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      Former England star named as fans’ favourite to take over Match of the Day with pundit more popular than Gary Lineker

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      FANS want a former England international to become the next Match of the Day host.Gary Lineker confirmed earlier this month that he will step down as host of the BBC highlights programme at the end of the season after 25 years in the role.The BBC are yet to confirm who will replace Gary Lineker as Match of the Day hostCredit: BBCA number of broadcasters have been linked with the role including the likes of Mark Chapman, Alex Scott, Gabby Logan and Kelly Somers.But a poll carried out from Ipsos of football fans between the ages of 18 and 75 has revealed a left-field name as the viewers’ choice for the position.That individual is Alan Shearer.A total of 71 per cent have a “favourable” view of him as a pundit, while 22 per cent would like to see him as the next host of Match of the Day.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThat is a higher figure than any other candidate – with the next best being Chapman at 20 per cent, followed by Scott at 12 and Logan at ten per cent.Ian Wright has the next highest pundit favourability percentage at 65 per cent.Lineker is down in third at 57, narrowly ahead of Roy Keane [56], Gary Neville [55] and Micah Richards [54].Recent reports have claimed Shearer penned a new deal with the BBC in the wake of Lineker’s departure.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSAlan Shearer, right, is the fans’ favourite to take over from LinekerCredit: Kieran Clarke/BBCShearer has a 22 per cent approval rating, higher than any other candidateHe also joked he would not sign an extension on Match of the Day if pal Richards was named as Lineker’s successor.Speaking on The Rest Is Football, he said: “That is a f***ing massive concern by the way [Richards hosting Match of the Day].”I’m not signing my new contract if you’re a presenter by the way.”Gabby Logan backed to replace Gary Lineker on Match Of The Day by Lorraine Kelly saying she’d be ‘fantastic and amazing’The fans’ favourite pundit is also ShearerShearer’s former England team-mate Paul Gascoigne recently tipped the Newcastle legend to take the Match of the Day job because he “loves a bit of money”.Premier League record scorer Shearer has been a pundit on the BBC show for nearly two decades.He has also worked for Amazon Prime on their football coverage.Who could replace Gary Lineker as MOTD host?GARY LINEKER dropped the shock news that he is QUITTING Match of the Day.The popular presenter, 63, took over hosting duties on the flagship BBC programme from Des Lynam in 1999.But after more than 25 years in the studio hotseat, he has called time on his MOTD gig.But as part of a huge shake-up, the BBC is considering rotating the presenters on a weekly basis.So with Lineker vacating the chair, new names will step into his giant boots. But who could they be?MARK CHAPMANChapman, 51, is the obvious early favourite to follow on from Lineker as MOTD presenter.He already has the gig as MOTD2 host on a Sunday night plus landed the presenting job for the new BBC Champions League highlights show.ALEX SCOTTScott gets the nod from the Beeb bosses when Lineker is away.The former right-back, 40, is used to presenting the Saturday night show as well as live match coverage – plus ticks the box as a former England international.GABBY LOGANLike Scott, Logan, 51, is one of the understudies to step in when Lineker is not available.She has done most gigs since joining the BBC in 2007, including Olympics, Sports Personality of the Year and Final Score.MICAH RICHARDSLineker’s top pick to replace him is exuberant former Man City defender Richards.The departing host told his close pal, 36, on their Stick to Football podcast: “I’d love to see you take over Micah, I think you’d be brilliant in the chair.”JASON MOHAMMADMohammad could earn the “promotion” from Final Score to Match of the Day.The 51-year-old Welshman – who took over from Logan in 2013 – is one of the BBC’s top earners already and is more senior than fellow Final Score and BBC Sport broadcaster Kelly Somers, who could in theory become the main live host for the afternoon slot.JEFF STELLINGHe couldn’t, could he? While Lineker has been the face of Saturday night TV for football fans for years, the face of the afternoons was Stelling in his role as Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday presenter.He would bring plenty of on-screen charisma, wit and legendary TV expertise – but at nearly 70 and currently with talkSPORT, the Hartlepool fan would not be a cheap or long-term appointment. More

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      A-list celebrities exploring takeover of EFL clubs after watching Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham success

