Latest news with #Hull-born
BBC News
29-04-2025
- BBC News
Amy Johnson: Pilot's 1930 Australia flight feat to be celebrated
The 95th anniversary of aviation pioneer Amy Johnson's historic 11,000-mile (18,000 km) flight to Australia will be celebrated at the location where she departed the began her journey to become the first woman to fly solo from the UK to Australia at Croydon airport, south London, on 5 May 1930.A flypast of a biplane similar to the one used by Johnson is planned for Sunday."What we want to do is inspire future aviation enthusiasts, and also highlight women in aviation," said Micha Nestor, visitor centre manager at Croydon airport, which is now a museum. "Amy was one of the major celebrities of the 1930s. We really want to amplify her story, because Amy was a big deal."Throughout this weekend, the airport will host guided tours of the control tower and an exhibition dedicated to the Hull-born pilot, while discussions and workshops will take place at the adjacent Croydon Aerodrome Hotel. Uncharted land Johnson had only 100 hours of flying experience when she took off from Croydon in her second-hand Gipsy Moth plane, named 27-year-old had no radio link to the ground, no reliable weather information and only basic maps to guide her over uncharted land and some of the world's most inhospitable braved sandstorms, forced landings and the amorous attentions of Arab sheikhs to reach Darwin in northern Australia 19 days her return to Croydon, she was greeted by an estimated 200,000 people who lined the route to the airport. Ms Nestor said: "There's one term that she used to use, and that's air mindedness."At almost each stop (to Australia) she had to deal with a different problem, and use all those different skills she'd gathered, whether it's engineering, maths, all different bits and pieces, to figure it out."That's what we want to promote: thinking on the ball." Papers released by The National Archives in 2005 revealed that a senior UK diplomat wrote before the flight that there should be restrictions on Johnson's plans given her "sex, youth and comparative inexperience".She was an "adventuress" who needed protecting from herself, the official communique died aged 37 when a plane she was flying crashed into the sea off Herne Bay, Kent in January the time, she was serving as a pilot with the Air Transport Auxiliary, which delivered aircraft for the body was never found.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The ex-Preston defender managing two national teams
International managers ordinarily have fewer games in which to prove themselves than coaches at club level, but a lack of matches is not a problem Scott Wiseman has to worry about. The 39-year-old has been in charge of the Gibraltar women's team since 2023 and recently oversaw the first competitive international fixtures in their history in the 2024-25 Nations League. Then, earlier this month, former Gibraltar defender was appointed interim manager of the men's side after his long-standing predecessor Julio Cesar Ribas stepped down because of personal reasons. Wiseman - who played for teams including Rochdale, Barnsley, Preston North End and Salford City before ending his career at Gibraltar club Lincoln Red Imps - now has to juggle the demands of the men's World Cup qualifying openers and the women's team's next set of Nations League group fixtures. The men begin their qualifying campaign for next summer's tournament with games against Montenegro and Czech Republic on 22 and 25 March, while the women face Slovakia and Faroe Islands on 4 and 8 April. Far from being overawed, however, the Hull-born coach is relishing the challenge. "It's fantastic," the former right-back, whose 38 appearances for Gibraltar included their first game as a Uefa member, told BBC World Service. "It's a privilege to do one [job], let alone be given the opportunity to do two. "It's no different than a coach who's working day in, day out in England. There are games on a Saturday and Tuesday sometimes, and the preparation for staff and coaches there is very difficult. "This is no difference in my eyes, except it's two different national teams on different schedules. "[My wife] was hoping for a bit more 'me time' after I retired. Fortunately, she's very understanding." Wiseman started his coaching career with Gibraltar's elite development teams while still playing for Lincoln Red Imps and went on to coach the women's Under-19s as well as the men's Under-16, Under-17s and Under-19s. The majority of Wiseman's coaching team with the women's senior side - with whom he says he has a "good working relationship" - have joined him in his new role with the men's senior team. Preparations have been further simplified by promising displays by the women in their opening Nations League fixtures against Moldova and Faroe Islands last month. Both games ended in a 1-0 defeat, but Wiseman saw plenty of positives. "We exceeded expectations massively," he addedd. "Yes, we lost both games, but the strides the women have made is fantastic. "We left that on such a high, we have less work to do in our next [games], to a certain degree. We've managed to box a lot of that preparation off." As for the men, their reward for