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    Awkward moment football fan falls asleep during match before being woken up by rival supporters singing about him

    A WEST Brom fan who FELL ASLEEP during his side’s clash with Southampton was woken up after opposition fans teased him with hilarious chanting.The Baggies were beaten 2-1 by Saints at St Mary’s in the Championship on Saturday afternoon – their first defeat in five games.
    The West Brom fan, at the end of the row in a grey beanie hat, was caught asleep in the away end by Southampton supportersCredit: X @MenInBlazers

    He woke up after the home fans began mocking him with a hilarious chantCredit: X @MenInBlazers
    And one away fan failed to keep himself awake for the entirety of the game as he nodded off mid-match.
    A section of Southampton supporters noticed the gentleman was having a kip in his seat.
    And they proceeded to loudly sing: “He’s still asleep,” over and over again.
    Eventually, the man woke up much to the home fans delight as they cheered him opening his eyes.
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    They then began chanting: “He’s woken up.”
    The clip went viral on social media, exceeding two million views on Twitter.
    England legend Gary Lineker was one person who reacted to the brilliant clip as he simply replied with two laughing emojis.
    Meanwhile, another fan added: “This is gold, I was there today 🤣🤣.”
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    While someone else said: “Classic 🤣🤣🤣🤣.”
    And a third responded: “Best leagues with the best chants. 😅🙌🏻”
    Southampton have gone on an eight-match unbeaten run which leaves them fourth in the Championship table.
    West Brom sit seventh, outside the play-off places on goal difference. More

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    ‘I’m angry and I’m disgusted’ – Wycombe boss responds to claims he tried to get match ABANDONED over sickening injury

    WYCOMBE boss Matt Bloomfield is “disgusted” after hearing claims he tried to get Saturday’s defeat against Stevenage abandoned following a sickening injury.Brandon Hanlan and then Wanderers’ team-mate Luke Leahy were taken to hospital after being carried off, meaning 26 minutes were added on.
    Matt Bloomfield was unhappy at ‘a lot of what happened’ but above all delighted that Luke Leahy was ‘responsive’ before going to hospitalCredit: Rex
    Players showed their concern as Leahy was treated after a collisionCredit: Prime Media
    Hanlan landed awkwardly on his shoulder following an aerial challenge with Stevenage captain Carl Piergianni late in the first half.
    And Leahy was seriously hurt near the end of the League One match after what appeared to be a clash of heads with team-mate Josh Scowen.
    Stevenage were leading at that stage thanks to Jamie Reid hitting the only goal of the game 14 minutes into time added on in the opening half.
    Bloomfield said afterwards he was “angry” at many things during the match and “categorically denied” attempting to get it called off.
    Stevenage manager Steve Evans had commented: “My players were telling our bench that Wycombe wanted the game abandoned – the staff, the players wanted the game stopped 1-0 down, 8 minutes to go.”
    But Bloomfield responded: “I’ve been told I’ve been accused of trying to get the game called off but I can categorically deny, 100% at no point was I trying to get the game called off.
    “We were preparing our players to restart the game – the referee came across to speak because he realised the severity of the situation more than what I did.
    “I was asked how I was, how my players were – and I replied to the questions I was being asked so at no point did I try to put pressure on the referee to call it off.” 
    Bloomfield added: “I’m angry and I’m disgusted by a lot of what’s happened today.
    “Luke’s gone straight in an ambulance to hospital but the pleasing thing to report is he was responsive by the time he left Adams’ Park.
    “It was a pretty scary moment there in terms of his health.
    “Luke’s gone down, he’s unresponsive – a couple of their players told me they thought something might have been going on with his body on the pitch.
    “He was unresponsive for a while and our doctor was extremely concerned for Luke.”
    Meanwhile, Evans added: “I’ll be the first to message Matty [Matt Bloomfield] to make sure Luke is okay.”
    And of referee Ben Speedie opting to continue the match, he added: “I instructed my staff and players to stay away just before the referee made the decision.
    “I told them if the match official determines this game is going to be stopped we will be respectful as it’s a tough call.” More

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    I won Champions League with Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea, now I’m making my own way in the EFL

    JOE EDWARDS worked with Thomas Tuchel and Frank Lampard and helped Chelsea win the Champions League.Today he starts another chapter as new Millwall boss as they travel to bottom club Sheffield Wednesday.
    Joe Edwards takes charge of Millwall for the first time today against Sheffield WednesdayCredit: MILLWALL FC
    He was assistant to Frank Lampard at both Chelsea and EvertonCredit: Getty
    Edwards, 37, was assistant to both bosses at Stamford Bridge and followed Lampard to work under him at Everton.
    He recalls when Lampard was replaced at the Blues in January 2021 by Tuchel, who led the team to Euro glory.
    He said: “When Thomas inherited the team, it was abrupt. We’d been top of the league in December and had a 17-game unbeaten run.
    “The team and squad Frank built was very strong and it was also definitely fit.
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    “We had some poor results and, as is the case with Chelsea, that can prove costly for the manager.
    “Thomas came in and respected what had been built, particularly the physical condition of the team and how we could work without the ball. He picked a system that suited the senior players.