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      A-LIST celebrities are set to follow in the footsteps of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney after their success with Wrexham.The Hollywood actors secured back-to-back promotions with the Red Dragons to return the club to the third tier for the first time in 15 years, and are on the right track to repeat that feat this season.Celebrities are looking to follow in the footsteps of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenneyCredit: AFPTom Brady invested in Birmingham last yearCredit: GettyA figure like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson could have a big impact on an English clubCredit: The Mega AgencyThe pair have acted as a catalyst for celebrity investment in English football, with the likes of Tom Brady, JJ Watt, Will Ferrell and golfers Jordan Spieth and Jordan Thomas all involved at various EFL clubs.Many more high-profile celebrities are set to follow suit according to football investment specialist Adam Sommerfeld, whose work involves connecting clubs with prospective celebrity investors.He told SunSport: “There are some incredibly high profile celebrities that are looking, some of the time it’s with their agent, some of the time it’s with the direct celebrity, but there are certainly some incredibly high profile ones looking at the moment.”Whether they find what they are looking for is another question. Celebrities certainly from the sporting world want to be seen to back a winner.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”If you back a team in the Premier League that then gets relegated three times in a row, you don’t want to be connected to that.”It’s finding a club that could go on a journey but isn’t likely to plummet and negatively impact your brand.”Reynolds and McElhenney are quite unique as they are majority owners of Wrexham, whereas the likes of Brady and Watt only have minor shares in Birmingham and Burnley respectively.But they have already seen a return on their investment in terms of exposure, with League One Blues a regular pick for Sky Sports coverage – David Beckham even attended their match against Wrexham and sat alongside NFL legend Brady.Most read in EFLBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSAnd it appears the trend of celeb and US involvement in English clubs is only set to rise, with rapper A$AP Rocky tipped to invest in Tranmere.Sommerfeld continued: “Every team has at some point spoken in recent months to US investors. Most teams will listen and listen very seriously, as will most companies. Tom Brady in hilarious reaction after getting X-rated welcome from Wrexham fans for Birmingham clash”For a celebrity it’s a win-win. Ultimately you want to make sure you’re not backing the wrong horse that could have multiple relegations, goes out of business, but that’s very rare.”Otherwise it’s win-win for the celeb because they get to promote their personal brand to that team, they will gain Instagram followers, social media followers, which can be directly related to revenue for them.”There is the fun element, there is the partnership element of other doors that will open up in terms of co-valuing opportunities for both sides.”It’s sort of like how can The Rock’s followers go and follow Watford for example, and now that celebrity is being followed by Watford fans and now they might go and watch his latest film because of the affinity to Watford.”And rarely do celebrities put big capital in, most of it will be brand equity they will be putting in. “So their name is their investment, it’s not like they have to put in a huge amount of capital.” More

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      Top tips for Score Predictor Matchweek 12 – play now and compete for £250 weekly prize!

