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      I’m a former Man Utd star who won Premier League title and Championship promotion in SAME SEASON in unique feat

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      A FORMER Belgium international once celebrated Premier League title success and Championship promotion in the very SAME SEASON.This 35-year-old came through the ranks at Royal Antwerp before Stoke snapped him up in 2007.Ritchie De Laet got a Premier League title medal during his time at Leicester CityCredit: PA:Empics SportHe was signed for Man Utd by Sir Alex FergusonCredit: PA:Empics SportHe failed to make a league appearance for the Potters but, after a loan at Wrexham, Manchester United swooped to sign him in 2009.He went on to play three times in the Premier League under Sir Alex Ferguson but spent the majority of his three years at Old Trafford out on loan.He had spells with Sheffield United, Preston, Portsmouth and Norwich before leaving permanently for Leicester in 2012.It was at the Foxes where he enjoyed most action in England, playing over 100 times for them and helping them to win the Championship in 2014.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLHowever, it was two years later that he enjoyed double joy.Having made a number of appearances, largely from the bench, during the first half of the 2015/16 season, this ace headed out on loan to Middlesbrough for the second part of the campaign.And while his team-mates back at Leicester defied 5,000/1 odds to lift their first-ever league title, he was also celebrating at the Riverside as they won promotion from the Championship to the Premier League.The player in question is, of course, Ritchie De Laet.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERBut just weeks after that double whammy, he was lining-up for a brand new club.That summer he signed for Aston Villa on a permanent basis, but things failed to work out for him there.Man Utd hero Lee Sharpe opened up about the most unforgettable hairdryer treatment he ever received from legendary manager Sir Alex FergusonHe only made eight league appearances and ended up being shipped out on loan back to his first club Royal Antwerp before heading to Australia with Melbourne City.However, he has enjoyed more success since then in his later years.De Laet, who was capped twice by Belgium, secured a permanent switch to Antwerp in 2019 and he is still part of their squad today.He toasted Belgian Pro League joy in 2022 and has also helped them to lift the Belgian Cup twice as well as the domestic Super Cup.And with both nations close to his heart, he will no doubt be tuning in to watch England’s friendly with Belgium at Wembley on Tuesday.He also celebrated promotion with Middlesbrough in 2016Credit: PA:Press AssociationThese days he is back in Belgium playing for Royal AntwerpCredit: AFP More

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      Former Premier League club given green light for ‘sports mecca’ with £50million deal for abandoned motor circuit close

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      BIRMINGHAM are reportedly close to finalising a £50million deal for an abandoned motor circuit.The Championship side plan to build a “sports mecca” at the site, which would include a new home stadium.Birmingham have received the green light to buy the abandoned Birmingham Wheels motor circuit siteCredit: Youtube @GrandPrixKartingThe Blues plan to move from St. Andrew’s and build a stadium at a new ‘sports mecca’Credit: GettyAccording to the Birmingham Mail, the club have been given the green light by the city council to buy a 48-acre piece of land.A £50million deal to purchase the abandoned Birmingham Wheels motor circuit is now close.The site was previously known as Wheels Adventure Park before being bought back by the council in 2019.It is hoped the deal will be finalised within the next two weeks after months of negotiations, the report adds.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHowever, the report also reveals that the council cannot confirm the identity of the buyer and the club have yet to comment.Birmingham are understood to be planning to build a “sports quarter” on the sity.A new stadium for the club would be at the centre of their 10-year vision for the project.The Blues have played at the 29,409-capacity St. Andrew’s since 1906.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSOn the pitch, the club are currently fighting to avoid dropping into the third tier for the first time since 1995.Birmingham sit 21st in the Championship with eight matches remaining and are only outside the relegation zone on goal difference.Iconic World Cup stadium bigger than Stamford Bridge lies abandoned covered in weeds ahead of heartbreaking demolition Despite spending seven seasons in the Premier League since 2002, the club are now into their 13th consecutive season outside the top flight. More

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      Premier League club’s owner launches stinging attack on Championship and fumes ‘why should we pay’

