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      Rebecca Welch becomes first female EFL ref by taking charge of Harrogate vs Port Vale in historic appointment

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      HISTORY-MAKING referee Rebecca Welch took charge of an EFL match today.The highest ranked female official in England was in the middle for Monday’s game between Harrogate Town and Port Vale in League Two.
      Rebecca Welch made EFL history on Easter MondayCredit: Getty
      The highest-ranked female official in England took charge of Harrogate Town vs Port Vale in League TwoCredit: Reuters
      In 2010, Amy Fearn became the first woman to take charge of a Football League match when she took over from injured Tony Bates in a Championship match between Coventry and Nottingham Forest.
      But Easter Monday’s game was the first time a female has been appointed beforehand to take charge in the EFL.
      Welch is on the Uefa’s elite list of referees and has taken charge of the women’s FA Cup final at Wembley.
      When the news of her appointment was revealed, Welch told Sky Sports:”I’m still trying to let it sink in.
      “I got the news on Saturday and haven’t come back down to earth yet. I’m very fortunate to have been given this opportunity and I’m really excited about it.
      “My dad is probably my biggest fan, so he’s over the moon. My mum doesn’t know a lot about football. She’s excited, but I don’t think she knows why! They’re really proud.
      “It’s not something I thought that, when I decided to be a referee 11 years ago, I would be in the Football League doing a game. That didn’t even register on my radar.
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      Rebecca Welch was the first female official to be appointed to an EFL gameCredit: Getty
      “It seems to have been a whirlwind over the past 11 years and now we’re a week away from one of the biggest games of my career.
      “I’ve always said, through all my promotions, I want to be appointed because I am in the top 10 match officials on that list. I never want to be appointed based on anything else. I’ve got faith in the system, and I’ve been rewarded.”
      The appointment of Welch to the League Two match came just two days after Stephanie Frappart became the first woman to take charge of a men’s World Cup qualifier.
      And with the increased number of female officials beginning to succeed in the men’s game, Welch highlighted pioneering English official Sian Massey-Ellis as a huge inspiration to her.

      “Sian’s an absolute icon in refereeing and has paved the way for females, not just in England but all over Europe, to think about taking up the whistle,” she added.
      “To have her around a dressing room, as one of my friends, is really important. The experience that Sian has is invaluable.
      “I’ve grown so much as a person, being around the professional football environment, and learning from things I do wrong, something I probably didn’t do as much of before I was a referee.
      “I’ve got a big support network, and nobody understands you better than another referee. But it’s really important to have a support network not connected to football too.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Rebecca Welch is hoping she can inspire others after becoming the first female referee to be appointed to an EFL match More

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      When are the EFL playoffs 2021? Dates, kick-off times, TV channels for the Championship, League One and League Two

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      THE EFL season has reached its business end with promotion races taking shape.And the campaign will conclude with the traditional play-off finals at Wembley, which will be played in front of fans if the government roadmap stays on track.
      Fulham were 2020 Championship play-off final winnersCredit: PA
      Fulham, Wycombe and Northampton Town were the promoted sides last year, but who will be participating in the play-offs this year and when will the games take place?
      When are the EFL play-offs?

      The EFL play-off finals will be played on the May Bank Holiday Weekend (Saturday, May 29 – Monday, May 31).
      The EFL have yet to decide in which order the three leagues will play.
      No date has been set for the EFL play-off semi-finals yet.
      However, the regular season finishes on the weekend of Saturday, May 8 and Sunday, May 9.
      Play-off semi-final first legs typically follow around a week after the end of the regular season.

      What TV channel are EFL play-off matches on and can I live stream them?

      Sky Sports hold exclusive rights to EFL coverage, including the play-off games.
      Matches will be shown live on channels such as Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event.
      Some matches may be shown on the Sky Sports Red Button if they overlap with others.
      To stream EFL play-off matches live, head to your Sky Go account.
      Non-Sky Sports subscribers can still watch all the action with a Now TV Day Pass from £9.99.

