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      Chelsea player ratings: Dewsbury-Hall proves he does belong in Blues midfield but struggling Sancho just not good enough

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      ENZO MARESCA’S Chelsea showed they can more than cope with the Conference League as they sailed past FC Copenhagen into the quarter-finals.The first half was described by many as the most boring of the Blues’ season, as they failed to register a shot against a team that finished 18th in a below-par group phase.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored as Chelsea beat Copenhagen 3-1 on aggregateCredit: GettyThe result saw the Blues reach the quarters of the Conference LeagueCredit: GettyIn fact, the most interesting part of the first 45 minutes was probably the exceptional travelling support, who got more excited for the warm-ups than the home fans did all night.Thankfully, it didn’t stay that way for long, with a rare moment of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall magic and two half-time subs igniting the game and the crowd as he evaded a number of challenges before slotting the ball home and opening the scoring.Cole Palmer’s half-time introduction alongside Marc Cucurella certainly injected some energy into the Chelsea attack, but he was still unable to break his run of poor form in this one.Maresca and his men will be hoping that small issue is fixed before they face Legia Warsaw in the next round.This is how SunSport’s Lloyd Canfield rated the players…Filip Jorgensen – 8His performance was everything it needed to be tonight.While the Dane wasn’t tested all that much in goal he saved anything that came his way and was commanding of his box with the Copenhagen crosses coming flying in.His distribution was also pretty good, with a long throw out to Pedro Neto on the right side of attack being the best example of that.Cheltenham Festival betting offers and free betsTrevoh Chalobah –  6Solid for the Blues at right back tonight.Didn’t blow any socks off as he went about his business.Cole Palmer branded ‘gift that keeps on giving’ after Chelsea star reveals his meal deal sandwich But Chalobah was entirely dependable and a strong presence in Enzo Maresca’s side.A slight knock on his performance was that he did give the ball away a few times for a player of his quality on the ball.Tosin Adarabioyo – 7Being an ‘old head’ in the side at just 27 years of age must be a strange feeling for Tosin, but that’s what he has been this season and was again tonight.In the game against Leicester I praised him for his leadership skills and taking on the role of organising the defence and he did that once more in this game, albeit with a group of defenders he won’t have been used to playing matches with.His physical presence in the side is much needed and appreciated, and he always seemed pretty composed on the ball too. Chelsea’s best defender on the night.Tosin had a strong game at the heart of defenceCredit: PABenoit Badiashile – 4The Frenchman recently returned from a lengthy hamstring injury and gave a bit of added depth to Chelsea’s defence while allowing Levi Colwill to get a rest.It was his only his second game since the Blues beat Tottenham 4-3 back in December, and he looked a bit rusty from the off with a few lousy passes and a missed opportunity to attack the box and get a goal early on.You could sense the other players getting frustrated with his passing, Sancho in particular who would drop short only for the defender to loop it over his head and out of play.Josh Acheampong – 7With Player of the Season contender Marc Cucurella starting on the bench, Cobham graduate Josh Acheampong had big boots to fill playing in his inverted full-back role.He did it brilliantly though, while looking 10 years his senior and it was a mature, strong and controlled performance from the youngster.He was an attacking threat when progressing the ball, but also came up with some vital bits of defensive play including a huge first half block to stop Copenhagen levelling the tie.Was probably deserving of playing the second half, but was replaced by Cucurella.Josh Acheampong impressed but was hauled off at the breakCredit: GettyMoises Caicedo – 7You get the sense he was waiting an age for the chance to put in a big tackle as he has been walking a yellow card tightrope in the Premier League of late.He enjoyed it when he did, and was his usual combative self while showing flashes of the player we know he can be with the ball at his feet and linking up well with those around him.Was given a standing ovation for his performance when he was replaced by Reece James for the final 10 minutes.Enzo Fernandez (c)  – 5Was often on the ball in the first half, but not at his brilliant best with a few passes going