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    I watch live Premier League games from my FLAT – I save hundreds on a season ticket but there’s a downside

    A FOOTBALL fan has revealed how she can watch live Premier League games from her own flat – but there’s a downside.Noemi Oberhauser, 23, rents out her two-bedroom flat for £1,200 a month – and it comes with a staggering view of West London’s Gtech Community Stadium, home of Brentford FC.
    Noemi Oberhauser, 23, loves the views of the football stadiumCredit: instagram
    Noemi Oberhauser lives by West London’s Gtech Community Stadium – home of Brentford FCCredit: Rex
    The singer-songwriter can see almost the entire pitch from her flatCredit: SWNS
    The singer-songwriter can see almost the entire pitch from her flat – with the football fan loving to cheer on Brentford with her mates after moving in last October.
    And she saves hundreds thanks to her flat’s location as an East Stand season ticket can cost up to £449.

    Speaking to the Mirror, Noemi said: “I never watched football before. Now I’m a huge Brentford fan.
    “I love this apartment.”
    She added: “I saw all these new buildings around the stadium and I thought I’d love to live there one day.
    “I was actively searching for that apartment and some of the flats were available. The view is amazing.”
    The first match she watched was Brentford vs Chelsea which she loved.
    But the football fan revealed the flat does have one downside – that the net closest to her is blocked out.
    Most read in Football
    It means she misses a goal or two.
    The downside doesn’t phase her though – with the football fan saying she simply switches on the TV to see the blocked goal.
    Thanks to her flat, the young woman can watch stars like Bryan Mbeumo.
    She also now has binoculars to watch the action, just as if she was in the stands herself.
    Noemi added: “My friends think it’s cool.”
    She’s not the only football fan to love living next to a football stadium in the UK.
    Those living next to the Ashton Gate Stadium, home of Bristol City Football Club have revealed how crowds descend on their homes.
    Whenever a goal is scored roars from the football stadium echo around the streets.
    And many locals said they were forced to park their car somewhere else on match day – but the upside was free tickets to concerts.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    Josh Bennett, 28, told The Sun: “I sometimes have to move my car when there’s a game on and there’s often a heavy police presence with horses.
    “But it’s a novelty rather than an inconvenience and I love the nice vibe we get from there always being something going on.”
    The football fan loves cheering on the teamCredit: SWNS
    The football fan loves cheering on Brentford FCCredit: Getty
    The young woman said her friends love her flatCredit: instagram More

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    Stadium with bigger capacity than Premier League teams ‘left to rot’ with weeds & graffiti as locals blast £70M ‘waste’

