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    Match of the Day confirm appointment of new pundit just hours before start of new Premier League season

    MATCH OF THE DAY chiefs have added a former Lioness to the line-up this season.The shift comes after Arsenal icon Ian Wright stepped down from the role in May after 27 years on the show.Retired Manchester City captain Steph Houghton has joined Match of the DayCredit: GettyShe joins a new look panel that will also see Theo Walcott and Joe Hart joining regulars Alan Shearer and Gary LinekerCredit: GettyIn a new-look campaign, the BBC have added Steph Houghton to their line-up of new pundits.The newly-retired Manchester City captain will join fellow newbies Theo Walcott and Euros pundit Joe Hart.Houghton eased into punditry with the BBC during England women’s games after missing out on various Sarina Wiegman’s squads after fitness concerns.Alan Shearer will continue as a weekly pundit, while the likes of Micah Richards will take on “a more prominent punditry role” this season according to the Beeb.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSDanny Murphy, Jermaine Jenas and Dion Dublin are expected to continue being utilised when needed.Houghton, 36, said: “I am looking forward to being able to share my experiences and provide insights into the game that I love.”She has won three Women’s Super League titles across her spells with Arsenal and City.The defender also has 121 caps for her country, leading the Lionesses to third place at the 2015 World Cup.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSMeanwhile, Walcott – who debuts on Match of the Day this Saturday alongside regular host Gary Lineker – said: “I grew up watching BBC Sport so I’m over the moon to be joining.”It’s a dream come true for me and I’m excited to get going. Life after retiring from football was always going to be scary.Star-Studded Glamour at the ‘It Ends With Us’ Premiere”There’s plenty for me to learn but I can draw on the career I’ve had to offer different views.”Houghton announced her retirement from football in MarchCredit: Getty More

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    Heartbroken Alan Shearer reveals death of his dad and says MOTD will be ‘tough’ after theme tune was played at funeral

    NEWCASTLE legend Alan Shearer has opened up about the death of his dad for the first time.The 54-year-old’s father, also named Alan, passed away earlier this year following a battle with cancer.Alan Shearer has opened up about the death of his dadCredit: GettyHe admits it will be ‘tough’ returning to work on Match of the DayCredit: BBCShearer with wife LainyaCredit: GettyHe had been diagnosed in February having already fought and beat the cruel disease at the age of 65.It spread to his lungs and brain, leaving him with just months to live.Shearer has now opened up about the tragic death of his dad for the first time as he gets set to return to work on Match of the Day.In a column for The Athletic, he wrote: “He told us exactly what he wanted and he told us that when the time came, he wanted to be at home. And he was. We were all there with him and it was very peaceful. The pain had gone.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”On the way, there were light and dark moments. We knew what was coming and one day when I was trying to switch off for a couple of hours, I got a call from my mam, ‘Dad wants you and Karen home now. He’s ready to go.'”In the end, he lasted for another 27 or 28 hours, but on that final evening, he talked through his life, the people he had fights with and didn’t like and plans for his own funeral. He was laughing and reminiscing. The clarity was amazing.”Shearer, who is married to wife Lainya and has three children – Hollie, Chloe and Will, also revealed that his dad wanted the Match of the Day theme tune played at his funeral.The ex-striker recalled: “Along with Will, my son, I’d carried his coffin into the crematorium — the hardest thing I’ve ever done — as the Match of the Day theme blared out, jaunty and loud.Most read in Premier League”The music was his decision too, although he pinched that idea from my mam, telling us shortly before he died that this was what he wanted.”Mixed emotions on MOTD returnShearer continued his broadcasting duties following the death of his dad, although he admits he “glided” through “with the blinkers on”.Best ten new Premier League kits for next seasonHe now has mixed emotions about returning to work for the new Premier League season, which kicks off tonight.The Newcastle icon continued: “I got to the end of last season with the blinkers on. I appeared on Match of the Day a couple of times and glided through it, just as I did for my punditry work at the European Championship, but the here and now feels different.”I’ll be in the BBC studios in Salford this weekend and I honestly can’t tell you how it will feel when that famous tune starts up, but I do know it will be tough — very tough.”This won’t come as a total surprise to most of you, but like my dad, I’m not emotional by nature, yet at 54 years old I’m heading into my first season without him beside me, without him just there. It’s a void that can’t be filled and it still feels very raw.”Shearer will be working with a new look team on Match of the Day, with long-time fellow pundit Ian Wright having quit the show.Alan Shearer with his family (left-right) Hollie, Lainya, Will and Chloe after he was presented with a CBE in 2016Credit: GettyShearer’s family including wife Lainya and kids Hollie, Will and ChloeCredit: willshearer9/InstagramShearer will be back on Match of the Day this weekendCredit: BBC More

