The Offside Daily: Class of ’92 star named Manchester United’s Academy Director as Northampton have an NBA connection

Only the news you need – bringing you five mainstream and five off-the-wall news stories each day!

1. Manchester United have appointed Nicky Butt as their new head of their academy. A member of the club’s Class of ’92, Butt is being tipped as the ideal man to lead the academy set-up forward.

2. West Ham chairman David Gold confirmed via social media that striker Nikica Jelavic has left Upton Park to join Chinese second division side Beijing Renhe.

3. Gary Mabbutt is convinced Mauricio Potchetino will stay at White Hart Lane beyond the 2015/16 season, despite the Argentine coach being linked with summer moves to Manchester United and Chelsea

4. Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson believes Daniel Sturrage gives the Anfield team a ‘fear factor’, after the England international returned from injury recently and scored in the team’s 6-0 win at Aston Villa.

5. Barnsley have reacted negatively to former Everton boss David Moyes’ claims that the Toffees paid the Oakwell club £1.25m for John Stones, as The Tykes claim they received £3m for the player who has gone on to earn international recognition.

6. Who would have guessed a  member of Monty Python’s Hell’s Grannies is a fan of Portuguese club Braga. As yet no reports of vicious gangs of ‘keep left’ signs at Porto (The Daily Mirror).

7. Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal is a Northampton fan … No, it’s true, the NBA icon sent current League 2 leaders a good luck video (Who Ate All The Pies).

8. A game in Argentina ended in tragedy as the referee was shot and killed by a player he had sent off (Goal UK).

9. Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem continued the weekend’s Valentine’s theme by giving fans the chance to watch their game in beds in the stadium (ESPN).

10. Lionel Messi scored a goal in training that was so good it was described as impossible by his world class team mates (Joe.co.uk).

By Chris Horricks.