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      Ridiculous scorelines, bizarre gaffes, fanatical fans & celebrations with a GOAT… inside Europe’s most bonkers league

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      IT’S the most bonkers league in Europe… one that makes even our Championship look predictable.A division where the team currently sitting third haven’t won a home game all season.Fans at Schalke vs FC Nurnberg showed it’s a cracker of a divisionCredit: RexMagdeburg fans haven’t seen their high-fliers win at home all seasonCredit: GettyFans let off firebombs when Schalke faced Magdeburg at the Veltins-ArenaCredit: GettyWhere 8-3 scorelines are not considered unusual.And where one club hands out free tickets to its fans.Welcome to the wacky world of the German Second Division.While Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich have made an unsurprising return to the Bundesliga summit, the division below is once again conjuring its unique brand of chaos and craziness.In 20 matchdays this season, the team leading at the top of the table has changed nine times and in mid-December the gap between first and ninth was just three points.Magdeburg, who are now third, have not won a single league game at home this season in nine attempts – yet they topped the division in late January.Cologne currently lead the way. A city famous for its twin-spire cathedral, Lukas Podolski kebab house and bizarre love of Tony Woodcock – they don’t do things by halves when it comes to football.JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThis month they will bring out another outrageous kit to celebrate carnival time (they once finished a season with seven different shirts) and the fans will embark on a week-long party in fancy dress.But for Cologne, that is pretty much the norm. This is the club that has a live billy goat mascot, who arrives for every match with the Rocky theme tune blaring and a line of cheerleaders… and then spends the game grazing on the touchline.Cologne star Anthony Ujah celebrates goal by grabbing horns of goat mascot Anthony Ujah once ‘celebrated’ a goal by grabbing the horns of Cologne’s famous goat mascot, HennesHamburg supporters see the famous club languishing in the second tierCredit: GettyHe even unwittingly joined in a goal celebration when former striker Anthony Ujah memorably grabbed his horns a decade ago.Anywhere other than Germany, and you would probably raise an eyebrow.But that is the beauty of the 2. Bundesliga, where every week something bizarre seems to happen.This season, in a match between Magdeburg and Greuther Furth, two penalties were awarded for players inexplicably picking up the ball, believing the whistle had blown.A few years back, VAR awarded a spot-kick to Bochum after a Kiel sub warming up behind the goal put out a leg to stop a wayward shot before it had left the field of play.And Brentford keeper Mark Flekken needs no reminding about the time he turned his back on the action to have a drink, thinking his Duisburg team had scored, only for the goal to be ruled out and Ingolstadt to run down the other end and net themselves.But don’t be fooled into thinking there is a lack of quality. Far from it.Rudi Voller, Jurgen Klinsmann, Marco Reus and Joshua Kimmich are among a host of star names who have all cut their teeth in the German second tier.And a certain Jurgen Klopp made his name there both as a player and manager with Mainz.As for the clubs, it is not just Cologne who are a powerhouse.Brentford keeper Mark Flekken was playing for MSV Duisburg when he famously conceded a goal while getting a drink of waterFlekken was left embarrassed when Ingolstadt scoredHamburg, Kevin Keegan’s old outfit, are second in the table and the other week took 20,000 away fans to another giant Hertha Berlin, resulting in a staggering attendance of 71,500 at the Olympiastadion – which hosted England’s Euro 2024 final against Spain.Former Bundesliga winners Kaiserslautern had plummeted into the third division but are now pushing for a return to the top flight, having gone from ninth to third in the space of a week in early December.Hannover are also knocking on the door, just behind Fortuna Dusseldorf, a club that is once again handing out free tickets to its matches as part of its Fortuna For All initiative.Last season, Dusseldorf trialled it for three games and received 350,000 ticket applications. This season, they extended it to four matches, with the Hamburg game in October attracting 135,000 requests for its 52,000-capacity stadium.And then there’s Schalke.Having reached the Champions League in 2019, they were trounced 7-0 at Manchester City and have lurched from one crisis to another ever since.Schalke, who still count former Everton defender Jonjoe Kenny among their ranks, sat top of the table after the first match of this season.But within a month they were flirting with relegation to the third tier of German football.To put that into perspective, they are the third biggest club in the country, akin to an Arsenal or a Tottenham. And when was the last time you saw Spurs mentioned in the same breath as relegation…England legend Kevin Keegan was with Hamburg from 1977-1980Credit: GettyAnother ex-Three Lions striker, Tony Woodcock, has icon status at CologneCredit: GettyDespite Schalke’s woes, their attendances still average just over 60,000.In fact, six clubs average more than 41,000 and as of last weekend, a whopping 5.5million fans had watched a match this season in the division.And where there are German football fans, there is beer and bratwurst – and lots of it.Schalke’s stadium, sponsored by brewers Veltins, has its own three-mile long beer pipeline so their long-suffering supporters are never short of a pint, while the club is still backed by a sausage magnate.The fans aren’t starved of entertainment either.Ridiculous scorelines and incredible comebacks are a regular occurrence, with the second tier averaging 3.19 goals a game. Even our wildly unpredictable Championship has managed only 2.48.On 13 of the 20 matchdays, at least one club scored five goals in a match, and on one of the weeks when it didn’t happen, five teams still netted four each.Nuremberg’s 8-3 win over Regensburg – a match that was 3-3 in the 58th minute – is still the highest scoring this season.But there has also been a 5-3 and a 4-4, while 4-3s are as common as a love of lederhosen.Throw in the fact the average season ticket costs you £170 and you can see the appeal.So if you like your football fast and frenetic, your beer strong and cheap and your sausages a foot long, you know exactly where to go.Magdeburg are dreaming of promotion to the elite domain of Bayern and CoCredit: Getty More