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    Alex Scott and girlfriend Jess Glynne look all loved up as they jet off to Ibiza on romantic holiday

    ALEX SCOTT and her partner Jess Glynne soaked up the sun as they enjoyed a loved up trip to Ibiza.It has been a busy summer for Scott, who was part of the BBC team covering the Euros.Alex Scott and Jess Glynne enjoyed a holiday to IbizaCredit: InstagramThe couple were loved up on the Spanish islandCredit: InstagramScott decided to unwind after appearing at the Euros for the BBCCredit: Instagram @alexscott2The couple enjoyed a day at Ushuaia nightclub with palsCredit: Instagram @alexscott2She decided to unwind from her punditry duties by visiting Ibiza with girlfriend Jess, who she has been dating since last year.The pair stripped down to their bikinis and took a luxury boat trip around the island, enjoying drinks as they soaked up the sun.They cuddled and were arm in arm, with Scott resting her head on Jess’ lap.As well as the sights the couple also took in the sounds with a visit to legendary club Ushuaia.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLScott, 39, dazzled in a black trousers and matching top with Jess wearing the same.They also enjoyed dinner with friends and cosied up on a sun lounger for a selfie.Scott and Glynne often appear loved up despite the presenter admitting it was difficult for her to show affection at first.The BBC host revealed her dad banned her from showing emotion when she was young, meaning she rarely hugged her relatives, even her brother.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSScott told The Times: “We weren’t allowed to express emotion.“Dad didn’t allow us to hug each other or say ‘I love you’. It had a huge impact on us all. To this day, if I want to show people love, I’ll do it by taking them out to dinner and paying.”They soaked up the sun on their tripCredit: Instagram @alexscott2Scott has been dating Jess since last yearCredit: InstagramAlex Scott shows off stunning new look in glamorous white dress for Soccer Aid More

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    BBC turn to two former England stars to replace Ian Wright after Arsenal legend’s emotional Match of the Day exit

