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    Ex-Premier League star in row with neighbours over ‘overbearing’ £1.2m home that’s been construction site for four years

    AN EX-PREMIER League football star is in a row with neighbours over a new security wall.Canadian footballer Junior Hoilett is building a new home in the small village of Englefield Green in Surrey.
    Junior Hoilett playing for Reading in an FA Cup match against Manchester United in 2023Credit: Getty
    Englefield Green is a picturesque Surrey village where the footballer has made his homeCredit: Kevin Dunnett
    Hoilett is in a planning dispute with neighbours over his new security wall at his homeCredit: Kevin Dunnett
    Hoilett is a left winger who made 61 caps for Reading as well as 173 for Cardiff CityCredit: Reuters
    Hoilett, who last played for Vancouver Whitecaps, demolished the original £1.2million house and has been building a five-bedroom pad which boasts a gym, games room, playroom, and nursery.
    As part of the new build, the ex-Blackburn, Reading and QPR winger wants a wall and security gate to boost security at his home.
    But in a letter of objection, one neighbour wrote: “It hardly falls into the requirements of the village plan for soft, i.e, green frontages to property within the village.”
    “I would hope that some guidance could be given to the applicants in this respect an I object to the current proposal.”
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    The dispute follows the burglaries of the homes of high-profile football stars, including Jack Grealish, Kurt Zouma, and Raheem Sterling.
    There has also been a recent string of burglaries in the Englefield Green area, neighbours say.
    Amanda Willis, the chair of the Englefield Green Village Residents Association, said the group wanted to see more greenery in the village in general.
    Willis said the group didn’t particularly like the wall and would have preferred something more “open” which would show the house off.
    Most read in Football
    But, the group had seen the plans and said the wall didn’t breach the neighbour plan and there was nothing they could do about it.
    One neighbour, who didn’t want to be named, said there had been a wall there beforehand.
    Is this the moment Jack Grealish is told of his family’s terror at £1m jewellery break-in raid at his mansion?
    “You don’t have to have greenery, you could have a picket fence, it just has to be within those parameters [of the village plan].”
    But, she said Hoilett’s new home was “out of keeping” with the area, in which most homes had a similar style.
    “It is what it is”.
    Another neighbour who didn’t want to be named said she didn’t like the new home either.
    “I would prefer to see what was there before. A nice detached house.
    “I have nothing against modern design, but something that is appropriate for the plot.”
    The new home features a basement with neighbours saying they could hear the piles being driven into the ground.
    The area is full of high hedges and walls which neighbours said muffled a lot of the construction noise over the past few years.
    Hoilett was granted permission to demolish and build the new home in 2019 and received further building permissions in 2020.
    In planning consultations, neighbours were worried that the three-story home would become “overbearing” to their homes.
    But, close neighbours said Hoilett had communicated well with them and informed them over his plans.
    They said the construction had been delayed because of Covid and Hoilett having to find a new contractor.
    Hoilett joined Blackburn in 2003 and came through their academy with former Man Utd star Phil Jones.
    He also played for QPR, Cardiff and Reading but quit The Royals last summer to join MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps in his homeland.
    Land Registry records show that he bought his Surrey pad for £1.2million in May, 2019.
    But it is now believed to be worth at least £3million after he knocked it down to make way for a two-storey new build, flanked by two single-storey wings.
    Officials at Runnymede Council are expected to make a decision on the plans next month.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    Hoilett made 81 appearances for the Blackburn Rovers, 112 for QPR, and 173 for Cardiff.
    Junior Hoilett did not want to comment.
    Hoilett, a Canadian, has played for his national side 62 timesCredit: Getty
    Hoilett paid for £1.2million in 2019 and received permission to demolish the house in the same yearCredit: Kevin Dunnett More

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    Inside Sir Alex Ferguson’s £3.5m home he shared with his ‘rock’ wife – as it’s still up for sale months after her death