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      Burnley might be close to instant Premier League promotion but fans want ‘toothless’ Clarets to start scoring goals

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      DEFENCES might win you titles, but fans of “toothless” Burnley are demanding football’s tightest team start entertaining by scoring some goals too.The Clarets are second in the Championship largely due to their miserly backline. Scott Parker is bidding for Premier League promotion with a third different sideCredit: GettyThe Clarets sit second in the Championship but have scored 37 goals this termCredit: GettyBut they could blow their immediate return to the Premier League thanks to their less-than-impressive strike rate.To say that Burnley’s football hasn’t been riveting would be an understatement.They have irked fans with ten 0-0 draws so far this term – the joint-most by a club in an entire Championship season since 2008 – with 16 games to go.But the Clarets have by far the best defensive record in English professional football, conceding just NINE goals in 29 matches.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSThat’s ten fewer than any other side in the country, with Leeds and Birmingham next best on just 19, while they have conceded five fewer than any team playing in the top two tiers of any league in Europe.In fact, Burnley have conceded the fewest goals of any team in Premier League and EFL history after 31 matches. Their record even surpasses Jose Mourinho’s famously stingy 2004-05 Chelsea side, who had conceded ten goals after 31 games on their way to a Prem record low of 15 goals conceded in a season.Burnley’s rock-solid defence, which boasts the likes of Chelsea loanee Bashir Humphreys and Manchester City product CJ Egan-Riley, has seen them keep 22 clean sheets this term.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSAnd while England’s young goalkeeper James Trafford has been excellent between their sticks, the Clarets can’t do the business up the other end of the pitch.It’s been 46 days and counting since fans have watched one of their own score at Turf Moor – a fortress where they remain unbeaten.Jonjo Shelvey completes shock Championship transfer after six-cap England star, 32, saw contract TORN UP by Turkish clubChelsea loanee Bashir Humphreys starts at left-back for BurnleyCredit: RexMichal Helik’s Oxford own-goal on Tuesday was the first goal scored at Turf Moor since Burnley’s 2-1 win over Watford on December 21.Turf Moor had witnessed three consecutive goalless draws before Tuesday and the home fans ironically chanted “we’ve scored a goal!” earlier this week.Nonetheless, the hopeful Clarets are pushing for automatic promotion due to an extraordinary defensive record of NINE consecutive clean sheets.That is one of just 12 runs of nine consecutive clean sheets in Football League history. The last side to record a longer run was Torquay United in August 2010, when they registered ten straight clean sheets. Burnley can match that record at home to Hull next week.Manchester United hold the Premier League record with a run of 14 shut-outs in 2008.Many Burnley fans are sick of watching 0-0 draws at homeCredit: PABut despite their league position and just two defeats all season, a section of fans are turning on manager Scott Parker’s “predictable” style of play.Burnley supporter and TurfCast Youtube host Joe Redmond told talkSPORT: “Hindsight is a wonderful thing. “I wanted to keep Vincent Kompany last season and at the start of this one.”It’s a tough debate. If we get back to the Prem, I think we’ll be more pragmatic than what we were like last season.”But at the moment we’re not winning enough games. We should be beating more teams. Us fans expect 0-0 draws now.”It’s not us just missing chances, it’s the fact that we’re not creating anything.”Burnley have been held to ten 0-0 draws this seasonCredit: GettyAfter Tuesday night’s win, a contributor told TurfCast: “I’m not a fan of Parker. He’s so predictable.”I won’t escape that 1-0 win. We are toothless in front of goal.”We look terrified of putting the ball in the back of the net.”Burnley’s non-penalty expected goals total of 28.2 is the third lowest in the division.Combine a lack of goal-mouth action at both ends of the pitch, and Burnley’s league games this term are currently seeing the fewest goals per game in a season in EFL history.Meanwhile Parker has repeated the defensive soundness that got his Bournemouth and Fulham sides promoted a few years back.But unlike times of old, Parker doesn’t have a reliable goalscorer like he once did in Aleksandar Mitrovic or Dominic Solanke.The club’s 37 goals leaves them 11th for most scored, with midfielder Josh Brownhill the top goalscorer with nine this season.By comparison, promotion rivals Leeds, who sit two points clear of the Clarets, have scored 60.But do Burnley fans even want their side to go up after how bad last season went?Redmond said: “Me personally, yeah. Don’t get me wrong it is a slog in the Premier League.”Last season was my worst-ever season as a Burnley fan. I hated every single minute of it. We were getting tanked every single week.”But you want to be the best you can be. You want to be dining at the top table with the top teams. “If it means getting battered every week and we have to regroup, then so be it.”But eventually, if you keep going up, you’ll stay up and level up.”What, perhaps, is most telling is what happened after Parker led Fulham and Bournemouth up.The Cottagers sacked the Englishman after they were relegated upon their return, but sealed an immediate promotion under Marco Silva in 2022/23.Meanwhile, the Cherries stayed in the Prem but axed Parker within a month of him guiding the club there.If Mitrovic’s 43 goals brought Fulham back to the Prem, Burnley’s lack of goals might cost them.In their last 100 Championship matches, Burnley have lost just FIVE games. But they also have old gaffer Kompany to thank for that.Unlike Kompany’s side, Parker’s aren’t exciting to watch.Parker defended his side’s defensive strength as “remarkable” amid claims they lack entertainment value.The 44-year-old said: “Our default position as a team is let’s get out of here, let’s protect our goal, let’s keep this to a nil.”And I get that it’s not fashionable or certainly not what some people want to hear.”But currently what this team have and what we have as a group is nothing short of remarkable, what we’ve done in the defensive phase.”I understand on the entertainment side, it is probably less so, but that’s a work in progress.”Former Tottenham star Marcus Edwards signed from Sporting Lisbon in January, and fans were asking for him to play against Oxford.The Clarets meanwhile did hit five past Plymouth Argyle at the Home Park Stadium at the end of January.READ MORE SUN STORIESBurnley’s run of 18 games unbeaten is the second-longest stretch behind Liverpool (19) in the top-four tiers this term.While, an FA Cup fourth-round victory away at Southampton on Saturday will surely boost morale. Especially if they bang in a few goals. More

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      Vinnie Jones buried my tortoise alive while landscaping our back garden… he told me ‘play on son, the ref didn’t see it’