astray as he looked to create attacks and progress the ball as we have seen him do this season.Nonetheless, was always an option in midfield and is a player that youngsters like Josh Acheampong will really appreciate as something of a safety net, knowing how technically secure he is.Was subbed at half-time for Cole Palmer after struggling to find his feet a bit in midfield.Enzo Fernandez failed to get a hold on the midfield battleCredit: GettyTyrique George – 5Tyrique is starting to look like he’s really settling in here, and with each passing game he seems to be growing in confidence and showing the fans here more of the brilliant player we saw in the academy.Was intelligent and bright on the right-hand side, not looking out of place one bit and causing some real problems with his rapid feet and dribbling ability.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 8One fan I spoke to at half-time referred to him as ‘Kiernan the friendly ghost’ and it was pretty tough to argue with him…But it was he who came to the fore when Chelsea needed a goal to put their nerves at ease, jinking through the Copenhagen defence and slotting the ball into the net with aplomb.What followed was actually a very good second half performance, in which he looked far more composed and confident on the ball.Jadon Sancho – 2Chelsea’s on-loan winger from Man Utd was back in his preferred position on the left tonight, having played the last few games on the right with Nkunku in his place.As much as his playing style can be entertaining and he has proven already this season he has been a real creative asset, bagging five assists in his first six games, he has not been good enough of late and you sense he is really missing Nicolas Jackson or Marc Guiu as a target for him to aim at.It’s been far too long since he added a goal or assist to his tally, and was a pretty early substitute with Nkunku coming on in his place.His highlight was a shot on target before coming off, which believe it or not was his FIRST of 2025. It’s March…Jadon Sancho had a stinker on the wingCredit: EPAPedro Neto – 4For my money was pretty unfortunate not to win a penalty in the first half, but it was much the same story for Pedro that we saw against Leicester at the weekend.A lot of hard work and no just reward was the tale of the game for the Portuguese winger deputising as Chelsea’s number nine, it would’ve been nice to see him let a shot or two loose from the edge of the box.Enzo Maresca will almost certainly be counting down the days to have Nicolas Jackson back it his disposal, which will also give him the option of playing Neto out wide where he is undoubtedly best suited.SUBS:Cole Palmer (Enzo Fernandez, HT) – 5It was more of the same of what we have seen from Cole Palmer this season when he was introduced at half-time for Enzo Fernandez.His quality is undeniable, there is no doubt in my mind the sun will shine on him again soon, but for now it’s more good touches with no end product.That’s 10 games without a goal or assist for a player who would usually accrue about one, if not more, per GAME before this spell.Some would argue he was a little selfish at the end of the game as he could’ve passed the ball off to Genesis Antwi, but you can understand his desire to break this duck.Cole Palmer endured a frustrating second halfCredit: GettyMarc Cucurella (Josh Acheampong, HT) – 6Was his usual self when he came on to replace the youngster, offering a bit more dynamism to the Blues and a bit more of a goal threat.Always offers a run from deep and creates chaos when his side attack on the left.Christopher Nkunku (Jadon Sancho, 65) – 5Didn’t make a massive impact after his introduction, but did create a few chances and offered more of a threat to Copenhagen than what Sancho did, though he also played a more central role.He is another of Chelsea’s front line that would be more effective with Nicolas Jackson or Marc Guiu fit and available for selection.Reece James (Moises Caicedo, 80) – 6Came on to a loud ovation from the home support after scoring in the first leg of this tie to help send Chelsea through.He didn’t have an awful lot of time to make a real difference, but looked comfortable going both ways in the Blues’ midfield.It will be interesting to see if both he and Marc Cucurella start the game vs Arsenal at the weekend.Genesis Antwi (Pedro Neto, 89) – 5Came on in the right side of attack as the fourth officials board went up to signal he’d get five minutes of playing time.Made a great run down the right giving an option to Cole Palmer who could’ve teed him up for a go at goal, but Chelsea’s main man went for the confidence boosting goal and failed to beat the keeper.Don’t think he actually touched the ball after coming on, but good for a young lad to get on the pitch nonetheless. More

