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    Championship club’s former stadium looks unrecognisable as rugby ground with just 2000 capacity

    A CHAMPIONSHIP club’s former stadium looks unrecognisable after being transformed into a rugby ground with a capacity of just 2,000.The Sheffield Olympic Legacy Stadium is home to the Sheffield Eagles rugby league side.The Sheffield Olympic Legacy Stadium looks completely different these daysCredit: https://twitter.com/OLPSheffieldIt was built over the site of the demolished Don Valley StadiumCredit: ReutersDon Valley used to host Rotherham and was the second-largest athletics arena in the UKCredit: PA:Empics SportThe 25,000-seater has now been transformed into a modest 2,000 rugby league stadiumCredit: https://www.instagram.com/sheffieldolympiclegacypark/Built between 2021 and 2022, it was opened two years ago following a £10million construction project.The arena holds 2,000 people and also plays host to the Sheffield Giants American football team.It was the previous home of Sheffield United Women too.But it looked very different back when Championship side Rotherham played there.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSThe Sheffield Olympic Legacy Stadium was built over the site of the Don Valley Stadium, which closed in 2013 and was demolished a year later.The £29m arena, opened in 1990, was the second-largest athletics stadium in the country and could hold 25,000 spectators.That number doubled for concerts and similar events.But it also played host to Rotherham when the club was without a home for four years.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERBetween 2008 and 2012, up to 10,000 fans were allowed in for each game before Rotherham moved into the New York stadium – where they remain to this day.However, the Don Valley Stadium was closed by Sheffield City Council 11 years ago as part of a £50m budget cut.The site, which had previously been renovated in 2008, was entirely demolished.But in 2014, it was announced that an Olympic Legacy Park would be built over its remains.As well as the new stadium, the site now contains an indoor sports arena and several schools.It now plays host to the Sheffield Eagles, who had also played at the Don Valley Stadium and were forced to ground-share in Doncaster, Rotherham and Wakefield until the 2022 opening of the Legacy Stadium.Speaking ahead of its opening, captain Anthony Thackeray said: “It’s been a long time coming.“It’s really important for the club, the fans and everyone involved.”Rugby league side Sheffield Eagles play at the Legacy StadiumCredit: AlamyThe ground was only opened in 2002Credit: AlamyIt took eight years to build and also houses some schoolsCredit: AlamyIt is a lasting legacy to the Olympic gamesCredit: Alamy More

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    Major sporting event could be MOVED after 26 years due to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s controversial Man Utd plans

    RUGBY LEAGUE chiefs are drawing up alternative venues for Super League’s Grand Final should Manchester United’s Old Trafford home be bulldozed.Except for 2020 due to Covid, United’s stadium has hosted the showpiece since 1998 — but Red Devils’ new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has the ground earmarked for a massive redevelopment.Sir Jim Ratcliffe has some bold plans for Old Trafford which could impact Rugby League chiefsCredit: PARatcliffe could propose a new venue on the land next to the current groundThat could mean a temporary shift of venue with Manchester City’s Etihad likely to be the preferred choice.Newcastle’s St James’ Park and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which have hosted Magic Weekend and the Challenge Cup final respectively, are also in the frame.Ratcliffe, 71, has admitted Old Trafford has become “tired” and needs updating. To that end, the Ineos chief’s preference is to build a new stadium on the land owned by Man Utd.READ MORE ON MAN UTDOne ambitious plan comes under the guise of Ratcliffe wanting to build a so-called “Wembley of the North” with the help of taxpayer funds.Another includes a 90,000 seater stadium with a new Stretford End.He said: “It’s about time someone built a national stadium in the north of England.”If it can be achieved, it would clearly be my preference.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”I would be very excited for the north of England.”A stunning step towards this goal includes a five-year plan to redevelop Old Trafford to be a site which stretches down to the water and links to MediaCity.Erik ten Hag insists he does have Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s backing amid rumours Man Utd boss faces sack in summerAmenity plans include a five-star hotel and a host of other facilities to accommodate Man Utd’s global supporter base, with only a megastore and museum currently at the club’s disposal.Huge infrastructure projects like the one proposed on the grounds of Old Trafford are nothing new to Ineos, who are currently building a £5billion petrochemicals plant in Antwerp, Belgium.Ratcliffe completed his deal for a 27.7 per cent stake in Man Utd in February.Inside Ratcliffe’s Man Utd plansEverything you need to know as Sir Jim Ratcliffe takes charge at Manchester United… More