    A STADIUM that can hold a larger capacity crowd than some Premier League sides has been left to rot as locals say it was a huge waste of money.Residents living in the shadow of Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games stadium say the area has been left “to rot and go to waste” amid the council’s bankruptcy woes.
    Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium used for the Commonwealth Games has now been left to rotCredit: SWNS
    The flats which were built for the athletes are now left emptyCredit: SWNS
    The stadium has been daubed with graffitiCredit: SWNS
    Locals in Perry Barr, in the north of the city, claim the costly bid to host last summer’s games has had little benefit to their community despite a staggering £184m investment.
    Alexander Stadium was revamped ahead of the multi-million pound sporting event – but the surrounding area has since been left in disrepair and “like a building site”.
    The stadium could hold a capacity crowd of 18,000, making it larger than Luton Town’s ground which can hold 11,500 while Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium can accommodate 11,379.
    Apart from seeing “no legacy whatsoever” following the games people say the area is now a complete mess with much of it still fenced off with graffiti-clad boards.
    Read More on Stadiums
    Parts of Perry Park have remained inaccessible since last summer with a Birmingham 2022 tarmac car park still in place.
    Families also say there is no equipment for children to use following the removal of the play area and little green space for them to enjoy.
    Angry residents have now called for the works on the park to be completed but fear they may never happen following the council effectively declaring itself bankrupt.
    They accused the local authority of making “empty promises” and say they should have known the cost of hosting the games would be the “final nail in the coffin.”
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    Birmingham City Council boasted it would regenerate the inner city area including new homes, a shipping container park and the revamped stadium.
    New flats were also built nearby for the athletes’ village but the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and spiralling costs meant they were not ready on time.
    A whopping £16m was spent moving the Perry Barr bus depot 300 metres to make way for the flat development.
    Residents say the benefits of hosting the event was difficult to see 13 months on from welcoming people from across the globe to the city.
    Mum-of-two Sandra Wilde, 45, of Perry Barr, said: “It’s no wonder the council has gone bankrupt – we should never have hosted the games. It was just a vanity project.
    “It was all unveiled to great fanfare when behind the scenes they were struggling to balance the books even back then.
    “The area has been left a real mess with people unable to use our local park. You’ve got fences and big boards up everywhere which are strewn with graffiti.
    “It’s attracting anti-social behaviour. If anything the area has got worse not better.
    “They have made empty promises the whole way through – from an athletes’ village which wasn’t even used to a train station design that changed from a state-of-the art place to what looks like a copper garden shed.
    “The council also spent stupid amounts of money on moving a bus depot a few yards down the road – it’s just baffling this has been allowed to happen.”
    Jon Pritchard, 31, an IT worker, from Perry Barr, added: “We’ve been constantly fobbed off with false promises and the place has been left to rot.
    “It’s been a complete waste of money and now the council has gone bust I fear the work will never get finished.
    “It’s still like a building site a more than a year on. The stadium lies derelict most of the time. The place is dead. Nobody lives in the athletes’ village flats yet either.
    “The atmosphere during the games was magical and it felt like Birmingham was finally on the map – now we’re just back to being a laughing stock again.
    “It’s scandalous what they have done. How can a big city likes this, the Second City, be allowed to go bankrupt. It’s sheer incompetence.”
    Amdadur Rahman moved to Perry Barr from Stratford, East London, a few weeks ago and said the Birmingham games legacy was nothing compared to the 2012 Olympics.
    He said: “They should have put on more activities and sorted the park for the children. You go to the Olympic Stadium and there’s lots of stuff for kids.
    “Compared to the London stadium which is open to people, this stadium is dead. So they should be doing something.
    “This place should be busy, but it’s not, they should be working with schools to advertise it for community use. It could be really nice.
    “Now the council going bankrupt makes me very concerned they won’t finish the work off in the park and surrounding area.”
    Full-time mum Khameela Bukhari, 35, added: “It’s just horrible, you can’t take the kids to do anything. It’s one of those places you don’t want to go anywhere near now.
    “We were promised the park would be finished for residents to go back there and there’s nothing. It’s heartbreaking. It’s not a nice place to be anymore.
    “It’s like a junk place, people would dump things. It was horrible. We were told it would go back to normal. We didn’t think we would be stuck like this.
    “It’s like one big hole. At the stadium nothing is happening, it’s all fenced off, what’s the point? It’s all false promises.
    “We were told everything would be better for residents and there would be this games legacy and there’s been nothing. Nothing has been done.
    “it’s not fair on us, we all pay our taxes. The facilities were there and they’ve not been given back. It’s dead money. They’ve invested but what’s happening after? Nothing.”
    Kath Sandra, 70, who lives near the stadium, said: “It was only yesterday we said it was looking a right mess. We don’t know what’s going on.
    “They took a play area away and haven’t given it back. There’s a lot of gripe there with parents. They built some flats but nobody uses them.
    “The Commonwealth Games was amazing and it must have bought money in. But now they are bankrupt through their own fault and it us that will have to pay for it.”
    The largest local authority in Europe this week issued a Section 114 notice preventing all but essential spending and still has a budget gap of £87m to plug.
    The total cost of the games was estimated at about £778m, with the city council and local partners contributing around £184m.
    Months before the games, the council reported a £25m hole in its funding for the event and said the shortfall would be made up from a contingency fund.
    A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “Since the Alexander Stadium was handed back by Games organisers to the council in November 2022, a programme of reinstatement works has started in parallel with the development of plans to deliver a wide range of further legacy enhancements to the surrounding park area.
    “This has resulted in various parts of the site being re-opened to the public as soon as possible since then.
    “Local residents, site users and community groups have been kept updated throughout – and we are preparing for a period of public engagement on the legacy proposals that will be starting soon.
    “We fully understand the desire for the park to be reinstated and appreciate the patience that has been shown in recent months.
    “We are determined to work with those who have an interest in the park to shape plans for a significantly enhanced site for everyone to enjoy.”
    Regarding the Games, the spokesperson added: “The Commonwealth Games was a fantastic achievement and a great showcase for the city on a global stage.
    “These immediate challenges will not diminish the council’s ambition in supporting the upward trajectory that the City of Birmingham is currently experiencing following the successful delivery of the Games.
    Read More on The Sun
    “Record levels of investment continue to flow into the city, and the council will work with key strategic partners to ensure that this remains the case.
    “Birmingham is very much open for business.”
    Locals say the area has been left ‘to rot and go to waste’ as Birmingham City Council struggle with its financesCredit: SWNS
    Alexander Stadium, which remains incomplete and inaccessible to the public, has left a bad feeling among localsCredit: SWNS More