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      VINNIE JONES buried my tortoise alive.It’s not exactly “Freddie Starr ate my hamster” – thankfully dear little Lightning was swiftly dug up, suffering nothing more than a dose of shell shock. But it’s a very true tale.Jones was part of the legendary Wimbledon team who caused one of football’s biggest upsets by beating Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup finalCredit: GettyThe team lived up to their Crazy Gang tag on and off the pitchCredit: GettyVinnie with Wally Downes Snr after joining Wimbledon in 1986 and then burying his team-mate’s tortoiseLightning enjoying happier times above groundIn 1986, Watford hod carrier Vincent Peter Jones was signed by newly-promoted top-flight side Wimbledon as a young but raw prospect with oodles of potential.In one of the many debacles that plagued Harry Bassett’s magnificent and underrated career, he put the shy Hertfordshire bumpkin under the wing of my dad, midfielder Wally Downes Sr, and said: “Look after him.”With Bassett’s Crazy Gang being a successful rabble of local working-class lads, when the Downes family swapped Shepherds Bush for Kingston-Upon-Thames, my old man didn’t check the Yellow Pages for landscape gardeners.Instead, established first-team pros Mark Morris and Brian Gayle were made project managers – with Jones and a couple of young apprentices roped in to do the leg work.Vin, full of the boundless enthusiasm that would later help him complete the most magnificent FA Cup upset, was eager to impress and set about building the patio.Typically keen to graduate from the cement mixer to more architectural duties, the baby-faced and curly-haired midfielder installed the membrane with expert precision.And then he organised the Dons’ apprentices to rapidly lay the paving slabs to help build new mentor Wally a bespoke BBQ and bar under the glorious weeping willow beloved by the previous owner.Unfortunately, the ex-tenant had also left behind Lightning – a beautiful tortoise who was hibernating throughout the course of the property’s sale.It was agreed after the deeds were exchanged that my mum, Mary, would be in touch as soon as the ancient reptile emerged from its slumber.However, in the weeks after we had the new patio laid, the dinky dinosaur never showed up.Vinnie Jones and Gazza reunited 30 years on from THAT grab And, after repeated visits to the mock-Tudor home, the deflated former owner eventually accepted the loss, along with the estate agents’ fees.Then we realised…And, thankfully before the RSPCA cottoned on, animal-loving Vinnie took a sledgehammer to his freshly laid paving and rescued the bemused Lightning – who is somehow still going today – from the most miserable of deaths.Christ knows what the new neighbours thought, having watched the equivalent of a Premier League side strolling through the allotments and alleyways to build a garden.Lightning, with Wally Jr’s son, also Wally, has somehow survived up to this todayVinnie attacked the rescue mission with the same gusto with which he attacked gamesCredit: GettyThe ball-playing hardman was never afraid to get his hands dirty, as this iconic image of him embracing Paul Gascoigne from 1988 provesCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdAnd he certainly never shied away from a challengeCredit: AP:Associated PressAnd then watching them rip into the ground like desperate pirates looking for treasure, while screaming: “Where the f*** has he buried it?… Get the f***ing thing up before it suffocates!”The patio was eventually re-laid – but the Downes family never did make it on to the Neighbourhood Watch committee.After nine Wales caps and big-money moves to Leeds and Chelsea, plus the odd scandal here and there, Vinnie remains a great family friend.Books and documentaries about the phenomenal feats the Dons achieved – including that 1988 “Crazy Gang beating the Culture Club” FA Cup final upset against Liverpool – regularly pop up, anniversaries come and go.Legends like London youth-football stalwart Geoff Taylor and the Dons’ unlicensed physio/licenced cab driver Derek French are still alive, kicking and screaming from London to Sheffield.I will always remember Jonah as the man who ripped up that patio in record timeTeetotal Vinnie is now, of course, a movie star with over 100 film credits to his name, swapping his bad-boy antics for roles in hit shows such as The Gentlemen and on stage in the West End.The fearsome image of a scrotum-squeezing maniac scything through the divisions – which earned Vinnie a reputation that overshadowed his technical ability and dedication as a player – is a black-and-white one for the ages.He will probably always be the owner of the fastest yellow card in British football history for his caution after just FIVE SECONDS for Sheffield United against Manchester City in 1992.But he is also a brilliantly relatable advocate for men’s mental health, showing a vulnerable side few people would ever have thought possible, following the heartbreaking death of wife Tanya.He may now be starring in Hollywood movies with the likes of Brad Pitt, Sly Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I will always remember Jonah as the man who ripped up that patio in record time.A future football star obliterating bricks and mortar in a frantic search for a tortoise who didn’t have a clue why her charmed little life on a Surrey lawn had suddenly descended into a living hell.Even when I pinged him a WhatsApp message to ask for his memories of the foul-up, he told me, in typical style: “Play on, son. The ref didn’t see it.”Vinnie, seen here in his breakthrough Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels film from 1998, is now a bonafide Hollywood starCredit: AlamyVinnie in his dressing room with Wally Snr during his recent stint in Only Fools and Horses The Musical in London’s West EndHis football talents should not be forgotten though, with the midfielder earning big money moves to Chelsea and Leeds, among othersCredit: GettyHe also represented Wales nine timesCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd More

