Ex-Newtown player joins backroom staff at Tottenham Hotspur
A FORMER Newtown player has joined the coaching team at English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.
Joe Newton has followed Thomas Frank from English top flight rivals Brentford where he served as first team analyst since 2019.
Newton came through the ranks at Tranmere Rovers and had a spell at Wrexham before a season on loan at Newtown in the JD Cymru Premier in 2017.
The 29-year-old started his career as the match analyst for Wales' Under-18s and held the same role at Welsh club New Saints FC before making the move to the Gtech Community Stadium six years ago.
Newton is a also a graduate of Wrexham's Glyndwr University.
Newton and the rest of the new Spurs backroom face a massive battle in reviving the White Hart Lane club's Premier League fortunes after last season's 17th place finish which cost Ange Postecoglou his job despite masterminding the London club's first trophy in two decades courtesy of lifting the Europa League.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
DAZN is airing every FIFA Club World Cup game live and free
Some of the biggest teams from the Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1 and Serie A are among those in the USA for the new-and-improved FIFA Club World Cup, including Man City, Chelsea, Real Madrid and PSG. The Premier League may be over for the summer, but there's something new on the way to help plug the football gap until next season. On Saturday (June 14), the revamped FIFA Club World Cup will kick off in the USA, pitting the world's best club sides against one another in a month-long tournament. It marks the first Club World Cup in its new and expanded format, with the competition now featuring 32 of the world's best clubs from the six continental confederations. There are teams from the Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A, and MLS, to name a few. There will be a total of 63 fixtures from June 14 through to the final on July 13. Flying the flag for the Brits are Manchester City and Chelsea, alongside European titans like Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich. But what sets the competition apart from the UEFA Champions League is that these teams will also compete against many more from around the globe, with the likes of Inter Miami, Al-Hilal, Boca Juniors and Auckland City all taking part. As well as big teams, there's also some big names set to feature, including Lional Messi, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé. Each of the competition's 32 teams have been split into eight groups of four, with the top two from each group progressing into the knock-out stages. The Club World Cup is being hosted by 12 US stadiums including New Jersey's MetLife Stadium and Los Angeles' iconic Rose Bowl Stadium. This means there will be a time difference for fans tuning in from the UK, with the first game scheduled to kick off at 1am BST on Sunday, January 15, between Egyptian side Al Ahly and Inter Miami. However, fans hoping to catch all the action will be able to stream every single fixture for free on DAZN, and we've got all the information needed to do so below. How to stream every Club World Cup game for free DAZN is the exclusive global broadcaster of the FIFA Club World Cup, with fans able to stream all 63 fixtures live if they set up a free DAZN account. There's also the option to upgrade to DAZN's Premium plan, with 30-day rolling or 12-month options available from £9.99 thanks to a new limited-time offer. Premium subscribers can stream all the Club World Cup action with HDR picture quality and Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound, plus highlights, replays, fewer adverts and full access to the rest of the DAZN platform. Both the free and paid-for subscriptions also provide access to a plethora of documentaries, features and classic clips from tournaments gone by, as well as closer looks at the top players and host cities. Fans can also set their account to follow certain teams and players from the latest competition so they don't miss any of the action, and keep up to date with the current standings with up-to-date group tables. DAZN has confirmed its punditry team will include Brazilian legend Ronaldo, John Obi Mikel, Sami Khedira and many more, with Conor McNamara, Andros Townsend, Brad Friedel, Rob Green among the commentators. DAZN can be accessed at home or on the go with the DAZN App on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles, streaming devices and any device with a web browser. The only way to catch every Club World Cup fixture is by registering with DAZN. For those who don't want to sign up for another subscription, DAZN has also sublicensed select fixtures to Channel 5, meaning 23 games will be broadcast on both DAZN and 5. This may be a good option for less tech-savvy football fans who are not bothered about every game. When does the Club World Cup start? The Club World Cup is scheduled to kick off at 1am UK BST on Sunday, January 15, with Al Ahly and Inter Miami facing off at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium. For those following the Premier League teams, here are Chelsea and Man City's group stage fixtures: Chelsea Chelsea vs LAFC – June 16, 8pm KO Flamengo vs Chelsea – June 20, 7pm KO Espérance de Tunis vs Chelsea – June 25, 2am KO Manchester City Man City vs Wydad AC – June 18, 5pm KO Man City vs Al Ain – June 23, 2am KO Juventus vs Man City – June 26, 8pm KO The Club World Cup runs through to the final on July 13. Fans can register with DAZN here to watch every game live and for free.
