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      Is Max Verstappen’s dad Jos fuelling Christian & Geri Horner’s marriage crisis? Inside toxic feud rocking F1

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      AS Max Verstappen triumph­antly held aloft the Bahrain Grand Prix trophy, his team boss Christian Horner might have sighed with relief.Not only had the Red Bull chief tasted victory but Spice Girl wife Geri had been at his side heaping on public displays of affection like treacle.With Christian Horner engulfed in a sexting row that is said to have ‘really hurt’ Spice Girl wife Geri, it seems that Red Bull’s F1 team has become engulfed in a civil warCredit: PAMax Verstappen’s dad Jos has taken a flamethrower to the carefully PRed plot line amid his rivalry with HornerCredit: Rex FeaturesSurely, the sexting row that has swirled around Horner would now slowly deflate like a punctured tyre?Enter stage left Verstappen’s uncompromising dad — known during his own racing days as “Jos the Boss” — to take a flamethrower to the carefully PRed plot line.Verstappen senior insisted Horner is “playing the victim, when he is the one causing the problems”. His barbed comments came after sexually suggestive text messages Horner allegedly sent to a female Red Bull employee were leaked on Thursday.READ MORE ON THE FEUDThe dad of three-times World Champion Max added of Horner: “There is tension here while he remains in position.“The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode.”A simmering months-long feud between two of Formula One’s big beasts had plunged into the open.And Horner — well acquainted with the rough and tumble of F1 — will know that in Verstappen Snr he has a formidable adversary.Most read in MotorsportBritish ex F1 champion Damon Hill once said of Dutchman Jos, who he competed alongside in the 1990s: “He can, and has, very much looked after himself.”Ruthless mentor Verstappen Snr, 52, has coached and managed 26-year-old son Max to become one of F1’s greatest drivers — and the jewel in Red Bull’s crown.Verstappen breaks silence on Christian Horner ‘sexting’ probe as pressure mounts on Red Bull 3 weeks after shock claimsThough not a Red Bull employee, it has naturally given his dad considerable heft in the team run by Horner.The Red Bull chief had last month tried to quash rumours of friction between himself and the Verstappens.With his usual slick performance before the cameras, he said: “There’s always going to be speculation but we’re together as one team, that’s the way we’ve always been and that’s the way we continue to be.”It became clear that Verstappen Snr and Horner were at loggerheads when they clashed in Bahrain last weekCredit: GettyBy Friday evening it was evident that Verstappen Snr and Horner were in fact at loggerheads. The pair locked horns in Horner’s office at the F1 paddock in Bahrain.What exactly was said between them is unclear. But the pair were said to have had a “blazing row” before Verstappen Snr stormed out.He would later return to shake hands but the relationship appears severed beyond repair.The meeting had come two days after an investigation by Red Bull’s parent company had cleared Horner of “coercive behaviour” towards a woman colleague.He always told her he’d done nothing wrong. This will really hurt Geri, who has put everything into their marriageJust 24 hours after he was cleared, a cache of 79 WhatsApp screenshots and photographs allegedly sent by Horner to the female employee were leaked anonymously to F1 bosses and media outlets.Horner’s wife Geri was said to be “heartbroken and humiliated”.A source added: “He always told her he’d done nothing wrong. This will really hurt Geri, who has put everything into their marriage.”Verstappen Snr has been quick to slam suggestions he was be­hind the WhatsApp trove and that he want­ed Horner ousted from his role.The ex-driver said: “That wouldn’t make sense. Why would I do that when Max is doing so well here?”A Red Bull spokesperson said of the rift between Verstappen Snr and Horner: “There are no issues here. The team are united and we are focused on racing.”Now, as champion of the world, Max has been dragged into his father’s bitter feud with Horner. Asked about the Red Bull civil war four times over the weekend, he failed to back his long-time team manager. The fearless driver said he was “fully focused on the car and the performance”.With the toxic atmosphere damaging the F1 brand, it was claimed that Max was approached by the sport’s president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to publicly back Horner.It’s damaging the sport . . . This is damaging on a human levelMohammed Ben SulayemAfter qualifying drives on Friday the pair had a discussion which they tried to keep secret by covering their mouths with their hands.But a nearby observer heard Ben Sulayem tell the driver: “You must publicly back Christian.”While another source said Max responded by telling Ben Sulayem he should open an investigation into the WhatsApp scandal instead.Ben Sulayem wants to end the Red Bull civil war, admitting it is tarnishing the image of F1.He told the Financial Times: “It’s damaging the sport . . . This is damaging on a human level.”Meanwhile, bullish Verstappen Snr was seen dining with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff in ­Bahrain.The Dutchman said it was just a meeting of old friends — but could it be a sign his brilliant son is ready to quit Red Bull if the Horner civil war is not resolved?After Sunday’s race Wolff was dismissive of Verstappen switching to Mercedes, saying: “The driver will always choose the quickest car.“At the moment, the Red Bull is the quickest car so that will always be, in my opinion, the priority.”Horner said of last week’s tumult: “There was a full lengthy internal process that was completed by an independent KC [King’s Counsel] and the grievance that was raised was dismissed. End of. Move on.“I’ve always been entirely confident that I would be here. My focus is on the season ahead.”Now a slew of fresh allegations against Horner has emerged in a 19-page investigation by a specialist magazine.The article names and pictures the female staff member he is alleged to have texted and documents the power struggle at the top of Red Bull.READ MORE SUN STORIESSources close to Horner dismiss­ed the piece as “full of inaccuracies”.Now the F1 circus moves to Saudi Arabia at the weekend — with the chance it will be more soap opera than motor race.Jos Verstappen has coached son Max to become the jewel in Red Bull’s crownCredit: Getty More

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      Geri Halliwell ‘left humiliated’ as she faces ‘worst PR crisis of her career’ amid Christian Horner sexting scandal