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      Major overhaul to EFL promotion and relegation proposed as league gives plan unanimous backing

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      THE NATIONAL League has urged EFL clubs to back a promotion and relegation switch.All 72 clubs in the National League have signed a letter to EFL chiefs asking them to back a vote of member clubs over changing to a three-up, three-down system between League Two and the fifth tier.A major change to the EFL’s promotion and relegation system has been proposedCredit: HandoutBromley won promotion to the EFL via the National League play-offs last seasonCredit: GettyNational League clubs argue that the current system, where only one club gets automatic promotion to the EFL with a second place available through the play-offs, is inconsistent with the rest of the pyramid.And at a meeting last week which formally endorsed the “3UP” campaign, clubs in the National League’s three divisions unanimously backed the move.EFL bosses have previously spoken positively about the idea but a switch would need the formal backing of the clubs – with those in League Two likely to need more convincing.National League chairman Jack Pearce suggested the likely arrival of the Government’s new Independent Football Regulator this summer meant that the EFL had to respond.READ MORE EFL NEWSPearce said: “The Regulator’s stated objectives include providing financial sustainability, economic resilience and preserving the heritage of the sport.  “In terms of heritage, National League clubs are at the heart of towns and cities across the whole country, with clubs that are part of the fabric of their communities.  “An extra promotion place would create an invaluable aspiration for all these clubs and supporters – plus clubs in the leagues below.  We simply can’t wait any longer for parity within the game.”Pearce argues that three clubs switching each season would create a “fluid” pyramid while also providing greater opportunity for relegated clubs to “bounce back” into the EFL.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSThe top SEVEN clubs in the current National League table are ex-EFL clubs, with another six who have been in the top four tiers further down the standings.He added: “We have been consistently told that the EFL support our 3UP position in principle but are reluctant to progress any changes whilst they are consulting with the IFR and Premier League regarding their own redistribution of football income.  EFL club owner gives update on new £2bn ‘spaceship’ stadium included in mega plans for state-of-the-art complex “However, we believe the campaign goal is vital to the overall health of the game and the government’s objectives – therefore it should be as high on the agenda as any other matter this year.“Rick Parry, the EFL Chair, has often said that ‘the EFL should look down as well as up’ so we’d now like that to actually happen.” More

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      I was on Jobseeker’s Allowance and earning £60 a week – I never thought I’d end up playing in the Premier League