    SIR Alex Ferguson’s £3.5million home is still up for sale months after the death of his wife Cathy.The footie legend put his five-bedroom, 7,000 square foot property in Wilmslow, Cheshire, on the market after Lady Cathy Ferguson passed away in October aged 84.
    Sir Alex Ferguson’s luxurious 7.000 square foot property in Wilmslow, CheshireCredit: Andy Kelvin
    Sir Alex will sell the property following the death of his wife CathyCredit: Reuters
    The eye-catching home has a chandelier dangling in the hallwayCredit: LY Property, Cheshire
    The legend’s games roomCredit: LY Property, Cheshire
    But three months later the home, which comes complete with a stylish open plan kitchen and games room, is still up for sale. 
    Photos of the property also reveal a dazzling hallway chandelier, en-suite bathrooms and perfectly manicured lawns.
    The former Manchester United gaffer likely let off steam in his charming game room – decorated with art work, oak bookcases and a snooker table.
    The property also has a unique “Ferguson clan” tartan carpet adorned on the staircase.
    MORE ON SIR ALEX
    Sir Alex decided to sell the property following the death of his wife, the Mirror reported.
    He previously had said his wife, who he met in 1964, was a “bedrock” in his life.
    Fergie’s time living at the luxurious home wasn’t without its share of controversy.
    In 2020, Sir Alex lost a planning battle after he objected strongly to next door’s application to demolish a two-storey house and build a three-storey mansion.
    Most read in Football
    Fergie’s lawyers sent a five-page opposition letter to planners.
    He claimed his privacy would be affected by removal of trees which would also impact the character of the area.
    Sir Alex Ferguson SMASHES record for most expensive jumps horse ever as he spends £633,000 on Caldwell Potter
    He said the removal of trees was “likely to have a significant impact on the character of the area and the existing privacy standards afforded”.
    60 YEARS OF MARRIAGE
    Cathy first met Sir Alex, 81, in 1964 when he was just 23 years old and they married shortly after in 1966.
    In his autobiography, Sir Alex wrote: “I had the good fortune to meet a wonderful girl who has been my rock for almost 50 years.”
    The pair have three sons together – Mark, born in 1968, and twin boys football manager Darren and Jason, born in 1972 – and 12 grandchildren.
    Commenting on their home life, Alex once said: “Cathy is fantastic with the kids.
    “It’s a military operation with her. If any of them misbehave, they’re in the doghouse.”
    Cathy stood by Sir Alex throughout his playing career and journey to management.
    There were claims that Ferguson suffered discrimination at Rangers between 1967 to 1969 due to his wife’s Catholicism.
    However he made it clear in his autobiography that the club knew of her religion.
    She was by Sir Alex’s side as he rose to become one of the world’s best managers, starting at St Mirren in the 1970s, then to Aberdeen in the 1980s, where he won the Cup Winners’ Cup, and then to his legendary reign as manager of Manchester united from 1986 to 2013.
    When Sir Alex initially wanted to retire in 2002, Cathy famously convinced him to remain in charge of the Red Devils.
    “One, your health is good,” Sir Alex claimed Cathy said.
    “Two, I’m not having you in the house. And three, you’re too young anyway.”
    But she was unable persuade her husband to recommit to Old Trafford in 2011, before he finally retired in 2013.
    “I won’t be managing here any more than three years at the very, very most. Without question. I can assure you of that,” Ferguson said at the time.
    “You have to think about time for yourself. I think my wife deserves a bit of my time, too. The older you get, the more you feel guilty about it.
    “My wife, Cathy, was the one who talked me out of retiring last time but she wouldn’t do that now.”
    Ferguson went on to retire two years later saying his wife needed his support after her sister died.
    During his tenure, he won 38 major trophies, including 13 league titles and the Champions League twice.

    But planners decided to allow the scheme to ahead.
    It comes as Sir Alex’s world-record £633,000 jumps horse could miss Cheltenham Festival.

