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      in Soccer

      Ex-Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou seals first deal as new manager of Tottenham – and sells his stunning luxury home

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      EX-CELTIC boss Ange Postecoglou has bagged his first home win since quitting Parkhead by selling his luxury Australian home.The £1.8m Tuscan villa had only been made available on the transfer market last month.
      The villa sits near a Melbourne suburb known as BurnleyCredit: Kay and Burton
      The Tuscan style mansion offers huge living spacesCredit: Kay and Burton
      The gaffer had an upstairs study to plot transfers and tactical movesCredit: Kay and Burton
      But a wealthy buyer has already snapped up the swanky property in a swish Melbourne suburb.
      Postecoglou, 57, had kept the keys to the massive mansion during his spell in Glasgow but it emerged he was offloading it three weeks ago.
      Down Under estate agents Kay and Burton have now listed the property as sold on their website but no further details have been released.
      The pad boasts access to an indoor swimming pool and spa as well as a powder room, interior courtyard and outdoor eating areas.

      It also has an upstairs study, two large en-suite bedrooms and a walk-in wardrobe which all open out onto a stunning wraparound balcony overlooking the garden’s pond.
      Kay and Burton said: “Unparalleled in luxury and quality, this opulent villa also features a powder room, laundry, ducted heating and cooling, security alarm, secure video intercom, double garage and access to Villaggio’s indoor swimming pool, spa and gym.
      “Nestled amidst established gardens by renowned landscape designer Paul Bangay, the magnificent two-storey residence benefits from its own street frontage and has been architect-designed to create the feel of a Tuscan villa while also maximising light, style and resort-style tranquillity.
      “Stepping into the home through the ornate loggia, the soaring ceilings, gorgeous American Oak parquetry flooring and sandstone features hint at the meticulous attention to detail and refined European interiors within.”
      Most read in Football
      It boasts an outside dining space and courtyardCredit: Kay and Burton
      The island kitchen was one of the stunning selling pointsCredit: Kay and Burton
      Postecoglou has agreed a four-year deal with north London side Tottenham Hotspur.
      The gruff gaffer shattered Hoops’ fans hopes he would stay in Glasgow despite winning a domestic treble.
      Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: “Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play.
      “He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy – everything that is important to our club.
      “We are excited to have Ange join us as we prepare for the season ahead.”
      He has also targeted Celtic No2 John Kennedy for his move and has been linked with a £20m bid for Kyogo Furuhashi.
      Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page More

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      in Soccer

      We live next to a Premier League stadium but we hate it – we’re trapped in our homes, traffic is a nightmare & it’s loud

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      RESIDENTS living next to a former Premier League ground say they hate it – with road closures, traffic and noise among the nightmare problems.Thousands of home and away fans flocked to the King Power Stadium to see Leicester City play every week – before the Foxes’s relegation from the Prem last month.
      Leicester residents said match days are ‘horrible’Credit: Reuters
      The Foxes have been relegated from the Premier LeagueCredit: PA
      Now locals in the area around the ground have revealed that they are “trapped in our homes” on match days.
      Mum-of-three Shannen Kamara, 26, said: “It’s horrible when the football’s on.
      “This road is just blocked with hundreds of people when they’re leaving and they shout and make a lot of noise.
      “Sometimes, if it’s a late match, it’s after the kids have gone to bed and it disturbs them.
      Read More Football
      “One time someone was going along the street kicking bins over and the police were nearby but didn’t do anything.
      “I’ve been here three years and I really want to move to somewhere else.”
      One woman said: “The worst thing is all the traffic restrictions. It’s a real bugbear of mine.
      “It’s like being trapped in your home, unable to leave.”
      Most read in Football
      Another resident said: “It’s s***. When a match is on you can’t park at all – it’s just the worst street in Leicester.”
      George Lopes, 35, said: “The people coming through on foot are okay most of the time but after some games there’s a bit of fighting and swearing.”
      Other residents looked on the bright side – emphasising the neighbourhood’s bus stops, hospital and parks.
      It comes after residents living near another Premier League ground said that parking is a nightmare and that fans keep damaging their cars – but cops won’t help.
      Homeowners living inside a major football ground said that they can watch games from their attics – but life in the stadium has a downside.
      And locals said that living next to an iconic Midlands ground is a nightmare – with disrespectful fans leaving rubbish everywhere and blocking drives. More

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      in Soccer

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

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      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

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      in Soccer

      We live on the site of a famous old Premier League ground – fans flock to our homes but we love it… here’s why