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      JORDAN HUGILL used to sign on the dole and queue up every two weeks for his giro.And when he did get a job — pulling pints in a Middlesbrough boozer — the idea of becoming a professional footballer felt like a pipe dream.Jordan Hugill never thought he’d make it to the PremLittle did he expect he would rack up 412 appearances —  and 92 goals.Rotherham striker Hugill went from earning £120 a fortnight to a reported £30,000 a week.And he is proud of a career that saw him get a £10million move to West Ham and £5m switch to Norwich, play in the Prem and win promotion from the Championship with the Canaries as well as from League One with Preston.Now the 31-year-old has his heart set on helping the Millers return to the Championship and win the EFL Trophy.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSHugill — who has appeared for 17 different clubs in his 15-year career — said: “When I was 19, I was on Jobseeker’s Allowance so I’ve been on one hell of a journey.“Back then I never thought I would be a footballer, let alone make it to the Premier League.“That’s something no one can take away from me. I’m proud of what I’ve done and achieved and I’d like to think I’ve still got a good number of years to go.”Hugill hit rock bottom after damaging his ACL while playing for non-league Whitby and was out for ten months. Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSAnd his gloom was only exasperated by being out of work.He added: “I didn’t have a job, was visiting an NHS physio and it was at that point I said, ‘I can’t do this any more’ so got a job behind the bar at The Dickens Inn in Middlesbrough.EFL star, 24, ‘REFUSES to show up for game’ over transfer speculation weeks after shocking Premier League side“I worked as a barman for two years before getting my big break at Port Vale.”But after playing for the Valiants and Preston — as well as doing the hard yards on loan at the likes of Tranmere and  Hartlepool — he got another massive opportunity thanks to David Moyes.Seven years ago yesterday Hugill completed his move to West Ham   during Moyes’ first spell with the club — a brief six-month relegation firefighting mission.Hugill said: “Moyes was brilliant with me. He understood I wasn’t a signing that was going to  light the world on fire.I didn’t have a job, was visiting an NHS physio and it was at that point I said, ‘I can’t do this any more’ so got a job behind the bar at The Dickens Inn in Middlesbrough.Jordan Hugill“He knew with time he was going to develop me, so I was working with him every day to improve, and I got to be the best I’ve ever been.“Then at the end of the season they didn’t renew his contract, and I was left in the dark when Manuel Pellegrini came in.”After loan spells with West Brom and Cardiff, Hugill joined Rotherham two years ago — and helped the club stay in the Championship before they eventually went down last summer.This season he has mainly been used as a sub in the league.Striker Hugill joined West Ham for £10million in 2018He has come off the bench 14 times while making four starts — managing  a single goal against Stevenage back in October.Hugill is expected to be on the bench again as the Millers travel to leaders Birmingham today, sitting seven points off the play-offs.However, he has featured prominently in the EFL Trophy games — scoring four goals from four starts.And he hopes to shoot Rotherham into the semi-finals by beating League Two opponents Bradford at New York Stadium on Tuesday.Hugill continued: “I’ve enjoyed playing in the trophy games because I’ve not only been starting, I’ve been scoring too.“When I look back on my career, I’ve achieved an awful lot.READ MORE SUN STORIES“I’ve got a Championship winners medal, I’ve got a League One promotion medal, I’ve got a nice case with a ball in it  that says I’ve made a Premier League appearance.“It would be great to add another medal to that collection.”Hugill was given a chance by David Moyes during his first managerial stint at West Ham More

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      Police manhunt for ex-Cardiff and QPR star, 44, once dubbed Wales’ most promising footballer as he’s wanted back in jail

