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      Paul Heckingbottom’s Sheffield United have bounced back from play-off heartbreak to top of the Championship

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      WHEN Nottingham Forest keeper Brice Samba broke Sheffield United hearts with his hat-trick of saves in a play-off penalty shootout, Paul Heckingbottom got straight to work.There was no moping about at Bramall Lane from anyone feeling sorry for themselves.
      Paul Heckingbottom and Sheffield United used play-off agony to inspire them
      Brice Samba breaks Sheffield United’s hearts at the City Ground
      Instead Heckingbottom and his team reflected on how close they had gone to making an instant return to the Premier League after overcoming a slow start to last season under previous boss Slavisa Jokanovic.
      And there was a steely determination in the red and white half of the Steel City to hit the ground running this time around — and they have certainly done that.
      Reda Khadra’s winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time at Swansea on Tuesday night consolidated the Blades’ position at the top of the Championship.
      Heckingbottom told SunSport: “I must give credit to everyone since that shootout against Nottingham Forest in the play-off semi-final. That is where all the work started in regard to this coming season.
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      “Had we been sulking or slow to move on, we’d not have had as strong a start as we have had.
      “I just felt we had run out of time last season because we had such a strong finish. Had the season been a month longer, we’d have finished even higher than the fifth position we finally achieved.
      “Certainly at the City Ground, we just ran out of time. We managed to get ourselves from 3-1 down on aggregate to 3-3 and pushed for the winner.
      “Had we played another five or 10 minutes in that game, I’d have fancied us to have gone on to reach the final.
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      “We had nothing to worry about or anything to fear going into this season, other than maybe a hangover or feeling sorry for ourselves. That is what we guarded against.”
      Heckingbottom won the August SkyBet Championship manager of the month.
      And he said the club had to be shrewd during the summer — balancing the needs of strengthening the squad with keeping on top of finances being lowered due to a second season outside the top-flight.
      But he brought in Sweden centre-half Anel Ahmedhodzic from Malmo for £4million and worked the loan market by recruiting the likes of Man City duo James McAtee and Tommy Doyle, Ciaran Clarke from Newcastle and Khadra from Brighton.
      And the Blades chief was happy with a good pre-season build-up and said: “All those things were important in terms of getting us to hit the ground running.”
      Paul Heckingbottom won the SkyBet manager of the month for August
      I put it to Heckingbottom that three of their outstanding players so far have been striker Oli McBurnie, midfielder Sander Berge and Ahmedhodzic.
      Keeping Berge during the transfer window was as good and important as making a marquee signing — such is his influence on the team.
      Heckingbottom agreed and said: “It was huge to keep him. He is a great person, good player and if I am honest I expected him to go.
      “So I’m delighted I can still use him. He’s happy to be here. He has been fantastic with the way he has behaved. His performances have shown that.
      “He comes into training every day with a smile on his face, has trained harder than anyone and he’s reaping the benefits.
      “While he continues playing like that, there’s nothing you can do to stop someone coming in for him but hopefully that’s a while away yet.”
      McBurnie has been a frustrating player for Blades fans following his £20million move from Swansea in 2019.
      He had not scored a league goal since November 2020 until he finally netted against Luton last month, sparking three goals in successive games.
      His hard-working performances up top have been crucial.
      And Heckingbottom said: “I’m delighted for Oli.
      Oli McBurnie has been on fire for the Blades after a tough couple of years
      “He had bad luck when we took over. He suffered more injuries than most last season.
      “We could’ve seen the form he has been showing much earlier. 
      “To get himself fit, he has worked hard and when he has got over his broken foot he has had a few more weeks training and we’ve given him minutes in the under-21s and then when he has been called upon he has hit the ground running.
      “That is all the hard work he has put in and what the staff have put in.”
      Ahmedhodzic has been rock solid in defence and is looking like a bargain buy.
      The Blades chief said: “I’ve been impressed with him. I was convinced he’d be good otherwise I’d not have tried to get him.
      “The way he has stepped into it and hit the ground running. It’s a big bonus.
      Reda Khadra celebrates his stoppage-time winner at Swansea
      “He can be pleased and proud of himself. One of the reasons he came and we liked him, we felt he was someone who can kick on and play at an even higher level than this.
      “He’s determined to do that, we’re determined to do that and hopefully we can both achieve it.”
      Heckingbottom knows that the one thing you do need to get out of the Championship is consistency in a league that is consistent for being inconsistent.
      And he said: “The margins are so fine. There are clubs that will have a lot of talent in their squads — and we’re talking Premier League talent — who are not quite on it that day who will get turned over.
      “We’d like to think we have some good players but our best attribute is having that mentality who try to win every game and keep our standards high so when we do get beat a team will have to play well.
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      “The ultimate goal of every team is to get promoted with the prize at the end of it but we’re a long way from thinking about that, never mind talking about it.
      “We’re breaking the season into little phases and concentrating on getting the consistency of performance. Hopefully we will be there at the back of the season.” More

