
Former England star Paul Gascoigne recovering after collapse at home
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Gascoigne was rushed to hospital by his driver and assistant Steve Foster, who found the 58-year-old in a semi-conscious state in his Dorset house.
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'Paul is in hospital, which is the best possible place for him to be right now,' Foster told The Sun newspaper.
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Gascoigne was reportedly admitted to an intensive care ward after being discovered on Friday, but later moved to an acute medical unit, where his condition is said to be stable.
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Foster said Gascoigne would 'like to thank everyone for the support he's received so far from so many old friends who wish him well and want to see him back to his best.'
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One of the most naturally gifted footballers of his generation, Gascoigne played for Newcastle, Tottenham, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough and Everton.
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He was capped 57 times by England, becoming a global star after his brilliant form at the 1990 World Cup in Italy reached a tearful crescendo with his emotional reaction to a yellow card, which would have ruled him out of the final, in a last four loss against West Germany.
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Gascoigne also starred for England during their run to the Euro 96 semi-finals, where they again lost to Germany on penalties.
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The midfielder's issues with alcohol addiction and depression are well-documented and he has suffered a series of health problems in recent years.

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CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Kicking it old school: Why these childhood friends never want to stop playing soccer together
CBC Ottawa's Creator Network is a place where young digital storytellers from diverse backgrounds can produce original video content to air on CBC and tell stories through their own lens. Victories. Losses. Injuries, career changes, moves, fatherhood. Over their more than a decade on the pitch, "No New Friends" soccer players have seen it all, says longtime player and co-organizer Nick Pouponneau. He attributes the 60-minute Ottawa Footy Sevens soccer league games to helping him and other players navigate life both on and off the field. "No matter what happens, it's always going to be there for me, whether we win, whether we lose," Pouponneau said. "Soccer to me … it's a way of life." Pouponneau decided to profile the longtime team and explore how the sport has shaped its members in a video for CBC Ottawa's Creator Network. Decades later, childhood soccer friends still kicking it on No New Friends soccer team 4 minutes ago Wins, losses, broken ankles, breakups and moves: Players on longtime team say they've seen it all, and wouldn't miss their weekly games, in video for CBC Ottawa's Creator Network. Old friends and foes "Everything's happened, right? There've been breakups, there've been new jobs, they've been marriages," said longtime player Dominic Goss about the team, which came together over a decade ago from a group of friends who'd been who'd been playing — or against each other — since they were boys. "I mean, it's been life, right? [That] happened in the meantime." When soccer scholarships and degrees wrapped, the childhood buddies found themselves back in the city, at loose ends and looking for a way to bring serious soccer back into their lives, said Pouponneau. The name references a Drake song from that era. "We called ourselves No New Friends because we just had known each other for so long that it's like, 'Oh, we don't need new friends," said Pouponneau. He joked it's ironic because these days, players struggle to balance soccer and other commitments, and they often need new friends — especially those with younger legs — to pick up the slack. Soccer bonds and life plans But Goss said the teammates' history starts much earlier, back when soccer wasn't as popular in Ottawa, and the tight-knit community, many of them new to the country, often crossed paths at the gym at St. Patrick's High School. "Soccer was very much a sport played by immigrants and the kids of immigrants," recalled Goss, whose family immigrated from South Africa. He recalls his Canadian-born school friends tended to play hockey. "So it was a great bonding experience [for newcomers] that I think was necessary for a lot of people who maybe otherwise could have felt like outsiders." "We came to Canada in 1995 … from a war-torn country, and then one of the ways I made friends ... was through soccer," confirmed longtime player Francis Mavula, whose family came from Burundi, and whose brother also plays on the team. Mavula said soccer went on to shape the course of his life. After dreaming of becoming a professional player, he scored a soccer scholarship and went on to captain the men's team at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. "Soccer has had such a huge impact on my life. I think outside of my parents, it's been the biggest influence in who I am," he reflected, adding that he remains in touch with teammates despite being sidelined this season by a broken ankle. The sport also had a big impact on Pascal-Olivier Ouandji, who joined the team more recently. Raised in Cameroon and Kenya, he moved to southern France as a teen to pursue serious soccer at a high school affiliated with a soccer club, later coming to Ottawa with a plan to pursue sports journalism. "I was so obsessed with sports and [soccer] in particular that I kind of planned my whole life around it," said Ouandji, who like many of the players now works for the federal government and also makes music. More than just a game As they got older, many of the players say they struggled with balancing their love of the game with adult responsibilities. But for some, that made the team even more important. "I'm 39 years old. I have a two-year-old daughter now," said player Aras Tahir, who grew up with this group. "It's kind of hard to keep in touch with people, and soccer is our way." Pouponneau said he, too, is grateful for the weekly excuse to connect. "We always have these long goodbyes at the end of the game in the parking lot, and we're walking out and they're shutting off the lights in the facility," he said, explaining it's a chance to catch up on everything from kids to sleep patterns, to more serious topics. "A lot of times you'll see guys hang back and have those more deep conversations from, like, 'Hey, I'm really struggling with XYZ thing,' or, 'I'm feeling stressed about work.' Just get advice from that kind of brotherhood perspective." Now that many of the players have become dads themselves, they say the team's weekly games are a way to pass on that passion for sport and time with friends to the next generation. But despite the increasingly family feel of the weekly games and the age of the longtime players, they stress that competition is still fierce. "That's what's so great about sports. It's a continuous challenge, and especially as you get older, the challenge changes, and ... gets more difficult as well, right?" said Goss. The team was league champion last year and is in the playoffs again this season. "I mean, you know what these young guys are like. They can just run and run for days, which is not something that any of us are capable of, and as a result we rely heavily on our experience." Soccer on film Pouponneau, who now works in the fitness technology field, said he teamed up with filmmakers Pearly Pouponneau, his partner, and Evan Hartling to tell this story as a tribute not just to his childhood friend group, but to other longtime teams and groups he's seen over the years. "I think that there's a lot of versions of No New Friends out there... guys that are playing together week in week out," he said, adding that he was pleased to learn through this project just how important the team has become. "It was just a bunch of friends getting together once a week, and we didn't know where that would lead to. But it's just kind of continued for over 10 years now, where we're still doing it," reflected Mavula with a laugh. "People get older, people get hurt ... life gets complicated. I want us to just keep it going. I want us to play as long as we can," added Goss. "I can't understate the importance of how soccer shaped the trajectory of my life," said Pouponneau. "When you meet people who get it ... they get it, you know?"


