BIRTHDAYS
Fran Cotton (rugby union) - prop who won 31 England caps, born 1947.
Gavin Hastings (rugby union) - former Scotland captain, born 1962.
Michael Schumacher (motor racing) - retired seven-time Formula One world champion, currently recovering following a skiing accident, born 1969.
Stuart Spruce (rugby league) - former Bradford, Widnes and Great Britain full-back, born 1971.
Lee Bowyer (soccer) - former Leeds, Newcastle and West Ham midfielder, currently manager at Charlton, born 1977.
Eli Manning (gridiron) - New York Giants quarterback, born 1981.
Nicky Robinson (rugby union) - former Wales and Bristol fly-half, born 1982.
Jonny Evans (soccer) - Northern Ireland and Leicester defender, born 1988.
Kohei Uchimura (gymnastics) - gold-medal winning Japanese artistic gymnast, born 1989.
QUICK QUIZ BLITZ
1. who are the new Ulster Minor Football Club champions?
2. How many times has Michael Van Gerwen won the PDC World Darts Championship?
3. What is the nickname of Essex's limited overs cricket side?
4. John Maughan now manages which Leinster county?
5. Which American boxers fought in the Rumble in the Jungle in October 1974?
ON THIS DAY
1983: American footballer Tony Dorsett scored on a record 99-yard touchdown run from scrimmage while playing for the Dallas Cowboys against the Minnesota Vikings. The record cannot be broken but it was equalled by Derrick Henry in 2018.
1987: Manchester United's Liam O'Brien was sent off after just 85 seconds against Southampton.
1992: Martin Offiah became the most valuable player in rugby league history when he joined Wigan for £440,000.
2000: Branko Strupar scored the first Premier League goal of the 21st century as Derby beat Watford 2-0 at Pride Park.
2004: Robbie Savage stunned Birmingham by handing in a written transfer request, claiming he wanted to move nearer his family in Wales. Later in January he joined Blackburn.
2012: Liverpool confirmed they would not appeal against the eight-match ban handed to Luis Suarez for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra.
2016: Five players were sent off as Cavan defeated Armagh in a fiery McKenna Cup clash in Crossmaglen.
2017: Mike Phelan parted company with Hull after only being appointed in October, with the club struggling at the bottom of the Premier League table with just 13 points from 20 games.
2018: Second half goals from Andrew Murnin and Ronan Lappin helped Armagh to a McKenna Cup win against Down.
SPORT ON TV
Today (Thursday, January 3)
SOCCER: Premier League, Manchester City v Liverpool - Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League 1900.
CRICKET: Fourth Test, Australia v India - BT Sport 1 2300; One-day international, New Zealand v Sri Lanka - Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Cricket 0600; Second Test, South Africa v Pakistan - Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Cricket 0900; BBL, Melbourne Renegades v Adelaide Strikers - BT Sport 2 0800.
TENNIS: WTA Tour, Sydney International - BT Sport 1 0800; ATP Tour, Brisbane International - Eurosport 2 0900 and 0500 (Fri); WTA Tour, Brisbane International - BT Sport 1 1030 and 0330 (Fri); Hopman Cup, Greece v Switzerland - Eurosport 2 1100; WTA Tour, Shenzhen Open - BT Sport/ESPN 0500 (Fri).
GOLF: PGA Tour, The Sentry Tournament of Champions - Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Golf 2300.
BASKETBALL: NBA, Golden State Warriors v Houston Rockets - Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports USA 0330 (Fri).
Tomorrow (Friday, January 4)
SOCCER: FA Cup, Tranmere v Tottenham - BT Sport 2 1915.
CRICKET: BBL, Hobart Hurricanes v Sydney Sixers - BT Sport 2 0800; Second Test, South Africa v Pakistan - Sky Sports Cricket 0825; Fourth Test, Australia v India - BT Sport 1 2300; One-day international, New Zealand v Sri Lanka - Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sports Main Event 0055 (Sat).
BASKETBALL: NBA, Boston Celtics v Dallas Mavericks - Sky Sports Main Event, 0100 (Sat)
GOLF: PGA Tour, The Sentry Tournament of Champions - Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Golf 2300.
RUGBY UNION: Premiership, Sale Sharks v Saracens - BT Sport 1 1900.
TENNIS: WTA Tour, Brisbane International - BT Sport 1 0900; Hopman Cup, Australia v Germany - Eurosport 2 - 0930; WTA Tour, Brisbane International - BT Sport 2 0300 (Sat); WTA Tour, ASB Classic - BT Sport/ESPN 0400 (Sat); ATP Tour, Brisbane International - Eurosport 1 0500 (Sat).
Answers: 1 Bellaghy; 2 Three; 3 Eagles; 4 Offaly; 5 George Foreman and Muhammad Ali.