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      Patrick Bamford branded ‘cheat’ by QPR commentator after Leeds star’s ‘worst dive ever seen’ gets Asmir Begovic sent off

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      PATRICK BAMFORD was branded a “cheat” by a commentator on Wednesday night after the Leeds ace made “the worst dive ever” against QPR.QPR suffered their sixth defeat of the season with keeper Asmir Begovic sent off after Bamford appeared to dive in front of him.
      Patrick Bamford was branded a ‘cheat’ by QPR commentatorsCredit: Getty
      Asmir Begovic was sent off for his tackle on BamfordCredit: Getty

      Bamford, 30, faced relegation last term with the Whites after Sam Allardyce failed to resurrect the team at the end of the season.
      And Leeds have hardly made an impact in the Championship as they sit sixth in the table with four wins, two defeats and two losses.
      However, they did secure a controversial three points on Wednesday after Crysencio Summerville struck a goal early in the game.
      Bamford was aiming to double the lead and ran at Begovic – only for the Bosian No1 to lunge into a tackle just outside the box and get himself sent off.
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      But there was no contact despite Bamford crashing to the ground.
      QPR commentators were fuming at the incident and wasted no time in making their feelings known.
      The commentator shouted: “There’s no touch he’s a diving cheat.”
      Then as the English striker took the free-kick the commentator continued to rage.
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      He added: “Bamford the cheat will take the free kick, left-footed from outside the box.”
      VAR is not in place in England’s second tier meaning Begovic received no backing from video officials.
      Fans took to social media to give their thoughts on the incident, saying it was the “worst” dive they have seen.
      One fan said: “That Bamford dive is one of the worst I’ve seen 😂.”
      A second added: “That Bamford dive was atrocious.”
      While another fan said: “Bamford with a hell of a dive. Awful behaviour that.”
      QPR boss Gareth Ainsworth said he hopes to appeal the red card after hearing from both players after the match.
      He said: “I’ve had verification from both players that there was no contact. Patrick’s a great lad, he said he jumped out of the way.” More

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      Watford release club statement on manager leaving fans gobsmacked as club languish near drop zone

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      WATFORD have left their fans gobsmacked after releasing a statement on manager Valerien Ismael.The Hornets currently sit in 20th place in the Championship, just one point above the relegation zone.
      Watford have extended Valerien Ismael’s contractCredit: Getty
      Since Ismael’s appointment in the summer, they have won just two of their nine league matches.
      As a result, supporters suspected the Frenchman had been sacked when the club released a statement on Tuesday.
      However, despite Watford’s trigger-happy reputation with managers, they instead confirmed he has been handed a contract extension.
      “Head Coach Valérien Ismaël has signed an extended contract with Watford FC, the club is pleased to confirm,” read the statement on the club website.
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      “While the deal’s details remain broadly the same, the Hornets have moved to lock in the services of the former France youth international for a longer period of time.”
      Reacting to the news, one shocked fan commented: “I can’t be the only one who thought of something different to a contract extension.”
      Another added: “A club statement where no one has been sacked. GET INNNNNNNN!”
      A third also wrote: “Clearly the club has a sense of humour announcing it like that.”
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      Meanwhile, one more joked: “This is going to look even worse when we sack him in December.”
      Watford have been known for sacking their managers under the Pozzo family’s ownership.
      Since their takeover in 2012, 20 different managers have occupied the home dugout at Vicarage Road.
      However, Ismael appears set for an extended stay for the time being, despite Saturday’s 3-2 loss to fellow strugglers Middlesbrough.
      The 48-year-old has been in charge since July, returning to England after previous spells at Barnsley and West Brom.
      He will be looking to kickstart a climb up the table on Wednesday night as his side visit fourth-placed Sunderland.
      Ismael was only appointed Watford boss in the summerCredit: Rex More

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      Ex-England Under-21s star charged by FA for ‘racially abusing’ OWN team-mate before Cardiff contract torn up

