Features

Subterms

    More stories

    • 225 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      We achieved a dream with West Ham’s Europa Conference League win – here’s where the club goes next

      by

      WEST Ham United are European winners. And just saying those words feels incredible.Wednesday night’s victory in the Europa Conference League final over ACF Fiorentina will live long in the memory of Hammers fans at home and abroad.
      West Ham ran out 2-1 winners in the Europa Conference League Final against Italian club ACF Fiorentina on Wednesday nightCredit: Story Picture Agency
      As West Ham vice chair, Karren Brady was in the stands to watch the historic scenesCredit: supplied
      The celebrations that followed will for ever be etched in the history of this great club.
      Wednesday began with nervous excitement and anticipation when the directors and I arrived at Stansted airport at lunchtime.
      It was fantastic to be able to share the moment with friends and colleagues, some of whom I have worked with for many years.
      In some cases, decades.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      I have worked alongside David Sullivan for more than 30 years and he arrived looking extremely dapper in his claret and blue shirt and jacket, which he had been saving for a special occasion.
      None could have been more momentous than this.
      He was joined by his partner Ampika, armed with his favourite sweets to settle the nerves.
      My husband Paul and our son Paolo were helping to calm my nerves, until Paolo joked that my jacket was in Fiorentina colours.
      Most read in Football
      It was lilac, not purple, but I took it off just in case!
      For so many years we have travelled more in hope than expectation, but something told us this was our time.
      Work has been under way, step by step, day by day, for years to get us to a day like Wednesday, so when it came, we all wanted to savour it.
      Noise was deafening, I had goosebumps
      The Claret and Blue Army are the best in the world and we wanted to come home with the trophy for them, for manager David Moyes, for our hardworking, passionate and dedicated players and staff.
      They all deserved it so much.
      Players, staff and their friends and family were up until dawn partying in the streets of PragueCredit: AFP
      West Ham is a family, and that family has not been without its hard times.
      But those hard times mean the good times are even more special when they come.
      When we landed, I was inundated with messages of support from across the world of football.
      There was not a colleague of mine in the Premier League who did not message me to wish us luck.
      It was so heartwarming to receive this support and reminded me what a truly unifying game football is.
      As I saw the fans in Moore 6 and Rice 41 shirts, it suddenly felt very real.
      And as we approached Eden Arena, we stopped the car and jumped out for a photo, bursting with pride to see our crest up there under the words “European final”.
      This was it, West Ham United were about to play in a European final.
      The noise when our players emerged for their pre-match warm-up was deafening.
      The atmosphere was building and I had goosebumps, you could just feel the energy.
      When our supporters raised their flags and made the stands claret and blue, I was once again filled with pride.
      The first half was cagey, as you would expect from a final.
      The 15-minute break did nothing to ease anyone’s nerves, and the 45 minutes that followed were a rollercoaster of emotions for everyone.
      Every single final has its hero and it would be Jarrod Bowen who would write his name into Hammers history for ever more by sliding home the winning goal.
      Said Benrahma’s ice-cool penalty had given us a 1-0 lead just after the hour mark, with the crescendo of noise in the stadium reverberating back to East London.
      Fiorentina, the in-form team in Italy over the past couple of months, responded five minutes later with a well-taken goal by Giacomo Bonaventura, and as the clock ticked towards the 90-minute mark we started to gear up for extra time.
      When the ball broke to Lucas Paqueta in the middle of the park, you just knew our Brazilian magnifico would find the right pass.
      He played a sublime ball to Jarrod, and when he broke through I just knew this was our chance and we had to take it.
      He did just that, sliding the ball home to put us 2-1 up.
      It was a completely surreal moment.
      There was absolute elation on the pitch and in the stands.
      We couldn’t quite take it in.
      I turned to my colleague, who held my hand, with tears in her eyes and she said: “This is it, I really think we’re going to do it now.”
      But with a long VAR check and five minutes on the clock, I didn’t dare believe it until that final whistle.
      I squeezed her hand and said: “Let’s wait, we’re not there yet.”
      Five minutes of added time somehow became eight minutes, but as the clock ticked down it was becoming more and more real and the tears were already beginning to fall.
      After what seemed like a lifetime, the referee blew for full time.
      We had done it. West Ham United . . .  European winners.
      We were just jumping up and down and hugging, united in jubilation and what it meant to us all.
      One of my colleagues turned to me and said: “Remember when you got the stadium and we stood in it empty and dreamed of filling it, keeping our best academy players, attracting international stars, hosting European nights and of a night like this?”
      We both knew this was a special milestone moment in beginning to realise those dreams.
      I loved every moment, we all did, but in all the elation there was also a moment of reflection for us all.
      We lost our close friend and much-loved joint chairman David Gold at the start of the year, and then his beloved daughter Jacqueline, a remarkable woman, two months later.
      Each and every one of us were thinking of them both at that moment.
      I genuinely believe they were looking down on us on Wednesday night.
      On the pitch, the immediate post-match celebrations were incredible to witness.
      All the emotion of the season came pouring out of players and staff alike, as well as the fans in the stands.
      Declan Rice sliding on his knees towards the corner flag; Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal draped in the Czech flag; Lucas Paqueta dancing the night away with his family; Mark Noble, Mr West Ham, in floods of tears; David Moyes jumping with delight, showing the world a side of him that we have all known and loved for some time.
      The scenes will stay with me for ever.
      It was one big party, and it was only just getting started.
      Watching the team lift the trophy is one of those moments you take an image of in your mind to store for ever.
      The celebrations continued long into the night.
      Players, staff and their friends and family were partying until dawn, with DJ Tony Perry on the decks, and more renditions of Cotton Eye Joe, Sweet Caroline and West Ham Are Massive than you would think possible.
      Moment to cherish for all our fans
      We, on the other hand, had to make straight for the plane to oversee plans for the long-awaited and so-very-deserved victory parade.
      We had to make sure that the fans who had not made it to Prague would get to see the trophy with their own eyes.
      I had said to Shirley, our flight attendant, to have the Champagne on ice, just in case, and that first sip tasted so wonderfully sweet.
      It was the first drink I’d had all day.
      Even David Sullivan, who hasn’t touched a drop in all the 35 years I’ve known him, as he hates the taste, had a sip, heavily egged on by the rest of us.
      He was beaming from ear to ear, we all were — because we’d achieved a dream.
      We turned down the lights and sang I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles until we landed back in Stansted at 3am.
      A generation of Hammers had never seen their club win something.
      Now, they have, and this group of players will be their heroes, carved into the history of this football club, West Ham United.
      The team received a proper East End welcome.
      The claret and blue flags, bunting and banners were already adorning the streets of East London, Essex and beyond from the start of the week.
      Wednesday night’s party rolled into Thursday night’s parade, when our heroes returned to London, boarding an open-top bus for a two-hour trip they will never, ever forget.
      Winning the Europa Conference League means so, so much to everyone connected with West Ham United.
      This is a moment to cherish for all of our fans.
      It is also a moment to build on. It’s the start of our next adventure in Europe and lays the foundation for another season of growth.
      Read more on The Sun
      We are already back to work but may just allow ourselves to bask in the glory for a little while longer.
      But then, we go again. More

