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      in Soccer

      Roy Keane’s car collection, from an £80k Range Rover to a customised Aston Martin bought when Man Utd won the Treble

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      A GOOD engine and Roy Keane go hand-in-hand.As a player, the Man Utd legend was box-to-box in his hey-day and renowned for his high-energy displays.
      Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane has owned an array of motorsCredit: Reuters
      In 1999 Keane splashed the cash on an Aston Martin after Man Utd won the TrebleCredit: PA
      The car was later sold on Auto Trader for £24,000Credit: PA
      Keane’s plush DB7 featured plush leather seatsCredit: PA
      It also came customised in goldCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      And when it comes to a motor, the Sky Sports pundit looks for something equally as reliable.
      From his trusted first car – a Ford Escort Hatchback worth about £2,000 to an Aston Martin he splashed the cash on when the Red Devils won the Treble, he’s had a vast garage.
      SunSport takes a look at what Roy has been seen behind the wheel of.
      Aston Martin DB7
      In 1999, soon after Keane became a Treble winner with United, he treated himself to a flashy custom-pained gold Aston Martin.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      He opted for a DB7, which ironically was never in a James Bond film because it wasn’t deemed cool enough.
      But, looking at it we have to argue. It boasts a 3.2 litre engine, black leather interior, and automatic gearbox.
      In 2020, the car appeared on Auto Trader for sale at a modest £24,000 – with just 60,000 miles on the clock.
      Bentley Continental
      In around 2005, Keane reportedly drove a classy Bentley Continental.
      Most read in Football
      Today, you can pick a model up from that year for between £18,000 to £24,000.
      But Keano would have paid far more than that – and north of £80,000
      After selling it to a showroom in Edinburgh, it was reportedly stolen by joyriders and later recovered.
      In around 2005, Keane was believed to own a Bentley ContinentalCredit: Alamy
      read more sport features
      Ford Escort Hatchback
      Roy’s first car was a trusted Ford Escort Hatchback in the 1990s.
      It was frequently the best selling motor in the 1980s and 1990s, with an astonishing 4.1 million of them sold through three decades .
      The Escort was succeeded by the Focus in 1998 and gradually phased out of production.
      Given it was a sensible option, you can imagine his first top-flight boss Brian Clough would have approved.
      Keane’s first motor was a Ford EscortCredit: Mark KelleherCheck out these amazing collections

      Mercedes C-Class
      Towards his later years at Old Trafford, Roy was seen driving a classy Mercedes into Carrington.
      The C-Class oozed luxury and comfortability, and was at an affordable range when it was released of around £30,000.
      That, obviously, made it a gateway into many car enthusiasts first taste of a Merc.
      Although, they weren’t zippy. They’d go no faster in a 0-60 mph sprint than between 5-11.5 seconds, depending on the model.
      Keane seen driving his Mercedes C-Class to trainingCredit: Eamon Clarke
      Toyota Yaris
      It’s not known if Roy owned it.
      But, back in August the kind-hearted TV pundit donated a £27,000 Toyota Yaris to a hospice in Co Cork.
      He told staff he would foot the bill for it to be auctioned off in a raffle.
      “Roy Keane’s incredible generosity means the world to us here,” said Enid Conway, fundraising and marketing manager at Marymount Hospice.
      “A huge community of people receive the special care delivered by Marymount. It is inspiring to see this acknowledged by anyone wishing to support what we do.
      “Marymount is a unique and essential force of care for families in Cork and further afield.
      “We are sincerely thankful for Roy’s gesture and the positive impact it will have for those in our care and their families. It really is a wonderful act of kindness.”
      Kind Keane donated a Toyota Yaris to Marymount University Hospital & HospiceCredit: Marymount University Hospital
      Range Rover
      You’re not a footballer, or haven’t been in football, if you haven’t owned a Range Rover.
      Roy owned an expensive £80,000 Sport model, but didn’t have much joy with it in 2016.
      Read more on The Sun
      In an unfortunate incident, he was taking the SUV through a car wash at a Shell garage in Altrincham, when the machine stopped and trapped his vehicle.
      Luckily there was no damage, but Roy was reportedly fuming.
      Keane owned an £80,000 Range Rover Sport in 2016Credit: Roddy Scott – The Sun Glasgow More

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      in Soccer

      World’s worst football team lost 31-0 & were so bad goalie QUIT in humiliation… but that WASN’T their most dramatic game