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      JACK SIMPSON has been charged by the FA for racially abusing a team-mate during pre-season.Simpson had his Cardiff contract ripped up in August with the club issuing a blunt 16-word statement.
      Jack Simpson had his Cardiff contract ripped up only last monthCredit: Getty
      Simpson has been charged by the FA for alleged racial abuse towards a team-mateCredit: Getty
      The Bluebirds announced on their official website: “We can confirm that Jack Simpson has today left Cardiff City Football Club by mutual consent.”
      But the FA has now stated that the centre-back has been charged with an “aggravated breach” of rules relating to misconduct and abusive language towards “race and/or colour”.
      The ex-England Under-21 international was allegedly involved in an incident that took place in July during Cardiff’s pre-season tour in Portugal.
      The 26-year-old is alleged to have used “abusive and/or insulting and/or improper” language towards a team-mate.
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      The ex-Rangers player has until Tuesday, 10 October to issue a response.
      The FA issued the following statement on Twitter: “Jack Simpson, a former Cardiff City player, has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 for misconduct that took place on their pre-season tour to Portugal in July 2023.
      “It’s alleged that the defender’s language towards a teammate was abusive and/or insulting and/or improper contrary to FA Rule E3.1.
      “It’s further alleged that this constitutes an “aggravated breach”, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference – whether express or implied – to race and/or colour.
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      “Jack Simpson has until Tuesday 10 October 2023 to provide a response.”
      Simpson joined Cardiff last year following a brief spell at Rangers and amassed a total of 23 appearances.
      The defender only played once on international level for England’s Under-21 side in a friendly against Denmark back in 2018. More

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      Neil Warnock tipped for stunning new job he could ‘do in his sleep’ just days after leaving Huddersfield

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      NEIL WARNOCK has been tipped for a stunning new role at Rangers after leaving Huddersfield. The 74-year-old confirmed he was stepping down from the managerial role at the Championship side after their home game against Stoke last month.
      Neil Warnock’s management career may not be over yetCredit: Getty
      The ex-Sheffield United manager was appointed at the John Smith’s stadium in February when the club was sitting 23rd in the Championship table.
      Warnock defied the odds and managed to keep the Yorkshire side in the second division last term after Huddersfield finished 18th.
      However, the club wanted to make long-term managerial appointments meaning Warnock and assistant Ronnie Jepson duly agreed to leave their roles.
      But Warnock’s coaching career might not be over yet.
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      Simon Jordan on TalkSPORT said Warnock would be a superb appointment to be Rangers new manger.
      He said: “I would advocate for Neil. I know that Warnock could do that job in his sleep.
      “I know that he could lift them. Whether he could overtake Celtic different matter but he could get them closer.
      “Huddersfield last season were gone. Done. Toast. Finished. They didn’t just avoid regulation they strolled past it.”
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      Rangers are currently third in the Scottish Premiership and sit five points behind rivals Celtic.
      Manager Michael Beale was sacked from his role on Sunday after just ten months on the job after the Light Blues poor start.
      Rangers have lost three of their seven league games this season.
      Warnock initially retired from management in 2022 after leaving Middlesbrough, before returning for his second spell in charge of Huddersfield in February.
      He has yet to confirm whether he will seek another challenge, having managed 16 different clubs and overseen eight promotions in his long career. More

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      Justin Allen: Guardiola’s comments show everything that’s wrong with the Prem… I’d love to see him try to boss Exeter

