Sun Club

Subterms

    Latest story

    250 Shares14 Views

    Chelsea line up shock Jobe Bellingham transfer as Man Utd eye goalkeeper – latest exclusives from The Sun’s Alan Nixon

    by

    SUNSPORT’S Alan Nixon is the Boss of Goss.Check out this week’s red-hot transfer whispers from our man in the know…Chelsea have joined the fight for Jobe BellinghamCredit: RexBlues co-owner Todd Boehly would love to buy BritishCredit: GettyTODD BOEHLY is lining up a bid for Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham as Chelsea look to sign English.England hero Jude’s kid brother could be sold by the Black Cats this summer.German giants Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen are already on his trail.The Blues have decided to enter the chase, though, and are willing to top offers to bring the 19-year-old into the Premier League.Chelsea have been busy signing players from all around the globe under  billionaire Boehly and his US investment group. Now they want a strong domestic presence in Enzo Maresca’s squad.Ex-Birmingham whizkid Bellingham is in England’s Under-21 set-up and one of the better players emerging, so he fits the bill perfectly.Jobe moved to the Stadium of Light in 2023 for £3million and has already been linked with a string of Premier League side.During the summer, Jobe signed a new deal at Sunderland keeping him tied at the club until 2028.Sunderland hope to win promotion and make a go at keeping him. But a sale looks certain if they fall short.Moving to Bundesliga side Dortmund worked wonders for Jude,  while Jobe may be happy to go his own way and play in the top flight here. Tottenham and Crystal Palace are also interested in Bellingham.However, Chelsea joining the race is being seen as a game changer.He could join Cole Palmer and new Brazilian wonderkid Willian Estevao in a new-look midfield next season.Could Jobe be as good as Jude?Jude and Jobe Bellingham are both Birmingham academy products with glowing Championship records.Red Devils have taste for Pears MANCHESTER UNITED are  looking for a home-grown keeper to join their squad next season — with Blackburn’s Aynsley Pears on the shortlist.Specialist scout Tony Coton has been watching the experienced Championship stopper.Man Utd squad is worse than Tottenham despite £553million MORE in transfer spending in last decade, says Gary NevillePears, 26, was previously at Middlesbrough  like dad Stephen, who ironically started his career at Old Trafford.United want a seasoned pro to compete for Andre Onana’s No 1 slot, though realistically he would be a reserve and play in cup ties.Turkey’s Altay Bayindir has been overlooked by both Ruben Amorim and Erik ten Hag, while Tom Heaton’s time may be up.Blackburn keeper Aynsley Pears is on Man Utd’s radarBrighton battle Belgians for MillerBRIGHTON and Belgian sister club Union Saint-Galloise are working on a deal for Motherwell’s exciting young midfielder Lennon Miller.The Seagulls see Miller, 18, as a  long-term prospect who may not be ready for the Premier League next season.So Saint-Galloise could buy the Scotland Under-21 star —  for around £7million — and bring him through before a switch to Albion. He also has major interest from Celtic.Lennon Miller might be set for a major move in the summerCredit: SNSAngus Leeds way for ToffeesANGUS KINNEAR plans to take some of his Leeds backroom team with him to Everton.Kinnear, 47, is set to join Toffees as CEO in a major move by the new American owners.But there is trouble brewing over the  number of Whites staff he wants to follow him across the Pennines in the summer.Kinnear could take two or three key allies in his behind-the-scenes switch and that may anger Championship title favourites  Leeds ahead of a huge season of their own.FA get their Brass in gearCHRIS BRASS will leave Nottingham Forest for a senior  post at the FA.Brass, 49, holds a major recruitment role at the club, having previously worked as a coach.Now he has been headhunted by the FA and  the Prem club are looking internally to replace him.Walsall have Hind sight for the futureTEEN talent Hindolo Mustapha is wanted by promotion-chasing Walsall for next season.Crystal Palace midfielder Mustapha, 18, almost joined the League Two side in the  winter window — and they plan another loan bid.The Sierra Leone-born ace hit a belter against Arsenal Under-21s last week.Walsall are tipped to come back in for Hindolo MustaphaCredit: RexSwans look overseasSWANSEA will search abroad for a new coach after firing Luke Williams two weeks ago. Caretaker Alan Sheehan has some support but the Swans’ hierarchy are keen to explore foreign markets for a fresh face in the dugout.Whistleblower out of puffWHICH EFL referee is facing the axe because of his fitness levels?The official has raised red flags with some recent displays, which have been called alarming and get worse the longer the game goes on.The fear is that the whistler runs out of puff because of his lack of ability to cover the ground.And he may live up to the song “You’re not fit to referee” next time he is assessed.Prest into action as an accidental spyDIRECTOR Peter Ridsdale spied on Preston’s FA Cup quarter-final rivals Aston Villa — by accident! The former Leeds supremo was in London on EFL business last month and took in Villa’s 4-1 defeat at Crystal Palace  — BEFORE the two sides were drawn together.O’s eye Josh DEFENDER Josh Dacres-Cogley has been targeted by Leyton Orient for next season. The Bolton right-back, 28, will be out of contract at the end of June.Josh Dacres-Cogley is already being eyed by OrientCredit: RexBrotherham?TWINS Cole and Dylan Williams, 17, are checking out Rotherham as they prepare to leave Airdrie. Celtic also fancy the midfielders but they are keen on England for a quicker route to first-team football.Hyam off the hookBLACKBURN’S Dom Hyam will not be punished for an elbow on Norwich keeper Angus Gunn last weekend. The EFL’s Key Match Incidents panel decided to take no action — and insiders say the pair were later seen laughing over the incident. More

    More stories

    • 250 Shares25 Views

      in Motorsport

      Why Geri wasn’t ‘blindly standing by’ Christian Horner as pal reveals how she REALLY dealt with his F1 text scandal