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      DAVID SULLIVAN has blasted Championship clubs who pay players £40,000 a week and managers £1million a year.And the West Ham co-owner asks: “Why should the Premier League pay for that?”West Ham owner David Sullivan has launched a stinging attack on the ChampionshipCredit: 2023 DeFodi ImagesEFL chairman Rick Parry has claimed the Premier League pays £2billion more in wages than the other four major European leaguesCredit: RexThe EFL receives £130m-a-season in solidarity payments from the top flight — but Prem chiefs have failed to vote on a new six-year £995m deal.Sullivan, 75, claims EFL clubs or incompetent owners have racked up debts because they do not live within their means.And he dismissed EFL chairman Rick Parry’s claim the top flight pays  £2BILLION more in wages than the other four major European leagues.Businessman Sullivan came out fighting to SunSport after reading our Monday EFL column which criticised his failure to agree more Prem funding.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHe argued: “The flaw in the system is the Championship. These clubs are having financial problems because they’re paying too high wages and agent fees and some have managers on £1MILLION a year.“If you look at Serie B [Italy’s second tier], the managers don’t earn that nor are players on £30,000, £40,000 a week!“If the EFL can’t work with the funds we give them now, what suggests they can work with another £50m or £100m?“They should manage their finances better and stop paying silly money.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS“But they don’t want to because they’re competing to get into the Premier League.“If we give to the EFL what they want, in five years we’ll be exactly where we are today.”Why More Penalties Are Being ScoredSullivan blames owners who have proved incompetent, or stopped pouring money into chasing the dream of promotion to the Premier League.He said: “Some EFL owners are richer than those in the Premier League.“Yet some clubs have got into trouble because their owners have gone for promotion but got fed up.“Then there’s my old club, Birmingham. They sacked a good manager, John Eustace, when they were on the verge of the play-offs to bring in a flagship name in Wayne Rooney. It messed it up.“Why should we subsidise their incompetence?”Sullivan insists promotion-chasing Ipswich should be used as a model.He added: “They’re a flag bearer for everything that’s good.“They’ve done it within their budget.Parry believes parachute payments are causing a huge imbalanceCredit: Rex“They’re a well-supported club, which helps. But then look at Bradford, who’re getting almost 20,000 in League Two and cannot do better on the pitch.“There’s Stoke, who could go down to League One with one of the richest owners.”EFL chairman Parry believes parachutes cause a huge imbalance in the Championship.A relegated club receives £55m in their first season, another £45m for the second and, if that team was in the Prem for more than a year before relegation, £20m in the third.That adds up to a whopping £120m. In the same period, a normal Championship side gets £8.2m-a-season, totalling just £24.6m. Parry says relegated teams also benefit from receiving bumper transfer fees.Leicester banked £92m from selling James Maddison, Harvey Barnes, Timothy Castagne and George Hirst last summer, immediately after their relegation.Sullivan said: “In the Premier League, if you’re on TV it’s £900,000-a-game but drops to £100,000 in the Championship.“Our sponsors give us £10m a year — but that’d fall to £1m. Total income drops by 75-80 per cent.Sullivan fumed ‘why should we pay’ amid the row over EFL fundingCredit: Rex“Some players you go down with are assets — for example Maddison.“But you have others who’ve got injured or aren’t in-form and you’re paying them £100,000-a-week. You can’t give these players away.“You might have paid £30m for a player on a five-year deal, he’s had a disastrous season and you’re forced to get him off the wage bill by releasing him for nothing. That’s £24m written off!“You can’t put relegation clauses in their contracts that get them to drop their pay by 75-80 per cent.”Sullivan says withdrawing parachute payments would weaken top-flight competitiveness.He argues promoted teams will not risk investing in their squads — because there is no buffer if they go down.And he added: “Those clubs wouldn’t spend a penny because they’d go bankrupt as soon as they were relegated.“Around half of the Premier League teams would not take on overheads in a bid to compete with top clubs.”Sullivan urged clubs to follow the model of Championship high-flyers IpswichCredit: AlamySullivan believes a regulator will take £10m-a-year out of the game.The Government wants to grant powers to an independent body to oversee clubs in the top five tiers.They will be tasked with deciding how much money the Premier League should filter into the EFL and National League.Multi-millionaire Sullivan fumed: “It’s going to cost £10m-a-year with 50 staff to run this Quango. They’ll operate from home three days a week because they can’t get the Civil Service to work.”Sullivan fears if the Premier League pays more money, the gap between the clubs who have qualified for Europe and those who have not will widen.He said: “If they want another £100m-a-year, the top clubs want everyone to contribute the same, while the rest want those in Europe to pay more. You need 14 teams to agree — that’s unlikely.“So it ends up being divided equally.  If you take £5m off Manchester City,  it’s not much. If you take that from a bottom club, it’s significant.“There’ll be a bias to big sides when you’re trying to make it competitive.”Stoke were singled out by the West Ham owner as they battle against relegationCredit: RexEFL chairman Parry dismisses Sullivan’s claims the Prem could lose their status as the best in the world.He argues top-flight clubs pay £2bn more wages per season, according to figures from accountants Deloitte, than Germany, Italy, Spain and France — so extra  revenue paid to the EFL would not dilute their power.But Sullivan said: “That figure is exaggerated. We don’t pay £100m-a club more.“I accept we overall pay higher but in Italy they’ve 28 per cent top-rate tax, Portugal 25 per cent. Here it’s 45.“It’s easier sometimes for them to attract top players.“But we have a more competitive league because there are more clubs who can pay higher wages.“In Spain, it’s Real Madrid and Barcelona. In Scotland, Rangers and Celtic.“Here, you’ve got Newcastle and Aston Villa breaking into those top places.“There’s not a successful business in the world which is forced to pay money to their competitors.READ MORE SUN STORIES“We could damage the Premier League — which is the golden goose.“If that happens, we won’t get the  TV money we do, everything declines and we won’t have the cash to filter down anyway.” More

