Across:
8 Position (position/post = OFFICE) of rotten (OFF-) spire at the centre of ('spIre' at the centre of = -I-) church (Church of England = -CE) (OFFICE),
9 Lots missing from shopping list (‘lots’ missing from ‘shopping list’ = shppingi = SHIPPING) for a crafty delivery (SHIPPING),
10 One of those in 24 down (PAGE in ‘book’) and at the end of 6 down (end of ‘sports page’ = PAGE),
11 Picks a team (selector) dropping wingers (dropping wingers/sides = s+r) (‘SelectoR’ without s+r = ELECTO-) with speed (-RATE) (ELECTORATE) – the polls suggest it’ll fill the seats (ELECTORATE),
12 Removes kits in strip poker (‘removes ‘kits’ in ‘strip poker’ = rppoer = PROPER) – how is that ladylike? (PROPER),
14 Don (Don /Mafia = GANGSTER) strange (strange) dress (= anagram indicator) (strange = GAN-STER) going around Gulf (-G-) (GANGSTER)
15 Reveal a secret (GIVE THE GAME AWAY) to hand over monopoly (game of Monopoly)? (GIVE THE GAME AWAY),
18 Don’t mention it (NOT AT ALL) to a heavyweight (a ton) turning up (= reversal indicator) (a ton = NOT A) high (tall = -T ALL) (NOT AT ALL),
20 Makes (= anagram indicator) scene (scene = N-ECES) over one (-I-) (NIECES) lot of relatives (NIECES),
22 Liable to explode (FIT TO BURST), as it’s been blow up out of all proportion (FIT TO BURST),
24 Some job at hotel (some ‘joB AT Hotel’ = BATH) in English city (BATH),
25 Crackers (DECODERS) and fish (-COD-) consumed by The Harts (harts = adult male deers = DE-ERS)? (DECODERS),
26 Starter of 6 down (starter of ‘sports page’ = SPORTS) with squash and such like (SPORTS).
Down:
1 A dangerous liaison (AFFAIR) with a (A-) fellow (-F-) at The Gala! (-FAIR) (AFFAIR),
2 Little (SIZE) and Large? (SIZE),
3 Short (t) break (rest) (‘rest’ without ‘t’ = RES-) for listener (-EAR-) joining church (-CH) (RESEARCH) investigation (RESEARCH),
4 Clare, for one (Clare Island = ISLE), immersed in tennis lesson (immersed in ‘tennIS LEsson’ = ISLE),
5 Catches (nets = -STEN) the Italian (‘the’ Italian = il) getting up (= reverse indicator) (LISTEN) (il = LI-) to tune in (LISTEN),
6 Wines (PORTS) to go with side of pork (side of ‘Pork’ = P-) covered in sage - (S- -AGE) (SPORTS PAGE) – the one the journalist prepared as an excuse to talk about the game! (SPORTS PAGE),
7 American (A-) rewrites (= anagram indicator) anthem (anthem = -NATHEM-) – it’s a (-A) (ANATHEMA) thing of loathing (ANATHEMA)
13 Cut a rope in (run a poetic) rage (= anagram indicator) (run a poetic = PRECAUTION) as a safeguard (PRECAUTION),
14 Dancer (go-go dancer = GOGO-) left (-L) (GOGOL) Russian writer responsible for dead souls (GOGOL wrote ‘Dead Souls’),
16 Gold calf (IDOL-) with broken (= anagram indicator) side (side = -ISED) (IDOLISED) put on pedestal (IDOLISED),
17 Old French artist (MONET-) is (-IS-) finishing “Springtime” (finishing ‘springtimE’ = -E) (MONETISE) to convert painting, for instance, into money he can spend (MONETISE),
19 Walks slowly (AMBLES) with Black leader (‘Black’ leader = -B-) in Selma (Selma) in an around about way (= reverse indicator) (Selma = AM-LES) (AMBLES),
21 Literary agent disregards a larger (‘literary agent’ disregards ‘a larger’ = iteynt = ENTITY) organisation (ENTITY).
23 Stood up (ROSE) to drink (ROSÉ wine),
24 Young lad (boy) mostly (y) (‘boy’ without ‘y’ = BO-) all right (okay = -OK) (BOOK) as a guide (a guide BOOK).