      by

      DRIVING along happily through the idyllic Oxfordshire countryside in their 4×4 Geri Horner turns to hubby Christian and says: “You never know what life’s going to bring.”The former Spice Girl couldn’t have been more prophetic.Geri and Christian Horner went through a year from hell in 2024Credit: GettyThe couple are pictured before the bombshell news on Drive to SurviveCredit: NETFLIXChristian is captured the moment a slew of alleged private texts messages is anonymously leakedCredit: NETFLIXThe ironic moment – caught on camera for Netflix’s Drive to Survive show last year – reveals how the couple were blissfully unaware that the coming Formula 1 season would threaten to turn their whole lives upside down.Soon after the clip was filmed, Horner, 51, was accused of alleged “coercive behaviour” towards an anonymous employee, sparking two independent investigations over the following year, which ultimately cleared him.But just a day after the allegations were first chucked out, a tranche of text messages and photographs were sent from an anonymous email to dozens of journalists and key F1 figures.Some of the messages were allegedly of a sexual nature – including requests for selfies – and the bombshell leak, which had been timed to coincide with the first race of the season last March, soon became the talk of the circuit.”It was a shock to both of them when the allegations blew up – they never saw it coming,” one friend told The Sun.Red Bull star driver Max Verstappen’s dad Jos called for Horner’s head saying the team would “explode” if he stayed on as the allegations threatened to derail both his job and his marriage.“There is tension here while he remains in position, Verstappen Snr said back in March”The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode.”The 51-year-old known as “Jos the Boss” during his racing days was even forced to deny being the source of the leak after he and Christian reportedly had a blazing row in Horner’s paddock office.Meanwhile there were reports Geri was distraught and in “floods of tears” after reading the messages and that the fairytale couple were heading for divorce.Moment Toto Wolff gets set to break Lewis Hamilton promise in behind-the-scenes clip on Netflix’s Drive to SurviveBut despite the furore, loyal Geri flew to Bahrain to be at her husband’s side and was pictured hand in hand with him at the paddock.Dressed in her signature all-white outfit, she posed at the podium ceremony, all smiles as they celebrated a 1-2 victory for Verstappen and fellow Red Bell driver Sergio Perez.  The couple even shared a kiss in full view of the cameras just before lights out at the track.It was a show of unity and defiance by the pair – although some criticised Horner for parading Geri around the paddock so shortly after the news broke.Geri and Christian appeared hand in hand at the Bahrain Grand Prix after the scandal brokeCredit: GettyThe couple embrace despite the drama unfolding off the trackCredit: PAThe couple share a kiss after Red Bull win the raceCredit: BackGridMax Verstappen’s dad Jos hit out at Horner after the texts were leakedCredit: GettyOne outspoken F1 pundit, former driver Christijan Albers, called the move “a farce and an absolute nonsense”.A body language expert told The Sun at the time Geri appeared “awkward” and as if she was on a “denial mission” as she posed for cameras alongside her hubby.Others wondered how she could back her man so soon after that shock leak.But while some might have thought Geri was burying her head in the sand and standing by her man friends say she is absolutely no pushover and had lots of questions for Christian, who was cleared once again of wrongdoing in August after an appeal to the original findings was dismissed.’Secret to their marriage’“People think Geri was just blindly standing by her man through the whole thing but it’s not like that at all,” a friend said.“She’s been in the spotlight for the majority of her life, so she knows what it’s like to be at the top of your game and the pressures that brings, and it takes a lot to faze her. She is a strong and intelligent woman. “When the allegations first came out, she of course had questions.“They talked through it and since then he has been cleared twice following two independent investigations by two separate KCs (King’s Counsels).“Good communication is one of the secrets to their marriage.”It was a shock to both of them when the allegations blew up – they never saw it coming and a lot of people were spreading hurtful rumours, but it was all untrue, they are in a really good place right now.”When Horner was cleared of wrongdoing back in August, he said he was “relieved” to put the whole saga behind him.Behind the scenes But the new Netflix show captures some of his candid behind-the-scenes reaction to his the texting allegations.The excruciating moment he first faces the world’s media and other team bosses after the texts had been leaked is caught on camera on the new show.McLaren boss Zak Brown addresses a press conference with the cutting remark: “These are not the type of headlines Formula 1 wants or needs.”Cameras cut to defiant Christian walking through the corridors saying “You find out who your friends are” before quipping: “Zak is a p***k.” Christian and Geri showed another united front at the Saudi Arabia Gran Prix last MarchCredit: EPAHorner celebrating the Red Bull Racing Team’s win in JapanCredit: GettyLater, after the second practice session at Bahrain, cameras catch the exact moment the text bombshell drops – with phone alerts pinging and Horner holding his head in his hands in disbelief.It sends the world of Formula 1 into a frenzy. However, despite the controversy off the track, Horner has the last laugh as Red Bull wins the Bahrain Grand Prix in dramatic scenes.”That’s the best way to f*** all of them. Shut the f*** up,” he’s filmed saying to another Red Bull Racing team member.As Red Bull continues to dominate the season Horner says: “In Formula 1 there’s winners and w*****s and you don’t want to be in the “w****r category”.Rivals plot In other parts of the show, he says that the motive behind the leaks was obvious – his rivals wanted him ousted.”The higher you rise, the sharper the knives,” he says.”I’ve reached the top of my game and I never thought in a million years I’d have a challenge like this in my career.”It was obvious that the end goal was for me to leave Red Bull.”It’s a crucial time of year, in a job that I do, you’re the front face of the organisation.”You can either hide away or you can get out there and face it.”It was a dramatic year from hell for the couple – although it ended on a high with Horner picking up a CBE from Prince Charles for his services to motor sports.Horner also reportedly built bridges with Verstoppen’s dad. Happy families And the couple put on a loved up display at the 2024 FIA awards in December in Kigali, Rwanda.And while the new season of Drive to Survive might contain some uncomfortable memories for the pair, the insider said they are not interested in reliving the past at all and are focused firmly on the future and their blended family which includes Bluebell, 18, Olivia, 11 and Monty, eight.Christian and Geri on their wedding day in 2015Credit: Doug Seeburg – The SunChristian and Geri Horner with their children Bluebell, Monty and OliviaCredit: Getty Images – GettyTheir marriage has weathered the storm – and they and the F1 team are “stronger than ever”. “Geri and Christian just want to put this whole episode behind them,” the pal said. “Their marriage is stronger than ever, they just got back from a trip to the States together and had a great time.  “Their priority is their family and they are fiercely protective over their kids and the time that they have to be a family despite their busy schedules. “The [Red Bull] team are stronger than ever too – everything is good.”They are not fazed at all about the new Netflix show and are just focused on the future.  “Yes it was a difficult time for them but they are both very resilient.”A rep for Red Bull declined to comment. More

    • 250 Shares42 Views

      in Soccer

      Chelsea files: Why Maresca’s tactical rethink is bearing fruit and how club’s top priority will be made clear this week

