackmore made history aboard Minella Times, navigating the iconic Aintree course perfectly, having started the race as the 11/1 fourth favourite. Despite there being no fans present due to the pandemic, Blackmore remained focussed throughout to see off the challenge of runner-up Balko des Flos.

Minella Times was the first Grand National winner for trainer Henry de Bromhead, who also trained Balko des Flos, ridden by Aidan Coleman.

Honeysuckle heroics

Some of the best stories in sport are built on partnerships and for Blackmore, her career could have been so different without the incredible Honeysuckle. The dynamic duo won 17 of their 19 races together under the tutelage of de Bromhead.

It was with Honeysuckle that Blackmore completed another of her iconic ‘firsts’, becoming the inaugural female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2021. Not content with winning it once, the pair repeated the feat the following year.

Between them, Blackmore and Honeysuckle have won both the Irish Champion Hurdle and the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle on three separate occasions, as well as the Punchestown Champion Hurdle twice.

Regarded as one of the greats, Honeysuckle’s career came to an end last year. It was fitting that Blackmore took the reins for a final time as the pair raced to victory in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham to secure their fourth win together at the festival.

For Blackmore, there have been no whispers of retirement and fingers crossed she’ll continue to make history and be a role model for aspiring jockeys for many more years to come.

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