Long Story Sport

Welcome to my personal blog, about all things surrounding the world of sport.

My name is Matthew; I'm a second-year sports journalism undergraduate, and I created Long Story Sport in the hope of projecting my writing to a wider audience while I complete my degree.

You can click through my latest posts, which are ordered by category, below. At the bottom of the page, there is also a form you can use to contact me with comments, queries, feedback, or anything else.

I hope you enjoy reading my posts!

The Flailing "European Super League" Has Proven Football Ownership Needs Reform

County Cricket Season Preview: Somerset - Yorkshire

Under Steve Cooper, Nottingham Forest Are Seeing The Green Shoots Of Recovery

Five months ago, Nottingham Forest were winless and bottom of the Championship. Now, they are firmly in the playoff race. What's changed?

Matthew Whiley

Jan 15

NFL Playoffs Preview

With the NFL regular season now over, just 14 teams remain in the race to Super Bowl LVI. I take a look at each of the hopefuls one-by-one.

An Interview With Hampshire Cricketer, Ian Holland

Matthew Whiley

Mar 16, 2021

An Interview With Hampshire Cricketer, Ian Holland

I spoke to Hampshire and USA cricketer Ian Holland about winning a reality show, his career so far, representing America, and more...

Matthew Whiley

Feb 2, 2021

An Interview With Cauley Woodrow

I chatted to Barnsley striker Cauley Woodrow about his career, the Reds under Valérien Ismaël, and the upcoming FA Cup tie against Chelsea.

An Interview With Halifax Town Manager, Pete Wild

Matthew Whiley

Nov 24, 2020

An Interview With Halifax Town Manager, Pete Wild

I sat down with FC Halifax Town boss Pete Wild, to discuss transfer strategies, giant-killings, and taking over from a very famous name.

A Chat With Alex Lees: My First Exclusive!

Matthew Whiley

Nov 17, 2020

A Chat With Alex Lees: My First Exclusive!

As England goes back into lockdown, I had a detailed virtual discussion with former Yorkshire and current Durham opening batsman, Alex Lees.

Football Thoughts...

Manchester United Are In A Mess. What Next?

Matthew Whiley

Nov 22, 2021

Manchester United Are In A Mess. What Next?

Ole has finally departed Old Trafford... but the big task facing his as-yet-unknown replacement is clear. Where does the new man even start?

Matthew Whiley

Aug 13, 2021

2021/22 Premier League Table Prediction

The Premier League is back tonight! With twenty places to fill, and twenty teams to fill them, who have I backed to finish where, come May?

Matthew Whiley

Jul 23, 2021

The Unofficial Euro 2020 Awards

Black ties on, red carpet out, and curtain lifted. It’s time for the “Unofficial Euro 2020 Awards Ceremony”. Nominations, please, for...

Matthew Whiley

Jun 9, 2021

The Bumper Euro 2020 Preview - Part 2

With the 16th European Championships now tantalisingly close, what better time to preview all 24 competitors in a bumper two-part post?

Matthew Whiley

Jun 6, 2021

The Bumper Euro 2020 Preview - Part 1

With the 16th European Championships now tantalisingly close, what better time to preview all 24 competitors in a bumper two-part post?

Matthew Whiley

May 11, 2021

Football League Playoffs Preview

The EFL season concluded last weekend, but there's no time to allow the dust to settle, as the high stakes of the playoffs begin next week.

Why The Premier League Is Perhaps Not Quite As Hard To Crack As You Might Think

Matthew Whiley

May 6, 2021

Why The Premier League Is Perhaps Not Quite As Hard To Crack As You Might Think

Is the gap between the Championship and Premier League wider than ever? I put my investigating hat on, and the results are interesting...

Matthew Whiley

Apr 21, 2021

The Flailing "European Super League" Has Proven Football Ownership Needs Reform

I wanted to get down some of my off-the-cuff thoughts about the last 48 hours relating to the proposed "European Super League" project.

Matthew Whiley

Jan 5, 2021

Famous FA Cup Giant Killings

Kicking the New Year off with a trip down memory lane to look back at five famous FA Cup shocks...

Matthew Whiley

Oct 20, 2020

Team of the Premier League So Far

With the level of quality we've seen so far this season, it's been hard to pick a stand-out XI, but I've done my best to give it a go.

Following Non-League: A Few Of My Most Memorable Moments

Matthew Whiley

Sep 29, 2020

Following Non-League: A Few Of My Most Memorable Moments

I *love* non-league football. I wanted to look back over my most memorable moments to remind people how enjoyable it really can be.

Matthew Whiley

Sep 15, 2020

Women's Football: Why The Negativity?

