Every year at San Mames, the iconic home of Athletic Club in Bilbao, local fans pause to recognise and celebrate players not from their own club, but those who share a unique value with the Basque outfit – loyalty.
Athletic Club – famous for only fielding players born or raised in the region – introduced the One-Club Award in 2015, honouring those who dedicated their entire professional career to a single team.
“We wanted to create an award that recognised most kids growing up dream of playing for one club,” explains Dan Parry from the La Liga side’s communications department.
“On the other side, we wanted to show despite all the big-money transfers in modern-day football, there are top players all over the world who want to become one-club players.
“It’s an individual award, but it’s also an award that celebrates the union between the football team, fans and the player.”
Keeping those values in mind, then, this week I’m ranking football’s top 10 one-club men – you can have you say below, too.
GO to Dungeon Lane today and it’s strange to think it occupies a special place in Paul McCartney’s heart.
Yet it will go down in pop history alongside other street names associated with him, joining Penny Lane and Abbey Road.
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Paul McCartney today in a picture taken by his daughterCredit: Mary McCartneyPaul, left, makes his debut public performance, aged 15, with The Quarrymen, led by John Lennon, right, in 1957Credit: PA:Press AssociationPaul in his early years, aged 8Credit: Alamy
Situated in the Speke neighbourhood of Liverpool, the L24 postal district, a faded road sign sets the tone for its desolate air.
It is bordered on one side by a solar farm business and, on the other, by a fenced-off area of scrubland which separates it from the city’s John Lennon Airport.
Before you get very far, a bright yellow “emergency access gate” bars further exploration.
But, as a child, Dungeon Lane was McCartney’s gateway to a stunning rural idyll where he could escape the hustle and bustle of urban life.
In the Fifties, the lane took him past a daffodil farm to the Oglet Shore on the widest stretch of the River Mersey.
I wonder if young Paul, a keen birdwatcher, ventured into this wilderness clutching his trusty The Observer’s Book Of Birds.
There, he may have spotted any number of waders — curlew, snipe, dunlin, black-tailed godwits.
What we do know is that his lifelong love of our feathered friends began in those days.
This helps explain the compositions dotted through his career such as Blackbird with The Beatles, Single Pigeon with Wings, Two Magpies with The Fireman and solo efforts Jenny Wren and Long Tailed Winter Bird.
To McCartney, his early rambles into the countryside represent humbler, simpler times before The Fab Four exploded on to the scene, before his storied life in the dazzling glare of publicity.
Paul with his dad Jim and brother MikeCredit: GettyPaul’s childhood home at 20 Forthlin RoadCredit: Getty ImagesPaul with mum Mary and younger brother Mike
Sir Paul, 83, has called his 19th solo album The Boys Of Dungeon Lane . . . which is, as he suggests, a trip down memory lane.
He got the title from the lyrics of its first single, Days We Left Behind, released yesterday, a nostalgia-filled acceptance that he has a far longer past than future.
Intimate, beautifully sung with Macca playing acoustic guitar, bass, piano and harmonium himself (how does he do that!?), it is the first taste of a project that has been five years in the making.
“This is very much a memory song for me,” he says. “I was thinking about just that . . . the days I left behind.
“And I do often wonder if I’m just writing about the past — but then I think, how can you write about anything else?”
For McCartney, the song conjures up “a lot of memories of Liverpool. It involves a bit in the middle about John [Lennon] and Forthlin Road which is the street I used to live in. Dungeon Lane is near there.”
Paul was born on June 18, 1942, to his midwife mother Mary and salesman father Jim, and they moved with younger brother Mike to 20, Forthlin Road, Allerton, in the mid-Fifties from Speke, where they had lived since 1947.
We also know that Paul first bumped into John on July 6, 1957, at roughly 4pm, at a garden fete behind St Peter’s Church, Woolton.
In Days We Left Behind, he sings of the bond he formed with the lanky lad 20 months older than him: “We met at Forthlin Road/And wrote a secret code/To never be spoken.”
Continuing his reflection on the song, he says: “I used to live in a place called Speke which is quite working class.
“We didn’t have much at all but it didn’t matter because all the people were great and you didn’t notice you didn’t have much.”
As already mentioned, birdwatching was a hobby, one that required little cash and gave him a lot of pleasure “in the nearby woods and fields”.
Sir Paul with his wife NancyCredit: PA:Press AssociationPaul, a keen birdwatcher, owned The Observer’s Book Of BirdsCredit: Alamy
A recent entry in Macca’s Spotify playlists, under the banner Sticking Out Of My Back Pocket, came accompanied by these musings . . .