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      PEP GUARDIOLA made two ridiculous comments during the last week that illustrate everything that is wrong with Premier League elites.Don’t get me wrong, Guardiola deserves our respect and adulation for what he has achieved at Manchester City, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. We all marvel at the exhibition of football his teams produce.
      Pep Guardiola made two ridiculous comments last week
      Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was not happy with taking a two-hour bus journey home after their Carabao Cup loss at Newcastle
      But I’d love to see him try managing an EFL club to see how he’d get on.
      When he whinged about his precious City lambs forced to make a two-hour 123-mile coach journey home from Newcastle after Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie rather than fly, I wondered how he might cope if he was in charge of clubs like Exeter and Carlisle?
      Neither team have the luxury of jetting to matches — like the majority of clubs outside the top flight.
      When the Grecians, managed by Gary Caldwell, travel to deepest Cumbria — and vice versa — both teams face a SIXTEEN-HOUR journey … on a coach! That would have surely sent Pep into meltdown.
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      In August for that Saturday game, Exeter broke up their epic trip by taking their team on a five-hour bus ride on Thursday to Mottram Hall in Cheshire where they stayed overnight.
      They then did another three hours to Penrith on Friday to train with another overnight stay before playing the Cumbrians 3pm the next day.
      Exeter boss Gary Caldwell has a far harder job than Pep Guardiola
      Pep Guardiola should try swapping places with Carlisle boss Paul Simpson
      But as soon as the players were showered and changed after the game, they were herded onto a coach to take them directly back to Devon. They arrived into Exeter at almost 2am.
      At least their journey was a happy one after a 2-0 win.
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      Only Bristol Rovers sit within a two-hour radius for the Grecians in League One.
      Pep would also be sent into a spin if he swapped places with Paul Simpson at Carlisle. They are a geographical outpost in the third tier.
      Championship side Plymouth, another team out on a limb, coach to most games. 
      They did fly to Hull on Friday ahead of their clash on Humberside — although had to take a six-hour bus ride home afterwards, getting back around midnight.
      You didn’t hear Pilgrims boss Steven Schumacher whinging.
      It’s good Guardiola’s chairman isn’t Forest Green’s Just Stop Oil campaigner Dale Vince. He’d never endorse flying.
      And I dread to think how many times the likes of Erling Haaland would have to hang around doing keepie-uppies while waiting for them to charge their soon-to-be-unveiled electric bus!
      But when Pep went on to later say he was “not going to waste one per cent of energy for the Carabao Cup” before complaining about how tired his first-team stars are, I had to laugh.
      Pep backed up his reasoning by saying he couldn’t play stars such as Kyle Walker and Ruben Dias because they were “exhausted”.
      City skipper Walker, who has played most, had clocked 11 matches for club and country this season ahead of being left out at Newcastle — only being substituted once, in the 89th-minute of the Premier League opener against Burnley. 
      Yet Exeter captain Will Aimson has not missed a single minute of THIRTEEN matches — while team-mate Alex Hartridge has also started 13 and played more minutes than the Man City star.
      Kyle Walker has played 12 matches for club and country this tem and is “exhausted”
      But Exeter City captain Will Aimson has played 13 and is not “exhausted”
      I decided to give Aimson a call because I was intrigued to know if he was “exhausted” having played more matches than Walker, who is now up to 12, over the same time period.
      “No, I’m feeling great,” Aimson told me as he was excitedly preparing for game No13 against Northampton on Saturday.
      And how is he finding riding on buses before and after games — especially the huge schlep for Carlisle?
      He laughed: “I had a couple of seasons previously at Plymouth so am used to it!“But we pass the time well — playing a few games, catching the late Premier League kick-offs if they’re on and building a rapport.”
      There are countless lower league footballers like Aimson who play 90 minutes twice a week and must endure long coach journeys to and from games.
      You also must remember clubs in the six divisions immediately below the Premier League play eight extra league games a season.
      And it’s even more difficult when you get into non-league. Imagine being a semi-pro at Dover Athletic and having a job on a building site but having to endure a 10-hour round coach trip to Truro City in the National League South.
      I wonder how “exhausted” some of those players are.
      But, thankfully, not everyone in the golden corridors of the Premier League have such a blinkered view of competitions like the Carabao Cup.
      Take West Ham’s Tomas Soucek for example.
      I had a chat with the Czech midfielder after the Hammers survived a huge scare at League One club Lincoln to win 1-0 on Wednesday thanks to his winning goal.
      Tomas Soucek loves playing lower-league teams and scored the winner at Lincoln
      And he told me: “I love these cup matches against lower league opponents because you can see how excited their players are to face a Premier League club.
      “The atmosphere at EFL grounds like this are sometimes better than it is in the Premier League.
      “It’s not a big stadium but the atmosphere is perfect. I love it because we all know where we came from. It’s great to play in this competition.”
      The atmosphere at EFL grounds like Lincoln are sometimes better than it is in the Premier League.Tomas Soucek, West Ham
      Soucek has hit the nail on the head. These matches are huge for clubs like Lincoln. 
      The Carabao Cup is worth an estimated £50MILLION a season to the EFL — which is a lifeline to clubs in the three divisions below the Prem.
      Yes, I know — it’s small change to Guardiola when you consider he spent £210m on four signings this summer. 
      Let’s hope £78m Josko Gvardiol didn’t get too exhausted playing 90 minutes at Newcastle and having to hop on a coach for that damn two-hour ride home.
      Wednesday are a huge turn off
      I MUST have witnessed the shortest fan attendance of the season at Hillsborough on Friday night.
      A Sheffield Wednesday supporter, looking flustered and out of breath, arrived 10 minutes late for their game against Sunderland. 
      He took to his seat, then looked up at the scoreboard to see his team were already 2-0 down, promptly stood up again and walked out!
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      What a sad indictment of how bad things have become for the Owls that fans cannot bear to watch another minute of the shower of rubbish being served up in front of them.
      He would have been better off staying at home to watch Dragons’ Den. Who knows maybe some boffin could invent something new on the show — like a winning Sheffield Wednesday football team! More

