James Mariner is a journalist who has been boring The Independent sports desk with mindless statistics since 2006. Helping with various, wide-ranging desk duties (I made the tea once), supervising workies, processing payments and the endless researching of panels, James has an unnatural love of all things football, and in particular the Europa League, being a Tottenham Hotspur supporter. He cites Brian Sears, James Orr and Ledley King among his heroes and can even find something interesting in Scunthorpe United v Plymouth Argyle. On a good day.