      by

      IT’S been another eventful season down the King’s Road.Having flirted with the title race, Enzo Maresca’s men are now fighting tooth and nail for Champions League qualification while also competing in Europe.Enzo Maresca’s side are fighting for European qualificationCredit: RexThe Blues thumped Southampton 4-0 last weekCredit: GettyStarting today, only on Sun Club, our team of experts will bring you the inside track on Stamford Bridge goings on every week.TO THE LEFTEXPECT TO see Enzo Maresca dressing more to the left from now on.Chelsea’s astute manager is being tipped to have a tactical rethink as the fashion for inverted full backs grips the Premier League.And once-maligned left-back Marc Cucurella is at the heart of the Italian’s remodelling as he looks to make his team a more potent force at both ends of the pitch.For some time Chelsea would drag whoever was playing right-back into the midfield to add weight to attacks.That would be mainly Malo Gusto or when fit club captain Reece James.  But Maresca has been fine-tuning Cucurella to do it from the opposite flank and senior staff at the training ground are noticing.Cucurella has risen to the manager’s challenge and now has three Premier League goals this season as a result. James has just one and Gusto none in comparison.The added bonus of employing Cucu in this way means the defence shifts left and not right – which seems to suit everyone.In the case of the last game – the 4-0 drubbing of Southampton in which Cucurella scored the final goal – it meant Levi Colwill could move left and allow Tosin to occupy the centre-back role.This made for an entirely more comfortable night all round and the tactical tweak looks set to stay.Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca insists that Cole Palmer is a happy player THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTSCOLE Palmer’s role when Chelsea resume their Conference League campaign on Thursday will be a clear sign of Enzo Maresca’s priorities.The England star was omitted from the 25-man squad for the group phase of the competition before Christmas.That allowed him some rest through the autumn and early winter demands and was rewarded by a series of stellar displays.Chelsea were unbeaten in their eight matches immediately following European games and were second in the Premier League at the conclusion of the initial Conference League stage in December.But Palmer has played all 12 matches since then, scoring just three goals and adding no assists after 11 goals and six assists up to that point.The former Manchester City man was added to the Blues squad for the knock-out stage.But with Chelsea expected to negotiate last 16 opponents Copenhagen, leaving him out of the starting side would be a signal that a top four finish is the bigger goal than Europe’s third competition.However selecting him for Thursday’s game would signal that Maresca buys into the philosophy that Chelsea need to start winning trophies again.Cole Palmer will be hoping to rediscover his very best formCredit: GettyDJORD DROPPINGONE of Enzo Maresca’s biggest headaches this season has been in goal.Neither Robert Sanchez or summer signing Filip Jorgensen have managed to step up and grab the No1 spot for themselves.Meanwhile, at sister club Strasbourg last season’s No1 is making quite the impact.Djordje Petrovic, sent on loan to improve his ability on the ball, has kept four straight clean sheets and boss Liam Rosenior has touted him for a big future.Rosenior said: “Petrovic is getting better by the day. It’s very important in our game system.”He is only 25 years old and will become a great player.”Maresca may find that the Serbian is a cheap solution to a big problem this summer.Djordje Petrovic has impressed for Strasbourg this seasonCredit: AFPEXTENDING AN ARMARMANDO Broja has had a lot of luck during his career – most of it bad.The 23-year-old striker is currently injured on his latest loan at Everton. He moved there last September after an equally disappointing temporary move to Fulham where he barely played.The Albanian also spent nearly a year on the sidelines between December 2022 and September 2023 after tearing knee ligaments.But there is still hope he can make a go of it on Merseyside.Everton boss David Moyes has told staff at the club that he does not want to make any decisions on Broja’s future – short or long term – until he has actually seen him play.Broja may just be back in time to feature at the end of this season and get the chance to seal a permanent move away from Chelsea in the summer.Armando Broja has endured a luckless spell at EvertonCredit: GettySOMETHING TO SHOUT ABOUTTODD BOEHLY’S state of the nation address regarding Chelsea last week has been met with a resigned shrug of the shoulders by many fans.In the wake of a pre-match protest taking aim at his near three year involvement in the club, many were hoping for stronger words from the American who jointly led the takeover at Stamford Bridge alongside now estranged business partner Behdad Eghbali.Around 150 diehards took to the streets outside Stamford Bridge last Tuesday to voice their displeasure. At what exactly is just as big a talking point among the fanbase, with some believing their fellow Blues may have become a bit too used to glittery success over the years.Even so, speaking some days after at the suitably thrill-a-minute sounding FT Business of Football Summit, Boehly conceded ‘criticism is par for the course’ and once you get your head around that ‘it brings freedom’. That’s neither fight nor flight.The wet-lettuce words may well have done the trick though. It appears there are no plans yet for further demos. Maybe because Boehly’s inert sermon made up of American-ese business inspired babble has snuffed the life out of the anti-Todd brigade like two damp fingers pinching a small candle flame.One prominent fans figure at The Bridge told SunSport: “There is too much entitlement and revisionment. We haven’t challenged for the title since Antonio Conte was manager.“Chelsea is a business now, not a toy. It’s very different now to life under Roman Abramovich and that change is hard for some to accept.”The knot of fans who gathered outside the gates to Chelsea’s home ground last week chanted for their former owner, now sanctioned by the UK Government over his links to Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin.They also sang for former bosses Jose Mourinho and Thomas Tuchel. Conte’s name was skipped even though he is the last manager to win the Premier League for the club.It’s healthy for fans to hold their club’s owners to account but having spent £1billion plus on players and with Chelsea still sitting inside the top eight on the night of the protest, there is a feeling among more ‘experienced’ followers of the club that the younger, more recent arrivals need to get a grip.Chelsea supporters protested outside Stamford Bridge last weekCredit: EPAHOME AND AWAYBOEHLY is finding out the hard way that developing the Blues’ home is a much harder task than it was with his Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.Despite MLB sides playing 81 home games in the regular season, there are no matches between October and March.That is in stark contrast with a Premier League campaign running from the start of August to the end of May and Boehly conceded: “The thing you learn about football is how little down-time there is.“When we renovated Dodger Stadium, we had a lot more time to affect change than in the football season. There’s a lot less down-time and that makes it a little harder.”Former owner Roman Abramovich pulled the plug on a planned £1bn revamp of the Bridge, Chelsea’s home since 1905, in 2018 after he was refused an extension on his special “investor” visa.That came after proposals to potentially move to sites at Old Oak Common near Wormwood Scrubs, Earls Court and Battersea Power Station were dropped.One extra complication is that the freehold of the Bridge playing surface is owned by the Chelsea Pitch Owners, who can prevent the club using the name “Chelsea” if a move takes place without their consent.But Boehly appears to feel either a move or a major rebuild is both necessary and inevitable – even if it means Chelsea having to play FOUR seasons or more away from SW6. He added: “If you think about what ultimately the drivers are, of building a self-sustaining, very competitive club, figuring how to increase revenues is part and parcel of success.“So you have to be very mindful of how you continue to do that.”Todd Boehly has spoken about Chelsea’s potential stadium renovationCredit: GettyWIN-WIN DEALCOLE PALMER’S move to Stamford Bridge was win-win for both Chelsea and Manchester City – according to the man at the heart of the £40m deal.Palmer has scored 39 games in just 75 games for the Blues since his switch.And long-standing agent Frank Trimboli, who brokered the move, recalled: “When it came to the Palmer deal, Manchester City understood the value of the player but they had a lot of players that they could use and play.“So they also knew his future value would be high and given the amount of football Cole had played for City it was still a high number.“There were people at Chelsea who had previously worked at City, so they knew what they were buying and credit to Chelsea because they were willing to put the money on the table.“And 18 months after the deal, that £40m looks like money well spent.”Cole Palmer has been a smash hit at ChelseaCredit: GettyTOOTH ACHEFRANK LAMPARD still feels the pain from the ‘kick in the teeth’ when Chelsea sacked him.Even though the club’s legendary midfielder and former boss is now flying high with promotion chasing Coventry – it still hurts.Lampard was hired and fired by Cheslea’s former owner Roman Abramovich within 18 months – getting the chop in January 2021 to make way for Thomas Tuchel.  Lampard said: “In this job you understand that you will get some kicks in the teeth.”I went in at Chelsea and was loving doing my job there, at a club that I clearly love.”And when you lose your job – it’s the first time I lost my job – it’s a difficult moment and you have your own feelings about that, which I had and still have. “So, kicks in the teeth, unfortunately feel harsh at the time. “And when you look back, you understand that they’re part of life and they mould your future.”Frank Lampard managerial stats2018-2019 – Derby County P 57 W 24 D 17 L 16 2019-2021 – Chelsea P 84 W 44 D 17 L 232022-2023 – Everton P 44 W 12 D 8 L 242023 – Chelsea (caretaker) P 11 W 1 D 2 L 82024-present – Coventry City P 20 W 12 D 3 L 5Frank Lampard has enjoyed a return to form at CoventryCredit: Getty More