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
Ross Harries: 'Every Sunday was like presenting Newsnight rather than Scrum V'
Ross Harries: 'Every Sunday was like presenting Newsnight rather than Scrum V' Ross Harries has been one of Welsh rugby's leading presenters for over a decade, dealing with the sport's 'exhausting' politics and subplots Premier Sports presenter Ross Harries (Image: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland ) Ross Harries has spent the past 14 years as a central figure in Welsh rugby broadcasting, becoming one of the most trusted voices in the sport. From presenting the BBC's flagship Scrum V programme to covering the Six Nations and Rugby World Cups, Harries has reported on some of the greatest moments in Welsh rugby — as well as its most turbulent chapters. Today, Harries fronts Premier Sports' rugby coverage, and with Welsh rugby in arguably its most precarious state for years, he's well placed to assess the current crisis and whether the game in Wales can emerge stronger on the other side. Despite the national team's decline and uncertainty surrounding the future of the regions, Harries is confident there are better times ahead for Welsh rugby. "The one thing I always cling to is that we always produce good rugby players," he told WalesOnline. "I regularly travel to all the different territories the URC covers. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "There's still a perception when you chat to people from Ireland, Scotland and South Africa that Wales still has a reputation for producing skilful and gifted rugby players. Article continues below "Take the rise of someone like Blair Murray. "A cynic might say he's come through the New Zealand system and he is a Welsh international but he represents that Welsh flair. "If you were to create a Scarlets player in the lab you'd come up with Blair Murray. "He's a player who plays head-up rugby, is a really skilful footballer and can play in multiple positions across the backline. "If you look at the Scarlets backs there's tons of hope for the future there. "When you consider not so long ago Jonathan Davies and Scott Williams were still in the squad but couldn't get a game because you've got Macs Page, Johnny Williams, Eddie James and Tom Rogers, who is having almost a renaissance, isn't he, after his initial rise. "So, I look at that Scarlets backline and think 'jeez, those players are as skilful as anyone across the domestic leagues in Europe'. "We just need a few nasty, meaty forwards to get our national team back on track. "But we have Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan, who is one of the only genuine world-class players we have. "There's always hope and things do go in cycles. "I'm confident we can climb out of it." This weekend, Harries will lead Premier Sports' coverage of the United Rugby Championship final between Leinster and the Bulls at Croke Park — a massive occasion in one of sport's most iconic stadiums. After more than a decade in broadcasting, you might think the big days would lose their shine but Harries insists they still get the blood flowing. 'We can be a jaded bunch as journalists and broadcasters but I think it's really important that despite all the negativity we experience that we can have those pinch-me moments,' he said. 'I remember one specific game when I presented Ireland v Wales in the Six Nations in Dublin. "It was one of those weekends where everything had been done last minute. We'd done the U20s game in Athlone on the Friday then had a late bus journey to Dublin after that. "Everyone had had a few beers on the bus and I was just sitting there with my laptop scrabbling together the running order for the Test match. "I was flying back that night to present Scrum V in the club, so my mind was frazzled because I was trying to juggle three running orders at once. 'I was aware that audience figures in those Six Nations games get up to 8-9 million figures at times. "You've got all that stuff going through your head, so it can sometimes be easy to lose focus of the bigger picture. "I remember standing there about five minutes before going on air and I was trying to compose myself. "It was a sold-out Aviva Stadium for Ireland versus Wales. It was around the time when that rivalry was at its fiercest. "I was just thinking 'let's get through this and make sure you get to the airport in time to catch your flight'. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free "I remember just turning around and Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy were doing some passing drills in the dead ball area directly behind me. "I just had this almost like an epiphany where I went 'jeez, that's one of the greatest centre pairings that's ever played rugby' and here I am standing just yards from them with a mic in hand about to present the coverage of their game against Wales. "It had this really relaxing effect on me and I thought, 'do you know what, I need to appreciate this as it's happening'.' Growing up in the 1980s and early 1990s, Harries had few triumphs to cheer for as a Welsh rugby fan. But as a broadcaster, he's been front and centre for some of the national team's most iconic moments — including Sam Warburton's rise as captain. 