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    Alan Shearer’s glam daughter Hollie flashes bra in see-through lace top as fans call her ‘beautiful woman’

    ALAN SHEARER’S daughter Hollie has left her fans in awe as she hung out in the streets of Paris.Shearer’s 29-year-old daughter has built a strong following on social media with a series of glam pics and is often sharing fashion tips online.
    Hollie Shearer took social media by storm once moreCredit: Instagram
    Hollie took to the streets of Paris with a glam outfitCredit: Instagram
    Hollie left her Instagram followers in aweCredit: Instagram
    This time she took to the streets of the French capital with a see-through top and a pair of jeans.
    Hollie issued the following caption on Instagram: “Strolling the streets of Paris.”
    Her 83,000 followers took to the comments’ section soon after she posted those three photos.
    One fan posted: “Beautiful woman.”
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    Another commented: “Gorgeous.”
    A third wrote: “Lovely pictures.”
    This fan said: “Stunning.”
    And that one gushed: “Beaut.”
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    Away from the camera, Hollie is a singer-songwriter and released a number of singles over the past few years.
    The social media model is dating England rugby superstar Joe Marchant and lives in Paris with the Stade Francais centre.
    Alan Shearer’s glamorous daughter Hollie shows off her toned tummy in crop top leaving fans in love with her outfit-
    The couple recently holidayed in Marrakech and kept fans up to date with their travels.
    Inside Hollie’s glamorous life as singer, model, football icon’s daughter and rugby Wag…
    Hollie is the glam daughter of Newcastle legend and pundit Alan Shearer
    Father and daughter; Hollie with dad Alan
    Hollie has become a social media star in her own right
    Hollie boasts over 83,000 followers on Instagram
    Singer Hollie dreams of living in Nashville, Tennessee
    She supported Sam Fender at her father’s foundation nightCredit: Instagram
    Hollie dazzled in glittery fishnet stockings as she performed on stageCredit: Instagram
    Hollie, left, posed with brother Will and sister Chloe, right on a recent holidayCredit: Instagram/@chloeshearer1
    Hollie has been dating England rugby star Joe Marchant since 2022Credit: Instagram @hollieshearer
    Hollie cheered on partner Joe from the stands at the World Cup in France alongside his sister Melita, mum Sue and dad JoeCredit: Instagram @hollieshearer
    Hollie wowed in this revealing bikini… but she stole it from her sisterCredit: Instagram / @hollieshearer
    Hollie often leaves fans swooning with her incredible toned bodyCredit: Instagram
    Hollie showed off her beach body on a swanky holiday to Greece
    Hollie cuts an elegant figure in a stunning red dress
    Hollie turned into a biker girl as she posed in a crop top and leather trousersCredit: Instagram
    She has accumulated a substantial following on InstagramCredit: Instagram
    Hollie frequently posts pictures to her adoring fans on social mediaCredit: @blackboughswim
    She treats fans to regular glimpses into her lifestyleCredit: Instagram
    The singer-songwriter loves being on the water in an array of colourful bikinisCredit: INSTAGRAM / @hollieshearer
    She loves maintaining her impressive tan on holidayCredit: INSTAGRAM / @hollieshearer
    Hollie shares the same confidence in front of the camera that her dad showed in front of goal
    Hollie posed in a pink bra and thong for PrettyLittleThing Valentine’s Day shootCredit: PrettyLittleThing
    Hollie’s posts regularly have fans hailing her as a ‘stunning princess’Credit: Instagram / @hollieshearer
    Hollie looks equally as glamorous when not just in a bikiniCredit: instagram @hollieshearer More

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    I KO’d a boxing world champion – then I went to jail for assault and had to hang out with heroin addicts

