Soccer

NOTTINGHAM FOREST owner Evangelos Marinakis has been slapped with a FIVE-MATCH stadium ban for his furious outburst.Marinakis, 57, was adjudged to have behaved in an “improper” manner in the City Ground tunnel following the 1-0 defeat to Fulham on September 28. Evangelos Marinakis has been hit with a five-match stadium banCredit: GettyHe was furious after his side lost their unbeaten start to the season to a second-half penalty which was converted by Raul Jimenez.Referee Josh Smith awarded Fulham the penalty on the advice of VAR John Brooks, while denying Forest two spot-kick claims of their own.And Marinakis’ emotions got the better of him in his tunnel meltdown.Now the Forest chief – who paid for the club’s multi-million-pound training ground renovation and also owns Olympiacos – has paid the price with a hefty penalty of his own.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLAn FA statement said: “Nottingham Forest’s Evangelos Marinakis has been sanctioned by an independent Regulatory Commission.”Evangelos Marinakis was charged with misconduct following Nottingham Forest’s Premier League match against Fulham on Saturday 28 September.”It was alleged that his behaviour around the tunnel area after the final whistle was improper. He denied this charge, but it was found proven by the independent Regulatory Commission, and a five-match stadium/ground suspension has been imposed.”The independent Regulatory Commission’s written reasons for its decisions will be published in due course.”Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSMarinakis will therefore have to watch the games against Crystal Palace, Leicester, West Ham, Newcastle and Arsenal from away from the grounds. Therefore will next be able to take his seat in the stands of the stadium he owns when his side host Ipswich on November 30 – but will be denied entry to the City Ground against the Eagles, Hammers and Magpies. Watch hilarious moment Premier League ref says ‘hello there’ to the BALL as fans call it ‘highlight of the weekend’And it was a double whammy for Forest on Friday.That is because, in a separate punishment, the FA also hit manager Nuno Espirito Santo with a three-match touchline ban for his red card during the 2-2 draw with Brighton.Santo lost his cool when Morgan Gibbs-White was sent off and was dismissed alongside Seagulls counterpart Fabian Hurzeler.The ex-Wolves and Spurs boss must also pay a fine of £55,000 while Gibbs-White got a one-match suspension and £20,000 fine.Hurzeler, however, only needs to stump up £8,000 – and has faced no ban. A separate FA statement added: “It was alleged that the Nottingham Forest head coach [Santo] acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official.”The Nottingham Forest midfielder [Gibbs-White] allegedly acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words towards the fourth official after being sent off.”It was alleged that the Brighton and Hove Albion manager [Hurzeler] acted in an improper manner.”During the international break, Forest were fined a whopping £750,000 for an explosive post claiming the VAR ref for their defeat to Everton towards the end of last season was “a Luton fan” – when both the East Midlanders and the Hatters were vying to avoid relegation. Elsewhere, Wayne Rooney got a one-match touchline ban and £5,500 fine following his dismissal late on in Plymouth’s win over Blackburn. READ MORE SUN STORIESThe ex-England captain accepted using improper, abusive or insulting words towards a match official and a charge of improper and/or violent conduct relating to him kicking a water bottle.Rooney also admitted returning to the field of play after being sent off as he came back out to congratulate his squad for their last-gasp winner. Marinakis was furious at the VAR call to award Fulham a penaltyCredit: GettyRaul Jimenez made no mistake from the spotCredit: GettyNuno Espirito Santo got a three-match touchline ban for his red card at BrightonCredit: Reuters More

FULHAM have defended the eye-watering prices for tickets in their new stand – because they have ‘business class’ fans.Celebrity Fulham fan Richard Osman yesterday hosted the official launch of the £100 million Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage, which sits on the banks of the Thames.Fulham new stand is nearly ready to fully open for businessCredit: AFPThe Riverside Stand is set to open in DecemberCredit: Fulham FCThe lavish new stand has plenty of swanky featuresCredit: Fulham FCThe Cottagers have been criticised for their high ticket pricesCredit: Fulham FCMany fans have expressed outrage about the regular ticket prices for Premier League games in the new stand which cost upwards of £120.However, they pale into insignificance compared to the corporate season tickets prices which range between £3,250 and £10,000 plus VAT, taking it to the region of £12,000.Chief executive Alistair Mackintosh said: “When I first spoke to the Fulham Disabled Supporters Association they gave me some advice and that was that Fulham is the sort of club that can have a business class or first class and have fans that turn left on a plane.“They said to me, that is for some people but the rest of us want a premium experience elsewhere.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“They may want to have this experience for the odd game then may want to return to their seats.“I feel stretching pricing means there is something for everyone at Craven Cottage. But the attention is on the top-end pricing as it is more interesting to report than the bottom end, but our game against Villa is sold out.“It shows there is a lot of demand for these tickets and if we had a bigger stand it would be nice but we are selling out everything we have.”The project took almost six years to complete and had to overcome several logistical obstacles including building contractors Buckingham going into administration midway through the build.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSDeep pocketed Fulham fans will not be short of corporate facilitiesCredit: Fulham FCThe new Riverside Stand has taken six years to buildCredit: Fulham FCThe stand will be fully open for business in December and features a top-deck swimming pool, a Michelin-starred restaurant and various swanky bars and dining areas.It will also increase the capacity at Craven Cottage to just under 30,000.’What’s that-‘ – Chabuddy G actor left stunned by what’s in Fulham’s trophy cabinet during Craven Cottage tourFulham also plan to build a pier adjacent to the new stand, allowing fans to access the Cottage by boat. But Mackintosh played down rumours its construction would affect the Varsity Boat Race which passes nearby Putney Bridge.He said: “There has been quite a bit of fake news about an 86-metre pier that would stop the boat race and that has never been in the plan.“We are working with the boat race company because they will use this as one of their key venues and are discussing working with them rather than stopping them.“We want people to travel here in a green and accessible way by boat.”Season tickets will cost up to £12,000 in the new standCredit: Fulham FCPlans are afoot for Fulham to build a new pier outside the Riverside StandCredit: Getty More

