Longtail

AHEAD of facing Tottenham in Sunday’s FA Cup third round clash, Tamworth defender JORDAN CULLINANE-LIBURD gives SunSport the inside track.So who’s who in the Lambs dressing room, and what makes the National League side tick….Tamworth are dreaming of taking their amazing run to a whole new levelCredit: PAJordan Cullinane-Liburd has given a brutal assessment of even himself!Credit: RexJAS SINGH (building surveyor)The father figure of the team. Likes a laugh and a joke. But if we’ve won away and the beer is flowing, it’s Jas who reins us in. The only sensible goalie… ever!BEN CROMPTON (on loan from Sunderland)Fits in well with a non-league team for a full-time pro. Joins in with the fun and got a bit tipsy when we celebrated beating Burton in round two — so we had to ring the ‘sister taxi service’ to get him home!READ MORE TOP STORIESHAYDN HOLLIS (Chesterfield Under-18s coach)Childish beyond his 32 years with some terrific one-liners. An opposition fan was giving him grief so he cupped his hand to his ear twice and said: “Sorry, what are you saying?” Fan repeated it twice before Haydn grinned and asked how long he’d been a Parrot!Ben Crompton, on loan from Sunderland, needed a special lift homeCredit: RexFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSMATT CURLIE (production company printing labels)He was our Mr Consistent last season but now he’s consistently injured, unfortunately. Still travels to away games, though, where he stands with the fans with a pint in hand!Ange Postecoglou cites little-known rule as he claims Tottenham hero Bergvall shouldn’t have got second yellow card JORDAN CULLINANE-LIBURD (IT software manager)I’m the s***house of the team who loves ruffling feathers. When I left Hereford for Tamworth some of their fans claimed I wasn’t good enough for them on social media. So I loved giving them my bulls-horns gesture when I scored against them!Most read in FA CupKENNEDY DIGIE (personal trainer)One of the quiet ones and a personal trainer so he’s a big boy! At our club you’re either way over the top or quiet — he’s definitely the strong silent type.CALLUM COCKERILL-MOLLET (zip salesman)A nutter, 100 per cent team clown… which every dressing room needs. Fit or injured he always travels with the team. When we won the league last season, we sprayed beer on the floor and CCM slid the length of the dressing room on his belly.LUKE FAIRLAMB (taxi driver)It’s a club tradition to bring in cakes and doughnuts for birthdays. Kyle Finn licked the last doughnut and Luke was about to eat it when he realised why it was such a soggy mess. The full-back was last seen chasing Finny out of the dressing room!BEN MILNES (Skipper/financial adviser)Top cricketer in his youth and the brother of Yorkshire’s Matt Milnes.When we play small-sided games the winners decide who puts the goalposts away. Ben picked my team, so we positioned the goalposts around his car so he couldn’t get out!!Tamworth skipper Ben Milnes hopes to hit Spurs for sixCredit: Roland LeonTom Tonks could have a blast against Tottenham with missile-like throwsCredit: RexTOM TONKS (sandwich business owner)He is our human catapult! Throws the ball absolutely miles. Annoying for us defenders because, even when standing he’s on the halfway line, we need to jog 60 yards forward to get into the opposition box!ALEX FLETCHER (under-18s football coach)Mr Domino’s-hoo-hoo! We joke about him being a bit portly since he returned from injury! On away trips whenever he has a slice of pizza someone will snap him and post it on the Group chat. Legend has it he holds a Tamworth record – at 12 slices!TOM McGLINCHEY (lecturer)Gives Marcel Marceau a run for his money. The complete opposite to Callum Cockerill-Mollet, his card-school buddy! ‘Gooch’ is a lecturer… but we’ve no idea of what, because he’s a man of so few words.KYLE FINN (bricklayer)Golf fanatic Finny sees more sand on the course than any building site! The most fined player on the team… for losing kit and unacceptable jokes. It’s rumoured his fines paid for last year’s Benidorm trip.Manager Andy Peaks is rated a ‘player’s dream’ by Cullinane-LiburdCredit: Roland LeonKAI WILLIAMS (Engineer)The footballer with no football brain. Makes it difficult for the opposition to know what he’s going to do next because he’s so clueless himself. Played Dan Creaney at Scrabble recently and the pair eventually called it quits after five hours… with the score deadlocked at 7-7!GEORGE MORRISON (on loan from Fleetwood)Shocked to learn he’s only 19, Must have had a beast of a paper round or living in Morecambe ages him. We tease his Lancs accent — how he says Coco Pops is a standing joke.CHRIS WREH (footballer)Football royalty — his uncle is Ballon d’Or winner George and his dad Christopher won the Double with Arsenal. We joke that the back of the bus is dangerous because that’s where the nutters sit — he’s slowly making his way there!Chris Wreh’s dad Christopher tasted Double glory with the Gunners in 1998Credit: RexAnd uncle George did even better – here winning the European player of the year award but also lifting the Ballon d’OrCredit: GettyDAN CREANEY (bricklayer/builder)Super striker and King of Strops! We have a Spinning Wheel of fines ranging from £10 to £60 to singing a Karaoke song on the coach. Dan spun