Match of the Day? Not on a Sunday

Updated: 17:18 EST, 24 April 2010

Colin Murray's appointment as the new Match Of The Day 2 host, in succession to ITV-bound Adrian Chiles, was a formality once it became clear rival presenter Dan Walker — a devout Christian — would not alter his stance about working on a Sunday.

Walker, the popular host of Football Focus, is seen as one of BBC Sport’s rising stars but his faith means he steadfastly refuses to consider jobs that involve working on Sundays.

Shoo-in: Murray (left)

Once BBC bosses recognised his position had not changed, they moved fast to confirm Murray in the hot seat.

Unusually for the macho world of sports broadcasting, Walker keeps a swear-box with him at work and says: ‘I take my faith seriously and not working on a Sunday is part of that. I spend Sunday at church and with my family.’

In doing so, Walker joins a long line of refuseniks going back to arguably the most famous conscientious objector — Eric Liddell — whose refusal to run in the 100 metres at the 1924 Paris

Olympics on a Sunday was famously portrayed in the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire.

All Liverpool players share rooms when they play abroad — except one.

Even during last week’s marathon Europa Cup trip to Madrid via Paris, the Anfield stars refused en masse to share with Dutchman Dirk Kuyt, right, because of his heavy snoring.

One player claimed: ‘You have never heard a noise like it. Dirk’s snoring prevents anyone else getting a proper night’s sleep, which is why he doesn’t share.’

Davis lesson lost

The cultural differences between golf and football mean the sportsmanlike behaviour of British golfer Brian Davis is unlikely to be repeated by Crystal Palace in their relegation scrap in the Championship, despite the club having Davis’s brother-in-law, Dougie Freedman, as their assistant manager.

Freedman and Davis are both married to daughters of former Liverpool and Spurs goalkeeper and now FA coach Ray Clemence and have swapped messages since Londoner Davis became a hero for calling a two-shot penalty on himself when set to win a major tournament in America.

‘I told him I couldn’t understand it at all — but he said that’s what they do in golf,’ said Freedman, whose Palace side can ensure their survival by beating West Brom tomorrow night.

Serious infection: Cavendish

Mark Cavendish's desire to sort out his crowded mouth led the Tour de France cycling star to put his smile at the mercy of a dentist in Paraguay.

The surgery was a success — but the 24-year-old then made the mistake of getting back on his bike for a five-hour cycle ride.

The result was a serious infection of his saliva glands that cost him three weeks’ training for thisyear’s Tour and the world road championships.

Cavendish, now sporting braces on his teeth, said: ‘It was my fault. I’d wanted to have my bottom teeth sorted out since I was 16. I’ve barely smiled for eight years as I’ve been that self-conscious about them.

‘I had them done in Paraguay by the best friend of my girlfriend’s mother, but the next day, despitehaving an open wound, I went for a five-hour ride. A couple of days later, back in Majorca, I  experienced the most incredible pain ever. It was so bad, I was banging my head against the wall.’

And finally...

The England Supporters Band have landed a stellar guest vocalist for their World Cup single.

When SkySports pundit Chris Kamara went to a Lancashire studio to record his take on the classic Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, a middle-aged man asked him if he was recording a new album because he had always been a big fan of his work with The Commodores.

Kamara’s reply, delivered in his characterful North-Eastern brogue, ended any Lionel Richie illusions.