    ARSENAL hero Theo Walcott will be taking the hot seat next to Gary Lineker on Match of the Day next season.It comes after former Gunner Ian Wright, 60, emotionally stepped away from the role after 27 years at the end of the last campaign.Ian Wright’s Match of the Day replacements have been namedCredit: PAWright joined the footie show during his playing career in 1997Credit: BBCTheo Walcott will fill into his shoes next seasonCredit: RexJoe Hart was confirmed as the second ex-England star to replace WrightCredit: GettyNewly retired Joe Hart will also appear alongside the regular team in a new look panel for the 24/25 Premier League season.The former Manchester City and Celtic goalkeeper eased into punditry with the BBC during England’s run to the Euros final and will be in the studio for the first weekend of Prem action.Meanwhile, Walcott, 35, has regularly featured on Sky Sports’ top-flight games since calling time on his career last summer, after a stint back at boyhood club Southampton.Alan Shearer will continue in his weekly role as a pundit, while the likes of Micah Richards will take on “a more prominent punditry role” this season according tot the BBC.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSDanny Murphy, Jermaine Jenas and Dion Dublin are expected to continue being utilised when needed.Weekly panellist Wright – endearingly nicknamed “Wrighty” – departed Match of the Day in May and has since revealed the reasons behind his surprise exit.He told the Stick to Football Podcast: “It’s time. I had a dear friend who said that sometimes you’ve got to know when to step back, change, rest, have a break, and say no, it’s just time.”The way I am now, because I have to get back to London from Manchester after filming it’s like 3:30am in the morning – it’s a long day. Most read in Football”It takes me two to three days after that to get ready and there are other things I’m doing which I just haven’t got the energy for sometimes.”New duo Hart and Walcott starred for England at several international tournaments and have racked up an impressive 738 Premier League appearances between them.FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSWalcott became England’s youngest-ever senior star, aged 17 years and 75 days against Hungary in May 2006, before being included in the World Cup squad that summer.The 35-year-old brings plenty of Prem knowledge, having notched 108 goals in 270 Arsenal appearances before joining Everton in 2018.ITV pundits gush over Yamal and reveal what they did at 16 from working on building sites to drinking cider in a fieldWhile Hart picked up 75 caps during his nine year spell as the Three Lions’ No1.Speaking on his new role, the ex-goalkeeper said: “I’m very excited, very proud, and looking forward to growing into an incredible role on something that I grew up watching.”I want to try and give back as much as I can from the career I’ve had and keep learning.”I’m thrilled to be in an around an incredible set up, learning first and foremost in a new part of my life.”On Wright’s Match of the Day exit, previous host Des Lynam, 81, said: “It’s a shame, because he has developed into a first-class broadcaster and pundit. “He speaks from the heart and people like that. He’s never bland. He made his first appearance on MotD when I was there. “He came on, as a player, and said ‘Des, this is my Graceland’ because he’d watched it since he was a boy.”Lynam also backed Micah Richards to step into Wright’s shoes and become a regular pundit on the BBC’s flagship footie show.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe said: ‘I think it’s Richards isn’t it? He’s got a sense of humour and he knows football.”I think he needs to calm down a little but his opinions are quite solid, though I don’t think anybody can quite match Wrighty.”Alan Shearer remains on the panel to show Walcott and Hart the ropesCredit: BBCJoe Hart will be on screen most Saturday’s for Match of the DayCredit: BBCWalcott will also replace fellow Arsenal star WrightCredit: Getty More

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    Fans ‘crying, heartbroken and speechless’ as BBC football pundit steps down.. with SunSport columnist replacing him

    FANS were left devastated to learn that Garth Crooks is leaving his role picking the team of the week for the BBC.Crooks, 66, became beloved for his all-out-attack choices that often left his team playing bizarre formations.Garth Crooks will no longer pick the BBC’s team of the weekCredit: PA:Empics SportHis teams often saw wingers shoe-horned in as wing-backs and forward players anchoring the midfield – much to the delight and bemusement of fans online.Reacting to his shock departure as the new season approaches, one fan said this was: “The worst news to wake up to. Crying. Heartbroken. Speechless.”Another invoked a famous Wayne Rooney tweet by saying: “Garth Crooks’ Team of the Week has passed away. RIP u will live on forever. Cant believe it. I wanna run to u. Really cant believe this.”A third fan said: “No one really cared about the actual opinions in the BBC Team of the Week, they just wanted to see what insane formation Garth Crooks had cooked up and who he had thrown left wing back despite their actual position being available.”READ MORE ON FOOTBALLThe former Spurs striker had been the BBC’s go-to man for picking the team of the week for a number of years but he is now being replaced by a SunSport columnist.Former Watford and Birmingham striker Troy Deeney will be stepping in to replace Crooks.Writing for the BBC about his new role, Deeney said: “I’m delighted to tell you that I am taking over from the legend that is Garth Crooks to select BBC Sport’s Premier League Team of the Week every weekend, and it is a great honour to get to fill his shoes.”I’ve always had massive respect for Garth for his amazing career in the media after his playing days ended and, as someone who is following in his footsteps now, I’ve always looked up to him.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSChanges to the Premier League for 2024/25NOTHING stays the same forever.And that includes the Premier League, which is making a number of tweaks this season.Team news will now be released 75 MINUTES before kick-off, 15 minutes earlier than had been the case before.Things could get crowded on the touchline, with the number of substitutes permitted to warm-up boosted from three players per team to FIVE.There’s also a change to how added time is calculated when a team scores a goal, an update to the ‘multiball’ system and the introduction of semi-automated offsides – but not straight away.Go here to read about all the changes to the Premier League for 2024/25.”I also really admire his approach because, when he has an opinion, he is not afraid to say it and he is always able to back it up – yet he never comes across as someone who is trying to be controversial just to get likes or views on social media or anywhere else.”Garth genuinely believes in what he says, and the same applies to me, or at least I’d like to think so!”Troy Deeney will replace Garth CrooksCredit: RexMartin Keown battles epic rant from Garth Crooks on BBC’s Final score More