a second-place finish in League D of the Nations League is a two-legged play-off with Latvia in March next year, the winners of which will be promoted to League C. Wiseman, who was eligible to play for Gibraltar through his mother, says the upcoming World Cup qualifying campaign should be seen as a foundation and "bounce-board" for the ties with Latvia. "The expectation for the next 12 months has to be leading towards the Nations League play-offs," he said. "We've picked a very young squad - one of the youngest squads I've been a part of. "We've never had a point in Euro or World Cup qualification, so we could really use this campaign as a foundation for the younger boys coming through and get the international experience we're going to need." Wiseman is however not certain whether he will still be in charge for that play-off. "I'm not sure," he said when asked about his future. "This is something we haven't discussed yet. [Ribas' resignation] was very close to this international window, so we had to be very reactive. "It was an easy fit for the association. Past these games, we haven't discussed it." You can listen to the interview in its entirety in the next episode of Sports World on Sunday, 23 March. Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast Get football news sent straight to your phone
BBC News
22-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
The ex-Preston defender managing two national teams
International managers ordinarily have fewer games in which to prove themselves than coaches at club level, but a lack of matches is not a problem Scott Wiseman has to worry 39-year-old has been in charge of the Gibraltar women's team since 2023 and recently oversaw the first competitive international fixtures in their history in the 2024-25 Nations earlier this month, former Gibraltar defender was appointed interim manager of the men's side after his long-standing predecessor Julio Cesar Ribas stepped down because of personal - who played for teams including Rochdale, Barnsley, Preston North End and Salford City before ending his career at Gibraltar club Lincoln Red Imps - now has to juggle the demands of the men's World Cup qualifying openers and the women's team's next set of Nations League group men begin their qualifying campaign for next summer's tournament with games against Montenegro and Czech Republic on 22 and 25 March, while the women face Slovakia and Faroe Islands on 4 and 8 from being overawed, however, the Hull-born coach is relishing the challenge."It's fantastic," the former right-back, whose 38 appearances for Gibraltar included their first game as a Uefa member, told BBC World Service. "It's a privilege to do one [job], let alone be given the opportunity to do two."It's no different than a coach who's working day in, day out in England. There are games on a Saturday and Tuesday sometimes, and the preparation for staff and coaches there is very difficult."This is no difference in my eyes, except it's two different national teams on different schedules."[My wife] was hoping for a bit more 'me time' after I retired. Fortunately, she's very understanding." Wiseman started his coaching career with Gibraltar's elite development teams while still playing for Lincoln Red Imps and went on to coach the women's Under-19s as well as the men's Under-16, Under-17s and majority of Wiseman's coaching team with the women's senior side - with whom he says he has a "good working relationship" - have joined him in his new role with the men's senior have been further simplified by promising displays by the women in their opening Nations League fixtures against Moldova and Faroe Islands last games ended in a 1-0 defeat, but Wiseman saw plenty of positives."We exceeded expectations massively," he addedd. "Yes, we lost both games, but the strides the women have made is fantastic."We left that on such a high, we have less work to do in our next [games], to a certain degree. We've managed to box a lot of that preparation off."As for the men, their reward for a second-place finish in League D of the Nations League is a two-legged play-off with Latvia in March next year, the winners of which will be promoted to League who was eligible to play for Gibraltar through his mother, says the upcoming World Cup qualifying campaign should be seen as a foundation and "bounce-board" for the ties with Latvia."The expectation for the next 12 months has to be leading towards the Nations League play-offs," he said. "We've picked a very young squad - one of the youngest squads I've been a part of."We've never had a point in Euro or World Cup qualification, so we could really use this campaign as a foundation for the younger boys coming through and get the international experience we're going to need."Wiseman is however not certain whether he will still be in charge for that play-off."I'm not sure," he said when asked about his future. "This is something we haven't discussed yet. [Ribas' resignation] was very close to this international window, so we had to be very reactive."It was an easy fit for the association. Past these games, we haven't discussed it."You can listen to the interview in its entirety in the next episode of Sports World on Sunday, 23 March.