    • 250 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Man City stand 90 mins from unforgettable Treble – here’s why their achievement will always be tainted for rival fans

      by

      MANCHESTER City stand 90 minutes from greatness, a football Treble that will never be forgotten.Yet for rival fans, no matter what Pep Guardiola’s side do against Inter Milan in Istanbul’s Champions League Final tonight, their achievement will ALWAYS be tainted.
      Manchester City are only one win away from winning a historic trebleCredit: Getty
      Rival fans will always see City’s domination as tainted after years of bankrolling by Sheikh Mansour and the limitless riches of Abu Dhabi’s oil wellsCredit: Getty
      City are brilliant.
      No question.
      A team you love to watch.
      Glorious in possession.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      Furious in regaining the ball.
      Deadly as a ­stiletto.
      The ultimate modern side.
      But they are also a club whose willingness to push financial regulations to the absolute limit — and allegedly far beyond them — means many will always want an asterisk next to the list of trophies by their name.
      Most read in Football
      Bankrolled by Sheikh Mansour and the limitless riches of Abu Dhabi’s oil wells, able to attract the greatest manager and best players, City’s ambition is clear.
      Not just in this country either, with the club the pinnacle of a 12-team structure that spans the globe from China and Japan, through India, to the US, Uruguay, Brazil and ­Australia.
      It is City, though, a club that was once a byword for catastrophe and one that lived for two decades in the shadow of Sir Alex Ferguson’s achievements on the other side of the city, that takes the attention.
      Both on the field, where they are the Prem’s dominant force and red-hot favourites to finally land the “Cup with the Big Ears” tonight.
      And, controversially, off it as well.
      In February, following a four-year probe, the Premier League announced City were accused of 115 breaches of league rules.
      A staggering number of allegations, slipped out in a simple press release on the League’s website — but which still saw City bemoaning it had been “leaked”.
      Relentless art form
      Charges included claims that the ­Etihad outfit hid the true source of the club’s funding.
      Also that City had only partially declared the salaries of players and former manager Roberto Mancini, broke Uefa AND Prem financial rules and deliberately and repeatedly obstructed the League’s investigation.
      Just as when Uefa charged and initially banned them for similar alleged offences, City did what they always do on the pitch, attack.
      First of all was the claim the allegations had been “leaked”.
      Exactly the same complaint they made about Uefa’s process.
      The charges, insisted City, would be met with a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” that would “put this matter to rest once and for all”.
      That approach worked when the sport’s Court of Arbitration threw out the Uefa sanctions in 2020, ruling by a 2-1 majority that many of the ­charges were time-barred and others “not proven” — although it judged that City had failed to co-operate with the initial inquiry.
      Manager Guardiola last month demanded the Prem commission sit to hear the case imminently.
      The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss, whose obsession with winning the Champions League in a team WITHOUT Lionel Messi is unquestioned, said: “We would like this done as soon as possible.
      “We would love it tomorrow, this afternoon. Let’s go. Don’t wait two years. Why don’t we do it quicker?
      “In 24 hours, sit down with the lawyers present. Then, if the club has done something wrong, everybody will know.
      “But if, as we believed as a club for many years, we have done things in the right way, then the people will stop talking about it.”
      Yet for all that bluster, Pep Guardiola must have known about the club’s demand that the Arsenal-supporting barrister likely to lead the panel should stand down.
      And of their complaints about the validity of the charges, arguing about recent changes in the Prem rulebook that mandate clubs and officials to answer questions and provide all information when requested to by League officers.
      City’s hierarchy have not only hired the best manager and team.
      They are willing to pay for the best lawyers, too.
      Lord Pannick KC, recently spotted next to Boris Johnson during his uncomfortable grilling by MPs who could suspend him from the ­Commons, charges a minimum £5,000 per day.
      He will be willing to do whatever it takes, within the law, to ensure a ­victory for his client.
      The charges saw City’s Prem rivals unite in furious indignation, demanding consequences well before the case ever comes to determination, which could still be another three or four years away.
      With unprecedented fines and even the prospect of a points deduction, stripped titles and relegation hanging over them, the City players might have been excused for losing their focus.
      Instead, they have turned winning into a relentless art form.
      Since the charges were laid, City have played 27 games in three ­competitions.
      They have won 21 and lost just one — a Prem match at Brentford after the title had already been sealed, scoring 72 and conceding just 15 in the process.
      But City under Guardiola are more than just an uncompromising victory machine.
      Far more.
      Man City lifted the FA Cup, the second trophy of three, last weekCredit: Getty
      The powers in Abu Dhabi have pumped vast sums of money into the club, from training grounds to on-pitch talentCredit: Alamy
      They are truly football’s version of shock and awe, a mesmerising, bewildering, mind-spinning fusion of power and glory.
      Guardiola has taken John Stones, England’s best central defender, and turned him into a ball-playing ­midfield superstar.
      Yorkshire grit but Catalan majesty.
      Look, too, at the development of Jack Grealish, who has gone from being a foppish outsider, struggling for game time and to justify his £100million transfer fee from Aston Villa, into an integral part of City’s starting side.
      The smile of delight when he sees the ball is shared by every Sky Blue fan.
      Belgian Kevin de Bruyne, ­Germany’s Ilkay Gundogan and ­Portuguese schemer Bernardo Silva offer menace and magic.
      Gundogan broke an all-time FA Cup Final record when he scored after just 12 seconds in last weekend’s Wembley win over Manchester United, the second leg of that longed-for Treble.
      And for sheer explosive, frightening attacking intensity, allied to a goal sense that few in the history of the game possess, striker Erling ­Haaland has proved he is a true force of nature.
      Although, plenty are less sure about those silk pyjamas he wore for City’s title celebrations.
      Much of that is down to the man who embodies managerial majesty.
      Guardiola’s Barcelona side were the hallmark of the beautiful game a decade ago, the Nou Camp necromancers weaving spell after spell.
      They won the Champions League — beating Manchester United both times — in 2009 and 2011.
      And they were defeated only by a combination of Jose Mourinho, Inter Milan and the Icelandic volcano that meant they had to take the coach to Italy rather than fly, in 2010.
      England’s greatest
      Yet, perhaps, irrespective of the huge sums laid out since the Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008, this team is his greatest — the ultimate example of a tactician ­putting the pieces together to create something truly extraordinary.
      Pep is more than demanding, even if his focus is occasionally so complete that he does not even see people when he walks past them in the City corridors.
      He insists that it is about ­“making people happy” rather than his “legacy”.
      But if the two things mutually co-exist, then that is an acceptable compromise.
      The club’s success has cemented Manchester’s status as one of the most famous footballing cities in the world — and has helped transform the post-industrial wasteland of East Manchester.
      The owners have built around 6,000 affordable homes in the area in a £1billion redevelopment deal.
      And the Manchester Evening News reported in 2021 how almost 30 new hotels were expected to be built by the end of this year to accommodate the growth in tourism.
      Earlier this year, the club also submitted a £300million planning application that includes expanding the Etihad stadium capacity above 60,000, and adding a hotel, sky bar and stadium roof walk experience.
      There will also be space for some businesses to work at the stadium, which is still owned by the council, with City paying rent of at least £4million a year.
      If all that matters is the football, then there is no doubt who you should be backing in Istanbul.
      England’s greatest, City are now the gold standard.
      Technically outstanding.
      Innovative.
      Compelling viewing.
      The creme of the Prem creme.
      And four of England manager Gareth Southgate’s preferred players are critical elements in Guardiola’s masterplan, even if Phil Foden has played a lesser role this season.
      Others, though, will never be won over by what happens on the pitch.
      Read more on The Sun
      Tonight, they will be “black and blue”, the colours of Inter.
      If they feel similarly bruised by a Guardiola triumph, nobody at City will care.
      City ran out comfortable winners of the Premier League last season, after a dazzling run of fixtures forced Arsenal off their comfy leadCredit: Getty
      Man City displaced local rivals Man United 2-1 at Wembley to lift this year’s FA Cup
      Tonight Man City will fight it out v Inter Milan for the elusive Champions League Trophy’It will be long night but we’ll be champs’