      Adebayo Akinfenwa and Wycombe Wanderers were promoted from League One at WembleyCredit: Getty
      Northampton Town were victorious in the League Two play-off finalCredit: Getty
      How many fans will be allowed to attend the EFL play-off finals?
      Should the roadmap be delivered as proposed, sports stadiums will be filled with ten thousand fans or 25 per cent of total capacity (whichever is the smaller).
      As Wembley Stadium has a total capacity of 90,000, ten thousand supporters can be expected at each EFL play-off final. More

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      Rotherham boss Paul Warne dreaming of football again – and takes aim at critics

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      PAUL Warne has had his shed done in by being forced to watch games at home – now he is dreaming of football.That means there can be no delays in what the Rotherham boss sees and no comments to his family.
      Rotherham boss Paul Warne is back on the touchline after being forced to watch from his shedCredit: Rex Features
      Warne was forced to self-isolate after contracting Covid-19, forcing him to watch the Millers from his garden shed.
      But he will be back in his usual place today at the crucial relegation six-pointer with Wycombe and just being around players and colleagues is a huge boost.
      He successfully wound up his squad on Thursday with an April Fool asking them to bring eggs to training for an egg rolling race.
      But getting stressed in bed is one drawback as he said: “I’d rather just sleep and dream of being on an island or something.
      “Dreaming about work isn’t ideal. Even more so when I get sent off. I get stressed when I’m asleep. I have enough of that when I’m awake!
      Warne admits he has been dreaming of football againCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      “Wednesday was the first night I dreamed about football, which I normally do most nights. It’s my brain telling me, ‘Get ready mate. There’s a game.’
      “I woke up at 6am, I’d made some signings and out this left winger on, got fouled, got up and punched the fella in the face and got a red card!”
      Warne admits having to watch in his shed brought its own issues.
      A lag on the feed on his TV meant he had not seen a key piece of action when it happened and he admits he was proved wrong after questioning a player’s actions.
      But he is ready to defy critics by keeping Rotherham in the Championship, ones who do not credit his side while praising others for doing the exact same thing.
      Rotherham are fighting to stay in the ChampionshipCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      He added, after admitting he has cut out certain comments other managers have made to fire his side up: “I’m biased but I see Cardiff play and they don’t play any differently than us.
      “I love Mick McCarthy but I read an article the other day about how he’s gone in and they are unbelievable. They play exactly the same as we do.
      “I get offended, more offended by the fact I see a lot of teams play exactly the same as us and when we win against other managers, the first thing they come out with is, ‘Oh, they’re a physical team.’
      “I don’t think we’ve given away more fouls than any other team, we’ve had no more sendings off or bookings. I get frustrated, I find it wrong.
      Warne admits he is offended by some Rotherham criticsCredit: PA:Press Association
      “I’ve kept a few things people have said if anyone’s needled the lads or been disrespectful.  Also things about this whole ‘Covid conspiracy’ because everyone wants to take home a life threatening illness, that makes complete sense.
      “But when I watched our Watford game, it was two minutes behind, which was beyond frustrating. One minute I thought we were going to score then the goalie coach rang saying, ‘They’ve scored.’
      “I was like, ‘What do you mean they’ve scored? We’re in the other box,’ and against Bristol City when Wes Harding crossed the ball I was like, ‘What’s he doing?’
      “When Michael Smith scored I was like, ‘That’s what he’s doing. Yes Wes!” More

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      Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock lines up Ched Evans free transfer with Preston deal set to expire

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      MIDDLESBROUGH boss Neil Warnock is hoping to snatch striker Ched Evans from Preston.The Boro gaffer fancies the 32-year-old on a free transfer.
      Middlesbrough are eyeing up a summer move for Preston striker Ched EvansCredit: Rex
      The Wales international’s deal at Deepdale expires at the end of the season.
      Boro are also targeting Oxford goalkeeper Jack Stevens as well as Evans.
      Evans only joined the Lilywhites on an initial loan transfer from League One outfit Fleetwood Town in January.
      Preston turned his deal into a permanent stay a month later, but it remains to be seen whether he will offered a contract extension.
      The ex-Sheffield United ace has impressed during his short stay – chipping in with three goals in 14 Championship appearances.
      Evans recently spoke about the possibility of remaining at Preston, as he stated: “With regards to the games that I have played, I feel that I’ve done OK, I’ve done well.
      “I’ve scored a few goals and I feel we could’ve created more chances.
      “And if we did create those more chances, I feel I could’ve scored more goals.
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      “But it is, for me, just about taking every game as it comes now and performing.
      “It’s about getting wins on a Saturday and keeping Preston North End where they are.”
      Commenting on what Preston need to do in their remaining fixtures to stay in the Championship, Evans declared: “Some games I felt we could’ve fought more.
      “Possibly created more chances, crosses into the box and stuff – at the end of the day there is 11 players on the pitch and we need to go out and perform, you need people to take control.
      “Being more solid at the back, I felt the manager tried his utmost to make happen but ultimately it came down to how we did it on the pitch.
      “You can’t have too many people not performing because it just doesn’t work and for me, the last eight games now, you are basically going to battle in every game.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Fans leave tributes to Yeovil captain Lee Collins More

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      Sunderland’s billionaire owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus planning £60m transfer spree if Black Cats go up to Championship

