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Scoop
a day ago
- Sport
- Scoop
Auckland City FC Receive Diplomatic Welcome
Washington, D.C.,USA, 8 June 2025 — Auckland City FC's football adventure received a diplomatic boost, as the only amateur team at the FIFA Club World Cup USA 2025 was officially welcomed to the United States by the New Zealand Embassy in Washington, D.C. The visit formed part of the team's wider tour of the U.S., with the club currently preparing for their next international friendly against UAE champions Al Ain FC on Monday. Players and staff were greeted by members of the members of the NZ Embassy in the US, who offered warm hospitality and words of encouragement ahead of Auckland City's historic Club World Cup appearance later this month. Club President Ivan Vuksich, General Manager Gordon Watson, and Interim Head Coach Ivan Vicelich were in attendance, along with the full playing squad and support team. The visit provided an opportunity to reflect on Auckland City FC's role as a global representative of New Zealand — not just on the pitch, but as cultural ambassadors off it. The team presented Embassy officials with an official FIFA Club World Cup pennant, a manaia, and a koru — symbols of protection, leadership, and unity — values the club carries into every international engagement. Speaking at the Embassy, Vuksich said the moment was 'a privilege for the club and a reminder of the deep connection between the people of New Zealand and their love of sport.' 'We are proud to fly the flag for New Zealand football on the world stage, and it means a great deal to receive this welcome from the New Zealand Embassy here in Washington,' he said. Auckland City FC now continue preparations for their next fixture, their relocation to Team Base Camp Chattanooga in Tennessee, and the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, where they will face global heavyweights Benfica, Boca Juniors, and Bayern Munich in Group C. About Auckland City FC: Auckland City FC plays in the New Zealand domestic football competition (Northern League, National League Championship and Chatham Cup) and Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Champions League from its whenua at Kiwitea Street in Sandringham, Auckland and was founded in 2004.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Penrith boss Jim Nichols: Why I'm back for a second spell in charge
Jim Nichols says he believes positive times are ahead for Penrith AFC as he settles back into the manager's job for the second time. The Northern League Division One club have appointed Nichols as Darren Edmondson's successor some eight years after his previous spell. Nichols returns to Frenchfield Park after a year away from the dugout following his most recent and successful stint with Carlisle City. He said he was not angling for a return but could not say no after a positive meeting with Penrith chairman Brian 'Billy' Williams. 'It came about quite quickly,' Nichols tells the News & Star. 'I wasn't really looking to get back into football. To anyone who's asked, I've never said I wouldn't, but it would have to be the right opportunity at the right time - and this feels right. 'When Billy rang, and asked to have a discussion, I liked what he said. The direction of the club seems to be very positive. It seemed a no-brainer after speaking to the chairman.' Nichols was previously manager at Penrith from 2015 to 2017 (Image: Louise Porter) It has been a summer of comebacks in Cumbrian non-league football, with Edmondson returning to Workington Reds for a second spell following three years at Penrith – and now Nichols heading back to the club he previously led from 2015 to 2017. He does so with optimism that Penrith can move forward. 'As a club they want to progress,' Nichols says. 'I don't think they're going to spend loads of money and try to go up, but they want to move the club forward generally. 'Since the last time I was there, they've had the artificial pitch put in, and it's an unbelievable set-up at the moment. And that's a big attraction. 'There are some really good people there who really want Penrith Football Club to do well, because it's their club. And that sort of rang true with what I am as a person. 'They want to move things forward, but they want to do it the right way, and it just seemed the right fit for both of us.' Nichols brings a host of experience back to the job, having been a major figure in Carlisle City's recent rise. He led them to the Northern League Division Two title, a Fred Conway Cumberland Cup triumph and their furthest run in the FA Vase over a five-and-a-half year spell. He stepped away at the end of last season and has been reflecting on that, and taking stock, before considering what his next move might be. 'Sometimes the break's what you need,' he says. 'It's intense, and I think unless you've actually sat in the shoes of a non-league football manager, where you work all day and then your phone literally rings until you go to bed every night and every weekend, you don't realise how much it takes out of you. 