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      I’m a former Premier League star who personally cost club owner £1million – but he had no clue who I was when we met

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      FORMER Premier League striker Leroy Lita has revealed that ex-Reading owner John Madejski didn’t know who he was when he joined the club.Lita, now 38, joined the Royals from Bristol City in 2005.
      Leroy Lita has recalled the awkward moment he met the owner of ReadingCredit: PA:Press Association
      Lita revealed John Madejski didn’t know what he looked likeCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      Then-owner Madejski spent £1million of his own money in order to sign him, but he didn’t even know what the striker looked like.
      Discussing his move to Reading on the Under the Cosh podcast, Lita said: “I walked into the Madejski Stadium, when he paid £1million. Not out of the budget, it was out of his own pocket.
      “So I’ve walked into the Madejski Stadium to do my medical and stuff like that, I’ve gone into the restaurant with my agent, walked past him and he didn’t have a clue who I was.
      “Didn’t even know what I looked like, swear down.
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      “I could have been anyone. He was like ‘oh, good morning guys’. He was with Cilla Black at the time. He was having dinner or lunch with Cilla Black.
      “My agent had to go ‘John Madejski, this is Leroy by the way’. He was like ‘oh, how are you’.
      “I was like, he didn’t even know who I was! He just paid a million pound out of his back pocket for me. What’s going on!”
      Lita spent four years with Reading before moving to Middlesbrough in 2009.
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      The striker has played for 21 different clubs so far in his career, including Swansea, Brighton, Birmingham, Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich.
      He is now playing for Nuneaton Borough in the Isthmian Premier League North. More

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      Wayne Rooney suffers last-minute heartbreak on Birmingham debut as they concede 89th-minute winner to Middlesbrough

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      WAYNE ROONEY’S return to English football did not go as planned.That’s because Birmingham crashed to a late defeat at Middlesbrough.
      Wayne Rooney’s return to English football ended in a dismal defeatCredit: Rex
      Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough beat Birmingham 1-0 with an 89th minute winnerCredit: PA
      Rooney, 37, was quickly snapped up by Tom Brady’s ambitious Championship outfit ten days ago after leaving DC United.
      Wazza was tasked with leading Brum to victory in his first game against former Man Utd pal Michael Carrick at the Riverside.
      But his debut starting XI went down like a lead balloon with fans.
      And Rooney felt the full force of their wrath as Birmingham conceded an 89th minute Morgan Rogers goal, handing Middlesbrough all three points.
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      The visitors had just three shots on target and five all game, with the hosts dominating with 60 per cent of the ball.
      The result brought Birmingham’s two-game winning run to an abrupt end.
      But Rooney has little time to nurse his wounds, with Hull visiting the Midlands on Wednesday.
      The former England captain will be hoping for backing in the transfer window this January.
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      Morgan Rogers netted the only goal of the game in the final momentsCredit: Getty
      And all eyes will be on Birmingham’s clash with Leicester on December 18, with Rooney set to go up against Jamie Vardy.
      Their partners were famously embroiled in the ‘Wagatha Christie’ saga.
      And both Colleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy could be present for the winner-takes-all battle. More

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      Wayne Rooney’s first Birmingham XI goes down like a lead balloon with fans already questioning Man Utd legend

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      BIRMINGHAM fans were far from impressed with the starting line-up ahead of Wayne Rooney’s first game in charge.Rooney, 37, was appointed as Birmingham’s new manager last week following the departure of John Eustace.
      Birmingham fans were not impressed with Rooney’s first line-upCredit: Reuters