    FORMER boxer and rugby league star Garth Wood has detailed his experiences in prison after being sentenced for assaulting his partner’s ex-boyfriend.Australian Wood, 45, played rugby for South Sydney and Balmain Tigers between 1997 and 2005, before turning his attention to the fight game.
    Garth Wood won 14 fights during his professional boxing careerCredit: Getty
    He was sentenced for assaulting his partner’s ex-boyfriend in JuneCredit: Getty
    He had his first professional bout in February 2007 and went on to accrue a record of 12 wins, four defeats and one draw.
    Most famously, he knocked out former super-middleweight world champion Anthony Mundine in the fifth round of their first fight in 2010.
    The pair rematched in 2011 as Mundine secured a unanimous points victory.
    Then, after hanging up his gloves, Wood was incarcerated for an attack he carried out on his partner’s ex in June of this year.
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    Now a free man once more, he has opened up about the drug problem in prison.
    Speaking on the I Catch Killers with Gary Jubelin podcast, he said: “I was expecting it [prison] to be more of a man’s man experience where everyone is a tough guy.
    “I thought I’d be confronted with guys who wanted to fight me, but a lot of it was drug addiction and mental health.”
    He went on to add: “There were seven blokes in Parklea who were all on the heavy s*** [heroin].
    Most read in Boxing
    “They all shared the syringe. Yet there was one bloke who had AIDS. He was the last one who was supposed to blast it.
    “It just shows you what they are willing to do for the addiction.”
    Wood also explained how he developed a way of staying in shape while behind bars alongside some of his other inmates.
    But while he did grow close to some of them, he also insists he came into contact with some dangerous people.
    He said: “I got with a gang of people – not a gang, people who wanted to train – and I tell you what, I did some of the hardest training sessions in there.
    “We did a lot of burpees, bear crawls, squats, push-ups. It was like a big circuit which went for nearly 40 minutes and the first couple of sessions I couldn’t walk for the next couple of days.
    “I met some really good people in jail, but there’s also some evil f***ing people as well, which I wouldn’t care to run into ever again.” More

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    Micah Richards reveals he chose to become pro footballer ahead of shock other sport as Gary Lineker jokes ‘bad decision’

    MICAH RICHARDS chose to become a professional footballer ahead of a shock other sport.The former England defender made the revelation on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football podcast.
    Micah Richards chose football over rugby league as a youngsterCredit: Getty
    He and Alan Shearer were both asked if they were good at any other sports growing up.
    This prompted Richards to explain his love of rugby league as a youngster in Leeds.
    “Rugby,” answered the ex-Manchester City star. “I was good at rugby.
    “Yorkshire lad, Leeds Leeds Leeds, Leeds Rhinos, of course I was. I was quick.”
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    Clarifying which code he played, Richards added: “Rugby league, yeah. I used to love it.
    “I had to pick out of going to rugby and going to football but I picked football and…”
    However, before he could continue, host Gary Lineker quipped: “Bad decision,” prompting all three to burst out laughing.
    After moving from Birmingham, Richards grew up in Leeds, the home of 11-time Super League champions Leeds Rhinos.
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    Gary Lineker joked that Richards made a ‘bad decision’Credit: The Rest Is Football
    He also spent time in Leeds’ academy as a striker before he was released.
    Richards later switched to defence and played for Oldham ahead of joining City’s youth system aged 14.
    His decision to pursue a career in football appears to have paid off, with the 35-year-old going on to win two Premier League titles with City.
    He also lifted both the FA Cup and League Cup during his playing days, alongside winning 13 caps for England.
    Since retiring, Richards has become a fan-favourite pundit on the BBC, Sky Sports and CBS. More

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    I played in the 2007 Rugby World Cup final for England… now I’ve bought a non-league football team