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      Former Man Utd wonderkid dreaming of making history in ‘one-off’ Championship promotion race that’ll never happen again

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      JOE ROTHWELL cannot quite believe the quality of the Championship top four going all-out for promotion.Having come through the ranks at Manchester United, he is now at Bournemouth and is spending the second half of this season on loan at Southampton.Joe Rothwell is relishing the fight for promotionCredit: GettyThe midfielder was on the books of Man Utd as a youngsterCredit: GettySaints host Middlesbrough tomorrow — their first action in TWENTY days — before a huge clash at promotion rivals Ipswich.The top three of Leeds, Leicester and the Tractor Boys are separated by just a point.Saints are eight points off in fourth but with two games in hand.The South Coast club’s points-per-game average of more than two is normally enough for the title.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLInstead they face a huge battle even to get promoted.Rothwell told SunSport: “The numbers that the top four are putting out is nothing short of extraordinary.“At least one of these teams, if not two, are going to miss out on getting promoted — but that’s the nature of football.“There are always good teams that don’t succeed. Hopefully we won’t be that side.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER“I don’t think you’ll see what is happening now in the Championship ever again. It’s a one-off.“We’ve got a massive ten games to try to finish where want to.”Southampton’s St Mary’s stadium evacuated as it’s engulfed in smoke after huge fire breaks out hours before matchSouthampton’s last league game was postponed due to Leicester having an FA Cup quarter-final — which they lost 4-2 at Chelsea — ahead of the international break.But Rothwell believes the lay-off from action came at a good time.He said: “It’s been a mixture of relaxing and training.“We had a few days to spend with family and relax. Then we were back in to work and had another few days off too. After the amount of games we played before, it’s come at a good time.“It’s allowed us to rest and recoup — and will hopefully stand us in good stead.”Rothwell spent four years at Blackburn before going to Bournemouth in summer 2022 when they had just been promoted back to the Premier League.But he said: “I started the first four games and a couple of others but we didn’t win any of the first nine games.“The new boss Andoni Iraola came in with different ideas. I wasn’t getting much game time so we sat down to talk.”Then I heard about Southampton’s interest and thankfully we got a loan deal across the line during the January window.“I’ve loved my time since coming in. I enjoy the style of play that Russell Martin implements. That was a huge draw for me.”Rothwell scored four goals in a month before Southampton’s longer break.He netted twice in a 5-3 win over Huddersfield before grabbing a late brace to snatch a 4-2 victory over Sunderland.His jaw-dropping volley against the Terriers won him the Sky Bet Championship Goal of the Month.And he said: “Originally, they wanted me to take the corner — so it’s a good job I didn’t.READ MORE SUN STORIES“I lingered around the edge of the box and as soon as their keeper had punched it, I knew it was going to land in an area where I could hit it first time.“As soon as it’s left my foot, I knew it was going in!” More

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      I turned down Aston Villa transfer after being handed bizarre contract clause… now their fans can’t stand me

