Latest news with #EnglishFootballLeagueChampionship
Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
BBC presenter makes surprise return after emotional exit
Former BBC Look North presenter Jeff Brown made a surprise return to the airwaves over the weekend as he helped out with coverage of the Sheffield United v Sunderland Championship match A BBC news presenter has delighted fans by coming out of retirement to help with coverage of a sporting event. Jeff Brown disappointed fans in March last year when he announced he was stepping away from the news desk and seeking retirement. Jeff had been a presenter on BBC Look North for 21 years before he hung up his microphone for a quieter life. But this weekend, the star revealed he was coming "off the bench" to help with coverage of the English Football League Championship. On Saturday, sports fans were on the edge of their seats as Sheffield United took on Sunderland at Wembley Stadium in London. When the whistle was blown at full time, Sunderland were crowned winners of the game, scoring two goals over Sheffield, who managed to net just one. Jeff had a front row seat for all the ball chasing action - and revealed he was back in his presenting role to provide a match report. Taking to X after the match had been won, the TV star shared a photograph of himself sitting in front of a monitor while in the stadium. In an accompanying message, he hinted that he could return to screens more than once, while also hinting this could be his final credit for the BBC. He wrote: "Came off the bench for (probably) my final stint in the Wembley press box. And what a way to sign off!" He added: "Match report on tonight's BBC Look North @BBCNEandCumbria." His return was warmly received by fans who rushed to praise his return. Responding to his post, one fan replied to write to the presenter: "Good to see you Jeff." While another wrote: "Couldn't have asked for any more Jeff. We'll enjoy the moment then look forward to a tough season ahead." And a further fan typed: "Fantastic weekend Jeff. Good luck and see you around the hallways." While many others expressed their joy over the end of match result. Jeff previously announced his retirement in March 2024 - with the news of his exit from the North East show coming as a shock to fans in the region. The TV host had been a popular member of the team since 2003 - specialising in sport while also fronting news bulletins on a regular basis. Over the course of his career on BBC Look North, he was nominated for Royal Television Society awards - and broke the news of his exit directly to fans. Taking to X at the time, he explained why he felt the time was right to step away from the corporation. He wrote: "News just in…after nearly 21yrs with BBC Look North @BBCLN I'm moving on. Projects in the pipeline with BBC & others, but (as you can see) it's been fun, and a huge, wonderful part of my life. Thanks for watching." In a more details statement released around the same time, Jeff said: "Presenting BBC Look North - filling the seat once occupied by the great Mike Neville - has been the undoubted highlight of my career, something I could never have imagined when I set out as a journalist. 'It has been an absolute pleasure and a privilege to work with such talented and dedicated teams over the years, and I'm proud to count them as my friends. "I'm also truly grateful to the many people and organisations across the North East and Cumbria who have allowed me to tell their stories, and to be welcomed into hundreds of thousands of homes every night." He added: 'Sport has always been my passion – whatever colour the team is wearing or the shape of the ball! I hope I've been able to reflect the depth of feeling fans have for their teams because in that respect our region is unique'.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Soccer clubs group asks UEFA for 5% of European competition money to reward nurturing players
Burnley manager Scott Parker, center and players celebrate with the English Football League Championship runner-up trophy following victory against Millwall, at Turf Moor, Burnley, England, Saturday May 3, 2025. (Steve Welsh/PA via AP) PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, celebrates after the Champions League semifinal, second leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, celebrates after the Champions League semifinal, second leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Burnley manager Scott Parker, center and players celebrate with the English Football League Championship runner-up trophy following victory against Millwall, at Turf Moor, Burnley, England, Saturday May 3, 2025. (Steve Welsh/PA via AP) PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, celebrates after the Champions League semifinal, second leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) GENEVA (AP) — A proposal to share hundreds of millions of euros in UEFA prize money along low-ranked soccer clubs that developed future star players was made Monday by a European group representing them. The Union of European Clubs wants to help close the growing wealth gap in soccer if UEFA would allocate at least 5% of broadcast and commercial revenue from the Champions League and other competitions to clubs that did