Welcome to The Premier Hub

Welcome to The Premier Hub! Your number one source for the latest in English Premier League news, rumours, drama and controversy. Here, you'll find regular updates as the 2015/16 season comes to a close.

Team members: Kwabena Nsiah, Karina Kouck & Pavith Ganewatta.

Each member contributed to The Premier Hub with numerous blog posts, Twitter updates and masterful acting in our video. We hope you share our enthusiasm of the English Premier League as much as we do and enjoy what we have put together here on The Premier Hub!

Leicester City Celebrate With Parade

Leicester City F.C. supporters turned out in full force to celebrate their Premier League Champions in an open-top bus parade through the Midlands. The event was truly remarkable for fans who likely never even dreamed of one day holding the title. The Foxes chipped away at their 5000-1 odds with their consistency each week, and their underdog status no doubt helped the team not to feel the pressure that the bigger clubs often feel.

Hundreds of thousands of fans numbering some 250,000 lined the streets in the heart of Leicester City, hoping to catch a glimpse of manager Claudio Ranieri and his championship players, as well as the Premier League trophy — adorned in royal blue and white.

The crowd cheered as one by one, the players reenacted receiving the trophy atop the bus, with captain Wes Morgan saying:

"What we've achieved this season has been fantastic and the boys and the staff... and the fans, everyone has contributed to it and it has been a fantastic season and you can't take that away from us."

The Foxes finished well ahead of their closest rivals Arsenal and Tottenham. No one can deny that the team are deserving winners.

Final Fixture Bomb Scare Resolution

The final match of the 2015/16 EPL season between Manchester United and Bournemouth at Old Trafford was called off due to a bomb scare. Over 75,000 fans were evacuated from the stadium with the match postponed.

Concerns were first raised when a life like pimp bomb was found in the toilets, prompting immediate action by the stadium management. Following evacuation a police sniffer dog and army bomb disposal squad were dispatched to clear the threat.

New reports have revealed that the bomb was a fake training prop used by the stadiums security during an exercise earlier in the week. The training prop had accidentally been left in the stadium bathroom until it was discovered on match day.

Head of Security, Chris Read has taken full responsibility for the incident, apologising for his breaching of protocol and the trouble it led to.

The game has been postponed to the 18th May and will mark the end to an exciting EPL season.

Will Özil Leave Arsenal?

Özil was the driving force behind Arsenal's title push, using his uncanny ability to spot that killer pass to split the defence which earned him 19 assists this season. This was the most in the Premier League with his closest competition six assists behind him, emphasising the talent at his disposal.

It's no wonder that a player of his calibre would want to hold off on recommitting to Arsenal. Özil is reportedly waiting till after Euro 16 to put pen to paper on any new contract, leaving Arsenal fans worldwide gasping for air at the prospect of his departure from the North London club. After a frustrating season full of inconsistency and below par performance, it does not come as a surprise that the German midfielder has one foot out the door.

Rosický leaves Arsenal

Tomáš Rosický announced his departure from Arsenal F.C. to the masses during the 4-0 victory of Championship bound Aston Villa. The man they call "Little Mozart" for his incredible ability to orchestrate the game received a guard of honour from his teammates, most of which wearing his Rosický number 7 jersey, to commemorate his ten years of service to the North London club.

The Czech captain has left his mark on the club, scoring some memorable goals. However unfortunately his career has been marred by injury. On average, the Arsenal midfielder played 20 games a season over the span of his time at Arsenal. His prolonged time out due to injury will leave fans pondering what could have been.

Čech to Receive Fourth Golden Glove Award

 Arsenal's all-star goalkeeper, Petr Čech, will receive this season's Golden Glove Award after managing to keep 16 clean sheets. This ties the Czech with Manchester City's Joe Hart, who has also been the recipient of the award a record four times. Joe Hart and Kasper Schmeichel of Leicester City stumbled at the final hurdle, both conceding goals in their final matches — Hart to Swansea City and Schmeichel to Chelsea.

However, Čech may not be the sole winner. Manchester United are still yet to play their final match after the bomb scare at Old Trafford, with David de Gea also vying for the award having kept 15 clean sheets so far. A final clean sheet will ensure the Spaniard gets to share the award with the iconic Czech Čech.