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      ON January 29 this year, Geri Horner, née Halliwell, took to Instagram for the last time.To her 1.4million followers she posted a glamorous, heavily airbrushed magazine cover of herself, headlined “Perfect”.Geri Halliwell’s life now seems far from ‘perfect’ after being publicly humiliated with infidelity claims against her husbandCredit: RexRed Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner has been accused of ‘sexting’ another womanCredit: GettySocial media is, indeed, a cruel beast. Fast-forward five weeks, and the poor, very publicly humiliated star’s life seems anything but.At 3.45pm on an otherwise non- descript Thursday — although, ironically, a leap year when women are encouraged to subvert tradition and propose to their men — Geri discovered husband Christian Horner was caught sexting another woman.Sure, there is no suggestion of a physical affair, but 79 leaked WhatsApp messages show her husband clearly was in the throes of an emotional one.(A nadir, of course, that he nipped to an aeroplane toilet to self-pleasure).READ MORE GERI HORNERIn the words of the Spice Girls themselves, “Stop right now, thank you very much.”Indeed, for a woman who has spent the past 30 years espousing Girl Power, the situation in which she now finds herself is anything but.It is, though, one that millions of women have found themselves in since time immemorial — a libido-led husband.But few have had their relationship meltdowns played out on such a global scale.Most read in MotorsportOne can only imagine the sheer inner turmoil the heartbroken superstar must now be battling.The Spice & Speed Empire: Christian and Geri Horner’s £50M JourneyUtterly devastatingPutting the obvious personal trauma aside, put simply, as PR nightmares go, this doesn’t get much worse.A source close to Geri said yesterday: “This is humiliation on an international scale for Geri, and it’s almost impossible to imagine what she’s going through right now.“Christian has always privately asserted that the claims levelled against him were nonsense.“She’s not the type of woman to go through someone’s phone, so to see these in black and white after all his protestations of innocence is utterly devastating.“Geri has been bombarded with messages of support, and texts checking in on her, but she’s largely shutting everyone out, and simply trying to put one foot in front of the other.“Of course, to leave Christian — and walk away from the blissful life they’ve built for themselves — would be the ultimate act of ‘girl power’.“But as anyone with kids knows — not to mention a hinterland of love and connection — that is easier said than done.”Geri has been bombarded with messages of support amid the claims against her husbandCredit: Doug Seeburg – The SunTo further rub salt into the wound, today alienated Geri has awoken 3,000 miles from home, in the Middle East. For a woman idolised by millions, never will she have felt more alone.Geri was already safely ensconced on a private jet heading to Bahrain, where Christian is attending today’s Grand Prix — having a combined marital fortune of £480million does have its perks — when the tranche of messages were leaked.It was too late to turn the plane around. Her day from hell had begun. Whatever happens now, Geri would do well to “own” the narrative.Geri knows of this woman, and had no qualms about their working relationshipRed Bull insiderTo either come out swinging — issue a statement saying she and Christian have no secrets and made the joint decision to move on and make a go of things.Or hire a pitbull divorcee lawyer, and hit the Red Bull boss where it hurts.Whether she does either remains to be seen. I’m told Geri is now directing media inquiries to her legal team.But not even the best lawyer in the world can undo time, or take back those damning messages.Former Spice Girl Geri is seeing her relationship meltdown played out on a global scaleCredit: RexGeri, famed for that Union Jack dress, has spent the past few years steadfastly rebranding her carefully cultivated image.Out went the provocative ensembles, in came a plethora of all-white outfits, literally a symbol of purity and chastity.Again, how ironic this now looks in the face of her husband’s sexts.(Although, quite how he managed to woo Geri with such chat — at one point he waxes lyrical about Coco Pops, and let’s not go there with the “finger” text — is in itself baffling).In the past few years she’s become a children’s author, has done countless charitable acts and moved to the countryside, where she’s more likely to be seen in Hunter wellies than six-inch Christian Louboutins.In another unfortunate plot twist, I’m told Geri was “personally aware of” the appointment of the female colleague at the centre of this tawdry scandal.A Red Bull insider says: “Geri knows of this woman, and had no qualms about their working relationship.“This was the woman for whom her husband turned. Again, this is a bitter, bitter pill to swallow.” The reaction on social media has been mixed. Naturally “Christian Horny” gags are rife: “Has Christian been showing people his horn?” is another comment doing the rounds.While many sympathise with the Spice Girl, who brought absolutely none of this on herself, others are less forgiving.Underneath her last “Perfect” Instagram post, yesterday scores of so-called fans posted unkindly.“Where’s the girl power now? A woman has spoken, where’s the support,” queried one, a reference to Horner allegedly abusing his position — something his F1 team have cleared him of and he strenuously denies.Others, more alarmingly for Geri’s PR team, have brought up the manner in which she and Christian got together in the first place.They mixed socially before they began dating, first meeting at the 2009 Monaco Grand Prix.Christian left his long-term partner Beverley Allen just six months after the birth of their daughterCredit: Desmond O’Neill Features LtdThey officially got together, though, after the Formula One boss left his long-term partner Beverley Allen just six months after the birth of their daughter, Olivia. But the pair were spotted cavorting in a North London pub by a friend of mine long before they went public with their romance.“They were very flirty, joking to pub goers they were engaged,” said my friend at the time.When Beverley was approached about it for comment, she denied all knowledge — and the story went away.There is no suggestion of any cheating, but it’s clear they had developed a strong bond long before things got serious.Christian’s parents were reportedly devastated when he left Beverley to be with the chart-topping star — and shunned the couple’s 2015 nuptials at St Mary’s church in Woburn, Bedfordshire.On Instagram yesterday, one anonymous user posted: “Wondering if Geri feels empathy for Beverley now that [a similar] thing has occurred with her.Before it was Geri/Christian when Bev was pregnant/bed-ridden/giving birth and abandoned when most vulnerable.“Now Christian appears to have done the same thing to Geri and their slightly older son. Karma does have a way.”Ouch. Meanwhile, Geri has cut herself off from her one-time Spice Girl “rocks”.The band, minus Victoria Beckham, were due to be getting together soon to discuss tour dates for a comeback.Deeply loyalA source added: “Geri has gone into lockdown which now puts the wider Spice plans on hold.“The quartet always intended to mark their 30-year anniversary with some shows in 2024, as well as other commercial activity, but it seems unlikely this will happen now.”Spiritual Geri is a big fan of self-help books. (During my last interview with her she earnestly recommended one to me, adding: “Rejection is God’s rejection” when I told her I was newly single.There is no amount of self-help books that can get her out of this pickle.It is hard not to have some sympathy with the well-meaning mother of two (she also happily co-parents stepdaughter Olivia with Christian).From personal experience, Geri — a former UN Goodwill Ambassador — is kind, deeply loyal and hugely family-orientated.I last saw her during lockdown. The previous week she had secretly visited the Whittington Hospital in North London, handing out care packages to frontline nurses.She didn’t court the publicity because she didn’t need to.Unwittingly being thrust into the eye of this media s***storm, then, must be all the more galling for a kind, hard-working, incredibly generous woman intent on living a quieter lifeREAD MORE SUN STORIESAnd you wouldn’t wish this scenario on your worst enemy.For a woman of 51, who once said: “I’ve really learned how important it is to empower women”, only time will tell how empowering her next act will be.Christian and Geri Horner have been a happy family with children (left) Bluebell, (centre) Montague and (right) OliviaCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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      in Motorsport

      Humiliated Geri Horner urged to make Christian ‘grovel’ as text scandal ‘reopens old wounds’ of her turbulent love life