“My mum had the midwife’s house on the edge of Liverpool, where we lived,” he says.
“It was where Liverpool just stopped and became deep countryside, so that was when I had the opportunity to do quite a bit of birdwatching.”
He particularly cherishes the moment he saw a “skylark rising into the sky, singing its sweet song”.
That unforgettable sight has found its way into Days We Left Behind, with its lines, “In the skies the skylarks rise/Above the sounds of war/Since that day I knew they’d stay/With me for evermore.”
All these decades later, he reflects: “And now because I live part-time on a farm [in Sussex], I’m able to see a lot of birds and I don’t need The Observer’s Book Of Birds quite so much as I did back then.”
McCartney’s new album promises to be one of the most personal, most autobiographical song cycles he’s ever recorded, while also finding room for up-to-date love songs dedicated to third wife Nancy.
Yesterday’s announcement states that it finds him in a “candid, vulnerable and deeply reflective mood, writing with rare openness about his childhood in post-war Liverpool, the resilience of his parents, and early adventures shared with George Harrison and John Lennon”.
I’m guessing here but songs yet to be heard, Momma Gets By and Salesman Saint, appear to be affectionate remembrances of mum Mary, who died when Paul was just 14, and dad Jim.
Sir Paul has called his 19th solo album The Boys Of Dungeon LaneCredit: SuppliedDungeon Lane, now fenced off on both sidesCredit: supplied
This is not the first time Macca has delved into his early years for songwriting inspiration.
I talked to him about the playful On My Way To Work, which appeared on his 2013 album, New.
He called it a “collection of memories all morphed together”, providing a fascinating glimpse into his life before Beatlemania.
“It’s about me going to my first job, before The Beatles took off, which was working on a lorry for a delivery company called Speedy Prompt Deliveries — SPD.”
McCartney described going to work on the council-run green and cream buses which led to him looking at risqué magazines like Parade.
“I’d go on the bus at some unearthly hour of the morning,” he said. “I might buy a magazine and look at the nudies. I was too young to be interested in the news!”
He remembered how hard-up kids like him ripped the fronts off cigarette packets and traded duplicates with their mates, instead of collecting “football cards or, like in America, baseball cards”.
“It was like, ‘I’ll swap you two Craven A for a Woodbine’. Then there were the posh brands because this bus route went from the centre of Liverpool to the outskirts.
“Posh people would be smoking Passing Clouds or Sobranies and packets of those were very prized.”
Another song, Queenie Eye, referenced a childhood street game from “1940s Britain”.
“It’s what we used to get up to before video games and that whole home entertainment thing,” he said.
“Someone would be elected to be ‘the one’ or the ‘queenie eye’. We’d all stand behind that person and he would throw a ball over his head and one of us would catch it and hide.
“Then we would all chant, ‘Queenie eye, queenie eye, who’s got the ball? I haven’t got it. It isn’t in my pocket!’ It was simple entertainment for simple minds but great fun.”
Now it is time to return to the 2020s and the creation of The Boys Of Dungeon Lane, the follow-up to his captivating lockdown album, McCartney III.
This time, we’re told we can expect “Wings-style rock, Beatles- style harmonies and McCartney-style grooves”.
TRACK LIST
As You Lie There
Lost Horizon
Days We Left Behind
Ripples in a Pond
Mountain Top
Down South
We Two
Come Inside
Never Know
Home to Us
Life Can Be Hard
First Star of the Night
Salesman Saint
Momma Gets By
The process began around five years ago when Macca met American live-wire producer Andrew Watt, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne, Lady Gaga, Post Malone and The Beatles’ greatest Sixties chart rivals, the Rolling Stones.
Watt, I gather, “pulled a guitar” on his latest rock icon, who instantly happened upon a chord he didn’t recognise.
As the story goes, the ever- experimental McCartney changed one note, then another, until he had a three-chord sequence.
That led to his new record’s opening track, As You Lie There, which in turn set the ball rolling for the other 13 songs.
It’s remarkable that, as with McCartney III, he is credited with playing all the instruments himself across the whole thing.
It brings to mind how at ease this enduring music obsessive seemed as he suggested specific drum beats and fills to Ringo Starr in The Beatles’ Get Back documentary.
With Macca still touring and playing momentous shows like his 2022 Glastonbury epic, Days We Left Behind has been honed over half a decade when time permitted.