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      WHEN Thomas Rongen was offered the chance to coach the American Samoan national football team ahead of a World Cup qualifier, he jumped at the chance to move to the South Pacific paradise.But this was no ordinary coaching job in the sunshine.
      American Samoa’s in 2014 documentary Next Goal WinsCredit: Alamy
      America Samoa suffered the most crushing defeat ever in an international, losing 31-0 to AustraliaCredit: Getty
      They were dubbed the worst team in the world after losing all 30 of their official matchesCredit: Getty
      Dubbed the worst team in the world, the side had lost all 30 of their official matches during their 20-year history and in 2001 had suffered the most crushing defeat ever in an international, losing 31-0 to Australia.
      A decade on, Dutch-born Thomas — who had played alongside such legends as Johan Cruyff and George Best in the US before becoming a Major League Soccer coach — had just three weeks to knock them into shape before their qualifying matches for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
      But the seemingly impossible task would prove to be a lifeline for players and coach alike, offering redemption to the ridiculed 2001 goalie whose own son called him a loser, while putting Thomas in touch with a spirituality which allowed him to finally grieve for the loss of his teenage stepdaughter.
      The moving story, told in a 2014 documentary, Next Goal Wins, has now been turned into a Hollywood movie of the same name by director Taika Waititi, with Michael Fassbender in the role of Thomas.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      The classic underdog-to-victory tale, to be released on Boxing Day, sees the former US Under-20 coach taking on a squad too unfit to last 90 minutes and leading them to their first international victory, a 2-1 win against Tonga, in November 2011.
      It also focuses on star player Jaiyah “Johnny” Saelua, the first transgender footballer to play as an international, with trans actor Kaimana in the role, and the seemingly fractious relationship between her and the coach.
      It was only after taking up the job in American Samoa that Thomas realised the uphill task ahead of him when he watched a few games in a tournament before meeting the team.
      The rag-tag bunch had turned out at the Pacific Games representing their tiny island territory, which lies 1,317 miles east of Fiji and has a population of just 44,620.
      Most read in Football
      Thomas, now 67, told a sports website: “Nobody could play 90 minutes. OK, I’ve got three weeks, that’s an area where we can improve.
      Uphill battle
      “I thought I could make a few tweaks, but I’m not sure you can do anything big in three weeks.”
      The team were also still mentally bruised by the humiliating Aussie defeat ten years earlier. It had come about after a last-minute demand for the players to produce American passports, which 19 out of 20 could not do.
      They were replaced by a new squad of inexperienced players with an average age of 19, two of whom, including Jaiyah, were just 15.
      Goalkeeper Nicky Salapu was the only original squad member who could produce the required passport — which he would live to regret after having to pick the ball out of the net 31 times. He retired from the game shortly afterwards.
      Thomas told us: “When he walked down the street with his son, they would say, ‘You’re the guy who gave up 31 goals’.
      “He said, ‘My son thinks I’m a loser and I’m done with this’.” The defeat haunted Nicky until Thomas persuaded him to return for the 2011 Tonga game which ended in victory.
      The coach explained: “He came back and the greatest moment was hugging him and he said, ‘I just called my son and he now thinks I’m a hero’. Those things end up being more important than some of the other stuff.”
      Thomas Rongen jumped at the chance to coach the American Samoa team ahead of a World Cup qualifierCredit: Alamy
      Thomas lead them to their first international victory, a 2-1 win against Tonga, in November 2011Credit: Handout
      The first goal came from captain Ramin Ott, who scored a rocket in the 44th minute.
      Shalom Luani doubled their lead in the 74th.
      Tonga scored with three minutes to go, but it was too late to snatch the landmark victory from the ecstatic American Samoan team.
      Portrayed in the film as a hard-drinking divorcee — which director Taika has admitted “twisted” the story — Thomas was battling demons when he arrived on the island in 2011.
      He was struggling to cope with the death of his stepdaughter Nicole, a 19-year-old college footballer, who died in a car crash in 2004.
      Although an atheist, Thomas embraced the deeply religious culture of the island, which is more than 98 per cent Christian, and found the daily prayers helped him to confront his grief for the first time.
      He said: “It’s a small island and there are a lot of tribes and around 4pm they all do their big bells, and everyone stops, even cars. People sit down and reflect and pray. This happened during a training session, and I was like, ‘What the f***?’ Then the third day I joined them in church and I just cried.
      “That was an awakening of a part in my body that I had suppressed and it allowed me to be free again and think about my daughter with a smile now.”
      Maori New Zealander Taika, who is married to British singer Rita Ora, says Next Goal Wins is inspired by the 2014 documentary but only loosely based on it.
      He told an audience at this year’s Toronto Film Festival: “I saw the documentary a few years ago and I thought it was a story I had to tell, and twist it — other- wise you might as well see the documentary.”
      Thomas Rongen and George BestCredit: gailmegaloudisrongen/instagram
      Michael Fassbender as Thomas in the new movieCredit: Entertainment Pictures / eyevine
      Thomas’s own incredible career is worthy of a documentary in itself.
      He first made his name as a player, rising through the ranks as a promising defender with Amsterdam-sche FC. Then, in his early 20s, he moved to the US to compete in the new North American Soccer League.
      He played — and roomed — with his hero Johan Cruyff, and George Best and Franz Beckenbauer, who all played out their later years in the US.
      Keeping up with George proved a challenge — particularly off the pitch. Thomas told sport website The Athletic how the Manchester United hero’s first wife Angie confronted him after a night-long booze-up on Christmas Eve 1979.
      He said: “Our routine was we’d drag him up the stairs, undress him and get him into bed and the next day we’d make sure he was OK. So we open the kitchen door and (Dutch footballer) Wim Suurbier steps in first, and Angie is standing there with a butcher knife.
      “She’s six feet away, she takes two steps forward, she has it above her head and she goes towards Bestie.”
      That drama ended without mishap, and peacemaker Thomas is similarly seen as a hero in American Samoa. But in the film he is at first portrayed as a bad guy, especially when it comes to Jaiyah’s identity.
      She is a member of the island culture’s “third gender”, or Fa’afafine, who are widely accepted in American Samoan society. Her team-mates were supportive throughout her career and she was known for her killer tackles and “taking no prisoners” on the pitch.
      But in the film Thomas initially deliberately misgenders her, calling her by her male name before she finally punches him to the ground.Jaiyah — who changed her name legally in 2017 and fully transitioned in 2019 — is behind the film but she insists the tension between her and Thomas is hugely exaggerated, calling their relationship “not bad”.
      She added: “It was a nice little twist to make Thomas — or Fassbender — into a villain in the movie.”
      Despite beating Tonga, American Samoa failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup — they drew another qualifier 1-1 against the Cook Islands but lost another, against Samoa, 1-0.
      But under Thomas’s leadership they found a new sense of optimism and for Taika, Next Goal Wins was more about celebrating American Samoa than the team’s rise to victory.
      He told Time magazine that when audiences watch the movie: “I just want them to experience a little bit of a different culture that they probably never think about.”
      As for Thomas, he was originally to be played by Russell Crowe, a friend of the director, but he added: “He (Taika) said Russell is so heavy he can’t run up and down, so we went with Fassbender.”
      Now living in South Florida, Thomas is currently in talks to coach American Samoa for the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
      Read more on The Sun
      He said: “That might be a sequel.”