not take part yet had nurtured those players early in their careers. Advertisement Gross revenue this season for the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League is at least 4.4 billion euros ($4.88 billion) and 5% would be 220 million euros ($244 million). Only clubs which did not advance to play in the league phase of the three competitions would be eligible for payments, the UEC said in a statement. The idea is 'a pragmatic, merit-based approach to restoring fairness and balance in the football ecosystem,' said the 140-member group, which estimated its idea could have earned at least 400,000 euros ($444,000) to each of 400 clubs across Europe in recent years. The UEC said 'the core principle is clear — clubs that invest in player development should be fairly rewarded when those players contribute to the success of European competitions.' Advertisement It is unclear why UEFA and the influential European Club Association — which has a key say over commercial and sporting decisions in the Champions League — would agree to a proposal from a non-recognized group effectively taking money from its members. The ECA, led by Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser al-Khelaifi, has a working agreement with UEFA that recognizes the group 'as the sole body representing the interests of European clubs at European and global level.' UEFA and the ECA, both based in Nyon, Switzerland, were approached for comment. The UEC was formally launched in 2023 by officials who saw the ECA as too focused on representing a storied and wealthy group of elite clubs. Before al-Khelaifi, the ECA had been led since 2008 by Bayern Munich's Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Andrea Agnelli from Juventus, who used the platform to launch the failed Super League project in 2021. Advertisement Current UEC members include Belgian league leader Union Saint-Gilloise, which is on track to play in the Champions League for the first time, and Burnley, which returns to the English Premier League next season. Its proposal, called the Player Development Reward, was shared with European Union officials in Brussels, the UEC said in a statement. EU institutions such as the European Commission and the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg are increasingly seen as the most effective way to force change in how soccer is run by international bodies like FIFA and UEFA. The formula to calculate payments, the UEC said would be 'based on the minutes played in UEFA competitions and prize money earned by players they have trained and developed.' ___ AP soccer:
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Leeds goes to the Premier League as second-division champion
Leeds United players celebrate being crowned champions following the English Football League Championship soccer match against Plymouth Argyle, at Home Park, in Plymouth, England, Saturday May 3, 2025. (Steven Paston/PA via AP) Leeds United's Wilfried Gnonto celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the English Football League Championship soccer match against Plymouth Argyle, at Home Park, in Plymouth, England, Saturday May 3, 2025. (Steven Paston/PA via AP) Leeds United's Ethan Ampadu and teammates celebrate with the trophy after being crowned champions following the English Football League Championship soccer match against Plymouth Argyle, at Home Park, in Plymouth, England, Saturday May 3, 2025. (Steven Paston/PA via AP) Leeds United's Ethan Ampadu and teammates celebrate with the trophy after being crowned champions following the English Football League Championship soccer match against Plymouth Argyle, at Home Park, in Plymouth, England, Saturday May 3, 2025. (Steven Paston/PA via AP) Leeds United players celebrate being crowned champions following the English Football League Championship soccer match against Plymouth Argyle, at Home Park, in Plymouth, England, Saturday May 3, 2025. (Steven Paston/PA via AP) Leeds United's Wilfried Gnonto celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the English Football League Championship soccer match against Plymouth Argyle, at Home Park, in Plymouth, England, Saturday May 3, 2025. (Steven Paston/PA via AP) Leeds United's Ethan Ampadu and teammates celebrate with the trophy after being crowned champions following the English Football League Championship soccer match against Plymouth Argyle, at Home Park, in Plymouth, England, Saturday May 3, 2025. (Steven Paston/PA via AP) Leeds was promoted to the Premier League as second-division champion on Saturday after Manor Solomon's dramatic winner in stoppage time. Solomon's late goal sealed a 2-1 comeback win against relegated Plymouth and saw Leeds top the Championship — edging out second-placed Burnley on goal difference. Advertisement Both teams had clinched promotion last week but fought to go up as champion. They ended the season level on 100 points each after Burnley beat Millwall 3-1 and was promoted as runner-up. Coventry and Bristol City took the last two playoff places. Coventry beat Middlesbrough 2-0 to end the season in fifth place and Bristol City was sixth after a 2-2 draw against Preston. Third-place Sheffield United and Sunderland in fourth complete the playoffs lineup. Those four teams will compete for the third