During that period, he even managed to introduce the Stones to producer Watt, who helmed their 2023 comeback album, Hackney Diamonds.
When McCartney was in Los Angeles working with Watt, he was brought in to play bass on Mick Jagger and Co’s punk blast, Bite My Head Off.
Upon its release, I spoke to Keith Richards who was made up over their special guest.
“Yeah, Macca just strolled in with his bass,” the guitar legend drawled. “I think the song reminded him of those times [in the Sixties]. Beatlemania was equally as bizarre as Stones mania.”
There’s a moment towards the end of Bite My Head Off where you can hear someone saying, “Come on Paul, play something”.
“That might have been me,” smiled Richards.
But this is all about Britain’s greatest living songwriter, Paul McCartney, and his new album The Boys Of Dungeon Lane.
Time is precious but when it comes to music and life, he’s still facing forward at 83 — even if he’s remembering a youth long ago when “in the skies, the skylarks rise”.
The 18 rooms and five suites combine original features with extravagant modern touches to make for a luxurious stay.
Our dog-friendly Cotswold Room had exposed wooden beams complemented by sleek interior design, including air con and a massive TV.
The bed was enormous and beyond comfortable, while the marble-effect bathroom had a belter of a shower.
There was also a doggy welcome pack, which included treats, toys and a plush sleeping pad.
It was the most wonderful stay in an idyllic village setting. Relaxing, even with our nutter of a cockapoo.
Rooms start at £250 including breakfast. Dogs charged at £30 per stay. See feathers.co.uk.
What is there to eat and drink there?
If the sun’s out, head to the hotel’s cute courtyard at The Aviary and get that Aperol spritz ordered.
For dinner, move inside to The Nest for fine dining with a flourish. Every item was off the scale but the star of the show was the lamb main.
For the lamb dish alone I would walk from my home in South West London.
Make sure to return for lunch as they serve a beautiful afternoon tea.
What else is there to do?
Woodstock is perfect for a genteel traipse, and a visit to nearby Blenheim Palace is a no-brainer.
The signs boast this is “Britain’s Greatest Palace” – and the beauty of the undulating grounds coupled with the striking palace itself definitely put it in there with a good shout.
Is it family friendly?
Two of the suites have sofa beds at an additional cost, for families staying with kids.
Cots can also be rented for £10 a night.
Is the hotel accessible?
The hotel has an accessible room on the ground floor.
The tournament opened with Italy shocking Scotland in Rome to put Gregor Townsend under pressure.
His side then delivered an emphatic win over England at Murrayfield to end their rivals’ 12-game unbeaten run.
The pressure then mounted on Borthwick as his side were outclassed by Ireland at Allianz Stadium.
While all that was happening, France cruised past Ireland, Wales and Italy to start a narrative that anything other than a Grand Slam would be a failure.
Scotland then blew away Galthie’s side, before conceding a late flurry of tries, to head into the final round with a genuine shot of a first Six Nations title.
To add more drama into the mix, Italy overcame England in Rome to mount further pressure on Borthwick.
Wales may have lost their opening four games, but they improved as the championship went on, producing an impressive bonus-point win over Italy to end the tournament.
They finished with a third consecutive Wooden Spoon – but a first win in the championship since 2023 offered huge relief.
Despite an improved display in Paris, England finished the tournament with four defeats – their worst-ever campaign.
“It was one of the most captivating Six Nations in history, fitting it came down to one final moment of drama,” BBC rugby correspondent Chris Jones said.
The 2015 Six Nations has been regarded as the greatest tournament for entertainment because of the three-team Super Saturday title race.
It similarly went right down to the wire.
However, this year’s competition delivered from round one right to the final kick, with each nation having their own story – and surely leaps to the top of the list.
With the CIF state basketball championships set for Friday and Saturday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, how about a look back at some of the greatest individual performances in state history.
There was nothing quite like Tracy Murray scoring 64 points for Glendora in the 1989 Division II final at the Oakland Coliseum. Damien coach Mike LeDuc was then Glendora’s coach. Glendora lost to Menlo 89-83. Here’s a look back.
Last season, Brayden Burries scored 44 points to deliver an Open Division championship to Eastvale Roosevelt at Golden 1 Center. Here’s the report.
In 2008, Klay Thompson of Santa Margarita scored 37 points and made a record seven three-pointers at the notoriously tough Arco Arena in Sacramento to help the Eagles win the Division III title over Sacramento 72-55. Here’s the report.