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      Andy Carroll re-joins Reading in free transfer on tiny contract five months after finishing West Brom contract

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      READING have re-signed Andy Carroll on a short-term deal.The former Liverpool striker, 33, has signed a contract until January – the club has announced.
      Andy Carroll scored two goals in eight games in his first spell at Reading last season
      Carroll scored two goals in eight games for the Royals last season before leaving to join West Brom in the January transfer window.
      But he was subsequently released by the Baggies and was a free agent over the summer until Paul Ince decided to snap him up.
      Carroll trained with Reading this week and impressed Ince with his leadership skills before he was offered a four-month deal.
      Ince said: “I am really pleased to have Andy with us.
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      “Of course, a striker of his prowess gives us power and a battling presence at the top of the pitch and I’m sure that will translate into goals.
      “However, Andy’s arrival also offers us another strong voice in the dressing room. He is a leader, both on and off the pitch, and having trained with us all this week I can already see the positive influence he will have on the players around him and the boost he will no doubt give to the fans.”
      Reading Head of Football Operations Mark Bowen said: “Andy is a striker with proven pedigree and so much experience in the game.
      “It is also so important that he is a player who already knows this club and the fight we will need to show to rise to the challenges we expect to face during the course of this season.
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      “And, above all else, Andy is a top-class professional. So I’m delighted he has chosen to return to Reading!”
      More to follow… More

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      Man Utd star Marcus Rashford watches Barrow’s 2-0 win over Doncaster and poses for photo with young fans

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      MARCUS RASHFORD has been pictured watching League Two side Barrow and taking photos with young fans. The Manchester United attacker sat in the stands as the Bluebirds beat Doncaster 2-0.
      Barrow fans were shocked to see Marcus Rashford in attendanceCredit: https://twitter.com/OurBluebirdsFly/status/1569777177784115200
      Marcus Rashford is looking back to his best on the fieldCredit: EPA
      A supporters group called Bluebirds of Holker Street shared a picture on Twitter of Rashford taking a selfie with some children.
      The tweet thanked him saying: “What a guy Marcus Rashford is, brilliant taking time for a photo with the kids at the soccer.”
      Fans of Man Utd and Barrow were quick to praise him for mixing with the community and supporting a local club.
      One said: “There is genuinely people out there who hate this man. Top guy.”
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      Another reacted: “Wow. What a man.”
      More followed as another commented: “Legend.”
      Rashford responded himself to the post saying: “Nice to meet you guys.”
      This is not the first time the England ace has been seen trying to give back to the local area of Manchester and the North, where he grew up.
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      He has set up campaigns to help the homeless at Christmas, visited victims of the Manchester bombing and teamed up with charity FareShare.
      He is well-known for his work in 2020 that tackled food poverty in the UK, eventually influencing the government to give free meals to children in poverty during the pandemic and school holidays.
      On the pitch things are getting better for Rashford as he netted twice in United’s most recent victory over Arsenal.
      It seems like he is regaining his confidence again under the guidance of Erik ten Hag.
      Rashford’s night at Barrow comes as reports suggest he won’t jet off to Moldova for Man Utd’s Europa League tie versus Sheriff Tiraspol. More

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      Watch touching moment Mansfield release 96 white doves in honour of the Queen after minute’s silence