a £40 fine recently for flouncing off the training pitch in a huff.BECK-RAY ENOROU (Zara sales assistant)Best and most energetic dancer. Dances a crazy lot for someone who doesn’t drink. Might be something to do with 12 Red Bulls he downs on team nights out.MUNASH SUNDIRE (marketing executive)Another quiet ones. Sat with the Milton Keynes card school until he moved house and joined the Leicester school… and has to listen to Callum Cockerill-Mollett!NATHAN TSHIKUNA (after-school club provider & gardener)Our creative genius with a cannon of a shot. Rapper who produces his own songs and released a few. They’re decent to be fair, definitely 8/10.READ MORE SUN STORIESANDY PEAKS (Tamworth manager)He’s a player’s dream. A real people person who loves joining in the banter. We told him with all the extra cash he’ll earn from turning full-time, he can afford to buy us all a new pair of boots!After beating Burton, the Lambs are in a rush to tackle SpursCredit: Getty More

TRENT Alexander-Arnold milked Anfield’s applause after scoring the brilliant second goal that all but decided this tie.Accrington Stanley showed exactly who they were for almost half an hour before Diogo Jota put Liverpool ahead from a lightning break.Trent Alexander-Arnold’s rocket doubled Liverpool’s lead on the brink of half-timeCredit: AlamyThe Liverpool right-back’s strike flew past Everton keeper Billy Crellin, who is on loan at Accrington StanleyCredit: PAAlexander-Arnold made up for his Man Utd defensive nightmareCredit: ReutersDiogo Jota put the Reds 1-0 up inside 30 minutesCredit: ReutersAcademy star Jayden Danns, 18, sealed things off with a sharp finish just five minutes after coming onCredit: APFederico Chiesa scored his first Liverpool goal in the 90th minuteCredit: GettyBut the League Two side paid the price for dropping their levels for a few minutes when Alexander-Arnold curled in a superb shot just before half time.Only six days before, the England star had been the target of abuse from some home fans after a poor performance in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United followed more speculation about him moving to Real Madrid.But TAA received a decent ovation as he left the pitch just before the hour.What he saw from the bench was not very comfortable, as his side allowed Stanley back into the game.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSJosh Burns hit the bar and defender Don Love missed a great chance to pull one back.But Liverpool substitute Jayden Danns ended any debate with the third goal, then Federico Chiesa’s first strike for the club put the bookend on Accrington’s fairytale.It was also an historic day for the Reds’ Rio Ngumoha, who became the youngest player ever to start a game for the club, at the age of 16 years and 135 days.The left winger looked impressive from the start, but Accrington held their own for some time, although Liverpool should have taken the lead in the 12th minute.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSDominik Szoboszlai dummied Kostas Tsimikas’ cross and Alexander-Arnold should probably have put his shot beyond the reach of Billy Crellin, the Accrington goalkeeper on loan from Everton.But after Crellin kept it out with his right leg and the ball ricocheted to Nunez, the Uruguayan fired horribly over the crossbar.’He’s going to Tranmere after this’ – Roy Keane rips into Trent Alexander-Arnold after ‘school boy’ defending vs Man UtdThe visitors were having some joy at the other end, too, with Josh Whalley in particular getting in down the left, but the final ball was lacking.And it was from their own free kick that the League Two side conceded.Ben Woods’ initial delivery was poor and when Szoboszlai controlled a lofted ball to no-one by Nelson Khumbeni, trouble soon followed.The Hungarian found Alexander-Arnold released Nunez with a cute pass and the Liverpool No 9 crossed perfectly to where Jota was ready with a routine finish.More good work from the Portugal forward led to a half-chance for Harvey Elliott. Crellin saved easily and then watched a Tyler Morton shot comfortably clear his goal.Rio Ngumoha became the youngest player ever to start a game for LiverpoolBut there was nothing Crellin could do when Alexander-Arnold found space just outside the box and whipped a wonderful finish across and into the net off the post.Stanley made a double change at half time, with former Liverpool trainee Liam Coyle coming on to try to restore some life to his team’s hopes.Inside a minute of the restart, Nunez saw a shot stopped by Crellin and then teed up Chiesa, on for Szoboszlai, for an effort that was deflected wide.Liverpool lost a bit of momentum and were grateful to see Ben Woods’ low shot blocked by his own player.The Reds were certainly not out of the Woods yet.Accrington’s Josh met a corner at the back post only for Jota to get in the way of the header.But no-one got near his shot moments later when he cut inside and smashed an effort off the crossbar.Slot made more changes just before the hour and Alexander-Arnold returned the crowd’s applause as he was replaced by Conor Bradley.He will have been less happy with what happened next as his side lost balance and control.Goalkeeper Billy Crellin is on loan with the League Two side from EvertonCredit: ReutersStanley, who