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    Stadium bigger than Wembley with 100,000 seats left half-finished with cranes still standing after club relegated

    A HALF-finished stadium larger than Wembley has been left abandoned with the cranes still in place.The Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande, now known just as Guangzhou FC, left fans impressed when they announced ambitious plans for their new stadium which could hold a capacity crowd of 100,000 people.
    The stadium remains half-finishedCredit: Getty
    How the developers hoped the finished stadium would have lookedCredit: Reuters
    The stadium has been left abandoned ever since the property developer ran into financial dificultyCredit: AFP
    The initial design was for a Lotus-shaped structure which would have put England’s home ground in northwest London in the shade.
    Wembley can hold a capacity crowd of 90,000 while the biggest stadium in Europe, Barcelona’s Camp Nou, can seat a maximum of 99,354.

    However, since work got under way in April 2020, The Evergrande Group, one of China’s largest property developers and owners of the club, has run into financial trouble and is struggling with debt.
    Evergrande, China’s most indebted developer, is thought to have debts totalling a massive £220billion.
    Read More on Stadiums
    Those crippling debts forced the firm to halt construction on the new stadium in Guangzhou.
    In November 2021, the stadium was seized by the Chinese government with plans to sell the incomplete stadium to another company or transfer ownership to the state-owned Guangzhou City Construction Investment Group.
    The project was ultimately cancelled in mid-2022.
    Photographs of the half-finished ground show the stands left with part-filled seats and the cranes still in place as there were no builders to man them.
    Most read in Football
    What had been built of the stadium was set to be auctioned off.
    Last December though, the Chinese government was forced to step in and take over the debt-riddled firm’s stadium.
    Reports suggest Evergrande stands to make a loss of around £143million on the project after giving up the property rights to the land to the government.
    With the stadium left abandoned Guangzhou FC has been forced to remain at the multi-purpose Tianhe Stadium, which has been their home ground since 2011, and has a capacity crowd of just over 50,000.
    Despite the side being a dominant force in Chinese football over the past decade, lifting eight CSL titles in 11 years, it was regulated from the Super League in 2022 having won just three games in 33 matches.
    Evergrande filed for bankruptcy protection in the US in August 2023.
    In July this year, it posted a combined loss of £64billion for 2021 and 2022.
    The property giant’s troubles though are only the tip of the iceberg as China’s property sector remains in turmoil.
    Major developers have failed to complete housing projects, which has triggered protests and mortgage boycotts from homeowners.
    There are also fears that problems in the country’s property sector could impact other parts of China’s economy as growth slows.
    Since the sector’s debt crisis unfolded in mid-2021, companies accounting for 40 per cent of Chinese home sales have defaulted.
    Beijing has recently tried to bolster the real estate sector by cutting mortgage rates, slashing red tape and offering more loans to developers.
    Huge apartment blocks have been left eerily quiet as construction stops and unfinished skyscrapers have even been bulldozed.
    The shocking oversupply of housing in China means analysts have estimated an eyewatering 90million people could be housed in the empty properties.
    The construction frenzy has also left half-built amusements parks and tourist attractions abandoned for years – and a full-scale replica of the Titanic costing £110million has been sat rusting for six years.
    Read More on The Sun
    An amusement park called Wonderland near Beijing has been deserted for more than 20 years after a feud between the local government and farmers over property prices halted construction.
    It was promised to be the “largest amusement park in Asia” – but it’s now it’s a post-apocalyptic maze of overgrown pathways and abandoned castle-like buildings.
    Cranes have been left abandoned on the siteCredit: Getty
    The original plans were for the stadium to hold a capacity crowd of 100,000Credit: AFP
    Evergrande stands to make a loss of around £143million on the project, reports sayCredit: AFP More