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      RESIDENTS living on the site of an old Premier League ground say fans flock to their homes – but they love it.Almost 35,000 people packed the stands for the last time in 2003 and the ground was bulldozed.
      A view of the ground’s former centre circle in the new housing developmentCredit: Getty
      Almost 35,000 people packed the stands of Maine Road for the last time in 2003Credit: Alamy
      Many pose in front of street signs that include Blue Moon Way – a nod to the famous song chanted by supportersCredit: Getty
      City’s Shaun Goater (left) and Alf Inge Haaland (right) sandwich Derby County’s Seth Johnson (centre) at Maine RoadCredit: PA
      But that hasn’t stopped fans flocking to Maine Road, now a development of 474 homes, to get a sense of Manchester City’s history.
      City moved to the City of Manchester Stadium, now known as the Etihad Stadium.
      Many pose in front of street signs that include Blue Moon Way – a nod to the famous song chanted by supporters – and Kippax Street, which gave its name to Maine Road’s much-loved Kippax stand where fans including Noel Gallagher once stood.
      A plaque commemorating the club’s ex-groundsman also sits where the centre circle used to be.
      More on Sport
      City only won two top-tier titles while playing at Maine Road – compared to the six Premier League crowns at their new stadium – but it will always hold special memories for many supporters.
      Blues fans Lisa Johnstone and Bruno Nunes say it was a ‘dream move’ relocating to the estate in 2015 and it retains the ‘community’ vibe fostered by club.
      “We lived in Wythenshawe and wanted to find somewhere in south Manchester that was affordable,” said Lisa, 40.
      “And the fact it used to be City’s old ground was obviously a big draw. There’s real sense of history living here.”
      Most read in Football
      Lisa said the ‘strong sense of community among residents is nice because City used to be a community club’.
      She had friends and family that lived in the area and recalls going to matches as a youngster and the club handing out tickets for matches to local schools.
      City stars including Kevin De Bruyne have visited the nearby primary school, she said, and Noel Gallagher was also spotted there after filming in the area.
      Manchester City moved to the City of Manchester Stadium, now known as the Etihad StadiumCredit: Alamy
      The ground was bulldozed and is now a development of 474 homesCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      A plaque commemorating the club’s ex-groundsman also sits where the centre circle used to beCredit: Getty
      View of the Kippax and North Stand at Maine RoadCredit: Alamy
      She added: “There’s a real mix of people living here, families, young professionals, people from different places and backgrounds.
      “It’s a great location and I think it’s become a desirable place to live.
      “It also feels very safe which is good because the area – Moss Side – got a bit of a negative image in the 1980s and 1990s due to all the gun crime, which led to Manchester being nicknamed ‘Gunchester’.”
      Bruno, 39, originally from Portugal, praises the community facilities, especially for children, and also loves feeling part of City’s history, despite originally being a Benfica fan.
      “I remember the old stadium and where we live now is round the corner from centre circle and near old Kippax stand,” he said.
      “Other fans come to visit and I spoke to some from Ireland the other week as they walked around and took photos next to the street signs.”
      Other residents, such as Arek Bartniczak, 40, were initially unaware of the City connection when they moved to the estate.
      The father-of-two, originally from Poland, said: “I only found out when I was a setting up a bill payment over the phone and mentioned I was living on Blue Moon Way,” he said.
      “‘Oh, you must be City fan,’ the person asked. But I like the area, everyone is friendly and my two children are both happy at school.”
      He said the only downside was the complicated lease arrangement on properties, with a company sub-leasing from the council, leading to service charges and some residents having legal issues and problems with repairs.
      Mother of-two Vanessa Saleh, 46, was a first-time buyer with her husband and moved to the estate after renting in nearby Whalley Range.
      “It feels a happy and safe place to live,” she said. “We wanted to stay in the local area and these houses were more affordable.
      “My children, who are six and seven, attend the nearby primary school which is great.”
      Read More on The Sun
      Plans to paint Blue Moon Way – the main road through the housing development – never materialised but fans can still feel nostalgic when they visit, even hopping on board the 111 bus that goes to and from the city centre or visiting a local chippy.
      Maine Road may be gone, but it won’t be forgotten. More

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      in Boxing

      Inside Jake Paul’s stunning £13million island mansion with games room, recording studio and pool