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      SHE breathed a huge sigh of relief when husband Christian Horner was cleared over allegations of inappropriate behaviour, earlier this week.But just 24 hours later Geri Horner’s nightmare returned – when a series of sexually suggestive WhatsApp messages, apparently from the Red Bull boss to a female colleague, were leaked to journalists.Geri and Christian Horner’s seemingly perfect marriage has been rocked in recent weeksCredit: GettyGeri was heartbroken after splitting from former fiance Henry BeckwithShe has built an idllyic country life in recent yearsCredit: Instagram/TheRealGeriHalliwelThe fresh blow came as the former Spice Girl flew in to Bahrain to join her husband in a show of unity, ahead of tomorrow’s Grand Prix.That trip has now been rocked as friends say the 51-year-old is taking a fresh look at their nine-year marriage after standing by him throughout the internal probe into his conduct.After the latest leak, Horner once again denied wrongdoing, saying: “I won’t comment on anonymous speculation but to reiterate I have always denied the allegations, I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and fully cooperated with it every step of the way.”Since their lavish 2015 wedding Geri, who had a string of flings with popstars and TV celebrities before settling down, has cultivated a “country set” lifestyle, posting pictures from their sprawling estates in Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire. Read More on HornersBut relationship expert Jo Hemmings believes “humiliated” mum-of-two is now facing “marriage D-day” in Bahrain.“This latest leak of messages to other women must be the mother of all public humiliations for Geri,” she says. “She may well decide to dodge the racetrack altogether and avoid the glare of the press, public and his F1 colleagues.”If she has sense she will go from the airport to somewhere private and call up her closest friends to get their support and reassurance. Most read in Motorsport”To let him stew in the knowledge that she knows and is in the country but is avoiding him.”That means he will be obliged to make the approach to her and grovel to get to see her to discuss.”Motor racing world in ‘disbelief’ at Christian Horner alleged leaked messagesWhirlwind start The couple’s relationship, which began in 2013, got off to a scandalous start – with coming just six months after the birth of Christian’s daughter, Olivia, with his ex Beverley Allen. Geri and Christian are thought to have briefly split while he attempted to repair his 14-year relationship with Beverley.But in 2014, after a romance of just nine months, the couple announced their engagement with a notice in the Times.They tied the knot at St Mary’s Church in Woburn, Bedfordshire, the following May with British designer Phillipa Lepley. Geri has described Christian as her best friend, saying: “He knows me inside out. I don’t edit myself with him. It was a big learning curve.”Geri came to the realisation that things weren’t going to work with Henry. The age gap meant he had a wandering eyeThe former pop star, who already had daughter Bluebell, 17, from a brief relationship with screenwriter Sacha Gervasi, welcomed her their son Montague George Hector Horner, in 2017.She set about shedding the image of feisty Ginger Spice, who grew up on a Watford council estate, and became the epitome of the country wife, living in lavish surroundings at the family homes – with one boasting its own duck pond and farm, housing miniature donkeys, goats and stable for 14 horses.But the latest news threatens to rock her new county set life.“Having had a controversial start to her marriage to Christian and keen to escape forever being known as ‘Ginger Spice’, Geri seemingly had everything she wanted in life,” says Jo.“She had a devoted and successful husband who had nothing to do with the music industry, a gorgeous son with him, Monty, and a lavish country pile where she could live out her role as the picture-perfect wife and mother in luxurious, rural surroundings.”Christian was previously married to Beverley AllenChristian and Geri wed in 2015Credit: Doug Seeburg – The SunShe adds Christian’s track record, having left Beverley so soon after his daughter was born, could be haunting the star now.“When the allegation of her husband’s ‘inappropriate behaviour’ first surfaced early last month, she must have felt hurt, distressed and extremely anxious,” says Jo. “Could she trust Christian, who has had a pretty chequered relationship history, and dismiss it as nonsense?“She would certainly have been rocked by these allegations, whether she believed them or not, as they threatened to tear apart all that she had worked for and to destroy her hard sought-after life as a loving wife and mother living in beautiful surroundings. “But it seems like she chose to stand by her man as she was still planning to join him in Bahrain, in a show of solidarity.“However, with the latest leaks, it would seem that even though he was cleared of the original allegation, there is now no denying that he has a case to answer to Geri.”Old woundsThe leaks, which surfaced yesterday, will also open the old wounds of trust issues in previous romances, including her split from toff Lord Henry Beckwith.The couple split in 2012 after almost three years, amid reports of rows over Henry’s flirty behaviour.It was also thought Henry, who was seven years her junior, wasn’t ready to commit to marriage and children.A source told The Sun: “Geri came to the realisation that things weren’t going to work with Henry.Geri will feel so emotionally bruised now and wonder why she was oblivious to the signs or refused to acknowledge themJo Hemmings”The age gap meant he had a wandering eye when it came to other women and he was interested in partying. She doesn’t trust him.”Henry was her longest relationship, before meeting Christian, after a series of flings with famous names and high society figures.She dated polo player Jamie Morrison, the son of a pop publishing tycoon who also owns the Royal Berkshire Polo Club, in 1998, but they split because they had “nothing in common.”She moved on to DJ Chris Evans, after meeting him on Comic Relief in 1999 and she was left devastated when they split after two weeks, when he began dating Anna Friel.“It was as authentic as relationships go, in my shabby experience of relationships,” she said.How Christian Horner’s shock text were leakedBy Ben Hunt
      IT was an anonymous email sent and designed for maximum impact.
      It landed in my inbox almost 24 hours to the minute since Christian Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing following Red Bull’s internal investigation.
      Other names included Liberty Media chief Greg Maffei, who owns the rights to F1. The FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem and F1 CEO Stefano Dominacali.
      The F1 team bosses were also included for good measure. As was Max Verstappen’s father, Jos.
      It was from an anonymous sender, the title was simply the date – ‘Feb Twenty Nine’.
      Inside it was a Google Drive link containing 79 files claiming to be the evidence from the independent investigation.
      There is no way of knowing if they were real or fake yet irrespectively it sent another shockwave through the F1 paddock before this season had even started.
      Horner was sitting on the team’s pitwall during second practice in Bahrain when the email dropped.
      After the session, he walked out of the team’s garage and into the hospitality unit where he remained as the nuclear fallout began.
      He’d survived the outcome of the internal investigation into improper conduct following a complaint from a female colleague.
      One wonders whether he will survive this time after this very public humiliation – again, irrespective if they were indeed real or fake.
      Just hours earlier, McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, called on the sport’s governing body, the FIA, demanding transparency.
      “I just read the statement, which was pretty basic,” said Wolff. “My personal opinion is we can’t really look behind the curtain.
      “There is a lady in an organisation that has spoken to HR and said there was an issue and it was investigated and yesterday the sport has received the message that it’s all fine, we’ve looked at it.
      “I believe with the aspiration as a global sport, on such critical topics, it needs more transparency and I wonder what the sport’s position is?
      “We’re competitors, we’re a team and we can have our own personal opinions or not. But it’s more like a general reaction or action that we as a sport need to assess, what is right in that situation and what is wrong.
      “Are we talking with the right moral approach, with the values based on the speculation that is out there? As a sport, we cannot afford to leave things vague and opaque on critical topics like this, because this is going to catch us out.”
      Brown added: “It’s the responsibility ultimately of the organisers of Formula One, the owners of Formula One, to make sure that all the racing teams and the personnel and the drivers and everyone else involved in the sport are operating in a manner in which we all live by.
      “I don’t think it’s the teams’ roles and responsibilities. That’s up to FIA and Formula One to ultimately decide and ask what they feel gives them the level of transparency they need to ultimately come to their conclusion and we just have to count on them that they fulfil that obligation to all of us.”
      The emailed file will only increase that pressure in the form of scrutiny on Horner – who has always denied the accusations.
      It does also put Red Bull in a tricky position.
      Should the emailed file be legitimate and have made up elements from the initial report, which had been thoroughly examined and presented by the independent KC, then surely this is nothing new to them and their decision to stick with their team principal remains.
      To perform a u-turn on that simply now they have become public would possibly see criticism that they intended to keep their report private to save face.
      Whatever the outcome, it is a mess for the world champions.Reports of a wedge driven between Horner and Verstappen’s father have grown in recent weeks.
      So it was interesting that Jos Verstappen was in the paddock and wearing a team jacket and seemed unmoved to the chaos happening around him.

      Robbie Williams dated the singer for six months, in 2000 and later said: “It was fun, and we were just a little gang that were sharing a very magical moment, in a magical place.”Other romances included Bobby Hashemi, millionaire Iranian-born founder of the Coffee Republic, Duncan James and Blue bandmate Lee Ryan, and David Walliams.A six week summer fling with Sacha Gervasi in 2006, resulted in her becoming a single mum to Bluebell.Two years later she announced her engagement to Italian shipping mogul Fabrizio Politi, who proposed  with a £150,000 ring.They split in 2009 with Fabrizio saying Geri suddenly got cold feet about marriage. He said: “Out of nowhere there was a very bad situation between us.”Still, he called the liaison “the happiest three months of my life”.Christian and Geri with their children (left) Bluebell, (centre) Montague and (right) Olivia in 2017Credit: Getty Images – GettyGeri previously had high profile romances with the likes of Robbie WilliamsJo says her previous romances, particularly with Henry, will now come back to haunt her.“Henry Beckwith made it clear – much to her disappointment – that he didn’t want the kind of commitment that marriage and children bring with it, so although he too destroyed her trust, it’s nowhere near the level of betrayal from Christian, who had made that commitment to her. READ MORE SUN STORIES“She will feel so emotionally bruised now and wonder why she was oblivious to the signs or refused to acknowledge them. “She’ll need a period of unconditional emotional support from her friends and family, and probably counselling to talk through and help her process her hurt and self-esteem and re-establish trust in another relationship in the future, as it will be seriously depleted and damaged. More

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      in Soccer

      How FA chiefs refuse to recognise Lionesses’ 1971 World Cup campaign – and why they punished stars when they returned

