Latest news with #Wirral-born
Daily Mirror
11-08-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Lionesses star admits her surprise at Sarina Wiegman's words during England shootout win
England's Lionesses won Euro 2025 in July after beating Spain on penalties in the final, with Niamh Charles scoring from the spot in what was her first-ever senior shootout Lionesses star Niamh Charles has shared her shock at being chosen by her manager Sarina Wiegman to take a penalty during England's Euro 2025 final victory over Spain. England achieved the extraordinary by winning the tournament in July, securing their status as consecutive European Champions after their 2022 victory. Despite only playing 77 minutes throughout the tournament and never having scored in a senior shootout, Wiegman entrusted the 26-year-old Charles with a penalty as England faced Spain in a nail-biting shootout following a 1-1 draw after extra time. With England facing another penalty shootout, after dispatching Sweden on their way to the final in one, Charles was taken aback when Wiegman nominated her as the third player to take a spot-kick at Basel's St Jakob-Park. The Wirral-born footballer recounted to The Athletic how she overcame her initial shock to focus on the task at hand. "It was a surprise," she said. "It's very weird, I don't remember the moment I took it. I remember so clearly putting the ball on the spot. Because I put the valve down and was like, 'No, I don't want to kick the valve'. So I moved it. We'd spoken about it throughout the tournament about making it your time. I kept repeating in my head: 'Just do your job'. Take the emotion away from it. "That's where it changes if I was in the first five versus when I wasn't. Against Sweden (in the penalty shootout), I supported the people who were in the first five more, I was more conscious of their feelings. "When I was in the first five, as well as helping people before me and after me, it was focusing on my job. I was so aware of what I was going to have to do. You have to take the emotion out of it. We spoke about that as a team: make it methodical. Staff go there. Players there. Remove the emotion." The Chelsea defender confessed she wasn't brimming with confidence before Wiegman's unexpected instruction. In preparation for Euro 2025, those in the England squad received a note asking whether they'd be willing to step up for a penalty should the need arise. Charles, who has only ever attempted one penalty – a miss for her previous club Liverpool – had been dedicating extra time to practising penalties after training in recent seasons. Despite this, she was reluctant to commit to the form. "I didn't fill it out for ages, which probably shows that I hadn't put myself up there," she added. "I think I put six (penalty taker) onwards, like I do for Chelsea. I'm comfortable taking one, but if someone who has more experience wants to take one before me, that's fine." Her penalty arrived at a pivotal moment. Following England keeper Hannah Hampton's save from Mariona Caldentey, the shootout was deadlocked at 1-1. Charles then stepped up and confidently dispatched her penalty. This was followed by Aitana Bonmati's miss and Chloe Kelly's decisive strike, which clinched victory. Post-match, Wiegman admitted that despite the calm display during the shootout, the tournament had been anything but orderly for England's champions. "It's the most chaotic EURO I've been involved in," the 55-year-old coach said. "We just kept thinking, 'What do we have to do to help the team?' We came from behind every single game, quarter-final, semi-final and now the final; this team always have belief, they always think we can come back. "We have players who are very talented too, otherwise we couldn't do that. The togetherness, the fight, the belief in this team is so incredible, I'm so proud of them."
Daily Mirror
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker hints he'll be arrested after making bold claim
Pulp's Jarvis Cocker discussed the likelihood of him getting arrested as he discussed the loss of iconic venue The Leadmill in Sheffield Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker joked about potentially getting arrested as he discussed the loss of iconic venue The Leadmill in Sheffield. The group played their first-ever public concert at the venue in 1980, and returned to perform many times as they got more and more famous. However, the venue lost their appeal against their eviction notice from The Electric Group in 2024 and asked artists if they would like to perform farewell concerts at the venue for one last time. During a recent interview, Jarvis was asked whether there would be a chance the group could play at The Leadmill one final time. Jarvis said he doesn't think Pulp 'would fit into' the venue now but admits he wants to take home a black plaque that commemorates the group's first concert. 'My main thing is trying to figure out how to get that plaque outside off the wall before the new owner moves in,' he said to NME. 'I vowed that's what I'd do if it was to close, and now it is. If the next thing you read about me is that I've been arrested trying to crowbar off a plaque from the outside of The Leadmill, you'll know why.' Pulp might not be performing at the venue but Miles Kane recently hinted he could be joined by Alex Turner at the final-ever gig. Miles, 39, who collaborates with the Arctic Monkeys' frontman in The Last Shadow Puppets, is set to headline the iconic venue's farewell gig on June 27, following The Leadmill's forced departure. Sheffield-based band the Monkeys performed at Leadmill countless times before the release of their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not. Now, Wirral-born Miles' performance could see Alex reuniting with Miles on stage, as hinted during Miles' chat with Radio X When quizzed about the possibility of Alex, also 39, joining him, Miles joked: "Well, he's redecorating it (The Leadmill) at the minute, so he's making it all leopard print for us, because, you know, it's got to be done by hand." He affectionately added: "My door's always open for my bro, he knows that, and that's that." Alex hasn't performed on stage since Arctic Monkeys wrapped up their tour for their latest album, The Car, in 2023. Speaking to Radio X, he reflected: "It's served me well, and Sheffield as a city as well has always had my back with gigs, that'd be one of the first to sell out or whatever. "So, it's a complete honour, and let's give it a good send-off. I think it'll be a very special night, and it always pops off in there, and hopefully next Friday it won't be any different."
