Brother of U's winger breaks UK athletics record to win gold
THE older brother of Oxford United winger Stan Mills broke a UK Athletics Indoor Championships record for the men's 3,000m.
George Mills smashed the record with a time of 7:40.16, bettering the previous record by almost 10 seconds.
Mills was neck and neck with James West as the pair tussled right up until the finish line, but he did just enough to finish 0.17 seconds in front.
READ ALSO: Oxfordshire tug of war for prize of UK long jump gold
He was watched on Sunday from the stands by his father, the former England and Leeds United right back Danny Mills, as he booked a place at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in the Netherlands next month.
The 25-year-old athlete said: 'Today was about winning first of all to secure a Euros and Worlds place.
'It was fun to be out there, but going forward there are much bigger things on the line.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Leeds City Council launches public consultation for Elland Road regeneration plan
Leeds City Council in UK has initiated a public consultation on the 'Elland Road 2025 Informal Planning Statement', aiming to guide the regeneration of land around the Elland Road football stadium. The council-owned land of approximately 30 acres,could see a transformation that includes up to 2,000 new homes, enhanced public spaces, and facilities that integrate with existing communities, if the refreshed guidance is accepted. The draft guidance proposes a range of possible developments, such as a community sports arena, hotel accommodation, and workspaces. Educational facilities related to sport, health, and wellbeing are also considered. The vision includes the relocation of the current temporary park and ride and, if there is a demonstrated need, the construction of multi-storey car parks. Leeds deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, councillor Jonathan Pryor said: 'Our proposals for Elland Road represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity of national significance to create a new neighbourhood, carefully integrated within South Leeds, which will deliver new homes, create jobs and provide major leisure opportunities, along with community and educational facilities that will benefit new and existing communities.' 'Delivering a new neighbourhood of this size and scale will provide a further boost to our city's ever-growing economy, accommodating the continuing demand for residential and commercial development across the city, at one of our most strategically significant gateway sites which has been earmarked for development for many years. 'With recent momentum such as the stadium expansion progressing, and many changes in Leeds since we first adopted planning guidance over 17 years ago, it is right that we take the opportunity to refresh the vision for this area. We strongly encourage residents, businesses and any interested party to participate in the consultation to help shape the updated proposals.' The site, designated for development for several years, is set for a revamp that reflects changes in the local area, including Leeds United's proposed stadium expansion. The land, currently a temporary park and ride and matchday parking, is poised for redevelopment. The council's plans suggest a relocation for the park and ride and potential car parks to serve the community and visitors. The development is expected to span up to 20 years from commencement to completion. Parking changes will be phased to ensure minimal impact on the local highway network and neighbourhoods. The council has stated that it will be reaching out to residents to gauge parking issues and consider restrictions to address concerns. The proposals also emphasise improving connections between Elland Road and the city, focusing on walking and cycling routes to promote active and sustainable travel. Community events are proposed to be held to allow residents to view and discuss the plans with council officers. Following the consultation, feedback will inform the final proposals, which the council's executive board will consider for adoption. "Leeds City Council launches public consultation for Elland Road regeneration plan" was originally created and published by World Construction Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
New York Times
13 hours ago
- New York Times
How Leeds' transfer process will work as they look to survive back in the Premier League
On the big nights, you can stand in the West Yorkshire countryside, miles away from Elland Road, and hear the soul of Leeds United. In February last year, when second-placed Leeds beat Championship leaders Leicester City, videos of this phenomenon surfaced. Anyone in the club's 38,000-capacity home stadium that night will remember their out-of-body experiences as Leeds scored in the 80th, 83rd and 94th minutes to complete a 3-1 comeback. Clips of that night's latticed limbs, post-match playing of Kaiser Chiefs' club anthem I Predict A Riot and rural noise pollution are taking on fresh importance. Advertisement When sporting director Adam Underwood and head of recruitment Alex Davies, with occasional help from managing director Robbie Evans, pitch to prospective signings, they boot up video from February 23, 2024. Those clips are just a small fraction of the presentations they are making to players, but that night, and Leeds' Championship title parade through the city just a few weeks ago, cut to the chase on what a behemoth this club is. Evans, Underwood and Davies have a critical summer ahead of them — for Leeds, and for their own careers at Elland Road. They were all involved in last year's close-season dealings too, but this is the first summer they will all spend in positions of such seniority — and they do so ahead of a return to the Premier League. Leeds sources, speaking under the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, like all of those spoken to for this article, admit the trio can anticipate where fingers may be pointed if manager Daniel Farke's side struggle back in the English top flight next season. Chairman Paraag Marathe is backing them to succeed, and they are not in these roles by accident. For the past 20 years, Evans has worked across banking, consulting, operations and strategy with the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, among other businesses. More specifically, his duties involved the 49ers' salary-cap calculations, the hiring of their head coaches and the building of their 68,500-seat home, Levi's Stadium. Underwood has come through the ranks at Leeds' youth academy, strategising across the age groups in recruitment, agent negotiations and coaching hires. Sources at the club feel he can take that experience of dealing with youth players and agents into the first-team arena. Davies has long been highly-regarded by insiders at Leeds, predominantly because of his eye for a player from his scouting and analysis background. His voice quickly became one Marathe wanted to hear more of in meetings following the 2023 takeover by 49ers Enterprises, the NFL team's investment arm. Advertisement Alongside Marathe and Farke, these are the key decision-makers during a pivotal transfer window for Leeds. Evans, who was the club's chief strategy officer until chief executive Angus Kinnear departed to become Everton CEO last month, has