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      Leeds fans say ‘EFL days have truly returned’ as club unveils ‘in case of emergency break glass’ sponsor

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      LEEDS fans think the “EFL days have truly returned” with the club unveiling their sleeve sponsor for next season.They were relegated to the Championship last season after three years in the Premier League.
      Leeds will be sponsored by Flamingo Land next seasonCredit: Leeds United FC
      The amusement park has rekindled it’s partnership with the clubCredit: Leeds United FC
      Leeds players had a great time there years agoCredit: Leeds United FC
      The EFL are allowing brands to be on the sleeve of kits for the first time this approaching campaign.
      And local amusement park Flamingo Land have taken the opportunity to be involved with the team again.
      Leeds’ academy was sponsored by them 13 years ago and during the season the players visited the attraction.
      The day out produced hilarious photos of manager Neil Warnock on a pretend motorbike, Sam Byram with a lemur on his shoulders and the squad on a rollercoaster.
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      Fans have reacted to news of Flamingo Land’s return with one saying: “Screams Championship.”
      Another added: “Leeds United are BACK, baby. We’ve reached peak EFL again.”
      More reacted: “The ‘in case of emergency break glass’ local commercial deal.”
      A fourth added: “I don’t think relegation had truly sunk in until I saw this.”
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      Others said: “To be fair supporting this club is a rollercoaster so makes perfect sense.”
      Fans also joked that the club should get a pink away kit in tribute to a flamingo’s colour.
      Leeds’ main shirt sponsor is boiler brand BOXT.
      And several players may not hang about to play in it with rumours suggesting that Wilfried Gnonto, Tyler Adams and Rodrigo will all leave the club this summer.
      Leeds fans have been left in hysterics at the newsCredit: Leeds United FC
      One fan called the sponsor “peak EFL”Credit: Leeds United FC More

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      Swansea have £2.5million bid for hotshot Yates accepted by Blackpool

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      SWANSEA have had a £2.5million bid for Blackpool striker Jerry Yates accepted.The hitman, 26, scored 14 league goals for the relegated Championship outfit last season.
      Yates scored 15 goals in all competitions for relegated Championship side Blackpool last seasonCredit: Reuters
      Swansea’s approach for Yates will increase the spotlight on Joel Piroe’s futureCredit: Getty
      Three other second-tier clubs also put in offers for Yates.
      But SunSport understands Yates has his heart set on joining the Welsh club.  
      He will undergo a medical on Tuesday.
      Swansea’s move for Yates will cast further doubt over the future of Joel Piroe, the Welsh club’s top scorer for the past two seasons.
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      The hotshot will become new manager Michael Duff’s third signing of the summer after the arrival of Josh Ginnelly and Josh Key.
      Yates had interest from the likes of West Brom, Coventry, Bristol City and Ipswich this summer.
      Leicester and newly-promoted Premier League outfit Luton were also keen on the forward earlier in this window but Blackpool had been holding out for a bid in the region of £4million.
      Despite relegation with the Tangerines to League One, Yates claimed a hat-trick at the club’s end-of-season awards after winning the Players’ Player of the Year, top scorer and goal of the season gongs.
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      Yates, who had 12 months remaining on his contract at Bloomfield Road, ended the campaign in the top 10 goalscorers in the Championship.
      He scored 15 in all competitions with his other goal coming in the FA Cup third round shock after Blackpool dumped out Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest.
      In total, Yates scored 46 goals 139 appearances since joining Blackpool from Rotherham in 2020. More

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      Hilarious reason why Neil Warnock once brought on a random 14-year-old lad in pre-season

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      PADDY KENNY has revealed Neil Warnock once gave a run-out to a 14-year-old in pre-season – for a bizarre reason.The legendary manager took his team to Cornwall for pre-season with Kenny part of a side that lined up against Bodmin Town.
      Neil Warnock once played a random teenager in pre-seasonCredit: Getty
      Paddy Kenny revealed the iconic manager owed the kid’s dad a favourCredit: Twitter @IHadTrialsOnce
      And he was joined by a surprising individual – a 14-year-old child Warnock brought into the squad.
      Kenny, 45, revealed the teenager was given a cameo because Warnock owed his dad a favour after he decorated his house.
      Kenny told the I Had Trials Once podcast: “Warnock used to take us to Cornwall all the time. We were playing a game, we’re all there getting changed before we go out. Warnok’s brought this young kid in about 14-years-old.
      “This young kid has come in with his dad and we were like ‘what’s going off here, f***ing hell, why would he be playing?’.
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      “Anyway, he tells us, ‘just to let you all know lads, this is so and so and his dad so and so. He’s playing 20 minutes at the end of the game’.
      “We were like, eh? Anyway this young kid comes on, plays 20 minutes, pre-season I think it was Bodmin we were playing.
      “We found out afterwards the lad’s dad had decorated Warnock’s house, so instead of paying he gave his lad 20 minutes of a pre-season game.”
      Warnock ended his retirement to return to management at Huddersfield in February, and steered the Terriers away from the Championship relegation zone last season.
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      He signed a one-year deal earlier this summer, much to the delight of fans, and is once again taking his squad to Cornwall for pre-season.
      Kenny’s career was intertwined with Warnock with the keeper playing for the 74-year-old at Bury, Sheffield United, QPR, Leeds, and Rotherham. More