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      STEPPING out into the sweltering Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Carol Wilson felt the ground shake as 97,000 fans went wild at the arrival of the two football teams.Aged just 19, she was the youngest player ever to captain an England team — and she was doing so with a broken foot.Manager Harry Batt with the 1971 England squad that played in the Mexico Women’s World Cup – but were shunned and punished by the Football AssociationCredit: © New Black Films ltd / MirrorpixFormer England captain Carol Wilson received a six-month suspension for taking part in the tournamentCredit: SuppliedAt the 1971 tournament Paula Raynor, above, became England’s youngest goal scorer when she netted against Argentina aged 15Credit: AlamyYet until now Carol’s heroics at the 1971 Women’s World Cup have been forgotten and the Football Association still won’t reward any of the side with a cap, the usual recognition for players who represent their country in an international match.At the same tournament Paula Raynor became England’s youngest goal scorer when she netted against Argentina aged 15.But their names are unlikely to appear in any pub quiz, as those records are very much unofficial.In Mexico we weren’t interested in the politics, all we wanted to do was play footballCarol WilsonAnd rather than being feted for representing England, the whole team which went to Mexico were BANNED from playing for between three and six months.Their crime was to have dared to stand up to the sport’s male rulers, who didn’t want women to take part in the beautiful game.But now, thanks to documentary film Copa 71, produced by tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams, their dedication to women’s football is finally being properly celebrated.Carol, 72, from Shipdham, Norfolk, tells The Sun: “I was elated to represent my country.“In Mexico we weren’t interested in the politics, all we wanted to do was play football.Most read in Football“I got injured against Argentina, but there was no way I was going to miss the game against Mexico.‘Pretty girls’“It was painful playing with a broken foot, but at times the adrenalin was so high I didn’t notice it. It was only when I came off when I went ‘Ouch’.”Paula Raynor became England’s youngest goal scorer aged 15 in the 1971 Women’s World CupWomen’s football was popular at the start of the 20th century, with fans filling stadiums. But in 1921 the game’s ruling body banned women from playing in affiliated grounds.That restriction remained in place for another half a century.At home it would only be a few friends and family watching us on the recreational pitches. We weren’t allowed in the stadiums in England Paula RaynorIt meant that neither Carol nor Paula could join a school team and had to pursue their sporting passion on park pitches in front of “one man and his dog”.Then some enterprising Mexican businessmen made plans which would change all that. They realised they could make good use of the stadiums built for the 1970 men’s World Cup in the country by holding a women’s competition the following summer.Here, Luton bus conductor Harry Batt petitioned the Women’s FA, which had only been formed in 1969, to allow him to put together a team to take to the tournament.But rather than helping, the association is said to have told female footballers they faced being black-listed if they did go to Mexico.Paula says: “The WFA restricted Harry on which players he could take. I have heard that some players were warned off going to Mexico.”But with the help of his wife June, Harry managed to convince drinks giant Martini & Rossi to sponsor the trip and found 14 women to go.Both Paula, who ran out for Chiltern Valley Ladies, and Carol, an RAF fitness instructor, had played for England at an unofficial World Cup held in Italy the previous year.Achievement ignoredThat gave them some experience of playing in proper stadiums, and Paula recalls: “We played in Milan and in Juventus (Turin).“At home it would only be a few friends and family watching us on the recreational pitches. We weren’t allowed in the stadiums in England.”The team finished third in Italy but because the tournament had been organised by the breakaway Federation of Independent European Female Football, the men’s ruling body refused to recognise the achievement.Harry’s team entered the 1971 World Cup as the British Independents to get around the FA’s rules, yet the team was listed as England by the tournament organisers and they wore the traditional all-white kit.On their arrival in Mexico the players were greeted by camera flashes as they got off the plane, with crowds outside the airport and locals throwing presents at their bus.Nearly 400 children watched their training session and the local Press wrote about England’s “pretty girls”.But nothing could have prepared them for entering Mexico City’s towering Azteca Stadium for their first match against Argentina.Paula says: “The first thing that hits you is the heat, then the noise, and then the size of the pitch. You think, ‘Oh my God’. It’s a very big pitch. It takes you by surprise, then, once the whistle goes, it blocks out.”Until Paula watched the new documentary, she could not remember scoring her equaliser.She says: “Because of how the WFA treated us, a lot of stuff was blocked because I didn’t talk about it.“I knew I scored a goal but it was not until I watched the premiere of Copa 71 that I knew I headed it in.”Carol broke her foot going for a 50-50 ball and England lost 4-1 to the South Americans.The next match against the hosts Mexico proved to be even bigger. Carol says: “I remember standing in the tunnel for Mexico and it didn’t affect me until then — my legs turned to jelly.”The 97,000-strong crowd is the biggest for an England women’s game, but sadly they lost 4-0. Yet despite the disappointment, Carol says she was not too downhearted.She recalls: “I know all the girls had tried 110 per cent and to think we had come from six people and a dog on a Sunday, I thought at the time women’s football was going to be massive.”Although they had been knocked out, England were invited to stay in Mexico until the tournament ended.They were treated as celebrities, appearing in newspapers and magazines and opening shops.The final, in which Denmark beat Mexico 3-0, had a crowd of 110,000, proving there certainly was an appetite for the women’s game.My achievements were never announced at school and because we arrived back from Mexico a week after the school term had started I got into trouble with the headmistressPaula RaynorThe tournament also showed that women could be just as hot-blooded about this physical sport as the men, because in the semi-final between Mexico and Italy play was stopped ten minutes early due to an on-field brawl. After the tournament was over, the joy for Harry’s team turned out to be short-lived.There was no one to meet them at the airport back in England and only one journalist turned up to ask them about the tournament.The WFA banned Harry from football for life, Carol received a six-month suspension and the rest of the players three months.Carol’s treatment on her return from Mexico took away the joy from playing the game she adored.The Lionesses of 1971 training in the familiar England strip – but the team’s achievements were ignored by the FACredit: MirrorpixEngland players training with coach Pat Dunn in MexicoCredit: MirrorpixWhen she attended an event at Newcastle United, the team she had supported since childhood, a compere ridiculed her on stage in front of her father.And her newlywed husband told her to give up football.Ticking off at schoolCarol recalls: “He didn’t approve. We had just been married and he didn’t think women should play football anyway and he whinged about me having to go away.”Paula, meanwhile, received a ticking off at school.She says: “My achievements were never announced at school and because we arrived back from Mexico a week after the term had started I got into trouble with the headmistress.”After leaving school she joined the RAF and kept playing until her first pregnancy at 25. Without them, and many others, the women’s game would not be where it is todayFA spokesman, 2024Today, the authorities are finally recognising these sporting pioneers.Last year a blue plaque was unveiled in Luton to honour the team and its founders Harry and June Batt.And the FA acknowledges that the players who went to Mexico changed the face of the game.A spokesman told The Sun: “The talented and courageous women who travelled to Mexico in 1971 significantly contributed to the formation of the England women’s team in 1972 and without them, and many others, the women’s game would not be where it is today.”But they still only issue caps to England’s women players who were given permission to play by the FA from November 1972 onwards.Mother-of-three Paula, 67, from Southport, Merseyside, is pleased by how much has changed for women’s football in the past few years.England’s Lionesses winning the Euros in 2022 and reaching the World Cup final last year has made modern players such as captain Leah Williamson household names.READ MORE SUN STORIESPaula says: “The women’s game is so different now, it’s fantastic. The recent growth, since the Euros, it’s phenomenal.”
      Copa 71 is in cinemas from March 8.
      Carol and team mate Yvonne Bradley arrive home from Mexico in plasterDenmark’s Inger Pedersen lifts the trophy in an echo of England’s Bobby Moore in 1966Credit: TopFotoCELEBRATE THESE COPA HEROINESBy Sandra Brobbey, Women’s Football Reporter
      IT’S a travesty that Carol Wilson, Paula Raynor and their team-mates were treated so shabbily for daring to play in a tournament worthy of more recognition than it currently gets.
      And it’s bizarre that those who chose to represent England at this unofficial women’s world cup come home to face bans and suspensions.
      While there is much to do to help the sport continue to grow, the women’s game has thankfully come a long way since England went toe-to-toe with Mexico in the Azteca stadium.
      On these shores a record crowd of more than 87,000 flocked to Wembley to watch the Lionesses win the Euros two years ago.
      The success of the 1971 tournament helped pave the way for such moments and for the women’ game to become what it is today.
      The efforts of Wilson, Raynor and all the women who competed in this contest should be more widely celebrated.
      Hopefully the release of Copa 71 will lead to that. More

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      in Motorsport

      Inside Christian and Geri Horner’s £50m fortune – including prize-winning side-hustle & jaw-dropping Spice Girls payday