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      BLACK CATS owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is itching to spend if they go up.Contacts close to Louis-Dreyfus in France reveal that he has earmarked £60million for new faces for Sunderland.
      Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is planning a huge transfer spree if Sunderland get promotedCredit: Rex
      But that cash will NOT be spent all at once.
      The 23-year-old vowed to rebuild Sunderland earlier this year after slamming his predecessors for “asset-stripping” the League One club.
      Heir to an estimated £4billion fortune, the new Black Cats owner acquired a majority stake from Stewart Donald back in February.
      The Swiss said: “It is a fresh start.
      “It has been many years now where the club had no real long-term vision and also cost-cutting at its forefront, which basically led to an asset-stripping in almost all departments, which required rebuilding from the start.
      “It will be a long-term plan – hopefully we can take it forward together and bring better times to the club.”
      On the pitch, Sunderland continued their march to promotion as they came from behind to beat Oxford 3-1 ahead of the crunch trip to Peterborough.
      Lee Johnson’s men stretched their unbeaten run to 11 as Lynden Gooch, AIden McGeady and Max Power struck after James Henry’s opener.

      That left them two points behind with a game in hand against second-placed Posh going into the Easter Monday showdown.
      Johnson said: “It’s a huge three points against a very good side. We got the goal at a great time.”
      And on Peterborough, he added: “It’s an opportunity for three points and there’s still much to play for.”
      Sunderland takeover confirmed by EFL as billionaire heir Kyril Louis-Dreyfus promises new era for Black Cats More

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      Sunderland 3 Oxford 1: Gooch, McGeady & Power stretch unbeaten run as fuming U’s boss Robinson is sent to the stands

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      SUNDERLAND continued their march to promotion as they came from behind to beat Oxford 3-1 ahead of the crunch trip to Peterborough.Lee Johnson’s men stretched their unbeaten run in League One to 11 as Lynden Gooch, AIden McGeady and Max Power struck after James Henry’s opener.
      Aiden McGready rifles Sunderland into a 2-1 lead against OxfordCredit: Getty
      James Henry is mobbed by his team-mates after firing Oxford aheadCredit: Getty
      Lynden Gooch celebrates after he drew Sunderland moments before the breakCredit: Getty
      That left them two points behind with a game in hand against second-placed Posh going into the Easter Monday showdown.
      Johnson said: “It’s a huge three points against a very good side. We got the goal at a great time.
      “Second half we took risks, particularly when they went down to ten men.
      “We managed the situation very well until the last few minutes. Then we got the break and got the third.
      And on Peterborough, he added: “It’s an opportunity for three points and there’s still much to play for.”
      Oxford took the lead on 21 minutes through Henry.
      The Black Cats clawed level seconds before the break thanks to trickery of Jordan Jones as he assisted for Gooch to get in front of his marker and prod home before a tunnel bust-up between both clubs staff and players at the break.
      The U’s had been the side during the first period, and they continued to cause the most threat until an end-to-end moment on 61 minutes proved key.
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      Oxford were still offering a threat as Elliott Moore came close with a header but the numerical advantage soon started to take its toll.
      Sunderland’s Charlie Wyke was just about to pull the trigger but was denied by Hanson’s excellent last-ditch tackle.
      Instantly the action was up the other end, but Mark Sykes’ lunging attempt to get it caught Luke O’Nien and resulted in a second yellow card.
      Jones’ thumping strike from 20-yards cannoned off the bar as Johnson’s men pushed forward for a late winner.
      Towering Moore in particular was proving to be on a one-man mission to stop the Black Cats, but eventually the pressure proved too much.
      Karl Robinson was sent off following Sunderland’s second goalCredit: Getty
      Max Power celebrates his goal by sliding in front of the visiting Oxford benchCredit: Getty
      Sunderland caught Oxford napping with a quick but hotly-disputed free-kick after a foul on Chris Maguire by Cameron Brannagan.
      Gooch dribbled down the right of the area and pulled the ball back for McGeady to slot home from the edge of the box.
      Oxford boss Karl Robinson was raging and received his marching orders for his furious protests and was forced to watch on frustratingly as his team conceded a third at the death as Power finished off a counter before inciting things further by celebrating in front of the visiting bench.
      Robinson said: “It was a good game of football, spoiled by you know who. I don’t want to say his name.
      “We had a player down for that second goal. There was a duty of care to see if the player was injured, the man in the middle wanted to make it about him.
      “I’m frustrated because the players were excellent, even down to ten men.”
      Sunderland head to promotion rivals Peterborough next on Easter MondayCredit: Getty
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

      Sunderland takeover confirmed by EFL as billionaire heir Kyril Louis-Dreyfus promises new era for Black Cats More

