Latest news with #Derbyshire-based
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Grave of football hero who defied the Nazis restored after heartwarming campaign
The family of a hero Derby County goalkeeper, who refused to give Nazi salute in defiant gesture against Hitler in a 1930s match, has thanked fans after his rundown grave was restored The rundown grave of a one of football's bravest heroes has been restored following a fundraising campaign. John 'Jack' Kirby was goalkeeper for Derby County when he heroically defied Adolf Hitler's Nazis. Derby were on tour in Germany in 1934 and when they played matches the team was ordered to all give Nazi salutes. All did, except Kirby who refused point blank and was captured in this iconic photo showing his contempt. He was buried in Derbyshire, but his grave fell into a state of disrepair until historian and Derby fan Kal Singh Dhindsa launched a campaign to raise money to repair it. Kal, 45, a supply teacher, told the Mirror: 'When I first saw the photo I was immediately in awe of this man. "What an inspirational player - having the bravery to stand up to Hitler and Nazi Germany. When I started this appeal there were donations from supporters from all sorts of clubs. Lots from Derby but also from our rivals Nottingham Forest. It was lovely to see the football world come together to honour such a man. 'Jack Kirby is a Derbyshire legend of defiance. It was a pleasure to see this through. The original grave was in a very weathered state. It was almost impossible to find then decipher what was written on it. "Myself and family members decided that the best thing to do would be to restore it as close as possible to what it looked like when it was first put down. Despite never meeting him, Jack Kirby's great-niece, Rachel Kirby, said she idolised her great-uncle for his defiant act 90 years ago. She said: 'His grave had become weathered and unrecognisable to fans, but thanks to Kal and generous supporters, it has now been beautifully restored, with the lettering once again clear for all to see.' Rachel said her Uncle Jack shared a close bond with her father, Douglas. Even into his 90s dad took great pride in visiting the grave and laying flowers, but sadly we lost dad to dementia," she added. "I know how he would have been deeply moved by this tribute. I'm incredibly proud and so thankful to everyone who donated, shared, and supported. I'd love people to visit and remember him." Born in South Derbyshire on 30 September 1909, Kirby made 191 appearances for the Rams after arriving from Derbyshire-based Newhall United in Derby County's tour in 1934, Kirby refused to salute in all four matches in four cities against German teams, of which the Rams lost three and drew one
USA Today
16-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
USMNT: Agyemang completes reported $8 million move to Derby County
Patrick Agyemang is officially an American Abroad, as the U.S. men's national team striker's long-rumored move to Derby County was confirmed Tuesday. The now-former Charlotte FC forward is heading to the English Championship in a deal widely reported to be worth an initial fee of $8 million, with a potential for that figure to rise to $10 million should some unspecified bonus requirements be met. Agyemang's transfer caps off a wild 18 months for the Connecticut native. After starting his pro career off with Charlotte's MLS Next Pro affiliate Crown Legacy FC (where he scored 10 times in 12 appearances), Agyemang was called up to MLS. The early returns weren't anything to write home about: four goals in 16 appearances in all competitions, including just one in 12 MLS league matches. However, Agyemang grew in stature in 2024, scoring 10 goals after taking over as the full-time starter under Dean Smith. That in turn caught the eye of new USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino, who gave the 6-foot-4 striker his first cap in January. Agyemang scored on his debut, and was first-choice throughout this summer's Gold Cup (where he scored two goals). Overall, Agyemang has five goals in his 12 USMNT appearances, and leaves Charlotte having scored eight times in 18 matches this season. Derby will need him to carry on performing at a high level. The Derbyshire-based club were relegated to League One after the 2021-22 season thanks in significant part to a 21-point penalty over financial problems, with the possibility of folding not completely out of the question. The Rams climbed back into the Championship after two seasons, but needed to collect seven points from the final three matches of the season to stay up. Derby finished 19th last season, avoiding the drop by a single point. Agyemang's transfer wasn't necessarily one that Charlotte stood in the way of, but Smith — who has played and coached in the English second tier — last week cautioned the target man to go elsewhere if he was dead set on leaving MLS. L'Equipe had linked Agyemang to interest from Ligue 1 clubs Lens and Nice. "I've had the conversation with Patrick and my answer was, I don't think he should [go to Derby]," Smith said at a press conference. "The Championship is not too much different from MLS. This is a major league over here. You're going to a second league in the U.K."