      Next Goal Wins is in cinemas from December 26. More

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      in Soccer

      The wildest footballers’ Christmas parties, from dwarf-tossing to fancy dress and shocking all-night benders

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      ‘TIS the season to be jolly, and if you are a footballer, potentially to get yourself in a whole lot of bother.The busy Christmas period of football is nearly among us, with clubs all around the land playing fixtures around the clock.
      Footballers’ Christmas parties can often be raucous affairsCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      Fancy dress, as seen on Arsenal’s stars, is often a priorityCredit: Instagram @kierangibbs
      But before then, some will indulge in a shenanigans of a festive party.
      Often, in the past, these have gone very wrong.
      From the extremely un-PC activity of dwarf-tossing to raucous all-night benders, these stars let their hair down maybe a little too much.
      Chelsea, 1994
      When notorious hardman Vinnie Jones is organising your Christmas party, expect fireworks.
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      But no one would have expected dwarf-tossing.
      Vinnie organised a lock-in at a West London boozer for a Chelsea party in 1994.
      As talkSPORT’s Tony Cascarino explained: “The idea was to pick up a dwarf and hurl him as far as you could.
      “I had a go, but I can’t remember how I did. They were heavier than I expected.”
      Most read in Football
      Vinnie Jones organised a lock-in at a pub for his Chelsea teammates where they took part in dwarf-tossingCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Liverpool, 1990s
      Liverpool were the dominant force of football in the late 80s and early 90s.
      John Barnes, Steve McMahon, Ian Rush and Co enjoyed plenty of success on the pitch.
      Off it, they took fancy dress to another (controversial) level, with David Burrows once dressing up as Adolf Hitler.
      But, it was Barnes dressed up as a Ku Klux Klan member for one Christmas party that really took the biscuit.
      Speaking to BT Sport, legendary keeper Bruce Grobbelaar revealed about one night out: “There was a fellow in a white outfit with a pointy hat who was John Barnes, (he was) the Ku Klux Klan.”
      Another tale recounts Steve McMahon minding the door of the venue, when he was confronted by a man wearing a white sheet.
      “You can’t come in like that. John Barnes is in there,” McMahon is believed to have said.
      “No,” said the man pulling off his hood. “He’s in here.”
      Absolutely and I’d do it again… and go as Hitler to a fancy dress party.. fancy dress parties are there for you to make fun of people you go as and the kkk and Hitler are figures to be ridiculed so I see no problem in that… I wouldn’t go as kunta kinte with chains on…— John Barnes (@officialbarnesy) January 23, 2020