are 19th in League Two, should have made things interesting with 25 minutes to go.A well-worked move saw Whalley cross into the six-yard box and centre back Don Love had timed his run perfectly. But he could only send his free header off target with the whole of Caoimhin Kelleher’s goal gaping.At the other end, Crellin kept out another Chiesa shot from a narrow angle.But soon it was game over.Jayden Danns won the ball in his own half and kept running after playing in Chiesa.The Italian’s shot was saved well by Crellin but Danns was there to smash the ball in and end any debate.READ MORE SUN STORIESThere was still time for Chiesa to hit one post and then, not long afterwards, to break his Liverpool duck with a shot that went in off the other.It was a pleasing way to end the afternoon for Alexander-Arnold and his club after a tough week. More

TAMWORTH captain Ben Milnes will have ice in his veins when he leads the National League minnows out against mighty Tottenham tomorrow.Which is hardly surprising for anyone who witnessed his chilling post-training ritual on Thursday night.Lambs skipper Ben Milnes will be dreaming it’s freeze and easy for Tamworth against Premier League giants TottenhamMilnes says his icy encounter makes him feel warmer on the pitchCredit: Roland LeonAs temperatures plunged to -4C, Milnes finished training on the frost-covered pitch at Tamworth’s ground The Lamb — then plunged straight into a wheely-bin full of icy water to chill out for five minutes!And Milnes, 33, reckons it is a brrrrrilliant way to warm-up for the biggest game of his career as it helps his body’s recovery process.While Premier League Spurs have state-of-the-art cryotherapy chambers at their plush Hotspur Way training ground, Milnes had to make do with a more humble container and several bags of ice.As  the temperatures plunged after part-time Tamworth’s only training session of the week, Milnes told SunSport: “It makes it feel warmer when it’s this cold outside.READ MORE TOTTENHAM NEWS“I do it after every Thursday night training session before games.”Most people reckon that tiny Tamworth, who are 2,500-1 shots to win this year’s FA Cup, have snow chance of creating one of the biggest upsets of all time tomorrow.But the part-time Lambs will be going flat out to put on a show in the hope of making Spurs chairman Daniel Levy’s blood run cold.Milnes goes into bat for Tamworth looking to hit their visitors for six and turn Aussie Ange Postecoglou’s FA Cup dream to “Ashes”.Most read in FA CupFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSBecause the midfielder could just as easily have been playing professional cricket instead of trying to make Spurs stumble on a sticky wicket. In fact, his cricket-playing brother will be at The Lamb roaring him on.Non-league clash suspended with players taken off pitch as advertising board sparks safety fearsThe Tamworth skipper said: “My younger brother Matt Milnes plays cricket for Yorkshire.“He played for England Lions a few years ago when they toured Australia.“He could have gone on to represent England but he’s had a few bad injuries over the last couple of years including a stress fracture of the back and hasn’t played much recently.”Milnes was also a big hit at cricket as a youngster and for a while it was touch and go which career path he would choose.He added: “My dad Mark played football and cricket and I played both when I was  younger too.“I played for Notts Academy and the Midlands age groups, so I was at a decent level.“But when I was around 14 or 15 I had to choose which route I wanted to go down and I chose football, while Matt chose cricket. Cricket is too slow for me. “Matt will be here for the game. He also came for our Boxing Day match against Forest Green. I go to watch him whenever I can, too.“One of the biggest games he’s played in was when they won the Twenty20 final with Kent a few years ago — but I was playing for Buxton at the time and missed it.Tamworth boss Andy Peaks hopes it’s all pointing to an upsetCredit: Roland Leon“I haven’t managed to get  to too many of his biggest games but the really big games are always on TV  so I am able to watch him most of the time.”Milnes — who runs a financial planning business with his wife — admits he is living the dream right now after bagging a hat-trick of footballing titles on the spin in the last 2½ years.He added: “I’ve won three in three which is not bad. “I won the Northern League Premier Division with Buxton, then joined Tamworth and won the Southern League Premier Division, then followed that up by winning the National League North.“I don’t think I’m going to keep that record going in the National League this year.“But it was always going to be pretty hard to beat three titles in three years.“If we stay up this year it will definitely feel like winning another title.“When you consider the teams we are coming  up against and their  facilities, budgets and players with league experience then it would feel very special.READ MORE SUN STORIES“But beating Spurs would feel like winning a hat-trick of titles all over again in 90 minutes!“Occasion-wise this is definitely the biggest game I’ve ever played — even though realistically it’s not the most important because the league really is our bread and butter.” More