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      Wales suffer Euro 2024 qualifying blow with Dan James struggling with an abductor injury

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      DAN JAMES is a major doubt for Wales’ must-win Euro 2024 qualifier in Latvia next month.An abductor injury could see the 45-cap Leeds winger miss the Group D clash on September 11.
      Winger James has been a regular for Wales since his debut in March 2019
      The wideman missed Leeds’ Championship win at Ipswich last SaturdayCredit: Getty
      James, 25, produced an impressive display in his last appearance for Daniel Farke’s Whites against West Brom on August 18.
      But the flying wideman missed the 4-3 Championship away win at Ipswich last Saturday with the fitness problem.
      Wales boss Robert Page names his squad in Bala tomorrow.
      Losing James would be a big blow for Page, who is under pressure after just one win in the last 12 internationals.
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      The Dragons are fourth in their group following summer defeats to Armenia and Turkey in June.
      The shock 4-2 loss at home to the Armenians in June was a major blow in Wales’ hopes of qualifying for three successive Euro finals.
      That was followed three days later by a 2-0 loss in the Turkish city of Samsun.
      Page’s men finished both ties with ten men following red cards to Kieffer Moore and Joe Morrell.
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      Both players will be suspended for the Latvia tie at the Skonto Stadium in Riga.
      But, despite the poor set of results, Page has been backed by Welsh FA chief executive Noel Mooney.
      Wales also face Jurgen Klinsmann’s South Korea in a Cardiff friendly on September 7. More

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      Southampton set to snap up two forgotten Premier League outcasts in double transfer swoop

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      SOUTHAMPTON are set to sign both Ryan Fraser and Mason Holgate on loan.The Championship side are bolstering their squad following a string of high profile departures and potentially more to come.
      Southampton look set to sign Ryan Fraser on loanCredit: Getty
      Mason Holgate is also heading to the south coastCredit: Getty
      Everton remain in talks over a deal to sign Che Adams, though there are disagreements over payment structures.
      The current proposal from Goodison Park would see the cash-strapped Toffees pay their first instalment in August next year, which Southampton will not agree to.
      Furthermore there is interest in Nathan Tella, Kyle Walker-Peters and Armel Bella-Kotchap at St. Mary’s.
      PSV Eindhoven and Luton Town were both keen on a deal to sign Holgate, while the Saints are also close to an agreement with Swansea for England Under-21 defender Nathan Wood.
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      Southampton have offered £7.5million moving up to £10m, with add-ons but the Swans are holding out for the full £10m as an initial payment.
      Midfielder Flynn Downes, who joined on loan from West Ham earlier this week, could make his debut against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
      The south coast club have made a strong start to their season two wins and a draw from their opening three fixtures.
      They’ll hope they can continue their form against QPR who have lost their last two games on the trot.
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      Russell Martin’s side have already seen a number of big names head for the exit door this summer following the club’s relegation.
      Romeo Lavia, James Ward-Prowse and Tino Livramento have all secured immediate returns to the Premier League. More

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      Fuming football fans left stunned after club print WRONG BADGE on £35 replica kit

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      FOOTBALL fans were left furious and stunned after an unbelievable blunder.And it saw Championship club Huddersfield Town somehow sell replica training kit in the megastore… with the WRONG badge on the front.

      Huddersfield Town fans have been left confused and furious over a training kit misprintCredit: Rex
      Huddersfield fan Mark Cocks took to social media to show that the Huddersfield training top he had bought for his son had a BURNLEY badge on it.
      The unexplainable mistake occurred when Mark purchased the warm-up top from the club shop.
      He said: “So been to the HTAFC shop. Son loves his new town training shirt….. apart from its got a Burnley badge on it!”
      Other fans weighed in on the hilarious error.
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      One said: “How does the club get it so wrong?”
      Another fan added: “Umbro obviously got the wrong Yorkshire postcode when delivering it!”
      The original top should be identical, but just with a Huddersfield Town badgeCredit: Huddersfield Town FC
      A third joked: “If this isn’t the most Huddersfield Town thing I’ve ever seen I don’t know what is.”
      And it wasn’t just fans who were getting in on the action, Burnley’s new co-owner, ex-NFL star JJ Watt, took the opportunity to try and claim Mark as a Clarets fan.
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      you’ve got Ashley Barnes coming to town next week, son “accidentally” picks up a Burnley kit… the universe is sending you signals mate.Welcome aboard the Burnley bandwagon.🤣— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) August 19, 2023