National Post
7 hours ago
- National Post
Tiger-Cats 37, B.C. Lions 33: Hamilton completes comeback with last-minute touchdown
VANCOUVER — A last-minute touchdown reception from Kiondre Smith lifted the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to a 37-33 win over the B.C. Lions on Sunday. Article content Bo Levi Mitchell threw for 389 yards, three touchdowns and an interception as the Ticats (5-2) stretched their win streak to five straight games. Article content Jake Dolegala tallied a rushing major for the Ticats, and Brendan O'Leary-Orange also reeled in a TD pass. Article content Kicker Marc Liegghio made four converts and three field goals, including a 40-yard attempt, as his team overcame a 10-point deficit late in the fourth quarter. Article content Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke threw for 289 yards, connecting on 20 of his 27 attempts, while kicker Sean Whyte made four field goals — including a 45-yard kick — and three converts. Article content Article content Running back James Butler notched a pair of rushing TDs against his former team and rushed for 115 yards on 16 carries. Article content Butler played two seasons for Hamilton before being released by the club in January. He signed with B.C. as a free agent hours later, making a return to the team where he started his CFL career and had a breakout campaign in 2022. Article content He wasted little time in exacting revenge on his former team. Article content About five minutes into the game, Rourke faked a handoff to Butler, kept the ball himself and sprinted toward the end zone. Article content His backup, Jeremiah Masoli, came on for short yardage duty and dished off to Butler, who manoeuvred his way through traffic and over the goal line for a touchdown. He celebrated with an emphatic spike that sent the ball sailing into the stands. Article content Rourke put in another big run before the end of the first quarter, dashing 21 yards through the midfield and Butler followed suit with a 23-yard run. The QB then handed off to Butler once again and the running back slipped through a hole and into the end zone for his second major of the night. Whyte made the convert and B.C. went up 14-3. Article content Article content Hamilton started the second with a first down on B.C.'s two-yard line and eventually made good on the positioning when Dolegala powered through the crowd for the Ticats' first touchdown of the game. Article content Liegghio added an 11-yard field goal midway through the quarter, cutting his team's deficit to a single point. Article content The Lions responded with some big plays, including Rourke's dish to an unmanned Keon Hatcher Sr. in the midfield. The receiver took advantage, sprinting deep into Hamilton territory for a 73-yard gain. Whyte capped the scoring drive with a 22-yard field goal. Article content With just over a minute left in the first half, B.C. cornerback Robert Carter Jr. made his own highlight reel-worthy play. Mitchell launched a rainbow toward the end zone, where Carter snuck up behind Hamilton receiver O'Leary-Orange, leapt up and — with one hand — reeled in the ball.


National Post
7 hours ago
- National Post
Argonauts return quarterback Chad Kelly to the injured list
Nick Arbuckle will remain the Toronto Argonauts' starting quarterback for the next little while. Article content Toronto placed incumbent Chad Kelly on the six-game injured list Saturday before its 31-17 home win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Argos had put Kelly on the one-game list through each week of the season, allowing the CFL's 2023 outstanding player to practise with the team as he recovered from a serious leg injury suffered in last year's East Division final. Article content Article content With Kelly sidelined, Arbuckle led Toronto to its 41-24 Grey Cup win over Winnipeg at B.C. Place. He was named the game MVP after completing 26-of-37 passes for 252 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Article content The Argos were hopeful Kelly might return following their bye week. However, Arbuckle — who has been the starter all season to this point — remained under centre for Toronto's 26-25 loss to Montreal on Thursday before leading the squad to its first home victory Saturday night. Article content And Arbuckle will remain under centre Friday night when Toronto (2-5) visits Winnipeg (3-3) to complete the home-and-home set. Article content 'I think it (placing Kelly on six-game list) is a smart decision,' Toronto coach Ryan Dinwiddie said following Saturday's game. 'We've got to look after Chad and the organization. Article content 'We just can't force his hand, 'Let's play,' when we're not sure yet. When we're fully sure of the situation collectively we'll make that decision. He's willing to play but at the same time we're going to put him on the field when he's ready to play.' Article content Kelly was on Toronto's sidelines Saturday night but Dinwiddie said there's no timeline regarding when the quarterback will make his '25 debut. Article content 'Who knows?' he said. 'That could be week to week but he's working at it. Article content 'He wants to be there for his brothers … he's always around and when he's around he makes us better, on or off the field. When the time comes we'll make that decision but it's got to be collectively … we have to make a decision when it's the right time and we won't make that decision until it is the right time.' Article content Kelly missed Toronto's first nine regular-season games in 2024 due to a CFL-imposed suspension. The six-foot-one, 216-pound American returned to the Argos, completing 175-of-258 passes (67.8 per cent) for 2,451 yards with 10 TDs and eight interceptions. Article content