It takes only a cursory glance into comment sections of posts on the women's game to find misogyny littered around.

Match Reports...

Match Report: Lancashire Lightning v Yorkshire Vikings, 17/07/21

Matthew Whiley

Jul 19, 2021

Match Report: Lancashire Lightning v Yorkshire Vikings, 17/07/21

My take on events from Old Trafford, where Lancashire Lightning defeated old rivals Yorkshire Vikings in a low-scoring clash.

Match Report: FC Halifax Town 2-2 Sutton United (27/03/21)

Matthew Whiley

Mar 27, 2021

Match Report: FC Halifax Town 2-2 Sutton United (27/03/21)

My take on events from the Shay, where National League table-toppers Sutton completed a two-goal comeback against Halifax Town.

Match Report: Celtic 1-1 Rangers (21/03/21)

Matthew Whiley

Mar 21, 2021

Match Report: Celtic 1-1 Rangers (21/03/21)

My take on Sunday afternoon's Old Firm derby, as newly-crowned champions Rangers made the short cross-city trip to Celtic Park.

Match Report: India v England (14/03/21)

Matthew Whiley

Mar 14, 2021

Match Report: India v England (14/03/21)

My take on the second Twenty20 International from Ahmedabad, as Virat Kohli's India earned a comfortable victory over England.

Match Report: Bayern Munich 4-2 Borussia Dortmund (06/03/21)

Matthew Whiley

Mar 7, 2021

Match Report: Bayern Munich 4-2 Borussia Dortmund (06/03/21)

My take on a rip-roaring Der Klassiker meeting between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund on Saturday evening.

Match Report: Marseille 1-1 Lyon (28/02/21)

Matthew Whiley

Mar 1, 2021

Match Report: Marseille 1-1 Lyon (28/02/21)

My take on Sunday evening's action from southern France, as two giants of Ligue 1 went head-to-head.

Match Report: Liverpool 0-2 Everton (20/02/21)

Matthew Whiley

Feb 21, 2021

Match Report: Liverpool 0-2 Everton (20/02/21)

My take on events at Anfield, as Liverpool & Everton locked horns in the 236th Merseyside derby.

Match Report: Brentford 0-2 Barnsley (14/02/21)

Matthew Whiley

Feb 14, 2021

Match Report: Brentford 0-2 Barnsley (14/02/21)

My take on Sunday afternoon's Championship encounter from the Brentford Community Stadium.

Match Report, Super Bowl LV: Kansas City Chiefs 9-31 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Matthew Whiley

Feb 8, 2021

Match Report, Super Bowl LV: Kansas City Chiefs 9-31 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

My take on the events of Super Bowl LV, as the Kansas City Chiefs took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Match Report: Sydney Sixers v Perth Scorchers (30/01/21)

Matthew Whiley

Jan 30, 2021

Match Report: Sydney Sixers v Perth Scorchers (30/01/21)

My take on today's Big Bash Qualifier playoff game from Canberra.

Match Report: Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool (24/01/21)

Matthew Whiley

Jan 24, 2021

Match Report: Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool (24/01/21)

My take on proceedings at Old Trafford in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Interviews...

Matthew Whiley

Apr 20, 2021

Life As The Championship's Youngest CEO

With in-form Barnsley currently flying high in the Championship, I sat down for a detailed chat with Reds CEO Dane Murphy.

Joe Ackroyd & Tom Harban: Revealing The Inner Workings of a Professional Academy

Matthew Whiley

Feb 23, 2021

Joe Ackroyd & Tom Harban: Revealing The Inner Workings of a Professional Academy

All players have to learn their craft somewhere! I spoke to two men who know exactly what life is like in a professional football academy.

Retirement: What Happens When Sporting Professionals Call It A Day?

Matthew Whiley

Feb 10, 2021

Retirement: What Happens When Sporting Professionals Call It A Day?

What happens to professionals after they hang their boots up? I spoke to a former cricketer, who revealed his story after leaving the game.

Matthew Whiley

Dec 7, 2020

How To Make A Cricket Bat

How do you go about turning a tree into a bat? I spoke to Wes Brookes, who manufactures cricket bats under his brand Lionheart, to find out.

Matthew Whiley

Nov 10, 2020

Fan's Perspective: Manchester United

Fan's Perspective returns, and this time I spoke to my sister's boyfriend Alex, who supports Manchester United.

Everything You Wanted To Know About Paintball

Matthew Whiley

Oct 27, 2020

Everything You Wanted To Know About Paintball

I put some questions to a competitive paintballer to learn more about a sport I knew very little about until this week.