'I remember interviewing Sam Warburton when he'd come back from the 2011 World Cup and bless him he was getting so much press coverage," he said. "I almost didn't want to do the interview but I had to do it. I knew he'd be sick of getting asked about the red card. "He was such a gentleman and he was so diplomatic. He handled it so well for a 22-year-old. "We became quite friendly as a result of that. There's always a line you don't want to cross in broadcasting because ultimately you've got to maintain a level of professionalism. "I remember after that 2012 Grand Slam victory over France I was right down on the touchline. "The final whistle blew and Sam was there because he'd come off injured. He just launched himself into the air doing a fist pump before turning around and I was the first person he saw. "He enveloped me in this massive bear hug. It was one of those moments where I thought 'you know what, I've probably compromised my professionalism a bit here and I hope my boss doesn't see that on the coverage' but it felt like 'wow, this is amazing'.' Unfortunately Welsh rugby has slipped back into its old ways with the men's national team slipping to a record 17 defeats in a row and the regions struggling to achieve consistent success. Harries was a prominent journalist in Wales the last time there was a rift of this magnitude between the Welsh Rugby Union and its four professional clubs - Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets. The future of Welsh rugby is uncertain with a tiered funding model and the possibility of reducing a club or two being considered. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. Working as a journalist through such turbulent periods is extremely challenging, as Harries knows all too well. "It can get really depressing, can't it?" he added, "I remember there was a long period where there was a huge row which felt never ending when Roger Lewis was CEO. "There was that constant warring between the union and the regions. It wasn't too dissimilar to what we are seeing now, although there seems to be a bit more collaboration now. "I know there's still a lot of antagonism and people have entirely different opinions of how the game should be run. "But back then it got really quite malicious. I was hosting Scrum V. At that point it seemed every Sunday was like presenting Newsnight rather than Scrum V. "It almost became a political show where every week we were trying to hold WRU directors and regional directors to account. "While it was an important subject that needed to be covered I think Welsh rugby fans as a whole just got really jaded with it all and they lost their appetite for rugby. "Ultimately it was a rugby show that was supposed to show highlights and analysis with a bit of fun and humour. "In Wales sometimes if you try to inject a bit of humour you then get accused by the social media mob of trivialising things or not taking things seriously enough. "You have to cover the political stuff and you have to give it the air time it deserves, but equally you have to remember that 80-90% of rugby fans aren't really interested in that." So, what is Harries' views of Welsh rugby's latest crisis? "It is exhausting," he admits. "There seems to be a bit more of a will to compromise than there has been in the past. "Back in the days of Roger Lewis some of those press releases were quite malevolent in tone and it seemed like it was us against them, whereas there seems to be more of an attempt to build a consensus here. "But the numbers just aren't adding up, are they? We've got four regions - none of whom have won anything since Cardiff won the Challenge Cup in 2018. "The sums seem to point towards cutting a region but we all know politically and socially that could be disastrous for Welsh rugby. "In an ideal world what we need is more money. "Look at Rachel Reeves at the moment, she is trying to satisfy everyone but she can't say yes to every request that comes across her desk. "It's almost the same thing in Welsh rugby. The money that Welsh rugby raises isn't sufficient to support four teams that can realistically compete for trophies. "Do we go down to those 2+2, 3+1 or does someone come in and do a David Moffett and take a sledge hammer to it all? "It just seems like we are in no man's land at the moment." Ross Harries is part of the Premier Sports team bringing every game live from the URC and will be lead presenter for URC's Grand Final this Saturday from 4pm on Premier Sports 1 as Leinster take on Vodacom Bulls at Croke Park. Ross will be alongside Tom Shanklin, John Barclay, Simon Zebo, Stephen Ferris, Ian Madigan Ryan Wilson and Rory Hamilton on commentary. Article continues below Premier Sports now broadcasts more than 400 live rugby games every season from the most exciting club rugby competitions in the world. Join in at
