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BBC News
7 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Windass' legacy secure despite Wednesday departure
Josh Windass' place in Sheffield Wednesday history should be secure. I suspect his impact is being somewhat overlooked since his recent departure during a calamitous summer at start with the record-breaking statistics. No player has scored more Owls goals since the turn of the century. His tally of 53 will take some beating, given how much Wednesday have struggled over the years to find consistent, regular there were the goals. Windass will be a candidate for a Puskas nomination for his strike against Derby from inside his own half. If you ask the player himself, he thought his wonder goal at Blackburn a season earlier – from a similar distance – was even better. Even so, it's a crime that the Derby goal didn't win the EFL's goal of the season. Windass could produce magical moments and as a commentator, having witnessed many of them, players like that are 'worth the entrance fee alone' as they also the goal he will be most fondly remembered for among Owls fans - the Wembley winner against Barnsley. A promotion-winning goal right at the death, sending the mass of blue-and-white shirts behind the goal into ecstasy. Truth be told Wednesday were poor in that final but nobody ever talks about that. Windass read the play, was in the right place at the right time and gave Wednesday fans their first winner in the national stadium since Mark Bright in 1993.I've interviewed Windass many times and appreciated his unpredictable nature. He could be very honest and open. You also knew when you'd asked a question he wasn't fond of, because it'd get short shrift. It was never a boring conversation and in a world where many interviews are run-of-the-mill, this was a player willing to avoid the predictable answer. On one occasion Joe Crann from the Sheffield Star and I were given an opportunity to interview Windass for a podcast during a training camp in Spain. It was brilliant – and the conversation after even a little bit disappointing to see some – and it's only some – Wednesday fans criticising Windass' decision to leave. He and Michael Smith had their contracts mutually terminated amid a saga that has seen players and non-football staff face delayed payment of wages. It's amazing, really, that anyone is being criticised for wanting to move on. I'm not sure any of us would fancy sticking around given what's happened recently. Wrexham, Windass' new club, are a stark contrast to Wednesday. Beloved owners, ambitions of going further than their rapid rise to the Championship, international attention. They'll be an attractive destination for many this is part of the weirdness of the summer. There's sympathy with players and staff at Hillsborough it seems, with many even saying they'd understand if people want out. Yet the minute someone goes, or tries to go, the criticism not the players' fault, not the manager's fault, nor the coaches or the staff, for the mess Wednesday are in. We're all waiting to see if wages will be paid for July in the coming days. That's no way to live, not knowing month-to-month whether you'll be paid. Meanwhile there's been no warm-weather camp, no public pre-season friendlies, a stadium that might not have use of the North Stand next season and there's a three-transfer window ban on wants to leave Wednesday because of the club or the fans. It's because the club, in its current state, is a shambles - with no clarity on when that's going to change.
Daily Mail
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Former Crystal Palace star Mark Bright marries Ian Wright's estranged sister Dionne - after Arsenal legend revealed two decade family feud
Former Crystal Palace striker Mark Bright has married the estranged sister of his ex-team-mate Ian Wright. Bright had formed a formidable partnership with Wright when they played together at Crystal Palace from 1986 to 1991, before the latter moved to Arsenal. The pair became close friends off the pitch and, over the years, have been photographed together at social functions on numerous occasions. During an interview on the True Geordie podcast in 2019, Wright revealed that Bright was dating his sister Dionne. Wright revealed at the time that he had not spoken to Dionne for 15 years, claiming that she had been 'disrespectful' to his second wife Nancy soon after the couple got together. Bright and Dionne have now tied the knot, with the former Premier League star, 62, sharing photos from their wedding day on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mark Bright (@markbright_) Wright revealed in 2019 that he had not spoken to Dionne for 15 years after she 'blanked' his wife Nancy (pictured in 2006) 'in front of people' during the taping of a Channel 4 show In a post also referencing Crystal Palace's FA Cup triumph against Man City at Wembley, Bright wrote: 'A great end to the season and an even better start to the summer, thank you to all our family and friends who helped make our day so special.' 'We created some amazing memories at a great venue, with good people, good food, and good music.' Bright signed off the message with 'D&M'. It is unknown whether Wright has mended his relationship with Dionne following his comments about his sister back in 2019, which he made on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Speaking of how the relationship affects the dynamic with his longtime friend, Wright had said: 'Mark Bright is somebody like a big brother and someone I respect who has guided me. What will happen if they get married? 'Is she going to apologise before she walks up the aisle? I want something to happen because my wife does not deserve to be treated like this. My sister has not found the decency to realise she should have apologised by now. 'I haven't spoken to my sister for 15 years. She was very disrespectful to my wife when we had just got together. She obviously knew my ex-wife and my kids so she felt like she had to take a side which I couldn't understand because I am her brother.' While Ian claimed the pair didn't have a good relationship growing up, things turned sour between them when Dionne 'blanked' Nancy 'in front of people' when she met up with him while he was filming a show for Channel 4. In the midst of a heated ensuing confrontation with his sister, the former Arsenal ace vowed that he would 'never have to see [Dionne] again' after she refused to apologise to Nancy. Father-of-eight Wright has been with Nancy since 2011 and they have two daughters - Roxanne and Lola - together. Sharon Phillips is mum to his eldest boys, Shaun and Bradley Wright-Phillips. His third son is Brett who he had with another girlfriend. He married now ex-wife Deborah in 1993 and they had son, Stacey, and daughter Bobbi together. Bright was previously married to singer and actress Michelle Gayle from 1996 until their union ended in divorce in 2008.