and final promotion spot. Luton Town was relegated for the second year in a row after a 5-3 loss against West Brom. Advertisement Luton was a Premier League team last season, but will be playing in the third tier of English soccer next term after Hull climbed out of the relegation zone in the final game of the season with a 1-1 draw at Portsmouth. Title drama Leeds and Burnley were neck and neck at the top of the standings going into the last round of games. And it looked like Burnley — relegated from the top flight last year — would clinch the title with victory against Millwall. Leeds trailed at second from bottom Plymouth in the 18th when Sam Byram put through his own net. Wilfried Gnonto leveled the game at Home Park in the 53rd, but time was running out to complete the comeback. That was until Solomon's dramatic winner in the first minute of stoppage time. ___ James Robson is at ___ AP soccer:
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Justin Baldoni ramps up pressure against Blake Lively with subpoena demanding all the telltale texts and emails
Embattled Blake Lively 's legal woes have taken a turn for the worse: She has now been subpoenaed by Justin Baldoni 's team. has learned the papers were handed to her lawyers last week and asks for all communications – including texts and emails – related to Baldoni and the film that sparked the feud, It Ends With Us. Lively, 37, has accused Baldoni, 41, of sexually harassing her during filming and claims he waged a negative publicity campaign against her. He subsequently hit back and sued the actress and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, 48, for $400million, saying her allegations were defamatory and false, and accusing her of attempting to hijack the project. The legal battle has already seen some zingers aired in court, among them Baldoni's claim that she tried to threaten him with Reynolds and erstwhile best friend Taylor Swift – referring to the superstars as 'my dragons' and comparing herself to Game of Thrones character Khaleesi. Lively has also been accused of failing to read the novel on which the movie is based until well after filming started and forcing Baldoni and his family to sit in the basement during the premiere. Lively first sued on December 20, accusing Baldoni of sexually harassing her and fostering a toxic work environment on the set of their film It Ends With Us On top of that, some of her allegations have begun to look dubious such as the claim that Baldoni had nuzzled her neck and told her 'you smell so good' during a dancing scene. Although the mom-of-four claimed it had been filmed with microphones off, obtained raw footage that showed the sound was on and that the conversation had instead been about the scent of Lively's fake tan. Attention has now turned to who else could be subpoenaed in the case, with Reynolds odds-on to have his communications scrutinized by Baldoni's team. Last week, speculation arose around Swift and Reynolds' friend Hugh Jackman with reports saying that they too are facing a legal grilling. Superstar singer Swift is reportedly furious over being dragged into the case and has not been photographed with Lively for months. Last week, her boyfriend Travis Kelce unfollowed Reynolds – who is currently celebrating his soccer team Wrexham's promotion to the English Football League Championship – in yet another sign that relations between the two couples have cooled. revealed the subpoena had arisen from a 'sham' lawsuit filed by her company Vanzan against anonymous Does 1-10 which was dropped before the 37-year-old's sex assault case was filed The copy of the case summons shows it was dated September 27, 2024, seven weeks after the It Ends With Us premiere Although Kelce is unlikely to be slapped with a subpoena, one person who has already got one is publicist Stephanie Jones who is also being sued by Baldoni after she allegedly turned over a phone belonging to his publicist and her former employee, Jennifer Abel. The messages on the phone between Abel and crisis PR Melissa Nathan were later used as the basis for Lively's claims of a smear campaign, although Baldoni's team hit back saying the texts were selectively edited and released the conversations in full. Jones denied handing over the texts as a favor, arguing in court papers that she turned the device over only after receiving a subpoena last October. But her claims led to fresh embarrassment for Lively after revealed the subpoena had arisen from a 'sham' lawsuit filed by her company Vanzan against anonymous Does 1-10 which was dropped before the 37-year-old's sex assault case was filed. The revelation prompted a furious response from Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freedman who described the Vanzan suit as a 'sham'. 'Ms. Lively's and Mr. Reynolds' company Vanzan had nothing to do with this case and they knew it,' Freedman said in a statement. 'This sham lawsuit was designed to obtain subpoena power without oversight or scrutiny, and in doing so denied my clients the ability to contest the propriety, nature, and scope of the subpoena. 'There is nothing normal about this. Officers of the court have a duty of candor to the court and an obligation not to file fictitious lawsuits that have no basis in fact or law.