    He was part of a syndicate that splashed the eye-watering sum of cash on Caldwell Potter last month.
    A Grade 1-winning novice hurdler for former owners Caldwell Construction, the six-year-old is now on his way to Paul Nicholls.
    The Ditcheat trainer has been rocked by the death of 25-year-old yard worker and amateur jockey Keagan Kirkby at a Kent racecourse last Sunday.
    Sir Alex’s ensuite bedroomCredit: LY Property, Cheshire
    The ‘Ferguson clan’ tartan carpet staircaseCredit: LY Property, Cheshire
    The property boasts a plush bathroomCredit: LY Property, Cheshire
    The former Manchester United manager has decided to sell the propertyCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd More

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    Joelinton seen for first time as he arrives home after terrifying alert warned three thieves were lurking in mansion

    JOELINTON has arrived home after his mansion was last night targeted by thieves.The injured Brazilian had been watching his team take on Man City from the sideline when he got an alert that three thugs had entered his house.
    Joelinton arrived back at his home this morningCredit: Terry Blackburn
    Cops rushed to his home while he was at St James’ Park
    Joelinton met police on his driveway today after forensic officers visitedCredit: NNP
    While at St James’ Park he immediately contacted the police who raced to the address in Northumberland, shortly after 7.30pm.
    By the time officers arrived at the multi-million pound home the attackers had fled.
    No one is understood to have been inside the property when the home invaders struck.
    No arrests have been made and enquiries into the raid at the 27-year-old’s home are ongoing.
    Photos show Joelinton arriving home this morning to find forensic teams dusting his home.
    As he pulled up to his gates he looked shocked through the tinted windows of his car.
    The burglary is one of a string of attacks on the homes of footballers.
    The Sun revealed last month that Jack Grealish’s terrified family hit panic buttons as a gang of burglars looted his new home.
    Most read in Football
    Around ten relatives were cheering on the Manchester City star in his televised match at Everton when they heard noises upstairs and dogs barking frantically.
    Despite extensive security and perimeter fencing around Jack’s   lavish home, the crooks got in and fled with £1million of watches and jewellery.
    Just weeks before, West Ham star Kurt Zouma’s family home in Essex was targeted while he was inside.
    The robbers also stole jewellery and high-end watches worth £1million – with Zouma forced to miss his team’s game against Crystal Palace.
    A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Shortly before 7.30pm yesterday police received a call from a concerned homeowner who reported that three men were inside their home in Darras Hall.
    “Thankfully the homeowner was not home but had received a security alert on their phone and immediately reported concerns to police.
    “Police were deployed to the scene however, those alleged to be involved had fled the scene.
    “Enquires remain ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact us via 101, or the ‘Report’ pages of our website.”
    The Newcastle midfielder is currently injuredCredit: Getty More

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    Ex-England captain Sol Campbell sued for more than £800k after pulling out of buying £3.85m flat

    EX-England captain Sol Campbell is being sued for more than £800,000 after pulling out of buying a £3.85million flat.Sol, 49, and wife Fiona had put a ten per cent (£387,500) deposit down on the home in London’s swish Cadogan Square.
    Sol Campbell is being sued for more than £800,000 after pulling out of buying a multi-million pound flatCredit: Getty
    The flat’s owner Lady Jadranka Beresford-Peirse has lodged papers at the High Court which claim the pair signed a contract to buy in 2021 but failed to pay the balance due.
    Widow Lady Jadranka is seeking a total of about £810,000 in alleged losses and new sale costs.
    Ex-Spurs and Arsenal defender Sol played 73 times for England.
    Campbell then went on to manage Macclesfield Town and Southend United.
    READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
    He married interior designer Fiona Barratt, granddaughter of Barratt Homes founder Sir Lawrie Barratt, in 2010.
    Lady Jadranka now accuses Sol and Fiona Campbell of breach of contract, saying they failed to pay the balance due for the flat, and threatened to sue them for specific performance of the contract if they failed to go ahead with the deal.
    She is seeking an order which would force them to have to buy the flat and pay her compensation.
    Lady Jadranka is seeking an order that would force him and his wife to have to buy the flat and pay her compensation.
    Most read in Football
    She claims she lost £260,000 after being unable to go ahead with her purchase of a smaller flat. More

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    England boss Gareth Southgate makes £2.5million in one YEAR with lucrative side hustle