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    Inside luxury enclave where Mason Greenwood could live in eight-bedroom mansion in Spain’s ‘Beverly Hills’

    MASON Greenwood could be set to move into a sprawling mansion in an exclusive neighbourhood that was once home to superstars like David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane. On Friday the striker sealed a season-long loan deal to LaLiga side Getafe in an attempt to kick start his career.
    Mason Greenwood signs for Getafe CF Mason Greenwood to Getafe, deal now sealed and signedCredit: @GetafeCFen / Twitter
    The exclusive neighbourhood of LaFinca is just a 20-minute drive from Getafe
    The entrance to the gated communityCredit: PROMORA
    Manchester United will contribute around £8,000 per month toward the villaCredit: PROMORA/YOUTUBE
    Big stars such as Beckham and Zidane used to live in the area
    Manchester United confirmed last month Greenwood would not play for the club again after a six-month internal investigation into rape and assault charges that were dropped.
    The Sun exclusively revealed that Man United had put together a care package worth £8,000 per month which will pay for villa near his new club’s training ground.

    Now The Sun can reveal that Greenwood could be set to move into an exclusive enclave on the outskirts of Madrid that was once home to superstars such as Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zidane and Gareth Bale.
    Fernando Torres and Sergio Ramos are among the current residents in LaFinca, where properties sell for around €15million and can cost up to €20,000 per month to rent.
    It is known as one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in Spain, offering top notch security and most importantly, privacy.
    The enclave is described as Spain’s ‘Beverly Hills’ and is home to some of the country’s wealthiest people with sprawling mansions, luxury golf courses and shopping malls.
    A private security firm has agents patrolling its tree-lined streets, while guards are stationed at the entrance 24/7.
    It has three perimeter fences to keep out unwelcome visitors and any potential burglars, while scores of security cameras have every corner covered.
    Most read in Football
    It is deemed so safe that many of the homeowners reportedly don’t even bother installing an alarm system in the upmarket area of Pozuelo de Alarcon.
    Bale paid around £10,000-per-month in rent to stay in the Pozuelo de Alarcón part of La Finca, in an amazing 1,500 square metre property that is built on two-storeys.
    It boasts four bedrooms, an indoor pool, gym, two utility rooms, several terraces and porches, as well as a six-car garage.
    Former Man United ace Ronaldo bought a home there for around €5million in 2010 before carrying out extensive renovation works.
    It now counts seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a fully-equipped gym, garage and more.
    The home was last year shown on the Netflix reality show ‘Soy Georgina’, which followed the daily life of his partner Georgina Rodriguez.
    LaFinca is one of two luxury neighbourhoods that Greenwood would likely move to, the other being La Moraleja, just a further 20 minutes’ drive north-east.
    They have endured a fierce rivalry when it comes to footballers in recent years.
    A spokeswoman from estate agency Promora, which sells properties in both areas, told the Sun: “I cannot say where Greenwood will be living but it will most likely be between La Finca or La Morajela.
    “Either are like a footballer’s paradise because they are very green areas with wide avenues and with great 24-hour security.
    “They have everything they need with their own shops, supermarkets and cinemas etc, meaning they don’t ever have to leave.
    In 2016, French player Raphael Varane had his home in La Moraleja raided.
    The spokesman added: “It really depends on their lifestyle. If they have children for example, La Moraleja can be a preferred option because there are many top quality international colleges nearby.”
    MAD FOR IT
    One mansion in the Moraleja neighbourhood of Alcobendas even has a nuclear bunker.
    The H-shaped estate, which David Beckham visited during his stint at Real Madrid, has an 80 square metre bunker that is ‘totally sealed’ off, complete with a bedroom, bathroom, food supplies and a radio communication system, according to director of Promora Gonzalo Lopez-van Dam.
    While La Moraleja has a private security firm, some of its streets are still accessible to the public, increasing the risk of being photographed or robbed.
    Nevertheless, it still attracts huge stars, including Real Madrid’s Luka Modric, who lives in a €12million villa with his wife and three children.
    It now appears that Greenwood is determined to seize the chance to turn his career around in Spain.
    A source said: “He’s going on loan but remains a United player.“It means the club has an ongoing duty of care to him and they’ve pledged to help him make a success of his move to Spain.
    “The villa is big enough for friends and family to visit. They will get the opportunity to travel to see him as much as they can.
    “It’s important he has a solid support network around him. The last thing they want is Mason isolated.”
    It is understood United will pay more than half of his £75,000-a-week wages while he is in Spain.
    Another source said Greenwood is raring to go. They added: “He’s happy he’s got himself a club in LaLiga and can finally begin to put the last two years behind him.
    Read More on The Sun
    “He wants to concentrate on football and becoming the best version of himself — on and off the field. He’s looking forward to playing against Barcelona and Real Madrid.
    “He’s going to show everyone that he’s changed and that he’s matured. He knows it’ll be a long road but it starts here.”
    A view of the renowned Pozuelo de AlarconCredit: Wikipedia
    A communal garden in the gated suburb popular with footballers
    La Moraleja is another exclusive enclave in the areaCredit: supplied
    Private security guards patrol the streetsCredit: Handout More