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      Blackburn vs Leicester delayed after Aynsley Pears suffers nasty injury following horror collision with Jamie Vardy

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      TODAY’s early kick-off in The Championship between Blackburn and Leicester was halted for five minutes after Aynsley Pears suffered a nasty injury in a horror collision.The Blackburn keeper rushed at the feet of Jamie Vardy as he bore down on goal in the 59th minute.
      Pears received treatment for five minutes while the game was pausedCredit: PA
      He was eventually forced to hobble offCredit: PA
      The injury came in a collision with Jamie Vardy, who had scored in the first halfCredit: Getty
      But the England man trod on his boot and injured Pears, leading to a lengthy delay in play.
      After five minutes of treatment, Pears was replaced by back-up Rovers goalkeeper Leo Wahlstedt.
      As he left the field, Pears was unable to support himself and needed to be carried by medics.
      Pears has come under criticism from Rovers fans this season, with many saying that Wahlstedt, who arrived from second division Norwegian side Odds Ballklubb in the summer, should have been first-choice.
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      Blackburn were 2-1 down at the time of the substitution, after netting a quick reply in reponse to Wout Faes’ fourth minute opener through a goal by Sammie Szmodcics in the ninth minute.
      Leicester re-took the lead through a Jamie Vardy goal in the 28th minute, who characteristically celebrated in front of the Rovers fans.
      Leicester were then able to put Blackburn to the sword late in the game through an 82nd minute penalty by Kelechi Iheanacho and a Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall strike in the 88th minute.
      The convincing win puts Leicester back at the top of the table with eight wins and one loss from their nine games played so far this season.
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      The Foxes, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, look revitalised and set to bounce straight back to English football’s top-flight under Pep Guardiola’s former no2 Enzo Maresca.
      Rovers meanwhile have continued a miserable start to the campaign.
      The defeat was their fourth in their last five games.
      They sit in 18th place now on 10 points, two points above the drop zone. More

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      Yobs who taunted Sunderland fans with pic of Bradley Lowery are brothers – as mum slams ‘low lifes’ and cops open probe

