Category UK news

‘We’re so much more than that’: Stormzy opens #MerkyFC HQ centre to tackle racial inequality in football jobs | Stormzy

Stormzy has received three Brit awards, headlined Glastonbury, persuaded Usain Bolt and José Mourinho to star in a music video, and bought AFC Croydon Athletic with the previous Crystal Palace participant Wilfried Zaha. His abilities on the pitch, nonetheless, are lower than a lot. “I’m shit at soccer. I used to be by no means going to be a footballer,” he mentioned. “However perhaps if I knew be a pundit [I’d have gone down that road]. Perhaps if I knew be an information analyst or all of the intricate jobs behind the scenes that folks may not learn about.” Britain’s greatest rapper’s new mission is to present folks this info: to shine a highlight on jobs in soccer off the pitch, and to deal with the racial inequality that plagues the business. To comply with his #Merky music label and ebook imprint, he based #Merky FC (the FC stands for soccer careers. Final week, he opened #MerkyFC HQ in Croydon, south London – a soccer pitch, recording studio and gaming centre constructed with assist from Adidas. Younger folks from throughout London will be capable to use it to participate in soccer and “discover inventive passions…

Read More‘We’re so much more than that’: Stormzy opens #MerkyFC HQ centre to tackle racial inequality in football jobs | Stormzy

Leicester City helicopter crash was ‘tragic accident’, say inspectors | Air transport

The pilot of the helicopter within the deadly crash at Leicester’s soccer stadium in 2018 informed his passengers “I’ve no thought what’s occurring” because the plane spun uncontrolled, accident investigators reported. Inspectors mentioned the crash, which killed the proprietor of Leicester Metropolis Soccer Membership, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, three different passengers and the pilot, was a “tragic accident”. Mechanical failure, by means of a worn ball bearing within the tail rotor, led to a lack of management after takeoff from the King Energy Stadium. A report from the Air Accidents Investigation Department (AAIB), printed virtually 5 years after the crash on 27 October 2018, has cleared the pilot of any error and dominated out a collision with a drone. 4 of the 5 folks onboard have been discovered to have survived the preliminary crash, earlier than dying when the plane was engulfed in fireplace lower than a minute later. The helicopter had flown in to land on the Leicester pitch half an hour after a match to gather Vichai. Investigators mentioned the pilot had been “relaxed” earlier than the deadly flight 50 minutes later. However quickly after takeoff, the pedals turned disconnected from the tail rotor and…

Read MoreLeicester City helicopter crash was ‘tragic accident’, say inspectors | Air transport

‘Everyone’s excited’: AFC Croydon responds to new owners Stormzy and Zaha | Sport

When he was at secondary college, George Pickering, a supporter of AFC Croydon Athletic, would make it a ritual to play soccer on a recreation floor close to the place the membership is now. Sooner or later, a younger, “actually talkative” child with “plenty of power” turned as much as play with them. “It simply felt like he needed someplace to go, a little bit of an outlet,” Pickering, now 34, recalled. It was solely years later and from a good friend’s recollection that he realized the boy they kicked round with was Stormzy – or Michael, as they knew him. The multi-award-winning musician has now joined forces with Crystal Palace ahead Wilfried Zaha –who additionally grew up within the the south London borough – and former Palace head of participant care Danny Younger to purchase the non-league membership. “Everybody’s been excited; some folks actually can’t imagine it,” mentioned George’s father Paul Pickering, the membership’s present director, who has been in talks with Zaha over the previous yr. “They’re saying: ‘It might’t be actual – is that this truly occurring? Is it April the first?’” Via a number of conferences, the brand new homeowners satisfied…

Read More‘Everyone’s excited’: AFC Croydon responds to new owners Stormzy and Zaha | Sport

Emiliano Sala pilot told friend plane was ‘dodgy’ before fatal flight | Emiliano Sala