      Former Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt and his wife Kealia are minority owners in BurnleyCredit: Alamy
      He wrote: “You’ve got Ashley Barnes coming to town next week, son ‘accidentally’ picks up a Burnley kit… the universe is sending you signals mate. Welcome aboard the Burnley bandwagon.”
      Huddersfield host Norwich City on Saturday with former Burnley striker Ashley Barnes likely to line up for the Canaries.
      The training top itself is worn by a whole host of clubs including Burnley, Huddersfield and Brentford.
      It seems as if there has been an error and Huddersfield had been given Burnley’s training tops with the wrong labels on them! More

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      Wilfried Gnonto is completely out of order – he should be blaming Everton not Leeds for transfer breakdown

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      THERE is a cracking chippy opposite Elland Road called Graveley’s.Leeds fans flock to it in their droves before and after matches tucking into the nation’s favourite supper.
      Luke Ayling celebrates scoring Leeds’ leveller against West Brom
      The much-loved chippy across the road from Elland Road
      And there were plenty of grumbles coming from those queuing about how things have been going across the road since relegation to the Championship before Friday night’s clash with West Brom.
      “This is going to be a long nine months,” said one before drenching his chips in gravy and scoffing a humongous fish cake.
      Leeds players have not been queuing to leave but stampeding out of the Elland Road gates as quickly as you can say “Billy Bremner”.
      What happened last season in the Premier League is now fish ’n chip paper. 
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      But Daniel Farke, just six weeks in as Leeds boss, must sometimes feel like he has been placed in one of those huge fryers.
      Still without a win in the Championship after three games, barely any significant movement into the club — Ethan Ampadu from Chelsea aside — and even after a hard-fought 1-1 draw on Friday, he had to field questions about one player leaving and another wanting out.
      The club have now let 11 players go — six of them on loan.
      USA captain Tyler Adams is the latest exit — with Leeds agreeing to his £20million move to Bournemouth.
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      And then just one hour before kick-off, news broke that talented Italy winger Wilfried Gnonto, 19, had handed in a written transfer request — providing yet another unwelcome distraction as Leeds try to get their season up and running.
      This comes one week after he REFUSED to travel with the squad as they took on Birmingham.
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      And regardless of what Leeds say about not allowing Gnonto to leave — and rejecting four bids from Everton for good measure — he will almost certainly not be in Farke’s plans on September 2.
      Good riddance. 
      Of course his representatives are advising him to act up.
      But does he not have a mind of his own or the intelligence to understand his actions are out of order?
      Not only has his behaviour been a slap in the face to the loyal fans who have cheered his name from the terraces and bought shirts with his name on it.
      But also the young kids who have been queuing before and after games through rain and shine for the last year for his autograph. 
      Angry Leeds fans show what they think of their wantaway winger Wilfried Gnonto during the West Brom game at Elland Road on Friday night
      Wilfried Gnonto has only played in Leeds’ opener against Cardiff this season
      He is a role model and should be showing them that knuckling down, showing humility and dignity when things aren’t going your way sets a better example.
      Understandably, he is worried about the chances of adding to his 11 Italy caps and playing at next summer’s Euros if he spends a season in the Championship — especially now Luciano Spalletti has replaced Roberto Mancini as Azzurri boss.
      But he must also realise the world doesn’t revolve around his own personal ambitions and wishes.  He signed a contract with Leeds, they pay his wages, gave him a chance in the Premier League and a platform to develop. 
      They want him to stay but if he does leave they will want to be paid a fee worthy of a 19-year-old Italy international. That is not too much to ask.
      Gnonto should be peeved with Everton, not Leeds. Clearly he is worth at least the £30million wanted — so why don’t they just stop playing silly buggers and pay it? 
      The problems at Elland Road have been laid bare this summer — they had a squad littered with players who cared mostly about themselves and not the club that paid them huge amounts of money.
      Farke unfortunately inherited a squad packed with footballers who also had break clauses in their contracts.
      It is no wonder they got relegated. Most of them knew they would not be dropping into the Championship, regardless if Leeds ended in the bottom three.
      How can anyone be motivated to the maximum when they know there is not going to be any personal consequence?
      Daniel Farke has had a stressful first six weeks in charge of Leeds
      Farke told me the other night he has never known anything like it in his managerial career.
      But he also promised me the club, now under the ownership of the San Francisco 49ers — will no longer be allowing such contracts to be signed on his watch. 
      It causes too much chaos.
      Leeds will likely have a far stronger squad in two weeks. On Friday, they looked like a side that certainly had good foundations to challenge for promotion.
      But they need a No10, another decent winger and strength in depth to cope with a 46-game Championship season.
      Address that and Farke can nab his third consecutive promotion from the Championship after two previous successes with Norwich.
      Come September 2 the German will sleep easier — and Leeds might just start BATTERING the Championship. 
      Ipswich’s Ed Sheeran is a guitar hero
      IPSWICH are trying to coax celebrity fan Ed Sheeran on to their new matchday streaming show.
      And he might even end up performing a tune or two for good measure by the looks of their plush studio set.
      Ed Sheeran might be a perfect encore on Ipswich’s new matchday streaming serviceCredit: MATCHDAY IMAGES