      SINGER and City fan Noel Gallagher is rooting for Man City to take the Treble.
      The 56-year-old says: “We’ve taken it step by step, but this is it now, it’s just about this one game. In Italy, where getting beaten is sacrilege, Inter lost 12 times in the league, so they’re used to losing, which bodes well for City.
      “The Italian mindset is ‘don’t lose’ and they will be very proud of forgetting their usual style and playing for penalties from the first minute if that’s the way they think they can win.
      “If they do that, it is up to City to come up with the answers.
      “If we play like we did against Real Madrid then there is not a team in the world that can get near us. I think it will be a long night, but City will win in end.” More

    • 275 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      We live at famous entrance to iconic football stadium – you can see pitch from our garden but there’s even crazier perks

      by

      ITS iconic mock Tudor facade is one of the most recognisable stadium entrances in British football.And for residents near Fratton Park, the home of Portsmouth F.C., living next to the historic ground has thrown up plenty of famous moments over the years.
      Wendy Waltho lives by Fratton Park Stadium, home of Portsmouth Football ClubCredit: Solent
      Local Diana Hill says she can watch the game from her daughter’s roomCredit: Solent
      Some homeowners say their home shakes when the team scores, or claim there’s no need to buy match tickets as they can hear – and even see – all the action from their garden.
      Our new summer series, Life’s a Pitch, celebrates the weird and wonderful stadiums across Britain… and the communities built around them.
      Kicking it off, die-hard Pompey fans who reside a stone’s throw from Fratton Park tell us of their joy at feeling the ‘electric’ atmosphere created by fans every week.
      They recall seeing the 1980s squad being put through their paces by manager Alan Ball in fitness runs to the old training ground – and even boast of being able to enjoy free music concerts from their back yard.
      READ MORE FEATURES
      Garden party
      Some claim Fratton Park is unique as it is the only professional English football ground not found on the mainland of Great Britain – due to its location on Portsea Island.
      Built in 1899, it has been Portsmouth’s home ever since and seen the highs and lows throughout the club’s 125-year history.
      During that time the club has won two first division titles and two FA Cups – most recently under Harry Redknapp in 2008 – but Pompey are currently enduring a more difficult period in League One.
      Kieran Hogan, a resident living by Fratton Park, says he loves it and can hear the cheers when a goal is scoredCredit: Solent
      Lifelong Pompey fan Kieran Hogan has lived for nine years on Frogmore Road, which leads up to the South Stand entrance.
      Most read in Football
      “We love living this close to the stadium,” the 40-year-old said.
      “I don’t have a season ticket but I like to go whenever I can, round some mates up, or sometimes go by myself.
      “If I don’t go, I can hear the stadium announcer say who scores the goal when I’m sat in my living room – no need to check BBC Sport.
      “You can hear the cheer sometimes seconds before the goal goes in on the telly.”
      I can hear the stadium announcer say who scores the goal when I’m sat in my living room – no need to check BBC SportKieran Hogan, lifelong Pompey fan
      Recounting his experience of the Covid-hit play-off semi final, Kieran says he was disturbed by controversial Portsmouth super-fan John Westwood trying to get as close to the action as he could.
      “I was sat in the garden watching it, as I’d taken the TV out,” the father-of-one said.
      “And I could hear this bell ringing and I looked down the gardens and John Westwood was there at the neighbours’.”
      Kieran’s next wish is to get his newborn eight-week-old son to a game “as soon as I can”.
      Training day
      Derek Stevens, 65, who has lived on a road that runs parallel to the south stand of the stadium for 39 years, said the ‘only issue’ is matchday parking – when parking is only permitted on one side of the street, meaning cars have to be moved.
      The civil servant recounts seeing England’s World Cup winner Alan Ball whipping the the Portsmouth squad into shape during his five-year tenure in the 1980s, which saw them earn promotion back to the First Division.
      Derek Stevens admits the parking can be an issue on match daysCredit: Solent
      “Alan Ball used to make them run to the training ground which was at Moneyfields then, about 1.5 miles,” he said.
      “He got them into shape – it was funny to see the players on our road being put through the paces, but he did well here.
      “They were out of shape when he got here but he made them fit.”
      Kenneth Clarke, who lives on the same road, loves being a part of the club he played for as a boy in the 1960s.
      The retired milkman, 78, said: “We’ve been here 35 years and love it.
      “I go to about half the games. The parking is fine, it’s for emergency vehicles to get through, don’t moan about the club. If you don’t like it – move.”
      Family affair
      For Wendy Waltho, attending the matches at Portsmouth is a family affair, with husband Paul, son Harvey and grandson Franklyn all season ticket holders.
      “It’s manic on a matchday,” the 56-year-old said. “Sometimes I do go if it’s an exciting game, but I can hear it from the garden where it’s free. Why would I go?
      “It’s great, my husband and son love going – they’d never stop.
      “The front wall of my garden is used as a meeting spot by fans every week. Every Saturday or Tuesday there are the usual suspects who lean up against the wall as they wait for their mates to come.”
      The front wall of my garden is used as a meeting spot by fans every week. Every Saturday or Tuesday there are the usual suspects who lean up against the wall as they wait for their mates to comeWendy Waltho, local resident
      Wendy, who has lived in her property just 50ft from the South Stand entrance for 19 years, added: “For a 3pm kick off, they leave at about midday.
      “It doesn’t take three hours to get there – I think the pub might be involved.
      “But, when it’s not matchday, it’s dead quiet.”
      The street’s quietness on days other than when Portsmouth play is the main reason David Young bought his home home 20 years ago.
      The 39-year-old said: “During matchday it can be a bit hectic, but on days off, kids play in the street.
      “You can’t get that anywhere else in Fratton, we love it here.”
      The restaurant manager admitted he ‘hated’ football, but used to enjoy going to games when tickets were reduced for residents in close proximity to the stadium – a perk which stopped about eight years ago.
      “In a derby game against Southampton, I had a brick thrown my front window during a riot – that made them separate the fans in the future,” he added.
      Pitch view
      Diana heard a Madness concert taking place at the stadium from her gardenCredit: Solent
      Diana Hill moved into the neighbouring road in 2015 and can even see a portion of the pitch from her son’s bedroom.
      The 41-year-old said: “The atmosphere is absolutely electric on game day.
      “You can feel the electricity amongst the fans and when Pompey score, the house literally shakes.
      “We love it, we can see a little section of goalpost, but they’re redeveloping it at the minute.”
      The mother-of-three admitted she and her family received the perfect welcome when Madness played a gig at the stadium in the summer of 2015.
      Read more on The Sun
      “We didn’t have to go, we just sat in the garden and got a free Madness concert,” she said.
      “The club have been great recently as well in providing equipment for street parties over the Jubilee and Coronation.” More