Let’s not forget Josh Shipp delivering five threes to help Fairfax win the Division I title in 2004 over De La Salle 51-35, again at the tough-to-shoot Arco Arena. Here’s the report.
And how about the 2006 final when Palo Alto stunned Mater Dei 51-47 in Division II in which Jeremy Lin made a 25-foot bank shot from the top of the key. Here’s the report.
For girls, Cheryl Miller still holds the most points scored at 41 when Riverside Poly won Division I in 1982 at the Oakland Coliseum over Los Gatos 77-44. Both teams entered 33-0.
Lisa Leslie of Morningside scored 35 points in the 1990 Division 1 final in a 67-56 win over Berkeley at the Oakland Coliseum. Here’s the report.
In 2018, Charisma Osborne of Windward made six threes and finished with 26 points to help her team win the Open Division title over Pinewood 58-47. Here’s the report.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
THE world’s greatest places of 2026 have been named and there are two on the list from the UK.
TIME’s annual World’s Greatest Places list looks at everything from hotels and cruises to attractions and experiences.
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TIME’s World’s Greatest Places has included everything from hotels to attractionsCredit: APThe ew V&A East Storehouse in London was includedCredit: AlamyAn afternoon tea experience in Somerset was also namedCredit: Instagram/thenewtinsomerset
This year, this included Disney cruises, new museums and beautiful coastal regions, mainly looking at anything “new, exciting, and relevant”.
The museum’s collection is broken down into three ‘themes’ – items that have a story, items inspired by the V&A and items that show a working museum.
Having opened last years, TIME explained: “At a time when many museums’ permanent collections have so far outgrown their galleries that only a fraction of their holdings can ever be exhibited at once, the new V&A East Storehouse is taking a radically different approach.
“The real game-changer is theOrder an Object system, which lets guests search a digital catalog of more than half a million items and select up to five pieces to be pulled from the shelves and presented one-on-one by a museum staffer for up-close inspection during a future visit.
She said: “An element I loved was the lack of walls where you can see everything while standing in one spot.
“It almost reminded me of an IKEA warehouse with the simple plywood and metal structures and open concept.
“But the variation of items (of which there are 250,000) means there is something for everyone.”
It’s free to visit, with free lockers and an on-site cafe.
Also making the TIME top 100 list is The Maid of Somerset, a very fancy afternoon tea experience.
Guests enter the Creamery at Castle Cary Station, with the afternoon tea taking place in a “British Pullman style” saloon car.
TIME said: “Unlike the stereotypical snooty high tea, the Maid’s service is steeped in the good humor – and obsession with quality – that typifies Roos’ and Bekker’s projects.
“The friendly attendants prepare 11 loose-leaf teas – a mix of house blends and Prince & Sons selections – and serve finger sandwiches like cucumber and Waterlip, a tangy feta-style cheese made on site at the Creamery.
“A three-tiered sweets tower follows, featuring cardamom-scented orange cakes and scones paired with the Newt’s strawberry-rose preserves.”
The experience costs £35, or £45 with alcohol.
The experience takes place on a luxury trainCredit: Instagram/thenewtinsomersetThe Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza was also mentionedCredit: Alamy
I’ve had my fair share of bad neighbors over the years. Ones who’d stomp their feet above my bedroom at odd hours of the night or who’d block my parking garage without warning every time they had guests over. Talking to friends in L.A., such experiences seem to be the norm rather than the exception — people either have gripes about their neighbors or no feelings at all. A Stanford study showed that the percentage of Americans who frequently interact with their neighbors declined among all age groups from 2017 to 2023.
As someone who doesn’t live near any family, I know that good neighbors can be a godsend. And though I’ve had some questionable ones, I’m lucky to have also had some of the best. Like Joseph, who let me borrow his portable air conditioner — and even installed it — when a heat wave hit Los Angeles. Or Mr. Art, who’d close my garage whenever I was in a hurry and forgot to do it. And my current neighbor, Ms. Cassandra, who always makes sure to save me a plate when she grills her mouthwatering barbecue ribs.
Neighbors can become your friends — or even your family. That’s why we’re looking for Los Angeles’ most neighborly neighbors. And we want you tell us about yours. What’s the most remarkable thing they’ve done for you, big or small? Did they lend you a cup of sugar when you were baking a five-layer cake? Did they offer you a ride to work? Did they babysit for you last minute? Or invite you over for a holiday dinner so you wouldn’t have to spend it alone?
Nominate your favorite neighbor below. We may feature them in a future story.