    • 325 Shares41 Views

      in Motorsport

      I’ve worked in F1 for years so I know exactly how drivers pull ‘pit babes’ – and the best way to land a Grand Prix lover

      by

      IT’S not quite life in the fast lane – but life in the pitlane still comes pretty close for glitz and glamour.Our secret Formula One employee has worked with both drivers and teams for seven years.Lewis Hamilton gets drenched in Champagne during one of his many GP winsCredit: AFPGrid girls are a famous feature of F1 pitlanes, but not everything in the sport is so glamCredit: AFPIt’s no surprise superfit megabucks F1 racers like Charles Leclerc are targets for ‘pit babes’Credit: GettyAnd while there’s plenty of VIP parties with posh plonk and models chasing motor racing stars, the reality of everyday life is far from extravagant. Here we get the inside track on what goes on under the bonnet of the F1 world – and why it might not be quite as sexy as it seems.Beautiful women are attracted to Formula One – netting a driver seems to be as attractive as a Premier League footballer.But of course there are only a few drivers, so they get the pick of the incredibly stunning women that flock to the race track.We dub the women desperate for some of the action ‘pit babes’, which is terrible but it’s been like that for ages.Girlfriends tend to come to the races as they’re all too aware thatwomen are desperate to step into their Louboutins.They’re right to keep an eye out as many of the drivers stray given half a chance.I know one driver whose race engineer was his eyes and ears both on and off the track.On track, he was in his ear all day talking him through the race, but before and after the race he was earmarking the prettiest girls for the driver and him.A lot of women soon learn that the best way to get into the sack with a driver is to befriend his race engineer. I know some women who hunt in pairs, to keep them both occupied!Martin Brundle’s most-awkward Formula 1 grid moments from Cara Delevingne to Ozzy OsbourneThe amount spent keeping sponsors happy on race days is eye-watering.One team I worked at would think nothing of having Chateau Petrus wine – which costs over £2,000 per bottle – flowing in the motorhome and endless Champagne is being poured in every hospitality area.The drivers abstain until after the race – but then they really let their hair down whether they’ve done well or not – it’s getting rid of all their excess energy.Races for me are just very busy, trying to keep sponsors and VIP guests happy.I’d arrive way before the race and leave after the last guests have gone and often it would take hours to get out of the track and to the hotel.All day long we’re on standby to make sure our sponsors and their guests are kept fed, watered and entertained.The most demanding guests are the girlfriends – I’ve lost count of the amount of times they’ve sent me off because they’ve forgotten their sunglasses or handbags in the motorhome.It’s a serious business on race day, when drivers really earn their cornCredit: GettyGrid girls pack the paddock at the Miami GPCredit: GettySuperstars flock to the GP, with Kylie Minogue even getting to wave the chequered flagCredit: GettyChampagne flows before and after the raceCredit: AFPBack at the factoryThe factories are of course where all the hard work is done. Lots of the mechanics, engineers and aerodynamicists work incredibly long hours (and sometimes in dark rooms) for not much money as there’s so much competition to work there.They are constantly developing the car for the next race which requires a certain type of set-up and tweaking the tiniest components to try to shave a few hundredths of a second off a lap time.It is still quite male-dominated on the engineering side, though they have made an effort to recruit more women.On non-race days the industry is surprisingly boring. Most of the factories are in the middle of nowhere in the English countryside so the nightlife isn’t great and it means you end up dating other people that work there.There’s very little glamour involved in the job other than on race day.Red Bull Racing’s HQ in Milton Keynes, where engineers toil through the week looking for the tiniest gainsCredit: AlamyEven the smallest tweaks can make a massive difference come race dayCredit: AFPPrima DonnaRacing drivers are athletes and so are very disciplined with a team of physios and trainers telling them exactly what exercise to do and what to eat.They’re obsessed with staying hydrated in warmer climes as they can lose a few kilos in weight during a race – one of them refused to drink anything other than apple juice with mineral water.They’re also quite boring. One driver I’ve worked for spends all his down time playing computer games.But they’re also very self-centred because they’re essentially the face of the team and at the end of the day the people who can win or lose a race and so everyone bends over backwards to keep them happy.If you’re remotely faint-hearted never get in a car they’re driving off the track, it’s terrifyingThey’re also very superstitious, they have lucky pants or shoes. They don’t tend to get nervous though before races – though they know the risks only too well.Everybody climbing into an F1 car would have been in an accident or seen other horrendous crashes in their time coming up in lower formulae.If you’re remotely faint-hearted never get in a car they’re driving off the track – they drive like lunatics, I was terrified the one time I did it.Our second driver was late leaving the hotel one morning and drove me to the test track in a hire car and all the while telling me about all the near-death experiences he had previously when trying to arrive at a test on time.Everyone laughed at my ashen face when I got out of the car.George Russell poses with a relatively normal car – but beware of going for a drive with an F1 racerCredit: Instagram @georgerussell63Party timeDrivers are now testing in Bahrain ahead of the new seasonCredit: GettyNeymar is one of the big stars who loves attending F1 racesCredit: ReutersBrad Pitt has regularly been spotted trackside while he makes his F1 film, which is out this yearCredit: RexRace team parties are very extravagant with free-flowing wine and amazing food. I’ve attended lots of them and always enjoyed them immensely.You don’t see many drugs, bar the odd line of coke. F1 teams are all about image and keeping sponsors happy and they’d take a very dim view of being associated with a druggy team.So it’s always very clandestine – the industry has moved away from the James Hunt image of old.Certainly the drivers are never going to risk taking it.A word of warning….You don’t want to work at ANY job in Formula One just for the sake of it, certainly not in the laundry!These men want to win above all else – they’re highly competitive.So they’re hardly going to stop mid race to go to the bathroom should nature call.I’ve known drivers not only urinate in their fireproof race suits – but poop too.I’m particularly thinking of one occasion at a race in Brazil when the driver had terrible diarrhoea… eeeew!F1 parties are a bit tamer than when former F1 champ James Hunt, seen here in 1976, was in his heydayCredit: Alamy More

    • 300 Shares91 Views

      in Boxing

      I made deal with God as I lay dying after husband’s attack – I’m still trying to keep my end, says boxer Christy Martin