    • 238 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Inside West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen & Dani Dyer’s fairytale romance as ‘proposal expected any day now’… with Danny’s blessing

      by

      FINDING a partner your parents approve of is hard enough – but it’s almost impossible when you’re the daughter of TV’s most famous hardman.Dani Dyer appears to have finally managed it, however, after settling down with West Ham United star Jarrod Bowen, who last night steered her dad Danny’s favourite team to their first trophy in over 40 years.
      Dani and Jarrod have enjoyed dates together at Ascot race course dressed to the ninesCredit: danidyer/Instagram
      Danny and Jarrod are firm friends and the actor is hoping the pair will get marriedCredit: Instagram
      Danny jokes he’s fallen even more in love with Jarrod, 26, than his daughter since the new parents met in 2021 and hilariously has even joined in with fans’ X-rated terrace chant: “Bowen’s on fire and he’s sh***ing Dani Dyer.”
      The EastEnders actor, 45, and footballer were pictured together with babes in arms two weeks ago after Dani, 26, gave birth to twins.
      And when Jarrod scored the winning goal to clinch the Europa Conference League title for West Ham this week, a delighted Danny shared a snap of his daughter’s man holding the trophy, captioned: “F****** perfect”.
      Now, insiders claim that Danny and his family are desperate for the winger to get down on one knee and make Dani – who also has a son, Santiago, with her ex Sammy Kimmence – a bride.
      Read More in Football
      Engagement ‘any day now’
      A source close to the couple said: “Everyone’s saying they’ll be engaged any day now. They’re a proper family – they’ve just moved into a new house together and both sides of the family love them as a couple.
      “It’s Dani’s dream to be married now she’s a mum of three – Jarrod has really stepped up as a dad to Santi and they’re so happy together.

      “All their friends are expecting an engagement announcement any day soon – she’d say yes in a flash. It’s something they’ve talked about a lot.”
      The couple met not long after Dani’s former long-term boyfriend Kimmence was jailed for swindling pensioners out of thousands of pounds – leaving her to cope as a single mum.
      Most read in Football
      Previously, the TV star shot to fame thanks to her Love Island romance with Jack Fincham, but the pair split just months after leaving the villa.
      When her romance with Jarrod was first revealed, Dani said: “Everything is so early days. Jarrod is a lovely guy, and we’re enjoying getting to know each other.
      “But Santi will always be my main priority, he will always come first.
      “I am concentrating on being a mum and, beyond that, whatever happens, happens.”
      Stepdad duties
      Jarrod is regularly seen carrying little Santiago and taking him to his gamesCredit: danidyerxx/Instagram
      Within months Jarrod had become a firm fixture in Dani’s life and appears to be loved by Santi, two, who calls him JayJay.
      The couple welcomed twin girls Summer and Star in May, and their relationship appears to be going from strength to strength.
      While Dani was pregnant, Jarrod helped Santiago do an ultrasound to see how his little sisters were developing.
      Shortly after their birth, Dani wrote on social media: “Our first week together and enjoying every moment of the newborn bubble.
      “It’s been amazing watching Santi be a big brother he has melted my heart in ways I couldn’t imagine and he just feels like such a big boy all of a sudden.
      “My heart feels so so full and so excited for our journey together as a family of 5.”
      The West Ham ace slotted quickly into family life as a stepdad and is often photographed by Dani bonding with his stepson – even taking the tot in full West Ham kit on the pitch after games.
      Danny smitten
      Actor Danny is a big fan of his daughter’s boyfriend and jokes he loves Jarrod moreCredit: Instagram
      It’s not just the toddler who is a fan. Dani’s dad is a lifelong Hammers fan and has joked about how smitten he is with his daughter’s other half.
      “I’m probably more in love with your boyfriend than you are,” the EastEnders actor joked on his podcast with Dani, Sorted with the Dyers.
      The family have been keen for things to become official between the pair since last November.
      A source said: “Dani definitely thinks he’s The One, and she’d love a ring on her finger.
      “They’re in a really happy place, and she knows there’s no need to rush things, but she would love or him to propose and friends think it could be on the cards.
      “A Christmas engagement would be lovely. She’s had a tough time in past relationships, but she’s finally got her fairy tale.”
      Sadly, no ring materialised over Christmas and now the family are hoping this summer could see the footballer get down on one knee.
      Even after being with Jarrod for a few months, Dani already had his seal of approval.
      She said: “My dad thinks Jarrod’s a lovely guy. He’s invested in all of the West Ham players – because he supports the team and follows some of them, he’s like: ‘They’re all my friends.’ I’m like: ‘Right, OK, Dad.’
      “But he’s always been such a big football fan. As soon as Santi was born, the West Ham babygros were coming in from Grandad.”
      Footie banter
      Dani is vocal in her support of Jarrod’s careerCredit: Instagram
      Former Islander Dani certainly appears to be taking her duties as a WAG seriously and is regularly snapped at Jarrod’s games – even when heavily pregnant.
      However, ahead of the Europa Conference League final, the star couldn’t rely on his family life to give him a break from the pressures of the day job.
      Ahead of the clash, he joked: “The missus’ old man is obviously on me every week.”
      Following the win over Fiorentina, Dani shared a story with a photo of Jarrod saying: “So proud”.
      Their romance has infamously inspired an X-rated song by Hammers fans, and Jarrod was left unimpressed last night when a fan stormed on to the pitch singing it during an interview with BT Sport.
      But at least Danny has at least been able to see the funny side.
      After the Hammers beat Lyon to reach the semi finals of the competition back in April, he joked on Instagram: “Jarrod Bowen is on fire…and he’s… cuddling me daughter or something. So proud. What a f***ing night.”
      New family home
      The couple moved into a new family home before Dani gave birth to their twinsCredit: Instagram
      Over the course of their relationship, Dani has not been shysharing her love for the footballer in a flood of gushing Instagram tributes.
      On their first anniversary, she wrote: “One year of loving you… Happy Anniversary baby… your the boyfriend I’ve always dreamed of having… grateful for someone as kind and special as you.”
      The couple have been away on several luxury holidays and even visited Disneyland with Santiago. They’ve also enjoyed dates at spa The Cave Hotel, Ascot races and the Bulgari Hotel Milano.
      In March, they moved into a gorgeous new home ahead of welcoming their twins and celebrated with booze-free prosecco.
      Read more on The Sun
      Dani decorated the pad in classic white and greys with large mirrors to make the most of natural light.
      Now, she’s just waiting for the ultimate accessory… that long-awaited sparkler! More