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      MANSFIELD released 96 doves after a minute’s silence and the national anthem in a touching moment before tonight’s game.The Stags hosted Carlisle in League Two – their first match since the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth II aged 96 last Thursday.
      Mansfield released 96 doves – one for each year of The Queen’s lifeCredit: Twitter
      The birds were let into the sky after the minute’s silence and national anthem

      The EFL called off all of their matches over the weekend as a mark of respect to Her Majesty.
      But they resumed their fixture schedule this evening with the Championship, League One and League Two action.
      There was a minute’s silence before all 30 EFL matches as football paused to remember the longest-reigning monarch in British history.
      Players also wore black armbands – just as Tottenham and Liverpool did in the Champions League.
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      But at Mansfield’s Field Mill, following the silence, the club also invited supporters to join in singing the national anthem, God Save The King.
      Then club director and funeral director Paul Brown released 96 doves into the Nottinghamshire dusk – each one representing a year of The Queen’s remarkable life.
      One fan said: “Brilliantly observed and well organised MTFC. Fans are a credit to the club.”
      On the pitch, it ended goalless as Mansfield missed the chance to leapfrog Doncaster into the final play-off place.
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      However, there was drama as one of the goal nets broke in the top corner.
      Stags grounds staff were unable to reach the problem so had to get Carlisle goalkeeper Tomas Holy to tape the net up in bizarre scenes. More

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      EFL confirm Championship, League One and League Two to return from tomorrow after postponement following Queen’s death

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      THE EFL have confirmed that its fixture schedule will resume from tomorrow following the death of The Queen.The Queen died peacefully aged 96 on Thursday – marking an end to her historic reign and making her son, Charles, King.
      The EFL have confirmed that its fixtures will resume from TuesdayCredit: EFL
      The Championship, League One and Two is returning tomorrowCredit: Rex
      The Premier League and EFL postponed all matches last weekend as Scotland followed suit along with a host of other sporting events to pay tribute to Her Majesty.
      Now the EFL have announced that its midweek fixture list will go ahead as planned.
      A statement read: “The EFL fixture programme will return as scheduled from Tuesday 13 September, with tributes to be paid to Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II at grounds around the country.
      “A minute’s silence will be held before matches, with black armbands to be worn by participants, flags to be flown at half-mast and the National Anthem to be played in stadiums.
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      “With a national policing plan now in operation, the League and Clubs will continue to work with forces in respect of any challenges that may emerge regarding policing of specific fixtures.
      “Consideration to individual circumstances will be made on a case-by-case basis, in line with standard match Safety Advisory Group (SAG) protocols.”
      Meanwhile, football chiefs and police are continuing talks today over a number of potential match postponements for this coming weekend.
      The state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II has been confirmed for Monday 19 September in London.
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      A host of police officers from across the country are set to be drafted into London to work on it and the other events surrounding the send-off with millions of mourners due to descend on the capital.
      As we reported last week, that means that Sunday’s Premier League games between Brentford and Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool and Manchester United vs Leeds are among those being discussed about being postponed or moved.
      Up in Scotland, Rangers’ Champions League fixture at home to Napoli has been delayed for 24 hours and away supporters have been banned.
      SunSport understands that England’s representatives in Uefa’s competitions this midweek will not be affected, with Arsenal’s Europa League clash in North London against PSV on Thursday still scheduled to go ahead.
      But talks are still ongoing regarding the domestic top-flight clashes for next weekend.
      Switching games to the opposition’s venue has already been discussed, but they have also hit major roadblocks.
      For example, Liverpool’s neighbours Everton are also playing at home on Sunday, meaning Chelsea switching their game to Anfield is highly unlikely.
      Meanwhile, a huge police presence is expected at Old Trafford for the game between heated rivals United and Leeds, which would also stretch resources.
      And EFL fixtures are also at risk in and around London with Millwall, QPR and Watford due to be hosting matches.
      But officials are still “hopeful” that a positive conclusion could be reached.
      A National Police Chiefs Council spokesperson said: “We will work with football clubs to try and ensure that, where possible, football fixtures can take place safely when balanced against the requirement to support national events and deliver day-to-day policing.
      “This is a unique situation and we are working closely with everyone involved.”
      More to follow… More