'I'd done nearly six years at City, I'd had six very successful years, and it just felt at the time it was right for me to move on from there. Nichols, second right, had a successful spell with Carlisle City including a league and cup double in 2022 (Image: Ben Holmes) 'I've watched a lot of football over the last year in this league and other leagues, and sometimes it's quite nice to go to games without really caring what's happening, and just go and watch a game of football. 'But if you've been involved in football for the time that I have, you still miss those feelings on a Saturday – you miss going away on the bus, winning away from home and so on. When you've been in that competitive environment, it's hard to step fully back from it.' Nichols is, he says, ready for the all-consuming nature of Northern League management again. He is also, he believes, a more rounded operator for his years of experience. 'I think I'm a far better manager than when I was first manager at Penrith,' he says. 'Back then, I didn't really want to be a manager. The first time it came around, it was more by chance. I stepped in as caretaker, and they appointed someone else who ended up not taking the role, so it sort of fell on me by default. 'I was probably too young then. I probably didn't have enough knowledge of players locally to be able to do that role at that time, and I think I probably took everything a little bit personally in terms of results, decisions, everything else. 'I've done hundreds of games as a manager now, and I've got a far more rounded view of football and life, I think it's fair to say. And I think that makes it a lot easier to cope with the ups and downs. Because for all the ups, there's a million downs.' Penrith's 12th-placed finish under Nichols in 2016/17 remains their highest since 2009, while he guided them to the third round of the FA Vase that season. What is within reach now will depend on the new boss managing the various possibilities and limitations of a club of Penrith's size and position. 'It's a job that I'm really looking forward to, but it's also one I'm fully realistic about,' he says. 'The squad finished 17th last season, so there's obviously some improvement to be done there. The squad itself, and I spoke to most of them this week – they mostly look like they want to stay at Penrith and be part of Penrith Football Club moving forward, which is great. 'And then, it's just trying to add that little bit of extra quality in and around the squad. 'It's a long, hard league, particularly when lads have got jobs, travelling away on Tuesday and Wednesday nights to the other side of the country. It takes a lot out of players, and sometimes you just need that little bit of extra quality and extra bodies around the squad, and that's what we're going to be looking to do in the next couple of weeks.' Penrith have had a new artificial pitch at the Leo Group Stadium since the autumn of 2023 (Image: News & Star) Nichols, who has been joined by assistant Alan Inglis, believes his experience in this respect can help too, as Penrith try to source players to lift them in a challenging market. 'It's just being really clear on what players are available, seeing who's doing well in different leagues,' he says. 'Probably the three of us from Cumbria in that league [Penrith, Carlisle City and Kendal Town] are quite unique, in comparison to the rest of them, who are around Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Sunderland areas. 'That's a massive population, but you have a lot of clubs fighting for the same players – whereas we're on the flip side, not many clubs and not as many players. It's about trying to identify people who maybe aren't playing at this level, who can step up and do well. 'I'm fortunate enough to have spent the bulk of the last decade in this league with both Penrith and Carlisle City. I've probably done 5-600 games in that league, and I like to think I know it fairly well, I know what we're coming up against, and hopefully that gives us a little bit of advantage from the off.' Nichols will be on the other side of the rivalry with Carlisle City now. Penrith did the league double over their fellow Cumbrians in 2024/25, but City had the last laugh by defeating Edmondson's Bonny Blues in the Fred Conway Cumberland Cup final under Nichols' successor Dan Kirkup. Next season Nichols will come up against his former club Carlisle City, now managed by one of his earliest signings at the club, Dan Kirkup (Image: Barbara Abbott) 'Dan was my third signing for City, and probably one of the best ones I made,' says Nichols. 'I think from day one, and even probably before I signed him, I knew he was managerial material. 'I've seen him a few times when I've been to watch City this year, and it will be great to come up against him. He's a really decent guy, and one I've got a lot of time for and a lot of respect for.' As well as looking down the pyramid for local talent, having constructive relationships with those higher up the chain, such as Workington and Carlisle United, will always be important for a club like Penrith. 'That's part of being in Cumbrian football, isn't it?' says Nichols. 'There's not a lot of us, and you want to help people out as much as you can, because you know how hard it is. 'I know Darren [Edmondson], and I know Mark Birch and Steven Rudd at Carlisle, which helps. The club's got really good links as well with Carlisle United, with the use of the astroturf from time to time for training. 'I'm sure we'll lean on those links throughout the season. But at the moment, it's my priority to speak to the lads who are currently involved, and try and identify some lads who potentially could come in and strengthen us. 'Right now it's a case of speaking to them, setting out what we want to do and where we see the club going, and making sure they're on board with that. And if they're not, there may be some difficult conversations to have there. 'But that's football, that's life. Hopefully, most people buy into it, and we can have a really successful season.'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Manager returns to Penrith for second spell in charge
