Daniel Zambartas

Versatile multimedia journalist producing original news and human-interest stories across sport, business and culture. Strong at self-sourcing interviews and finding off-beat angles. Experienced working fast to tight deadlines and delivering stories that perform. Credits include Insider Media and national titles.

Sports journalism

I designed a football newspaper when I was six years old and woke my dad up early one morning to show him. From that moment, the dream was born. Covering sport as a journalist is a genuine pleasure for me, and I’ve been lucky enough to do it across a range of different formats. 

Football will always be my favourite, but I'll watch and enjoy just about anything where people are competing. As you’ll also see, for years I wrote about football matches on my own blog purely for enjoyment, often reaching only a couple of friends or family members.

Football, tennis, cricket, padel: all my sports work, in one place

Rush The Kop •

Ratings for Liverpool so far in 2026 across the squad and the Kop

Liverpool's record in 2026 through 12 matches currently stands at, six wins, four draws, and two defeats. Performances have undoubtedly improved since the new year, but on several occasions there hasn't been a good result to show for it.I'd describe Liverpool's 2026 so far as frustrating, rather than poor. Below, I've ranked the team's defence, midfield, attack, manager, and Anfield's support.Defence:There was a period of time this season when it felt like Liverpool were conceding three goals ev...
The Modern Age •

The artist behind the Russian Darwin Nunez mural

This story was produced independently while I was studying journalism, at a time when the Darwin Nunez mural was widely discussed within the Liverpool FC community but the artist behind it remained unidentified and uncontacted elsewhere. I uncovered the artist’s identity through online research, made direct contact via WhatsApp, and conducted the interview using translated questions and responses to overcome the language barrier and secure an exclusive.
Insider Media Ltd •

“This is how we quadrupled our revenue and why investing in cricket infrastructure will take our teams to the next level”  - Lancashire County Cricket Club CEO - Insider Media

"Domestic cricket doesn’t make any money," Daniel Gidney, chief executive at Lancashire County Cricket Club and Emirates Old Trafford told Insider as he explained how revenue has increased fourfold at the club since 2012. "[We knew] if we wanted to fund domestic cricket, we needed other revenue streams."

When Gidney joined as chief executive in 2012, the group was generating around £9m in turnover. The club had just come out of a period of having lost international hosting status, which meant i...
The Anfield Wrap •

How Curtis Jones & Luis Diaz Allow Liverpool To Control Games

THERE is a very strong argument to say that had Curtis Jones and Luis Diaz been fit for most of this season, The Reds would have top four secured by this point.
Aston Villa away last season was the last time that the two players started together since Diaz returned from his injury. Jones’ only start before Chelsea was against Nottingham Forest, 300 years ago.
It’s not that the two linkup brilliantly together, and that’s what’s made a huge difference; it’s that they both have unique skillsets whi...
Insider Media Ltd •

“Competing at Wimbledon fuelled my relentless need to win - now my yacht finance platform is sailing towards becoming a $1bn business” - Insider Media

"I love the fact my business has competitors," a former Grand Slam competitor has told Insider, who has since launched a Manchester-based yacht accounting software provider.

Ian Flanagan, a promising young tennis player, made headlines at 22 when he defeated Mark Philippoussis, the previous year's Wimbledon runner-up. 

He went on to play at the iconic tournament in London but was forced to retire young due to injury. "I got injured and had to stop, but I’d always been somewhat entrepreneurial,...
Photo by Timothy Yiadom on Pexels
Insider Media Ltd •

Padel boom is “here to stay” says operator looking to expand the sport across the UK - Insider Media

The co-founder of a padel centre operator which is seeking to expand further in the South East has said the sport's wave of popularity among players and investors is here to stay.

In April, Padelstars secured investment from leisure specialist Dwellcourt group, and it is using that investment to fund three sites in Southampton, Folkestone and Bracknell, with a pipeline of further sites planned afterwards. 