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      EFL postpone Friday night fixtures between Burnley vs Norwich and Tranmere vs Stockport after death of The Queen

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      THE EFL have confirmed that today’s fixtures have been postponed as British sport pauses following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.The Queen died peacefully aged 96 on Thursday – marking an end to her historic reign and making her son, Charles, King.
      Burnley’s Championship clash at home to Norwich has been postponedCredit: Getty
      Her Majesty the Queen passed away aged 96 on ThursdayCredit: Splash
      Charles, who will now be known as King Charles III, gave a sombre statement as he led the nation in mourning last night.
      Day Two of the cricket test match between England and South Africa at The Oval was cancelled as the country mourned the loss of its monarch.

      The Queen’s passing comes as…

      The Queen’s beloved horse racing was also stopped – with last night’s meetings at Southwell and Chelmsford both being abandoned.
      The EFL then announced last night that they have postponed the two scheduled fixtures for this evening.
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      A statement read: “As a mark of respect, following the passing of Her Majesty, The Queen Elizabeth II earlier today, the EFL has confirmed that its fixtures scheduled for tomorrow evening Friday 9 September – Burnley v Norwich City and Tranmere Rovers v Stockport County – have been postponed.
      “A determination regarding the remainder of this weekend’s scheduled fixtures will be made following a review of the official mourning guidance, in addition to further consultation with DCMS and other sports on Friday morning.”
      The governing body and Premier League chiefs will make an announcement this morning on whether this weekend’s games are cancelled.
      While the Government is not planning to enforce a shutdown in sport, Prem chiefs are aware of a potential backlash if they play the weekend’s matches as scheduled and a meeting has been called for 11am this morning.
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      Its chief executive Richard Masters is said to have told clubs that they will have to make their own decisions regarding games, with government guidance not “definitive”.
      But an announcement confirming that all fixtures this weekend are postponed is expected.
      A factor is the potential drain on police resources as towns and cities up and down the land pay tribute to The Queen after her 70-year reign.
      A final call will be made by lunchtime with Prem chiefs aware that clubs will be setting off for overnight stays ahead of tomorrow’s games and that fans also will need to know if they are travelling.
      But while there will be no Government action to block sports fixtures from taking place, football, rugby and racing in particular are thought to be leaning towards postponements.
      Matches are still likely to take place over the coming 10 days after this weekend although sports bodies will be expected to mark the passing of Her Majesty Elizabeth II.
      That will see fans and players asked to respect one minute silences before games, the national Anthem also to be played and black armbands worn.
      If the weekend’s football matches are called off it will be a break with precedent from the last time a monarch died in the middle of the football season.
      Man Utd and Real Sociedad’s players held a minute’s silence after the death of The Queen last nightCredit: Reuters
      A full Football League fixture list, including the North London Derby between Spurs and Arsenal, took place on Saturday February 9 1952, three days after the death of King George VI.
      The Government has contacted sports bodies to make it clear they have the final say on whether fixtures should be played – with a green light if there are suitable marks of respect paid.
      European games involving Manchester United, Arsenal and West Ham all went ahead yesterday.
      A minute’s silence was held before United and West Ham played, while players also work black armbands in tribute to The Queen.
      Ministers accepted that it would not have been feasible for the games at Old Trafford and the London Stadium to have been postponed when thousands of fans were already at the ground when the confirmation of The Queen’s death came last night.
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      There was also a minute’s silence during Arsenal’s match against FC Zurich in Switzerland after the news broke during the game.
      But it is expected that no sporting events will take place during the Queen’s funeral parade and service, expected to be on Monday September 18, although any night matches would be allowed to get ahead More

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      Football fans left stunned after non-league Chippenham awarded ‘shocking’ penalty against Oxford City

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      FANS of Oxford City FC have been left stunned after rivals Chippenham Town were awarded a controversial late penalty. And The Hoops shared a clip of the penalty on their social media to highlight the refereeing call.

