Latest news with #Albion
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Albion player of the year retires from internationals - after 77 England caps
Albion star Fran Kirby has retired from international football. She steps down after being told she would not be picked by England for the Euros this summer. Kirby has 77 caps for the Lionesses and was a deserving winner of the Seagulls' player of the year award for the 2024-25 season. Advertisement She has been on international duty for pre-Euros warm-up fixtures and went on as sub in the win at home to Portugal at Wembley on Friday. Kirby told the BBC: "It is something I have been thinking about for over a year. I knew this was going to be my last major tournament. "The plan was to retire after the Euros but after speaking to Sarina I'm not going to make the squad. "It was like a dagger to my heart but also a weight off my shoulders all at the same time. It was emotional for both of us but we both respected what each person was saying." Kirby was injured on international duty last season, which ruled her out of club action for several weeks. Advertisement She was badly missed over that period but returned for the run-in as Albion finished a club record fifth in the WSL. The former Chelsea star was praised by Seagulls head coach Dario Vidosic for a positive and professional attitude which got her back ahead of schedule.
BBC News
14 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
A brave appointment - patience might be required
Albion have taken their time with the appointment of Ryan Mason but for good reason. It's been 43 days since Tony Mowbray was sacked on Easter Monday after a 3-1 defeat by struggling Derby ended their play-off was appointed just over three weeks after Carlos Corberan left on Christmas Eve for Valencia and, in hindsight, it could be argued that it was rushed. In part due to games coming thick and fast as the Baggies looked to maintain their place in the top six, but also down to the collapse of the publicised plans to give the job to Swiss head coach Raphael of the unfortunate end to Mowbray's short second spell, there was pressure on club owners Bilkul to get this one right. They've bided their time to look for the right candidate, but also had to play a waiting game because Mason was never going to leave Tottenham while he was helping them win the Europa the ticker tape has settled on those celebrations, Mason has decided to leave the comfort of his boyhood club. Only time will tell if the gamble to give the 33-year-old his first senior head coach role will pay off, but just like the process of appointing him, patience may be required from the a brave appointment. The Baggies have gone from 61-year-old Mowbray - whose vast experience and success in the Championship was highlighted by Albion sporting director Andrew Nestor as a reason for his return in January – to a man almost half his predecessor's age and who has never managed at this level does have 13 games as a caretaker boss in the Premier League on his CV though and has worked his way up the coaching ranks at boyhood club Spurs. Since 2018, the former midfielder has also sat under the learning tree of some of the world's best managers, including Jose Mourinho and Antonio Albion fans were calling for a young head coach with fresh ideas, so he fits the bill on that front, but they will need to be patient with him. Mason is unlikely to hit the ground running like his former colleague Chris Davies, who left north London for Birmingham City last summer and dominated League One with a superior squad to the level they were doesn't have that right now at The Hawthorns, so perhaps there will be less pressure on him, and more on Nestor and his recruitment team to give him the tools to succeed. It's a work in progress but in hindsight the recruitment in the 2024-25 season had more misses than hits, so the decisions they make in this next window on which players to sign - and just as crucially which players to move on - will be just as important as the managerial decision they've just made.
News.com.au
a day ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Albion family reveal how rare reno move helped smash price record
An Albion family who spent years plotting the perfect renovation for their home have smashed the suburb's house price record by almost $150,000. Owners Dean and Emily were nervous as the home went under the hammer, and when it started out slowly with a $1.2m vendor bid needed to get buyers involved. But with a crowd close to 150 watching, the bids for their 33 Adelaide St home kept coming as three buyers pushed it to $1.402m. CoreLogic records show 34 Burnewang St set the previous house price benchmark for Albion at $1.255m in 2021. The record-result for Emily and Dean followed a painstaking renovation in which they spent years getting a feel for where the sun would be at different times of year, mapping out what was needed in an extension and borrowing the idea for a scissor truss roof over the rear from popular TV show Grand Designs. The pair said a big part of the result was the exhaustive effort they put into renovating it, more than doubling the size of the interior floorplan as well as installing energy efficient features — and even a series of openable skylights. 'We have lived through it every step of the way, when it was hard and cold and hot, we have had the dogs and the kids getting into the mud and the dirt, and it's nice to put a full stop on it and see it through to the finish.' Dean said. 'Every time you do another one, you find out more of what works and what doesn't. This one was a bit more involved than the last time, but we have a much better idea of what works and doesn't — and the next one will be even better.' But first they're planning a holiday. 'We need that break before we channel all our energy into the next project,' Emily said. Ray White Sunshine's Marcus Fregonese handled the sale and said the result had been a bit of a shock — with bidding becoming so fierce he only got a chance to call it on the market at $1.35m, well after it reached the point of sale. 'They have done an unbelievable job, it's a renovation you just don't see around here — it's something you might see in Northcote or Brunswick,' Mr Fregonese said. A local family bought the home, with the result something he said should give any owners thinking of a reno the confidence to do so.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
£10m winger on board with Albion as transfer window opens
Tommy Watson is now an Albion player (Image: PA Wire/Nick Potts) Wembley matchwinner Tommy Watson is an Albion player as the summer transfer window opens. But he will be focussed on international action for the coming weeks. The 19-year-old winger comes south from Sunderland on what is now looking a bargain £10 million deal, which was announced in April. Advertisement He is under contact until 2029. Watson ended his time with his local club on Wearside by scoring a superb winner in the final seconds of the Championship play-off final against Sheffield United. His next target is the Under-19s Euros, in which England face Norway, Germany and the Netherlands . He will then get his chance to impress Fabian Hurzeler and coaching staff in pre-season and potentially secure a place in the Premier League squad for the 2025-26 season. Sunderland were happy to make the agreement with Albion public well before the end of the season to prevent it becoming a distraction during the play-offs. Advertisement The announcement did not go down well with Black Cats fans but they cheered as his precise low curler took them back to the Prem. Albion forward Julio Enciso gets married as summer milestone is announced Albion were close to signing Watson in the January transfer window but the deal faltered with the Sunderland unable to find a replacement before the deadline. When the agreement was finally announced, Albion technical director David Weir said: "Tommy is an exciting young talent who we have been tracking for a significant period of time. 'He's had an excellent breakthrough season with Sunderland, and we are looking forward to him joining us in the summer.' Advertisement The window remains open, for now, until 7pm a week on Tuesday. It will re-open on Monday, June 16 until Monday, September 1 (7pm).
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
'If everyone was fit, there is no telling where we would be'
We asked for your views on our fan contributor Scott McCarthy's end of season scorecard (27 May, 12:42 BST).Here are some of your comments:Olly: With a young squad and manager in his first season in the Premier League, along with the injury list, it has been a successful season, although frustrating dropping points from winning positions and not doing well against sides that were relegated. The experience of this season bodes well for Albion's biggest obstacle was the many injuries we suffered all season. If everyone was fit there is no telling where they would be now. Most probably in the Champions Many Brighton fans will be used to drama. There are not many seasons when we can say Brighton were average. However, there were times when we dropped crucial points in the latter stages of games when we were in complete control. So it's definitely a case of what could have been, rather than what it has been - and don't get me wrong, we are very grateful for our second-best finish. It just didn't quite hit the European bullseye we were all hoping for. Instead, we hit the middle of the board and bounced out again. Roll on next season!Brian: Overall a good season - we failed to reach the European places due to inconsistency and in particular losing points at the Amex to relegation candidates. A good experience, though, for a young squad for whom I'm sure greater things await. However, time to say goodbye to a great servant of the club, Lewis Dunk.