Wales Online
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' wildly different Sunday after Welsh weekend in Wrexham
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' wildly different Sunday after Welsh weekend in Wrexham From pitch to premiere, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynold's whirlwind weekend Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively joined in with the celebrations of Wrexham's promotion to the Championship (Image: Paul Greenwood/REX/Shutterstock ) Just 24 hours after joining the joyous scenes at Wrexham AFC's historic promotion celebration, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds switched gears in the most spectacular way — making their way to New York City for the glittering premiere of Blake's latest film, Another Simple Favour. The day before, on Saturday, April 26, Wrexham AFC achieved an electrifying 3-0 victory over Charlton Athletic, securing their promotion to the English Football League Championship. This wasn't just another win — it marked the club's third consecutive promotion since Ryan and his fellow actor Rob McElhenney took the reins in 2021. It was a monumental achievement in the world of football, one that catapulted Wrexham from the depths of the National League to the cusp of the Premier League — an incredible rise that no one saw coming. The atmosphere in Wrexham was pure euphoria, and Blake was right there in the thick of it. Cheering from the stands alongside her husband, she witnessed the heart-pounding victory that set the town alight. The Marvel star, overjoyed, shared an emotional embrace with Rob, while Blake captured the unforgettable moment. She later shared it with her 44 million Instagram followers, pouring her heart out in a post that expressed her deep gratitude for the town, the team, and the two men who had made it all possible. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter "Back to back to back," Blake wrote. "History was made. Congratulations to @wrexham_afc. I will never forget the love and elation in that town today. Thank you for sharing it with us always." Article continues below Content cannot be displayed without consent Ryan also took to Instagram to reflect on the journey with Wrexham, offering a heartfelt message to the club and its fans: "We've been with Wrexham for what seems like the blink of an eye, but so much has happened. I remember the first press conference, we were asked what our goals were… and I think Rob jumped in with, 'The Premier League.' "People laughed. They had every right to. It seemed insane… But we weren't kidding. "I feel at home here. It's a place that values community, decency and history. From the respect it pays to the Gresford Disaster, to the feeling of hope and miracles created by Mickey Thomas. These are big reasons Wrexham is growing into what it always was. It isn't just a place with a history of ups and downs, it's also a FEELING. And a feeling is sometimes as good or better than a memory. "We made history. We've been promoted for a record third time in a row. That doesn't happen without the wisdom of Phil Parkinson and his coaching staff, or the talent of Paul Mullin. It doesn't happen without Max Cleworth and Arthur Okonkwo. Or Mark Howard who may have one of the hardest jobs there is. I watched Sam Smith create a frightening blend between football and martial arts, scoring our second goal yesterday. "The Stadium feels like a church. I know so many of you now. Since February, 2021, I've watched babies become regulars. And some regulars depart us for good. We've had the honour to scatter ashes of loved ones across that field. I've even watched every available hand shovel snow off the pitch to keep a match from cancellation. "Somebody said the Welsh have the 'heart of a poet and the fist of a fighter.' That's what I love about this place. I wish the whole world could visit Wrexham. Diolch." Content cannot be displayed without consent Less than 24 hours after celebrating in the stands of the Racecourse Ground, Blake and Ryan were making their way down the red carpet at the New York premiere of Another Simple Favour. Blake, dressed in a mint green Tamara Ralph gown, complete with cutouts and cascading drapes, looked every bit the Hollywood actress - a world away from her casual getup of jeans and oversized shirt at the Wrexham match. Paired with Christian Louboutin heels and Lorraine Schwartz jewels, Blake dazzled under the glimmering lights of the Museum of Modern Art, where the premiere was held. Ryan proudly stood by his wife's side, looking sharp in a tailored grey suit, which he paired effortlessly with a crisp white shirt and a sleek tie - after what had been a whirlwind weekend. In one funny clip, posted to the film's Instagram story, Ryan can be seen taking pictures of his wife with her fellow cast members, amongst the paparazzi in a show of support. Article continues below Content cannot be displayed without consent The star-studded affair saw Another Simple Favour co-stars Anna Kendrick and Michele Morrone in attendance, along with big names like Emily Blunt, Hugh Jackman and Stanley Tucci. Having already premiered at SXSW in March, the film is slated for a May 1 release on Prime Video.