      The former Manchester United striker joined the club just a few days after leaving MLS side DC United.
      And he has already made his mark on the squad.
      Rooney’s first starting line-up included some significant changes which left fans baffled.
      The most controversial among supporters was the decision to bench in-form Koji Miyoshi.
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      One person tweeted: “How can you not start Miyoshi?”
      Another added: “In one game he’s played a more defensive team that Eustace has all season.”
      A third fan said: “Rooney was one of the greatest ever strikers. Would love to know what he’s seen from Hogan to warrant a start.”
      While a fourth chimed in: “Did anyone tell Rooney we had two of our best performances when we dropped Hogan from the starting 11?
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      “I guess all players get a clean slate but the fact that he’s in the team and Miyoshi is benched is a tough one for me to understand.”
      However, some fans appeared to be pleased with the line-up, with another writing: “All the best boys!! First game for Rooney, all the best for you too! We all are behind you! Come on boys!”
      Birmingham currently sit seventh in the Championship table with 19 points from 12 games.
      Meanwhile, their opponents, Middlesbrough, sit down in 16th with 15 points. More

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      Part-time footballers face fines for failing to bring in cakes or leaving bar early after game

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      PART-time footballers face fines for failing to bring in cakes or leaving the bar early after a game.They also have to fork out for talking back to the boss or speaking to fans online.
      The Havant & Waterlooville FC boss is causing a stir in non-league footballCredit: 2020 Getty Images
      Steve King has implemented the harsh fines on his playersCredit: Havantandwaterloovillefc.co.uk
      The strict rules were brought in by Steve King, the manager at National League South bottom club Havant & Waterlooville FC.
      He took over at the Hampshire side last month.
      Under his regime players face a £50 fine for failing to stay in the bar after a home match until 5.45pm.
      And there is a £25 penalty if they do not bring in cakes when it’s their turn, or supply a “bad selection”.
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      Talking back to the boss is a £150 fine, while being late on matchday is £100.
      Players, who earn around £300 to £400 a week and often have second jobs, can be docked a week’s wages if they “comment on club social media posts” and “respond to fan comments regarding the football club”.
      King’s list appeared online, and one fan said: “Who would want to play for him?”
      The club said it is investigating.
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      King has previously been in charge at Gloucester City, Dartford, Farnborough, Lewes and Whitehawk. More

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      My dad is a Premier League cult hero and played for England – now I’m making my own way in the Championship

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      GEORGE HIRST’S father David starred for Sheffield Wednesday in the Premier League and even earned three England caps during his successful career.But despite playing in the same position, the Ipswich striker has never felt pressure to emulate his old man.
      George Hirst is starring for high-flying IpswichCredit: PA
      David Hirst remains an icon at Sheffield WednesdayCredit: Alamy
      The 24-year-old began his career at Wednesday, but left for Belgium after just two appearances.
      Following a brief stint at OH Leuven he returned to these shores with Leicester, going on to be farmed out on four loans.
      In the last of these temporary spells, Hirst found somewhere he wanted to call a home in Portman Road.
      The 6ft 4in target man bagged six goals during the second half of Ipswich’s promotion campaign last term, and has been a regular this time around in the Championship.
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      Despite his illustrious dad, Hirst has never felt the weight of his surname.
      Speaking to The Portsmouth News in 2021, he said: “I don’t see it as a pressure because we are two completely different strikers.
      “As much as people will make the comparisons naturally, my dad is 5ft 11in, even though he tells me he’s 6ft. I’m 6ft 4in. He’s left footed, I’m right footed.
      “So straight away I don’t see the comparison at all, there are differences.
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      “Growing up with that hasn’t been a pressure, I’ve seen it as a free learning tool. You can have the best coach in the world, but to have someone like that on my doorstep at home every night, looking at my clips, giving me little pointers, is invaluable.”
      Hirst does dream of improving on his dad’s exploits, however, adding: “I would love to be able to retire and say I played for England more times than he did.
      “He also spends a lot of time talking about his goal in the 1993 FA Cup final, so if I can score a couple that would be brilliant.”
      Hirst’s Ipswich Town are certainly heading in the right direction.
      Having sealed promotion from League One courtesy of a runners-up finish behind Plymouth Argyle last term, the Tractor Boys have raced out of the blocks in the second tier.
      Kieran McKenna’s men sit second in the Championship table after 11 games, just two points behind Hirst’s former team Leicester.
      On why he wanted to stay at Portman Road, Hirst said in the summer: “Ipswich has felt like home for the last six months and a big part of why I wanted to come back.
      “The last few months of last season were massive for me, doing what we did as a team, and that was something I wanted to carry on being part of. The reception I got from the fans, players and staff here was brilliant.”
      Hirst has found a home in Ipswich after numerous loansCredit: Rex More