Matthew Whiley

Sep 22, 2020

Fan's Perspective: Sale Sharks

Hopefully the first in a series focusing on the lifeblood of professional sport - the match-going fans. Sale Sharks rugby club are up first.

Cricket Musings...

Matthew Whiley

Oct 23, 2021

T20 World Cup Preview

Seconds out... Super 12s! With the global heavyweights all set to join the T20 World Cup in the UAE, I take a look at each side one-by-one.

Matthew Whiley

Sep 20, 2021

2021 T20 Blast Kits Ranking

Never let it be said I don't understand fashion! With the 2021 T20 Blast now at an end, I look back on what we saw the teams wear this year.

Matthew Whiley

Aug 24, 2021

T20 Blast Quarter Finals Preview

County cricket's attention now turns to the T20 Blast's quarter-finals, with eight sides battling it out to make Finals Day next month.

Matthew Whiley

Jun 15, 2021

Who Will Be England's 700th?

With 699 men now having played Test cricket for England, I look at five possible candidates vying for the notability of becoming the 700th.

Matthew Whiley

Apr 7, 2021

County Cricket Season Preview: Somerset - Yorkshire

With the first balls scheduled to be bowled at 11am tomorrow, part 3 of 3 concludes my team-by-team preview of the county cricket season.

County Cricket Season Preview: Kent - Nottinghamshire

Matthew Whiley

Apr 6, 2021

County Cricket Season Preview: Kent - Nottinghamshire

My team-by-team season preview of the county cricket season continues, with part 2 of 3.

County Cricket Season Preview: Derbyshire - Hampshire

Matthew Whiley

Apr 5, 2021

County Cricket Season Preview: Derbyshire - Hampshire

There are now just a few days until the start of the county cricket season, so what better time to preview all 18 sides? Here's part 1 of 3.

Matthew Whiley

Mar 23, 2021

Who Makes England's World T20 Squad?

With England's T20 series in India over, I examine the possible names who may return to the subcontinent for the World T20 later this year.

2021 County Championship: Players To Watch

Matthew Whiley

Mar 2, 2021

2021 County Championship: Players To Watch

With the County Championship season starting in just 37 days, I take a look at four young players for whom 2021 could be a prolific season.

Why New Zealand Should Play More Test Cricket

Matthew Whiley

Jan 12, 2021

Why New Zealand Should Play More Test Cricket

New Zealand are now the top ranked side in Test cricket. Why, then, was their last series of more than three matches over two decades ago?

Matthew Whiley

Dec 10, 2020

Big Bash League Preview

The tenth edition of Australian cricket's premier T20 competition, the Big Bash League, gets underway tomorrow, so here I preview each team.

County Cricket: Team-by-Team Season Summary

Matthew Whiley

Oct 6, 2020

County Cricket: Team-by-Team Season Summary

With the English county cricket season having drawn to a close, I've graded all 18 counties' seasons.

Much More Besides...

Matthew Whiley

Mar 30, 2021

Fan's Perspective: Six Nations Special

With the 2021 Six Nations now in the books, I spoke to a fan of each home nation to discuss their team's performance in the tournament.

Matthew Whiley

Mar 9, 2021

2021 Formula One Season Preview

I welcome my friend and resident F1 aficionado Jack, as we look ahead to the upcoming season and preview each team's chances of success.

Matthew Whiley

Feb 16, 2021

Where Might Deshaun Watson End Up?

With journalist Joe Kerrigan's help, I analyse five possible landing spots for Deshaun Watson, after the Texans' key man requested a trade.

Matthew Whiley

Jan 26, 2021

The Top 10 Venues I Have Visited

A while ago, I wrote about ten venues I really want to go to. Well, I've also been lucky enough to have paid a visit to some great ones too.

Matthew Whiley

Jan 20, 2021

NFL Conference Championships Preview

The Buccaneers, the Packers, the Bills, and the Chiefs are all now just one game away from Super Bowl XV. Who wins? Here are my thoughts...

Matthew Whiley

Dec 20, 2020

Ranking All The Formula One Circuits

As 2020 draws to a close and we all look to the future, I thought it would be nice to rank the circuits that will play host to F1 next year.

Matthew Whiley

Nov 3, 2020

The Top 10 Venues I Most Want To Visit

I've been lucky enough to visit some great sporting venues, but here are ten more that I'd love to go to one day...

Matthew Whiley

Oct 13, 2020

Black History Month

We're now two weeks into Black History Month. I thought there's no better time to celebrate some achievements by black British sportspeople.

Matthew Whiley

Sep 8, 2020

NFL Kickoff Week

It's rather apt that the first proper post of a sports blog features the word 'kickoff' in the title, isn't it?

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