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      TROY DEENEY has revealed he turned down a move to Aston Villa after they put a bizarre clause in their contract offer… before the club’s supporters ended up HATING him.Watford legend Deeney, 35, grew up six miles away from St Andrew’s – the home of Villa’s rivals Birmingham.Troy Deeney has revealed the bizarre clause he received in his Aston Villa contract offerCredit: RexDeeney has the crest of Villa’s rivals Birmingham on his calfCredit: AlamyHe has a tattoo of the the Blues’ crest on his calf and ended up playing for them in the latter stages of his career between 2021 and 2023.Deeney also bagged six goals in five games against Villa and once had coins thrown at him by fans of the Midlands club after scoring against them.Yet had circumstances been slightly different, Deeney could have ended up leading the line for them earlier in his career.That was if he had agreed to remove his Birmingham tattoo – a sticking point for those at Villa.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLSpeaking on talkSPORT, he said: “I had an opportunity to [join Villa], yeah.”My friends let me know it wouldn’t be a good idea, and secondly they wanted me to remove my Birmingham City tattoo as well.”The club [Aston Villa wanted me to], that was part of the conversation.”But they’ve gone on to bigger and better things and so have I.”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSDeeney went on to admit he believes a move to Villa would have made it tough for his family – most of whom support Birmingham.He added: “No I wouldn’t have [had it removed], that’s why it didn’t get too far.Troy Deeney posts emotional message to Watford fans after 11-year stay ends”My best friend is Birmingham City die-hard, my whole family are Birmingham City apart from my brother who weirdly decided to go against the grain.”It would have been a difficult place to live and see the family if I was playing for Aston Villa for a few months.”I’m sure they would have got over it afterwards.”Deeney scored 11 goals in 56 games for Birmingham across a two-season spell.But he is best-known for more than a decade at Watford where netted 140 times in 419 appearances.He helped The Hornets secure promotion to the Premier League in 2015 and 2021, while he also reached the FA Cup final in 2019 where Watford lost 6-0 to Manchester City. More

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      Connor Roberts calls on Wales team-mates to become national heroes like Gareth Bale by booking Euro 2024 spot

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      CONNOR ROBERTS has told his Wales team-mates: Become a national hero like Gareth Bale and take us to Germany this summer.Robert Page’s Dragons are just one win away from Euro 2024 ahead of Tuesday’s play-off final with Poland in Cardiff.Gareth Bale scored the winner against Ukraine to send Wales to the 2022 World CupCredit: GettyDavid Brooks set Robert Page’s men on their way to the Euro 2024 play-off final with the opener in the 4-1 victory over Finland last ThursdayCredit: GettyRetired Bale led Wales to the last two Euros and the 2022 World Cup.That included play-off winning goals against Austria and Ukraine two years ago.Now the spotlight is on the attacking firepower of Brennan Johnson, Kieffer Moore, Dan James, Harry Wilson, David Brooks and Nathan Broadhead to deliver a fourth major tournament qualification in just eight years.Roberts said: “We’ve got talent all over the pitch. Kieffer is different to Brennan and DJ, Harry and Brooksy.READ MORE FOOTBALL“They are all brilliant players and I’m just hoping one of them is our Gaz, our hero like he was against Austria and Ukraine a few years ago.“I’m not sure we relied on Gaz but he saved us a number of times.“Hopefully one of them is our hero again on Tuesday night and we can all start smiling and celebrating together.”Wales, who hammered Finland 4-1 in Thursday’s semi, have the experience of crunch ties in Cardiff.Most read in Euro 2024BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERThe Dragons overcame Hungary in November 2019 to reach the delayed Euro 2020 thanks to an Aaron Ramsey double.Then the Welsh roared once more at the Cardiff City Stadium when Real Madrid superstar Bale came up trumps with two superb strikes to sink Austria in March 2022.Wales 4-1 Finland: Rob Page press conferenceThree months later, ex-captain Bale delivered the greatest result in Wales’ history.Bale led his country to the World Cup for the first time since 1958 with a free-kick to leave war-torn Ukraine heartbroken.Now Leeds full-back Roberts, 28, wants to make more qualification memories against the Poles, who beat Estonia 5-1 to book a final spot and have lethal goalscorer Robert Lewandowski in their ranks.Roberts, who will win his 55th cap, added: “For Wales I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of big games – Hungary a few years ago, Ukraine.“It’s another one on Tuesday night. Life, football is about moments and Tuesday is another moment, a chance to achieve something, to make memories. “That’s what we’ll be trying to do as a team.“We’ve experienced big nights in Cardiff, tournaments, I’ve had brilliant moments at the Euros, scoring goals, playing at the World Cup but I want more.“A lot of us get greedy. We want to be better. We have to win on Tuesday and give everything to make people proud.“We’re not the biggest footballing nation, we’re not the best players in the world. But we all want to be there.“If we can look back and say it’s another qualification for another major tournament – the third one for most of us and even more for others – then we will be very proud when our football is finished.“It’s a massive chance to create more amazing moments and special memories.”Roberts was one of a number of Wales players who moved in January to keep his Euro dreams alive.The defender left Vincent Kompany’s Burnley in the Premier League on loan to Championship table-toppers Leeds.He has made nine appearances for Daniel Farke’s men in all competitions and even scored a vital goal in the 3-1 comeback win over promotion rivals Leicester at Elland Road.Roberts said: “It was strange for me because I was hoping this season would be good in the Premier League after last season and I made the decision to go somewhere where I’d get more minutes.”I’ve gone there and I’ve not played every single game but, on that side of things, I need to go in there and use my experience and hopefully get promoted again with Leeds.READ MORE SUN STORIES“I don’t need to play loads of games to be ready and stay fit. “It comes naturally to me but to go there and get a bit more game time than I was getting at Burnley is good.” More