Penrith AFC have confirmed the appointment of Jim Nichols as their new manager. He returns to Frenchfield Park for a second spell in charge of the Northern League Division One club. Nichols is the successor to Darren Edmondson after the latter left Penrith to take the helm at Workington Reds. For Nichols it is a return to the dugout a year on from his departure from Carlisle City, where he had a successful reign. He has been joined by assistant Alan Inglis as he takes charge of Penrith ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. Nichols was previously Penrith boss from 2015 to 2017. In a statement, the club said: "Penrith Football Club welcome Jim Nichols and Alan Inglis to Frenchfield Park after the departure of Darren Edmondson and Richard Prokas. Nichols has joined the Frenchfield Park club after Darren Edmondson's move to Workington Reds (Image: News & Star) "They both spent five years at Carlisle City achieving promotion and impressive cup runs. "Both Jim and Alan have impressive CVs and we sincerely hope they enjoy being part of our beloved club. "Welcome lads from everyone connected to club, players, coaches, and supporters." They will take charge of a Penrith side that finished 17th in Northern League Division One last season. They also reached the Fred Conway Cumberland Cup final, losing 1-0 to Carlisle City. Edmondson had been in charge at the Leo Group Stadium for three years. At Carlisle City, Nichols had a memorable five-and-a-half seasons with the highlights included promotion and the title in Northern League Division Two in 2021/22, and success in that season's Cumberland Cup. Under Nichols, City also reached the third round of the FA Vase for the first time in their history. After leaving City last summer, Dan Kirkup stepped up as the Carlisle club's new manager. In his first season in charge City finished 18th in the table and won the county senior cup.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rivals Carlisle City and Penrith reach final of Cumberland Cup
Carlisle City and Penrith will meet in the final of this season's Fred Conway Cumberland Cup. Both sides came through battling away semi-finals to to book their place in the county senior cup showpiece. City needed extra-time to get past Cleator Moor Celtic while fellow Northern League club Penrith came from behind to defeat Aspatria. Both semi-finals were played on Saturday afternoon with City indebted to manager Dan Kirkup for their progress. He scored the extra-time winner to clinch a 2-1 win. Kirkup had come off the bench and found the net in the second half of extra-time to separate the teams in west Cumbria. Keiron Blair had put City ahead late in the first half of normal time before Cleator Moor levelled soon after the break courtesy of Luke Close. Kirkup introduced himself from the bench in the 78th minute and went on to get the decisive goal in the closing stages of extra-time. GOAL: Cleator Moor Celtic 1-2 CARLISLE CITY - Daniel Kirkup (104') — Carlisle City FC Official (@CarlisleCityFC) March 15, 2025 That saw City join Penrith in the final after Darren Edmondson's side were made to work hard to get past Aspatria. The hosts took an early lead at St Mungo's Park through Andrew Trestianu, but Penrith hit back in the second half with goals from Kingsley Grandison, Matty Moynan and Luke Hunter. GOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLL Superb free kick from Kingsley Grandison 1-1#bonnyblues @bbccumbriasport — Penrith_AFC (@penrith_afc) March 15, 2025 It will be the first meeting of Carlisle City and Penrith in the final since 2006. City will be aiming to win the trophy they last lifted in 2022, while Penrith are aiming to win the county cup for the first time since 2010. Penrith have won both league meetings between the clubs this season, while there could be extra spice in the final after post-match comments by the respective managers following Penrith's 2-1 win at City in February. Kirkup said he was "disappointed" with Penrith's post-match behaviour, saying City's opponents were "smashing on our door" whilst also accusing Edmondson of "disrespectful" comments about the game when the Penrith chief said his side were "comfortable" winners and highlighted his team's fitness and work-rate. Kirkup, after that game, said: "Football has a funny way of biting you in the backside. It could be a tasty final if we both did get there. It would be an interesting one, to say the least.' The date and venue for the final are yet to be announced.