    • 225 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      Sportwashing won’t make the Saudis any money and it won’t make fans love them – and here’s why

      by

      NEXT season, when you’re at a ­football match, take a look at the directors’ box. What do you see? If you think you’re looking at fat cats, you’ll probably be right.
      This week the Saudi Arabian wealth fund that owns Newcastle got their bulging wallet out againCredit: Getty
      The Saudi-funded LIV golf tour was threatening to tear the sport apart… football could be nextCredit: Getty
      The Saudi’s have taken a stake in the Saudi Pro League team Cristiano Ronaldo plays for, Al-NassrCredit: AFP
       But if you think you’re looking at profit-mongers filching a fortune from your beloved club, you’re almost certainly wrong.
      Because hardly any club owners make a profit. Most of the money coming in, like a bad late-night curry on top of a load of beer, races straight through the guts of the game into the pockets of players and their agents.
       Perhaps that’s only right and proper — certainly as far as the players are ­concerned. Not sure about the agents.
      But the fat cats in the directors’ box won’t get any fatter through football.
      READ MORE FROM ADRIAN CHILES
       Well, some directors might be handsomely paid, but the owners are much more likely to get poorer than richer.
       As the old joke goes, the only way to make a small fortune out of football is to start with a large fortune.
      Madness, just madness
      The scales fell from my eyes when I asked Kieran Maguire, of the brilliant podcast The Price Of Football and author of the book of the same name, if it was possible for a Championship club to get promoted without spending any more money than they were making from ticket sales, merchandising, TV deals and so on.
       “Not only is it impossible to get ­promoted without someone throwing in lots of extra money from somewhere,” Kieran told me, “But without that cash ­injection, it’s almost impossible not to get relegated.”
      Most read in Football
      Madness, just madness.
      And we’d be mad to assume that ­promotion to the Premier League necessarily makes the gamble worthwhile.
       If you’re not very careful, your massive wealth will be matched by equally massive costs and you’ll soon be back where you started, or worse.
      So what, you might ask. What do I care if rich owners know they’ll get no richer?
       I wonder if the discipline involved in having to turn a modest profit might just keep a few more of them honest and fewer clubs from going to rack and ruin. The problem is this: if owners aren’t in it for the money, what are they in it for?
       Well, they might be in it for love. Take a bow the owners of Brighton, Brentford and Crystal Palace.
       But more often it’s about something else.
      Ego-tripping, asset-stripping . . . who knows flipping what many of these ­mysterious men from far-off places are up to.
      This week the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund that owns Newcastle got their bulging wallet out again and took stakes in four of the country’s biggest clubs, including the team Cristiano Ronaldo plays for, Al-Nassr.
       Now they are after more marquee ­European players, if reports are correct.
      To be fair to the Saudis, it’s pretty clear what they’re up to.
       I’d probably be up to the same if I was in charge of a bottomlessly wealthy regime that is widely disliked and ­disrespected.
       I too would try to buy some love.
       I’d buy something big and beautiful, whatever it costed. I’d buy football.
      I’d buy a big, underperforming club and make it great again. I’d buy into several of my own country’s football clubs to help bring the most ­money-grabbing legendary has-beens to play for them.
       I’d do whatever I could to buy the love of Fifa so I could stage the World Cup.
      I’d go for other sports, too. The Saudi-funded LIV golf tour was threatening to tear the sport apart.
       The old guard, the PGA Tour and so on, were fighting them tooth and dagger.
       Golfers who’d taken the Saudi shilling said silly things, claiming they hadn’t gone just for the money.
       Golfers who’d refused to take the Saudi shilling said horrible things about those who had, who then returned the insults with interest.
      But now, rejoice, because peace has ­broken out and the two sides have merged, having kissed and made up.
       How sweet.
      You can see this, if you like, as an ­outbreak of common sense.
      Hypocrisy and cynicism
       Or as an example of quite excruciating hypocrisy and cynicism by all those who swore blind they’d have nothing to do with the Saudis. Only to then jump into bed with them.
      For what it’s worth, I see it like a tree. Yes, a tree.
       It’s like the PGA et al have been fighting the Saudis for control of the tree’s branches, only for the Saudis to go and buy the whole tree.
       Football could be next.
      So, as humble fans, what do we do?
       Well, given there’s next to nothing we can do about it, I wouldn’t blame anyone for putting their head in the sand, crossing their fingers and hoping for the best.
      I despair.
      Saudis are buying up football to boost their image
       But one thought cheers me. In the end, these so-called sportwashers — be they Russians, Chinese, Qataris, ­Emiratis or Saudis — cannot truly win.
      No, we can’t apparently stop them from buying our game by taking control of our clubs and hosting World Cups.
      But the delicious irony is that ultimately they are wasting their money.
       Because no amount of it will be enough to buy our hearts and minds.
      Read more on The Sun
      We know who they are and what they are and what they’re all about.
       And if they think they can change that, the last laugh’s going to be on them. More

    • 238 Shares179 Views

      in Motorsport

      Why daredevil riders still flock to Isle of Man TT despite ‘world’s deadliest race’ claiming lives of 267 motorcyclists

