Four sports law partners have quit Charles Russell Speechlys to found a boutique, ravaging its sports practice in the process. You heard it here first.

Jonathan 'Edwards' Ellis, Ian 'Des' Lynam, James 'Starting' Eighteen and Jon 'The Last One Referred To Australian Rules Football' Walters announced today that they have left to set up a new firm called Northridge. In doing so they appear to have completely scalped CRS's sports practise.

That includes clients. Big hitters going with them include The Football Association, the Welsh Rugby Union, Premiership Rugby and several Premier League clubs, as well as household names (except if you know nothing about sport) like Dele Alli (nope), Thierry Henry (yep, he's a footballer), Cesc Fabregas (heard of him, kicks balls), Raheem Sterling (football) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (fencing?).

Ellis, Eighteen, Walters (sorry Walters) and Lynam.

In leaving they are also punting the guts out of CSR's formerly-leading sports law practice. The four partners comprised the four listed key sports law individuals at the firm. Ellis and Lynam headed up its Sports Group for the last five years. And they have taken with them 12 fee-earners. That includes three Managing Associates, four associates, three paralegals and even two first seat trainees. They clearly decided it would be much more fun striking out with a sports boutique than staying at CRS (where, staff told RollOnFriday's Firm of the Year 2017 survey, relations between some legacy Charles Russell and legacy Speechlys staff are toxic).

Partner Jason Saiban has been left in charge of the sports practice at CSR, hitting a tennis ball against a wall.

Applying a stud to the eye, Lynam said they had been “delighted with the response from all of our clients in following us to Northridge". Ellis joined him in the scrum, promising "ambitious recruitment plans". Read more on Friday.