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      SCORE PREDICTOR returns with Matchweek 12 coming in hot.As usual, it’s free to play with a £250 cash prize for the weekly winner so there’s no reason to shy away.Play Score Predictor now!Credit: Dream TeamSimply submit your predictions for the five selected Premier League games and earn points for the accuracy of your forecast as the action unfolds.If you amass the most points then – cha ching – you’ll pocket the cash!Allow us to present some key stats and facts for each relevant fixture this Matchweek.Arsenal v Nottingham ForestThis was a relatively straightforward match-up to predict in recent seasons but Forest are a different beast this term.Nuno Espirito Santo’s mob are currently fifth in the table, level with the Gunners on 19 points.Only Liverpool have conceded fewer league goals than Forest at this stage while only Erling Haaland is clear of Chris Wood in the Golden Boot race.Mikel Arteta’s troops will certainly be wary of an upset having only won one of their last five outings in all competitions; and that a victory over Championship side Preston in the Carabao Cup.Most read in FootballWhat’s more, Forest boast the second-best away record in the top flight having gone unbeaten on the road since the start of the campaign.There’s a chance Arsenal will have reset during the international break but all signs point to a very competitive game at the Emirates this Saturday.Our Prediction: 1-1 drawForest have already won at Anfield this seasonCredit: GettyManchester City v TottenhamProbably the standout match-up of Matchweek 12.Pep Guardiola suffered a fourth consecutive defeat for the first time in his managerial career when his side fell to Brighton prior to the break.It would be quite something if that run were to extend to five but certainly not inconceivable given the opposition.Spurs have been a bogey team for the decorated tactician in recent years although his woes have generally stemmed from North London – City’s home record remains imperious.Ange Postecoglou’s side are difficult to pin down this season.They’re the league’s top scorers but inconsistent form, typified by their loss to Ipswich last time out, has them tenth in the standings.These sides rank first and second for total shots in the Premier League this season and with vulnerabilities in both defences it could be an entertaining contest – a tough one to predict though.Our Prediction: 2-2 drawScore PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOWSouthampton v LiverpoolIf the first two match-ups are tantalisingly poised, this one appears relatively simple.With Saints pinned to the bottom of the table and the Reds leading the way at the top, this is a huge mismatch on paper.Arne Slot may have one eye on Real Madrid in midweek but it’s surely a question of how many for the visitors on Sunday?Our Prediction: 4-0 to LiverpoolSouthampton will be up against it this weekendCredit: GettyIpswich v Manchester UnitedThe Red Devils once beat the Tractor Boys 9-0 under Alex Ferguson’s watch but that was a long time ago.After an underwhelming start to the campaign that proved to be the end of Erik ten Hag, Man United are just four places above Ipswich in the table at present.Although the East Anglians were made to wait until November 10th for their first Premier League since promotion.The primary talking point about this game revolves around Ruben Amorim with the Portuguese tactician set to take charge of his first game as head coach of the 20-time champions.Score Predictors will have to ask themselves how much they believe in the concept of a new manager bounce.Only Everton, Crystal Palace and Southampton have scored fewer league goals than Man United this term but there were signs of an upturn prior to the break.Our Prediction: 3-1 to Manchester UnitedA trip to Portman represents a relatively favourable start for Amorim on paperCredit: GettyNewcastle v West HamOptimism has been restored at St James’ Park this month following back-to-back wins over Arsenal and high-flying Forest.After a somewhat subdued start to the campaign, Alexander Isak is now bang in form having scored in four consecutive games – the Swedish striker will fancy his chances of extending his streak on Monday night.In contrast, patience is running thin among Hammers fans in regards to Julen Lopetegui’s tenure.West Ham failed to score in either of the last two outings (against Forest and Everton) and have been rendered relatively toothless by Mohammed Kudus’ lengthy suspension.Having been 3-1 down in the 76th minute, Harvey Barnes inspired Newcastle to a 4-3 win over West Ham in the corresponding fixture last season but it should be a more straightforward task for the hosts this time around.Our Prediction: 2-0 to NewcastleREAD MORE SUN STORIESThink you know better? You’re almost certainly right!Play Score Predictor now and put yourself in contention for the £250 weekly prize.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £40 in free bets — HERE**New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More

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      Inside Newcastle’s plans for stunning new stadium near city centre as club eye ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity

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      NEWCASTLE are making plans for a stunning new stadium near the city centre.Toon are “seriously” eyeing the “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity, according to COO Brad Miller.Newcastle could leave St James’ Park for a luxury new stadiumCredit: GettyCOO Brad Miller has called it a ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’Credit: Newcastle UnitedAnd it could see Newcastle depart St James’ Park after 132 years at the iconic arena.Toon have been playing at their home stadium since 1892, with the 52,000-seater located at the heart of town.But with Newcastle’s success on the pitch following their Saudi takeover in 2021, plans are now in the works to build a new state-of-the-art stadium close by.COO Miller revealed at a fan event on Wednesday that the club are nearing a decision after investigating relocation options last year.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLOne option is for Newcastle to expand St James’ Park, which would be a lengthy and expensive operation.But another could see them move to a new stadium close by, with Leazes Park under consideration.Miller admits the decision will play a pivotal part in Newcastle’s future, describing it as a “once in a lifetime” rebuild.And should it prove to be the right one, Toon could soon be rolling in cash and trophies.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSHe told fans: “It is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Do we invest and transform St James’ as we see it today on the site where we are?“Or do we take that bold move and think about moving? We want to make sure it’s a very robust process.Newcastle workers take blowtorch to Alan Shearer’s statue as it’s given facelift AI has predicted what Newcastle’s new stadium could look likeCredit: .“So regardless of the outcome, I want to stand up in front of everybody throughout the process and say, ‘This is why it is a logical decision, with long-term competitiveness in mind’.“Because as you have heard a lot, it is all about revenue and PSR. We have to work hard to make sure we give as much as money to Paul Mitchell and the football side in order to remain competitive on the field.“In terms of the next steps, we are coming towards the end of the next stage, the briefing stage. There are lot of risks and opportunities at St James’ Park.“We have to take time to dig into those and make sure we’ve got the devil in the detail — in terms of the programme, how long it will take and what it will do for us in terms of revenue.“We have also taken the opportunity to look at what a new stadium will look like. It’s not comparing apples with apples, they are not like for like. It’s comparing apples with pears.“The brilliant thing about St James’ is it is in an iconic location, the atmosphere and competitive edge it gives the team on the pitch, and it has 52,000 seats already.READ MORE SUN STORIES“But a new stadium doesn’t have that and we’d have to pay for all those seats again. A new stadium has the potential to earn a lot more, both on matchdays and non-matchdays, a bit like STACK (fan zone).“It is giving us an indication we can actually contribute even more to the football club and football side if we had a new stadium.”How ‘big angel’ Joelinton rescued boss after he fainted in SubwayNEWCASTLE cult hero Joelinton rescued his old boss after he fainted in Subway.And coach Pellegrino Matarazzo still calls the Brazilian his ‘angel’.Matarazzo was Joelinton assistant manager during the midfielder’s spell in Germany with Hoffenheim.Recalling the scary incident, the Matarazzo revealed: “I was standing in the queue and I wasn’t feeling well.“I tried to go over to the Coca-Cola machine to quickly get a drink.”I realised I was about to faint, and I did faint.“When I opened my eyes I saw Joelinton! ‘Rino, Rino, are you okay?'”He was like a small, no a big, angel – Joelinton, what are you doing here?”Read the full story… More