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      THE vile football yobs who taunted Sunderland fans with a picture of Bradley Lowery are brothers, it has been revealed.Little Bradley captured the nation’s heart during his battle with cancer, but tragically died aged just six in 2017.
      Vile fans held up a photo of late Sunderland fan Bradley Lowery last nightCredit: Twitter/@sheffield wednesday
      His mum has now shared her heartbreak on FacebookCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Dale’s (pictured) former employer JRI Orthopaedics condemned his actionsCredit: Facebook
      The two yobs were brothers Dale and Drew Houghton (pictured)Credit: Facebook
      He was a mascot for his beloved Sunderland and, in the months before his death, led England out at Wembley alongside his hero – former Black Cats striker Jermain Defoe.
      Pictures circulated on X, formerly Twitter, showing two men laughing at the Sheffield Wednesday v Sunderland match at Hillsborough on Friday, with one of them holding up a picture of Bradley to the camera.
      It has now emerged the two yobs were brothers Dale and Drew Houghton.
      Dale’s former employer JRI Orthopaedics condemned his actions and claimed he “has not been employed” there for “some time”.
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      A full statement read: “JRI want to make clear that we do not condone the posts and images that has caused so much upset to so many people.
      “We wish to confirm that Dale Houghton is an ex-employee of JRI Orthopaedics and has not been employed by the business for some time.”
      In a post on Facebook, the Bradley Lowery Foundation, a charity set up by the boy’s mother Gemma, said: “This is so sad for me to see – whatever happened to ‘cancer has no colours’, let alone respect for a family that lost their baby to cancer?”
      A statement from the family read: “Today has not been the Saturday I was expecting, after receiving multiple calls and messages regarding a photo circulating on social media.
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      “I have received a visit from the Durham Police to check that I am ok, and they have notified myself and Carl that Yorkshire police are now dealing with the situation and taking it very serious.
      “Understandably people are angry, if I wasn’t so upset I’d be angry to.
      “Bradley was and still is well loved in the football community, which I’m enternaly [sic] grateful for, but i must ask that everyone lets the police do their job, and deal with the low lives.
      “I want to thank Sheffield Wednesday, for their quick condemnation, and the support their fans have shown.
      “Like we always say, CANCER HAS NO COLOURS, and as we all know it can affect anyone at any time.
      “Thank you all for your kind words, it has really helped and let’s do what we do best at the Bradley Lowery Foundation and turn this negative into a positive. Let’s share this beautiful iconic photo.”
      A spokesperson for Sheffield Wednesday described their actions as “outrageous and deplorable” on X, while South Yorkshire Police said it was working with the club to identify the men.
      A spokesman for the force said: “We are working to investigate public order offences following the Sheffield Wednesday V Sunderland fixture yesterday.
      “We will be working with the club to identity those responsible.
      “Anyone with information is asked to get in touch online or by calling 101.”
      Sheffield Wednesday said in a statement: “We are aware of the images circulating and have launched an immediate investigation together with South Yorkshire Police.
      “We roundly condemn this outrageous and utterly deplorable behaviour.
      “We can only apologise for the undoubted distress caused to Bradley’s family and friends.”
      Young Bradley was a regular Sunderland mascot, holding the hand of his idol Defoe.
      In June 2017, he penned an emotional tribute to his “best pal” Bradley – saying his favourite part of playing for Sunderland was walking onto the pitch with the brave youngster.
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      Defoe said he was heartbroken when he discovered the brave child could only have weeks to live.
      In the wake of Bradley’s death social media became flooded with messages filled with blue heart emojis in a show of support for him.
      Bradley struck up a friendship with Jermain Defoe when he played for the clubCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      JRI claimed he ‘has not been employed’ there for ‘some time’Credit: Facebook/JRI Orthopaedics
      Fans have now called for the vile pair to be banned
      The football-mad six-year-old captured the hearts of BritsCredit: Twiter / @Sheffield wednesday More

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      I was promoted to Premier League with Brighton and we can do it again at Hull, says Aaron Connolly