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      JAKE PAUL has bought a stunning £13million mansion in Puerto Rico which includes a games room, pool and recording studio.The YouTuber-turned boxer moved to the Caribbean island in 2021 to get away from the distractions of Los Angeles.
      Jake Paul has bought an awesome island mansionCredit: Instagram @jakapaul
      It set him back a cool £13millionCredit: Youtube – Jake Paul
      It has a stunning gardenCredit: Youtube – Jake Paul
      It includes a huge TV roomCredit: Youtube – Jake Paul
      And a space for Paul to maintain his fitnessCredit: Youtube – Jake Paul
      As well as a games room with arcade machinesCredit: Youtube – Jake Paul
      There is a recording studioCredit: Youtube – Jake Paul
      The mansion also has eight bedroomsCredit: Youtube – Jake Paul
      But due to market inflation, Paul waited out before buying a pad of his own and was instead living in a “shack”.
      Now according to TMZ, the American has bought an eight-bedroom place off ex-basketball star Yadier Molina.
      The two-storey home also has eight bathrooms, a fitness room, a luxury swimming pool, a games room and an elevator, in case he’s worn out from all the training and can’t manage the stairs.
      The Caribbean Realty Group say the house was initially listed at $19,995,000 (£16.1m) until Paul came to an agreement with Molina.
      READ MORE ON JAKE PAUL
      His brother Logan, 28, also lives in Puerto Rico and has a seven-bed mansion worth £11m.
      The social media sensations discussed Paul’s new place on the latest episode of Logan’s Impaulsive podcast.
      Paul, 26, said: “I got a great deal, I was patient.
      “I lived in a f*****g shack for two years because the market was outrageous and I was, ‘F*** this shit, f*** this shit, f*** this s***.’ 
      Most read in Boxing
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      “But I waited and waited and waited and waited and literally got an incredible deal on the house.” 
      Paul in 2021 was named the second-highest paid YouTuber on Forbes’ list with over £30m made from business and boxing.
      He was beaten for the first time in February, losing a split-decision to Tommy Fury, 24, in Saudi Arabia.
      Now Paul returns on August 5 against ex-UFC star Nate Diaz, 38, in a pay-per-view bout in Texas.
      Paul insists he got an ‘incredible deal’ on the houseCredit: Youtube – Jake Paul
      The mansion has a lovely bathroomCredit: Youtube – Jake Paul
      The house has a massive swimming poolCredit: Youtube – Jake Paul
      He has space on the driveway for his fleet of carsCredit: Youtube – Jake Paul More

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      in Soccer

      We live in the shadow of massive football stadium – fans dump litter in our gardens and smash our windows…we hate it