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      ‘Step too far’: Roy Keane reduces Ian Wright and Gary Neville to tears with crude comments about Premier League icon

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      ROY KEANE left Gary Neville and Ian Wright in hysterics with a risque comment to Jill Scott about a former Premier League star.Manchester United legend Keane, 53, took up his regular seat on Stick to Football alongside Neville, Wright, Scott and Paul Scholes.Roy Keane made a hilarious but crude comment to Jill Scott about a former Premier League playerCredit: The OverlapThe comment left the Stick to Football panel in hystericsCredit: The OverlapIt even led to Gary Neville spitting water from his mouthCredit: The OverlapAnd it was when England legend Scott revealed she had played in a charity match against ex-West Ham striker Marlon Harewood that the hilarious remark came out.Speaking on Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet, Scott said: “I was playing at a charity game at the weekend and Marlon Harewood absolutely smashed us.”After Scholes and Wright both commented on him being a “big lad”, Keane joked: “And what was the game like?”The entire panel burst into fits of laughter as Keane playfully smirked at Scott.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLWright shrieked: “Roy, you can’t say that,” before Scott pointed to the camera and demanded: “Please keep that in.”Scholes added: “That’s a step too far,” while Keane attempted to defend himself by saying: “What was the score, I mean, in the game?”They seemed to be settling down, before Wright shouted: “It’s such a powerful image.”That led Neville to spit his water out as he was reduced to hysterics once more.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSKeane’s remark was about ex-West Ham and Aston Villa striker Marlon HarewoodCredit: Getty Images – GettyArsenal legend Wright pointed to the sky in desperation and said: “I can’t unsee it.”While Scott told viewers: “I think this is our last show. Thanks for tuning in.”‘It felt like the beginning of the end for Harry Kane’ says Man Utd legend as he admits fears for England captain Harewood spent five seasons playing in the Premier League for West Ham, Aston Villa and Blackpool.He earned Championship promotion with The Hammers, as well as Wolves and Newcastle. More

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      Who is Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim’s assistant Carlos Fernandes?

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      RUBEN Amorim will be hoping he and his team can lead Manchester United back to greatness.The highly-rated Portugese coach officially joined the Red Devils on November 11, 2024.Carlos Fernandes is assistant head coach to Ruben Amorim at Manchester UnitedCredit: RexAmorim is the sixth permanent Man Utd boss since club legend Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.He follows the likes of David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag in the Old Trafford hot seat.Amorim has brought SIX members of his backroom staff that he worked with at Sporting during his hugely successful four-year spell at the Lisbon club.That includes his right-hand man Carlos Fernandes – and SunSport has the lowdown on Man Utd’s new assistant head coach.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLWho is Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim’s assistant Carlos Fernandes?Carlos Fernandes is assistant head coach to Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim.During his early days in the sport, Fernandes played for amateur side Canecas, but his playing career never reached the professional stage, leading him to start coaching at the remarkable age of 14.As a teenager, he was coaching Benfica’s youth development teams, which was where Amorim was a first-team player at the time.He linked up with Amorim in a coaching capacity for the first time at Casa Pia in 2018, beginning life at the third-tier side as an unpaid intern, but he rose through the ranks to earn his chance as an assistant.Most read in FootballSince then, he has been assistant to Amorim at Braga and then Sporting before joining footballing giants Man Utd.Fernandes is known for his modern approach to training and deep tactical understanding – he is expected to play a huge role in the Red Devils’ on-pitch preparations.The 30-year-old is the same age as his namesake and Man Utd skipper Bruno Fernandes.Ruben Amorim’s Man Utd backroom staffIn addition to Fernandes, Adelio Candido and Emanuel Ferro join Darren Fletcher and Andreas Georgson as Man Utd first-team coaches.Jorge Vital takes up the role of first-team goalkeeper coach – and will be assisted by Craig Mawson – while Paulo Barreira arrives as physical performance coach.Amorim has also brought 39-year-old analyst Eduardo Rosalino with him from Sporting. More

