Latest news with #NeilDanns
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
The Documentary Podcast Dan Meis: Designing a football stadium
The inaugural premier league football match at Everton's much anticipated new stadium will kick off on 23rd August 2025, as the home side host Brighton & Hove Albion. Everton Football Club's radical new home was designed by innovative sports architect Dan Meis, who has developed a reputation for out-of-the-box, innovative thinking while creating projects that redefine their respective building types. This includes the design for the Staples Centre in Los Angeles and 'transformable' venue in Japan that mechanically changes from arena to stadium. In 2021, former professional footballer Neil Danns joined Meis, In the Studio, as he commenced the design process for the Everton's new football stadium. Neil examines the creativity it takes to bring a design to life, exploring the process of the designs, how progress is made and how the ever-present challenges are overcome.
The Guardian
31-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Macclesfield's John Rooney: ‘I'd be stupid to act like Robbie Savage, I'd be being false'
Macclesfield FC have grown accustomed to being the most famous team with the most famous names in their league. In a previous life, the club listed Sammy McIlroy, Paul Ince and Sol Campbell as former managers. Since their rebirth in 2020, the former Premier League players Neil Danns, Alex Bruce and, most notably, Robbie Savage, have enjoyed spells in the hot seat. John Rooney's surname is unlikely to go unnoticed, yet the younger brother of the England and Manchester United legend Wayne is, by his own admission, a far less glitzy appointment than his predecessor Savage, whose effervescent character came to define Macclesfield in recent years. A self-styled Marmite man, Savage enjoyed unparalleled success in his season-long stint at Macclesfield, winning the Northern Premier League with a mammoth 109 points. His departure to Forest Green earlier this summer left a void, with key players such as Laurent Mendy, Tre Pemberton and Neil Kengni following him to Gloucestershire. Pictures of Savage still adorn the walls behind Rooney as we chat in the boardroom of the Stadium, days out from Macclesfield's opening game of the new National League North campaign against Worksop Town. 'I'll be different to Sav,' says Rooney, an attacking midfielder who rejoined Macclesfield as a player in August 2023 following stints at the likes of New York Red Bulls, Orlando City, Barrow and Oldham before announcing his retirement at the end of last season. 'He has always been out there as a player and a pundit. He likes attention – not in a bad sense. I'll go under the radar and be my own person. I'd be stupid to act like Sav, because I'm a different person and I'd be being false.' There's no doubt Savage's exit has been seismic, but it took just days for Macclesfield to replace him with Rooney. Plans had already been in place for the 34-year-old to take up a coaching role if ever a vacancy arose. 'It happened so quick with Sav going, so we didn't have time to sit back and think about it,' Rooney says. 'Rob [Smethurst, the club's owner] told me on the Monday and we were training on the Tuesday.' Rooney had little hesitation accepting the role and there was even a word of advice from his brother, whose own tumultuous managerial journey in the past few years may provide a lesson for John. 'When I got the job, [Wayne] said: 'Just try and enjoy it'. Obviously he went into management and did well at some places, not so well at other places. And listen, that's football. It's part of management. you're not going to get your own way all the time.' 'When do these opportunities come up to be a manager of a club like this? Not often,' Rooney adds. 'It might not come again. So once I got wind of it, I wanted to take it with both hands. You could be falling out of the game as a player, then you're scratching around to come back in as a coach. I spoke about it last year with Sav, that if he ever left, would I be interested? I always said I'd want to throw myself right at it.' Rooney, whose playing days began in the Everton academy like his brother, made his professional debut with Macclesfield in 2008. He's now a novice manager but with experience by his side to call upon. Macclesfield have just appointed Francis Jeffers, another ex-Everton player, as Rooney's assistant. 'I've known Franny for a long time. I played under him as a coach at Oldham. He's coached at Ipswich, out in Saudi. I wanted someone older than me who would challenge me, not just agree with everything I say. I'd be naive otherwise.' Rooney laughs off the idea of offering a job to a certain other former Everton striker. He's keen to be his own man. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion It's put to Rooney that he is still registered as a player for the coming season, so could mirror the player-manager role in which Wayne thrived at Derby County early in his own managerial career. 'Touch wood I'm not needed,' he replies. 'It's been a pretty smooth transition to managing. It's now my third spell here; two as a player and now as manager. Everyone knows what this club means to me. I started here, they gave me my chance in professional football and I'll never forget that.' Rooney takes the reins at an intriguing stage in the Silkmen's journey. They have blazed a trail through the divisions, with three promotions in four years, and now face their most challenging task in the National League North. 'It's going to be a lot tougher than last year,' admits Rooney, with a nod to the fellow phoenix clubs Hereford, Chester and Darlington who are on this season's fixture list. 'Come December, January, away from home, the pitches won't be great, it's about being adaptable. 'Last year we got on that winning streak and winning is a habit. We need to roll that on to this season. There are some big teams in this league, five or six clubs that are full time and that's our goal as well, we want to get to the full-time stage.' Will Macclesfield hit a glass ceiling at some point soon? Rooney will not countenance the idea. 'We want to finish as high as possible. Our plan is to carry on.'