Edinburgh Live
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Jeremy Clarkson's emotional farewell as 'lifesaver' leaves Diddly Squat Farm
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS. The fresh episode of Clarkson's Farm on Prime Video has been a hit with fans as Jeremy Clarkson, Kaleb Cooper, and newcomer Harriet Cowan deal with an unruly boar on their patch. A vet advised Clarkson that the boar, showing aggressive tendencies towards other pigs, was not suitable for the farm. While the rest of the Diddly Squat Farm team were pleased to bid adieu to the cumbersome creature, another goodbye struck a sadder note. In a touching scene from episode three, Clarkson confided: "No one was upset to see Harvey [the boar] leave. "But it was now time for another departure from Diddly Squat, and that was a bit sad." Farmhand Harriet prepared to leave while Clarkson tenderly said: "So that's it, you're off.", reports Surrey Live. Clarkson inquired, "Are you off back to Derbyshire?" Harriet nodded about her homeward journey, prompting him to warmly advise her, "Well, listen, you have been an absolute star,". (Image: BANG Showbiz) (Image: PRIME VIDEO) (Image: PRIME VIDEO) He sincerely thanked her, "Thanks ever so much for all you have done, you have been absolutely brilliant, "You saved my life, you did." Jeremy had originally needed extra hands at the farm when Kaleb took off on his tour, and it was pal Charlie Ireland who recommended Harriet, the Derbyshire-based nurse with solid farming chops from her dad's place. Despite knowing Harriet was only ever meant to be a temporary fixture at the farm, saying farewell didn't come easy for Jeremy. In a moment of levity, he joked, "When we get stuck again, can I give you a call?" to which Harriet assured him she would always be there to lend a hand. As she said goodbye to her temporary haunt, a static caravan, she quipped, "When you and Lisa fall out, she can come and live here." He responded with a chuckle, "I like your thinking, I approve of that," as he showed his appreciation for his "lifesaver" upon their parting. He fondly remarked, "She's a superstar, that one," while watching Harriet depart. Initially, Kaleb wasn't exactly thrilled to meet another young farmer at Diddly Squat, but a sense of fellowship soon blossomed between them.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Campfire sparked moorland blaze in Peak District
A fire service has issued a warning following another moorland fire in Derbyshire. Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service (DFRS) urged people to "act responsibly" in the countryside after firefighters put out another blaze in the county. Glossop Fire Station confirmed that crews attended a deep-seated fire in peat on Thursday at Holme Moss, which was started by a campfire, according to the station. This comes as DFRS said that firefighters had left the scene of the moorland fire near Errwood Reservoir in the Goyt Valley on Tuesday, which burnt an area bigger than 300 football pitches. In a post on social media DFRS reminded people not to have campfires or barbecues in the area. DFRS said moorland fires were "labour intensive" and take "vital services" away from being able to respond to other emergencies. A spokesperson for the service said: "It's a message we keep repeating, but it doesn't seem to be getting through to some people." Glossop Fire Station said since the end of February, crews from the station had attended 24 wildfires and urged people not to start fires, as it is "very dry" and "easy" for them to spread. The last crews left the scene of the moorland fire near Errwood Reservoir at about 08:15 BST on Tuesday and handed over to landowners United Utilities, which the fire service said "are managing a few remaining hot spots". Firefighters were first called to the blaze in the Goyt Valley on 30 April with crews from Cheshire and Staffordshire also deployed to help Derbyshire-based teams, with the local service describing the operation as "a week of tough firefighting". Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Crews leave moorland fire scene after 'tough' week Warning as areas of moorland wildfire reignite Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Ex-Tory MP Andrew Bridgen found to have broken Commons rules by failing to declare donor's £4MILLION loan to fund legal fight against his brother over the family potato farm
Former Tory MP Andrew Bridgen broke House of Commons rules by failing to declare a donor's loan of more than £4million, a parliamentary watchdog has found. The standards committee told Mr Bridgen he was 'wrong' to think the cash - used in a legal fight with his brother over the family potato farm - was not a registrable interest. The politician should have registered the interest-free loan totalling £4,470,576.42 within Parliament's 28-day timeframe, according to a new report by the committee. Mr Bridgen served as Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire between May 2010 and April 2023, when he was expelled from the party. He lost the Tory whip after comparing the use of Covid vaccines to the Holocaust and went on to join the Reclaim Party before quitting the right-wing outfit after just seven months. Mr Bridgen stood as an independent candidate at last year's general election but won only 3 per cent of votes in North West Leicestershire and failed to be re-elected. He receieved the interest-free loan from Jeremy Hosking, a businessman who has donated heavily to the Reclaim Party, between October 2020 and December 2023. The financier, who has a stake in Crystal Palace Football Club, also loaned money to Mr Bridgen for accommodation during the same period - although this was declared. In relation to the rules breach, the standards committee's report detailed that payments were received by Mr Bridgen between October 12 2020 and December 18 2023. These were recorded on December 19 2023 in the register of MPs' interests. But the standards commissioner found that the funding was registerable as an interest from October 12 2020, and 'the first payment was therefore registered 1,135 days late'. The committee report said the relationship between the political donor and Mr Bridgen means that the donation should have been declared, even though it was to pay for private legal costs. There was no requirement for Mr Hosking to have ensured disclosure of the loans, which was Mr Bridgen's responsibility. Mr Bridgen argued that the money provided by Mr Hosking was not a registrable interest and therefore could not have been registered late. He said there was no need to register it as it was related to a 'strictly private' matter, but that he ultimately did so 'to ensure full transparency' after it was mentioned in a public court case. The politician was previously embroiled in a long legal wrangle with AB Produce, headed by his estranged younger brother Paul. In 2022, Mr Bridgen was evicted from a £1.5million property owned by his family's firm and order to pay out £800,000 in costs. He was formerly a board member at the Derbyshire-based family business, which supplies vegetables to caterers, earning a second salary of £93,000 for attending monthly meetings. A High Court judge ruled Mr Bridgen had 'lied' under oath, behaved in an 'abusive', 'arrogant' and 'aggressive' way, and was so dishonest that nothing he said about the dispute could be taken at face value. The standards committee said they 'hope that Mr Bridgen will now behave honourably and acknowledge that he was wrong'. They added: 'We agree with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards that he should have apologised to the House.'