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      COPS have launched a manhunt for an ex-Cardiff and QPR star who was once dubbed Wales’ most promising footballer.Leonne Jeanne, 44, has been “recalled to prison” by South Wales Police.South Wales Police have appealed for information about Leonne JeanneCredit: Wales News ServiceThe ex-QPR and Cardiff star is being recalled to prisonCredit: South Wales PoliceJeanne turned out for QPRCredit: Action ImagesThe former footy star was convicted of dangerous driving in 2019 after being chased by police at 100mph on the same road where his son was found dead. He was later sent to prison for breaching a curfew.Four years earlier, in 2015, he had been jailed for 30 months for his part in a plot to supply cocaine.The police appeal said: “Leonne Jeanne. Age: 44. From Cardiff. Recalled to Prison. Give reference 2500002271.”Read More in FootballThe talented young footballer began his career with Queens Park Rangers before joining his hometown team Cardiff City. However, Jeanne suffered from drug and alcohol addiction and was given a two-year suspended ban by the Football Association of Wales after testing positive for a class A drug. Continued disciplinary problems eventually led to his release from Cardiff.In June 2011, Jeanne joined then Championship side Brighton & Hove Albion for pre-season training in a bid to earn a contract and play football at a high level once more. Most read in FootballJeanne started the 2011–12 season playing for Welsh Premier League side Afan Lido but left before the start of the 2012–13 season to join Carmarthen Town.He would go on to play just six times more for Port Talbot Town before his career sadly came to an end in 2015.Shock moment Aston Villa & Celtic fans clash before Champions League showdown as FLARE launched towards home supportersTwo years ago, Jeanne was allowed out on day release from prison to attend the funeral of his son, who was among three people to die in a horror car crash in Cardiff.Jeanne, then 42, was flanked by two police officers as he mourned son Rafel, 24, at the church service.Rafel Jeanne and pals Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21, died when their white VW Tiguan crashed near Newport, Wales.Leonne had to attend the funeral in handcuffs as he served a ten-year prison sentence after being jailed for conspiracy to supply cocaine.His son Rafel and five friends had been enjoying a night out in Newport before vanishing at 2am.Their car was only found 46 hours later in the tragedy.Father Leonne wore a blue Nike tracksuit and was seen handcuffed to a cop as he made his way inside the church.Jeanne turning out for QPR in 1999Credit: News Group Newspapers LtdFormer pro-footballer Jeanne was in handcuffs as he attended his son’s funeral in 2023Credit: WNSRafel Jeanne-Actie died in a horror crash 2 years agoCredit: WNSRafel’s funeral was held at St Peter’s Church in Cardiff with hundreds of mourners dressed in black for attendance followed by a cremation service.Traditional Welsh hymns Calon Lan and Ar Hyd y Nos were sung at the church and the service at the crematorium concluded with Told You by rappers Yung Tory and Nafe Smaz.Quad bikes followed the hearse and family cars, revving their engines.Shane Loughlin, 32, and Sophie Russon, 20, were critically injured and taken to hospital in the crash.However, Loughlin was sentenced for dangerous driving although his sentence was later reduced in 2024.The offences were not connected with the crash that happened later that nightREAD MORE SUN STORIESHe was not driving at the time of the crash in St Mellons, Cardiff, but had driven the same car while inhaling laughing gas just hours before.Loughlin was a passenger in the Volkswagen Tiguan when it veered off the A48 in east of Cardiff and crashed into undergrowth back in March 2023.Jeanne played for Cardiff among other clubsCredit: Huw EvansJeanne pictured in his Wales U21 stripCredit: CollectHe was once dubbed Wales’ most promising footballerCredit: WNS More

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      ‘Are you alright?’ – Gary Neville stunned as Wayne Rooney admits he STILL wants to manage and reveals unusual next step

