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      QPR star Ilias Chair sentenced to a year in jail for breaking truck driver’s skull with a rock

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      QPR ace Ilias Chair has been sentenced to a year in jail – after being found guilty of breaking a truck driver’s skull with a rock.The Morocco midfielder has shone since joining the Championship club from Belgians Lierse in 2017.
      Ilias Chair has been sentenced to 12 months in prisonCredit: Rex
      Chair represented Morocco at the Qatar World CupCredit: Getty
      But a court in his home town Antwerp sentenced him to a year in jail, with a further 12 months suspended, on Friday morning.
      Chair, 26, was also ordered to pay his victim £13,400 compensation for his injuries.
      The news is a huge blow to QPR, who are battling against relegation to League One.
      The trial heard Chair, his brother Jaber and friends got into an argument with the trucker in Bazeilles, northern France, in summer 2020.
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      They and the driver, named as Niels T, had been waiting for a bus back to Belgium after a kayaking trip.
      Antwerp’s public prosecutor told a January hearing: “According to many people involved, Ilias Chair lashed out at Niels T with a stone and knocked him unconscious.
      “The consequences were dramatic for Niels T.  He suffered a severe skull fracture, two centimetres long, and was taken to hospital at Reims in critical condition.
      “Afterwards he had to recover for a long time in a Belgian hospital, and could not do his job as a lorry driver for a long time.
      Most read in Football
      “The blow was almost fatal for him, and he still feels the after-effects.”
      Chair engaged a new lawyer, but the court rejected their pleas for a retrial on Friday.
      The player’s brother Jaber received a six-month suspended jail term and £700 fine for his part in the incident.
      Niels T’s lawyer said:  “My client almost lost his life, and it took surgeons to save him.  
      “He was unable to work for a long time, and still suffers adverse reactions every day to having been hit with a rock.”
      QPR issued a statement, whch read: “The club are, and have been, in regular contact with Ilias Chair’s legal team regarding a charge of assault which has been made against him.
      “The legal proceeding is yet to reach its conclusion. As such, the club will be making no further comment at this stage.”
      Chair last featured for QPR on February 17 against Bristol City scoring the game’s only goal in a 1-0 win.
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      He has played 33 times in the league this season for the Rangers and has four goals and five assists for the Championship’s 22nd placed team.
      In total Chair has made 223 appearances for QPR since joining the academy in 2017 from Belgian club Lierse SK.
      Chair has been ordered to pay £13,400 to the victimCredit: Instagram @ilias_chair
      He has been handed a 12 month suspended sentence alongside his year long sentenceCredit: Instagram @ilias_chair
      The star last played for QPR on February 17Credit: Instagram @ilias_chair More

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      Millwall sack Joe Edwards after just 19 games in charge with former manager Neil Harris to replace ex-Chelsea coach

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      MILLWALL have sacked their manager Joe Edwards after the club suffered six defeats in their last seven games.The Championship side have already found their replacement to be former player and manager Neil Harris.
      Millwall have sacked Joe EdwardsCredit: Getty
      Former Millwall player and manager Neil Harris is set to become the new bossCredit: Getty
      Millwall are currently on the brink of relegation sitting 21st in the table.
      After a dismal 2-0 defeat to bottom-ranked Sheffield Wednesday the Lions have decided to part ways with Edwards who has been in charge for just 19 games.
      James Berylson, Millwall chairman, said: “This has of course been a very tough time and it is not a decision that we have taken lightly.
      “Joe has worked incredibly hard during his spell with us and it is with sincere regret that the move hasn’t worked out for both parties in the way we had anticipated.
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      “I cannot praise him highly enough for his professionalism, standards, values, and work ethic, and I am confident he will have a long and successful career as a Head Coach.
      “I would like to thank Joe and Andy for everything they’ve done for the club and wish them every success for the future.”
      Edwards’ brief tenure at The Den lasted just over three months but never managed to find his feet at the South London side.
      During his time at Millwall, he secured a mere four victories out of the nineteen games he oversaw.
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      The Lions have picked up one point from a possible 21 following their New Year’s Day win at Bristol City 
      And Harris, a former player and manager at Millwall, is expected to leave his role at League One side Cambridge and return to The Den after his exit in October 2019.