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      Justin Allen: Shelf-ish West Ham chief Sullivan shows he doesn’t live in real world with bizarre EFL supermarket analogy

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      DAVID SULLIVAN likened the Premier League to Tesco and the EFL as a small supermarket chain.And the West Ham owner argued that the retail giants don’t pay out a subsidy to the little shops. he questions why should the top flight pour more money into the three lower divisions?David Sullivan does not back the Premier League paying more to the EFLCredit: GettyI don’t know if Sullivan ventures much into our high streets.But if he does, he will see that they have mostly been destroyed by retail giants. He will see boarded-up windows all over the place.Little shops were, and still should be, at the heart of communities… as should our EFL clubs.Sullivan can afford to shop at Harrods and Selfridges while most of us have to scour the shelves for bargains at Aldi or Lidl.READ MORE ON EFLJust like West Ham can afford to pay more than £50million for Brazil international Lucas Paqueta while the EFL’s bottom club Sutton United are a team packed of freebies.The Hammers chief does not seem to live in the real world – or appears at least detached from it.Does he care much about the loss of things such as our independent greengrocers, butchers and bakers?And does he give a damn about what has happened to clubs like Bury and Macclesfield as well as what is unfolding at Reading?Most read in EFLBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERIf he does, Sullivan should be front and centre of a Premier League campaign to safeguard the EFL for generations to come.He should be sticking up for the little guys because once upon a time he himself heralded from humble beginnings.Sky Sports Soccer Saturday crew burst out laughing after mascot’s hilarious reaction to being shoved in EFL clashSullivan was brought up in a council house and should understand the value of things.The West Ham owner has rightly been receiving widespread stick for his ridiculous comments and has been accused of being selfish.His remarks smacked of “I’m alright Jack, pull up the ladder”.What Sullivan failed to mention is that EFL clubs, and non-league ones for that matter, are vital to the health of the Premier League.I wonder if it dawned on him in Prague in May when West Ham lifted the Europa Conference League trophy that matchwinner Jarrod Bowen started his career in non-league with Hereford and then honed his skills in the EFL at Hull City.And key frontman Michail Antonio also did the non-league yards with Tooting and Mitcham before touring the EFL with the likes of Reading, Cheltenham, Southampton when they were in League One, Colchester, Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest.Without these clubs and lower divisions, neither player would have developed to become Premier League household names.Sullivan’s central argument is against introducing an independent football regulator to clean up our national game – and oversee a fairer distribution of funds across all levels of football.He believes that redistributing more funds out of the Premier League clubs’ ever-expanding coffers would threaten its status as the best football division on the planet.EFL chief executive Rick Parry pointed out clubs dining at English football’s top table pay more than £2BILLION more in wages than the four other major European leagues.Jarrod Bowen with the Conference League Trophy he won with West HamWest Ham’s Jarrod Bowen started in non-league with HerefordMichail Antonio also started his career in non-league and the EFL before West HamSo the notion that the Premier League will somehow be overtaken by other countries is fanciful and for the birds.What peeves me about the likes of Sullivan is his seemingly complete ignorance to the fact that the Premier League do not OWN our national gameThey are simply top of a highly-successful English football pyramid system that has been around for more than a century,Nowhere else in the world do you see a fourth-tier club like Bradford pulling in average gates of almost 18,000, apart from when Rangers were booted down to Scotland’s bottom division in 2012 of course.Or do you see elsewhere a cup competition for third and fourth-division clubs (the EFL Trophy) that in recent years have seen attendances at Wembley finals of 85,021 in 2019 for Charlton v Portsmouth and 79,839 for Bolton v Plymouth last April?Since the Premier League was formed in 1992, West Ham have only spent four seasons of the 32 in the second tier.Sullivan has experienced relegation from the top flight in East London and twice while he co-owned Birmingham with the late David Gold.So he knows first-hand how huge the disparity is between the Championship and Premier League.Sullivan does not want the parachute payment system to stop.Simple solution, David: manage your finances and contracts better then.But something has got to give. It is not right that clubs like Leeds, Leicester and Southampton should this season have received around £55m each while the other Championship clubs, apart from those still getting parachutes, receive just £8.2million. The West Ham owner does not think it is right for clubs like his to help those lower down the food chain who have mismanaged their finances.But then he contradicts himself by saying parachute payments are “not big enough” to help support teams that get relegated. He argues going down to the Championship would be “horrendous”.Well, simple solution, David: manage your finances and contracts better then.All deals should have relegation clauses in them where wages MUST drop as a result. I’m afraid Premier League footballers should also start living in the real world.If you fail, your wages must be cut accordingly.The Premier League right now have an opportunity to avoid a regulator coming in – but they want to play with the ball all to themselves.READ MORE SUN STORIESSo I am afraid it’s time for an adult to enter the room, crack their heads together and tell them to play fairly with the others.That will be the best way to make sure the EFL doesn’t turn into a little shop of horrors.Bury fans during the run-up of the Shakers being booted out of the EFL in 2019Macclesfield supporter protests about his club’s woesThe future of Reading is under threat More