      by

      WITH another rider perishing at the Isle of Man TT, the age-old question is being asked once again.Why do so many motorcyclists risk their lives every year in what has been dubbed the deadliest race in the world?
      The Isle of Man TT is known as the world’s deadliest raceCredit: Pacemaker
      Raul Torras Martinez, 40, became the latest victim this weekCredit: Facebook
      The answer from many of the competitors is that the danger is what makes the annual test of nerves so thrilling.
      This week Spanish motorcyclist Raul Torras Martinez, 40, became the 267th person to lose their life on the notorious 37.73-mile track since the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy began in 1907.
      Raul was clocking average speeds of 125 mph as he did the final lap this week, having taken part in 21 races over the past six years.
      Even though the TT is a time-trial, which means competitors are racing against the clock rather than overtaking each other on tight bends, it is incredibly perilous.
      READ MORE FEATURES
      TV presenter Guy Martin was lucky to escape a fireball crash in 2010Credit: Documentaires Auto/Moto
      He returned to racing despite fracturing his spine and bruising both lungsCredit: Alamy
      The main hazards are the trees, lamp posts, stone walls and steep banks on the edge of the 200 bends.
      The late motorcycle champ Barry Sheene called it “a suicide mission” and the track requires great skill to get around in one piece.
      Thousands apply, but only 60 solo competitors and 30 sidecar pairings get to take on the most dangerous race in motorsport.
      Dicing with death
      Peter Hickman, 36, who holds the lap record, says: “The danger is what makes it exciting.”
      Most read in Motorsport
      The two men tussling to have the record for the most Isle of Man TT wins know the risk of the sport.
      Former bricklayer John McGuinness, 51, who shares 23 wins with Michael Dunlop, said:  “During my first race in ’96, I lost my best mate in practice. A lad named Micky Lofthouse.
      “I wanted to go home, but I decided to do the race and see what it was like.”
      It’s an adrenaline rush like no other that kept tempting him back.
      John said: “You race through villages, woodland, over a mountain, big open areas, tight twisty bits, unbelievably fast bits. 
      “I’ve done extreme sports but I cannot find anything that comes even close.”
      Robert Dunlop in 2006 with sons Michael and WilliamCredit: Pacemaker Press
      Flowers are laid at the spot where Robert Dunlop was killed during a practice race in Northern Ireland in 2008Credit: PA:Press Association
      Dunlop, 34, who equalled John’s record this week, had even more reason to quit the sport.
      His dad Robert, legendary uncle Joey and brother William all died racing motorcycles – although none in the Isle of Man TT.
      I’ve done extreme sports but I cannot find anything that comes even closeJohn McGuinness
      Michael said: “Nobody in my mind would have went through what I’ve been through and come back to do this if they didn’t love motorbikes.
      “I personally love motorbikes, it’s been my life. I’ve had a fantastic lifestyle out of it.
      Four years prior to his death in 2018 aged 32, William told The Sun, “I don’t care if I die racing” because it will be over in “an instant”.
      Backlash over ban calls
      There have been calls for the Isle of Man TT to be banned.
      But that is unlikely because the island in the middle of the Irish Sea has its own independent-minded government.
      There are no speed limits for the population of 85,000 people and the event brings in close to an estimated £30 million a year.
      The spots for deadly accidents, not including the latest fatal smash this week
      Even the relatives of those riders who have died do not wish to see brakes put on the TT.
      Leanne Harper, whose partner Dan Kneen died instantly after colliding with a tree in 2018, said: “With the experiences he had and the euphoria he felt, that feeling of being on the edge, Dan lived way more than the average 30-year-old. 
      “They know the risks, but the passion and joy overcomes that. 
      “If he was to have the same experiences again, knowing the outcome, he would probably have still raced the TT.”
      Last year six riders did not make it off the island alive, which equalled the previous worst year for fatalities.
      Tragically, they included Roger Stockton, 56, and son Bradley Stockton, 21, from Crewe in Cheshire, who died when their motorcycle and sidecar hit a wall.
      Mark Purslow,  29, from Llanon in west Wales, died during qualifying.
      His sister Hana said: “He always said that if he was going to go, that was the way he was going to go.”
      Mark perished on the notorious Ballagarey corner – which is nicknamed Ballascarey.
      There is no place more dangerous than the TTGuy Martin
      TV presenter Guy Martin lost control of his bike there at 170mph in 2010, escaping the fireball that engulfed his vehicle.
      Despite fracturing his spine and bruising both lungs Guy went back the next year.
      He said in 2012: “The reason I ride a motorbike is because of the danger and there is no place more dangerous than the TT. I like pushing myself.
      “I don’t like routines, I like to be challenged and nothing beats the buzz of going round there.”
      Safety measures
      This year extra safety measures have been introduced in the hope that less families will be deprived of loved ones.
      It includes GPS monitoring and a digital red flag system, so officials can react quickly to any problems.
      There is also a huge emergency team on hand, for the inevitable crashes.
      Isle of Man TT medical chief Dr Gareth Davies said: “We have a system whereby there are trackside medics that will be at the rider’s side within a matter of seconds.
      “And then we have three different helicopters to support the racing, three response cars, and then about five or six different ambulances.”
      There’s no way they’re not thinking about what can go wrong or happenJohn McGuinness
      But there is always a huge risk when a rider travelling at 180 mph can hit a wall at any time.
      Even a veteran like McGuinness admits to feeling nervous before heading out to face the demon track.

      He said: “We cross each other’s paths and it’s like ‘how are you doing’ but I know they’ll all be s***ing themselves.
      “We just cover it up a bit more. There’s no way they’re not thinking about what can go wrong or happen.”
      Only 60 solo competitors and 30 sidecar pairings get to take on the most dangerous race in motorsportCredit: Alamy
      Riders have to navigate a treacherous mountain course More

    • 238 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      If you judge Zlatan Ibrahimovic for having sport’s biggest ego, you don’t know the hellish upbringing that forged him

      by

      As football legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic made his tearful retirement speech inside Italy’s iconic San Siro stadium yesterday, a chorus of taunting boos and jeers suddenly erupted from the opposition fans.
      The 41-year-old Swedish superstar abruptly stopped his emotional heartfelt address to his beloved AC Milan supporters, turned, and pointed derisively towards the Verona fans.
      Football legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic made his tearful retirement speech inside Italy’s iconic San Siro stadium yesterdayCredit: GETTY
      The iconic striker has called time on his incredible careerCredit: Getty
      Piers describes Ibrahimovic as one of the greatest footballers in history
      ‘Keep booing,’ he mocked. ‘This is the biggest moment in your year, seeing me.’
      The Milan fans roared, the Verona fans were silenced, and he turned away to continue with his goodbye message.
      It was all classic Zlatan; only he could be loudly booed while announcing he was retiring, and only he would respond in the hilariously taunting way that he did. 
      Make no mistake, Ibrahimovic is one of the greatest footballers in history.
      READ MORE FROM PIERS
      He won 34 trophies including 14 League titles and scored 573 goals in 988 games, with well over 200 assists.
      This sensational record puts him right up there with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

      Watch Piers Morgan Uncensored weekdays on Sky 522, Virgin Media 606, Freeview 237, Freesat 217 or on Fox Nation in the US