      A guitar at Ipswich’s studioCredit: MATCHDAY IMAGES
      There is a very nifty-looking guitar that is subtly placed in the backdrop belonging to .. Ed Sheeran.
      I can just see it now … you watch the Tractor Boys on your laptop, get some post-match reaction from Kieran McKenna and then a bit of Ed Sheeran as an encore.
      Come clean at Swindon, Clem
      THERE are a lot of worried Swindon fans after they were given the bombshell news that Clem Morfuni does not have complete ownership of their club after all.
      It emerged that the Australian businessman — who took control of the League Two side two years ago — was forced to admit he had to sell a chunk of his shares to two unnamed individuals last year.
      He had to fund paying off a £2.9million debt which would have plunged the Robins into administration.
      Morfuni took over a club that was £7.5m in the red and claimed to have reduced that to £1m.
      But he only came clean about the transfer of shares and the £2.9m debt this week after the club’s Companies House records were updated.
      He said: “Money was borrowed from two individuals that I reached out to and shares were utilised as security for the loan as virtually all my assets are in Australia.
      “They’ve had no interest in running the club and want no influence over the club whatsoever. Mistakes happen. We’re not perfect, and neither is any other club out there.
      Clem Morfuni has questions to answer at Swindon
      “What matters is how we own up to it, fix what needs fixing, and keep moving forward. I apologise to all supporters for the confusion this has caused.”
      Morfuni should have come clean last year. Owners like this must understand they are custodians of proud football institutions like Swindon Town. The club ultimately belongs to the fans, not him, and he should be telling them what the hell is going on at the earliest opportunity … not a year after the event!
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      And why are these individuals not being identified? This is yet another reason why our game needs cleaning up and regulation. The names of the persons owning those shares should be, no pun intended, shared with their fans. 
      They have every right to know. More

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      Fans fear Aaron Ramsey curse is about to strike again as former Arsenal star scores thunderbolt for childhood club

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      FANS are fearing the return of Aaron Ramsey’s goalscoring curse after his thunderbolt for Cardiff.The former Arsenal star scored a long-range rocket to pull his boyhood club level away to Leicester on Saturday.
      Fans fear Aaron Ramsey’s curse could strike again after he scored for CardiffCredit: Rex
      Ramsey received the ball around 30 yards from goal before taking a touch and lashing it into the top corner.
      Supporters were quick to react to the goal on social media, with many fearing his curse could strike again.
      The curse is tied to the spooky regularity with which celebrities have died after Ramsey’s goals.
      Of his 76 career goals, 23 have been followed by the death of a notable celebrity.
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      Those to have died not long after the Welshman has scored include Whitney Houston and David Bowie.
      “Who is dying?” tweeted one fan after his goal against the Foxes.
      Another wrote: “Someone hide David Attenborough!”
      A third added: “Who is going to die?”
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      Meanwhile, one more ominously commented: “Someone’s about to die.”
      Ramsey’s strike was his first since returning to Cardiff this summer.
      The 32-year-old midfielder signed a two-year deal after arriving on a free transfer from Nice.
      Having come through the club’s academy, Ramsey scored three goals in 28 appearances before being sold to Arsenal for £5.5million in 2008.
      He was also part of the Bluebirds side which reached the FA Cup final that same year.
      Aaron Ramsey returned to Cardiff this summerCredit: Getty More

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      Toon-mad Leif Davis dreaming of facing Newcastle in the big time as he eyes Premier League promotion with Ipswich