The Sun
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Former Premier League star Mark Bright, 62, marries Ian Wright's estranged sister in stunning ceremony
MARK BRIGHT has married his former team-mate Ian Wright's estranged sister Dionne. Bright, 62, formed an iconic strike partnership with Wright at Crystal Palace between 1986 and 1991. 6 6 6 Wright, 61, has had a strained relationship with Dionne due to a falling out over the ex-England forward's second wife Nancy. Amid her sibling squabble, Dionne has now tied the knot with Bright. Posting a trio of stunning pictures from their wedding day, Bright wrote on Instagram: "A great end to the season and an even better start to the summer, thank you to all our family and friends who helped make our day so special. "We created some amazing memories at a great venue, with good people, good food, and good music." Bright signed off the post "D&M". The Palace legend has received congratulations from several footie pals, including Andy Cole, Jeffrey Schlupp and Adebayo Akinfenwa. It is unclear whether Dionne has since mended her relationship with brother Ian. But in 2019, the ex-footballer revealed that he had not spoken to his estranged sister in 15 years. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 6 6 Appearing on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! - Wright accused Dionne of being "selfish and vindictive" towards Nancy. The Arsenal legend said: "So what happens now? 'I don't like your vibe' - Ian Wright calls out Paul Scholes in heated row over Arsenal "Mark Bright is somebody like a big brother and someone I respect who has guided me. "What will happen if they get married? Is she going to apologise before she walks up the aisle? 'I want something to happen because my wife does not deserve to be treated like this. My sister has not found the decency to realise she should have apologised by now. 'I haven't spoken to my sister for 15 years. She was very disrespectful to my wife when we had just got together. 'She obviously knew my ex-wife and my kids and so she felt like she had to take a side which I couldn't understand, because I am her brother.' Wright married first wife Deborah in 1993, with the pair having two children together before splitting in 2004. He subsequently began a relationship with Nancy, with the pair tying the knot in 2011. 'TOTALLY BLANKED HER' Appearing on The True Geordie podcast, Wright opened up on an incident between Dionne and Nancy during the filming of a Channel 4 programme. Wright said: "Nancy went to introduce herself and she totally blanked her in front of people, saying something about, 'I have to be true to my niece and nephew.' "This happened when I was in the green room. So I came out and said to Nancy, 'Where's my sister?' "She said, 'You understand what happened.' When I went over to her I could feel the anger from my toes. I said, 'As long as we live I don't want to ever see you again. The only time I will speak to you is when you apologise to her.' 'And she said, 'I am not apologising to anyone.' So I said, 'That is good because I will never have to see you again.'' 6
Reuters
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Palace fans head to FA Cup final still hurting from 1990
LONDON, May 16 (Reuters) - Crystal Palace face Manchester City at Wembley on Saturday hoping to lift the FA Cup for the first time and it is guaranteed that high on the pre-match agenda will be the club's extraordinary and eventually heartbreaking 1990 campaign. The semi-finals and final(s) that year were arguably the most dramatic in the competition's long and storied history and remain the emotional high and low point of every Palace fan who watched them. Palace were struggling in the top flight after promotion and had been humiliated 9-0 by Liverpool early in the season. In the Cup they were hardly pulling up trees either, beating lower league Portsmouth, Huddersfield Town, Rochdale and Cambridge United to reach the semi-finals for the first time since they lost to Southampton as a third division team in 1976. Facing runaway champions-elect and FA Cup holders Liverpool again in the semis look an insurmountable barrier and an Ian Rush goal had the Reds ahead at halftime at Villa Park. Things then went crazy as Mark Bright and Gary O'Reilly gave Palace a shock lead. Two goals in two minutes put Liverpool back in front, only for Andy Gray to stun the odds-on favourites in the 88th minute to force extra time. Amazingly, it was Palace who snatched victory in the 109th minute via Alan Pardew, who would later manage the club. It was the first year that both semi-finals were live on TV and barely had the excitement abated when similarly unfancied Oldham ran out to face Manchester United at Maine Road. The second division team had not beaten top-flight opposition in 66 years but accounted for four that season in a double cup run that caught the nation's imagination. Playing vibrant, attacking football under Joe Royle, Oldham twice came from behind to draw 3-3 after extra time - meaning a remarkable 13 goals had been scored on a day of unimaginable drama. United ended Oldham's dream when they snatched a 2-1 victory six minutes from the end of extra time in the replay. The Palace side who lined up at Wembley were the last all-English team to play in the final while United's were the last all-UK lineup to win it. United manager Alex Ferguson was under huge pressure to deliver a trophy four years after arriving at Old Trafford, but