      Harris will be popular with supporters ahead of his task of saving the Lions from relegation.
      Millwall are now just one point above the relegation zone and face fourth-place Southampton on Saturday.
      But they will be in the bottom three this weekend if they lose to Southampton and QPR avoid defeat at home to bottom club Rotherham.
      The club’s chiefs were targeting another season for the play-offs, after finishing in the top nine in three of the last four campaigns.
      Edwards arrived from the club after departing his role with England’s under-20s after being appointed in November.
      He is the second Championship manager to get the boot this week after Sunderland sacked Michael Beale on Monday after just 12 games in charge.
      More to follow.
      THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..
      The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball. More

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      Fans have incredible theory that sacked Sunderland boss Michael Beale set up Twitter burner account to defend record

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      SACKED Sunderland manager Michael Beale may have had a Twitter ‘burner account’, according to a bizarre fan theory.The former Black Cats boss was dismissed on Monday just two months into his two-and-a-half-year contract.
      A fan theory believes sacked Sunderland boss Michael Beale had a Twitter ‘burner account’Credit: Reuters
      The alleged burner account also posted during Beale’s time as Rangers managerCredit: X formerly Twitter / @Player__id

      However, supporters believe they have since discovered a suspicious social media account which defended his managerial record.
      Sunderland fan @WhatTheFalkPod uncovered a now deleted account called @Player_id, writing: “Read the posts on this account. Definitely Michael Beale’s burner account innit?”
      They later found a post from 2017 which read: “Give @MichaelBeale new business @Player_id a follow and check out the website. You’ll not regret it.”
      In response, the fan added: “You mean… it was his burner account?”
      READ MORE ON MICHAEL BEALE
      A thread from the Second Tier podcast then revealed further posts from the @Player_id account.
      The tweets included one defending Beale for not shaking Trai Hume’s hand during Saturday’s loss to Birmingham.
      It claimed he had been watching the game and speaking to another player when he appeared to snub Hume.
      Another screenshot also showed the account retweeting a post from a rival fan which asked: “Who in their right mind would want that job?” before his Sunderland sacking.
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      Meanwhile, posts from Beale’s time as Rangers boss were dug up as well as a LinkedIn post from the axed manager promoting the PlayerID podcast to further add to the theory.
      Beale was sacked by Sunderland on Monday, having reportedly lost the dressing room at the Stadium of Light.
      Sky Sports News presenter calls Michael Beale IAN BEALE in spectacular live on-air gaffe
      Players are said to have been “particularly unhappy” at being brought in for extra training after one defeat.
      At the same time, Beale had taken the day off and was not present at the training ground.
      Sunderland have confirmed Mike Dodds will take charge of the side as interim boss until the end of the season.
      Michael Beale’s Sunderland spell
      Appointed: December 18, 2023
      Sacked: February 19, 2024
      Matches: 12
      Wins: 4
      Draws: 2
      Defeats: 6
      Goals scored: 13
      Goals conceded: 16
      Win %: 33.3 More

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      Inside abandoned English stadium covered in barbed wire with eerie new stand that has never hosted a match