      John Barnes dressed up as a Ku Klux Klan member for a 1990s partyCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Arsenal, 1996
      Arsene Wenger had just landed at the club, while Patrick Vieira was one of his first signings.
      But initially the Frenchman couldn’t put a curb on Arsenal’s Christmas bash of ’96 and the drinking culture that ran through the club.
      “The tradition was we would go out and get absolutely leathered and then recover on our day off,” Dixon revealed to FourFourTwo.
      However, Vieira turned up to the shindig with his car keys in hand and planned on having a nice meal and a glass of wine before getting an early night.
      “The boys weren’t having that,” Dixon said.
      “So we took his keys from him, and soon Patrick was loving it and dancing on the tables.”
      Patrick Vieira was roped into a drinking session with Arsenal’s stars in 1996Credit: Getty
      Newcastle, 1998
      As a tradition, everyone loves a Secret Santa.
      Well, everyone except perhaps Duncan Ferguson, Dietmar Hamann and bald Georgian Temuri Ketsbaia when they attended Newcastle’s 1998 party.
      The gifts were handed out – but they were in incredibly poor taste.
      Ferguson was handed a prison shirt, referencing time he spent behind bards, German legend Hamann was given a copy of Mein Kampf, while Ketsbaia received a comb.
      Alessandro Pistone opened up his present to reveal a sheep’s heart that questioned his lack of commitment.
      “I’m sure it was a joke,” the Italian unconvincingly said.
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      Dietmar Hamann received a tasteless gift at Newcastle Secret Santa Christmas partyCredit: Getty
      Hamann unwrapped a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein KampfCredit: AFP
      Man City, 2004
      When you’ve got Joey Barton, there’s always a danger of things getting out of hand.
      The clue that something could boil over could have been who Barton chose to dress up as… Jimmy Saville.
      Armed with a cigar, Barton then got into an altercation with youth player Jamie Tandy at a Manchester hotspot.
      He used the lit cigar as a weapon, stubbing it out on the youngster’s eye.
      Barton was reprimanded by the club and fined six weeks wages.
      Tandy would later claim the incident ruined his career.
      Joey Barton and trouble go hand in handCredit: Rex Features
      Man Utd, 2007
      Party-pooper Sir Alex Ferguson banned Christmas parties from 2007 onwards. And this is why.
      Several of the Man Utd team enjoyed a 13-hour bender in Manchester, which included a trip to Long Legs strip club, as well as some eardrum-splitting drunken-singing at a karaoke bar.
      It was claimed that some players spent up to £4,000 on their night out.
      Wags were barred from attending, with witnesses saying the stars were wild and out of control.
      It must have helped for team morale, though, because the Red Devils would go on to win the Premier League and Champions League.
      Man Utd stars arrive at their Christmas party in 2007 before an almighty benderCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      The team ended up enjoying strip club Long Legs in Manchester
      Tottenham, 2009
      In 2009, Robbie Keane tried to pull the wool over Harry Redknapp’s eyes.
      He told the then Spurs gaffer he was taking his teammates to Dublin for a golf trip.
      But he wasn’t. Instead, they went on a pub crawl – taking in The Big Smoke’s brilliant drinking holes.
      Redknapp found out and went “mad”, according to Peter Crouch in his book.
      The 16 players involved were all fined £20,000.
      Redknapp said: “Wednesday was their day off and Robbie told me they were going to Dublin to play golf. I had no problem with that.
      Read more on The Sun
      “I am not happy and it will be dealt with, and dealt with severely.
      “I was shocked when I heard about it. I don’t see why parties should happen in today’s football – they’re more trouble than they’re worth.”
      Robbie Keane got himself in trouble with Harry Redknapp when he took his teammates to Dublin for a booze-upCredit: PA:Press Association More