ERIK TEN HAG says rumours of his imminent sacking are “fairytales”.But he admits that Manchester United simply are not good enough right now.Erik ten Hag is under huge pressure with Manchester United 14th in the Premier LeagueNew co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, left in green jacket, could sack Ten Hag if results get any worseCredit: AFPTen Hag’s job is hanging by a thread after their worst ever start to a Premier League season sees them in 14th place going into this weekend’s home game against Brentford.Still, the Dutchman feels rock solid in his position at Old Trafford, even if others are finding that difficult to believe.Ten Hag said: “The only noise is only coming from the media. Bringing up stories, creating stories, making fairytales. We are all on one page this club.“I said that before the break, and several journalists they didn’t believe me, I see the reports but internal in the club it’s quiet.”READ MORE ON MAN UTDHowever, he knows things have to improve starting with the visit of Thomas Frank and his team, another manager linked to the Old Trafford hot seat.Ten Hag said: “Of course, we are unhappy in the position where we are and we have to turn the corner with a strategy to turn this corner but ultimately we are quiet, we are composed, we stay where we are, we stick to the plan and we are convinced we will make it a success.“Also we have to climb a mountain, that’s top football and sometimes you have to face challenges, sometimes it goes up, sometimes it goes down I am sure we will make it a success like we did the last two seasons.“We are in a direction, underneath I see good patterns, good steps that confirm we are in a direction but the ranking is not lying, it is not good enough.”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSMan Utd have not won in five games in all competitionsCredit: GettyThomas Tuchel was another manager tipped to take over from Ten Hag and was even spoken to by the club over the summer as they sought out a new boss only to stay with the man they had.Now he has become England manager and Ten Hag believes it is a good choice.Darren Bent claims Thomas Frank is ready to take over from Erik ten Hag at Man Utd He said: “I think it’s a very good choice from the FA. He is a top class manager who has proved himself, creating top teams, creating teams who win.“England hasn’t won since 1966 so I think it’s a very good appointment to get a win because England has world-class players to make a team and they have the opportunity to win the Euros or the World Cup.”United just need to win a few more games to take the heat off Ten Hag whether he thinks stories of his position being under pressure are fairytales or not.The players look like they are feeling the pressure particularly in front of their own fans with a shocking performance in the 3-0 defeat against Tottenham last time out at Old Trafford.He stabilised things with away draws against Porto and Aston Villa.And Ten Hag said: “I think the players do well, we won a trophy last season, maybe you forgot and when we face problems sometimes we have to line up teams that were not in the right balance because the players were not available.“In general, the players do perform well and we have to start scoring and that part is the most important part in football if you want to win games.“That part we have to improve, we are entering the final third, the box, we are coming in good positions to score but now the most important part is to net.”READ MORE SUN STORIESUnited go into Saturday’s game without Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire who are out for a fortnight each injured.There is good news on Noussair Mazraoui, however, who is available after a procedure on his heart.Nine managers Man Utd considered before keeping Erik ten HagERIK TEN HAG appears to be safe as Man Utd manager, but the Dutchman edged dangerously close to the sack.Here are nine managers Red Devils chiefs are reported to have considered for the job and what allegedly happened with each.Gareth SouthgateEnjoys plenty of support among Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos chiefs but made clear he wouldn’t talk to any clubs until after Euro 2024. There is yet to be any suggestion that contact was made with the England boss.Kieran McKennaTalks were opened with McKenna’s representatives before the FA Cup final, but the former Man Utd coach opted to sign a new deal with Ipswich after Ten Hag’s Wembley win.Roberto De ZerbiAllegedly sounded out before the FA Cup final with salary expectations discussed. But Ineos chiefs concluded ex-Brighton boss was not the right fit for the project.Thomas FrankBrentford boss met Man Utd representatives the day before the FA Cup final. The Dane also dined with Ratcliffe, Roy Hodgson and Frank Lampard at the launch of a new Ineos car in February.Marco SilvaFulham boss reportedly met Man Utd representatives face-to-face two days before the FA Cup final, around the same time as Ten Hag was conducting his press conference.Mauricio PochettinoFell out of Man Utd’s thinking in the first week of June, despite being a favourite of Sir Alex Ferguson.Thomas TuchelMade a very strong impression and came across well during a Monaco meeting. Personal terms were discussed before the ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss decided to step back from the process.Ruben AmorimSporting boss was discussed by the Man Utd hierarchy but did not make the final reckoning.Roberto MartinezPortugal manager was considered in the early stages. More