Daily Mirror
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Miles Kane hints Alex Turner could join performance at Leadmill's final ever gig
Miles Kane is due to perform the final gig at The Leadmill in Sheffield on June 27, and has said he would welcome his Last Shadow Puppets bandmate Alex Turner joining him Miles Kane has hinted that he could be joined by Alex Turner at The Leadmill's final ever gig. Kane, 39, who collaborates with the Arctic Monkeys' frontman in The Last Shadow Puppets, is set to headline the iconic venue's farewell gig on June 27, following The Leadmill's forced departure due to an eviction dispute with landlord Electric Group. Sheffield-based band the Monkeys performed at Leadmill countless times before the release of their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not. Now, Wirral-born Kane's performance could see Turner reuniting with Kane on stage, as hinted during Kane's chat with Radio X. When quizzed about the possibility of Turner, also 39, joining him, Kane joked: "Well, he's redecorating it (The Leadmill) at the minute, so he's making it all leopard print for us, because, you know, it's got to be done by hand." He affectionately added: "My door's always open for my bro, he knows that, and that's that." Turner hasn't performed on stage since Arctic Monkeys wrapped up their tour for their latest album, The Car, in 2023. With both albums from The Last Shadow Puppets topping the UK charts, Kane expressed his pride in being chosen to perform the last gig at The Leadmill, acknowledging the venue's significance in his career and the unwavering support from Sheffield fans. Speaking to Radio X, he reflected: "It's served me well, and Sheffield as a city as well has always had my back with gigs, that'd be one of the first to sell out or whatever. "So, it's a complete honour, and let's give it a good send-off. I think it'll be a very special night, and it always pops off in there, and hopefully next Friday it won't be any different." Arctic Monkeys have celebrated six of their seven albums hitting the number one spot, with chart-topping singles like I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor and When The Sun Goes Down. The Sheffield rockers delivered a rousing rendition of I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor and a Beatles tribute with Come Together at the 2012 London Olympic Games opening ceremony, and they've topped the bill at Glastonbury thrice – in 2007, 2013, and 2023. Bosses at The Leadmill said it was a "heartbreaking moment" as it announced it will have to leave its premises within three months after losing an appeal against eviction. They issued a statement last month which said the judgment will mean the loss of more than 70 jobs. It said: "This is a heartbreaking moment not just for our team but for the entire Sheffield community. We've fought tirelessly to protect this independent venue which has supported countless artists, musicians and creatives for over four decades. "Today's decision feels like a betrayal of the cultural fabric of our city." The statement went on: "We're truly devastated by this outcome, but we also know hand on heart that we did everything possible to stop the Leadmill being evicted. "We have poured our energy, time, love and determination into this fight and we're immensely proud of our team and the community that stood by us. We walk forward with our heads held high, knowing we gave it our all." The Leadmill said the decision has "ramifications for every business tenant in the country". It said: "The judgment in the High Court and in the Court of Appeal confirms that tenants have no rights whatsoever, that if a landlord wants to profit from evicting the tenant and copying the tenant's business, it can do so." And it added: "If you worked all the hours God sends over years to build a successful business, it can be forcibly seized in the most egregious way. Our advice to every business tenant in the country is: if you can, get out of the building you occupy and go online. Your business cannot be stolen there."
