Tom Ellis
Tom writes the numbers-first football. He owns the weekly FPL captain pick, the xG-led match breakdowns, the head-to-head deep-dives and the predictor articles. Before joining FootballBoard he was a sports-data analyst — the kind of writer who leads with the metric, then explains why it matters, and slips a caveat in parentheses where most would put a dramatic adjective.
By Tom
30 articlesFIFA Hit With German Court Injunction Over World Cup Ticket Resale Practices
A Frankfurt regional court has granted a preliminary injunction against FIFA over a lack of transparency in its secondary ticketing market at the 2026 World Cup.
By Tom Ellis · 15 Jul 2026League TwoMorecambe become first club sanctioned by football regulator
The Independent Football Regulator has issued a warning notice to Morecambe and their two owners after they failed to respond to information requests under the Football Governance Act.
By Tom Ellis · 15 Jul 2026InternationalsWill Keane and Harry Kane: Same Starting Point, Worlds Apart
Will Keane and Harry Kane once shared an England Under-19 dressing room, but injuries and fate have sent the two strikers on drastically different journeys.
By Tom Ellis · 15 Jul 2026World CupHarry Kane: World Cup glory and Ballon d'Or on the line this week
England captain Harry Kane faces the defining five days of his career, with a World Cup final place and Ballon d'Or both within reach if he can outshine Lionel Messi and beyond.
By Tom Ellis · 14 Jul 2026Women's FootballLondon City hand Asllani one-year deal despite ACL injury
London City Lionesses are extending captain Kosovare Asllani's contract by a year to support her recovery from a complex multi-ligament injury, including an ACL rupture.
By Tom Ellis · 14 Jul 2026Women's FootballLondon City Hand Injured Asllani One-Year Deal to Aid Recovery
London City Lionesses have offered captain Kosovare Asllani a one-year contract extension despite her suffering a serious knee injury that may keep her out for the entire coming season.
By Tom Ellis · 14 Jul 2026Women's FootballMegan Finnigan Signs One-Year Extension to Stay at Everton WSL
Everton captain Megan Finnigan has committed to a further year at the club, a deal that will take her to 20 seasons with the Toffees including academy time.
By Tom Ellis · 14 Jul 2026Premier LeagueMcGowan: Hearts Must Cement Top-Three Status Before Chasing Title
Former Tynecastle defender Ryan McGowan says Hearts should prioritise pulling clear of the chasing pack in the Scottish Premiership before dreaming of an Old Firm upset.
By Tom Ellis · 13 Jul 2026World CupRodri: Spain can beat France in World Cup semi-final
Spain captain Rodri has backed his side to defeat France in the World Cup semi-final, pointing to their recent head-to-head record as evidence they can go through.
By Tom Ellis · 13 Jul 2026World CupWhy England Keep Winning Even When Tuchel Is Unhappy
Thomas Tuchel admits England are not playing as he wants, yet they have reached the World Cup semi-finals. Here is the tactical reason why they keep getting results.
By Tom Ellis · 13 Jul 2026Premier LeagueKen Bates, Chelsea's £1 chairman, dies aged 94
Ken Bates, the man who bought Chelsea for £1 in 1982 and steered the club from near-relegation to the top flight, has died at the age of 94.
By Tom Ellis · 12 Jul 2026OpinionKen Bates obituary: The £1 gamble that changed Chelsea forever
Ken Bates, who has died aged 94, bought Chelsea for £1 in 1982 and spent two decades turning a club on the brink of bankruptcy into a major European force.
By Tom Ellis · 11 Jul 2026World CupTuchel: England Have 'Another Gear' Before Norway Quarter-Final
Thomas Tuchel insists England are not yet operating at their ceiling as they prepare for a 2026 World Cup quarter-final against Norway.
By Tom Ellis · 11 Jul 2026World CupKane on Trump golf round: 'A pretty surreal experience'
Harry Kane has revealed he played golf with US President Donald Trump in Palm Beach roughly 18 months ago, calling the encounter 'a unique experience' ahead of England's World Cup quarter-final.
By Tom Ellis · 11 Jul 2026InternationalsMarcus Fraser Named St Mirren Captain Ahead of New Season
Craig McLeish has handed the St Mirren armband to Marcus Fraser, citing the 32-year-old defender's daily standards in training and in the dressing room.