The pilot of a aircraft by which the footballer Emiliano Sala died instructed a pal the plane was “dodgy”, after an outward flight from Cardiff to Nantes. The 28-year-old participant was flying from Nantes in France to Wales to affix then Premier League membership Cardiff City when the aircraft crashed within the Channel near Guernsey. His pilot, 59-year-old David Ibbotson, was additionally killed. Audio aired on the BBC’s Transfer: The Emiliano Sala Story podcast captures Ibbotson expressing his issues. In a voicemail to his pal Kevin Jones, aired on the podcast, Ibbotson will be heard saying: “I picked a footballer up from Cardiff. He’s simply been purchased from Nantes for, I feel it was about, £20m-worth or one thing. “They’ve entrusted me to choose him up in a dodgy (plane). Usually I’ve my lifejacket between my seats however tomorrow I’m carrying my lifejacket, that’s for positive.” An inquest in March discovered the Argentina-born striker was unconscious when he died from head and chest accidents on the night of 21 January 2019, having been poisoned by fumes from the Piper Malibu’s defective exhaust system. Ibbotson, whose physique has by no means been discovered, was an beginner…

Read MoreEmiliano Sala pilot told friend plane was ‘dodgy’ before fatal flight | Emiliano Sala

Zander Murray is first current Scottish professional player to come out as gay | Football

Zander Murray has develop into the primary present skilled footballer in Scotland to return out as homosexual. The Gala Fairydean Rovers ahead spoke about popping out in an interview revealed on the Lowland League membership’s web site on Friday. The 30-year-old has stated he “seems like the burden of the world is now off my shoulders” after popping out. Murray is the primary overtly homosexual footballer to play within the Scottish leagues since Justin Fashanu, who performed for Hearts within the 1993-94 season. “I need to assist different gamers who’re combating this because it isn’t straightforward for males, particularly footballers, to cope with,” Murray stated. “It may be troublesome and you may really feel very alone. I knew I used to be completely different for a few years however with different folks within the recreation popping out, it’s been wonderful.” “Lately [the Blackpool forward] Jake Daniels has come out, after which Craig Napier and Lloyd Wilson, who’re each referees, have performed the identical,” Murray added. “Earlier than popping out you suppose folks will flip in opposition to you and also you suppose the worst. It’s been pretty how a lot assist I’ve had.” Murray additionally…

Read MoreZander Murray is first current Scottish professional player to come out as gay | Football

‘It’s special to be here’: David Beckham joins queue to pay tribute to Queen | Queen Elizabeth II

The previous England soccer captain David Beckham joined the queue for the Queen’s lying-in-state on Friday, saying it was “particular to be right here”. He joined different high-profile figures to have been seen ready to pay tribute this week, together with the previous prime minister Theresa Might, This Morning presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield and the Good Morning Britain host Susanna Reid. Beckham was appointed an OBE for companies to soccer in June 2003 within the Queen’s birthday honours checklist. Talking about paying tribute to the Queen on the soccer pitch, Beckham advised ITV Information: “Each time that we stood there once we wore these Three Lion shirts and I had my armband and we sang God Save Our Queen, that was one thing that meant a lot to us. “Each time that we did it, it was one thing particular. So this present day was at all times going to be tough, and it’s tough for the nation, it’s tough for everybody world wide, as a result of I believe everyone seems to be feeling it, and our ideas are with the household and clearly with everyone right here right this moment. “As…

Read More‘It’s special to be here’: David Beckham joins queue to pay tribute to Queen | Queen Elizabeth II

Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy cleared of one count of rape | UK news

Manchester Metropolis footballer Benjamin Mendy has been discovered not responsible of 1 rely of rape on the path of the choose at his trial at Chester crown court docket. Mendy, 28, was cleared of the rape of a 19-year-old lady at his house in Prestbury, Cheshire, on 24 July, final yr. Co-accused Louis Saha Matturie, 41, was additionally discovered not responsible on the path of the choose of two counts of rape and one in every of sexual assault in opposition to the identical lady. Choose Stephen Everett ordered the jury to clear the defendants of these counts after the prosecution supplied no additional proof and formal not responsible counts had been entered. Each males are nonetheless on trial for a number of alleged sexual offences. Source link