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      in Soccer

      Meet first female Premier League referee Rebecca Welch, who worked for the NHS before becoming a full-time official

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      ON December 23, history will be made.Rebecca Welch will become the first female referee to officiate a Premier League fixture.
      Referee Rebecca Welch is set to make history on December 23Credit: Getty
      Welch will officiate the Premier League match between Fulham and BurnleyCredit: PA
      The 40-year-old from Washington, Tyne and Wear will take charge of Fulham and Burnley at Craven Cottage.
      Just a few days later, Sam Allison will assume control over Sheffield United and Luton Town and become the first black official since Uriah Rennie 15 years ago.
      It’s a groundbreaking moment in England’s top flight, which was applauded by Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.
      “I think it’s a great moment,” he said. 
      Read more football news
      “For me, it’s got to be based on ability, not gender, ability to referee and I fully support it.”
      While PGMOL head of referees Howard Webb told Sky Sports: “They are both part of the PGMOL development group which fast-tracks talented officials through the pathway.
      “We have already seen three officials from the group take charge of their first Premier League games and now we have number four and five and it shows the value of that work.
      “We have not seen a female take charge of a Premier League game before so it’s significant, and Sam being the first black official with a whistle in the Premier League since Uriah Rennie.
      Most read in Football
      “It demonstrates people can make it through the pathway from groups that are not traditionally well represented.”
      But Rebecca’s path to the top was far from traditional.
      She admittedly fell into refereeing by mistake, before being the woman in the middle for the League Two fixture between Harrogate Town and Port Vale in 2019.
      Up until then she worked as an administrator for the NHS.
      Grateful to the NHS
      “The NHS are a crucial piece of the jigsaw to how I am here, with the flexibility they gave me,” Welch revealed.
      “I worked full-time but if I needed time off to go to games, if I needed to leave early or if I needed to go on any Uefa trips, they were always very accommodating. Never once did I have to say ‘I can’t attend a game because I have to go to work’ – their support was brilliant.
      Welch worked in the NHS’s business services authority for 17 years.
      She said: “I decided a couple of years ago to take a career break [from the NHS], just because I wanted to give football everything and I wanted to be in a position to, when I retire, sit back and say I gave it 100% and this was what I achieved.
      “Hopefully when I retire from refereeing I will return to the NHS and they’ll have me back.”
      Welch stepped away from a job with the NHS to work in footballCredit: Rex
      Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag complains to WelchCredit: Rex
      Welch first officiated an EFL game in 2019
      read more sport features
      ‘I didn’t want to ref’
      It wasn’t Welch’s plan to become a referee.
      She actually fell into it by mistake, after sharing a joke with Uefa B ref, Lindsey Robinson, and soon began juggling her NHS job with Sunday league games in County Durham.
      “Lindsey used to ref some of our games when I played local football,” Welch told The Telegraph.
      “I used to say how refereeing is ‘so easy’ and how referees always get it wrong and she said ‘well if you think it’s that easy, go and do it’ and that was it.
      “Still with no real ambition to referee a game, I just thought I’d go and do the course and learn a bit more about the laws of the game. Then I picked up the whistle, did my first five games and I stopped playing to start being a referee.
      “It’s a role people look at and think ‘why would you want to be a referee?’ but actually the rewards you get out of it, it’s completely changed me as a person, it’s completely changed my life, for the better. It’s kind of gone in a whirlwind. I’ve really enjoyed it.”
      Respect
      This season, especially, the Premier League has seen a staggering rise of abuse for officials from players, managers, and taunting from the crowd.
      Welch, herself, faced alleged misogynistic chanting towards her during a Birmingham City game that saw two 17-year-old boys arrested.
      She feels respected by the players, and believes there is a difference between abuse and disagreeing with decisions.
      Welch believes she has earned the respect from the prosCredit: Getty
      Welch believes there is a difference between someone who is abusing you and someone who is disagreeing with your decisionCredit: Alamy
      “A lot of people think that as a referee I go out on a Saturday and for 90 minutes I get a torrent of abuse – that’s actually not true,” she said.
      “There’s a difference between somebody who is abusing you and somebody who is disagreeing with your decisions. I do feel respected by the players.
      Read more on The Sun
      “I think the abuse side of it is a different avenue and that’s something that fortunately I haven’t been privy to, in my 11 years. I’ve never had somebody come in and give me abuse just because I’m a female referee or abuse because I’m a referee.
      “I’ve had people disagree with me because of the nature of the job I do, but there are some people who have come under that [abuse] so we definitely need to do more work in that area to stop that happening as we move forward.” More