    “He kept the plan and approach to each game simple, respecting the experience of the players and where they had come from under Frank.
    “From there he kept a lot of continuity in training, the message and consistency, and built a lot of momentum.”
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    Ex-Lions boss Gary Rowett led them to eighth, 11th, ninth and eighth positions during his four seasons in charge and they just missed out on a play-off spot last season.
    He left by mutual consent last month, with the club hoping to move into a more fluid, possession-based approach.
    Edwards said: “My whole purpose and plan is to move in a slightly different direction in terms of playing style and the identity on the pitch. We must be mindful of that.
    “You can look at the fact they just missed out on play-offs and say, ‘Build on that’.
    “But often it is not that simple where we go again and to build from the top half of the table.
    “The reality is we’ve had a slow start to the season so I see it as a process.  There has been a steady way of working for a number of years under Gary, which has served the players well because they have played to their strengths.
    “As a group, they’ve been a tough team to play against.
    “I want to enhance some of that — it won’t be a case of ripping everything up and starting from new.
    “It’ll be an example of what happened at Chelsea when Thomas took over a team put into a good position by Frank.
    “It’ll be a case of looking at what’s working well and what makes this team tick.”
    The Championship is like the Prem now in terms of many clubs playing a more possession-based game rather than the up-and-at-’em style the division was famous for.
    Edwards added: “Football has always been heavily influenced by the arrival of different nationalities of coaches.
    “They bring many different playing styles and as a coach you get influenced by seeing so much and having access.
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    “It’s now an era where teams want possession and to dominate games that way.
    “It gets to a point where if you don’t move forward then you can get left behind.”
    Edwards has been in charge of England’s U20 teamCredit: Getty More

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    Tom Brady to test friendship with Ryan Reynolds as Birmingham boss Wayne Rooney targets huge Wrexham transfer raid

    NFL legend Tom Brady’s friendship with Hollywood A-lister Ryan Reynolds might be tested – with Birmingham targeting Wrexham’s star midfielder.Elliot Lee has contributed ten goals and two assists in just 16 appearances for the League Two new boys this season.
    Birmingham co-owner Tom Brady may face intriguing talks with actor pal Ryan Reynolds as Brum manager Wayne Rooney eyes Elliot LeeCredit: Getty
    Wrexham co-owner Reynolds might not be smiling so broadly if the Blues step up their interest in goalscoring midfielder LeeCredit: Getty
    Lee has been a sensation for promotion-chasing WrexhamCredit: PA
    But new Blues boss Wayne Rooney is keen on landing Lee – son of former England midfielder Rob – to boost his St Andrew’s squad.
    Whether Reynolds will be quite as keen to welcome Brady to the EFL ownership fold if he nicks his best player is unknown.
    Birmingham have fallen from sixth to 15th in the Championship since appointing England and Manchester United legend Rooney last month.
    Wrexham, meanwhile, are currently in the third and final promotion spot in the fourth tier after coming up as National League champions.
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    For many pundits Lee has been the Dragons’ star player – already reaching double figures in goals compared to five for main striker Paul Mullin and four from targetman Ollie Palmer.
    But Mullin only returned in September after puncturing his lung following a collision with keeper Nathan Bishop in a pre-season friendly against Erik ten Hag’s United..
    Ex-West Ham and Barnsley man Lee, 28, joined Wrexham at the start of last term from Luton.
    Birmingham’s interest in the former Charlton loanee comes as pressure from fans mounts on Rooney.
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    Brum sacked the former Everton star’s popular predecessor John Eustace despite sitting in a play-off spot.
    Birmingham chief executive Garry Cook said a “series of meetings” with Eustace showed his “ambitions” differed from those of the club owners.
    Wayne Rooney is being linked with ex-Luton midfielder Elliot LeeCredit: Rex More

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    Forgotten Premier League star signs for League Two side on free transfer after 4 months unemployed following Watford axe

    EX-PREMIER LEAGUE star Dan Gosling has signed for a new club after being unemployed for four months.The 33-year-old was released by Watford in the summer despite recovering from a serious Achilles injury.
    Dan Gosling has joined Notts CountyCredit: Getty
    He has now penned a two-month deal at League Two side Notts County.
    A club statement read: “We’re delighted to add a player of Dan’s pedigree to the squad at such an important time.
    “We believe his obvious quality and experience will enable him to help the team in the short-term.
    “Throughout his career Dan has proven himself to be a hard-working, tenacious and highly accomplished midfielder at the top levels of the game.”
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    Fans were buzzing over the signing, one said: “Hell of a signing for League Two. Top pro. Good luck Gozza.”
    Gosling came through the ranks at Plymouth before moves to Premier League sides Everton and Newcastle.