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      THE future of Christian Horner’s Formula One career continues to hang in the balance amid bombshell allegations about his workplace conduct.The Red Bull Racing chief, 50, is awaiting the verdict of bosses after being accused of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female colleague and sending “sexually suggestive” texts. 
      Christian and Geri Horner are worth tens of millionsCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      Horner’s future with Red Bull Racing were reportedly be decided in 10 daysCredit: PA
      Racing boss Christian earned a staggering £8m in 2022Credit: Getty
      Christian, who has categorically denied all claims, was put through an eight-hour grilling as part of an independent investigation and his fate will reportedly be decided within 10 days.
      It risks ending his 19-year career with Red Bull Racing, where he’s paid in excess of £8million a year, and putting a sizeable dent in the fortune earned by him and his ex-Spice Girl wife Geri. 
      The couple have netted tens of millions of pounds over the years, with a fortune of at least £50million, which has afforded them an enviable and comfortable country lifestyle.
      From £2.4million in rental properties to a horseracing firm and royalties, we look into Geri and Christian Horner’s finances. 
      READ MORE ON CHRISTIAN HORNER
      £8M Red Bull salary
      Red Bull boss Christian is believed to be the highest-paid team principal in F1 and began working for them in 2005 . 
      Company accounts reports, which span between 2011 and 2022, show the F1 boss has been paid a staggering £40.2million over that 11-year period. 
      His 2022 pay from Red Bull was listed at £8,044,000, which was almost £3million higher than the £5,085,000 salary he bagged a year earlier.
      It’s an impressive hike from his £1,343,000 salary back in 2011.
      Most read in Motorsport
      Popstar fortune
      Geri amassed a staggering fortune from her time as both a solo artist and a member of the Spice Girls, who remain the best-selling female group in history.
      Red Bull debuts design with Mercedes-style element reportedly dubbed ‘illegal’ by Christian Horner
      Her popstar earnings were paid in Wonderful Productions Limited, which was set up in 1997 – one year before the singer left the band. 
      During the company’s first three years of trading, it reported a £13.1million turnover and that she paid herself £8.9million. 
      No pay disclosures were reported by her in accounts between 2001 and 2018. Figures suggest the firm entered a non-trading phase between 2009 and 2012. 
      Geri bagged £2.2million in pay following the return of the Spice Girls – minus Victoria Beckham – in 2019, reportedly for just six gigs. 
      The Spice Girls remain the best-selling female group in music historyCredit: PA:Press Association
      A 2019 Spice Girls reunion, minus Victoria, saw Geri bag £2.2millionCredit: PA:Press Association
      The bombshell claims that have rocked F1F1 was rocked earlier this month by the sudden news that Christian Horner had been placed under investigation by Red Bull’s Austria-based parent company.
      This was thought to be over a “dossier of incriminating material” regarding “inappropriate and controlling behaviour” towards one female, The Telegraph reported.
      Red Bull’s Austrian parent company flew an independent lawyer to the UK to question the multi-millionaire race ace and his accuser.
      The former racing driver, who runs world champion Max Verstappen’s all-conquering Red Bull team, endured an eight-hour grilling over the claims last week.
      Most recently however, more allegations have come out as the De Telegraaf reported that Horner allegedly sent sex messages to his employee “over an extended period of time”.
      Messages were said to have been saved and presented as evidence to the external ­barrister running the inquiry after the woman made a complaint last December.
      Mr Horner categorically denied the new allegations and is thought to be taking legal action against De Telegraaf.
      An F1 source told The Sun last week that “Christian has not been sacked or asked to resign and he is not going to resign”.
      The investigation raises the question of who could take over the helm of the all-conquering racing team of world champion Max Verstappen.
      His wife Geri Halliwell is also said to be “terrified her life will unravel” amid Horner’s “inappropriate behaviour” probe.
      The ex-Spice Girl, who was “in floods of tears” when the Red Bull boss was hit with the bombshell allegations, fears the drama will drag on for years, a source has claimed. 
      But Geri, 51, is understood to be standing by her husband.
      She has told pals: “Christian has done nothing wrong.”
      Horner has overseen a huge period of success for the racing team – winning multiple F1 championships with Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen.
      Red Bull has won seven Formula One world drivers’ championships and six world ­constructors’ titles under Horner’s leadership.
      Last season, the team won 21 of the 22 races on the global F1 tour, and Verstappen, 26, won the drivers’ crown.
      Horner was awarded a CBE for services to motorsport in the 2024 New Year’s Honours List

      The Daily Mail reported that the firm was worth £3million the following year and she paid herself £1million from the company.
      The paper also claims Wonderful Productions made £152,000 profit in 2022 and Geri paid herself £762,240 that year. 
      Last year’s accounts showed losses of £77,994 but held reserves of nearly £1.4million. 
      Geri also has the firm Falcon Queen Limited, which was set up in May 2021 to provide “business support activities”. All shares are owned by Wonderful Productions.
      According to the Mail, Falcon Queen Limited made losses of £75,521 last year and plunged £276,000 into the red. 
      Geri is still believed to receive earnings for Spice Girls Limited – a joint venture between her, Victoria, Mel B, Mel C and Emma Bunton. 
      Media ventures
      Geri has released seven books for children and two autobiographiesCredit: Alamy
      Alongside music, the singer has had successful stints as an author.
      Geri released two autobiographies – If Only, which became a best-seller in 1999 and sold more than a million copies in the UK alone, and Just For The Record three years later.  
      In 2008, she released a six-part children’s series called Ugenia Lavender, which sold 250,000 copies in its first five months.
      Last year, Geri released her latest children’s book Rosie Frost And The Falcon Queen. 
      Her earnings have been topped up over the years by other media work including a stint as a judge on The X Factor in 2011 and 2012 and Australia’s Got Talent in 2013.
      She also made cameos in TV shows including Sex And The City, US show Extra and appeared in the films Spice World, Crank: High Voltage and Gran Turismo. 
      Geri was a judge on The X Factor for two years until 2012Credit: ITV
      Last year, she made an appearance in the film Gran TurismoCredit: Alamy
      Horseracing empire
      The Horners have a number of race horses, all of whom are named after Geri’s songs and covers including It’s Raining Men, Look At Mee, Lift Me Up and Mi Chico Latino.
      Among the most successful is Lift Me Up, an eight-year-old male who was born in 2016 and cost £28,000. 
      The horse, real name Hector, was lined up as a potential Cheltenham Festival hopeful but hasn’t run since last May. 
      Lift Me Up, who has raced at least twice, earned the couple £2,361.18 in prize money for winning a race in front of 70,000 punters, according to the British Horseracing Authority.
      Christian Horner’s life and careerCHRISTIAN Horner is among the most well-known names in Formula One having helped build Red Bull into one of the biggest teams in the sport.
      1973 – Born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
      1991 – Wins a Formula Renault scholarship after impressing in karting races
      1993-1997 – Competed in a host of competitions including British Formula Three, British Formula Two, and Formula 3000
      1997 – Founded and developed the F3000 team Arden
      1999 – Retired from driving and continued developing the Arden team
      2005 – Appointed head of Red Bull team, becoming the youngest ever team principal at that time
      2009 – Wins his first races as team principal with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber
      2010 – Wins the Constructors’ Championship and Drivers’ Championship with Vettel – the first of four doubles in a row
      2013 – Has a daughter with ex-wife Beverly Allen shortly before the couple split
      2014 – Gets engaged to Spice Girls member Geri Halliwell
      2015 – Marries Halliwell in Woburn, Bedfordshire
      2017 – Horner and Halliwell welcome their son
      2021 – Wins another Drivers’ Championship with Max Verstappen, pipping Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the season
      2022-23 – Red Bull win the Drivers’ Championship and Constructors’ Championship two years in a row