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    Wales set to have lowest home crowd in four years for friendly against South Korea

    WALES fans are set to deliver under-fire boss Robert Page a vote of no confidence with their lowest home crowd in FOUR years for Thursday’s friendly against South Korea.Page’s side have won just one of their 12 internationals – a 1-0 home win over Latvia in March – and lie in fourth spot of their Euro 2024 qualification group.
    Son Heung-min arrives in Cardiff fresh from his hat-trick for Tottenham in the 5-2 Premier League win at Burnley on SaturdayCredit: AFP
    Wales fans are unhappy with recent form after just one win in 12 internationalsCredit: Reuters
    The previous lowest crowd in recent times – Covid matches aside – was the sparse 7,666 attendance for a 1-0 friendly win over Belarus in September 2019 when Ryan Giggs was manager.
    SunSport understands a similar level of support is expected in Cardiff.
    Tottenham captain Son Heung-min leads South Korea for the friendly clash in the Welsh capital.
    The Football Association of Wales had only sold 7,000 tickets last week.
    read more in football
    And that means the 33,280-capacity Cardiff City Stadium is likely to be less than a third full at best with empty seats across the ground.
    A section of Wales fans want Page to be sacked following a dismal set of results which included a humiliating 4-2 home qualifying loss to Armenia in front of a sell-out crowd in June.
    That was followed up by a 2-0 defeat in Group D leaders Turkey.
    They are already five points clear of the Welsh with Armenia and Croatia also above them in the race for Germany although they have played fewer games.
    Most read in Football

    But, despite the horror run of form, Page, 48, has received the backing from FAW chief executive Noel Mooney.
    Wales must-win against bottom side Latvia when they travel to Riga next Monday if they want to keep their slim hopes of automatic qualification for next summer’s finals alive.
    Only the top two qualify from the group.
    However, Page’s men could be handed a route through the back door via the play-offs next year because of their previous Nations League success.
    But a failure to collect those all-important three points against the Latvians will only increase the mounting pressure on Page, who signed a four-year deal 12 months ago before the World Cup. More

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    We live by a major Premier League stadium – we used to love it here but it’s so run down we’re being forced out