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      Bolton boss Ian Evatt reveals inspirations behind his desire for success

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      IAN Evatt has revealed Bolton’s remarkable run is being fuelled by an American Football coach, the trainer to the most famous basketball player of all time and an Olympic rowing gold medallist.For their teachings and messages drive him – even when it comes to him walking and training his dog.
      Ian Evatt has revealed what he uses for inspiration as he looks to earn Bolton promotionCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      The Bolton boss has guided his side to 13 games unbeaten, including 11 wins, which has propelled them to the thick of League Two’s promotion race.
      But earlier in the season, many were wondering how long he would have left as Wanderers floundered near the bottom of the Football League.
      And at no time did what he has taken on board from others counted more.
      Evatt said: “I read books on leadership and mentality like The Score Takes Care Of Itself by Bill Walsh, Ben Hunt-Davis’ Will It Make The Boat Go Faster and Relentless by Michael Jordan’s fitness coach, Tim Grover.
      “I’ve learned a lot from them and the messaging from all is about trusting the process and believing in it.
      Bolton is a much happier place than it has been in recent years
      “Unless as a manager you thoroughly believe in your philosophy and style, how would you expect the players to believe in it?
      “The test of that is when things aren’t going right. You can adapt and tweak formations but the philosophy needs to remain the same.
      “It’s no good me coming in saying, ‘We want to be possession-based, we’re going to attack, we’re going to build from the back,’ the  after four bad results we end up smashing it and 4-4-2.
      “What message would that send to the players? It would mean I don’t believe in it myself. When times are good, when times are bad, you stay consistent.
      “I lost six in a row in my first year at Barrow, we had seven points from nine games in my second, I was the first Bolton manager to lose their first five competitive games.
      Evatt revealed one of the books he reads is by Michael Jordan’s fitness coach, Tim Grover
      “But when the players buy into what you’re doing, improvement comes.”
      Bolton may have gone 13 unbeaten but they are still fourth in League Two going into tomorrow’s clash with Colchester.
      But Evatt is adamant the mindset would be no different if they were third and in an automatic promotion place.
      He added: “The players are naturally going to look at the league table and results, they are human beings.
      “But if we can perform for the remainder of the season to our levels and win all nine games remaining, nobody can stop us.
      Bolton are currently 13 games unbeaten
      “People will probably say mentally it’s better to be the chaser than the leader but I don’t see it that way.
      “At Barrow, there was no change and it all comes down to behind the scenes. It’s about repetitive messaging, even though when I said this at the start of the season people probably thought I was an idiot.
      “But unless you believe you’re going to be the best at anything you do, for me there’s no point turning up. I can’t deal with mediocre or being average.
      “I want to be the best in everything I do, whether that’s walking my dog and having it trained better than everybody else’s.
      “The players have to have that same attitude when it comes to football.” More

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      When are the EFL playoffs? Dates, kick-off times and TV channels for Championship, League One and League Two

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      THE EFL season has reached its business end with promotion battles taking shape.And the campaign will conclude with the traditional play-off finals at Wembley, which will be played in front of fans if the government roadmap stays on track.
      Fulham were 2020 Championship play-off final winnersCredit: PA
      Fulham, Wycombe and Northampton Town were the promoted sides last year, but who will be participating in the play-offs this year and when will the games take place?
      When are the EFL play-offs?

      The EFL play-off finals will be played on the May Bank Holiday Weekend (Saturday, May 29 – Monday, May 31).
      The EFL have yet to decide in which order the three leagues will play.
      No date has been set for the EFL play-off semi-finals yet.
      However, the regular season finishes on the weekend of Saturday, May 8 and Sunday, May 9.
      Play-off semi-final first legs typically follow around a week after the end of the regular season.

      What TV channel are EFL play-off matches on and can I live stream them?

      Sky Sports hold exclusive rights to EFL coverage, including the play-off games.
      Matches will be shown live on channels such as Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event.
      Some matches may be shown on the Sky Sports Red Button if they overlap with others.
      To stream EFL play-off matches live, head to your Sky Go account.
      Non-Sky Sports subscribers can still watch all the action with a Now TV Day Pass from £9.99.

      Adebayo Akinfenwa and Wycombe Wanderers were promoted from League One at WembleyCredit: Getty
      Northampton Town were victorious in the League Two play-off finalCredit: Getty
      How many fans will be allowed to attend the EFL play-off finals?
      Should the roadmap be delivered as proposed, sports stadiums will be filled with ten thousand fans or 25 per cent of total capacity (whichever is the smaller).
      As Wembley Stadium has a total capacity of 90,000, ten thousand supporters can be expected at each EFL play-off final. More