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      in Soccer

      I flopped at Man Utd and would fly to Portugal on days off… I was treated like a king but did so many things wrong

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      MANCHESTER UNITED flop Bebe believes he would have been a success at Old Trafford if his attitude was different.The winger was signed for around £8.5million in 2010 – just a year after turning professional.
      Bebe believes he would be a success at Manchester United if he had his time backCredit: Getty
      The winger made just seven appearances for the Red Devils before being shipped outCredit: Getty
      But he played just seven times for United, scoring twice, before joining Besiktas on loan and eventually Benfica on a permanent deal.
      However Bebe puts his lack of success in Manchester down to his bad attitude, rather than a lack of talent.
      He admits he could have been more professional and blames a lack of guidance, suggesting he got a bit “lost” following his move to Old Trafford.
      Bebé told ESPN: “If I knew then what I know now, I’d have been [at United] for many more years.
      READ MORE ON MAN UTD
      “I’d sleep more. I wouldn’t do so many crazy things. When I had a day off, I used to take a plane to Portugal.
      “[Today] I’d look after myself more as a professional, look after my body, focus on football. I was there [at United], but in my head, I was on holiday with my friends.
      “But I don’t regret it. You have to think, I went from having nothing, in an orphanage, to a place with the biggest stars in the world. They were the best team around at that moment.
      “I think it’s normal that a 20-year-old kid gets a bit lost. I didn’t have a father. I didn’t have my mother or my grandmother to say ‘No, don’t do that.’ It was me, and I did whatever I wanted.
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      “Wherever I went, I was treated like a king. People gave me things. I could buy whatever I wanted. So I felt like a king… A father can tell you ‘You can’t do that’ or punish you. You need that sometimes. If I’d been living with my grandmother [in Manchester], it might have been different.”
      Bebe, 33, also revealed how his grandma “tricked” him into spending 10 years in an orphanage.
      The Rayo Vallecano star was told he was going to a holiday home aged just nine-years-old, but ended up in an orphanage home to 150 children.
      He detailed his story, saying: “She [grandma] tricked me. She took advantage of the fact that I was the youngest, and she put me in an orphanage.
      “At first, she told me I was going to a holiday home. She said I’d be there Friday, Saturday and Sunday. And I was there for 10 years.
      “Imagine. Nine-years-old. I was just nine-years-old when I got there.
      “All kinds of things happened there. Serious things, things a child shouldn’t see or hear … but [the people there] were also my friends. My best friends are five or six people who lived there with me. They were my family.
      “Everything that I have today, I learnt there, from my friends, the people who were there who helped me.” More

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      in Boxing

      Inside George Foreman’s amazing car collection up for auction, including a priceless Ford GT and a massive tour bus

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      GEORGE FOREMAN’s amazing car collection is up for grabs.Over the years, the boxing legend, 74, has amassed a stunning array of motors from every decade.
      George Foreman amassed an amazing array of motors
      Foreman’s 52-car collection is up for auctionCredit: Instagram / @hagertymarketplace
      A vintage Chevy Impala is available as part of the collection
      There is a very old-fashioned 1932 Ford Model 18, as well as a kitted out tour bus.
      For the more sporty, there’s even a 2005-edition Ford GT supercar in bright red.
      The stunning cars have been made available by auctioneers Hagerty Marketplace.
      Foreman admitted: “I have been a car collector and enthusiast most of my life, but the time has come for me to share my cars with other like-minded enthusiasts.
      Read more boxing news
      “Being able to offer them to the more than million-strong Hagerty audience is the best way to ensure they get the attention they deserve.”
      SunSport let’s you take a peak through some of what is on offer.
      1959 Chevrolet Impala Tri-Power Convertible
      With an apparent 60,000 miles on the clock, George’s classic Chevy is picking up plenty of admirers.
      Like most of the collection, there’s no reserve price – with current bidding at around the £120,000 mark.
      Most read in Boxing
      It is finished in black over red vinyl upholstery with tri-tone cloth seat inserts.
      The 14 inch steel wheels wearing spinner covers and mounted with Coker Classic wide whitewall tires are a thing a of beauty.
      1932 Ford Model 18 Deluxe Coupe
      George’s collection begins with classic motors from the 1930s.
      The pick of them is the staggering Ford Model 18, that’s already drawn bids at around £52,000.
      It is a car famously ingrained in American pop culture as one of the original hot rods.
      It’s a collector’s item, not to be driven, which explains why it has only travelled 819 miles.
      The Ford Model 18 is a classic car in American pop cultureCheck out these amazing collections