      by

      BOXING legend Christy Martin has revealed she made a deal with God as she lay dying after her husband’s brutal attack – and says she’s still trying to keep her end of the bargain.The 56-year-old – nicknamed The Coal Miner’s Daughter because of her father’s job in West Virginia, where she grew up – was a pioneer in the ring.Boxing legend Christy Martin is a survivor of domestic abuseCredit: GettyChristy survived an attempted murder by husband JimCredit: Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit of FloridaChristy, right, poses with actress Sydney Sweeney who will be playing her in the upcoming movieCredit: FacebookShe won 49 fights, with 32 by way of knockout, in a career that began in the late 1980s, and was represented by legendary promoter Don King.However, behind the scenes manager James ‘Jim’ Martin, who she would marry in 1991, made her life a living hell by beating her physically and stripping her down mentally.All the while, Christy, who is gay, was wrestling with her sexuality and identity in the macho world of her profession.In 2010, Martin would attempt to take Christy’s life – repeatedly stabbing his wife, before shooting her in the chest.Martin, who was 25 years Christy’s senior, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.He died last November, while serving his sentence at Graceville Correctional Facility in Florida.Understandably, Christy’s astonishing story has caught the attention of Hollywood.It’s not a boxing movie. It’s about domestic violence and it’s about sexuality. There’s so many different aspects and groups of people that this movie can affectChristy MartinA movie, directed by acclaimed Aussie filmmaker David Michod and starring actress of the moment Sydney Sweeney as Christy, wrapped in late 2024.Netflix also chronicled the tale with a powerful documentary called Untold: Deal with the Devil released in 2021.Speaking to SunSport, Christy, 56, told us: “To me, it’s the underdog story.Christy Martin was a boxing legend, but her ex-husband and trainer attempted to murder her”It’s not a boxing movie. It’s about domestic violence and it’s about sexuality. There’s so many different aspects and groups of people that this movie can affect.”The meaning behind the movie, for me, is don’t hide who you are – whatever it be, whatever makes you different. Be true to you.”Christy admitted she was surprised, at first, by the casting of Hollywood superstar Sweeney.”My first reaction was, ‘Wow, it kind of doesn’t fit,'” she said.”But when I spoke with Sydney, I learned she actually has an MMA background. We had some great conversations.”She is very much a competitor, like I was. I think this role will show people a whole other side to her they are not used to seeing.”She’s very real and a completely normal person, not like some Hollywood people I have met in my life and throughout my boxing career.”Christy met future hubby Jim when she was 22 and he was 47. She was an up and coming boxer, and he promised her the world by claiming he had contacts that could get her to the top of the tree.They married in 1991, although it was a marriage of convenience. Before Jim, Christy was in relationships with women.”I got involved with Jim by accident,” she said.”It was one of those things, I was impressionable and young and he claimed he knew everyone in the boxing business.”Christy was in an abusive marriage with Jim Martin who was her managerCredit: GettyGlam Sweeney was a surprise choice to play Martin in the new filmSweeney flexes her muscles on set of the untitled Christy Martin biopicCredit: instagram/sydney_sweeneySydney is unrecognisable on set for the upcoming movieCredit: BackGridBy the mid 1990s, Christy became a showbiz name in her own right.She featured on the undercard for Mike Tyson’s pay-per-view fight against Frank Bruno, and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated.There was even an appearance on classic US TV sitcom Roseanne.But away from the public eye, she was under duress from Jim who controlled her every move.That included trash-talking gay fighters, even though she was hiding her own past and sexuality.Christy revealed: “Jim would encourage me to trash talk fighters who were gay.”I would tell him, ‘You’re treading on thin ice because if I say something, then someone from my past might hear it and come out of the woodwork’.”I would always tell him he was pushing me to walk a dangerous line.”It could have come out at any point, at any time, and something could have exposed me. How would I have looked then?”I was living two lives with what was going on in front of the camera and what was happening behind closed doors.”We would argue about everything, at press conferences, at home. I got to the point where I would pick and choose my battles.”As the first superstar of women’s boxing, Christy appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1996Credit: SuppliedLegendary boxing promoter Don King represented ChristyCredit: GettyChristy became a celebrity in her own right – appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 1996Credit: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal viaTheir blistering rows would often erupt into violence. “Once he knocked my tooth through my lip when I tried to leave him,” Christy confessed.”I had put a contract together to go our separate ways. I just wanted to live my life and go in a different direction. But I was his personal ATM. Without me what was he going to do?”As their relationship further deteriorated, Christy began to get hooked on cocaine, which she used to ease her pain.As he was beating my head into the dresser, I thought, ‘You know motherf***er, you are not going to kill me. Not today.’Christy MartinOn November 23, 2010 it all came to a head. After spending a few days with her friend, Sherry Lusk, Christy returned to their Florida home to find an agitated Martin.She recalled: “I had a headache, so I went to lay down in the bedroom. The entire time I’m laying down, I could hear Jim sharpening a knife.”Then I overheard him talking on the phone, calling people up and telling them I left him for a woman.”I got up and I was getting ready to go for a run. I put one shoe on and then he came into the bedroom.”He said, ‘I have something to show you.’ I thought he had a boxing contract, but instead he had a knife and a gun.”He started to stab me and cut me up and we got into a fight. In my mind, I was ready to die. “But, as he was beating my head into the dresser, I thought, ‘You know motherf***er, you are not going to kill me. Not today.’Christy refused to give up on life after being stabbed and shotCredit: GettyIn 2010, Martin repeatedly stabbed his wife with this knifeCredit: Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit of FloridaHe then shot Christy in the chest with this pink gunCredit: Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida”It was like a switch just flipped and I wanted to live. When he cut me, he cut his own hand. And so he stopped beating me and went to clean up his own hand.”I started to walk out the room. He came back in and picked up the gun. I said to him, ‘You don’t have the balls to shoot me.'”But he did. He shot me and I remember I just prayed to God and asked for a way to get out.”Christy was stabbed four times in the chest, her left lung was punctured, her left leg was sliced to the bone, and a bullet was lodged three inches from her heart.Callous Martin left his wife for dead on the bedroom floor and went to have a shower.The crime scene where Christy was stabbed four times and shotCredit: Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit of FloridaChristy managed to make it out of the flat when Martin went to have a shower, picture shows blood on the bathroom floorCredit: Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit of FloridaThe boxing legend’s left leg was sliced to the boneCredit: Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit of FloridaJim Martin in hospital with injuries sustained in his attackCredit: Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit of FloridaMartin was sentenced to 25 years in prison for attempting to murder ChristyCredit: Alamy”I heard the shower water turn on and that was God telling me it’s time, Christy, now’s the time. So I tried to get up, but blood was coming out of all these holes,” she said.Miraculously, she managed to make it out of their condo, before flagging down a stranger who rushed her to a nearby hospital.She survived her ordeal, as she believes, by the grace of God.In the emergency room, as she recovered from her wounds, she was also able to kick her drug habit to the kerb.”I had always been that athlete that said no to drugs,” she said.”In college, you smoke weed in high school and college and stuff – but I said I was never going to get addicted.”But cocaine became my drug of choice, and it was because I was so miserable with Jim. I was trying to find a happy place.I had always been that athlete that said no to drugsChristy”Cocaine was putting me in that happy place, even though it was really killing me and putting me in a worse place. It was an escape every day for around three years.”I quit because I wasn’t miserable anymore. I was free of Jim. I didn’t need that drug anymore.”Christy is thankful to be alive to tell her story, which she hopes will help women who have been in similar situations to her.”I made a deal with God in the hospital,” she told us.”You know, you let me live through this and I promise you I’m going to help. I’m going to help at least one person every day so they don’t suffer what I went through.”That’s why I keep talking about domestic violence because I gotta keep up my end of the bargain.”Christy in action against Laila Ali in 2003Credit: GettyJim Martin, right, died in 2024 while serving his sentence at Graceville Correctional Facility in FloridaToday, Christy Martin regularly discusses her domestic violence ordealCredit: GettyPioneering Christy led the way for female boxers like Katie Taylor, rightCredit: Sportsfile More