    The former England Under-21 star then spent six years at Bournemouth, playing 193 times for the club as the Cherries earned promoted and then established themselves in the top-flight.
    A move to Watford followed in 2021, but injuries plagued his time at Vicarage Road as he made just 36 appearances.
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    He slammed his former team-mates, claiming “disgraceful attitudes” resulted in relegation a year after he joined.
    Gosling arrives at Notts County to replace Matt Palmer, who will miss the remainder of the season with a knee problem.
    The club are eyeing back-to-back promotions with them currently second in the League Two table. More

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    John Eustace fears managerial return could be KO’d after being sacked and replaced at Birmingham by Wayne Rooney

    JOHN EUSTACE fears he has missed the boat on a managerial return at Bristol City.Eustace, 43, was the early favourite for a quick dugout comeback — just a couple of weeks after he was sacked by Birmingham.
    John Eustace was sacked with Birmingham sixth in the tableCredit: PA
    But the word from his camp is that he will not join the Robins and he now expects a rival gaffer to get the job.
    Bristol City sacked Nigel Pearson as boss last week.
    The former Leicester boss was axed following his side’s 2-0 defeat to Cardiff.
    Pearson’s final defeat left Bristol City 15th in the Championship table.
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    Curtis Fleming was subsequently named the Robins’ interim manager.
    The former Ireland international led his side to a 1-0 win over Rotherham yesterday.
    Rob Dickie’s 64th minute effort saw Bristol City claim all three points, taking them to tenth in the table.
    After the match, Fleming was full of praise for his players.
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    He said: “I’m really proud of the guys, they worked their socks off.
    “We asked the lads to pass the ball more and they did that.
    “There’s definitely things we need to work on but, for the week that we have had, you couldn’t have asked for anything more from the players, their work-rate, trying to do what you want them to do, getting the result and moving five places up the table.
    “That’s the most important thing.” More

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    Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri makes takeover decision… even if club drop straight back into League One

    SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY owner Dejphon Chansiri has no plans to sell the club — even if they go straight back down to League One.Chansiri shocked fans by suggesting they might be asked to pay the struggling club’s tax bill last week, before eventually finding the funds.
    Dejphon Chansiri is determined to stay on as Wednesday ownerCredit: Getty
    And despite a growing battle with the supporters, Chansiri wants to carry on.
    Chansiri acquired Wednesday from Milan Mandaric in 2015.
    He initially targeted promotion to the Premier League, but in recent years has seen his side languish in League One.
    Last season they were promoted by the skin of their teeth via the League One play-offs.
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    Boss Darren Moore departed in the summer amid a disagreement with Chansiri.
    Wednesday replaced Moore with former Watford boss Xisco Munoz.
    The Spaniard lasted just 12 games, however, going winless before being given the boot.
    Danny Rohl was appointed as Munoz’s successor.
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    He lost 3-0 at Plymouth Argyle in his first game in charge, before claiming Wednesday’s first win of the season 2-0 against Rotherham last week.
    Yesterday ten-man Wednesday lost 1-0 at Bristol City.
    They currently sit bottom of the Championship table, already nine points from safety.
    Danny Rohl has been tasked with trying to keep Wednesday upCredit: Rex More

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    New QPR boss Marti Cifuentes knows exactly what to expect from dogfight even if fans dont know what to expect from him