      Last month, Geri revealed Hope – named Look At Mee after the singer’s 1999 solo hit – had her first race and finished fifth.
      The couple owns a horseracing company called OMBI, which was set up in 2021, and lists the nature of its business as “activities of racehorse owners”.
      The couple built a 14-horse stable at their Oxfordshire mansionCredit: Instagram/gerihalliwellhorner
      As well as stables, they also have farm animals including donkeysCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      Its latest accounts, for the year ended 30 June 2022, showed they held £113,378 in “biological assets” – believed to refer to the horses – and £400,000 worth of goods.
      The company retained £68,852 in funds after bills were deducted. 
      Last year, work finished on a 14-horse stable, including two foaling stalls, at their Oxfordshire home and ex-jockey Maxine Filby was hired to run the yard.
      Christian told The Telegraph his passion for horses was “just a bit of fun” and “escapism away from the madness of F1”. 
      He said: “We don’t really know what we’re doing but it’s exciting. It’s something Geri and I both get a kick out of and something we enjoy as a family.” 
      Rental properties
      Away from the equine world, the couple also have a buy-to-let business named Estelle Ward, which was set up in 2021.
      It’s listed as the owner of a £2.1million flat in Highgate, North London, according to Land Registry. 
      The latest accounts for Estelle Ward lists property assets of £2.4million with a £1.6million ‘loan facility’, which the couple pays interest on at 1 per cent above the Bank of England base rate. 
      Geri inside the couple’s indoor pool, which is in a converted barn on their Oxfordshire estateCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      Christian preparing a large feast on a plush barbeque unit at their Oxfordshire mansionCredit: Instagram @christianhorner
      As of November 2022, the firm reported a £6,455 deficit – as a result of the loan and other bills. 
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      The couple also owns two stunning mansions, in Hertfordshire and Banbury, Oxfordshire, which boast swimming pools, a boating lake and a farm.
      The latter is a luxury estate that has an indoor pool inside a converted barn, stables for their horses as well as pens for their other farm animals and sprawling country grounds.  More

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      in Soccer

      The photo of footballer that launched 50-year career of Sun snapper Arthur Edwards – and got its subject into trouble

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      IT is the picture that launched a legend.Fifty years ago next week, a young Arthur Edwards worked his first shift as a photographer for the “Soaraway Sun”.
      Reunited Arther Edwards and John Richards as they look in 2024 at Wolves’ Molyneux stadiumCredit: Paul Edwards
      Arthur persuaded Wolves’ star striker John Richards to pose with curvy actress Vikki Richards — no relation — from the cast of the farce No Sex Please, We’re BritishCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      How Arthur’s first photo, of John and Vikki, looked in The Sun in 1974
      He was sent to get a picture of Wolverhampton Wanderers footballers as they arrived at a West End show ahead of the League Cup final.
      And he managed to persuade Wolves’ star striker John Richards to pose with curvy actress Vikki Richards — no relation — from the cast of the farce No Sex Please, We’re British.
      Arthur’s photo of the football star and the showgirl appeared on the back page of The Sun on the day Wolves played Manchester City at Wembley, and won a cup final for the first time in 14 years.
      And the shot made history that day — because it began the stellar career of a Fleet Street legend.
      READ MORE ON ARTHUR EDWARDS
      It was a lucky omen for John too, as he scored the winner in Wolves’ shock 2-1 victory.
      As The Sun’s royal photographer, Arthur has since travelled to 100 countries, photographing every member of the Royal Family, plus the King’s Coronation last year, as well as famous faces from popes to presidents.
      Remarkably, at the age of 83, he is still taking photos and getting the same buzz today from seeing them published as he did half a century ago.
      To celebrate this landmark in Arthur’s incredible career, we contacted John, now 73, who still lives in Wolverhampton.
      Most read in Football
      We also tracked down actress Vikki at her home near Port of Spain, in Trinidad, where she became a TV presenter.
      Wembley was amazing
      As a result, Arthur was reunited with John at Wolves’ Molineux stadium, and he photographed Vikki when she recently flew to London.
      Behind the scenes as a Royal photographer covering King Charles for 45 years
      John revealed to Arthur that on the Sunday before that 1974 cup final, Wolves manager Bill McGarry had whisked his team away to the seaside.
      The players checked into a hotel at Worthing on the Sussex coast to escape media attention but also to hide the fact that first-choice goalkeeper Phil Parkes had a broken ankle and would not play at Wembley.
      Dad-of-two John added: “We had a great team, with some really good players, and in those days the League Cup was a big thing.
      “On the Thursday we moved from Worthing to a hotel in St Albans in Hertfordshire and that afternoon we went to Wembley, which was amazing.
      “We walked through the famous tunnel and had a wander round. If it made any difference I don’t know, but psychologically it was something the manager felt was important for us.
      “And then, to keep us distracted, the club had arranged for us to go to see the show in the West End.
      “They didn’t tell us too much in advance. Until we actually got there we didn’t know there was going to be any planned photographs.”
       Vikki, then 24, was waiting in the foyer of the Strand Theatre to welcome the players and pose for photos.
      When my team-mates saw your photo they took the p**s. They kept saying, ‘Ooh, your eyes are looking down, aren’t they?John Richards
      She joked to Arthur: “In those days I used to get quite a lot of publicity. I think Michael Crawford, who was the star of the show, got a bit jealous.” Racing against time before the players were shown to their seats, Arthur asked John to pose for a photo with Vikki.
      On the morning of the match itself, Saturday March 2, 1974, Arthur’s picture of John and Vikki appeared on the back page of The Sun, accompanied by three short paragraphs under the headline No Sex Please — We’re Wolves.
      The story read: “John Richards tried to keep his mind on today’s League Cup final but his namesake Vikki Richards got him interested in other things.
      “The Wolves striker and some of his team-mates met Vikki when they went to the Strand Theatre to see the show No Sex Please, We’re British. Vikki is one of the stars of the show.
      Picture: Arthur Edwards”
      It was a proud moment for Arthur, son of a Cockney lorry driver, and the first time his name — byline — ever appeared in The Sun.
      But 50 years later John recalled: “You got me into a bit of trouble, Arthur.
      When John’s wife Pam picked up that morning’s Sun and saw the photo of her husband apparently peering at Vikki’s boobs, it did not go down wellCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
      John with victorious team-mates Andy Gray and Willie Carr
      Arthur in his staff portrait from 1974Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      “When my team-mates saw your photo they took the p**s. They kept saying, ‘Ooh, your eyes are looking down, aren’t they?’”
      And it got worse.
      When John’s wife Pam, who was then seven months pregnant, picked up that morning’s Sun and saw the photo of her husband apparently peering at Vikki’s boobs, it did not go down well.
      I scored the winning goal with about seven or eight minutes to go. We got a £1,000 bonus for winning, which was a lot of money back thenJohn Richards
      John said: “She was not impressed. She wasn’t going to blame the photographer but she did blame me. Thankfully I didn’t see her until after the match, when we went to the Hilton hotel for a banquet.
      “That was when my wife said, ‘Somebody showed me this picture in The Sun’. But the fact we’d won the League Cup saved my bacon.
      Most memorable period in my footballing career
      “I scored the winning goal with about seven or eight minutes to go. We got a £1,000 bonus for winning, which was a lot of money back then.
      “We had just moved into a newly-built house in Wolverhampton, which cost £9,999. And I said, ‘Pam, the money I’m getting out of this will put central heating in the house’.”
      During the match Pam had had more to worry about than a photo in The Sun as she watched John, standing near the Manchester penalty spot, hammer a deflection off City striker Rodney Marsh’s boot past keeper Keith MacRae to score his match-winning goal.
      John said: “That was when all hell was let loose. My wife nearly had a premature birth. Could have been all sorts of problems.
      “My mum and in-laws were there as well. It was a fantastic occasion. To me it is the most memorable period in my footballing career.”
      As Wolves’ top striker, John was earning £100 a week — three times more than his dad, also John, who worked in a cardboard factory — but the First Division club did not splash out on extras for their players.
      Our back page on the day Arthur’s photo was published revealed how Manchester City’s players would each have been paid a £2,500 — more than £32,000 in today’s money — bonus for lifting the trophy, compared with a grand a man for Wolves — the equivalent of £13,000 today.
      And back then, teams did not kit out their players with matching suits for big occasions — which is why, as John explained, the smart suit he wore to the theatre was his own.
      He added: “The only thing that they gave us for the ’74 final were tracksuits. We thought we were the bees’ knees but when we came out of the tunnel we looked like Rod Hull’s Emu, with bright yellow legs.
      “They were supposed to be gold (to match the famous Wolves kit) but they were bright yellow and looked absolutely horrendous, with a black top. I look back at it now and think how awful that was.”
      John was at Wolves for 14 years before ending his playing career with a two-year spell at Maritimo, in Madeira, in the mid-1980s.
      Little did I know that first assignment all those years ago would lead to an amazing careerArthur Edwards
      In 1997 he was back at Wolves as managing director but after three years on the board he quit to run a website for training groundsmen and greenkeepers.
      Now retired, John — who has been married to Pam for more than 50 years — is still involved with his old club as chairman of the former Wolves players’ association.
      Vikki went on to appear in TV dramas including The Gentle Touch, Howards’ Way and Return Of The Saint, before moving to Trinidad, where for five years she presented her own television series, Building Your Dream Home.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      As for our very own Arthur Edwards, he is still living his dream as Britain’s most famous royal photographer.
      He said: “Little did I know that first assignment all those years ago would lead to an amazing career.”
      John and wife Pam today
      How actress Vikki looks today, 50 years on from Arthur’s first photo for The SunCredit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun
      John in action for Wolves in the 1970sCredit: Getty More