South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Saturday's briefing: Liverpool agree club-record deal for Florian Wirtz
The much-anticipated move could break the British record, with the Germany star set to join his former team-mate Jeremie Frimpong at Anfield. Elsewhere, Thomas Frank reacted to his move to Tottenham, while Matheus Cunha spoke of his desire to help turn around Manchester United's fortunes. Premier League champions Liverpool are set to pay up to £116million to sign Wirtz after Leverkusen finally settled on a fee. The Reds had two bids rejected, the last one of £113m, which would have seen £100m paid up front with performance-related add-ons, but have finally got the deal over the line. Liverpool will still pay an initial £100m – comfortably surpassing their own record outlay – but the performance-related add-ons, if achieved, would make it a potential British record. Liverpool's overall outlay could surpass the £115m Chelsea paid Brighton in 2023 for Moises Caicedo. Striker Darwin Nunez was the Reds' previous record signing in 2022, although they have not paid the full £85m as he has not met all the requirements for certain add-ons to be due. Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez is next on Liverpool's list, which could take their summer spending close to £200m. We are delighted to announce the appointment of Thomas Frank as our new Head Coach on a contract that runs until 2028. Welcome, Thomas! 🤍 — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 12, 2025 Tottenham are prepared to rival Manchester United for Brentford attacker Bryan Mbeumo this summer after the appointment of Frank, the PA news agency understands. Spurs announced former Brentford boss Frank as their new head coach on Thursday night on a three-year deal. One of Frank's first moves in charge could be to try and tempt Mbeumo to follow him across London. The Dane declared 'a big piece of my heart' would always remain at Brentford in an emotional message posted on their official website. 'The time has come for me to move on. But, even as I leave, I know I have left a big piece of my heart at Brentford, not just at the football club but with the community and, of course, the incredible and loyal supporters,' said Frank. 'I want to extend my profound gratitude to the club for giving me the chance to pursue my dreams and for everyone involved who made the journey such a memorable one.' A post shared by Manchester United (@manchesterunited) Matheus Cunha is delighted to have joined his 'dream' team and determined to help Manchester United bounce back from their worst season in 51 years. The 20-time English champions are in the midst of a rebuild under Ruben Amorim, having limped home 15th in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final to fellow strugglers Tottenham. The Red Devils' issues did not deter Brazil international Cunha, who completed his eagerly-anticipated £62.5million switch from Wolves on Thursday. 'It is the most common phrase that you can say at this moment, but this is the dream come true,' he told MUTV. 'Maybe outside, I think maybe my decision, they don't understand. But when you have always dreamed to play here, it's easier to pick this decision. 'For me, no-one else is like United. Of course, I know it's been a hard season for everyone. I think my decision shows what this club is for me and what I believe this club can be.' One player hoping to impress Frank is Spurs youngster Mikey Moore, but the teenager's immediate focus is ending an unforgettable breakthrough campaign with another European trophy. The highly-rated 17-year-old made 19 appearances in all competitions for his boyhood club, with five of those coming in the Europa League. The winger was on the bench for the final in Bilbao and three weeks on has more continental glory in his sights as England kick off their bid for Under-19 European Championship glory. 'It was a top experience – some of the best times of my life on that Wednesday night,' Moore told PA. 'Hopefully going on to win another medal and another trophy with these boys here would be a brilliant feeling and experience for everyone. 'There's some top players. We think we can go on and hopefully win the tournament. It's been a good little build-up but excited to get into the games now.' The summer of fútbol kicks off tomorrow. 👊 Let's Dial In. ✨ — Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) June 13, 2025 The Club World Cup gets under way on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Stadium, with Inter Miami playing in their home city against Egyptians Al Ahly in Group A. Moore will hope to star when England Under-19s begin their Euro campaign against Norway in Romania.