      But there was so much more to Zlatan than just scoring goals.
      Most read in Football
      The guy has the biggest ego ever seen in any sport – and the bar for that accolade is very high – and he’s been a supremely entertaining quote machine who like his equally self-effacing sporting hero Muhammad Ali, liked to talk the talk as much as walk the walk.
      For instance, Zlatan doesn’t just think he’s God-like, he believes he’s actually God.
      Asked whether Sweden would beat Portugal in a 2014 World Cup play-off, he told a journalist: ‘Only God knows.’
      ‘It’s hard to ask him,’ replied the journalist.
      ‘You’re talking to him now,’ said Zlatan.
      This is a guy who makes even me look crippled by low esteem issues.
      ‘I can’t help but laugh at how perfect I am,’ he once declared.
      But that jaw-droppingly arrogant self-belief was born out of a very tough poverty-stricken upbringing on a rough housing estate in Malmo, Sweden.
      His cleaner mother, Jurka used to brutally beat him over the head with a wooden spoon until sometimes it broke – then order him to go and buy a new one.
      When his parents divorced, Zlatan ended up spending half his time with his abusive mum, and half with his father Sefik, a Bosnian Muslim caretaker who drank heavily in torment at the unfurling Yugoslav war.
      Zlatan, a consequentially damaged and socially awkward young man who spoke with a lisp, hated his big nose, and was permanently hungry, turned to stealing and vandalism and admits he would probably have become a criminal if it wasn’t for football.
      But his natural ability to kick a ball, brilliantly as it quickly turned out, turned out to be his salvation.
      Zlatan honed his skills, and ferocity, in tough street matches, and as his talent grew so did his size until he ended up a 6ft 5in 15st monster who terrorised defenders all over the world.
      ‘You can take the boy out of the ghetto,’ he said, ‘but you can’t take the ghetto out of the boy.’
      He was physically imperious, a giant of a footballing deity walking among mere mortals, but he was notably patient and courteous to everyone, young and oldPiers on Zlatan
      Zlatan viewed football as he viewed life: ‘It’s a fight.’
      And he knew how to fight, becoming a taekwondo blackbelt.
      He also knew what made him so good.
      ‘I need to be angry to play well,’ he admitted. ‘I need to shout and make some noise.’
      That he certainly did, breaking almost as many opponents’ bones as he broke records in two decades of rage-fuelled kicks, slaps, headbutts, and sneaky punches.
      Zlatan’s tongue was as savage as his feet.
      He once called Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola ‘a coward with no balls’, told Romelu Lukaku to ‘go do your voodoo sh*t, you little donkey’ (for which he received a 10-match ban) and branded fellow bad-boy Joey Barton an ‘English p*ssy.’
      Away from football, he was just as reckless, boasting of out-speeding police in his Ferrari or Porsche while ‘driving like a madman’ and reaching 202mph on one occasion.
      But beneath the fire and fury was a more sensitive soul.
      ‘Complex is the best word to describe Zlatan,’ said David Lagercrantz, the Swedish author who co-wrote the star’s autobiography I am Zlatan.
      ‘On the one hand he’s a strong, warrior type who knew he had to be very tough to survive. So, he takes on fights all the time because he’s always had to. But another part of him is vulnerable.
      ‘He’s a guy wounded by his upbringing, who uses all that to create strength for himself. In his position, 99 guys out of 100 would have gone under, but he used his anger to make himself better.’
      It certainly did.
      Ibrahimovic once scored all four of Sweden’s goals in a 4-2 victory over England, and his last goal, a 35-yard bicycle kick, was described by the late great commentator legend John Motson as the best he ever saw.
      But I don’t think it’s even the best Zlatan scored.
      There’s a YouTube clip of a goal he scored for Dutch team Ajax against NAC Breda that is so breathtakingly, dazzlingly magnificent in its panache, verve, and audacity, it almost defies belief. He basically tortures half the rival team with his genius before he scores.
      The only place Zlatan isn’t No1 in his own eyes is at home.
      His wife Helena Seger, a beautiful blonde economics graduate from a smart middle-class background who is 11 years his senior and mother of their two sons, Maximilian and Vincent, was a successful former children’s TV presenter when they met outside a bureau de change at Malmo train station.
      She thought Zlatan, then just 20, was a rude, crude, cocky yob.
      But they soon fell in love, and she is credited with taming the beast.
      Or almost.
      ‘She understands my character and accepts that I am a bit crazy. I was surrounded by chaos when we met. I was out of control. I am calmer today.’
      When asked what he’d bought her for a Valentine’s Day gift, he replied: ‘What do you mean, ‘present?’ She got Zlatan.’
      I’ve only met him once, in Los Angeles four years ago when he was playing for LA Galaxy in the MLS League and scored both goals in the home side’s win.
      Afterwards, to appease my eldest son Spencer who loves him and had come to the game with me, we waited 90 minutes for Zlatan to emerge from his media duties and walk down a line of starry-eyed people wanting to pay homage.
      He was physically imperious, a giant of a footballing deity walking among mere mortals, but he was notably patient and courteous to everyone, young and old.
      He had no idea who I was, but I congratulated him on his performance, he thanked me politely, we posed for a selfie, and then he walked on.
      And I realised that, as with my friend Cristiano Ronaldo, there were two Zlatans: the swaggering cocky iconic beast of a football genius, and the far humbler person away from the pitch and TV cameras.
      He was the main inspiration for Ted Lasso’s Series 3 star signing Zava, the ‘best player on the planet’ who’s a very nice guy away from his chest-beating press conferences.
      And as with Cristiano, it comes down to this: if I needed a team to win a match to save my life, Zlatan Ibrahimovic would one of my first choices.
      He’d snarl, he’d taunt, he’d fight, he’d argue with the referee, he’d gesticulate abusively to the opposition fans, but he’d also score, and win the game.
      Because that’s what Zlatan’s done throughout his life and career.
      ‘I’m very competitive,’ he once said, ‘so the more extreme and the more challenging, the better. I never turn down a challenge. My continued desire to play comes from that inability to ever give up.’
      Now, that desire has finally succumbed to Father Time, but don’t expect Zlatan Ibrahimovic to go quietly into the sunset.
      Whatever he does next though, his legacy is assured.
      ‘Where I come from,’ he said, ‘people were always judging me and telling me, “No, that’s not possible”. I want to show kids growing up like I did that anything’s possible. I’m the living proof that you can succeed.’
      He is.
      Read More on The Sun
      Thanks for all the entertainment, Zlatan.
      You’ve not quite been the greatest ever footballer – that’s Cristiano – but you’ve been the game’s greatest character.
      Over the course of his career Zlatan won 34 trophies including 14 League titlesCredit: Rex
      His wife, Helena Seger, is credited with taming the beast and celebrated with him as he made his speechCredit: GETTY More

    • 250 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      My flat overlooks major football stadium – we can watch every game but there’s an unexpected problem about living here

      by

      FOR die-hard fans, the thought of owning a flat overlooking your team’s football pitch is a dream come true.That was the case for lifelong AFC Wimbledon supporters David Kenwery and Liam Nolan when property adjoining the club’s brand new stadium became available.
      Blocks of flats adjoin the AFC Wimbledon stadium in south west LondonCredit: Rex
      The development was supposed to provide ‘affordable’ homes for people struggling to get on the housing ladder – with the added perk that some flats overlook a football pitchCredit: Olivia West
      The friends bought a fourth floor two-bedroom, two-bathroom flat off-plan built within the grounds of the Cherry Red Records Stadium on Plough Lane – despite the fact neither of them live anywhere near it.
      Offshore wind farm site manager David is based in Hull, while IT consultant Liam, who grew up in the area, now works in Adelaide, Australia. 
      But both men regularly make the trip to south west London to watch the EFL League Two team they have supported for 40 years.
      Flats like David and Liam’s now go for a hefty £570,000 – however David, 60, tells The Sun: “For a football fan, homes built into a ground is about as good as it gets. 
      READ MORE FOOTBALL STORIES
      “How could I resist having a home next to the ground for match days?”
      But living above AFC Wimbledon’s pitch can come with some strange quirks – including one particular rule.
      On a residents forum for the flats, tenants claim they’re forbidden from hanging washing out on their balconies.
      Some of the flats offer a fantastic view of the pitchCredit: Getty
      Residents of the flashy Stadia apartments say the ground rent has rocketedCredit: Cascade News
      And when we visit, some tell us their ground rent – a maintenance fee for house buyers – has DOUBLED since they moved in, making their monthly costs now the same as a typical mortgage.
      Most read in Football
      Some tenants living in the flashy Stadia apartments run by Galliard Homes claim that as well as coughing up £500 a month in fees, they are being asked to pay a whopping £25,000 to use one of the spaces in the underground car park.
      Meanwhile people living nearby the new stadium claim their weekends can be fraught with hassle, with regular traffic jams and fans blocking drives and using their front gardens as a toilet.

