Abbott delighted to escape with point

They may not have the budget of some of the League One heavyweights, but Greg Abbott's spirited Carlisle United continue to offer evidence that they will take some shifting in this season's promotion race. Abbott ripped the heart out of his squad over the summer in order to improve on last season's 14th place and the early omens surrounding his mixed bag of free transfers and bargain buys appear positive despite this barren draw here with struggling Swindon.

Outside the Box: Croydon Athletic's rise has been as rapid as a Pakistan no-ball

So, who are Croydon Athletic, propelled on to the news pages last week by the revelation that their owner is Mazhar Majeed, the friend and alleged fixer to the Pakistan cricket team? Theirs is a classic story of a small club rising through the ranks with great speed and attracting much controversy along the way. Barely two decades ago there was Wandsworth & Norwood FC, amalgamated from a club that played on Wandsworth Common and another from the Herne Hill cycle track. The name was changed to Croydon Athletic, "The Rams", in 1990 and they would have moved through the leagues even faster but for their ground needing improvements along the way. Majeed, born in Croydon, became co-owner in 2008, stating that his ambition was to reach the Conference, one tier below the Football League. Operating on what appeared to be a far greater budget than most, Athletic comfortably won the Ryman League First Division South last season to reach the Premier Division. Majeed boasted to the News of the World 's undercover reporters about using the club to launder money from his gambling winnings. The former chairman Dean Fisher has been sent to prison for three months for defrauding his employers of more than £525,000, some of which, he claimed in court, went to the club. Meanwhile the team have made a confident start at the higher level, with two away wins and a home draw. The club, and the Ryman League, have promised to co-operate fully with investigations being made by the police and the Football Association.

Scotland must find home fire to keep hopes alive

Already, Scotland are trying to suppress a feeling of dismay. The Euro 2012 qualifiers have only just kicked off but a sense of anxiety has asserted itself, recognisable as the mood that comes to characterise every campaign. Under a new manager some old traits, and some old failings, were revealed again to be the stubborn heart of the national team.

Ian Holloway: We all went off to Latvia and played terribly

It might be the international break but there's been no rest for us at Blackpool. We went to Latvia for a few days to play a match and spend some time with Valery Belokon, the president of our club.

Young Boy to earn his spurs with old guard

Switzerland are turning to their old guard and some Young Boys – one of them a north Londoner – for Tuesday's European Championship qualifier against England in Basle.

Rooney role proves pivotal to Capello's new direction

Note to doubters everywhere: for "buffoon" and "monster" please reinstate "genius" and "god". And replace jackass photomontage with wise old fox. At least until Tuesday night.

The Hacker: These incredible shrinking men should watch out for others

Arrogance and sexism, the twin banes of golf's image, are, it seems, still with us. While inside the halfway house at my club, preparing it for a recent high day, I was saddened to overhear a conversation between a group of our male members, who had clearly had rather a tip for themselves as golfers.

Spotless Tiger revives his FedEx Cup hopes

These days Tiger Woods may be as well known for his birdies off the course as on it, but there was something a little bit special about the six he accumulated yesterday at the TPC Boston. For the first time in a season marked by personal and private blemishes, the world No 1's six beauties were not accompanied by a black mark.

Markab is sweet for Candy but has O'Brien feeling sick

Two out of three ain't bad, you suppose, if you're talking Group One prizes in an afternoon. In little more than an hour, Aidan O'Brien had welcomed both Cape Blanco, after the Irish Champion Stakes, and Lillie Langtry, after the Matron Stakes, into the Leopardstown winner's circle. Between times, the one that got away was Starspangledbanner, fifth as favourite behind Markab in the Sprint Cup at Haydock.

England in World Cup final today! No, really

When the England rugby team walks on to the turf at Twickenham to face New Zealand in the World Cup Final today it will be in front of a near-capacity crowd and TV cameras. But there will be no big sponsorship deals, no match-winning bonus and, in fact, no money at all for any of the star players.