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      Wayne Rooney’s Birmingham vs Vardy’s Leicester picked for Sky Sports slot as fans say ‘Wagatha Christie derby is on’

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      WAYNE Rooney and Jamie Vardy are set to go head to head again after Birmingham versus Leicester was picked for live TV coverage by Sky Sports.The Championship match has been rescheduled, with fans joking that the “Wagatha Christie derby is on”.
      Jamie Vardy’s Leicester will visit Birmingham on December 18Credit: Getty
      Wayne Rooney is now the manager of BirminghamCredit: Getty
      Rooney and Vardy will face off for the first time since their wives’ libel case last year.
      The trial was dubbed “Wagatha Christie” after Coleen Rooney accused Rebekah Vardy of leaking posts from her private Instagram account.
      Rooney and Vardy’s clash on the football pitch will now be shown live by Sky Sports.
      Birmingham confirmed that the broadcaster has selected the fixture and moved it to an 8pm kick-off on Monday December 18.
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      The Blues’ trip to Coventry has also been rescheduled to Friday December 8.
      Reacting to the news on X, formerly Twitter, one fan wrote: “Wagatha Christie derby.”
      Meanwhile, another added: “El Grassico derby on the box, get on.”
      It will be the first time the former England team-mates have faced each other since the trial.
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      Coleen Rooney was dubbed ‘Wagatha Christie’ after accusing Rebekah Vardy of leaking her private Instagram postsCredit: Getty
      Vardy and Rooney were involved in a high-profile libel case following the accusationsCredit: Getty
      Rooney is now the manager of Birmingham, having replaced John Eustace in the dugout last week on a four-year deal.
      He is set to take charge of his first match as boss against Middlesbrough on Saturday.
      As for Leicester, the Foxes are currently two points clear at the top of the Championship.
      Captain Vardy has scored four goals in 11 league appearances so far this season.
      Rooney and Vardy played together seven times for EnglandCredit: Getty More

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      Kaiser Chiefs star embarks on 7,000-mile pilgrimage to give ex-Premier League manager Marcelo Bielsa heartwarming gift

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      KAISER CHIEFS star Simon Rix travelled all the way to Uruguay to deliver Leeds legend Marcelo Bielsa a touching gift.Bielsa left Elland Road last year after a successful four-year stint that saw him leading the Whites back to the Premier League in 2020.
      Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa received a special gift from Leeds fansCredit: Reuters
      Kaiser Chiefs star Simon Rix led a pilgrimage to Uruguay for BielsaCredit: X/JamesMRowlands
      The Leeds fans got Bielsa a bucket for him to sit on after losing his signature stoolCredit: X/JamesMRowlands
      The Argentinean tactician is still very much loved by the fans as he introduced some of the best football ever seen at the club and reinstated them to the top flight after a 16-year absence.
      The 68-year-old is so revered that supporters put together a near-7,000-mile journey to Montevideo to show their appreciation.
      Among them was Kaiser Chiefs bassist Rix, who decided to take part in the pilgrimage to offer the Uruguay manager a present that would take them back to the good old days.
      The Leeds fans were in attendance at the Estadio Centenario on Wednesday as they watched Bielsa’s side take on Brazil during the international break.
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      And the Celeste enjoyed a stunning evening that saw them beating the Brazilians 2-0.
      Liverpool star Darwin Nunez and Nicolas de la Cruz scored the goals that saw Uruguay overtake the Selecao for second place in their 2026 World Cup qualifying group.
      After the match, Bielsa met with the group of fans from Yorkshire who finally got to offer him his special gift.
      The ex-Argentina manager received a new bucket to sit on during matches.
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      That is because the former Chile boss was no longer utilising his signature stool from his days at Elland Road.
      It was later revealed on social media that Bielsa was “genuinely delighted” by that gesture.
      The Leeds fans returned to England, where new manager Daniel Farke has shown he can emulate the Argentine’s job by reinstating the club to the Premier League only a year after their relegation.
      The Championship outfit is fifth in the table after a strong start that saw them winning five out of their first 11 matches. More