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      GHOST goals. Haunted houses. Ghost ships. How about a ghost stadium?Well, that is exactly what the Millmoor Ground, or Millmoor, the “spiritual home” of Championship side Rotherham, is nowadays.
      Rotherham’s old ground has been left standingCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      The Millmoor ground is still plastered with the advertising of C.F. BoothCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      The stadium has stood dormant since 2008Credit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      It was Rotherham United’s home from 1925Credit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      The stadium, located near the middle of town, was Rotherham’s home for 83 years.
      It dates all the way back to the 1890s when it was used by the Rotherham Church Institute in the Sheffield Association League, before passing to Rotherham County and then Rotherham United.
      It has overseen seven promotions, eight relegations and played host to their ever League Cup final in 1961 when Rotherham beat Aston Villa 2-0 in the first leg before the Villans won 3-0 in the second leg.
      But it has now become decrepit and being left desolate since 2008 after Rotherham were forced to move to their current 12,000 capacity AESSEAL New York Stadium following a row over rent.
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      Millmoor – located just a few hundred yards away from the club’s new home – held some 8,300 fans but held a record attendance of 25,170 when local rivals Sheffield United came to visit back in 1952.
      It understandably holds plenty of sentimental value to the Millers faithful given it had been their ground since Rotherham’s inception in 1925.
      However, the ground is now an empty shell which promised so much.
      Covered in barbed wire and overgrown plants and surrounded by fences, you might be mistaken for thinking the Millmoor would fit into a science fiction film set in a dystopian future.
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      But no, it is far from fiction. It is real life.
      Rotherham left Millmoor while in the middle of constructing a new main stand.
      We live INSIDE Luton Town’s famous entrance – footballs smash our windows but there are some surprising perks
      You can still see the half-built stand, but it will never be finished.
      Would-be trespassers into the ground are warned of the dangers with a few huge “keep out” signs.
      There are also posters of CF Booth all over after former Rotherham owner Ken Booth – who owned the scrap metal yard next to the ground – took over and saved the club from administration in 1987.
      Reflecting on the ground, the club’s current owner and chairman Tony Stewart told The Athletic last year: “Millmoor is decaying. It’s falling apart.”
      As for why Millmoor has stood dormant for the best part of two decades, Stewart is perplexed, adding: “It’s a mystery to Rotherham. It’s a mystery to the man on the street.”
      Booth had done his best to keep the club afloat following the collapse of ITV’s Digital TV deal which ravaged the lower leagues.
      Millmoor has become decrepit since being abandonedCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      Having been left largely intact, much of what would have been seen on matchdays remainsCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      Rotherham had to leave the ground in 2008 over a rent rowCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      Millmoor held more than 8,000 fansCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      A fan consortium took over the club for £1 after a favourable deal was struck with the Booth family – which involved the club’s only tangible assets Millmoor and the club’s training ground — being left in the family’s possession.
      Another group then came in before Stewart took over.
      The common story is that the club left Millmoor because the Booth’s were charging high rent.
      But Stewart remembers it slightly differently, explaining how the Booths wanted them to keep the stadium the exact same during a five-year lease while Rotherham wanted to look into a new stadium.
      Stewart said: “There were 18 items [demanded by the Booths] I didn’t agree with.
      “It would’ve meant that if there was a scratch to a cabinet, I would’ve had to replace all that. I just felt it wasn’t right.”
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      Rotherham’s final game at Millmoor was a 1-0 win over Barnet, but with negotiations ongoing over the ground’s future there was no big farewell for it.
      The club’s new ground is far more suited to a team in England’s second tier with its modern facilities, but Millmoor still stands as a tapestry to Rotherham’s history.
      Millmoor hosted the first-ever League Cup final in 1961Credit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      Rotherham owner Tony Stewart said it was a mystery why nothing had been done to the groundCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      The record attendance at Millmoor came in 1952 for a match seen by 25,170 against local rivals Sheffield UnitedCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      It remains the ‘spiritual home’ of RotherhamCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun More

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      Michael Beale lost Sunderland dressing room with players ‘particularly unhappy’ at what he did after shock defeat