      An Oxford City defender gets back to clear the ball off the lineCredit: Twitter
      The Chippenham Town attacker who was pressing the ball follows through and gets tripped up by the defender after the ball has already been clearedCredit: Twitter
      The referee awarded a penalty to the dismay of OxfordCredit: Twitter
      A poor header back towards goal was latched onto by a Chippenham attacker, who then proceeded to lob the ball over the goalkeeper.
      But a defender managed to make a heroic sliding clearance off the line to prevent a goal, taking the onrushing attacker out with it.
      However, City were left perplexed when a penalty was awarded against them for a seemingly clean tackle.
      Jordan Young subsequently converted the 98th-minute penalty to hand Oxford their second defeat on the spin in the National League South.
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      Oxford manager Ross Jenkins was also critical of the decision on Oxford City’s YouTube channel.
      He said: “Yeah it wasn’t just out angle, it was the whole stadium’s angle. It was all sides of the stadium that saw it wasn’t a penalty.
      “It was an error from us to head it backwards, we accept that, but then we’ve done so well to recover and clear it off the line.
      “You can clearly see our player has nicked the ball first and their players followed through and gone over the top of him.
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      “I’m not quite sure what the referee saw, but it’s not good enough because it’s cost us points tonight… it’s really disappointing and a big error on the ref’s part.”
      Fans on social media echoed this sentiment.
      One user said: “No pen, great defending,” while a second described it as: “shocking.”
      Another added: “If that is a penalty I’m a polar bear.”
      Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey even weighed in on the debate.
      He said: “Imo (in my opinion) no one would have complained if the referee had just played on.”
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      It comes amid a weekend of controversial decisions in the Premier League despite the assistance of VAR.
      Referee governing body PGMOL even admitted decisions which went against West Ham and Newcastle in their respective games against Chelsea and Crystal Palace would be reviewed after heavy criticism. More

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      Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink RESIGNS as Burton manager just hours after Sky Sports appearance

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      CHELSEA legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has resigned as Burton Albion manager.The former striker took over at the Pirelli Stadium for his second stint as boss in January 2021, guiding them to safety that season and then to 16th in 2021-22.
      Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has quit his role as Burton manager after a horror start to League OneCredit: Getty
      But the former QPR and Northampton boss has endured a nightmare start to the new campaign with just one point from Burton’s seven games.
      That came in a 4-4 draw with Accrington Stanley in August.
      They lost 2-1 away at Oxford on Saturday, taking their tally to a whopping 20 goals conceded already.
      Therefore the Brewers sit bottom of League One with a goal difference of -12.
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      And the East Midlands side are already six points from safety.
      Burton lost in the first round of the Carabao Cup to Rochdale but did get their only win of the campaign in a 4-2 victory over Leicester’s Under-21s in the EFL Trophy.
      Now the 23-cap Dutch international Hasselbaink has walked away before he is sacked.
      He said: “I have taken the club as far as I can with the limited resources available and it is time for someone else to come in and inject some new energy.
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      “I would like to thank the fans, and everyone associated with the club, including the Chairman, and to wish them all the best in the future.”
      Chairman Ben Robinson said: “I have enjoyed working with Jimmy who is an inspirational coach and I understand and respect his decision to move on.
      “I want to thank him for the success he brought to the club both on and off the field and I wish him well with his future career.”
      Assistant manager Dino Maamria will take interim charge of the Brewers
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      The news comes just hours after ex-Leeds and Middlesbrough star Hasselbaink was a pundit on Super Sunday for the Premier League action at Brighton and Manchester United.
      During his analysis, he warned Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta that he is not convinced by Gabriel Jesus as an out-and-out striker – despite the £45million Brazilian’s superb start for the Gunners.
      Hasselbaink, who scored 87 goals in 177 Chelsea appearances, said: “He’s come in [and scored] three goals, made chances, made others around him play better.
      “I’m still not convinced he will be 20 goals a season because if he was that then why did he not do that at Man City in a better team?
      “I think he had enough opportunities [at Man City]. He is not somebody that scores goals out and out and out.
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      “He’s somebody that loves scoring goals and likes to link up, he’s been brilliant at it, very strong, holding the ball up.
      “He’s got three goals in five matches – which is brilliant – but you expect him to score more goals. He’s a great signing.” More