    • 238 Shares50 Views

      in Soccer

      Coaches in tears, staff stacked & millions down drain…inside local hero Jim Ratcliffe’s ‘terrible’ first year at Man Utd

      by

      JULY is usually an exciting time at Manchester United’s famous academy.Hundreds of kids as young as seven return to the club’s Carrington training ground as they dream of following in the footsteps of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo by becoming the next protege to grace Old Trafford.Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s brutal cuts at Man United have earned him the nickname ‘The Jim Reaper’Credit: PAManchester United academy has also been hit as the billionaire axed coachesCredit: GettyThe club confirmed this week up to 200 people will lose their jobsCredit: GettyBut this season it was different. Instead of coaches greeting the potential future stars with fist-bumps and hi-fives, some of them were in tears.The reason? New minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos minions had set their cost-saving sights on the academy.So as kids and parents buzzed around downstairs, respected coaches were being told they were at risk of redundancy upstairs.Shock filled the building as confused children saw coaches they loved walking down the stairs with tears in their eyes.Some children also broke down, while others tried to comfort their coaches as bewildered parents looked on. A dad who witnessed the scenes told The Sun: “How the club acted was outrageous. “It was like waiting all summer and then sacking all the teachers on the first day of term — in front of the kids.“Some of the coaches were crying, some of the kids were then crying — and parents were wondering, ‘What on earth is going on?’”Academy Director Nick Cox later emailed parents to explain the job cuts were part of a club-wide review aimed at saving cash and becoming a “more lean and agile organisation”.Ruben Amorim blames results on the pitch for Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s brutal Man Utd cuts That mantra has been a familiar message from United officials as billionaire Sir Jim slashes his way through every department of the football club, earning him the nickname “The Jim Reaper”.’He’s had a terrible year’Just this week, the club confirmed up to 200 more people will lose their jobs — on top of 250 loyal staff made redundant last year.Even United legend and ex-manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s £2million ambassador role was cut.He argues club staff become too comfortable while leaders have become too sentimental — leading to a decade of poor performance.The problem for Sir Jim — who is worth an estimated £23billion — is that on the pitch results have been disastrous.After spending £14million dispensing of manager Erik ten Hag and football director Dan Ashworth, he spent millions more installing Ruben Amorim in the Old Trafford dugout.The 72-year-old can regularly be seen gritting his teeth along with the rest of United fans as his team flounder on the pitch, winning just five of 16 Premier League games.Sir Jim has applied a similar approach to United as he has with his petrochemicals empire — where predictable costs and cost savings have reaped huge success.But so far in the football world, he has failed to discover the right formula for the sweet science of footie.And the man once billed as the saviour of the club from the hated Glazer family, who have loaded £1billion of debt and interest payments on the club following their 2005 takeover, is now regarded by some fans as just another businessman desecrating the club and all it stands for.On the pitch results have been disastrous this yearCredit: AlamySir Jim reacts during United’s clash with LiverpoolCredit: GettyRatcliffe spent millions installing Ruben Amorim in the Old Trafford dugoutCredit: GettyIn Failsworth, the working-class district eight miles from Old Trafford where Ratcliffe started life, he was previously hailed as a local hero thanks to his business acumen.But after sacking hundreds of United staff, putting up some match tickets to £66 a game, cancelling the Christmas party, and ending free lunches for training ground staff in favour of soup and free fruit, he has lost some of his sheen.The Sun this week visited Dunkerley Avenue, where Ratcliffe lived until he was ten, and were offered views Roy Keane would be proud of about the Ineos boss’s stewardship of the club.Lifelong Man United fan John Fearnley said: “I can’t understand why he is doing this.“He knows what it is like to come from a working-class family but now that is exactly the people who he is targeting. “He’s already put match ticket prices up and no doubt season ticket prices will follow next season.“I think he would have put them up mid-season if he could have. Cutting hundreds of jobs is a mistake and will hurt those affected a lot.”The 70-year-old retired contracts manager added: “My Man City mates are having a right laugh about United getting rid of the canteen and handing out free fruit.“They keep sending me Marcus Rashford memes about how we need him back now the free meals have been stopped.”Sue and John Fearnley are not impressed with Ratcliffe’s approachCredit: Matthew PoverDunkerley Avenue in Failsworth, Manchester, where Ratcliffe lived until he was tenCredit: Matthew PoverRatcliffe’s childhood homeCredit: Matthew PoverHis wife Sue, 69, added: “I am United through and through but what he is doing is wrong.“It’s crazy that he is making all these people redundant. “They will be the lower-paid staff and money will already be tight. “I thought things would improve when he bought into the club. “It’s the players’ wages that need cutting. “They should rip the existing contracts up and if the team does well, give them bonuses.”Mike Robinson, 56, said: “What he is doing is a disgrace. “He is destroying the fabric of the club by sacking the very people who are the club.“When he became the richest man in the UK and you’d tell people where you were from, some would say, ‘That’s where Jim Ratcliffe is from!’.”“It was nice to have someone from Failsworth do so well for himself.“But not now he is sacking ordinary working-class people.”Rob Inkerman, 35, said: “He’s a local lad, a United fan and a billionaire. “I thought he would have known what the club stood for and how it is the ordinary people who make the club what it is.“But instead of improving the club, he’s making it worse. He’s had a terrible year. “When he arrived, I think a lot of people saw him as a hero, someone who could save the club. But not any more. “His reputation with the fans has gone and how must the staff be feeling?“But is sacking staff and stopping the freebies really going to make much difference? “I bet it would make more of a difference to those who used to receive the free lunches.“He’s worth a fortune and should be spending it on the club he supports.”‘Bespectacled bores’And while Ratcliffe remains steadfast in his belief his hardline approach will lead United back to the top of world football, others who have always been suspicious of his reasons for buying into the club remain unconvinced.John-Paul O’Neill, author of Red Rebels: The Glazers And The FC Revolution, said: “After all the hype and hope of Ineos’s takeover of Manchester United’s football operations, the club’s current travails can’t really come as that much of a surprise as little about Jim Ratcliffe’s buy-in makes any sense, least of all financially.“Unlike the Glazers, the most common refrain from United fans who’ve pinned their hopes on the Oldham oligarch is ‘at least Ratcliffe’s put some money into the club’. “But they seem to be confusing the cost of doing the deal — injecting cash that keeps the Glazers afloat — with being some sort of willing benefactor.“Everything Ratcliffe has done at Old Trafford smacks of a two-bob operator.12 months of turmoilDecember 2023: Club confirm Ratcliffe’s takeover vowing to invest £245million.January 2024: Ratcliffe and right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford meet manager Erik ten Hag on a tour of training ground. Omar Berrada poached from Man City as new CEO.February 2024: Ratcliffe’s £1billion, 27.7 per cent takeover completed.March 2024: Ratcliffe bans words “awesome” and “lukewarm cappuccino”. Announces plans for “Wembley of the North” to replace Old Trafford. Man Utd NYSE share price drops to $13.73 – down from $20.52 after takeover.April 2024: Senior staff club credit cards and private cars cancelled.May 2024: Ratcliffe emails employees slamming “disgraceful” lack of cleanliness of facilities. Work finally starts on leaking Old Trafford roof. United finish eighth in Premier League ­­– their lowest ever. Ratcliffe gives employees a week to decide if they want redundancy. Staff forced to pay for own transport to FA Cup final and given only one ticket each. Pre-final party and hotel for senior staff axed.June 2024: United announce £50million upgrade to Carrington. Ratcliffe introduces strict policy forcing staff to come into office.July 2024: United agree deal to bring in Dan Ashworth as sporting director after four months of gardening leave at Newcastle. Erik ten Hag signs shock new contract until 2026. Staff on US pre-season tour cut to 125. Ratcliffe makes 250 redundancies including kitman Alex Wylie.August 2024: United splash £199million on players in summer transfer window. Matchday staff lunchboxes scrapped.October 2024: Sir Alex Ferguson’s £2million-a-year ambassador salary is axed. Staff Christmas party cancelled. “Back to work” policy costs a fortune, converting hospitality suites into offices. Erik ten Hag sacked with club 14th in Premier League table, costing £15million.November 2024: Ruben Amorim appointed manager after the club stumps up £10million to trigger his release clause. Coach Ruud van Nistelrooy axed by Amorim. Ratcliffe reportedly set to halve £40,000 budget paid to Manchester United Disabled Supporters Association.December 2024: Ratcliffe admits “mediocre” United “still in last century”. Fans protest after OAP and children concessions tickets ditched and minimum home ticket cost up to £66. Ashworth sacked as sporting director at a cost of £4.1million. Staff Christmas bonus of £100 ditched for £40 M&S voucher. Ceiling starts leaking during Amorim’s press conference after 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth. With reports of a mice infestation at Old Trafford, droppings are found in food kiosks and suites as food hygiene rating drops to two stars. SunSport reveals Ratcliffe cut £40,000 donation to Association of Former Manchester United Players charity.February 2025: Up to 200 more redundancies.“The farce of the millions wasted on Erik ten Hag and Dan Ashworth is well reported, but who authorised £200million to be spent on transfers last summer, under a manager who was a dead man walking and didn’t even make it to November, let alone Christmas?“Journalists were being briefed by United officials this month that the latest round of redundancies is necessary to prevent the club going bust.“If anyone is to actually believe this, just over a year after Ineos’s army of highly paid lawyers and accountants conducted due diligence on United’s accounts, it begs the question as to why Ratcliffe would have committed nearly £1.5billion to buying a quarter of it, rather than wait until the position became clear and the price crashed?“Why would any serious business operator pay such a fortune to become a minority shareholder in a failing business saddled with a billion pounds of debt? “It almost seems as if Ratcliffe has been brought in to be the Glazers’ lightning rod — a patsy to deflect attention — as he fronts all the decisions they wouldn’t, or couldn’t get away with making.“Ratcliffe can sack all the staff he wants, but the fact remains that in 2025 the biggest non-football-related drain resources remains the cost of the Glazers’ 2005 takeover — and those payments could double when the loans come up for refinancing in 2027.“Strangely, that’s one marginal gain Ineos’s bespectacled bores don’t seem willing to address.“But when their own ‘expertise’ has already seen around £230million spent since May on ‘improvements’ that have taken United to 14th place in the Premier League, it’s no wonder Ratcliffe and his gang are seeking out scapegoats anywhere else they can find them to save those precious pennies.”Former Manchester United’s manager Erik ten HagCredit: AFP More