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      Unemployed ex-England star plays as trialist for Watford in friendly draw with Arsenal as he desperately seeks transfer

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      AN unemployed ex-England star played as a trialist for Watford in their friendly draw with Arsenal.The midfielder is desperately seeking a transfer after being released by their former club.
      Jake Livermore played as a trialist for Watford against ArsenalCredit: Getty
      Jake Livermore came off the bench for the Hornets in the 1-1 draw on Saturday.
      The match was played behind closed doors, with Ismael Kone putting Watford ahead before Marquinhos equalised for the Gunners.
      Livermore has been training with Watford after leaving West Bromwich Albion when his contract expired last week.
      He spent six years at the Hawthorns, making 216 appearances and scoring nine goals from midfield.
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      The 33-year-old also played Premier League football during his previous spells with Hull City and Tottenham Hotspur.
      Livermore will be hoping to impress Watford boss Valerien Ismael enough to earn a contract for next season.
      His next opportunity to play for the club will come on July 22 when they face Crystal Palace in another friendly.
      The former Baggies captain also has seven England caps to his name, having made his international debut back in 2012.
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      However, he was made to wait five years for his next cap as he returned to the Three Lions set-up in 2017 and made six more appearances.
      He was also named on Gareth Southgate’s list of standbys for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. More

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      Former Chelsea and Man City star joins Leicester as part of Enzo Maresca’s backroom staff

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      EX-CHELSEA and Manchester City keeper Willy Caballero has been appointed assistant manager at Leicester.The 41-year-old left Southampton at the end of his contract after just five appearances in two seasons.
      Willy Caballero has been named as assistant manager at LeicesterCredit: Getty
      Enzo Maresca was appointed Leicester boss last monthCredit: Getty
      And he has now taken a position at the King Power Stadium working with head coach Enzo Maresca.
      Leicester confirmed the news on Sunday morning as they bid to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
      Leicester’s new manager Maresca, 43, left Manchester City as one of Pep Guardiola’s assistant coaches after helping them clinch the Treble last season.
      Caballero is the fifth addition to the Italian’s backroom staff following the appointments of Danny Walker, Michele De Bernardin, Marcos Alvarez and Javier Molina Caballero.
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      Caballero won a League Cup during his three-season spell with Man City.
      He then spent four years with Chelsea where he claimed the Champions League, FA Cup and Europa League.
      The Argentine left Stamford Bridge in 2021 and joined Southampton.
      But he made just one appearance last season and has now begun a new chapter as a coach.
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      Leicester get their Championship campaign underway at home to Coventry on August 6.
      It is their first season in the second tier since 2013/14.
      Speaking last month about joining the club, Maresca told the club website: “I’m very excited because of the Club [I’m joining] and because we have a big season ahead of us.
      “At the beginning, the target is to play in the best way we can. From there, we can build, day by day, our idea and our philosophy, and the most important thing is to try to win games.
      “First of all, we’re going to give 100 per cent, absolutely, because the Club deserves this. It’s our job, our duty to do that.
      “Then, as I said, day by day, step by step, absolutely we’re going to improve.”
      His only past experience of being a head coach came at Parma where he was sacked after 14 games.
      Meanwhile, Leicester are in the midst of a huge squad overhaul.
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      Youri Tielemans, Caglar Soyuncu, Daniel Amartey, Nampalys Mendy, Ayoze Perez and Ryan Bertrand all departed when their contracts expired at the end of last season.
      James Maddison has moved to Tottenham, with Harvey Barnes, Wilfred Ndidi and Timothy Castagne also being linked with moves away. More

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      Everton join Newcastle in transfer race for Championship wonderkid but will have to meet £15m asking price