      One young couple said they had paid £750,000 for a three-bedroom flat in the new development, where the shared ownership deals on offer meant some buyers only had to pay a portion of their home’s full value.
      The woman, 27, who declined to give her name, said: “Moving here allowed us to buy our first home so we were happy and grateful for that.
      “But they doubled the ground rent after we moved in, from £350 to £700, which was not what we were expecting.
      “We complained and it has now come down to about £500. But that’s still the same amount that some people will spend on their entire mortgage!”
      Like David and Liam’s, the couple’s apartment has a direct view of AFC Wimbledon’s pitch, which means they get a free view of the team’s games when they play – but they “don’t see it as a perk”.
      Some flat owners have moaned they can’t hang washing on their balconiesCredit: Olivia West
      Traffic can be grid-locked on match daysCredit: Olivia West
      The woman’s partner, also in his 20s, adds: “We can see the pitch from our window but – let’s be honest – they’re not the best football team.
      “Another issue is that they’re demanding £25,000 to buy a parking space in the flats, which is completely unaffordable.
      “And it seems that no-one here wants to pay that as the car park is always empty. It’s ridiculous.”
      Before they were unveiled a few years ago, developers Galliard Homes boasted that around a third of the 604 homes would be available through shared ownership, which would provide “luxury living to all levels of buyers”.
      The fact that a number of the apartments overlooked the football ground was also a key selling point – with AFC Wimbledon fans in particular keen to snap up the homes.
      Emotional return
      The Plough Lane stadium’s completion marked an emotional return for a football club that had been torn away from its natural home since 2002.
      That was the year the Football Association agreed the old Wimbledon F.C. could relocate 60 miles north to Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire to prevent it from going bankrupt.
      The players were dubbed the ‘crazy gang’ in the 1980s because of their FA Cup winning heroics – upsetting Liverpool in the 1988 final – and the antics of club heroes like midfield hardman Vinnie Jones.
      So morphing into a new team called the MK Dons was never going to be accepted by the majority of supporters.
      Those that boycotted the move created AFC Wimbledon in its place and a window of opportunity emerged when Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium closed in 2017.
      The new AFC Wimbledon stadium is built on the site of an old dog trackCredit: Olivia West
      Planning permission was won for a stadium to be built on the 12-acre site just 250 yards from the club’s original ground that closed down 30 years ago.
      Galliard Homes agreed to stump up £14million for the new 9,300 capacity ground on the proviso that a number of apartment buildings would be erected alongside it.
      The company claimed that with one-bedroom flats on offer from £425,000, it would be affordable for both first time buyers and local parents looking for buy-to-let opportunities.
      But the romantic vision of a small club finally finding a home isn’t shared by some who live in the area.
      Adam Pfeiffer, 52, lives on a small private road opposite the new ground and reminisces about the peaceful weekends he used to enjoy before the club returned.
      Mechanic Adam says: “It’s a nightmare living here now and I don’t even like football.
      “The fans take the p***. They park wherever they want and litter all over the street. I regularly spot people using my front garden as a toilet on weekends.”
      On ‘event days’ you have to pay £3.20 for one hourCredit: Olivia West
      Business owners like Andrew Yeates are getting cheesed off with the new stadiumCredit: Olivia West
      Kris McKnight runs BB Plumbers close to the stadium. He says: “The dogs stadium was falling to bits so I guess they needed to do something, but it’s a shame that they got rid of it.
      “It was the last dog track in England and it was a great night out when you won.”
      Business owners are also getting cheesed off with the new stadium because they are now being made to pay £3.20 an hour for parking on match days.
      Andrew Yeates – director of the local Balloon and Kite Company – says: “The only real impact is the parking restrictions.
      “On ‘event days’ you have to pay and display for one hour and that makes parking more difficult. 
      “We have to pay for the hour when we are working and then move it around, or we have to park a long way away.
      “The biggest complaint I have is that you don’t always know when it’s an event day so you can get caught out. If you don’t know, you get a ticket, it’s that simple.”
      ‘Traffic is gridlocked’
      Roldan Aquino says the new development is a nightmare for traffic in the area, which was already congestedCredit: Olivia West
      Roldan Aquino, 50, helps run a food truck opposite the stadium where gourmet burgers cost £9. 
      He says traffic is frequently gridlocked around the new stadium.  
      “It can be a nightmare some days,” he says. “When there are temporary traffic lights here for whatever reason, it completely kills the business – people can’t get through and a 10 minute drive takes about three hours.”
      But not every business owner is downcast about the new development. Ania Ridley, 40, is landlady at the The Corner Pin pub where a pint of lager costs £5.10.
      She says: “I’ve worked here for 21 years and when the stadium was first built, I was worried because we all know what football fans can be like. 
      “But the ones that come here are really nice and polite – they even apologise if they spill their drinks.
      “And the development has brought in new people and younger people into the area, which is great for the pub.
      “It used to be mainly old people popping in for a drink but we have a younger crowd now and they are more likely to spend money.  
      “I think the new flats have given the whole area a boost.”
      The landlady of The Corner Pin pub, Ania Ridley, has welcomed the new developmentCredit: Olivia West
      A spokesperson for Galliard Homes said: “The Wimbledon Grounds development has been a resounding success, offering significant benefits to the local community.
      “One of the notable achievements of this project was the successful return of AFC Wimbledon to Plough Lane, made possible through our financial support and the generous gifting of land to the football club.
      “The Wimbledon Grounds development was undertaken as a joint venture partnership with The Peabody Trust, previously known as Catalyst Housing Association. Due to this partnership, we were able to achieve a significant increase in the number of affordable housing units, rising from an initial 60 to an impressive 181. These units were subsequently transferred to Catalyst Housing Association, who oversaw the sales and management of them as shared equity properties.

      “Parking was offered as an additional cost, due to the limited number of parking spaces available for the private units. Most spaces were held by Catalyst Housing Association for use of the affordable units.
      “The ground rents for the properties were determined in the traditional manner, based on the size of each flat. The initial rate was set at 0.1% of the property price, followed by a nominal peppercorn amount in subsequent years.” More