- It’s the last show of the year for Mail Sport’s football podcast It’s All Kicking Off
- Ian Ladyman and Chris Sutton look back on the exciting sporting year that has come to an end
- Has the defeat to Man United exposed a chink in Aston Villa’s armor? It all starts
Newcastle’s historic defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham revolution and Stuart Broad’s fairytale retirement from Test cricket.
They were Ian Ladyman and Chris Sutton’s picks as their greatest moments of 2023 in the It all starts New Year’s special.
Another 12 months of action-packed digesting, Mailsport football editor Ladyman named Newcastle’s sensational 4-1 Champions League win over the Parisians his favorite moment.
“Because I was at St James’ Park when Newcastle beat PSG in the Champions League,” he said.
“Say what you want about ownership, we’re all in it for football and that was an incredible football experience.
Newcastle United’s incredible 4-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain was Ian Ladyman’s highlight
Chris Sutton has enjoyed watching Ange Postecoglou’s ‘brilliant’ Tottenham team this season
But Stuart Broad’s fairytale final in Test cricket during the Ashes was an all-round highlight
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‘I remember sitting in the press seats watching Jamaal Lascelles warm up.
“He wasn’t, with the utmost respect to him because he’s been a great servant for Newcastle, but he wouldn’t necessarily be the first choice these days if it weren’t for injuries.
“He was warming up in one half and Kylian Mbappe was warming up in the other half and I thought, how on earth is this evening going to go?
“Well, things were going badly for the French team and it was great to be there.”
Australian boss Postecoglou was a breath of fresh air in the Premier League as his Spurs side topped the Premier League a few months ago.
His attacking approach reached its peak when Spurs continued to attack Chelsea in November, even when they were down to nine men, before eventually succumbing 4-1.
Sutton said: “On the football front, Ange Postecoglou would have done something different and the football world, you journalists, would have gone into a meltdown. I loved it, I was excited, brilliant!’
But both agreed that Broad’s sensational departure from Test cricket – when he hit a six with his last shot as a batsman and then took the last wicket with his last ball as England defeated Australia to square the Ashes – was a real highlight of 2023 was.
Chris Sutton was all cheers as he looked back on 2023 and offered his New Year’s resolutions
Ian Ladyman recalled how much he enjoyed being at St James’ Park for Newcastle’s historic victory over PSG
Despite doubts before the match, Jamaal Lascelles (center) managed to keep Kylian Mbappé under control
Broad’s brilliance in his final match before retirement helped England level the Ashes series
“My best moment would have been if Stuart Broad had ended his career as he did with a huge six and a couple of wickets to get England over the line against the Aussies at The Oval,” said Sutton.
‘I was there and I don’t remember much about it. Maybe it was three pints, it used to be six pints.’
Ladyman added: “I don’t even think it was the best Stuart Broad moment of the year.
‘The best moment was when he exaggeratedly returned his bat to his own crease in that Test match in which Jonny Bairstow had been controversially run out by the Australian wicketkeeper.
‘Every time the ball died after that, Stuart played to the crowd and tried to get under the Aussies’ skin.’
And in a show of seasonal goodwill, Sutton came up with an interesting resolution for 2024.
He said, “My New Year’s resolution would be to stop making northern jokes at you. I have to leave that out, I’m better than that.
‘I have to leave the northern jibes and I will do my best. But you must give me three strokes.’