    ENGLAND gaffer Gareth Southgate has also shown great management off the pitch — with his property company adding £2.5million of assets in a year.His firm MAS Investment Holdings deals in the “buying and selling of real estate”.
    Shrewd England manager Gareth Southgate has added to his property portfolio this year
    Its holdings grew from £1.2million to £3.7million in the year ending April 30, accounts filed yesterday reveal.
    Gareth, 53, now owns 11 buy-to-let properties via the firm, which he runs alongside wife Alison.
    The company snapped up a £305,000 apartment in June — one of four flats it owns in Birmingham.
    Ex-England player Gareth — who earns £3million a year as the Three Lions’ boss — owns half of the firm, Alison has a ten per cent stake and their two grown-up children each have a 20 per cent stake.
    READ MORE GARETH SOUTHGATE
    A source said: “Gareth is very astute. He is a meticulous planner and has a keen eye for business.”
    The firm returned a profit of £65,962 in its property dealings in the past year.
    Southgate also has an image rights firm, FHS Promotions.
    He has managed England at two World Cups, reaching the semi-finals in 2018 and quarter-finals in 2022.
    Most read in Football
    Southgate’s England also made the Euro 2020 final, losing to Italy at Wembley on penalties.
    His contract with the FA runs until the end of 2024. More

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    I was West Ham captain & had a Ferrari on the drive… now I live in rented flat and almost went to jail over bankruptcy

    A FORMER West Ham captain who once had a Ferrari on his drive now lives in a rented flat – and almost went to jail over his bankruptcy.Lucas Neill used to earn £40,000 a week as the Hammers’ skipper between 2007 and 2009.
    Lucas Neill captained West Ham from 2007 and 2009Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    The Aussie in action for the Irons in 2008Credit: Getty
    Neill played for Australia at the World CupCredit: AFP
    The Australian defender starred for the Socceroos at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.
    At the height of his success he splashed out on a Ferrari and luxury holidays in the Maldives.
    But last week Neill appeared at Preston Crown Court charged with failing to declare money he never knew he had.
    The trial came after seven years of bankruptcy, with Neill facing three years in prison if convicted.
    Read More Football
    Neill has opened up about his financial ruin after a jury acquitted him in just 26 minutes.
    He told The Times: “Behind my chair in the dock were stairs going to the cells.
    “I’ve won my freedom, but I feel like I’ve lost in life.
    “I feel like I didn’t protect my family. And that hurts. I let my family down.”
    Most read in Football
    Neill was accused of hiding more than £2million from his creditors as his money problems spiralled out of control.
    The star ploughed huge sums into a scheme which he thought would see him get big tax breaks in return for investing in British films.
    But HMRC ordered him to pay back £400,000 after probing the dodgy scheme – which had been touted to footballers by financial advisers.
    Neill was forced to sell over seven properties, losing money on each one.
    He then defaulted on a NatWest loan he had taken out to pay for a barn near Newcastle, which was held in an offshore fund.
    Neill was left owing the bank £737,000 – and was declared bankrupt in 2016.
    He said: “People couldn’t believe it, but I had nothing left. That was my rock bottom.
    “After 20 years of a football career and all this hard work, I’ve got nothing to show for it.”
    Neill forgot to mention 144 acres of land he had bought around the barn when listing his assets for repossession.
    The Insolvency Service probed Neill for seven years, leaving him unable to own a house or even buy a mobile phone contract.
    One morning his kids answered the door to bailiffs demanding a £400 council tax bill.
    But Neill has now been found not guilty of hiding the offshore money.
    He is now coaching women and girls at a football club while working for a tech firm.
    His lawyer Joseph Kotrie Monson said: “Now it’s time for him to enjoy his restored reputation and get back into the world of sport and broadcasting.” More

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    Sir Alex Ferguson’s £3.5M mansion with games room, country views & carpets unique to Man Utd legend revealed in pictures