    A FORMER England Rugby player is one of the surprise people involved in the takeover of non-league club Yeovil Town. The National League side have finally changed ownership after weeks of speculation.
    Ex-Rugby star Paul Sackey (right) and Matt Uggla are among the main faces heading up the Yeovil takeoverCredit: Rex
    The SU Glovers group confirmed it had “taken on the stewardship” of the club earlier this week.
    And former England World Cup star Paul Sackey is among the group involved, it has emerged.
    The ace was a part of England’s rugby union side who got to the 2007 World Cup Final before losing to South Africa.
    But now he has moved onto pastures new and is looking to help turn Yeovil’s fortunes around after a difficult few years.
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    The bid is believed to be headed up Sackey, businessman Matt Uggla and his mother Julie-Anne.
    Sackey and Uggla were interviewed about their intentions for the club in a video uploaded to Yeovil’s social media channels.
    Sackey, 43, said: “We love the history of the club. We’ve done a lot of research and background on the club and we love it.
    “It’s got such a passionate fanbase. It’s a big club but the position it’s in now, it’s probably too big for this place, so we want to bring [the club] back to where it needs to be.”
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    Uggla added: “We’re really excited. It’s taken some time to get to this point but we’re really excited to be here and we’re hoping that we can move the club forward and bring it back to where it belongs.”
    Yeovil were relegated out of the EFL in 2019 after 16 consecutive seasons in the football league.
    Their mission for the rest of the season is to avoid being relegated again with the Glovers only out of the National League bottom four on goal difference. More

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    Charlton’s mystery takeover bidders revealed as Lenagan family – owners of Rugby League giants Wigan Warriors

    CHARLTON ATHLETIC’S mystery takeover bidders are the Lenagan family — owners of Rugby League giants Wigan Warriors.The League One outfit have been a target for several parties but now the Lancashire-based family are close to a deal.
    Charlton’s takeover bidders have been revealed as the Lenagan FamilyCredit: Getty
    Family head Ian Lenagan is the RL club’s chief but has big football interests from his time at Oxford and as EFL chairman.
    His son Simon may be the family representative who steps in at Charlton as their main man if they conclude a move to buy 80 per cent of the club.
    Owner Thomas Sandgaard wants to sell the majority of the Addicks and recently brought in a new management team.
    Director of football Andy Scott was at Oxford during Lenagan’s reign while “deal fixer” Charlie Methven had links with the U’s before moving to Sunderland.
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    Methven also has allies at Charlton with the new regime and — despite denials — is a main player behind the scenes.
    The group should have no problems with approval for their plans.
    Charlton are 12th in the League One table amid a turbulent campaign.
    Dean Holden replaced Ben Garner as Addicks boss last month after a disappointing start to the season.
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    Holden’s side earned a 2-1 win over Lincoln on Saturday after beating Portsmouth in midweek.
    The Addicks are nine points above the third tier’s relegation zone and the same amount off the playoffs. More

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    Watch as Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium is dramatically transformed for England’s Rugby League World Cup semi vs Samoa

    ARSENAL’S Emirates Stadium has been dramatically transformed for England’s Rugby League World Cup semi-final against Samoa. The goals at either end were changed from a rectangle to the letter H.
    Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium was transformedCredit: Twitter
    The North London venue is hosting England’s Rugby League World Cup semiCredit: Twitter
    England play Samoa on SaturdayCredit: Twitter
    Lines were redrawn and rugby posts were installedCredit: Twitter
    Staff worked tirelessly to redraw the lines on the pitch and the grass was carefully inspected.
    England’s rugby league World Cup semi-final opponents Samoa then trained on the pitch ahead of Saturday’s clash.
    Samoa caused an upset last weekend, defeating Tonga to reach the last four for the first time.
    However, things have been smoother for England, who have recorded convincing wins at every stage, with the most recent coming against Paua New Guinea with a 46-6 victory.
    READ MORE ON ARSENAL
    Confidence is sky high and England are charging towards a first final on home soil since 1995.
    England forward Victor Radley said: “We’re just worried about ourselves, not them.
    “They’re going to be stronger from the opening day, but we’re going to be stronger too.
    “They’ve got a talented team and it’ll take 17 tough Englishmen to stop them.
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    “Luckily, that’s what we’ve got.”
    Play is due to get underway at 2.30pm and will be free to watch on BBC One.
    Samoa trained at the Emirates in preparation for the big gameCredit: Twitter
    England are heavy favourites for the semi-finalCredit: Twitter More