led an overhaul of the data operation, which was virtually non-existent before his appointment in November 2023. This five-person department, which will expand to eight by next season, is led by Bikash Deb. Sources at Leeds suggest that 98 per cent of the past two years, effectively since relegation from the top division of English football, has been spent planning for the Premier League. Whether it is finding the right players, establishing what it takes to stay up, set-piece maximisation or how other promoted clubs survived, sources at Leeds say these analysts have left no stone unturned. This stretches as far as having an analyst working on tracking-data analysis — which involves a player's location and movement across a game of football. Leeds are also recruiting people with specialisms in biomechanics — how a person moves when playing football — to be able to do more body-specific analysis. The data is one side of the equation, but there are nuances in the decisions the key voices in the club need to make. Gretar Steinsson, technical director at 49ers Enterprises having had that role at Elland Road and been performance director at Tottenham Hotspur, and Kevin Thelwell, now sporting director with 49ers Enterprises-owned Scottish giants Rangers following previous similar positions with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton, are experienced heads the executives at Leeds can go to for advice. Leeds have been pursuing transfer targets since April, and in that time, a clear process for the summer has emerged. Sources say it begins with the data team, scouts and coaches (mainly Farke) each putting names forward. The data team's suggestions are then assessed by the scouts and vice versa, to ensure everyone proposed gets analysed. For example, Evans may ask an analyst to find every left-back in the world with a defined set of characteristics, which the data shows can work in the Premier League. Advertisement Those traits would obviously generate a long list of names, and the club's scouts might then knock that down to 20 for video review. Every player eventually put to Farke as a possible signing will have already had a data and scouting report compiled. As for Farke's own suggestions, they are all given a deep dive because of his importance in the overall process. Leeds sources have been at pains to point out no player is forced on the manager, and neither does he force one on the club. Every signing must have agreement from scouts, manager, strategy, planning and finance. If one of those boxes is not ticked, the player concerned is not signed. Once that list of targets is established in each position, Underwood, who was mentored over the past 12 months by Nick Hammond before the latter followed Kinnear to Everton, takes on the vast majority of the process. Club sources have explained the next stages. Underwood approaches agents, players and their clubs, to establish whether a deal can be done. If he hears positive noises on a target, the club dig deeper on him with Farke, while Underwood and Davies make their pitches to agents. Beyond those aforementioned Leicester videos, these presentations aim to show the club have done their homework on a player, with analysis of where they will fit on the pitch, but also how their lives, and their families' lives, will look off the field if they come to Leeds. If the process continues, a personal call from Farke to the player is one of the latter hurdles to clear. Senior sources say the German is always brutally honest in those conversations. If they are nailed-on to be starters should they sign, they are told that, but if they are likely to begin their Leeds careers on the bench and have to overthrow existing players to get in the team, he does not lie. If the player does not like what they hear, Leeds move on. Club sources have also said there will be a clear similarity between the names on Leeds' shortlists for each position. For example, every striker will have similar attributes. The same with every left-back or every goalkeeper. They have a clear vision of what each position needs to deliver next season. Advertisement Last time Leeds were in the Premier League, their relegation was followed by extra pain as it emerged that most of the players signed during their three seasons back in the top flight had clauses included in their contracts allowing them to leave on loan, in the event of relegation. Sources have insisted such clauses, put in place by the previous ownership, will never be used again. If a target is anxious about joining a promoted side at risk of a swift return to the second tier, they will be reassured using the recent examples of Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha. Both were allowed to leave Leeds when they wanted moves, and were signed by Manchester City and Barcelona respectively. If that is not enough, then sources admit release clauses for permanent fee-bringing transfers might be considered. For example, if a player was bought for £20million and Leeds were later relegated, they could have it in the language of their contract that they would be sold if a club offered £25m or £30m for them. Leeds want control, and a financial incentive, to include clauses like these. The plans and shortlists are in place. Leeds know they need to have as many new faces as possible in the building for the start of pre-season on July 7. (Top photo of Farke, left, and Marathe:)
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
George Mills reveals brutally honest key behind stunning British 5,000m record
George Mills insisted that a combination of patience and a fearless attitude to put himself out there led to his stunning 5,000m British record at the Oslo Diamond League. Mills ran a sizzling 12:46.59 to finish fourth at the Bislett Games, breaking Sir Mo Farah's previous mark of 12:53.11, a record that has stood since 2011. And Mills, son of former England footballer Danny Mills, revealed the fundamentals behind the brilliant performance in a race won by the USA's Nico Young in 12:45.27. 'Looking at the time, I came here wanting to run a national record and attack the European record, just missed that one, but I'm proud of how I did today,' Mills said, having put in a lot of the work to lead his rivals in the closing laps of the race. 'It was billed as a world record attempt, I was cautious, as I thought the pace would be really hot, be patient and pick people off when they started to die, that's what I did. 'With a mile to go, I felt really good, let's move through the field and let's attack, with 1,200m to go, I always put my balls on the line, and that's what happened.' Mills, who won a European Indoor silver medal in the 3,000m behind Norwegian phenom Jakob Ingebrigtsen, is pushing for a medal at the Tokyo World Championships. And while the -year-old remained coy on exactly what it takes, he is confident in the preparation required to give himself a chance at a first men's British medal at a world or Olympic championship in the event since Farah at the Rio Olympics in 2016. 'I don't know [how to win a medal at a world championship] because I've never done it,' Mills said candidly. 'But me and my team will work as hard as we possibly can to achieve that goal and put myself in the best position possible. 'My target for the season is a global medal and this shows I am in the right space.'