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      ‘There was blood everywhere’ – Inside Kenilworth Road riot, where ‘freelance’ hooligans turned Luton into war zone

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      IT WAS one of English football’s bleakest nights and one of its most significant occasions.The Kenilworth Road riot — before, during and after an FA Cup quarter- final between Luton Town and Millwall on March 13, 1985 — was a hideous orgy of disorder which had profound ramifications for the English game.The 1985 Luton riot occurred before, during and after a 1984–85 FA Cup gameCredit: PAFans stormed the pitch after Luton beat Millwall 1-0Credit: GettyIt was halted by Millwall fans for 25 minutes and ended with a frightening riotCredit: AlamySeats in Kenilworth Road were destroyedCredit: GettyFormer Luton gaffer David Pleat spoke exclusively to SunSportCredit: RexForty years ago today, Millwall’s infamous Bushwackers firm were joined by a band of ‘freelance hooligans’ from Chelsea and West Ham.Luton’s home ground became dangerously overcrowded, sparking a series of violent pitch invasions as an entire town was turned into a war zone.Eighty-one people were injured, including a policeman who had to be resuscitated after being knocked out by a concrete slab.A knife was thrown at Luton keeper Les Sealey. Hundreds of seats were ripped out and used as missiles. Billiard balls were hurled into the directors’ box, before a pitched battle raged between hooligans and police.David Pleat, who managed Luton that night and for 12 years over two spells, told me: “The victims of the violence — many of them either very young or old — were treated in the players’ tunnel. There was blood everywhere. The scenes were horrific.”“Outside, homes, pubs and shops were vandalised. Carriages on a train carrying travelling fans had ceilings torn out and, according to police, were left “looking as if a bomb had gone off”.In that spring of 1985, English football was entering its lowest depths.Cheltenham Festival betting offers and free betsThe Luton riot would be swiftly followed by the Bradford City fire, in which 56 supporters perished, and the Heysel disaster at the European Cup final in Brussels, when rioting by Liverpool fans and a crumbling stadium caused the deaths of 39 people — mainly supporters of Juventus.As a result, English clubs would be banned from all European competitions for five years.New Luton Town Stadium given planning permissionPoliceman and dogs were deployed onto the pitchCredit: AlamyPolice with batons out tackled fans invading the turf in 1985Credit: AlamyThen manager Pleat has included details in his new autobiographyCredit: GettyFor many years before, football supporters had been treated like animals and far too many acted accordingly.Pleat recalls that Margaret Thatcher’s government was already “waging war” against the battered national sport, scapegoating football for society’s ills.And after the Kenilworth Road riot, Thatcher found a willing ally in Luton chairman David Evans. The soon-to-be Tory MP introduced a ban on away fans from his club’s stadium, as well as an ID card scheme which the prime minister sought to have introduced for supporters nationwide.It was only after the horrors of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster — and the subsequent Taylor Report which deemed the scheme unworkable — that the national ID card project was abandoned.Anyone who watched football from behind fences in the 1980s would have experienced dangerous overcrowding and been in little doubt that the deaths of 97 Liverpool supporters at Hillsborough could have happened to fans of any club.After Lord Chief Justice Taylor’s intervention, all-seater stadia were made compulsory in the top two tiers of English football.Along with the advent of the Premier League, the game and its venues would be transformed.Police and fans battled during Luton vs MillwallCredit: GettyThe aftermath of the riots brought huge changes in English footballCredit: AlamyLuton’s away-fan ban ran from 1987 until 1991. Many clubs banned Hatters supporters in a tit-for-tat.And Luton were thrown out of the League Cup for one season after refusing to back down.Football supporters were societal pariahs in the 80s. And Luton — the riot’s victims — would become hated inside the sport.Pleat damningly describes the late Evans as “a visionary in his own mind” and “a lapdog for Mrs Thatcher”. He added: “Evans was not a good person and Luton became widely hated because of his actions.”On the 40th anniversary of the riot, the details sound difficult to comprehend.The match was not all-ticket, although matches very rarely were.The trouble was premeditated and organised, yet police were unprepared — despite the sight of thousands of known hooligans congregating at London’s St Pancras Station four hours before kick-off.Bedfordshire’s force had no horses, with reinforcements arriving from Cambridgeshire only after serious disorder had flared.Soon-to-be Tory MP David Evans was the chairman of Luton Town at the timeCredit: RexAway fans were banned from Kenilworth Road from 1987 until 1991Credit: GettyStadium overcrowding was a huge problem in the 80sCredit: RexThe overcrowding was dangerous and, in Pleat’s words, the arrangements were “completely chaotic”.But the English domestic game, now the envy of the world, was unrecognisable four decades ago.Conditions at most stadiums were appalling, violence was rife, overcrowded terraces endangered lives, fans were herded like sheep, barked at by police dogs, and watched matches from behind barbed-wire fences or within cages.David Brown, a 59-year-old Hatters supporter who attended the Millwall match as a teenager, said: “You would go to away matches in those days and be terrified.