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      in Soccer

      Why football stars are scoring more penalties.. and the goalkeeper’s cheat code that could turn the tide

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      VAR was supposed to end the controversy surrounding poor refereeing decisions in football. Instead, we have seen football slowed down with a myriad of replays and debates rage on the quality of officiating in the division.
      Penalties are being converted at record levelsCredit: The Times
      So how can goalkeepers tip the balance in their favour againCredit: Alamy
      How the Premier League five-year rolling average penalty conversion rate has increased
      The introduction of VAR has also led to a notable increase in the award of penalty kicks.
      According to Opta Analyst, the second season VAR was introduced saw 125 penalties awarded, or one every three games.
      This season has seen the figure stands at its fourth-highest in history, with one spot kick awarded every 3.5 games.
      With the increase in penalties being awarded, however, we have also seen penalties converted with record quality from 12 yards – an unprecedented 90 per cent.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      Even from last season the five-season rolling average for penalty kicks being converted has increased to a staggering 81.1 per cent, up from 74.8 per cent in the 1996/97 season.
      Goalkeepers have been further handicapped by video technology with the new rule that they cannot move off their line until the penalty is struck.
      This, combined with outfield players seemingly continuing to take leaps in terms of technical ability and ball striking has seen more penalties being scored.
      Despite this there must be something goalkeepers can do to tip the scales back into their favour when facing penalties. Well, yes, there is. The key for goalkeepers though might be to do nothing at all…
      Most read in Football
      Why do goalkeepers dive?
      In penalty shootouts at major competitions we often hear commentators say that all of the pressure is on the penalty taker with none on the goalkeeper.
      At the top level you expect players to be able to convert from the spot and as such the goalkeepers are not expected to save the shot.
      Jason Cummings channels Thierry Henry as he blunders famous spot-kick routine
      This means that goalkeepers will typically not be blamed by fans, coaches or team-mates for failing to stop the penalty but they will be highly praised should they manage to save one, or more than one.
      So, why do goalkeepers dive?
      We have seen a huge increase in outfield players adding a delay into their run before they strike the penalty.
      They will deliberately stutter or hop as they approach the ball before striking.
      Bukayo Saka stutters his run up as a tactic to throw off the goalkeeper
      This is intended to force the goalkeeper to move early and if the goalkeeper goes to one side then the player striking the penalty will go the opposite way.
      Despite not having the pressure on them, goalkeepers will still dive to their left or right as opposed to staying still in the centre of their goals. 
      Here Matheus Cunha stuttered and provoked Chelsea’s Djorde Petrovic into moving before he slotted the ball the opposite way
      If they stand still and the penalty goes to the left or the right then there will be an assumption from those watching that the goalkeeper did not do enough.
      Though the real reason behind the move is incomplete information.
      In this example Andre Onana sells himself early despite there being no run up from Pablo Sarabia
      Everton and England goalie Jordan Pickford went viral as cameras caught him looking at info on opposition penalty takers on crib sheets taped to his water bottles.
      Analysts at clubs will now spend time breaking down the penalty tendencies of players at their next opposition and goalkeepers will be given that information.
      This means that if a goalkeeper knows that their opponent goes to the goalkeepers left a high proportion of the time then diving in that direction is the smart thing to do.
      For goalkeepers to start saving more penalties we may well see them make a change to their approach to saving penalties, despite what fans might think.
      Should goalkeepers stand still?
      Although standing still in the centre of their goal may be against all of their instincts there is an argument that this would increase the chances of goalkeepers making a save from a penalty.
      In recent seasons we have seen a notable increase in the amount of players who include stutters or stops in their run as they wait for the goalkeeper to commit.
      This season has seen 15 spot kicks aimed down the middle of the goal, 14 of which have been scored.
      The conversion rate for these efforts sits at 93.3 per cent, while it the rate drops to 89.1 per cent for the corners.
      Last season the rate down the middle stood at 95 per cent while it was 69.6 per cent in the corners, with a total of 35 penalties being taken in the last two seasons.
      If goalkeepers can maintain their discipline and not move from the centre of the goal then this will start to put doubt in the head of the player who is taking the penalty.
      Here the goalkeeper commits to his right the ball before James Ward Prowse hits his penalty high to the middle
      They are essentially trying to wait until the last second before deciding whether to put the penalty to the left or to the right as opposed to making up their mind before they start their run up.
      The longer that the goalkeeper takes to move the greater the chance that the taker will start to panic and doubt themselves.
      Joao Pedro uses delays to wrong foot the goalkeeper before slotting the ball the other side of the net
      Waiting and staying in the centre of the goal would also be more effective for goalkeepers because of the technique and striking of players taking the kick.
      If the player in question catches the inside of the post, or even the side netting, with an accurate and well struck shot then there is very little chance that the goalkeeper could have made the save anyway.
      Here Ederson holds his central position for a Michael Olise penalty but loses his footing before the taker scores
      Increasingly, however, we are seeing penalties that are just played casually into the goal without getting anywhere near the corner of the goal.
      If goalkeepers were to remain in a central position then they would have more of a chance to react and save those penalties that are clipped just to either side but not right into the corner of the net.
      If the goalkeeper has the composure and conviction to stay in the centre of their goal then they will force the player taking the kick to amend their approach and perhaps overthink what they are going to do with the shot.
      Conclusion
      There is always a sense that the player taking the penalty has the advantage over the goalkeeper.
      And to be fair this should be the case as the defending team has been punished for a foul in their penalty area.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Goalkeepers, however, need to find a way to level the playing field and to put some more doubt into the minds of the players taking the penalty.
      We believe that we are going to see more goalkeepers taking the decision to stand and make themselves big in the centre of the goal in order to put doubt back into the minds of the penalty takers. More