Andy Knee, who co-founded Padelstars alongisde Jamie Brooke, outlined what is currently...
The Tomkins Times - Main Hub •

Time-Wasting Epidemic Ruining Spectacle, By A Young Match-Going Red

The Premier League is suffering from a time-wasting epidemic (or game-vandalism, as Paul Tomkins calls it) that, alongside the pernicious and farcical sportswashing regimes, is jeopardising the future of the competition.There was a concerning atmosphere towards the end of the Aston Villa match at Anfield; after over an hour of shouting at the referee and the Villa players, a feeling of apathy began to develop; ‘we are being so blatantly robbed, what actually is the point anymore?’And I don’t mea...
The Tomkins Times - Main Hub •

My Day At the Bologna Match

Going to Anfield is a more of a commitment for me than it used to be. In May I moved to Manchester for my first full-time job in journalism, having graduated from university in Liverpool. This article is for paying TTT Main Hub subscribers only.

Going to Anfield is a more of a commitment for me than it used to be.

In May I moved to Manchester for my first full-time job in journalism, having graduated from university in Liverpool.

This article is for paying TTT Main Hub subscribers only.
The Anfield Wrap •

Southampton v Liverpool: The Big Match Preview

SOUTHAMPTON are a strange side. 
This season they have: held Arsenal to a point in both fixtures, beaten Chelsea home and away, drawn at Old Trafford, put three past Spurs in a dramatic 3-3 comeback, and they put up a good fight against The Reds at Anfield in November.
That’s probably because The Saints do have some very good players; but they have also been the worst team in the league this season, and their current points total of 24 is one of the lowest the Premier League has ever seen.
Moham...
The Anfield Wrap •

Alisson Becker's Top 10 Liverpool Moments

FROM stunning saves, to emphatic headed goals, to silky skill moves, to memorable assists — Alisson Becker has done it all.
So, to celebrate him claiming The Anfield Wrap’s Embodiment of Liverpool FC award for 2023, here are the Liverpool number one’s best moments of his Reds career so far (in no particular order, apart from number one — you can already guess what that might be).
Up there with Jerzy Dudek’s save v Andriy Shevchenko as one of the most important in Liverpool’s history. Had Milik t...
The Tomkins Times - Main Hub •

Liverpool Are Drawn Against Insane Number of Premier League Sides in Domestic Cups

In this analysis, Daniel Zambartas looks at the Reds’ draws in domestic cups since 2017, and compares the luck to that of other top-division clubs.Since 17/18 Liverpool have drawn a Premier League team in the FA Cup third round 83% of the time (5/6 times) when each single time there’s only a 30% chance; and overall, 73% of domestic cup games have been against Premier League opposition, with Chelsea next at 64%.This analysis is for paying TTT Main Hub subscribers only.

In this analysis, Daniel Z...
The Anfield Wrap •

How The Alexis Mac Allister Signing Could Transform Liverpool

The Anfield Wrap react to Liverpool’s top 3 finish in the European Cup league stage to qualify automatically for the next round after convincingly dispatching Qarabag by six goals to nil at Anfield.Reflecting on the game, the managers post match comments before previewing the clash against Newcastle on Saturday night are John Gibbons, James Sutton, Andy Heaton and Phil Blundell.Get Exclusive NordVPN deal at ⁠https://www.nordvpn.com/TAW⁠ – it’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!Su...
Insider Media Ltd •

Sustainable group upcycling chopsticks into homeware eyes expansion - Insider Media

A sustainable manufacturing business which transforms used chopsticks into furniture and homeware products has launched its factory in Liverpool.

ChopValue UK, founded by Sheffield United footballer Tom Davies, has collected five million chopsticks in 12 months, upcycling the used materials into a range of products including desks, coasters, and charcuterie boards. 

Davies has traced the inspiration behind starting up the business to playing football outdoors in parks during his childhood.

He...

The two sports blogs I ran over the years:

My first sports blog, 'Dan's Mersey Blog'

 Photo by Pixabay on Pexels

A second sports blog after I decided I preferred Substack, 'The Modern Age'

 Photo by Jonathan Petersson on Pexels