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      ‘It felt like the beginning of the end for Harry Kane’ says Man Utd legend as he admits fears for England captain

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      PAUL SCHOLES reckons the international break “felt like the beginning of the end” for England captain Harry Kane.The former Tottenham striker, 31, is his country’s all-time leading goalscorer with 69 goals in 103 games.Paul Scholes reckons it the ‘beginning of the end’ for Harry Kane’s England careerCredit: AlamyScholes fears what will England will look like without their captainCredit: GettyKane has also led the Three Lions to consecutive Euros finals.And he will now be hoping for a starring role under new England boss Thomas Tuchel, who paid £100million to sign Kane for Bayern Munich last year.However, former interim boss Lee Carsley made a huge call by leaving his skipper out of England’s 3-0 win in Greece last week.Ollie Watkins was preferred up front, despite the Three Lions needing to win after losing the reverse fixture at Wembley in October.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd although Kane was restored to the XI that beat Ireland 5-0 on Sunday, his absence against Greece made a huge impact.Indeed, former England and United midfielder Scholes reckons it has signalled the “beginning of the end” of Kane’s international career.And with the forward turning 32 next summer, his presence on the pitch could begin to wane even further.Scholes told the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet: “It felt like the end of Harry Kane.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS“The beginning of the end. He looked out of place in the team.“When you get older you feel like everything happens a bit quicker around you.Harry Kane’s ‘fugly’ £7,200 statue branded ‘stuff of nightmares’ finally unveiled after sitting in storage for almost five years Kyle Walker has been backed to thrive in a new positionCredit: Getty“It looked a bit like that. But I don’t know how we’d replace him.”However, one older player who appeared to benefit from Carsley’s reign was Kyle Walker.The right-back found himself moved into the middle of defence during the Greece game and for the entirety of the Ireland match.And ex-England defender Gary Neville reckons Walker could end up thriving in his new role.Neville added: “You can look at Kyle Walker in the last few weeks and think he looks a bit different than he has done in previous seasons.“He’s been lightning quick and all of a sudden you think, hang on, there are balls being played inside him.“Kyle’s saviour could be what he’s done with England in the last few weeks, playing centre-back. He could play on the right side of a three, as an example.”England ratings vs IrelandEngland’s newbies put on a five-star second half performance to hammer ten-man Ireland.No fewer than four young Lions bagged their first international goal during the 5-0 win.Here’s how SunSport’s Tom Barclay rated the England stars at Wembley.Jordan Pickford: 6Matched the great Gordon Banks by reaching 73 caps. But the Everton stopper was pretty much a spectator as Ireland showed little ambition in attack.Tino Livramento: 7Became the seventh player across Carsley’s three England camps to be handed a debut. It was his cross which caused panic in the Irish defence, allowing Gordon to volley home his first England goal. Kyle Walker: 6Played at centre-back in back four for his 93rd cap. Headed an early chance over, had a couple of scares before the break before being withdrawn just after the hour when the game was up for the visitors.Marc Guehi: 7Was a little clumsy with a challenge on Evan Ferguson inside the box before the break, but nothing was given. Set up a first England goal for his best mate Gallagher with a flick-on from a corner during the goal blitz at the start of the second half.Lewis Hall: 7Admitted to nerves before his debut on Thursday but did not seem to have any here on his first start, playing alongside his Newcastle colleagues Livramento and Gordon. Could this be the start of a long England career for one of our few natural left-backs?Conor Gallagher: 8Was given the nod ahead of Angel Gomes for the second successive game and capped it with his first England goal by poking home Guehi’s flick just before the hour. England’s confidence at that point was summed up by Gallagher attempting a rabona.Curtis Jones: 7Tidy, if not hitting the heights of his magnificent debut three days earlier. But overall, another success story of the brief Carsley era which has given Thomas Tuchel plenty more options to consider.Noni Madueke: 7His final ball was not quite there compared to his man-of-the-match performance in Athens. But the Chelsea man still caused Ireland all manner of problems with the explosive way he runs at opponents.Jude Bellingham: 9 STAR MANEffectively had three assists as he won the penalty for Harry Kane’s opener – which led to Scales being sent off – and teed up goals for subs Bowen and Harwood-Bellis. A brilliant display from the Real Madrid superstar. How lucky we are to have him. Anthony Gordon: 7Lovely volley for his first England goal and you could see how much it meant to him with his celebration. Caused Ireland issues with his direct running in a promising display.Harry Kane: 7A ponderous first half led to genuine questions over his suitability to this team… but then he showed why he is still the man with a stunning ball to Bellingham in the build-up to the opener.Stuck away the resulting penalty when Bellingham was tripped for his 69th England goal.SUBS:Taylor Harwood-Bellis (on for Walker, 62): 8Followed up Jones’ feat in Greece of netting on his England debut as he brilliantly headed home Bellingham’s fine cross to make it five.Morgan Rogers (on for Gordon, 74): 7Looked confident when coming on and ready to cause more misery against the tired ten men of Ireland. Would have had an assist had Jarrod Bowen put away his cutback.Dominic Solanke (on for Gallagher, 74): 6Almost diverted in his first England goal from fellow sub Bowen’s cross but was beaten to it, just, by the defender.Jarrod Bowen (on for Madueke, 74): 8Crashed home his first England goal with his first touch, seconds after coming on, to make it 4-0.Angel Gomes (on for Jones, 79): 6Tidied up and looked comfortable again in possession. Booked. More