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      in Motorsport

      Inside Red Bull’s Christian Horner & F1 rival Toto Wolff’s toxic feud… & how wives Geri & Susie battle to keep the peace

      by

      IT’S a rivalry as fierce as that between the drivers on the track – and as the new Formula One season approaches it’s set to crank up a gear yet again.But Red Bull boss Christian Horner and Mercedes chief Toto Wolff’s feud dates back to long before Max Verstappen clinched that controversial world title back in 2021.
      Rivals Toto Wolff and Christian Horner have been involved in ‘mud slinging’ matchesCredit: PA
      Toto and his wife, Susie Wolff, are one of F1’s top power couplesCredit: Getty
      Christian and Geri Horner have been rocked by allegations about his behaviour
      This week Wolff couldn’t resist a dig at his rival – who is under investigation over allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female colleague, which he denies.
      The Austrian, 52, called for “transparency” amid the probe, adding that it has repercussions for F1 as a whole.
      He said: “I think for Red Bull it started as an independent investigation, if this is done in the right way with transparency and with the rigour, I think that’s something that we need to look at whatever the outcomes are.”
      Wolff and Horner are renowned for trading insults – often shown on the Netflix hit Drive to Survive, the new series of which drops today – and at times their wives Susie Wolff and Geri Horner have stepped in to help simmer tensions.
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      As both men try to focus on pre-season testing in Bahrain, we reveal how their feud has played out over the years – and looks to continue firing on all cylinders.
      Red Bull’s beef with Mercedes can be traced back to 2014, when rule changes saw them emerge as the most dominant team on the grid.
      Wolff was at the helm when the team – having made a triumphant return to F1 in 2010 – clinched its first world title with Lewis Hamilton.
      Mercedes won the Constructors’ title with a 296 point lead over Red Bull Racing.
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      At the time Horner was pushing for changes to the rules which would allow teams to keep developing their cars throughout the season, with no limits.
      Rules stated teams could only change 92 per cent of their designs.
      F1 fans in meltdown over ‘that Lewis Hamilton bit’ as trailer for Netflix series Drive to Survive released
      Horner’s pleas angered Wolff, who raged: “Nobody can really be in favour of an all-out engine war from 2016.
      “No serious company would allow that to happen and none of the current engine suppliers could allow that to happen because costs would escalate totally out of control.”
      A year later Horner was still banging the drum, claiming people would lose interest in F1 if the FIA made no changes to halt Mercedes, to which Wolff hit back: “Just get your f*****g head down, work hard and try to sort it out.”
      ‘Meddling’ with Max
      Team principal Horner celebrates with driver Max Verstappen in 2021
      Red Bull have knocked Toto and Lewis Hamilton off their perch in recent seasonsCredit: Getty
      Tensions have boiled as the Mercedes team has fallen awayCredit: Rex
      Things came to a head in 2016 when Wolff phoned Vertstappen’s dad Joss to discuss Max’s aggressive driving following his crash with Nico Rosberg.
      Horner was furious, stating: “It’s totally wrong. They’ve got their own business. To be meddling in other teams’… maybe he does that with Ferrari, but he shouldn’t do it.
      “He’s got no right to tell Max how he should drive and conduct himself.”
      Things really boiled over in 2021, with Wolff branding Horner a “windbag who just wants to be on camera” during a row over Red Bull’s so-called ‘bendy wing’.
      He added: “It’s about being punchy – it’s easy to be punchy when you’re on top of the timesheet, but he should be a little bit more modest I think.”
      It’s totally wrong. They’ve got their own business. To be meddling in other teams’… maybe he does that with Ferrari, but he shouldn’t do itChristian Horner on Toto Wolff
      It came after Horner warned Wolff to “keep his mouth shut” and “be careful what you wish for” after hinting Red Bull could decide to protest Mercedes’ flexi front wings, alleging they looked “a bit worse than ours”.
      During the close-run season, Wolff seemed rattled, at one point telling Hamilton over the team radio following a sprint race: “F**k them all.”
      Horner added fuel to the fire, adding: “We worked hard to get into this position. It’s the first time they [Mercedes] have been challenged. It’s interesting to see how people react when they are under pressure, when they are challenged.”
      When Hamilton and Verstappen collided at the British Grand Prix, both bosses rigorously defended their drivers.
      It led to a “heated exchange” between the two principals, according to Horner.
      Tensions then reached fever pitch when Verstappen snatched the world title from Hamilton on the final lap in Abu Dhabi thanks to a controversial safety car decision.
      The moment Verstappen snatches the world title from Lewis Hamilton in 2021
      Horner and Wolff rarely see eye to eyeCredit: Getty
      Horner told Tom Clarkson on the F1: Beyond the Grid podcast: “It really permeated at Silverstone where suddenly there was an awful lot of dialogue from Toto to [then race director] Michael [Masi].
      “Then he’s (Wolff) sending him an email, and then he’s coming up. And I thought: ‘Right, okay, I’m not having that, I’m going up.’
      “I felt it was incredibly one sided that a team principal should not be able to lobby and influence the race director and with hindsight, Toto and I had a fairly heated exchange in Race Control.
      “At that event, where Toto was obviously arguing his corner that his driver shouldn’t be penalised, and I’ve got a driver in hospital and the car taken out of the race and was obviously feeling pretty aggrieved by it.”

      🏁 Complete F1 2024 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix and start time this year 🏁 
      Horner claimed he was surprised by his main rival’s behaviour during the season, telling The Telegraph: “You could see that it boiled over in the garage next door on a few occasions.”
      He admitted he enjoys winding up Wolff, telling the Guardian in October 2021: “The more Toto gets wound up, the more fun it becomes.”
      Former Benetton driver Johnny Herbert called out the two bosses for their squabbling a month later, telling the Sunday Mirror: “I think many want to tell him ‘grow up’.
      “They look like two eight-year-olds arguing in the schoolyard. One points to the other and says, ‘Look what he’s doing’.”
      Cheating claims
      The following year Red Bull was accused of cheating after it was found guilty of breaching the budget cap in 2021.
      Wolff made it clear he didn’t feel the team’s £5.5m fine and 10 per cent reduction on aerodynamic development time was a harsh enough punishment.
      He quipped: “I think they [Red Bull] have done a very good job last year in having a car out there that was half a second or more quicker than anyone else.”
      Meanwhile Horner was seen on camera telling his drivers: “[It’s]fun and games with Mercedes over all this cost cap s***. I mean it’s unbelievable how much s*** Toto says.”
      Susie Wolff keeps her husband Toto smilingCredit: Instagram/susie_wolff
      The Horners are often seen in Netflix series Drive to Survive enjoying an idyllic country lifeCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      Geri and Christian got hitched 10 years agoCredit: Splash News
      The Horners at home with the familyCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      F1’s Horner poses on the steps of the home with daughter Olivia from his previous relationshipCredit: Instagram @christianhorner
      At times the team principals’ respective wives, Susie Wolf and Geri Halliwell, have stepped in, in an effort to keep the peace.
      The Mercedes principal admitted he “really regrets” how things got so heated between him and his rival, and recalled being accosted by Susie for his “regretful” behaviour during the 2021 season.
      He told Formula 1 magazine: “Susie pointed that out to me very clearly.
      “She said, ‘Why are you having these kinds of discussions? You’re trying to win, respect that. Even if someone goes in that direction, you don’t have to’.
      “That’s called female social intelligence. We sometimes have too much hormones.”
      In March 2022 it seemed like the pair had put their differences aside when Horner praised Wolff for opening up about his mental health battle.
      He told Sky Sports: “All credit to Toto for having the confidence to talk out about his own personal issues.”
      Cheeky bum slap
      Geri gives Toto a big hugCredit: Getty
      Susie and Lewis take a stroll in the pit laneCredit: Instagram/susie_wolff
      In November last year, a picture emerged of former Spice Girl Geri offering Wolff a comforting hug as her husband watched on.
      Everyone appeared to be grinning in the snap, suggesting the women had potentially managed to broker a peace deal.
      Damon Hill, a Sky F1 consultant, said on social media: “Its heartening to see a bit of a moment of mirth as Geri Horner gives Toto a consolation cuddle.
      “Easy to laugh when you’ve just wiped the floor with the opposition. Harder to do when you’ve been royally thrashed.”
      It was later revealed the jovial mood came about because Geri had actually slapped Wolff’s bottom.
      Horner later told Sky Sports: “It was an amusing moment because I think my wife had just smacked his bum so hard, I think it took him a bit by surprise.
      “You probably can’t even see my clenched fist, it’s out of shot there.
      “It’s been a long season and there has to be competition on track but there still has to be respect.”
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      With Red Bull shrouded in scandal and Mercedes losing its number one driver to Ferrari next season, it will be fascinating to see how 2024 plays out.
      Formula 1: Drive to Survive Season 6 can be streamed on Netflix now.
      Mercedes’ Toto Wolff and Red Bull’s Christian Horner have been bitter rivals since 2014Credit: Getty
      Former Spice Girl Geri holds her husband’s hand as Toto lingersCredit: Getty
      Geri is strongly standing by Horner’s side, sources sayCredit: Getty
      Formula 1: Drive to Survive season 6 airs today More