Martinez Out

Everton were on the rise, building on the success of the long-term manager, David Moyes. Over his eleven years of management, he built a hard-working squad of determined underdogs to take on the giants of the league. In his final year of commanding the Toffees, Everton finished in sixth place and qualified for the UEFA Europa League.

His successor, Roberto Martinez continued the upward trend, finishing fifth in his first season in charge and accumulating Everton's highest points tally of 72 points. That was the end of the good news. In Martinez's following two seasons, the Merseyside boss failed to finish in the top half of the table. Under his management, Everton had won one game in his last ten games and to rub salt in the wound, they lost 3-0 to the relegated Sunderland. This saw his immediate dismissal and an end to what started off as a promising career. With Roberto Martinez's future unknown, Agbonlahor very well may have found a new drinking buddy.

Arsenal Clinch Second Place Ahead of Rival Spurs

Arsenal have wrapped up their season with a 4-0 victory over Aston Villa to secure second place in the 2015/16 Premier League season. This victory placed them a single point over local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who lost to the relegating Newcastle F.C in a disastrous 5-1 defeat.

Arsenal Manager, Arsene Wenger spoke highly of his team's fight to secure second place saying it is a highlight for both his team and its fans.

"It was very important to show that we can fight until the second last...oops I mean last second."

 - Arsene Wenger 

With the season now over, many are speculating that Arsenal will have their work cut out for them next season, if they are to place in the top 4 again. Once all transfers are finalised and fixtures set, only time will truly tell.

Player Unrest at Everton

After Everton's horrific season under now-sacked manager Roberto Martinez, a source from within The Toffees has warned that the club may be short of key players next season. Everton were a club who were making steady progress under David Moyes and were starting to regularly finishing within the top 10. Although their first season under Martinez looked promising, things quickly went downhill after that. Now, it looks like the debacle may impact players' decisions to stay or leave.

Everton's long-time goalkeeper Tim Howard is set to finish up his 10 years at the club, while talented striker Romelu Lukaku and centre back John Stones will no doubt be targeted by other clubs. On top of that, several players will be out of contract over the English summer, including Tony Hibbert, Leon Osman, Steven Pienaar, and Darren Gibson.

There are suggestions that the number of players leaving could reach the double digits, which would be disastrous for the Merseysiders.

Louis van Gaal May Have a Very Famous Relative

Louis van Gaal, manager of Manchester United FC, has had a tough season to say the least. The embattled manager is rumoured to be on the verge of getting the sack after a poor season has seen the Red Devils more than likely to finish outside the top four which means they'll be missing out on Champions League football next season. Goalkeeper David de Gea has also reportedly given the club an ultimatum: either van Gaal goes, or de Gea himself will. After all, the Spaniard has been their best player in recent years, and so is not short on lucrative offers from other top clubs.

Louis van Gaal's year may set to worsen even yet, though, with a morph image emerging, showing the uncanny similarities between the Dutchman and none other than Donald J Trump. Of all the well-known, influential people to be likened to, The Premier Hub admits that Trump is, well, probably the worst doppelganger one could possibly have. And worse yet is when your doppelganger resembles something of an oompa loompa.

Poor Louis.

Louis van Gaal looking decidedly Trump-like

Donald J Drumpf #makedrumpfgreatagain

Morphed image of Louis van Gaal and Donald Drumpf

What do you think? Are these two related?

The Fabulous Ball of 2016/17

The match ball for the EPL 2016/ 2017 season has been unveiled as the Nike Ordem 4 and it's fabulous.

Nike Ordem 4

The Premier League ball is a constant throughout all games, so the final design is an important decision. In recent years the ball design has strayed away from the classic white with dark coloured highlights to predominantly non-white colours. The 2016/17 ball has maintained this trend by containing a pink, blue, green gradient with black hexagon borders on a white surface. 

Fans have displayed mixed responses to the new ball design with some loving the change and others finding the ball quite ugly.

"It's quite ugly"

- Old curmudgeonly fan

"Yea, it's nice I suppose."

 - Random bystander

While the new ball is a departure from the older style balls, it is exciting to see a ball that will stand out on the pitch as it is manoeuvred by players. What are your thoughts on the new ball? Will it pave the way for more colourful balls, or will this be a one off experiment in the EPL?