    LOCALS who live next to a famous Premier League stadium say they used to love the area but now want to leave because its a s*** tip.The collection of maisonettes, flats and older houses near Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium is known as the Grey Mare estate.
    One home features a mural depicting Manchester City manager Pep GuardiolaCredit: STEVE ALLEN
    Some properties have been renovated but other work has been abandonedCredit: STEVE ALLEN
    Homeowners living close by Manchester City’s ground are threatening to leaveCredit: STEVE ALLEN
    Many locals have witnessed the transformation of the area thanks to the construction of the 55,000 seater stadium and nearby sports campus over recent decades.
    But after Manchester City Council recently approved plans for a £300m expansion of Manchester City’s stadium, locals on the Grey Mare estate claim they are being left behind.
    Plans to refurbish and improve the old Grey Mere estates have been hit by a series of snags and financial set backs.
    Now locals are saying they have had enough and want out.One resident who has lived on the estate for 50 years told the Manchester Evening News: “I used to feel really good about living here.”But since all this, it’s just a s*** tip – and it’s right by the stadium where thousands of people come.”I’ve lived here since I was five – this is the first time I’ve thought I’d like to move.”
    A masterplan drawn up in 2021 suggested demolishing 124 maisonettes, flats and houses and building 290 new homes but this too has been put on hold – with many properties now remaining boarded up.
    Glenda O’Hanlon said the paused redevelopment plans left the estate looking like an unfinished “jigsaw puzzle”.
    Manchester Central’s Labour MP Lucy Powell said she was “very concerned and disappointed” by a lack of progress redeveloping the estate.
    She said: “I feel that the current leadership of One Manchester aren’t up to that task of delivering a big scheme like that.
    Most read in Football
    “They’ve let residents down in the process and some of the work that’s been carried out has not been carried out to the standard we’d expect.”
    One Manchester manages the social housing on the estate and planned to retrofit properties to improve their energy efficiency, but the scheme has stalled.
    One Manchester admitted residents had “understandable frustrations” but blamed an absence of “appropriate government-backed funding”.
    The firm said they were working with the city council “to make improvements for both our customers and the wider estate over the coming months”.
    A spokesperson added: “We will also look to collaborate on further investment proposals with MCC in the future.”
    Manchester council’s executive member for housing and development Gavin White said: “The proposals to invest in and regenerate the Grey Mare Lane estate remain a priority for the council.
    “We reassured local people at a meeting last week that the planned works would continue as promised.
    “This includes delivering new homes which will complement the previous investment in this community, including new schools and leisure centre.”
    The £300m scheme to expand city’s stadium received the green light from town planners in July.
    Read More on The Sun
    The proposal would see an extra 7,900 seats added to the north stand, increasing the stadium capacity to 61,958, as well as a a nine storey, 391-bedroom hotel and a new eight storey building constructed.
    Building work is set to start later this year. The scheme is expected to be delivered by late 2026.
    Locals are leading an exodus from a neglected estate next to reigning Premier League and European champions Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium More

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    We live by a major UK stadium – here’s why it’s the best place in the city to have a home

    FOOTBALL fans who live in the shadow of one of Britain’s best-known stadiums say it’s the best place in the city to have a home.The homes on Wesley Street, which leads down to Leeds United’s Elland Road ground, are pretty much all owned by fans of the club and there’s hardly ever a for sale sign outside any of them.
    Wesley Street lies in the shadow of the famous Elland Road stadiumCredit: NB PRESS LTD
    Gran Joyce Brown has lived in the street since 1963 when the properties were first builtCredit: NB PRESS LTD
    Simon Dyson has lived on the road since he was three and loves itCredit: NB PRESS LTD
    Even the telephone junction boxes in the street are daubed with Leeds United badges, celebrations of by-gone players and famous chants.
    Joyce Brown, an 85-year-old grandmother, has been a season ticket holder at Elland Road for 65 years and moved into her red-brick semi in 1963 when the houses were built so she could be close to her club.
    Joyce even admitted that she and her now late husband Alan cut their honeymoon short so they could watch a game.
    She said: “Me and Alan even cut our honeymoon to Blackpool short so that we could watch a game. This is the best place to live in Leeds.”
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    Alan, who died I 1995, has his ashes interned in the Elland Road pitch.
    “Our love of Leeds United was the reason we bought this house,” said Joyce.
    “I have seen some ups and downs at the club since I watched my first game as a 12-year-old girl.”
    Joyce used to go to Leeds United games with her grandad. “But their situation, now, is upsetting me more than ever.”
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    She is not happy with the players who want to leave since relegation.
    “Alan is at the ground behind the goalposts now. We are there together at the home games still,” she said.
    Joyce can barely remember missing a game at Elland Road, other than the Covid gap, when no spectators were allowed in the ground.
    “I find it hard to think of a home game that I’ve missed. I have missed some, but not many,” she said.
    “It’s awful to say, but I have lived my life around Leeds United.”
    Joyce gave birth to her youngest son Simon at home in 1966.
    She said: “I was here and gave birth over the Friday and Saturday night to Simon. I wanted to go and watch the game against Arsenal on the Saturday afternoon, but the midwife wouldn’t let me go. We won 2-1.”
    Simon Dyson, 31, has lived on the street since he was three years old and loves it.
    The aluminium fabricator said: “I was near enough born and bred here and I’m a massive Leeds fan – you’ve got to be really.
    “It’s a beautiful view waking up to the sight of the stadium.
    “Supporting Leeds has its ups and down and it is a hard task sometimes, but I’ll never get tired of living here.
    “There is never any trouble. You can hear the crowd and can tell when they’ve scored when I’m at home. I wouldn’t move.
    “Parking isn’t a problem either because I have my permit. It’s all good.”
    Dawn Oates, 55, lives right at the bottom of Wesley Street and her house boasts a Leeds United mural on the gable end facing the ground.
    Dawn was born within a stone’s throw of the stadium in a back-to-back terrace house, which has since been demolished to make way for one of the club’s car parks.
    She has also worked as the bar supervision of the unofficial club pub The Old Peacock – which stands opposite the ground – for the last 36 years.
    Dawn said: “I have lived in the shadow of the Elland Road stadium for all of my life. I was born here.
    “I’m a season ticket holder. I work, then go and see the match – it’s great.
    “There’s no trouble now. Years ago, there would be away coaches turning up around here, but not now.
    “I’m very proud to live around here. I leave for work and it takes me just five minutes and then I can pop to the game.”
    Next door neighbour Julie Ridings, 62, doesn’t care for football, but her husband Tony is a season ticket holder.
    “I’m not a Leeds fan, but my husband is. He’s a season ticket holder,” said Julie.
    Read More on The Sun
    “The crowds don’t bother me. We’ve lived here for that long that it is just part and parcel of it.
    “We moved here 39 years ago. It keeps him happy and quiet and so I don’t mind it. I don’t like football, but I like living here.”
    Another superfan who lives in the road, Julie Ridings has a mural painted on her home dedicated to the clubCredit: NB PRESS LTD
    Leeds United’s Elland Road and the famous statue of footballing legend Billy BremnerCredit: NB PRESS LTD
    Dawn Oates lives at the bottom of Wesley StreetCredit: NB PRESS LTD More