Palace struck first through O'Reilly. Bryan Robson and Mark Hughes turned it round and United seemed on course for victory, only for Ian Wright to come off the bench for the most wonderful 20 minutes of his life. The former non-league striker had been sidelined for much of the season with a twice-broken leg, but exploded into action to equalise with virtually his first touch and then put the Londoners ahead early in extra time. "It's still the greatest moment I've had in my career – easily – simply because of everything that it had entailed up to that point," Wright told the Palace website on Friday. "My emergence at Palace, and to reach the biggest stage in English football, and all of a sudden I'm on the Wembley pitch. "And then what happened after that was the stuff of fairytales. It really, really was." However, as the Palace fans sang in dreamland, Hughes broke their hearts with a late equaliser. The replay five days later could not live up to everything that had gone before and though Palace battled gamely, United won it 1-0 with a goal by Lee Martin. It was a victory that launched Ferguson and United on their dizzying journey of success - that included another extra-time FA Cup final win over Palace in 2016 after the Scot had retired - but one that left a gaping hole in the hearts of the losers. "I would have loved to have won that FA Cup and we were only seven minutes away," said Wright, who went on to win multiple trophies including two FA Cups with Arsenal. "Seven minutes. Honestly I still can't take it."
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Soccer-Palace fans head to FA Cup final still hurting from 1990
LONDON, - Crystal Palace face Manchester City at Wembley on Saturday hoping to lift the FA Cup for the first time and it is guaranteed that high on the pre-match agenda will be the club's extraordinary and eventually heartbreaking 1990 campaign. The semi-finals and final that year were arguably the most dramatic in the competition's long and storied history and remain the emotional high and low point of every Palace fan who watched them. Palace were struggling in the top flight after promotion and had been humiliated 9-0 by Liverpool early in the season. In the Cup they were hardly pulling up trees either, beating lower league Portsmouth, Huddersfield Town, Rochdale and Cambridge United to reach the semi-finals for the first time since they lost to Southampton as a third division team in 1976. Facing runaway champions-elect and FA Cup holders Liverpool again in the semis look an insurmountable barrier and an Ian Rush goal had the Reds ahead at halftime at Villa Park. Things then went crazy as Mark Bright and Gary O'Reilly gave Palace a shock lead. Two goals in two minutes put Liverpool back in front, only for Andy Gray to stun the odds-on favourites in the 88th minute to force extra time. Amazingly, it was Palace who snatched victory in the 109th minute via Alan Pardew, who would later manage the club. It was the first year that both semi-finals were live on TV and barely had the excitement abated when similarly unfancied Oldham ran out to face Manchester United at Maine Road. The second division team had not beaten top-flight opposition in 66 years but accounted for four that season in a double cup run that caught the nation's imagination. Playing vibrant, attacking football under Joe Royle, Oldham twice came from behind to draw 3-3 after extra time - meaning a remarkable 13 goals had been scored on a day of unimaginable drama. United ended Oldham's dream when they snatched a 2-1 victory six minutes from the end of extra time in the replay. ALL-ENGLISH TEAM The Palace side who lined up at Wembley were the last all-English team to play in the final while United's were the last all-UK lineup to win it. United manager Alex Ferguson was under huge pressure to deliver a trophy four years after arriving at Old Trafford, but Palace struck first through O'Reilly. Bryan Robson and Mark Hughes turned it round and United seemed on course for victory, only for Ian Wright to come off the bench for the most wonderful 20 minutes of his life. The former non-league striker had been sidelined for much of the season with a twice-broken leg, but exploded into action to equalise with virtually his first touch and then put the Londoners ahead early in extra time. "It's still the greatest moment I've had in my career – easily – simply because of everything that it had entailed up to that point," Wright told the Palace website on Friday. "My emergence at Palace, and to reach the biggest stage in English football, and all of a sudden I'm on the Wembley pitch. "And then what happened after that was the stuff of fairytales. It really, really was." However, as the Palace fans sang in dreamland, Hughes broke their hearts with a late equaliser. The replay five days later could not live up to everything that had gone before and though Palace battled gamely, United won it 1-0 with a goal by Lee Martin. It was a victory that launched Ferguson and United on their dizzying journey of success - that included another extra-time FA Cup final win over Palace in 2016 after the Scot had retired - but one that left a gaping hole in the hearts of the losers. "I would have loved to have won that FA Cup and we were only seven minutes away," said Wright, who went on to win multiple trophies including two FA Cups with Arsenal. "Seven minutes. Honestly I still can't take it." Wembley Stadium England Crystal Palace Manchester City