Ibrahimovic the Great

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a name affiliated with greatness, requiring no introduction, but it doesn't hurt to revisit his illustrious career. The Swedish striker has represented some of the world's biggest clubs including AC Milan and Barcelona, winning league titles in their respective countries. At his current club Paris Saint-Germain, Zlatan is the all-time top goal scorer, leading the French spenders to four consecutive titles from four attempts.

Zlatan is now reported to be leaving PSG and is rumoured to be heading to the Premier League. Manchester United and West Ham have been linked to the iconic figure as they fight off interest from former club, Milan, and a host of other interested parties.

Reporter: Who will win the World Cup playoff?
Zlatan: Only God knows
Reporter: It's kind of hard to ask him
Zlatan: Why? You're looking at him now

Hopefully the Premier League will be able to witness perfection personified if Zlatan Ibrahimovic graces the league with his presence.

New Football Chant Makes the Rounds

One of the best things about attending a football match is being able to experience the atmosphere and sing along with fellow supporters in support of your team.

Football chants have been around for yonks, with some clubs even taking famous anthems and claiming it as their own (think Liverpool and You'll Never Walk Alone, or Man City and Blue Moon).

Recently though, a new chant has emerged; one that simply goes:

He's blind, he's deaf
We need another ref

This piece of lyrical brilliancy has taken the sporting world by storm. It has been especially popular for sideline fans who are usually in earshot of the referee, who then may or may not be removed from the stadium. However, sources have assured us here at The Premier Hub that the chant is legitimate and has been approved by The Football Association and definitely won't get you in trouble or fined or kicked out for contempt of the referee, but definitely will annoy as per its intended purpose.

Will you be jumping on board with this new chant?

Jamie Vardy's Secret Past Life

There is no doubt Leicester City's Jamie Vardy has had a brilliant few months. The Foxes are champions and Vardy was named Premier League Player of the Season. The striker and England International also only narrowly missed out on the Golden Boot, with Tottenham's Harry Kane cinching the award with 25 goals to Vardy's 24. Despite the stellar season, the 29-year-old had not always lived the fairytale life.

Before: The Premier Hub has obtained a photo taken of the footballer in the earlier days of his career. He looks vastly different to the clean-shaven appearance we are used to seeing. Jamie Vardy was definitely not having a party.

Vardy has, in the past, been convicted of assault, and only just last year, was caught on video making a racial slur towards a man of East-Asian appearance. Though, perhaps the most surprising of his antics in this rags to riches tale, are reports that Vardy may have had a drinking problem. Some recall him regularly turning up to training sessions drunk and dishevelled in his first year with Leicester City. It wasn't until he was spoken to by the club's owners that Vardy was able to turn things around, and turn things around he has.

After: Vardy looks much happier as he gives rival fans the finger.

Jedinak's Secret to Success

Most die-hard Australian football fans would know the Australian skipper Mile Jedinak who plies his trade in the English Premier League for Crystal Palace. What most don't know about the Eagles skipper is the secret behind his success and a hint, the secret is hairy. 

When the Aussie midfielder shaves his gloriously shaped beard, results don't go his way. This was confirmed on the most important stage during the 2014 FIFA World Cup where his clean shaven beard led the Socceroos to three defeats from three matches and elimination in the group stage. 

Although when the beard returned to its previous majestic form, surprisingly the Australian team found themselves achieving unprecedented success, lifting the Asian Cup in 2015 for the first time and advancing to the third round of World Cup qualifiers. For Australia's sake, let's hope this national treasure maintains that well-trimmed collection of facial hair.

Mourinho to Man United?

Since José Mourinho's departure from Chelsea, the Portuguese manager has been linked with a move to Manchester United, who have had a poor season under manager Louis van Gaal. Although the Dutchman has another season remaining on his contract, The Premier Hub's sources suggest the club is likely to cut his time short.

Mourinho would undoubtedly be a desirable and interesting choice for United, given their desperation to return to winning ways, which the manager has proven he is capable of, time and time again. Mourinho has also been linked to powerhouse European clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and AS Roma, but it is understood that he is keen to either manage in the EPL or in the La Liga.