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      Gary Neville negotiated my Man Utd contract with Sir Alex Ferguson – he made him give me more money

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      DANNY SIMPSON claims Gary Neville bagged him more cash after negotiating his Manchester United contract with Sir Alex Ferguson.Simpson, 37, came up through the ranks at Old Trafford but played just eight times before joining Newcastle in 2009.Danny Simpson has revealed how Gary Neville got him more pay at Manchester UnitedCredit: GettyNeville negotiated on Simpson’s behalf with Sir Alex FergusonCredit: GettyThe right-back, who also played for QPR and Leicester, was at one stage hailed as a future Red Devils star.And he took plenty of inspiration from fan favourite Neville, who played in his position.But Simpson knew he was tucked firmly under his fellow defender’s wing when Neville went face-to-face with Sir Alex in contract talks.Fergie famously hated dealing with agents when he would negotiate deals.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe Scot did it all during his time at United manager, sorting out moves and renewals while also coaching his side to titles.And in a stroke of genius, Simpson decided against using an agent in contract talks with Ferguson, instead leaving negotiations to pal Neville.It worked wonderfully too, with Simpson revealing his mate actually bagged him more money.Simpson, who won a Premier League title with Leicester in 2016, told talkSPORT: “Gary Neville actually negotiated my contract with Fergie.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS”As a young kid, when you’re starting to knock on the door and get around the first team, you’re scared that you’re going to annoy him.”He’d go, ‘I want to give you a new contract,’ and you’d say to him, ‘My agent will see you.’ Sir Alex Ferguson ECSTATIC as his horse Spirit Dancer makes history with back-to-back wins in $1million Bahrain raceSimpson later went on to win the Premier League title with LeicesterCredit: –“You were scared to say that. Whereas now it’s the first thing you say.”I’m thinking, ‘If I say that, he’s going to bin me off.’ So I spoke to Gaz and Gaz was like, ‘I’ll go see him for you.'”It was me, Gaz and Sir Alex in the room.”I didn’t really know what to do. So I’m just sat there in the middle.”He (Neville) actually got me more money, to be fair. He actually didn’t [ask for a cut].”The Gaz that you see now is always that Gaz.”Danny Simpson’s career statsMan Utd, 2005-2010: 8 games, 0 goalsRoyal Antwerp (loan), 2005-2006: 30 games, 1 goalSunderland (loan), 2006-2007: 14 games, 0 goalsIpswich (loan), 2007-2008: 8 games, 0 goalsBlackburn (loan), 2008-2009: 20 games, 0 goalsNewcastle, 2009-2013: 138 games, 2 goalsQPR, 2013-2015: 44 games, 1 goalLeicester, 2014-2019: 133 games, 0 goalsHuddersfield, 2019-2020: 25 games, 0 goalsBristol City, 2020-2022: 8 games, 0 goalsTrophies: Championship (Sunderland); Championship (Newcastle); Championship play-offs (QPR); Premier League (Leicester) More