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    Inside Harry Redknapp’s plans for new incredible seaside villa after tearing down his £7million home

    FOOTBALL legend Harry Redknapp is set to build a new incredible seaside villa after tearing down his £7million home.The plans for his new home have already caused a stir with neighbours – and he is yet to be given planning permission.
    Harry and Sandra Redknapp are battling for new home improvements approval
    The ex-Spurs manager wants to redevelop his newly-bought Sandbanks property. Pictured left, as it is now
    Harry Redknapp’s new home plansCredit: boppa.poole.gov.uk
    His application for changes has led to wranglings with council planners. Pictured, an artists impression of what the new home would look like
    Redknapp’s old waterfront home on the Millionaire’s Row has already been knocked down to make way for the new villa.
    But the former Tottenham Hotspur boss is at war with his local council as he hopes to transform the Italianate mansion in Sandbanks, Dorset.
    Plans for the home show it echoes properties around Lake Como in Italy. 
    The colossal house will have four balconies, a grand entrance hall, an open-plan living/kitchen/dining room, two receptions, a study and five ensuite bedrooms.
    There will also be a new boat house and a jetty with access to Poole Harbour.
    But Planning chiefs have reportedly criticised an application for the six-bedroom detached house.
    They say proposals for the property overlooking Poole Harbour and promising “a traditional Italianate architectural style” are “overwhelming” and “disjointed”.
    Documents suggest Redknapp has been offering compromises, such as removing bedroom windows, lowering the roof and redesigning the front door and boat house.
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    Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council said the preferred material for windows and doors should be timber.
    But Redknapp’s architects Anders Roberts Cheer hit back to say this would be “inappropriate in this exposed location”.
    A design and access statement for the new property calls it “sensitively designed” and “a carefully balanced and attractive infill development which respects the character of the area”.
    Meanwhile, neighbours have already began to complain about the plans.
    One local, Alison Wheeler said: “The proposed building is overpowering. I fear it would feel oppressive. The quiet enjoyment of our garden would be seriously impacted by the windows in the new south-west wing. 
    “The addition of several ground and first-floor windows… would have a major impact on our privacy.
    “It would create shadow in the morning and significantly reduce the light on the south-eastern aspect of our house.”
    Another resident Nicola Bailey added: “The proposed development… does not seem to respect the ‘spacing between plots’.”
    Chris Shipperley, of ARC Architects, acting for the Redknapps, said the couple had already revised the plans to appease locals.
    Sandbanks is said to be Britain’s most expensive seaside town More