The Independent
09-02-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
The greatest FA Cup shocks as Plymouth pull the rug on high-flying Liverpool
Plymouth downed all-conquering Liverpool 1-0 at Home Park on Sunday as the Premier League pace-setters found themselves dumped out of the FA Cup by the Sky Bet Championship's bottom team. Here, the PA news agency looks back on some other celebrated giant-killing acts. Blyth Spartans 3 Stoke 2 (1978) A famous upset for Northern League side Blyth Spartans as they handed Stoke an early exit in the fourth round. Despite Terry Johnson's early opener, Stoke pulled two goals back, but Steve Carney equalised and Johnson lashed home a winner at the death. The win set up a fifth-round meeting with Wrexham, who beat them in a replay at St James' Park. Crawley 3 Leeds 0 (2021) In their third-round tie, Marcelo Bielsa's side were reeling from two goals inside three second-half minutes from Nick Tsaroulla and Ashley Nadesan before Jordan Tunnicliffe finished them off with 20 minutes remaining. To rub salt in the wounds Crawley even handed a debut to reality TV star Mark Wright as a late substitute, but the only way was out of the cup for Leeds. Hereford 2 Newcastle 1 (1972) Southern League side Hereford had earned a 2-2 draw at St James' Park in February 1972 and were given little chance of emulating that feat in their third-round replay. It was all going to plan when Newcastle took the lead in a game which had been postponed three times by bad weather. But Hereford grew stronger as the match went on and Ronnie Radford equalised with a long-range thunderbolt, one of the cup's most famous ever goals, to take the game into extra time where Ricky George hit the winner. Sutton 2 Coventry 1 (1989) Coventry arrived in Surrey just 18 months after winning the 1987 FA Cup and were riding high in the top flight. It appeared to be a case of 'no contest' against the non-leaguers. But they were left stunned in their third-round meeting as Tony Rains and Matthew Hanlan became the goalscoring heroes for a team fashioned by English teacher Barrie Williams. Both scorers became instant celebrities, appearing on Terry Wogan's chat show the following Monday. Wrexham 2 Arsenal 1 (1992) The Gunners were the reigning league champions, Wrexham were bottom of the old fourth division – there was only going to be one result at the Racecourse Ground. Arsenal had taken the lead through Alan Smith in the third-round clash but with 10 minutes to go, 37-year-old Mickey Thomas unleashed a 20-yard free-kick past David Seaman for the equaliser. The Welsh side could sense an upset and Steve Watkin popped up late on to score the winner and send their illustrious opponents crashing out. Cambridge 1 Newcastle 0 (2022) Third-tier Cambridge stunned Premier League club Newcastle with a 1-0 FA Cup victory at St James' Park that fired the League One side into the fourth round. Joe Ironside scored the only goal of the game, striking in the 56th minute to dump Eddie Howe's side out of the competition. Wycombe 2 Leicester 1 (2001) Second Division club Wycombe provided an upset in the quarter-finals of the competition in 2001, beating Premier League Leicester 2-1. Paul McCarthy put the Chairboys ahead before Muzzy Izzet equalised for the Foxes, but Roy Essandoh, who remarkably was brought in via an advert on Ceefax in to ease Wycombe's injury crisis, sent them into the semi-finals with a last-gasp header. Maidstone 2 Ipswich 1 National League South outfit Maidstone pulled made a mockery of their lowly status to brush off Championship side Ipswich and book a spot in the fifth round. Lamar Reynolds and Jeremy Sarmiento traded goals before Sam Corne scored the winner in the 66th minute to dump the Tractor Boys out of the competition.