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      LOCALS living in the shadow of a Premier League ground claim their lives are a “nightmare” on match days and fear things will only get worse. Residents living next to Villa Park have told of rowdy fans urinating in gardens, smashing windows, vandalising cars and blocking driveways.
      Andrea Sawyers has lived on Trinity Road since 2012 and said she often had to clean up huge piles of litter left behind by fansCredit: SWNS
      Osman Mohammed, 30 has to plan ahead of match daysCredit: SWNS
      Abu Zaman, 26, has had his car vandalised on several occasionsCredit: SWNS
      Locals have taken to picking up strewn kebab wrappers and beer cans after match days at the club supported by Prince William and Tom Hanks.
      Some have started studying fixture lists in attempt to avoid match days, when they know their driveways will be blocked by ignorant fans.
      Aston Villa are set for European football next season after a remarkable turnaround in form under new gaffer Unai Emery.
      And the famous club have had a near 10,000 seat new stand approved in the past few months, which locals fear is just going to make the problems worse.
      Abu Zaman, 26, is a Villa fan but says living near the team he supports is no fun as his car has been damaged on multiple occasions.
      Business owner Abu, who has lived on Trinity Road all of his life, said: “The parking and the traffic are really bad.
      “We get people who scratch our cars and previously had people smash our windows.
      “Our road is shut on the day. On a match day you have to wait for the game to start at which point your whole day is wasted.
      Most read in Football
      “Then there’s the parking, the litter and the vandalism. The roads are open but the supporters are walking on the road and blocking them.
      “In the 26 years Villa have only approached us for once for planning permission for the ground extension, they don’t care about the local community.
      “As long as their pockets are lined, they don’t care. It’s all about tickets and season tickets for them.
      “The roads are covered in alcohol bottles, burger wrappers, pretty much everything.”
      Dad-of-one James Payne, 35, who lives on nearby Endicott Road, added: “This is a built up area, the infrastructure can’t support even more fans.
      “It’s bad enough as it is – having to wade through a sea of beer bottles and takeaway wrappers just to get to your front door.
      “We’ve had people urinating in our front garden, I’m sure people act like they wouldn’t usually do when they go the football. They turn into yobs.
      “Someone once ripped our fence post up and began attacking a rival fan with it. It’s just bonkers.
      A woman navigates her way down Nelson Road near the Villa groundCredit: SWNS
      Beer cans and bottles left behind by fans near the Villa groundCredit: SWNS
      “They get famous fans like Prince William and Tom Hanks seeing all the glamour of Premier League football – but just a stone’s throw away for us it’s a nightmare.”
      Andrea Sawyers has lived on Trinity Road since 2012 and said she and her mum have to clean up huge piles of litter left behind by fans themselves.
      Mum-of-two Andrea said: “I’m a bit of a Villa fan, I’m not a massive one but a fan.
      “The garbage after is the problem, no one cleans up. My mum and I have to do it. All the beer glasses and bottle all over the bins.
      “They throw in my garden, all the chip wrappers too.
      “There’s also nowhere to park your car, it’s always a busy time.
      “They’ve smashed my neighbour’s car windows a couple of times. It’s crazy. I don’t get why they have to go so crazy.
      “It’s mainly the rubbish, it’s left to locals, you have to clean it up yourselves.”
      Osman Mohammed, 30, is a council worker and has lived on Endicott Road all of his life.
      He says he has to plan over a week in advance before he goes out on match days before a fan blocks his drive with their car.
      He added: “It gets quite busy. Our issue is we have residential parking nearby, supporters can’t park there, but some try anyway.
      “I sometimes look when Villa are playing and plan ahead.
      “I don’t leave the house at game time as I can be stuck in traffic for around an hour just to get around the corner.”
      Shop owner Md Gias Uddin, 58, admitted there is a litter problem on matchdays but the increased footfall was good for local businesses.
      Mr Uddin, who owns a shop on Endicott Road, said: “All of the supporters like my shop mostly, most of them say it’s neat and clean. My experiences is very nice.
      “The litter is problem is when the most of the people come to see the football match.
      “The litter bin is full and there needs to be more bins. There are a few bins around. People will put their rubbish in the bin if there were more.”
      Fellow shop owner Ash Mahmood, 59, has worked in the area for 40 years and says matchday traffic means it can take over an hour to travel a couple of miles.
      Ash, who owns Ash Food Fair on Witton Road, said: “The worst part I think at the moment is the parking for the customers. Residents move their cars and park them near me.
      “When you finally get out of here, it takes a while to get out. It took me an hour to get out of Aston.
      Read More on The Sun
      “Years ago there used to be fights around here all the time but now it’s all controlled by the police.”
      The Sun approached Aston Villa for comment.
      Shop owner Md Gias Uddin, 58, admitted there is a litter problem on matchdaysCredit: SWNS
      Mr Uddin said more bins in the area would help with litter on match daysCredit: SWNS More

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      in Soccer

      Man who lived in FOOTBALL STADIUM reveals favourite thing about home – and impact it had on his relationship

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      A MAN who lived in a football stadium has revealed his favourite things about his unusual home.Ben was one of a group of lucky tenants who could walk just a few yards from his sofa to watch the live action from the director’s box-style balcony of his stunning flat.
      One flat in the stadium went up for sale this year for just £350,000Credit: Triangle News
      Ben, who lived in another of the property’s, was one of a group of lucky tenants to enjoy this stunning pitchside viewCredit: Andrew Butler
      The apartments are within Leyton Orient’s home groundCredit: Andrew Butler
      They are tastefully furnished and open-planCredit: Triangle News
      That’s because he lived in one of the blocks situated at each of the four corners of the Matchroom Stadium in Leyton, Greater London, home to League Two table-toppers Leyton Orient.
      Perks include top-quality matchday seats from the comfort of your own home and the ability to drink alcohol in view of the pitch, which is banned in the stands due to English ground regulations.
      Speaking to The Sun in 2017, Ben explained the best bits of living in such a unique home.
      He said: “The idea of living in a football stadium was hard to ignore – I’d invited half my mates round before we’d signed the contract and God knows how I convinced my girlfriend to say yes to the idea.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      “We stumbled upon the flat when we were looking for somewhere to live. The pictures stood out.
      “Once I saw the balcony I’m not sure I even bothered to look at the kitchen or bathroom.”
      He added that he was “really surprised” that the flat cost no more than the others in the area despite its view.
      Ben beamed: “Living in what’s essentially a director’s box, you see all the behind the scenes stuff you wouldn’t as a typical fan.
      Most read in Football
      “Like the groundsman doing his rounds, players letting their kids on the pitch post-match, the warm downs, briefings of the stewards and press activity.
      “It is really nice. You can sit out on a Tuesday evening with your dinner and a cuppa watching a professional football match while your other half is watching Bake Off on the sofa within shouting range.
      “And we don’t even need to buy a second telly.”
      There aren’t really any drawbacks to the apartments for footie fanatics, with no need to queue up, buy tickets or pay stadium prices for food and drink.
      Even when away fans have been known to chant “We can see you washing up” it has only served to lighten the matchday mood even more.
      It comes after one of the other flats in the stadium went up for sale earlier this year.
      Even though it boasts the same birdseye view of the soon-to-be League One side’s pitch, it went on the market for a cool £350,000 – more than reasonable for London prices.
      And they come with a stunning view of the pitchCredit: Triangle News
      Even the bedrooms provide a bird’s eye viewCredit: Triangle News
      It means Ben can hop up off the sofa and catch the live action from his director’s box-style balconyCredit: Andrew Butler
      He’s even allowed to drink while in view of the pitch, unlike fans in the standsCredit: Andrew Butler More

