Sparky's secret weapon consists of having the formidable mothers of all his players sit in the stands.

His father was a passionate reader of books about science, while his formidable mother faked an address to get him into the best local school.

However, she doubted whether she would be able to cope - even now - with Ross's formidable mother.

He seems to have taken after his formidable mother, who ruled Aquitaine as regent until 1004.

Maw Broon - the formidable mother of eight.

He is so hopelessly in love that he defies his formidable mother by marrying Ann.

It was an idea that had not occurred to him before, nor, he suspected, to his formidable mother.

His formidable mother would expect to reign with him.

Throughout the five years that they attended the school, however, their formidable mother still imposed her will upon them, pushing them for scholastic success.

He put them in the charge of a spinster relative and her formidable mother.