    • 263 Shares54 Views

      in Soccer

      I experienced the poshest, most exclusive stand in Premier League and it was like no other – just ignore the football

      by

      IT’S the poshest, most exclusive and expensive stand in the Premier League.Bring your Speedos for a half-time dip in an open-air swimming pool, indulge your taste buds with a spot of lobster in a high-class restaurant, enjoy a drink on a roof-top bar overlooking the Thames.Dave Kidd visited Fulham’s new exclusive standThe Sun’s Chief Sports Writer paid £105 for his ticket with his son’s priced at £85 More

    • 250 Shares65 Views

      in Boxing

      Shock pics show Tyson Fury’s Cheshire mansion left to rot with crumbling roof & overgrown lawns as £2.5m refurb blocked

      by

      OVERRUN with weeds and left to rot, new pictures show the shocking state of Tyson Fury’s once grand eight-bed Cheshire mansion after he was banned from knocking it down. The Sun’s exclusive photos and video reveal the dilapidated state of the uninhabitable property in the area’s exclusive “Golden Triangle”, with its entrance overgrown, the tiled roof in disrepair and whole rooms stripped bare with crumbling brickwork.Tyson Fury’s home in Cheshire’s ‘Golden Triangle’ has been left to rotCredit: suppliedWhole rooms including the attic space have been left to go to wrack and ruinCredit: suppliedThe grounds are also in a perilous stateCredit: suppliedTyson, 36, who lives with wife Paris and their seven kids in a swish £1.7m mansion in Morecambe, just over an hour’s drive away, wanted to tear his Cheshire pad down and replace it with a six-bed luxury home built from scratch.His £2.5million Grand Designs-inspired dream renovation included plans for a swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi and a cinema, but he was forced to withdraw the application last August.Instead, the boxer was “only” given approval to extensively renovate the current home, including allowances for three extensions, a basement with a games room and a music room.But new pictures and video show the pad has been left in a perilous state, with the roof caved in and badly in need of a major overhaul.Tyson’s dad John lives next door and photos reveal the land is covered in cars, caravans and motorhomes.The former world champ has previously had run-ins with Cheshire East Council when trying to knock down the mansion.The property backs onto Manchester Airport and is close to his brother Tommy Fury and Molly-Mae Hague’s £3.5million home. His plans for the renovation came unstuck after bats were found nesting in the loft.This meant Tyson was already having to apply for a special licence from Natural England as a protected species had been detected around the home. He was then told birds flocking to his pond or fruit trees may be a hazard to nearby jets. Inside Tyson and Paris Fury’s luxurious lifestyleHe also needed to submit a biodiversity strategy which “should include proposals for the provision of features for nesting birds including house sparrow”.And he was told he needed “gaps in garden fences to facilitate the movement of hedgehogs, native species planting”.Another council department also wanted him to move his proposed extravagant pad – for the sake of an oak tree. Rotting woodwork is visible from the roadCredit: thisischriswhite.comTyson was stopped from tearing down the homeCredit: thisischriswhite.comIt appears the roof of the once-lavish property also requires workCredit: thisischriswhite.comThe exterior has fallen into a state of disrepairCredit: suppliedThe land is occupied by cars, caravans and motorhomesCredit: suppliedIn the end, Tyson was forced to ditch plans to demolish the original building and stick to extending the existing one.To top it off, the former world champ and his two brothers, John Jnr and Shane, had been renting out a car park on their land, which landed them in hot water with the courts in December 2023.Dad John appeared at Chester Magistrates Court to defend his sons, saying he had signed the lease agreement with a valet company and they had done nothing wrong by failing to cough up £82,166.85 to Cheshire East Council for the car park, which adjoins his house. But the district judge ordered the brothers to pay the business rates bill, plus court costs of £17,206 – totalling nearly £100,000.Cheshire’s Golden TriangleBy Ryan MerrifieldCheshire’s Golden Triangle refers to a super affluent area in the North West of England, covering small towns like Alderley Edge, Wilmslow, and Prestbury.It’s known for its expensive houses and popularity among wealthy Premier League footballers, often called the “Footballer Belt” due to the high concentration of professional athletes that live there.But furious locals say mega mansions RUIN the area.The average price of a property on one coveted road in Wilmslow is £4million and estate agents describe it as one of the town’s “most sought-after” and “desirable” streets.The gated mansions offer peace and privacy, and current residents include Liverpool’s Andy Robertson and his teammate Alexis Mac Allister, who recently bought a home.Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once lived there as well as ex-United keeper Sergio Romero.And Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is also thought to own a property on the road.Set in glorious countryside, the area, according to one estate agent, “is a delightful blend of sophistication and rural tranquillity” and boasts high-end shops and upmarket bars and restaurants.Visitors to Wilmslow might spot Marcus Rashford jewellery shopping, his Manchester United teammate Bruno Fernandes leaving a tanning salon or Manchester City star Kyle Walker’s wife Annie Kilner hitting the gym.The dilapidated pad is a far cry from the Fury family’s main property – a lavish £1.7million mansion in nearby Morecambe, where they moved in 2020 after upgrading from a modest £550,000 home.The plush pile has gold curtains and radiators throughout, perhaps giving an indication of how they envisioned doing up the interior of their currently-stalled Cheshire property.There are huge chandeliers dangling from the ceilings, the kitchen is decked out in red marble, and wife Paris previously revealed her favourite part of their home – her walk-in wardrobe. Fury bought the property in December 2020, and is mortgage-free, according to land registry records.Tyson Fury, pictured in Saudi Arabia last year, had grand plans for his Cheshire mansion but has had multiple setbacksCredit: GettyIt’s a far cry from the family’s £1.7m pad in Morecambe where he and Paris currently reside with their childrenCredit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvin MediaParis and Tyson with their kids on a family holiday in 2023Credit: parisfury1/instagram More