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      in Soccer

      We live INSIDE football ground… we can watch games from our attic – but it has a downside

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      RESIDENTS living inside a major football ground say they can watch games from their attics – but life in the stadium has a downside.The unique entrance to Championship side Luton Town FC’s Kenilworth Road ground has been cut into a road of terraced houses.
      A row of terraced houses has been cut in half by an entrance to Luton Town FC’s stadiumCredit: Reuters
      Ali Abdul lives next to the unique entranceCredit: JOHN McLELLAN
      Visiting fans climb bright blue metal staircases over residents’ gardens to enter the away stand, while patios from adjacent homes back onto the stadium.
      Mum-of-four Anu, 52, said: “My son’s bedroom in the attic enables him to see a bit of the ground so he can sometimes see the games.”
      She added that families on the Luton street used to get complimentary passes to games – before the pandemic put an end to the free tickets.
      Anu said: “We used to get a family ticket to go in the summer which was nice.
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      “We’d go and see a match against one of the smaller teams. It was good to get in the ground.
      Neighbour LeeLee said that she loves the buzz of Luton Town’s match days.
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      She said: “It makes me feel alive. I love it.
      “It keeps things interesting around here. I rarely have any problems with the fans.”
      But Anu said life inside Kenilworth Road comes with a downside – claiming she’s fed up of hooligans chucking rubbish from the steps into her garden.
      She said: “Last week my house was egged by fans, they leave cans and bottles in front of my house.

      “They spray alcohol on to mine and my neighbour’s windows and drop litter from the stairs as they go into the stands.”
      The Hatters are on the verge of returning to the top flight for the first time since 1992, and the first time since the creation of the Premier League.
      If successful, the club will be handed an estimated £10million bill to upgrade its long-standing ground.
      SAD HATTERS
      For locals who live on Oak Road, the thought of the team moving to a new ground throws up mixed feelings.
      Many families on the street have grown up in the area and are lifelong fans of the club.
      Joumna, 49, said: “The stadium is alright with me. I was born on this road and I’ll probably never leave.
      “It was fine when I lived overlooking it. We never had any issues.”
      Abdul Ali’s family home is metres away from the entrance and backs onto the ground.
      “I’ve lived here my whole life,” he tells The Sun. “Until about seven years ago it was really easy to see into the stadium.
      “We used to have footballs smashing our window every so often when they accidentally got kicked out when teams tried to score.
      “It was kind of annoying at the time, it used to drive my dad mad.
      “We complained and complained and the club finally put up netting and some corrugated iron to stop it.
      “It means that my view of the pitch is gone unless I jump up and down on my bed. Then I can see a little bit of the grass, but not enough to watch the game.”
      On match days, Abdul says there is always a sea of police on the street – which, he adds, comes with an unusual perk.
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      “I went out during Sunday’s game to get some food and then police escorted me back to my house,” he says.
      “It’s kind of cool being escorted home.”
      Luton Town are on the verge of returning to top-flight footballCredit: Getty
      Local Amanpreet said parking is a nightmare on match daysCredit: JOHN McLELLAN
      The stairs to the away end loom over residents’ back gardensCredit: JOHN McLELLAN
      Luton Town will have to upgrade the ground if the club is promoted to the Premier LeagueCredit: GOOGLE EARTH More