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    Former Match of the Day host Des Lynam suggests female pundits are unqualified to cover men’s matches

    EX-Match of the Day host Des Lynam claims female pundits are unqualified to analyse men’s matches.The BBC footie show is regularly fronted by women, including Gabby Logan, with other female guests.Des Lynam claims female pundits are unqualified to analyse men’s matchesCredit: Rex FeaturesLynam, now 81, said: “I’ve got no gripe with female presenters. “But when you’re a pundit and you’re offering opinions about the game, you have to have played it at the level you are talking about — ie, the men’s game.”After a pause, he added to the Radio Times: “In my view.”The veteran broadcaster also questioned the influx of international players, saying: “I’ve supported Brighton all my life, but I can’t name the team now.Read More on Sport“There’s only about two I know, the others are all foreign boys who have come from South America and all sorts of places.”When Lynam left the BBC for ITV after three decades in 1999, Gary Lineker became the main host of Match of the Day — a position he holds 25 years on.Controversially, he is reportedly paid £1.3million a year. Lynam said: “I don’t suppose you can justify it in terms of what a nurse or firemen does, but it’s the market — that’s what the BBC feel they have to pay.”Most read in FootballThe ex-England striker is “a very lucky chap” who has had “two great careers”. Lynam added: “When I left, he immediately got the job and he grew into it very rapidly. I know he’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but for my money I think he does a first-class job.” More

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    BBC pundit, 51, announces she’s quitting live on TV and reveals new job in emotional scenes

    DENISE LEWIS said an emotional goodbye to the BBC as she quit her job as a pundit to start a new career. The 51-year-old has been on screens since 2009 and announced her shock departure live on TV. Denise Lewis said an emotional farewell to the BBCHer colleagues gave her a huge send-off, with Micheal Johnson handing her a bunch of flowersLewis brilliantly dropped her mic as she said goodbyeAs the Olympics athletics action came to a close in Paris, Lewis revealed she was taking up a new job as President of UK Athletics.Presenter Gabby Logan and colleagues Jessica Ennis-Hill and Michael Johnson gave the Sydney 2000 gold medallist an incredible send-off.After an stunning montage of her best moments, the American runner gave Lewis a huge bunch of flowers and said: “We love you and we are going to miss you. It’s been amazing working with you.”Ennis-Hill added: “I grew up watching you and was inspired by you. Now I’ve got to sit next to you. READ MORE IN OLYMPICS”It’s been such an honour and thank you for guiding me. Wish you all the best.”Logan said: “I’m a superfan and I got to call her a colleague. “Denise, you’re generous, kind, fun and brilliant to work with. We are going to miss you so much – not just you’re athletics expertise but as a person.”We wish you all the very best. They have chosen the right person for the job.Most read in AthleticsCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSLewis looked emotional as she said: “It’s a sad farewell, honestly, the best team. Gabby at the helm, Jess, MJ and the whole production team, they are all here.”They make this programme what it is, all the runners over the years, they have been the most supportive, our fantastic editors, it has been a journey.”BBC pundit, 51, announces she’s quitting live on TV and reveals new job in emotional scenesLewis then brilliantly signed off by dropping her microphone on the table to huge cheers from behind-the-scenes BBC employees.Opening up on her new role, the former heptathlon star explained: “It’s time to try to help develop the sport that has been so amazing to me.”I would not be in this position if I had not dared to dream, had a club, all the volunteers that make the clubs what they need to be.”I will be working with the membership, predominately grassroots as that is where the work needs to be done.”We need to make sure the pipeline to events like this [Olympics].”We need to encourage local communities to get involved with athletics.”BBC’s Olympics line-up in fullPresenters:Clare BaldingGabby LoganHazel IrvineIsa GuhaJeanette KwakyeJJ ChalmersMark ChapmanStudio guests:Beth TweddleChris HoyDenise LewisFred SirieixJessica Ennis-HillKate Richardson-WalshKatherine GraingerLaura KennyMark FosterMichael JohnsonNicola AdamsRebecca AdlingtonTonia CouchRadio:Adrian ChilesEleanor OldroydKelly CatesMark ChapmanNaga MunchettyTony Livesey More

