| MARKER | Defender at the play-the ball (6) |
| FUSED | United force American-English defender at the outset (5) |
| INTREPID | Game's popular forward upended one defender at the start (8) |
| LATHE | Machine or article at the play centre (5) |
| REARGUARD | Hinder keeper and defenders at the back (9) |
| THANE | Noble rank of Shakespeare's Macbeth at the play's start |
| THANEOFGLAMIS | Macbeth at the play's opening |
| DRIVER | A golf club with a metal or wooden head used to play the ball from the tee (6) |
| NUTMEG | To play the ball through the legs of an opponent in football (6) |
| STANCE | The posture assumed when about to play the ball, as in golf or cricket (6) |
| ANDNOT | Play the ball ___ the man |
| KICKED | Started to play the ball, having got rid of a bad habit (6) |
| ONSIDE | In a legal position to play the ball in soccer |
| AMOROS | Manuel ...... , 1982-92 France and 1980-89 Monaco defender at Lyon from 1993-95 between spells at Marseille (6) |
| ALBERT | Philippe ...... , 1987-97 Belgium defender at Mechelen from 1988-91, Anderlecht from 199194 and Newcastle from 1994-99 between spells at Charleroi (6) |
| ATOUBA | Timothee ...... , Cameroon defender at Spurs in 2004-05 (6) |
| VIDMAR | Tony ...... , Australia defender at Rangers from 1997-2002 (6) |
| GYEPES | Gabor ...... , Hungary defender at Cardiff from 2008-12 (6) |
| OOIJER | Andre ...... , Holland defender at Blackburn from 2006-09 (6) |
| DIATTA | Lamine ...... , Senegal 2002 FIFA World Cup defender at Newcastle in 2008 (6) |