    • 300 Shares66 Views

      in Boxing

      I watched Gerald McClellan fight for his life after horror KO – 30 years on it still makes me feel sick to my stomach

      by

      IT IS 30 years ago to the day that Nigel Benn, with an almost medieval ferocity, battered American Gerald McClellan to retain his WBC world super-middleweight title.Normally after such a blood-chilling, super-human display of guts and raw courage – when Benn had tigerishly fought back after twice being on the brink of defeat – there would have been an outpouring of elation.Nigel Benn’s brutal win over Gerald McClellan is 30 years old.. but still makes Colin Hart feel sickCredit: GettyBenn’s flurry of punches left McClellan counted out in the tenth roundCredit: PABut let me make it perfectly clear: the tragic events following the Dark Destroyer’s infamous 10-round KO victory – and there are still repercussions to this day – ensured there was certainly no cause for celebration.A 12,000 sell-out London Arena and a further 13million viewers tuning-in live on ITV watched horrified as McClellan was transformed from a superbly fit athlete to a shell of a man lying unconscious on the canvas as three doctors and an anaesthetist fought desperately to save his life.Recalling those scenes from three decades ago leaves me with the same sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as it did then.In my SunSport fight report, I said there had never been a more brutal battle in Britain – and thankfully there has never been another like it since.We watched, hearts in our mouths, as the medics spent 15 minutes going about their work.McClellan was given an injection to relax him, put in a head-brace and had a oxygen mask strapped to his face. He was stretchered out of the ring and rushed to the nearby Royal London Hospital.There, waiting to operate, was neurosurgeon John Sutcliffe, who removed a blood clot from his brain.After surgery, McClellan lay in a coma for two weeks before being flown back to his home in Freeport, Illinois, where he has been cared for by his sister Lisa ever since.His devastating brain injuries have left him blind, almost completely deaf and confined to a wheelchair.Ironically, Benn was taken to the same hospital and placed in the same ward as McClellan suffering from extreme exhaustion, a fractured nose, fractured jaw and passing blood in his urine due to kidney damage.McClellan took too much of a battering and failed to get off his knees in the tenth roundCredit: GettyMcClellan was taken out of the arena on a stretcher after suffering life-changing injuriesCredit: PAMcLellan was left in a coma and blind, while also mostly deaf, following the fightColin Hart’s fight report from the dramatic fightCredit: The SunWe were told that Nigel went over to his comatose opponent kissed him on the cheek and said “sorry”.In hindsight the omens weren’t good for this meeting between – pound-for-pound – two of the most devastating punchers of their era.They just didn’t like each other.If ever there was an Ugly American it was McClellan who arrived on these shores with a reputation for being as mean and nasty outside the ring as he was inside.The great Manny Steward, who trained dozens of world champions including Tommy ‘Hit Man’ Hearns and Lennox Lewis made no bones about it when he said: “Out of all the fighters I have trained, Gerald probably had the biggest mean streak of them all.”McClellan, having won all but two of his 31 fights by KO, prophetically said two months before he met Benn: “You have to go to war. You have to be prepared to die. That’s what boxing is.”And his cornerman, Stan Johnson, put in his two pennyworth by declaring: “Gerald didn’t want to win the fight. He actually wanted to kill Nigel Benn.”McClellan had to be respected as a formidable world-class fighting machine, but for me he was an extremely flawed human being.His hobby was breeding fighting pit bulls. How can anyone possibly warm to anyone who admits to tying up the muzzle of a Labrador and throwing it into the jaws of his prize pit bull and watch it being torn to pieces?Because of his violent reputation, McClellan was a 1-3 favourite going into the fight that was choc-full of drama and controversy from the the start.Just 35 seconds after the opening bell, McClellan trapped Benn against the ropes and – with both fists crashing against his skull – forced him out of the ring onto the apron.Recalling the moment, Nigel said “I didn’t know a man could hit that hard.”Nigel Benn was sent flying out of the ring in the first round, such was McClellan’s powerCredit: GettyThe pair fought until the tenth round in a savage war of attritionCredit: Allsport – GettyBenn managed to scramble back with the count on nine, but it seemed impossible for him to survive.Yet he tore into McClellan with both hands and it was obvious we were about to witness a sensational non-stop battle of attrition.From then on, the action ebbed and flowed with a violence that was frightening in its intensity.In the eighth, a desperately-tired Benn was floored by a tremendous McClellan right.Nigel got up to take the mandatory eight count and, as he stood in a neutral corner swaying like a sapling in the wind, his face grotesquely swollen, he looked more like the Dark Destroyed than Dark Destroyer.He seemed to have little chance of pulling through.Yet somehow, from somewhere, he managed to dredge up a few more ounces of strength and willpower and once again launched himself at his tormentor.He shook McClellan with a right to the chin and that was the moment the American looked fearful and started to crumble – perhaps realising he was faced with an unstoppable, unrelenting force.Two rounds later, another Benn onslaught sent McClellan to his knees. Managing to haul himself upright he was met by a short right uppercut.This time – fully conscious – he stayed down on one knee as French referee Alfred Azaro, counted him out.McClellan eventually sank to his knees and failed to get back up after Benn’s barrageCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdThe pair have since been reunited after McClellan’s life-altering injuriesCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdBenn also ended up in hospital but avoided any serious, long-term injuriesCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdI’m ashamed to say I was guilty of thinking McClellan had committed boxing’s cardinal sin and had decided he’d taken enough punishment and quit.At that moment – before the stark reality set in – the crowd had worked themselves into a frenzy of excitement at having seen Benn’s unbelievable courage prevail against the odds.There have been many theories that McClellan – who showed signs of distress after being accidentally head-butted in the ninth – could have finished beaten but unscathed if the rookie referee, in charge of only his second world title fight, or Johnson had read the signs correctly and pulled him out.We will never know.There’s no doubt that Benn, 61 – four years older than McClellan and now living in Sydney – was so traumatised it changed his life completely and led him to become a born-again Christian and preacher.Several years later, Nigel said: “Sure I wanted to win – but not at that price. On that night my heart went out of boxing. “Let me tell you something – inflicting that kind of damage does something to you.”Benn was back at the London Arena five months later, knocking out Italian Vincenzo Nardiello – but he was never the same fighter again and he retired after losing what would be his final three fights.For a time there was bad blood between Benn and the McClellan family – Lisa felt Nigel hadn’t shown enough remorse or compassion for her brother.But, in 2007, the rift was healed when Benn helped organise a star-studded charity evening at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, that raised £200,000 for McClellan.That money has helped to make Gerald’s life as comfortable as it can possibly be.However, I suggest no amount of cash is any sort of consolation for a young man in his prime having his future shattered in under half an hour.Benn showed off a cut cheek as he suffered a fractured nose, fractured jaw and kidney damageCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdMcClellan was in clear distress as Benn unleashed a flurry of blowsCredit: PA More