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      SUNDERLAND sacked Michael Beale after he lost the Stadium of Light dressing room.And it is claimed the players were “particularly unhappy” with his conduct after defeats.
      Michael Beale was sacked on Monday after 12 games in charge at SunderlandCredit: Getty
      The Black Cats players were said to be annoyed with Beale forcing them in for extra trainingCredit: Getty
      Beale, 43, only arrived in the north-east on December 18, replacing Tony Mowbray.
      But he lost half of his 12 matches in charge – including his last two away at Huddersfield and then Birmingham, ironically managed by Mowbray.
      However, talkSPORT report the squad’s disgust at Beale boiled over after one particular defeat.
      That is because Beale is understood to have hauled the players in to do extra training following the loss.
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      Incredibly, though, the manager did not go into the training ground and took the day off, prompting fury among the team.
      Black Cats fans were already demanding Beale’s sacking at the weekend when he ruthlessly snubbed Trai Hume on the touchline at St Andrew’s.
      Hume put his arm out to shake his boss’ hand after being subbed – but was left hanging by the unpopular gaffer.
      Less than 48 hours later, though, Beale got the boot just two months into his two-and-a-half-year contract.
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      The former Chelsea, Liverpool and Aston Villa coach – who was sacked by Rangers in October – left the club tenth in the Championship table, four points off the play-offs.
      Assistant Mike Dodds will take interim charge for the rest of the 2023-24 season.
      Leicester fans praise their groundsmen’s ‘dirty tactics’ after spotting what they did during warm-up for Sunderland game
      Earlier in his tenure, Beale had gone on a spectacular rant about his position as Sunderland chief.
      He said: “I replaced a popular manager but I didn’t sack him, did I? And he won two in nine before he left, so are we making out it was all perfect?
      “People didn’t want me here in the first place.
      “You can say afterwards it’s about style or this and that, but let’s cut to the chase, people didn’t want me.
      “The reality is that there wasn’t a feel-good factor about me coming in.
      “It’s fine, I’m not crying over it, I’m a big boy, but when people are personal they’ve lost straight away.
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      “Look, I can’t change my accent or where I’m from. I’m proud of where I’m from.”
      There was also chaos in the recent January transfer window as Alex Pritchard refused to play as he forced a move to Mowbray’s Birmingham.
      Michael Beale’s Sunderland spell
      Appointed: December 18, 2023
      Sacked: February 19, 2024
      Matches: 12
      Wins: 4
      Draws: 2
      Defeats: 6
      Goals scored: 13
      Goals conceded: 16
      Win %: 33.3 More

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      Birmingham players ‘stunned’ by Tony Mowbray stepping down due to illness… with ex-Prem boss a possible replacement

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      BIRMINGHAM’S players were reportedly left stunned by the news Tony Mowbray is temporarily stepping down as manager.The Blues boss is taking time away from the role due to illness, the club have confirmed.
      Tony Mowbray ‘stunned’ his Birmingham players with the news of his illnessCredit: Rex
      Mowbray is set to be out of the dugout for six to eight weeks and may not return before the end of the season.
      According to the Mirror, his players were shocked by the news after being told on Monday morning,
      Players and staff were informed during a private meeting before training.
      Birmingham have won four and drawn one of their eight matches since Mowbray’s appointment in January.
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      The former Sunderland boss replaced Wayne Rooney as manager just a month after leaving the Black Cats.
      He steps down with the Blues 15th in the Championship, six points above the relegation zone after beating his old side on Saturday.
      Meanwhile, Steve Cooper has been tipped as a potential long-term replacement at St. Andrew’s.
      The 44-year-old is available following his exit from Nottingham Forest in December.
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      Steve Cooper is a potential candidate to replace Mowbray long-termCredit: AFP
      He is also amongst the favourites for the vacant Sunderland job, though, after Michael Beale’s sacking earlier on Monday.
      Reims boss Will Still is also understood to be a leading contender for the role.
      Every Premier League stadium ranked by the number of pubs nearby with one boasting over 130 local boozers More

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      Former Premier League star makes shock return to England seven years after revealing Sunderland ‘broke my heart’