      1960 Bentley S2 Long Wheelbase Park Ward Saloon
      Bentleys are the ultimate in luxury, no matter what the year.
      And this 60s version was what the brand was built on.
      George’s is in fairly good nick, with just 47,000 miles on the clock.
      Slight imperfections on the worn horn button and warped rear lights haven’t put off bidders.
      Currently, the bid stands at around £17,000.
      A classic Bentley from the 1960s was kept in pristine condition by George Forema
      read more sport features
      1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray “Split-Window” Fuelie Coupe
      Corvettes are a staple of Hollywood films from yesteryear.
      The Sting Ray is as classic and classy as it gets, often referred to as the “Father of the Corvette.”
      It’s no wonder the bidding stands at around £100,000.
      This motor is powered by a 327 cu-in, 360 horsepower V8 engine with Rochester Ramjet mechanical fuel injection.
      The Corvette Sting Ray is one of the ultimate in muscle cars
      1987 Ferrari Testarossa
      In the 1980s, the Testarossa was the best Ferrari you could own.
      It helped that it was driven by the coolest detectives of the era, Crockett and Tubbs in cult TV favourite Miami Vice.
      It was one of just 1,008 Testarossa’s produced in 1987.
      George bought it in 1992, and it has done just 3,400 miles.
      The iconic 80s Testarossa was made famous in Miami Vice
      Miami Vice made the Ferrari Testarossa cool
      1999 Prevost Vantare H3-45 VIP Premium Touring Coach
      When you’re a legendary boxer, entrepreneur, minister and author – you get invited all over the country.
      What’s the best and most comfortable way to travel? In your own coach, of course.
      Incredibly, George owned his own top-of-the-range tour bus that boasted it’s own king-size bed.
      Needless to say, bidders are queuing up for this, with it currently around the £90,000 mark.
      George Foreman enjoyed travelling in his own tour bus
      The tour bus boasts its own bed
      2002 Ferrari 360 Spider Six-Speed
      How George squeezed his giant frame into a Ferrari, is a mystery.
      Bearing in mind, his 360 Spider only has 1,600 miles on the clock – the answer there might be not that many times.
      It is powered by a 3.6 litre V8 engine, and capable of reaching a top speed of 180 mph.
      The bidding is at £112,000.
      George Foreman’s Ferrari 360 Spider from 2002 has only 1,600 miles on the clock
      2005 Ford GT
      The most wanted, most cherished, and highest bidded on star in George’s collection. It stands at £260,000.
      This is one for all car enthusiasts, with such a rich history behind it – the GT famously winning four Le Mans races in a row in the 1960s has been glamourised on the big screen.
      Read more on The Sun
      It boasts a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine.
      Incredibly, it has only driven 792 miles.
      The Ford GT is the most expensive car available for auction More

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      in Soccer

      Inside incredible stadium built on top of a SHOPPING CENTRE hosting big European tournament

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      THERE are few stadiums where you can nip to McDonald’s and H&M at half-time and make it back for the second half.But at this unique ground you might just manage it.
      The pitch is on the roof of a shopping centre
      The Vozdovac Stadium is also known as the Stadion Shopping CentreCredit: AFP
      The Voždovac Stadium stands on the roof of a SHOPPING CENTRE but can still sit 5,175 fans.
      The Vozdovac Stadium is also officially known as Stadion Shopping Center.
      And it has a McDonald’s and H&M within it.
      There’s an Intersport as well if fans fancy buying a replica shirt on the way out.
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      The Vozdovac stadium opened in 2013 and is approved by Uefa to host Champions League and Europa League games if required.
      It is one of the few rooftop stadiums in the world.
      Similar to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley, the stadium utilises escalators to helps fans get to their seats.
      Week in, week out, the stadium is home to Belgrade side Vozdovac, a minnow who have made their way to Serbia’s first division this season.
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      But to aid the club with revenue, it’s loaned out to Red Star’s youth side for their Uefa Youth League games due to its Uefa approved status.
      That’s led to Manchester City taking on Red Star Belgrade there this week in the Champions League.
      City’s youth team managed to do the business at the Stadion Shopping Centre, with a 2-2 draw enough to see them advance to the knockout stages of the Uefa Youth League.
      The stadium seats 5,175 fansCredit: TNT SPORTS
      And was host to Manchester City in the Europa League todayCredit: TNT Sports More