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former U's midfielder hit with suspension after breaching betting rules
Suspension - former Colchester United midfielder Neil Danns has been given a six-month suspension and £1,000 fine for breaching FA betting rules (Image: PA) FORMER Colchester United midfielder Neil Danns has been given a six-month suspension and £1,000 fine for breaching FA betting rules. The newly-appointed Southport manager, who won promotion with the U's in 2006, is suspended until the end of the 2025-26 season after it was alleged he breached FA rules 65 times by placing bets on football matches between February 17, 2007 and August 13, 2022. Advertisement The six-month ban is suspended until the end of the 2025-26 season. The bets were placed while Danns was at other clubs and he admitted the charges against him. Danny Cowley on Colchester United's trip to Maldon and Tiptree The 42-year-old was recently appointed as Southport boss, joining the National League North club in May this year having spent two years as assistant manager at Tranmere. Danns made 85 league and cup appearances for Colchester after joining them from Blackburn Rovers in December 2004, initially on loan. He left the U's to join Birmingham City, in the summer of 2006.
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ex-midfielder Danns fined for FA betting breaches
Southport boss Neil Danns has been given a suspended six-month ban for past breaches of the Football Association's rules on midfielder Danns, 42, has also been fined £1,000 after admitting placing 65 bets on football is currently manager of National League North side Southport, but the offences took place between 17 February 2007 and 13 August 2022 when he was a that time he played for a number of different sides including Birmingham City, Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers. Since 2014, FA rules state anyone associated with a club in the top eight tiers of English football is banned from betting on any aspect of the sport the 65 bets Danns made, 62 were placed before those rules were changed and three afterwards - prior to 2014, participants were only banned from betting on a match or competition in which they were involved or could the pre-2014 bets, mostly or wholly accumulators, two involved selections where Danns' own side could lose and three featured selections on his team to win.A Football Association Regulatory Commission report said Danns' bets were "modest stakes on a 'Saturday accumulator' on a reasonably widespread of games."The commission added: "There is no suggestion [he] was match fixing, betting with the benefit of any particular inside information or that there was any suspicious activity or betting patterns."In total, Danns staked £2,137.68, winning £814.43 - a net loss of £1, six-month ban is suspended until the end of the 2025-26 sanction comes in the same week as Ryan Bowman was banned for three-and-a-half years by the FA for betting on matches he was involved 33-year-old former Exeter City, Shrewsbury Town and Torquay United forward made 6,397 bets over an eight-year period.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Colchester United favourite lands managerial role at non-league side
FORMER Colchester United favourite Neil Danns has been named as Southport's new first-team manager. The 42-year-old, who helped the U's achieve a historic promotion in 2006, has taken charge at the National League North club, succeeding Jim Bentley in the role. Danns has taken up the role after leaving his role as assistant boss at League Two side Tranmere Rovers, where he had worked for the last two years. READ MORE: Let us know your views in our U's End of Season survey Danns said: 'I can't wait and I'm really excited. I'm really thankful for the opportunity. 'My job is to make sure we have a squad ready for pre-season, when we get down to work.' Danns made 85 league and cup appearances for Colchester after joining them from Blackburn Rovers in December 2004, initially on loan. He left the U's to join Birmingham City, in the summer of 2006. Get to know our new First-Team Manager! Watch our exclusive sit-down interview with Neil Danns as he shares his ambitions for SFC. 👇 — Southport Football Club (@southport_fc) May 12, 2025 Danns will be assisted in his new role by former Southport player, Mark Duffy. Port finished the 2024/25 campaign in 18th place. Southport said in a club statement: 'We are delighted to announce our new management team of Neil Danns as manager and Mark Duffy assistant manager. 'Neil joins the club after spending two years as Assistant Manager at Tranmere Rovers. READ MORE: Ellis Iandolo makes positive statement after fine season 'Following a 20-year playing career, Neil made the transition into coaching and management, being appointed as player-manager by Macclesfield and leading them to promotion to the Northern Premier League as champions before being appointed as assistant manager at Tranmere Rovers in May 2023. 'Mark Duffy is no stranger to Haig Avenue where he made 103 appearances in total scoring 19 goals in all competitions. 'Mark was actually named as the head coach at Macclesfield following the departure of Neil Danns from Macc and after leaving The Silkmen he had a short spell as manager at Warrington Rylands. 'We extend a very warm welcome to Haig Avenue to Neil and Mark and hope they enjoy a successful time at the club.'