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    Lauryn Goodman may look greedy over Kyle Walker court demands – but here’s why I applaud her

    EARLIER this year, I wrote that famous “kiss and tellers” throughout tabloid history were rarely motivated by money.The majority were doing it because, in modern parlance, they’d been ghosted and it hurt.Kyle Walker’s former mistress Lauryn Goodman has recently faced him down in court over maintenance demandsThe England and Man City defender is facing perhaps his most tenacious attacker yetCredit: PAThey wanted to be heard, not just by the person who had promised them the world while the affair was going on, but also by the people who remained inner circle while they’d been cast aside.Now imagine that it wasn’t just you being made to feel like an irrelevance, but your children too.Consequently, England and Man City defender Kyle Walker is facing perhaps his most tenacious attacker yet — reality star Lauryn Goodman, his former mistress and mother to his son, four, and daughter, one.She’s refusing to go quietly into the night and has recently faced him down in court over maintenance demands that, on the face of it, appear to be cold-hearted money-grabbing.READ MORE FROM JANE MOOREA car for Lauryn herself every three years. A car for the nanny. An AstroTurf garden for the baby who, despite not walking yet, has a mean side-kick that suggests she, er, might play for the Lionesses one day.But dig a little deeper and one might charitably conclude that the real motivation is that she’s a tiger mum scorned.“My kids should have what Kyle and [wife] Annie’s kids have, says Lauryn, 33. “The law states that they should have the same.”In other words, it’s not really about AstroTurf, per se, but about seeking equality and relevance for the children she feels have been emotionally abandoned by their “errant father”.Most read in FootballIn an interview with The Sun on Sunday at the weekend, her hurt was palpable.She says Kyle “was present in Kairo and Kinara’s life and then just turned his back on them, when he promised he never would”.Lauryn Goodman Reveals Baby’s Name Amidst Court BattleShe adds: “What mother wouldn’t fight for that little abandoned boy and his sister? One day they will know what their father did — and what their mother did for them.” ‘I hope my children will be proud’When you have a child, the urge to protect them from harm, both physical and emotional, is visceral.You love them so much that the thought of anyone in the family not feeling the same way, let alone their father, is as deeply wounding as it is perplexing.“I hope one day my children will be proud. I love them so much and I have done all I can to protect their future. “I am the only parent in their life. I have to do that,” says Lauryn, who claims that all the money she asked for was for them alone.She also claims the house they live in “belongs to him” and is “an investment for him and one day I will leave it”. So while the financial demands read out in court are beyond the realms of what most people can afford, Kyle Walker is on £160k a week. And let’s not forget that, despite being trolled when her demands were revealed, it’s not Lauryn who betrayed Annie; Kyle was the one who stood at an altar and made vows.Sarah Symonds, who once did a kiss-and-tell on Gordon Ramsay, wrote to a newspaper this week in support of Lauryn, applauding her on behalf of “other women” everywhere for “having her day in court”.She wrote: “Keep going Lauryn. The Sisterhood of the Mistresshood are behind you. People will only treat you how you let them.”So while some of Lauryn’s demands are indeed excessive, there’s a small part of me that applauds her for refusing to be kicked to the kerb by an arrogant Premier League footballer who used her when it suited him then, when it didn’t, emotionally abandoned her and their kids.ACRES of column inches have been written on Katie Price’s ability to carry on with jaunts abroad despite being declared bankrupt for the second time.So I’ll make this observation instead.She is currently in Turkey for her umpteenth cosmetic procedure on her face. Begging the question: What self- respecting medic would continue to carry out “tweakments” on someone who will clearly never feel happy with what they see in the mirror?OK FOR SOME, AUNTIEDISGRACED former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards continued to receive his £479,999-a-year salary despite being suspended from work.Disgraced Huw Edwards continued to receive his huge salary despite being suspended from workCredit: GettyHe even received