“I remember going to Newcastle in the 80s and being scared to open my mouth for fear of being beaten up.“Last season I went to St James’ Park for a 4-4 draw and Newcastle fans couldn’t have been friendlier.“When you think of the conditions you’d watch football in back then, you wonder why we bothered going.“I’d seen other serious outbreaks of hooliganism — but nothing like the Millwall riot.”Stewards were asked to clean up Luton’s ground the day after the riotCredit: GettyThose who complain about the ‘sanitisation’ of the modern match-going experience tend to conveniently forget how bad things were in the ‘good old days’ of the 70s and 80s.English football was a powder keg. The Luton riot was the night it truly exploded.The Kenilworth Road End, which was supposed to house travelling Millwall fans, became overcrowded as their numbers had been seriously swelled by supporters of rival London clubs.Kick it upfield, I’ll blow the final whistle, then run for your life.Referee told goalkeeper SealeyBrown later worked with a Chelsea fan who had been at the Kenilworth Road riot and admitted to becoming a ‘freelance hooligan’ because “we all wanted to have a go at Luton”, whose own hooligan fringe had been involved in violence at grounds in the capital.By 7pm — 45 minutes before kick-off — a gate had been forced open, leading to crushing, with hundreds of fans invading the pitch and goading Luton supporters in the opposite Oak Road End of the ground.Remarkably, the game kicked off on time but after 14 minutes there was a further pitch invasion, which led to a 35-minute delay.Soon after, forward Brian Stein scored the only goal of the tie for top-flight strugglers Luton against Millwall’s Third Division promotion chasers, with Pleat admitting “we all feared the worst”.Luton Town executives John Smith and Millwall chief executive Tony Shaw met with Sports Minister Neil MacFarlane to discuss the violent clashes in 1985Credit: PABut referee David Hutchinson, a policeman himself, was determined to finish the match. Just before the end, with Sealey about to take a goal-kick, Hutchinson told Sealey: “Kick it upfield, I’ll blow the final whistle, then run for your life.”And all 22 players sprinted for the relative safety of the dressing rooms.For Pleat, reaching an FA Cup semi-final should have been a career highlight.Instead, that achievement was utterly tarnished.The next day he was dragged into an emergency meeting in Parliament — with Luton’s bosses, as well as FA chiefs, grilled and urged to get their house in order.Yet Millwall would be fined a measly £7,500 — a punishment overturned on appeal.Kenilworth Road had been trashed and Evans used the opportunity to ban away fans, to build several executive boxes on the site of the vandalised Bobbers Stand, to install a controversial plastic pitch, as well as introducing the away-fan ban and ID card scheme.Millwall boss George Graham led his players off and later told Pleat he wanted to leave the South London clubCredit: PABrown said: “Evans used the trouble for his own political means. He gave a rabble-rousing speech at the next Tory party conference and, at the next election, he was elected an MP.“The away-fan ban made Luton very unpopular — but the hypocrisy of Evans was that wealthy away fans who could afford the executive boxes were still welcome.”Millwall’s manager that night was George Graham, a friend of Pleat’s ever since they had faced each other in an England v Scotland schoolboy international in 1960, through to their time as rival managers of Tottenham and Arsenal, to the current day, with both men now aged 80.Pleat said: “Before kick-off, George used the stadium’s loudspeaker to urge the Millwall fans to get off the pitch. “We were the last two people inside Kenilworth Road that night and George then told me he wanted to leave Millwall. “They won promotion that season but the following year he was off to Arsenal.”Pleat claimed: “A third of Luton season-ticket holders stopped going to matches after the riot, never to come back.”Thirty-one people were arrested for the violence, appearing at Luton Magistrates Court the next morning.But with Hatters fans waiting outside, at least one Millwall supporter — who had been fined, then freed, for his part in the riot — lost his bravado and refused to leave the courthouse for fear of reprisals.Pleat said: “People forget how dark a place English football was in back then.“The Bradford and Heysel disasters would come soon after.“Now supporters can enjoy matches in decent conditions — but back then, it was a very different game.” Just One More Goal — The Autobiography of David Pleat is available from Biteback Publishing. More