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      Championship side announces huge £105million investment as statement hails ‘landmark day in club’s history’

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      IPSWICH have announced a massive £105million investment into the club.The Championship promotion hopefuls hailed the move from US-based private equity firm Bright Path Sports Partners as a “landmark day in the club’s history”.Championship promotion chasers Ipswich have announced a significant new £105million investmentCredit: RexThe club described it as a ‘landmark day’Credit: GettyBright Path will obtain a 40 per cent share in the club, with company co-founders Jake Zahnow and Phillip Ciano set to take places on the club’s board and joined by primary funder of the investment Sam Simon.Ed Schwartz, the head of ORG – who have been the main shareholders since 2021 – will remain the majority and controlling party in the club with a 50 per cent stake.The remaining ten per cent will be made up of smaller investors including the Three Lions fund, who have also recently upped their investment.The Tractor Boys also confirmed that CEO Mark Ashton would continue in his role in managing the day-to-day operations of the club as Bright Path “provide capital and strategic thinking which will be of significant benefit to the club”.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLA statement from Schwartz said: “When we purchased Ipswich Town in 2021, we did so with the initial aim of restoring the club to the Championship and becoming competitive at this level, with the plan always including bringing a partner on board when the time was right.“The club’s progress means we feel that time is now and we are excited to welcome Bright Path Sports. “Alongside the continued day-to-day leadership of Mark Ashton, who we are delighted has further committed his future to the club, we look forward to Bright Path bringing significant value to Ipswich Town in the coming years.”Ashton added: “We are excited to welcome Bright Path Sports on what is another landmark day in the Club’s history.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”This is a day that further secures the long-term future of the Football Club and gives us the means to move the club forward as we benefit from the wide range of skills and experiences Bright Path’s investors will bring.“The investment will continue to support the club in both the medium and long term, with the biggest immediate use being to support a number of key infrastructure projects, including the significant redevelopment of the training ground at Playford Road.”Gareth Southgate breaks silence on Man Utd job after major update on Erik Ten Hag’s futureSimon, the lead of Bright Path’s investment said: “We are excited to be making this investment in a brilliant football club.“We love the history, the potential for the future, the passionate fans and the management of the Club, who are amazing people. We invest in people and this is perfect for us.“We believe in investing for the future in order to give the team and management the tools to do their jobs and we’re excited to be working together.”On the pitch Ipswich are in the hunt for automatic promotion under ex-Manchester United coach Kieran McKenna and are one point behind table-toppers Leeds and second-place Leicester. Kieran McKenna has Ipswich in with a shout of automatic promotion to the Premier LeagueCredit: PA More