Championship

WATFORD have unveiled a remarkable gesture to their lifetime president Sir Elton John.The club have renamed one of the streets adjacent to their Vicarage Road Stadium to Yellow Brick Road.
Elton John poses alongside the road named in his honourCredit: instagram @watfordofficial
It is one of the main roads next to their stadiumCredit: instagram @watfordofficial
The tribute relates to Elton’s iconic 1973 track ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ and album of the same name.
The street sign has changed colour to yellow as part of the tribute to their former chairman.
Elton is a lifelong supporter of Watford and has spent two separate spells as chairman.
In 1976, three years after the release of Yellow Brick Road, he bought the club with the earnings from his music career.
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At the time, the club were plagued by financial issues.
When Elton took over, Watford were rooted to the bottom of the Football League and placed 92nd out of the 92 English Football League clubs.
After appointing Graham Taylor the following year, Watford soon flew up the leagues and arrived in the first division in 1982.
In their first season in England’s top league, they finished second and qualified for Europe.
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John bought the club in 1976Credit: Getty
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The following season Watford reached an FA Cup Final – the first of two in their history.
Watford took to Instagram to unveil the Yellow Brick Road, and captioned their post: “@eltonjohn has given his blessing to the re-naming of Occupation Road in tribute to his stellar career as a musician & life-long love of Watford FC.
“‘Using ‘Yellow Brick Road’ is a really fantastic, clever way for supporters to have played their part in recognising a time when I was here pretty much every day – on this amazing journey with Graham Taylor,’ said Elton.”
“’As I’ve said many times before, Watford Football Club has done more for me in my lifetime than I ever did for it.’”
Elton replied with a comment saying: “Thank you Watford and all the supporters of Watford FC for this great honour! 🐝🚀.”
Elton would enjoy a second spell as Watford chairman in 1997 after re-purchasing the club from Jack Petchey.
He stood down in 2002 after no longer being able to devote enough time to the club – but still retains shares in Watford.
Watford fans were loving the news, with one commenting: “Need to pave it with yellow bricks 👍⚽️.”
Another wrote: “Can he buy the club back?”
John still attends games when he can and is the honorary lifetime presidentCredit: Getty More

FORMER Wycombe and QPR head coach Gareth Ainsworth has revealed his plans to focus on music if he fails to secure a managerial position.The 50-year-old was sacked by QPR last month after six defeats in a row left them 23rd in the Championship.
Gareth Ainsworth, second from right, says he is a singer first and manager secondCredit: Ian Tuttle
He is the singer of The Cold Blooded Hearts who released their debut album in JulyCredit: Ian Tuttle
Three months before he was dismissed, he released his debut album with band Cold Blooded Hearts.
And he has now revealed he will continue to focus on that part of his life while out of football.
Speaking to the BBC, he said: “I’m a musician first, that’s what I always say to people.
“Somebody told me, when you’ve got nothing, you’ve got to have some focus; that focus for me is getting better at the guitar.”
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Ainsworth enjoyed spells with a number of big clubs during his playing career including Preston, Port Vale, Wimbledon, QPR and Wycombe.
He even played 10 games for Wimbledon in the Premier League in the late 1990s.
After being appointed Wycombe manager in 2012, he spent 12 years with the club, taking them from League Two to the Championship after they won the League One play-offs in 2020.
They were relegated at the end of their first season in the second tier, but Ainsworth stayed for the 2021/22 campaign, before he left for QPR in February.
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Ainsworth played 10 Premier League games for WimbledonCredit: Getty
Ainsworth led Wycombe to the Championship in 2020Credit: Getty
However, a difficult time at Loftus Road has left his stock lower than it was 12 months ago.
It means he has turned to music as he prepares to give it a real go with Cold Blooded Hearts.
And Ainsworth, a big fan of rock band Motorhead, has even hinted at a potential tour in the US.
He added: “Football is so good to me and I’ve loved it throughout my career but you never know.”
“I’ve been a football player, a football manager and then I could be touring with a rock band in America.
“If that could come off, wow!” More

PLAYERS and staff were dragged apart in a brawl at the end of Cardiff’s 2-1 victory at Preston.The aggro kicked off after Karlan Grant and Ike Ugbo both scored for the Welsh side during TEN MINUTES of added time.
Cardiff’s Yakou Meite was in the middle of the row on the final whistleCredit: Getty
Bluebirds star Joe Ralls, right, gets heated at the endCredit: PA
Players grappled following Cardiff’s last-gasp comeback winCredit: Getty
Deepdale stewards stepped in while others tried to restore order.
Feelings had run high all through the Championship clash as Preston’s Robbie Brady was sent off and Cardiff’s Jamelu Collins clashed with Ched Evans.
Referee Bobby Madley took a close look at the ruck and will consider all the evidence before submitting his report.
Both clubs could be fined for failing to control their players rather than seeing individuals punished.
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Grant and Ugbo were Cardiff’s late heroes — but Preston bad boy Brady went down as the villain.
Brady was booked for dissent then body-checked Yakou Meite to be sent off with 52 minutes gone – just after Milutin Osmajic had burst clear to fire North End in front.
Preston clung on until Grant squeezed in Cardiff’s equaliser from a 96th-minute corner.
And Ugbo was left unmarked to head the winner three minutes later.
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Bluebirds boss Erol Bulut said: “I made changes and the game changed in a positive way. It’s never easy playing against ten men. you can lose your focus.
“We controlled the game from the first minute until the end. We didn’t allow them many chances.”
Preston chief Ryan Lowe said: “I’m gutted but I’m not angry about the sending off. If you take someone down when you’re on a yellow card you have to go.
“We left everything out there. If we carried on with 11 we win the game but we switched off and they got their goals.” More

WAYNE ROONEY lost his voice – as his own version of the hairdryer treatment inspired his first victory as Birmingham boss.The former England skipper went hoarse roasting his players at half-time against Sheffield Wednesday – seemingly aping the legendary blasts of his ex-Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
Wayne Rooney was left speechless after tearing into his side’s first-half displayCredit: Rex
Rooney and Co suffered ‘hairdryer treatment’ from Alex Ferguson at Man UtdCredit: PA:Press Association
And although Rooney’s tactic backfired on his own voice, it revived the Blues for a late win at his sixth attempt.
Sub Jordan James drilled home late on after Juninho Bacuna cancelled out George Byers’ opener for Championship bottom side Wednesday.
Birmingham’s players also had to overcome a hostile reaction from home supporters at the interval.
But Rooney said: “Forget the fans, my reaction at half-time wasn’t good. That’s why my voice has gone.
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“We didn’t play with the energy I wanted first half, and I made the players aware of that at half-time, but in the second half we were a lot better.”
And the former Everton hero explained why he had been so frustrated.
He said: “I wanted more and I expected more.
“I keep saying this, over the last few weeks the lads have been great and I’ve seen an improvement week by week.
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“So if that first half was four weeks ago I would understand it, but it was unrecognisable to what we have been doing in this international break.”
Rooney’s legendary old Red Devils’ manager Fergie famously introduced the verbal hairdryer to football during his golden reign from 1986-2013.
But it seems Roo has plenty to do to get the same vocal stamina and power – unless he has happy to keep whispering after victories. More