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      WAYNE ROONEY left Gary Neville absolutely gobsmacked by revealing his intention to return to management.Wazza was given his marching orders by Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle last December after just seven months in charge.The sacking was Rooney’s SECOND of 2024, a year which started off with Birmingham City handing him his P45.Wayne Rooney was sacked by Plymouth Argyle last December following a disastrous runCredit: REXThe 39-year-old was given his marching orders by Birmingham City 11 months earlierCredit: GETTYWazza stunned former team-mate Gary Neville by revealing he still wants to manageCredit: SKY SPORTSBut the Manchester United legend isn’t giving up hope of becoming a successful manager, saying during the latest episode of the Stick to Football Podcast: “I would like to go back in.”Rooney’s admission stunned former team-mate Neville, who proceeded to ask him: “Are you alright?””No I would do,” Rooney continued. “But it’d have to be the right club. Certainly the right club.”READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSWazza, however, is in no rush to return to the dugout.England’s former all-time leading goalscorer said: “I’m not in a massive rush to go back in.”There are different things that I’m looking at to try and get involved with as well.”Unless something was absolutely the right thing to do, [then I’m not rushing back in].”Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSWayne Rooney’s record-breaking careerWAYNE Rooney took the football world by storm when he made his debut for 2002 with Everton.He quickly became the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer aged 16 years and 342 days and was named the BBC’s Young Sports Personality of the Year.The striker joined Manchester United in 2004 and spent 13 years at Old Trafford. He went on to make 559 appearances for the Red Devils and scored 253 goals. To this day he is still the club’s all-time leading goalscorer.Following his spell with United, Rooney returned to Everton for a season. He also spent one-season stints with D.C. United and Derby County at the end of his career.As well as his impressive club career, Rooney is also England’s second-highest goalscorer with 53 goals in 120 appearances, behind only Harry Kane.After hanging up his boots, the England icon turned to a career in management.He took charge of Derby County in 2020 and managed to just about save the club from relegation from the Championship at the end of his first season.However, with Derby handed a 21-point deduction the following campaign, he was unable to keep them up again and subsequently left.Then came a 15-month spell in charge of MLS side D.C. United. He failed to impress during his time in Washington and parted ways with the club at the end of the 2023 regular season.Rooney was controversially handed the Birmingham job in October 2023, replacing John Eustace with the club doing well and sixth in the Championship table.However, in 15 games he suffered nine defeats and managed just two wins. He was sacked in January 2024 with Birmingham down in 20th. The club were relegated to League One at the end of the campaign.He returned to management in May with Plymouth Argyle but managed just five wins in 25 games. The United legend now finds himself out of work once again.Rooney, 39, is well aware that his recent track record will likely put clubs off giving him a job.So much so he’s willing to DROP DOWN to Under-21 level to further cut his teeth and prove himself worthy.Inside Wayne Rooney’s woeful spell at Plymouth as Manchester United legend AXEDHe said: “I’d have no problem dropping to an Under-21 team or going in there as a coach.”I’m still young enough to learn and devlop.”I’m not naive enough to think [I’ll go straight into another job]. I know how the game works.”Despite the current bleak nature of his managerial prospects, Rooney has no regrets about his forays into the dugout.He said: “I’ve had some great experiences. Good ones, bad ones. So I think you’ve always got that to fall back on.”Whatever happens in the future, you’ve always got that to fall back on.”But I’m definitely looking, as well, to try and expand and do different things and enjoy my kids more, enjoy my family more and enjoying doing stuff with them.”Certainly while I’ve got this time off.”Rooney joined Birmingham City in October 2023 following a brief stint with DC United in the MLS. READ MORE SUN STORIESBut he was sacked by the Tom Brady-owned club after winning just two of his 15 games in charge.Plymouth offered Roo a return to management last May, although the club decided to part ways with him after the slipped to rock bottom of the Championship table. More