    SIR Alex Ferguson has put his £3.5m home up for sale following the death of his wife Cathy.The legend’s five-bedroom, 7,000 square foot property in Wilmslow,Cheshire comes complete with a stylish open plan kitchen and games room.
    Sie Alex Ferguson’s luxurious 7.000 square foot property in Wilmslow, CheshireCredit: Andy Kelvin
    The eye-catching home has a chandelier dangling in the hallwayCredit: LY Property, Cheshire
    Photos of the property also reveal a dazzling hallway chandelier, en-suite bathrooms and perfectly manicured lawns.
    The former Manchester United gaffer likely left off steam in his charming game room – decorated with art work, oak bookcases and a snooker table.
    The property also has a unique ‘Ferguson clan’ tartan carpet adorned on the staircase.
    Estate agents say: “This impressive, deceptively spacious detached is…positioned within a very private, gated and secure plot.
    read more football news
    “It boasts approximately 7,000 sq ft.”
    Sir Alex decided to sell the property following the death of his wife, the Mirror reported.
    Lady Cathy Ferguson passed away in October aged 84, and is survived by her husband, their three sons, two sisters, 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
    He was among the mourners at Sir Bobby Charlton’s funeral earlier this month. Sir Alex has said his wife, who he met in 1964, was a “bedrock” in his life.
    Most read in Football
    Fergie’s time living at the luxurious gaff wasn’t without its share of controversy.
    In 2020, Sir Alex lost a planning battle after he objected strongly to next door’s application to demolish a two-storey house and build a three-storey mansion.
    Fergie’s lawyers sent a five-page opposition letter to planners.
    He claimed his privacy would be affected by removal of trees which would also impact the character of the area.
    He said the removal of trees was “likely to have a significant impact on the character of the area and the existing privacy standards afforded”.
    But planners decided to allow the scheme to ahead.
    Sir Alex will sell the property following the death of his wife CathyCredit: Reuters
    The legend’s games roomCredit: LY Property, Cheshire
    Sir Alex’s ensuite bedroomCredit: LY Property, Cheshire
    The ‘Ferguson clan’ tartan carpet staircaseCredit: LY Property, Cheshire
    The property boasts a plush bathroomCredit: LY Property, Cheshire
    The former Manchester United manager has decided to sell the propertyCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd More

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    Inside Benjamin Mendy’s £5m mansion as he is forced to slash price as it languishes on the market

    BENJAMIN Mendy has slashed a whopping £750,000 off the asking price of his £5million mansion as he battles bankruptcy following his rape trial. The former Manchester City footballer, 29, must sell the sprawling Cheshire property to avoid financial ruin. 
    Benjamin Mendy’s mansion has now been put up for saleCredit: Savills
    The ex-City defender now plays for Lorient in FranceCredit: Getty
    As he chases up to £10m of back pay from his old club and while rebuilding his career at French Ligue 1 club Lorient, Mendy has now reduced the asking price to £4.25million.
    It comes as HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is seeking a bankruptcy order against the footballer over a nearly £800,000 tax debt. 
    The house is described by estate agents as “one of the finest contemporary homes in Cheshire”. 
    The 11,000sq-ft residence is set in over 1.75 acres of grounds and boasts six bedroom suites, an open plan living area, games room, home cinema, swimming pool, steam room, gym and spa. 
    Read More in Football
    It was bought by Mendy from cricketing legend Andrew Flintoff in 2018 for £4.8million. 
    Flintoff, who never lived at the house, bought it for £1.8million in 2008 and spent two years rebuilding the property – before renting it out. 
    His tenants included former footballer Peter Crouch and wife Abbey Clancy. 
    The former Man City star was already a millionaire when he joined from Monaco in 2017 on a six-year contract.
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    His deal guaranteed him a basic £100,000-a-week salary and up to £170,000 with bonuses.
    But instead of pocketing £31.2million, he ended up fighting bankruptcy after his 2020 arrest for rape.
    He was cleared of raping a woman following a retrial in July.
    Jurors unanimously cleared him of both charges after three hours of deliberation.
    But despite going free, he was forced to close his image rights company after being chased for unpaid tax.
    The footballer took a huge financial hit after being charged in 2021, with City stopping his salary the following month.
    The sprawling property boasts a luxurious interiorCredit: Savills
    Peter Crouch was a former tenant at the mansionCredit: Savills
    The property is worth millionsCredit: Savills
    There is even a home cinema at the swanky padCredit: Savills More