JHON DURAN is the blockbusting strike sensation who steams through defences like a runaway train.Yet when he was a kid, that unstoppable incendiary style once threatened to derail his own dreams of glory.Aston Villa star Jhon Duran has come a long way from humble beginnings in ColombiaCredit: GettyDuran started out at Envigado where he learned under Wilberth Perea and James Rodriguez’s fatherCredit: GettyPerea worked hard to help Duran unfold his full talent before his move to VillaDuran, 20, has been Aston Villa’s star of the season so far, capped by a stunning winner in the club’s 1-0 Champions League victory against Bayern Munich.Although nine of his ten appearances have come off the bench, his six goals top Villa’s scoring charts and made him a Holte End hero.The Colombian’s pace and power makes him impossible to knock off the ball.But in his early days at Envigado FC back home, that heart for a battle and refusal to back down once brought more cards than a casino croupier.Read More on FootballYouth coach Wilberth Perea, the man Duran sees as a second father, knew he was a special talent.Perea, whose assistant was Colombian legend James Rodriguez’s father, revealed: “He first got my attention at 11 and always had an overwhelming personality.“Jhon had such a strong character who didn’t back down from anyone and was afraid of no one.“He had the heart and soul of a child but when competing was totally different. He always played at the limit, no matter the cost. Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”He’s doing it against the best defenders in England but even as a young player, against older and more experienced ones who played dirty, he didn’t care.“Even then he was like a runaway train. Jhon just crushed them without giving them a chance and his style of play meant he got so many cards.”Jhon Duran ’causes chaos with s—housery’ as Aston Villa ace performs controversial gesture amid West Ham transfer linkFining the up-and-coming Duran was no option as the kid from the humble background had little money.The solution came with punishing laps of the pitch — plus a series of rockets from his coach that often reduced him to tears.Perea added: “We couldn’t impose fines, so made him run round the athletics track at the stadium, that’s why he has an explosive capacity and such a long sprint trajectory.“There were many moments in the Under-15 locker room I had to show such a temper at times it made him cry.“His mother and father, Saturnina and Regino, are humble people and I knew how hard it had been for them to support their family. I told Jhon, ‘You have to give your parents a better life. Please don’t waste the chance’. It touched his pride and, at times, he didn’t like it.”Yet he knuckled down and, when he signed pro, the club gave him a place to live where he could bring his parents.Skipping schoolThere were still hiccups along the way, though — like skipping school so often that Perea would make regular trips just to check he had turned up.He joked: “I would make surprise visits to school and if Jhon wasn’t there, I’d furiously go round to his house and he’d be in bed listening to reggae!“Sometimes I felt like grabbing him by the ears and throwing him out of the window. The school janitor used to laugh and said I was the student, not Jhon.”Duran is passing every footballing test with honours this season.After a stuttering start to life at Villa, who signed him from MLS side Chicago Fire for an initial £14.75million last term, his career has exploded.READ MORE SUN STORIESAnd when he hit that stunning lobbed winner against Bayern, Perea admitted it left him sobbing with pride.He said: “I called Saturnina and we were both crying. All those days he said he was fed up and wanted to throw in the towel, now he’s scoring against the best teams in the world.”Who are these famous footballers? More

CHELSEA have trademarked a new crest and have staked their claim as “London’s true club”.The new badge, which will NOT replace the current one, features the iconic blue lion above the letters “LDN”.Chelsea have trademarked a new emblem to celebrate the club’s 120th anniversaryCredit: ChelseaThe new crest will not replace the current oneCredit: RexThe emblem has been released to celebrate the Blues’ 120th anniversary in March.Reports from the Daily Mail claim the logo will be seen on club branding in the coming months.Designers Uncommon Creative Studio called it a “new icon designed to show Chelsea as London’s true club.”They added: “This new visual identity will continue to come to life across the club, stadium and players throughout the season. Stay tuned.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLChelsea applied to trademark the crest back in August, with other parties given two months to oppose the ruling.But none of their capital rivals like Tottenham, Arsenal or West Ham objected – despite the Hammers having the word “London” on their badge already.The emblem is now registered to Chelsea for at least the next ten years.Fans were split on the design, with one saying: “It’s beautiful.”Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAnother added: “I hope they don’t use LDN underneath, use CFC.”A third commented: “I’m all for the Lion crest. It’s clean and modern but the ‘LDN’ underneath it feels very franchisey.”How Chelsea can shock Liverpool in ultimate ‘game of chicken’ with high-risk ‘tension-ball’ tacticMeanwhile, the club has also applied to trademark the words “Chels” and “The Chels”.A decision from the UK Intellectual Property Office on those is due next month. More