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      Liverpool star Cody Gakpo incredibly reveals how close he came to joining Prem strugglers but left transfer up to fate

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      LIVERPOOL star Cody Gakpo was one goal away from joining one of two sides who were struggling in the Premier League.Gakpo, who linked with Leeds and Southampton before his Anfield move, said he let fate decide his future and “asked God for a sign.”Cody Gakpo was one goal away from joining Leeds or Southampton in April 2022Credit: ESPNThe forward revealed he left his PSV future up to fateCredit: GettySeveral pieces had to fall into place for Gakpo to sign for Liverpool – including a hat-trick scored by chance.Manchester United explored the possibility of signing him when a deal for Ajax attacker Antony proved difficult.But when United appeared to pull out of the race for Gakpo, the forward had three options left in 2022: join Leeds, the Saints or stay at PSV.Gakpo told ESPN that he used a league game against Volendam to make his mind up in an extraordinary way.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSThe 25-year-old said: “I prayed, and I asked God for guidance. But you see, I had to make sure I got his message. “So I said, ‘If I score only once I’ll go to Southampton…. If I score twice, I’ll go to Leeds…. If I score three times, I’ll stay.”The striker added: “The next day we played, and I scored twice. I was also involved in a third goal — and at first, it was called as an own goal.”Then I was subbed out. So, two goals, right? I thought, Ah, OK, it’s Leeds then. I was at peace with my decision.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”As I was sitting on the bench, I told my friend, Jordan Teze, who now plays for Monaco, the whole story. “He was like, ‘If God wants you to stay, that own goal will be awarded to you.’ Cody Gakpo looks back on his debut for PSV Eindhoven “It was like a coin toss, waiting to see what they decided. It could have gone either way! “But after the game, they gave me the goal. I scored three, so my fate changed. I stayed at PSV.”Gakpo reportedly refused to get on a plane to Leeds Bradford Airport in 2022, according to Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink.The decision to bide his time appears to have benefitted Gakpo.The Dutchman joined Liverpool from PSV Eindhoven in the 2023 January transfer window.After a rocky start, he has since made more than 100 appearances for the Reds, scoring 27 goals.Gakpo already has 14 goals this season after scoring 16 last term.READ MORE SUN STORIESHis brace against Ipswich on Saturday made it five goals in his last six Premier League matches.Liverpool travel to Gakpo’s former side PSV in their final Champions League group fixture of the season. Gakpo scored two against Ipswich on SaturdayCredit: AFP More