Read MoreManchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy cleared of one count of rape | UK news

Hope not hate: England women football team enjoy positive social media posts | Social media

The overwhelming majority of social media posts directed at England girls’s triumphant Euro 2022 soccer gamers throughout a three-month interval had been optimistic, analysis has discovered. The research of 78,141 posts on Twitter, Reddit and the imageboard web site 4chan recognized greater than 50,000 optimistic posts – roughly one “hate” publish for each 125 “hope” ones. About 380 had been classed as sexist or homophobic, whereas the remainder had been both unfavourable or impartial. Prof Matthew Williams, director of Cardiff College’s HateLab, which carried out the evaluation, mentioned: “Final yr we noticed horrendous racist abuse directed at individual players after England’s males’s staff misplaced on penalties to Italy within the Euro 2020 ultimate. “Within the girls’s Euros, we discovered far fewer posts directed at particular person England gamers, which is maybe surprising however could also be reflective of the completely different viewers for the sport and optimistic sentiment across the staff’s success. “The character of the 380 posts we recognized was regarding, together with makes an attempt to scorn the success of ladies’s soccer, gamers being advised in a few of the much less offensive posts to ‘get again to kitchen’ or to ‘make a…

Read MoreHope not hate: England women football team enjoy positive social media posts | Social media

Benjamin Mendy said he had slept with 10,000 women, rape trial hears | UK news

The Manchester Metropolis defender Benjamin Mendy informed certainly one of his alleged victims he had slept with 10,000 ladies, his rape trial has heard. The 28-year-old Frenchman made the boast to a lady after raping her in his bed room, having confiscated her telephone at his Cheshire mansion, Chester crown courtroom heard on Thursday. The lady – the primary of seven to go to police to accuse the footballer of rape or sexual assault – stated she believed she had been locked within the room after Mendy informed her she couldn’t get out and promised to provide her telephone again if she stripped bare. In a police video interview performed to the jury at Chester crown courtroom, the girl stated she met Mendy at Parea, a bar in Alderley Edge, an prosperous Cheshire city, on 11 October 2020, when she was 24. Together with buddies she went again to his residence in close by Mottram St Andrew, the place she was confronted by the footballer after he noticed her utilizing Snapchat on her telephone. She claims he informed her that she couldn’t put photos of his home on social media, as he had already been…

Read MoreBenjamin Mendy said he had slept with 10,000 women, rape trial hears | UK news

Ryan Giggs told ex-girlfriend he would ‘stalk you like mad’, trial hears | UK news

Ryan Giggs has admitted in courtroom to taking part in along with his ex-girlfriend’s feelings and threatening to “stalk you want mad” after she blocked his messages as their relationship disintegrated. The previous Manchester United and Wales footballer advised a courtroom he would flip up unannounced at Kate Greville’s residence, office and gymnasium when she tried to separate up with him. Giving proof for a second day in his assault trial, Giggs broke down in tears as he described spending an evening in a police cell because the “worst expertise of my life”. He mentioned he was “confused and scared” after being arrested for allegedly head-butting Greville throughout a “tug of conflict” over a cell phone at his residence on 1 November 2020. Below cross-examination by the prosecutor Peter Wright QC, Giggs admitted he might be “hot-headed” and “impetuous” and that his messages typically “distressed and alarmed” his then girlfriend. The jury heard that in an e-mail to Greville after she blocked his telephone messages, Giggs wrote: “Cease being a child name me … In any other case I’ll stalk you want mad and you know the way good I’m at that.” Requested by Wright…

Read MoreRyan Giggs told ex-girlfriend he would ‘stalk you like mad’, trial hears | UK news