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      EVERTON boss Sean Dyche wants to win the race for Blackburn midfield gem Adam Wharton.But the Goodison chief will have to find straight cash to beat Newcastle to his signature as he closes in on a major capture.
      Adam Wharton is attracting Premier League attentionCredit: Getty
      Dyche was prepared to let striker Ellis Simms go as part of the deal but Blackburn would rather have cash than take an exchange and Everton are trying to raise it.
      Ironically the sale of Simms to Coventry may help that but they still plan to shift others in a summer revolution.
      Rovers would need around £15million guaranteed for Wharton and Everton could go that far, particularly if they find a buyer for Amadou Onana.
      Dyche could also have a better sales pitch than Newcastle, who see Wharton, 19, as a long-term prospect — and even one they would loan back to Blackburn.
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      Everton may offer the top talent an immediate crack at the Premier League. Their needs are greater and they have lost Tom Davies already from that part of their squad.
      It would be a blow for Blackburn to lose Wharton so soon but owners Venky’s must balance the books after writing another £20m cheque recently following a failed promotion campaign.
      Venky’s are also faced with problems transferring funds from India because of new government regulations in their home country.
      West Ham are keen on buying Onana but behind the scenes they are not being encouraged.
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      The Belgian international may want to go to a club in the Champions League if he moves.
      Meanwhile, Blackburn are offering centre-half Danny Batth, 33 in September, a two-year deal as they plot a raid on Sunderland.
      Rovers want Batth, who is in his last year with the Black Cats and is not getting an extension after that because of his age.
       The Ewood Park club are hoping Batth pushes to leave and former boss Tony Mowbray decides he will not be a starter so they can land him cheaply.
      Luton’s bids for keeper Thomas Kaminski are being brushed aside by Blackburn.
      The Premier League new boys have made a second attempt to recruit the Belgian shot-stopper but the offer starts at under £1m.
      Even with extras that  is miles short of what Rovers want.
      Hatters see Kaminski competing for game time and may have to look elsewhere for cover. More

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      My Spice Girl wife Geri Halliwell was gutted when Luton were promoted to the Premier League, says Christian Horner

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      GERI HALLIWELL was gutted to see Luton promoted to the Premier League, claims her husband Christian Horner.The Hatters defeated Red Bull chief Horner’s beloved Coventry on penalties in the Championship play-off final.
      Geri Halliwell and Christian Horner were both gutted to see Luton promotedCredit: Getty
      Spice Girl Geri is a Watford fanCredit: Getty
      Horner was naturally crestfallen to see his team fall at the final hurdle after a brilliant season.
      But he wasn’t the only one in his household holding out for a Sky Blues win.
      Chatting to talkSPORT, Horner said: “They came so close, what a cruel way to go out on a penalty shootout the way they did.
      “I thought they played so, so well this last season.
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      “So hopefully they can go one better [next season] and make it through without the stress of the play-offs.”
      On wife Geri, he added: “As a Watford fan, she was gutted to see Luton get through.
      “I think there is a local rivalry between Watford and Luton.
      “Certainly, my step-father was a bit annoyed about it.
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      “But Geri appreciates all sport and I think she is looking forward to seeing Watford get back there soon as well.”
      The Hornets suffered the ignominy of having to watch their former manager Rob Edwards guide their biggest rivals to promotion.
      Sack-happy Watford bafflingly axed Edwards after just 11 games in charge – only to then watch him succeed at Kenilworth Road.
      Spice Girl Geri wed Horner in 2015 after around 15 months of dating – and they went on to have their first child together, Monty, in January 2017.
      Luton beat Coventry in the Championship play-off finalCredit: PA
      Horner and Geri wed in 2015Credit: Getty More

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      ITV make MAJOR shake-up to football coverage with three pundits axed for new-look EFL show

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      ITV are reportedly set to make big changes to their EFL highlights show.The new-look format will see the running time significantly reduced and pundits axed.
      Jules Breach will remain as a presenter on the new-look showCredit: Getty
      Hugh Woozencroft will rotate presenting duties with Breach as they did beforeCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Presenters Hugh Woozencroft and Jules Breach will stay on but will no longer host the show from a studio, claim The Mirror.
      Instead they will be pitchside at an EFL ground, with Woozencroft and Breach to rotate presenting duties.
      Highlights from all EFL matches will continue to be aired along with player and manager post-match interviews.
      But there will no longer be analysis provided by the likes of Sam Parkin, Dean Ashton and Jamie Mackie, all of whom worked as pundits in the previous format of the show.
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      ITV are heading into the second year of their two-year deal to host EFL highlights, with Quest previously airing the show.
      Interest in the league has grown significantly with 21.7million fans attending matches last season – the highest since 1953-54.
      That has helped EFL clubs agree a TV deal with Sky Sports worth almost £1billion.
      The agreement will see more than 1,000 live matches broadcast starting from the 2024-25 campaign.
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      In total, 1,059 league, EFL Cup — including all 93 ties — and EFL Trophy matches will be shown live on Sky or a streaming platform, replacing the iFollow service.
      Currently, Sky televises 138 EFL league games each season. More