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      Fresh twist in Kyle Walker’s troubled marriage as estranged wife Annie makes major change in new business venture

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      KYLE Walker’s estranged wife Annie Kilner has used his name professionally for the first time.The model, 31, referred to herself as Annie Walker to plug her jewellery range.Kyle Walker’s estranged wife Annie Kilner has used his name for the first time professionallyCredit: SplashThe 31-year-old referred to herself as Annie Walker to plug her jewellery rangeCredit: Paul Edwards – Commissioned by The SunHer Instagram post reads: ‘Demure. Founded by Annie Walker & Sophie Haynes’Credit: InstagramHer Instagram post, shared on Saturday, showed her wearing a diamond bracelet, and read: “Demure. Founded by Annie Walker & Sophie Haynes.”Sources said the move is a significant thawing in relations between her and the England and Manchester City love rat, 34.But tensions remain after we told how AC Milan loanee Kyle was pictured with two models, a day after Annie and their four boys visited him in Italy. A source said: “Annie was far from happy and made her feelings clear. Kyle denies anything went on and says he was asked to give the girls a lift.“He’s clearly put himself in a difficult situation given his reputation.”It’s the lack of thought for Annie and how it might look that’s caused the upset.”Despite the pictures, he and Annie are said to be working through their issues and are “in the best position” they have ever been. There is even talk they are intent on establishing themselves as a brand.They met when Annie was 15 and wed in November 2021.The marriage fell apart last January after Kyle was exposed for fathering a second child with Lauryn Goodman.Kyle Walker party girls revealed as globe-trotting models – and lift lid on how star is enjoying his new life in MilanAnnie filed for divorce last August. But insiders claim the divorce is purely financial and will see her take a large share of his estimated £27million fortune. It is possible they will remain in the same home beyond the formalities.A source added: “Kyle’s move to Italy has given the family time to take stock. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and it’ll either bring them closer together or confirm what many around them have thought for a long time.”The marriage fell apart last January after Kyle was exposed for fathering a second child with Lauryn GoodmanLove rat Walker is on loan with Italian giants AC MilanCredit: GettyWalker fathered two children with his ex LaurynCredit: Alamy More

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

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      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

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

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      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

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      in Soccer

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

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      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

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      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

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      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

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      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

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      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