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      in Soccer

      Inside ex-Premier League star’s amazing £400-a-night hotel with spectacular pool bar just yards from the beach

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      IN 2018, the same year Dejan Lovren lifted the Champions League, he became a hotelier.It came soon after his clothing label, Russell Brown launched, although that didn’t have as much success and is now defunct.
      The 4-star Joel Hotel in Croatia pulls in visitors all-year round
      Joel Hotels boasts an infinity pool and incredible sea viewsCredit: instagram @joelhotel_novalja
      Former Liverpool player Dejan Lovren is the hotel’s ownerCredit: instagram @joelhotel_novalja
      But, his four-star Joel Hotel in a beautiful part of Croatia is very much here to stay, and is certainly THE place to stay.
      Lovren, now 34 and playing for French club Lyon, had the property built from scratch in Novalja on the island of Pag.
      The project reportedly cost him somewhere around £3million.
      And since it opened its doors, it has continued to provide a relaxing place to stay for tourists from all over the world.
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      What has it got?
      A two-minute stroll from the spectacular Plaza Strasko beach, the Joel Hotel, reportedly named after his two children Josip and Elena, has a boutique feel to it.
      There are just 16 rooms, and each has its own designer kitchen.
      They are split up into 11 one-bedroom apartments, 2 studio apartments, 1 deluxe apartment and 2 annexes.
      Each apartment includes a living room, as well as a spacious private balcony.
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      Prices vary, with an apartment with a sea view costing around £215-per-night during high season.
      While a superior deluxe apartment is as much as £401-per-night.
      Pool, restaurant and bar
      Amenities haven’t been skimped on by Lovren.
      The outdoor infinity pool measures at 12 x 6 metres and is heated all-year round.
      Spectacularly, it offers a breathtaking view of Novalja and the surrounding mountains.
      There is also a state-of-the-art outdoor gym, for those who want to stay in shape on their holiday.
      But for others who just want to unwind and let it all go, there is an amazing restaurant and bar.
      On the menu is Mediterranean cuisine from meaty pasta dishes to a Tuna steak with sauteed vegetables.
      Rooms can cost up to £400-per-night during high seasonCredit: instagram @joelhotel_novalja
      Living rooms and kitchens feature in the superior apartmentsCredit: instagram @joelhotel_novalja
      Clean, pristine bathrooms offer plenty of spaceCredit: instagram @joelhotel_novalja
      Relaxing by the pool has never looked better at the Joel HotelCredit: instagram @joelhotel_novalja
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      The bar serves classic cocktails, as well as a variety of other alcoholic beverages.
      Visitors also have the option to rent a boat.
      The reviews are in
      The Joel Hotel is a favourite for guests who have reviewed their stay on TripAdvisor.
      In fact, it has recorded an impressive five star rating from 23 reviews.
      One visitor wrote: “Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the best stay on Pag. Close to Novalja and close to Zrće.
      “The accommodation, amenities, the staff and the intimacy of the stay was brilliant. We stayed for five nights and had a great time. No more than eight people by the pool. Your own private oasis of comfort.”
      Another posted: “A breathtaking luxury building. Very friendly staff and approachable. The service is unmatched. The food is delicious – fresh ingredients, great served.
      Guests can rent a boat for the dayCredit: instagram @joelhotel_novalja
      The Joel Hotel restaurant gets good reviews online
      Guests can enjoy tuna steak
      Pasta dishes are also on offer
      “Do yourself a favour and visit this amazing hotel in Novalja.”
      While a third shared: “First of all, the hotel location is the perfect spot in Novalja. The view from the pool is just wow. Accomodation – very clean and nicely decorated. Friendly staff.
      “And best part is definitely food and drink. Enjoyed every meal and cocktail… best moscow mule I had.”
      A kind act
      Back in December, 2020 Croatia was hit by an earthquake with a reported magnitude of 6.4 that destroyed homes and buildings in Petrinja.
      Generous Lovren, who played 78 times for his country before retiring in early 2023, offered his help.
      Read more on The Sun
      The Adriatic Sea is in view of the hotel
      The hotel attracts high-flying clientele
      Dejan Lovren famously offered his hotel to families affected by a 2020 earthquake in his homeland
      He kindly gave 16 endangered families free accommodation at the hotel and urged them to get in touch with a personal message on Instagram.
      Not only a brilliant footballer, Lovren clearly has a heart of gold. More