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      LEIF DAVIS always dreamed of playing in the Premier League when he went to St James’ Park to watch his Newcastle heroes.And the Ipswich left-back would further get starry-eyed as he played FIFA on his console as his beloved Magpies against the likes of Manchester City.
      Leif Davis played a huge part in Ipswich’s promotion and now wants to fire them to the Premier League
      Davis was in dreamland when he made his Leeds Premier League debut against Manchester City
      So he was pinching himself when he was locking horns with Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez and Co on his Premier League debut for Leeds for real at Elland Road three years ago.
      Now Davis, 23, is eyeing a return to the big time with Ipswich after joining from the Yorkshire club last summer.
      He said: “I went to warm up but got called back to the technical area right away and got told I was going on.
      “And when I ran out I was thinking, ‘Wow, this is a dream.’ I was playing against the likes of De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Mahrez, Foden, Raheem Sterling — some of the world’s best players.
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      “Just a few years earlier I was playing on FIFA against these guys, thinking, ‘I’d like to play on the same field as you one day’ and it was actually happening.”
      Davis was destined to become a professional footballer, given that he played for a season at the famous Wallsend Boys Club in Newcastle.
      The club is famed for producing the likes of Alan Shearer, Peter Beardsley,  Steve Bruce, Michael Carrick and Fraser Forster just to name a few.
      Lifelong Toon fan Davis was inspired by his heroes to make it to the top.
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      He said: “I’ve always been a huge fan and had a season ticket at St James’ Park for years.
      “When I first went to watch them there was Ryan Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini. Then there was Yohan Cabaye and Gabriel Obertan.
      “My favourite games were the European nights when I went up there with my dad and brother. Hopefully a chance might present itself to get a few Champions League games this season.”
      Davis never got picked up by Newcastle as a kid — playing local Sunday morning football — and instead his big break came when MORECAMBE snapped him up instead, aged 16, giving him a scholarship.
      He said: “I had it in my head that I had been rejected a few times by different clubs who I went on trial to. I said to my parents, ‘This might be it for me. I might not get a chance to play professionally.’
      “Then a trial came up at Morecambe. I played 45 minutes and they called me on the way home offering me a two-year scholarship.
      “I took my chance there. It is hard moving away from home at such a young age. I thought it was going to be the only opportunity, a real stepping stone in my career. It was one I had to take. You have to work from the bottom to the top.”
      Davis got spotted by Leeds and they took him to Elland Road when he was 18 where he played for West Brom boss Carlos Corberan, then in charge of the under-21s.
      But it did not take long until he impressed coach Marcelo Bielsa, who got him training with the first team.
      And the Geordie ace remembers: “It was so demanding as everyone knows.
      “Biesla has developed so many players. Kalvin Phillips always says he wouldn’t be where he is today if it wasn’t for him.
      “And he did the same with me. When I first went there, I wouldn’t attack as much and would always be sitting back and trying to create a play from further back. 
      Fabricio Coloccini was one of Leif Davis’ heroes as he was growing up as a Newcastle fan watching from the terraces at St James’ Park
      Kieran McKenna celebrates promotion with his team
      “But then he told us to start running and told me I was a good athlete and passer of the ball. He wanted me to push on high and that helped me massively in my game last season.”
      The left-back was a key player as the Tractor Boys won promotion back to the Championship after four seasons stuck in League One.
      Davis, himself, was able to directly enjoy making an impact having only been in and around the Leeds side that got promoted and being a bit-part player on loan when Bournemouth went up in 2022.
      And he said: “Last season was unbelievable. I know it’s not my first time being promoted but playing a big part in the team was a wonderful feeling.
      “It’s what I needed. I know it’s good being at a Premier League team but you don’t want to be sitting on the bench all the time. You want to get playing and that’s why I came here. I wanted to develop as a player.”
      Ipswich have got off to a flying start — beating Sunderland and Stoke — to be the early Championship leaders.
      And Davis says the talk at Portman Road has not been about consolidating in the second tier but getting into the Premier League.
      He said: “We spoke about it in the week leading up to the new season. We said, ‘We’re not coming here to have a jolly up.’ As a team, we want to make a statement, go for it again and try to get promoted.
      “You want to keep pushing and pushing and take the team into the Premier League. That’s what we need to do. That is where our focus should be.”
      Boss Kieran McKenna, 37, continues to impress in only his second full season as a manager — having taken over in December 2002 after serving as an assistant at Manchester United under Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick.
      The former Northern Ireland Under-21 international is seeing his reputation grow in the game and if he continues this upward curve this season there will be top-flight clubs looking in his direction.
      Davis said: “He’s an unbelievable manager. When I first came down, he made me feel so welcome straight away. I played at the weekend when I came down. I hadn’t really trained with the lads. I got thrown in the deep end.
      “He has done so much for us. Everyone can say they have come on in massive amounts. 
      “If you asked anyone in the changing room or backroom staff, people will tell you he is up there with the best coaches they’ve played with.
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      “I think he possibly can coach even higher. There has been a bit of interest. A few managers when they got sacked in the Premier League, a few eyes turned to him straight away.
      “But he is sticking with us and signed a new contract. He just wants to help the lads kick on even more.” More