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      WEST BROM have confirmed the signing of former Sunderland star Yann M’Vila.The Frenchman, 33, has penned a short-term deal with the Baggies until the end of the season.
      Yann M’Vila poses in his new West Brom gearCredit: Getty
      The midfielder has joined the Baggies on a short-term dealCredit: Getty
      M’Vila last played in England during the 2015-16 season with the Black Cats.
      The midfielder spent a year on loan at the Stadium of Light from Rubin Kazan, and later admitted to being “heartbroken” when the move wasn’t made permanent.
      He subsequently spent two more years at Rubin Kazan before joining Saint-Etienne in 2018.
      Following a pair of seasons with the French club he signed for Olympiacos, where he played under current West Brom boss Carlos Corberan.
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      “It was a pleasure to work with him and I’m really pleased to be back with him again now,” M’Vila told West Brom’s media team upon signing.
      “He contacted me and asked me to come here and straight away, I said yes.”
      M’Vila has earned 22 caps for his country and even featured for Les Bleus at Euro 2012.
      He has been without a club since leaving Olympiacos last summer, however, and will take time to bed into Corberan’s team at the Hawthorns.
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      Upon getting his man, the Baggies boss, 40, said: “We’ve picked up an injury to Jayson Molumby and that left us without as many options as we would like in the middle.
      “Yann is a really positive option to have. He arrives with plenty of experience and with plenty of desire and motivation to help us.
      The Biggest January Flop Signings In Premier League History
      “We will need to be patient with him from a fitness point of view as he has been a free agent since the summer, but we know he has the determination to be ready for what will be an important few months.”
      On his decision to return to English football, M’Vila added: “I had one year playing in England before at Sunderland and I really enjoyed it.
      He will be one of the best coaches in the world in the next few yearsYann M’Vila
      “I had calls from clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia, but I wanted to play one more time in England.
      “Carlos is a very good coach. For me, he is so, so smart when it comes to the tactical and technical side of the game.
      “For me, he will be one of the best coaches in the world in the next few years because he is so detailed in everything he does.”
      West Brom sit fifth in the Championship table despite losing 2-0 to Southampton on Friday night.
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      The Baggies are due to face M’Vila’s former side at the Hawthorns on April 13.
      M’Vila played for Sunderland during the 2015-16 seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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      Sunderland SACK Michael Beale after just 12 games following bizarre accent rant and handshake snub

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      SUNDERLAND have sacked manager Micheal Beale.It is the second time the Black Cats have axed their boss this season after Tony Mowbray was dismissed in December.
      Michael Beale has been axed by SunderlandCredit: Getty
      Beale lasted just 12 games in charge of the club.
      He has overseen four wins, two draws and six losses.
      His sacking comes after a 2-1 defeat to Birmingham on Saturday that leaves Sunderland tenth in the table – four points behind the play-off places.
      Assistant Mike Dodds will step into the hotseat until the end of the season after his spell as interim earlier this season.
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      Pressure has been mounting on Beale in recent weeks with fans fuming at the weekend after he snubbed a handshake with Trai Hume.
      As the defender was subbed off in the 87th minute he put his hand out and waited for a high five from his gaffer.
      But Beale did not acknowledge him, ignoring the 21-year-old.
      The manager has since apologised and claimed he did not see his out-stretched hand.
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      Beale previously ranted about fan criticism and jibes from them about his accent.
      He said: “I replaced a popular manager but I didn’t sack him, did I? And he won two in nine before he left, so are we making out it was all perfect?
      Five EFL Championship stars destined for the Premier League
      “People didn’t want me here in the first place.
      “You can say afterwards it’s about style or this and that, but let’s cut to the chase, people didn’t want me.
      “The reality is that there wasn’t a feelgood factor about me coming in.
      “It’s fine, I’m not crying over it, I’m a big boy, but when people are personal they’ve lost straight away.
      “Look, I can’t change my accent or where I’m from. I’m proud of where I’m from.”
      There was also chaos in the recent January transfer window as Alex Pritchard refused to play as he forced a move to Mowbray’s Birmingham.
      Beale’s coaching career began at Chelsea and he had lengthy spell with Liverpool’s academy.
      He then formed part of Steven Gerrard’s backroom team as he won the league with Rangers, before following him to Aston Villa.
      He quit Villa Park to land his first job in management at QPR in 2022.
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      Beale rejected an approach from Wolves and then agreed join Rangers before being sacked after 13 months.
      Sunderland welcome Swansea on Saturday as Dodds begins his third spell in temporary charge at the Stadium of Light.
      Beale sacked by Sunderland By Tony Robertson
      Michael Beale’s time at Sunderland has come to an end after just 12 games. 
      Despite his time at the Stadium of Light being brief and bleak, it was packed with plenty of drama.
      Beale’s career on Wearside was far from amicable from the start.
      The 43-year-old was not in fans best graces even at the time of him taking the job, with many feeling he was an underwhelming appointment.
      He snapped back saying: “I replaced a popular manager but I didn’t sack him, did I? 
      “And he won two in nine before he left, so are we making out it was all perfect?”
      Beale has also butted heads with his players, with Alex Pritchard making himself unavailable for selection at the end of January.
      The final straw for the ex-Rangers boss came with his handshake snub of Trai Hume. More