No contracts or deals have been forged yet, but whatever the outcome, The Premier Hub can assure that José will continue his laundry basket ways.

 

Agbonlahor Suspended

The role of captain in any sporting team is to be a role model to the team both on and off the field. Aston Villa's choice of leadership appears to be questionable at the least as the team's captain, Gabriel Agbonlahor, was reported to be on laughing gas and drinking whilst partying the night of the club's relegation. The striker was immediately suspended following the release of pictures capturing canisters of nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, on the floor and female company in his London hotel room.

The Englishman was also photographed a month earlier in possession of what appeared to be a shisha pipe in Dubai and also was in the spotlight due to his infidelity, cheating on his girlfriend of three years with his ex.

It didn't come as a surprise to see the club relegated with the captain displaying such exquisite leadership. After the removal of his captain's armband following the latest accusations you can be guaranteed that there'll be more drinking to come.

Terry Remaining at Chelsea?

With a career marked with both greatness and controversy, John Terry's time at Stamford Bridge seemed to be coming to an end. After 18 years the Chelsea captain announced his intentions to leave the club at 35 years of age. The fairy tale ending was however cut short by a foul leading to a red card two games before the season ended.

During his captaincy, Terry has lead Chelsea to:

- 4 premier League Titles
- 1 UEFA Champions League Win
- 4 F.A Cup Wins
- 3 League Cups

Despite all his achievements, Chelsea officials have opted to cancel Terry's farewell celebrations. This has sparked rumours that Terry may remain at the club for another 12 months. 

There has been no official announcement as of yet by Chelsea or Terry of his current status with the club. 

Do you think Terry will remain at Stamford Bridge? Is he settling for a quiet retirement with no fanfare? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

How to Watch EPL Matches Down Under

The English Premier League is one of the most widely-followed sports leagues, but also one of the hardest to access free-of-charge. Why? Because why let international fans view matches when there's so much money to be made via sponsorships and exclusive broadcasting deals...

For years, Australians have had to pay fat cats (AKA Murdoch) to view matches on Foxtel. Now, in a new broadcast deal, Australians are expected to pay Optus at least $85 on their broadband plan (or $15 extra if their existing plan does not reach the threshold) to access live streams via FetchTV.

Is there a way around this? The Premier Hub shares our non-illegal tips for EPL viewing.

1. Get a VPN
They can't stop you if you're "not" in Australia.

2. Frequent your local sports bar
Because there's nothing better than being in a dingy bar with sticky floors at 4 in the morning.

3. Just get a VPN
It seems easier.

Proof that Man City's Kevin de Bruyne is Prince Harry in Disguise

The suspicion has always been there; the pale, ruddy complexion, the strawberry blond hair, the likeable boyish charm. The Premier Hub can now reveal that Kevin de Bruyne is, in fact, also Prince Henry of Wales -- better known as Prince Harry.

 The revelation came after years of speculation. The talented attacking midfielder, who many also think resembles Todd from Breaking Bad, has yet to comment on the news. This is understandable as Manchester City make preparations for their final match of the season, although they cannot rely on their results alone to ensure they qualify for the Champions League next season. Prince Harry is also said to have a busy schedule doing things of a royal nature.

If the uncanny resemblance isn't enough to convince you, The Premier Hub has received a copy of KDB's birth certificate which clearly shows the "Belgian" was born in 1984, not 1991 as previously thought.
 

Why he has lied about his age is unclear at the moment. KDB and Prince Harry have also never both been spotted at the same place and time, which leaves no further doubt that the footballer is truly the prince.

Did this news come as a surprise to you? Will this change the way you look at Kevin de Bruyne?

Kick Off at The Premier Hub

Welcome to The Premier Hub: Your number one source for the latest in English Premier League news, rumours, drama and controversy. Here, you'll find regular updates as the 2015/16 season comes to a close. The Foxes may have won the title, but things aren't quite over yet. Will they milk things and take to the pitch hammered? Will they score own goals just because? Only time will tell.

With an all star team of veteran football experts including Karina Kouck, Kwabena Nsiah and Pavith Ganewatta, The Premier Hub will provide an in-depth insight to the beautiful game, and break the latest stories in the EPL as they happen.

The Premier Hub Team

Be sure to check up regularly for all your English Premier League needs.