By Tom Ellis · 10 Jul 2026Premier LeagueMarcus Fraser Named St Mirren Captain by Craig McLeish
St Mirren boss Craig McLeish has handed the captaincy to Marcus Fraser, citing the 32-year-old defender's daily standards in training and in the dressing room.
By Tom Ellis · 10 Jul 2026World CupWorld Cup 2026: How a Breakout Tournament Moves a Player's Price Tag
From Cape Verde's Vozinha to New Zealand's Elijah Just, World Cup 2026 has thrust unknowns into the spotlight — but how much does tournament form actually shift transfer values?
By Tom Ellis · 10 Jul 2026World CupKennedy Park: How Football Is Building Community for US Immigrants
A small asphalt pitch in Portland, Maine has become a lifeline for immigrants and refugees, showing football's power to create belonging amid a hostile political climate.
By Tom Ellis · 10 Jul 2026World CupWorld Cup A-Z Quiz: Can You Name the Best Nation for Every Letter?
BBC Sport's World Cup A-Z quiz challenges fans to name the best-performing nation for every letter of the alphabet — with a historical naming twist.
By Tom Ellis · 10 Jul 2026OpinionMatch-Fixing Now Reaching Chess and Darts, Lords Committee Warned
A House of Lords committee heard evidence that match-fixing has spread far beyond football, with organised crime networks now targeting sports including darts and chess.
By Tom Ellis · 10 Jul 2026TransfersCallum Wilson joins Brentford on free transfer after West Ham exit
Brentford have signed former England striker Callum Wilson on a 12-month deal, adding Premier League experience to their attacking options ahead of the new season.
By Tom Ellis · 9 Jul 2026InternationalsWilson Delighted Bellamy Stays as Wales Boss After Burnley Talks Collapse
Harry Wilson says Craig Bellamy's decision to remain Wales head coach is a boost ahead of a Nations League A campaign and a home European Championship.
By Tom Ellis · 9 Jul 2026InternationalsHow Harry Kane became England's greatest goalscorer
From nearly becoming a goalkeeper at Ridgeway Rovers to six goals at the 2026 World Cup, the figures who shaped Kane reveal the resilience behind the record.
By Tom Ellis · 9 Jul 2026InternationalsWilson delighted Bellamy stays as Wales eye Nations League A
Harry Wilson says Craig Bellamy's decision to remain as Wales head coach is a boost ahead of a Nations League A campaign against Portugal, Denmark and Norway.
By Tom Ellis · 9 Jul 2026World CupEzri Konsa: England's Quiet Cornerstone at World Cup 2026
Morgan Rogers has called Ezri Konsa one of the best centre-backs at the 2026 World Cup, backing his Villa team-mate to shackle Erling Haaland in the quarter-finals.
By Tom Ellis · 9 Jul 2026Women's FootballMaddy Cusack Inquest: Chaplain Reveals She Asked Him to Keep Talks Secret
Dr Delroy Hall told the inquest that Maddy Cusack approached him as a 'last resort' and repeatedly asked him not to tell Sheffield United she was speaking to him.
By Tom Ellis · 9 Jul 2026World CupThe Perfect Penalty: What the Data Says About Spot Kicks
With World Cup 2026 shootouts potentially deciding who lifts the trophy, we look at what statistics and research reveal about the ideal penalty strategy.
By Tom Ellis · 8 Jul 2026InternationalsUSMNT World Cup Player Ratings: McKennie and Tillman Shine, Pulisic Disappoints
The United States crashed out of the 2026 World Cup in disappointing fashion, but Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman emerged as the tournament's standout performers from a mixed squad showing.
By Tom Ellis · 8 Jul 2026World CupArgentina's 3-2 Comeback vs Egypt: VAR at the Centre of World Cup Storm
Argentina overturned a 2-0 deficit in the final 11 minutes to beat Egypt 3-2, but VAR decisions have since dominated the post-match debate at the 2026 World Cup.
By Tom Ellis · 8 Jul 2026Women's FootballMaddy Cusack Inquest: Coach Says He Was 'Really Happy' to Have Her
Jonathan Morgan told Chesterfield Coroner's Court he made Maddy Cusack vice-captain at Sheffield United as 'a big sign of respect', as her inquest continued on Tuesday.
By Tom Ellis · 7 Jul 2026