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      Jobe Bellingham set to follow brother Jude into England squad as pair look to emulate the Charltons

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      JOBE BELLINGHAM will follow his brother  Jude  into  the  England  team.There is no doubt the Real Madrid superstar’s younger sibling will make it to the top of the game.
      Jobe Bellingham has been a revelation for SunderlandCredit: Getty
      Jude Bellingham is already one of England’s best playersCredit: Getty
      And it will not be long until we see only the third set of brothers since the Second World War to play together for the Three Lions.
      Jobe’s performances this season for Sunderland have been nothing short of scintillating — he is the best young player in the entire EFL.
      Bellingham has been key to the Black Cats’ superb start to the season. It’s only because of the  phenomenal brilliance of Jude that Jobe has gone under the radar in comparison.
      Both players made their senior debut for Birmingham while they were 16.
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      Jude went on to establish himself as a first-team regular in his first season, clocking 44 appearances, virtually unprecedented for a 16-year-old.
      But Jobe also went on to cement his place in the Brum side last term, his second as a pro, with 23 appearances — pretty good for a 17-year-old.
      And it is unbelievable that Birmingham went on to sell him for just £1.5million in the summer to Sunderland.
      Already he has gone on to become one of the first names on Tony Mowbray’s team sheet by playing in all 12 of the Black Cats’ games so far.
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      Bellingham — barring injuries — should get a full season of Championship games under his belt at the Stadium of Light and he only turned 18 last month.
      He is 18 months behind where his brother was — but already Premier League clubs are sending scouts to the north east to check him out.
      His performance for the England Under-19s against Montenegro on Thursday was impressive.
      He pretty much ran the Young Lions’ midfield during their Euro qualifier in Podgorica, which they won 2-0.
      Surely Lee Carsley needs to promote him to the England Under-21 squad because he is far too good for Under-19 level.
      That in itself is scary when you think he only made his Under-19 debut last month!
      But it should come as no surprise. Although Jobe does not like to be compared to his brother, which is understandable, he is equally as mature beyond his years.
      The younger Bellingham brother recently starred for England’s Under-19sCredit: Rex
      He has performed a number of different roles for Sunderland alreadyCredit: Reuters
      His attitude to training, his confidence around the Sunderland squad and his intelligence, both as a footballer and a person, are said to be second to none.
      One Black Cats player told me you would not know he was 18 — just like you would never think Jude is just 20.
      Boss Mowbray says he even wants to win every small-sided game at the training ground.
      One of the great things about Jobe is his versatility. He has already played a number of roles for Mowbray.
      Often he was the team’s most advanced player when they did not have a senior striker early in the season and notched a couple of goals.
      But he has now dropped back into a deeper midfield role, where he has been first class.
      Jobe is clearly driven like his brother and has a plan to follow him to the top, which is demanding excellence from everything he does.
      But he wants to do it at his own pace and in his own way.
      And you can see an example of that with the name he wears on the back of his shirt.
      Rather than Bellingham, he has Jobe emblazoned across the top of it because he wants his own identity.
      He does not want to be known as Bellingham 2.0.
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      If Jobe continues on his current trajectory he will be a Premier League player by the age of 20 and surely an England international within a year or two of that.
      And in doing so, the Bellinghams could become the 15th set of brothers to play together for England in 151 years — following in the footsteps of the Nevilles and Charltons.
      Jack, left, and Bobby Charlton, right, both starred for EnglandCredit: Getty More