a £40k pay hike.Tim Davie, Director-General of the BBC, explained that it was a “difficult” decision but he was following employment law that ensures “employees are protected and there’s no risk”.And as Edwards was an employee of the BBC, Mr Davie admitted it would be almost impossible to claw back any salary paid since his arrest in November or to stop his generous pension.Now imagine it was Adrian Chiles, another well-known face on our screens, who had found himself in a position where he would lose his job.He would have been dropped at the first sign of trouble, with zero pay, zero benefits and zero employee protections.Why? Because Adrian is a freelance contractor who works for the Beeb and other media platforms via his company Basic Broadcasting Ltd.And yet he’s already been dragged through three tribunals by HMRC (with a fourth pending) who reckon he should be classed as an employee under complex IR35 legislation that no one understands.In other words, they want him to pay the same level of tax as Huw but with none of the associated employment benefits. Go figure.ON holiday 20 years ago, Andy Walker hit his head on a rock diving into the sea in India and was paralysed from the neck down.Now the Oldham-based 47-year-old plans to raise money for charity by cycling a 1,000-mile length of Britain on a bike controlled by his chin.He says: “Since my accident, I’ve had absolute conviction and determination to lead a full and rewarding life.”So, the next time we feel sorry for ourselves because a holiday flight is delayed or the car has broken down, we should all be a little bit more Andy and not sweat the petty stuff.CHLOE IS A MUDDY MARVELRICHARD MADELEY’S daughter Chloe has asked people to stop bad-mouthing her rugby star ex James Haskell online.Chloe Madeley has asked people to stop bad-mouthing her ex James Haskell onlineCredit: GettyShe says there’s “a heavy insinuation that he’s not a nice guy” and adds: “We went through our battles but we’re co-parenting really well and 50 per cent of that accolade is on him. “I want him to have some of that respect from people, which I don’t see him getting.”Given that so many celebrity couples publicly fling mud at each other after a break-up, how refreshing to hear someone throwing compliments instead.Is that fat or fiction you are on about, Rosie?Rosie Huntington-Whiteley posed following a lymphatic drainage treatmentCredit: https://www.instagram.com/p/C-KsmJpssSI/?hl=en&img_index=10MODEL Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has posted this photo of herself following a lymphatic drainage treatment that rids the body of “excess fluid”. I wasn’t aware she had any.BRITS? YOU’RE JOKINGMARRIED racists Dawn Thompson, 48, and Damian Smith, 36, from Gateshead, make a lovely pair, don’t they?Damian Smith, 36, has been jailed for the violent harassment of a Kurdish neighbour in their council block who was hit with a pole and punched in the faceCredit: NNPSmith’s wife Dawn Thompson, 48, was also jailedCredit: NNPSmith has 13 previous convictions for 16 offences, including theft, criminal damage, burglary, battery, possession of a blade and possession of class A drugs.While Thompson has 63 previous convictions for 181 offences, the majority of which were for theft, but also included racially aggravated harassment and witness intimidation.Together, they have just been jailed for the violent harassment of a Kurdish neighbour in their council block who was hit with a pole, punched in the face, and told to “go back to his country”.Presumably this reprehensible pair regard themselves to be 100 per cent British and, therefore, superior to their poor victim.I beg to differ.There’s definitely a bit of Neanderthal in there somewhere.SHAME TROLLSWHAT, one wonders, goes through the clearly tiny mind of whoever sent a death threat to actress Amanda Abbington?The message warned her that she would “die on stage” unless she retracts her bullying complaint about former Strictly dance partner Giovanni Pernice.Given that she’s currently performing in a small theatre to assembled strangers, this threatening email must have been terrifying to receive.Yes, you could argue that it was probably sent by a sad loser whose bravado vaporises the second they step away from their keyboard.READ MORE SUN STORIESBut equally, there’s a lot of irrational anger on our streets right now, so who wants to take the risk of underestimating the sender’s true intentions?Whoever they are, I hope they are found, named, shamed and prosecuted as a deterrent to anyone else who is thinking of behaving in such a reprehensible way. More