    WHEN Marti Cifuentes was appointed QPR boss this week, many fans could be forgiven for asking: “Marti Who?”Former Loftus Road Championship-winning boss and vastly-experienced Neil Warnock had been the first name on most people’s lips to replace the sacked Gareth Ainsworth — especially after freshly saving Huddersfield from certain relegation.
    Cifuentes knows what he’s getting into
    Players will need to be straight on it against Rotherham
    So when Cifuentes was named instead, a quick glance through his CV hardly had Rs fans jumping up and down with excitement.
    He had stints with little-known Spanish clubs Rubi, Sant Andreu and Hospitalet followed by Scandinavian sides Sandefjord, AaB and Hammarby IF.
    So what are his credentials for saving the club from relegation with only Sheffield Wednesday propping them up after six defeats in a row and just two points from their last nine?
    He told SunSport: “I’ve achieved results and targets at the other clubs I’ve been to. I got results in Spain, Norway, Denmark and Sweden — and usually it’s not been an easy task. I don’t see why this will be different. 
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    “A big part of my confidence comes from what I see in this squad but also from the fans. This is a fantastic club with a great history and together we can make a strong team.
    “I’ve been in relegation fights before and won them! 
    “When I first became manager in the middle of the season at Sant Andreu (2013-14), I was the youngest coach in Spanish professional football and they had 13-14 games left. 
    “We lost the first three and it looked dark. We made some tough decisions with experienced players that were not delivering and somehow got out of trouble with two games left.
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    Marti Cifuentes in training
    “When I took over in Denmark with Aalborg (AaB), they were in a battle and it took six games to win. The fans were not happy for a while but we finished the season strong and qualified for Europa play-offs. Before I left the following season, we were fourth after 17 games.
    “When you’re in a relegation battle, there’s anxiety for fans and I understand that. We’re all passionate about our club and football. 
    “But it’s vital to keep people’s eyes in the storm, being critical about things we can improve, being clear about the areas we need to improve to get the results and then hopefully we can build a good chemistry with the supporters because they’ll play a big and important role.”
    But it looks a risky appointment — seeing as Cifuentes has never managed in English football before.
    However, as he is quick to point out, he knows a lot about English football, the Championship and in particular QPR.
    The Spanish manager came to these shores on an English coaching fact-finding mission during the 2008-09 season — where he was given access to watch Millwall training sessions under Kenny Jackett. He had been working for Ajax but wanted to experience a different football identity to identical ones he witnessed in Spain and Holland.
    And while here, he went to his first English match … at Loftus Road.
    Cifuentes reckons the Championship is going the way of the Premier League thanks to an influx of foreign players and coaches
    He said: “I got invited by a friend to go and watch QPR v Charlton and I got a good impression and picture of what football is all about to people in this country.
    “At that time, as a neutral spectator, I just wanted to enjoy the game. After four minutes it was a corner and everybody was cheering, standing up and I was just sitting in my seat. Then two guys came to us, saying ‘Guys, come on, let’s celebrate, it’s a f***ing corner!’ 
    “I really enjoyed it, the atmosphere, the game.
    “Paulo Sousa was manager then and one of the first foreign coaches in the Championship at the time.”
    Cifuentes believes that the influence of coaches and players from abroad have seen English football’s second tier evolve over the past 10 years in the way the Premier League did a decade earlier.
    He said: “It has more foreign influence, more coaches from different parts of the world, more players from abroad so that makes the game, and the league, develop. 
    “Now you can see there are different styles of play. Last season, Vincent Kompany with his Burnley team went up playing a style that perhaps was impossible 10 years ago in the Championship. That makes this league interesting from a coaching perspective because they are very different teams.”
    The Spaniard has now warming up time as he’s straight in for a clash vs Rotherham
    The Spaniard has walked straight into the frying pan for his first game as second-bottom QPR travel today to third-bottom Rotherham today. The Millers are an old-school up-and-at-them team.
    And Cifuentes said: “I’m well aware about the kind of game we will have at Rotherham, about what kind of football we’re going to face.
    “It’s going to be intense, a lot of duels, a lot of second balls against a team that is clear on their identity.
    “We will try to play a game that is according to our history, according to my ideas and those the players will have, hopefully we can beat them.”
    Cifuentes arrives in West London from Hammarby, who are sixth in Sweden’s top division with two games left.
    And the last manager to arrive in the Championship from a Swedish club was none other than Graham Potter at Swansea, who went on to do a superb job with Brighton before his ill-fated spell at Chelsea.
    Cifuentes believes the Seagulls and Brentford are perfect models for teams like QPR to emulate.
    He said: “I like to watch a lot of Brighton and loved watching Graham Potter’s teams at Ostersund, he did a great job there. 
    “When you look at clubs like Brighton and Brentford, it brings into focus something that’s hugely underrated in football — continuity, believing one idea. 
    “Nowadays it’s difficult because it’s a short-term business, result-oriented and difficult to manage with the expectations of the fans, financial expectations and so on.
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    “But when you have belief in the project and when you have the right people in place and there is the right commitment there, over time it is possible to build like these two clubs for instance.
    “And there are many others in many parts of the world that are a good example about how to get a successful case as a club.” More