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      AARON CONNOLLY believes Hull are showing the qualities that got Brighton promoted to the Premier League.The striker was a rookie on the Sussex coast when they went up under Chris Hughton in 2017.
      Aaron Connolly and Hull are flying in the Championship so far this season
      And it was back then that he got to properly know Hull boss Liam Rosenior, who was playing for the Seagulls.
      And Connolly — who scored his fifth goal of the season in the 3-1 win at Stoke last weekend — firmly believes the Tigers can join his old club in the top flight next season.
      They go into today’s Championship clash with Plymouth among the early pace-setters with just one loss from their opening eight games.
      Connolly, 23, told SunSport: “There are so many similarities to Brighton. 
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      “You look at the talent we’ve got in the squad, the way we work for one another and bounce back from going behind to winning games as well as scoring late on.
      “People throw their bodies on the line for each other. I remember Shane Duffy and Lewis Dunk used to be the best at that.
      “As an academy player we’d watch all the games at home and I just remember those two always throwing their bodies on the line to block a shot.
      “Here at Hull, we’ve got lads such as Jacob Greaves, Sean McLoughlin, Lewis Coyle, Alfie Jones who can do that. Even the likes of Jean Seri too — everyone will do anything to win a game. 
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      “Another thing that is exactly the same as Brighton is the fact we’re a close group and everyone looks forward to coming to training every day.
      “There aren’t any cliques. On different days, different players will be sitting with a different team-mate having their food together. 
      “It’s a positive place to be — even after we lost our first two games, to Norwich in the league and Doncaster in the Carabao Cup, there was still a good vibe at the place.
      “That’s so important because football isn’t all about winning or getting last-minute equalisers. We need to be positive and strong all year round.”
      That was brought into sharp focus when Connolly and Seri had a row as they walked off for half-time at Stoke. The Hull striker was frustrated his team-mate gave away a sloppy free-kick at 2-0 up. 
      They hugged and made up in the dressing room almost immediately afterwards — but Rosenior said he was pleased they fell out for a short while because it showed their passion to win.
      Liam Rosenior celebrates promotion to the Premier League with Brighton
      Connolly spent six years at Brighton
      The Hull boss has known Connolly since he was 15.
      And it was their relationship that played a major part on the striker moving to the Humberside club — first on loan in January before making the move permanent in the summer.
      He said: “Liam was the main reason I came. I didn’t have lots of options but the minute Hull came in I wanted to come with the gaffer.
      “I’ve known him since I was 15 and he has looked after me throughout my career. 
      “Even while he was working at Derby, he has always been in touch.
      “Back then he was playing. I trained a little bit for the first team, and Liam was not only a big help to me but a huge voice in that changing room. 
      “That can only help the team now because it was a promotion- winning squad he was part of.
      “He knows exactly what it takes and from being around that squad then I’ve seen what you need to do to get promoted.
      “It can only be a positive thing.  It couldn’t be better time to be working with Liam here. I’m loving my football and in the summer I knew everybody, knew the players and the rest of the staff.”
      Another parallel Connolly draws with Brighton is how Hull are doing things off the pitch.
      The striker has not only been impressed with the way Rosenior has changed the whole culture at Hull but how the club are growing under the ownership of Acun Ilicali.
      Promotion is definitely the target. We’re a top-six teamAaron Connolly
      He believes it is similar to what Seagulls chairman Tony Bloom and director of football have been doing.
      Connolly can speak with some insight as he played for Brighton in the Premier League while Graham Potter was also changing the playing culture after taking over from Hughton.
      He said: “Potter implemented the style that the gaffer is doing here.
      “Liam has implemented it in seven or eight months and I can’t believe how well everyone has taken to it.
      “Potter managed to do it at Brighton and his legacy is how well they’re doing now. I can’t pick a team that can go to the Amex and beat them because they’re such a force.
      “I know they lost their first Europa League game against AEK Athens but you must remember that is the first game they’ve played on that stage against different teams, playing styles and managers.
      “I’ve seen that club evolve over the last eight years because of all the work Tony Bloom and Paul Barber have done there. They are always going to be a successful club based on the way they work.
      Connolly has scored five goals this season, including this one in the win at StokeCredit: Reuters
      “Then you look at our owner and gaffer. Off the pitch they seem to be getting so much right and on the pitch we’ve got momentum. 
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      “We had 24,000-plus in the stadium against Leeds so full credit to everyone working day in, day out off the pitch. It makes it easier on the field.
      “Promotion is definitely the target. We’re a top-six team.” More