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      Premier League ball-in-play figures revealed after major rule change was introduced to crack down on time-wasting

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      PREMIER LEAGUE games have seen an increase in the amount of ball-in-play time following new rules designed to crack down on timewasting.Ifab have introduced rules which has seen officials add on extra time for goal celebrations, substitutions, injuries, penalties and red cards.
      New rules have seen an increase in added time in the Premier League and EFL this seasonCredit: Rex
      The Premier League has seen the amount of ball in play time increase by almost four minutes
      This has had a significant effect on matches across the EFL and in the top tier, with few games lasting less than 100 minutes as a result of the changes.
      It has also increased the amount of time the ball is in play, with an average rise of almost four minutes so far this season.
      That is a big improvement, particularly as matches have only lasted, on average, three minutes longer than they did last season.
      Last season saw the most average game time [98.27] but the least average ball-in-play time [54.52] of any Prem season in the last 10 years.
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      Now ball-in-play time is at an average of 58.42 and is likely to improve further as fewer players attempt to waste time – as they know it will be added on at the end of the match.
      There has also been an improvement in ball-in-play time in all three EFL divisions, with League Two seeing the highest increase at eight minutes.
      However it remains the division with the least amount of ball-in-play time, though is now only half a minute behind League One, with 56.04 minutes of ball time compared to 56.56.
      New disciplinary rules have also been introduced to clamp down on “unacceptable conduct on the pitch, on the sidelines and in the stands”.
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      There has also been a clamp down on player and manager disciplineCredit: Getty
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      The Premier League and EFL are keen to give match officials greater protection – to prevent managers and players trying to intimidate and influence decisions.
      Under the new regulations, all club technical staff, including managers and assistants, must sign up to a “code of conduct” – which has been approved by the League Managers Association.
      The rules have already seen players in the Championship and League One sent off for dissent.
      While Bolton boss Ian Evatt and Leyton Orient gaffer Richie Wellens were also red-carded in mid-week after confronting the referee. More

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      Former Arsenal star, 32, retires from football after announcing start of shock new business

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      FORMER Arsenal star Henri Lansbury has retired from football aged 32.The midfielder made eight appearances for the Gunners after coming through the club’s academy.
      Henri Lansbury has retired aged 32Credit: Getty
      The midfielder helped Luton achieve promotion to the Premier League last seasonCredit: Getty
      Lansbury rose through the ranks at ArsenalCredit: Getty
      He now owns lawn fertiliser company Grass GainsCredit: Instagram @thelawnlad
      He played in the Premier League for Aston Villa but spent the majority of his career in the Championship, featuring for the likes of West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Norwich and Watford.
      Most recently he played for Luton and made 12 appearances as the Hatters won promotion to the Prem.
      But following his release Lansbury has, as expected, decided to hang up his boots to focus on a different career path.
      He released a statement announcing his retirement, which reads: “I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone who I have had the pleasure of working within the football world.
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      “From managers, coaches to teammates and to opponents – it’s been one hell of a ride!
      “I’m so grateful for the amazing experiences – from the clubs that I have represented, being part of four promotions, to representing England at youth level and for the support I received whilst overcoming testicular cancer.

      “The highs and the lows, I’ve loved every minute of it.
      “Peace out and catch you all on the grass soon.”
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      Lansbury owns a grass fertiliser company called Grass Gains, and he has worked on pitches at Fulham and Genk.
      He is now set to join Monaco to work on the French side’s pitch, while Grass Gains’ ‘Lawn Bulk’ fertiliser has received glowing reviews from the likes of Micah Richards, Luton star Tom Lockyer and former Wales international James Chester.
      Speaking about his new career, Lansbury said: “We’ve done Fulham, we’ve done Genk and we’re in at Monaco soon.
      “We’re going in the right direction, a few local clubs have asked for it and we’ve put it down on their pitches as well.
      “I want to give back to the local clubs really, I want them to have a nice pitch to play on, there’s nothing better than a kid running on a pitch with stripes on it and that’s what it does, it helps stripe it off.” More